I started laughing. Canan had always been funny but this was a joke I didn't expect. Did he really believe he could fool me like that? He—the heir to the throne. I laughed even more.
It didn't take long before I stopped though. His facial expression had changed and he almost looked hurt.
"Is it that hard to believe?" he muttered.
I felt my chin drop to the floor. Was he being serious? "B-but they said he's a boy," I stammered. "You're a grown man!"
The corner of his mouth turned slightly upwards and he met my eyes again, "Do they now? Well, they're wrong. I am the bastard son of the late king, one of them at least." I opened my mouth to say something but no words left it. He might be one of the king's children, but was he the one they were looking for? "My mother used to work at the castle," he continued, "he knocked her up and she left before people would find out."
"I'm sorry," I mumbled. Growing up without a father must have been hard for any boy. "Did you know?"
"Not until people came looking for me, my mother had kept it a secret all my life," he said. By now I had placed my hand on his arm, a pathetic attempt to comfort him in some way, but he didn't seem to mind.
"Is that why you left?"
He shrugged his shoulders, "no one knows, it didn't change much."
Then it hit me, he had taken a huge risk telling me this, "but you told me!" I gasped.
Finally a smile cracked through his sad expression and he took a step forward to place his hands on my shoulders, "I did, because I can't have you run around the entire continent searching for someone you've already found."
"What if I chain you up and drag you to the capitol?" I whispered, my eyes widening as his face moved closer to mine.
"That's your choice," he answered softly, just before his lips gently grazed mine. My heart stopped and my head felt empty. What the hell was he doing? How many had he kissed today? I instantly pulled away from him and took a step back, trying to control my thoughts and my racing heart. In the periphery I watched him sigh and pull his fingers through his hair, leaving his hands to rest behind his neck. "Listen, Illon, I took a risk telling you this. I never wanted to lie, but I had to. Until I knew you a bit better."
"I don't care about that!" I shouted at him and was met by a deep frown.
"Then tell me why you're upset!" he commanded, "If it's about the gold, I'll help you get it, I'll help you tear down his bloody prison wall if you'd like!"
I spun around and met him face to face, staring deeply into his eyes, "and why the hell would you do that for me? You barely even know me, we just met a few days ago."
"You're right," he said with a softness in his eyes. "All I want is the chance to know you better, and for you to get to know me." His hand touched my cheek, stroking it softly, "and then we'll see what happens."
And what about the woman you kissed? I wanted to ask, but the words were stuck in my throat. Maybe because I wanted to forget it even happened. He was there with me now, wasn't he? He talked about getting to know me, and he acted like he wanted to kiss me.
"And what about Tom?" I mumbled, peering at his chest to avoid his intense gaze.
"He can't know, not yet," he said.
I nodded, took a step closer to him and let my cheek rest on his chest, I was instantly rewarded with his arms gently embracing me. "Thank you for telling me, for trusting me," I whispered.
"You're welcome," he chuckled and hugged me tighter. "But you look exhausted, let's get some rest?"
I nodded, but didn't feel like letting go just yet. I let my hands travel to his back searching for an entry point where my hands could slip under his shirt. His skin was warm, so much warmer than mine. As my hands explored his broad back I could feel old scars, and I traced them with my fingertips. Some were long and wide as if he'd been hit with a whip. But there were smaller ones as well— scratch marks and old stab wounds. Suddenly I was filled with hate for the people that had done this to him and tears started to run down my face. "I'm sorry they did this to you," I sobbed. I was clearly going through every emotion today.
He pulled away from me and placed both hands on my face, brushing away my tears with his thumbs. "It was a long time ago, nothing to dwell on sweetheart," he said with a soft smile on his lips. "Now, let's get some sleep, it's almost dawn."
I let him lead me back to the single bed and as we lay down on it I curled up beside him, not minding the closeness anymore. It didn't take long before I fell asleep, dreaming incoherent dreams with flashes of Canan's coronation, the new king marrying the woman I saw him kiss, my brother's life sentence and the lady of the enchanted forest punishing me for not keeping my promise. They were all nightmares, and I woke up in a cold sweat, startling Canan with a scream.
"Bad dream?" he asked and rubbed his eyes.
"Yes," I mumbled, unwilling to speak about it. But Canan clearly knew how to get through to me and after a moment of cuddling and comforting words I decided to tell him about our experience in the forest.
"So you made her a promise," he sighed after I'd finished the story.
I supported my weight on my elbow as I lifted my body to be able to look down at him, "I think she wants to meet you to see that I kept my word, that's all."
His eyes examined me, "And?" he asked. I sighed and fell down into the pillow again, hiding my face in it. "Illon?"
"She said you would have a great impact on my life," I told him with blushing cheeks, "and that you would bring a lot of changes to it."
He chuckled and pulled me closer, "and how do you feel about that?"
"She's an all knowing being C," I said seriously, "she's seen the future."
His smile widened, "and I was a part of it?"
I huffed at him and decided to get out of the bed. The only option was to climb over his body to reach the other side of the bed since I had slept crushed between him and the wall. I had no chance of reaching my goal though, he grabbed a firm hold on my body, teasing me and begging me to stay. His hands were placed around my waist, fingers pressing down to tickle me. I was lost to his mercy, letting out a fit of giggles, crying, screaming, kicking and eventually begging him to stop and let me catch my breath. When he finally gave in I fell down on the bed and gasped for air. But as I closed my eyes, with a smile still lingering on my lips, I felt his hands move underneath my shirt, the tickling motions had turned into soft caressing strokes and suddenly I felt his lips against my bare neck.
His heavy body hovered over mine while his soft lips created tiny explosions inside my body each time they touched my sensitive skin. As his mouth worked itself up to my ear he nibbled at my earlobe, kissed my temple and whispered in a husky voice, "do you want me to stop?" Did I? My mind went blank, but my body betrayed me as it screamed for more, but everyone knew you shouldn't listen to your body in situations like these. "Yes or no," he chuckled and peered into my eyes.
My hands moved up to his neck and I combed his curls between my fingers, admiring the thickness of it for a moment before my thumb grazed the soft contour of his mouth. "No," I whispered, "no, I don't want you to stop," I answered him, and moved my hands down to unbutton his shirt.
His lips crashed down on mine and he instantly devoured me, tasting every bit of me and I could hardly keep up. As I found the rhythm I noticed his skin smelled like the sun and his lips tasted oddly sweet, as alluring as it was familiar.
He removed his shirt and began working on mine, taking short shallow breaths between the heated kisses. His passion and his eagerness filled me with anticipation. For in this moment I was his, and that was all I cared about right now.
My hands thugged at his hair as his mouth travelled down my body, I gasped as he found one of my nipples and placed it between his teeth. "Do you want me to stop?" It was both sweet and annoying how he kept asking me that, I thought, but all I could do was shake my head. "Illon," he insisted, "I need you to say it out loud."
"Canan, please don't stop," I moaned as he licked the skin of my shivering body.
Hands moved for my belt, removing the restraints of the clothing I had insisted on wearing all night. He worked fast and before I knew it we were both undressed and every item was scattered all over the floor. That's when it hit me.
"Oh my goddess, Frank!" I almost screamed and turned to look at the window where the tiny dragon had been sleeping. But at the moment he was nowhere to be seen.
Canan let out a hearty chuckle and pushed me back down on the bed, "He's not around, relax."
My heart suddenly started to pound very fast, "where is he then?" I looked back at the window, it was open! "It was closed when I went to bed, did you open it?"
By now Canan walked up to the window, the morning sun hitting his glorious green body as he examined it, "don't you think he's smart enough to open it himself?" he asked and peered back at me.
"I guess so," I sighed, "I'm sorry I freaked out."
Canan chuckled again, then pulled me into his arms, "I'm sure he left to give us some privacy. I'm guessing he's sleeping up on the roof, sunbathing and having the time of his life."
"You're probably right," I said, standing on my toes to reach his lips. The kiss was gentle and sweet. The passion was gone for now and the moment was over.
"Let's go down stairs, find Tom and get some breakfast?" he asked and reached for my clothes and handed them to me.
"Sounds good," I said, and my stomach agreed. I was starving. My mind wandered to the memories of my lips tasting his skin, and I thought about skipping breakfast to get another taste of him. I sighed deeply as I remembered what he'd felt like. I wanted more. He tasted sweet, like... like a woman's lip balm. My heart sank in my chest. Gods I was stupid!
"Illon? What's wrong?" he asked worriedly as I sank down to the floor and hid my face behind my hands.
"I need you to leave."