"Where is your head today?" Bretrarum snapped at me as I tried some techniques which in my mind counted as 'seduction'.
Like pretending to lose balance and fall in his arms which he completely missed and I fell on sand instead. I tried the hand to hand fight to fall over him and trying eye flapping to look like an attention seeking female. But he just threw me over.
I was failing at this miserably. My personal maid did tell me about the cornering to a wall technique and whispering in the ears from behind but my courage stopped at that point.
"Umm... I couldn't sleep well last night."
"That's didn't matter before."
"Don't think you can see inside my head," I said carefully stepping closer towards him and imagined him walking back as per my knowledge.
I looked at the wall behind him which was a little long for a slow sensuous walk so I took a large step not trying to look in his eyes but he didn't move backward and instead his arms grabbed mine stopping me in my place forcefully.
"What?"I yelled annoyed that nothing was working for me.
"Are you trying to seduce me, Princess?" He said and I swear I had amusement in his usual lack- of-emotion tone.
"W-What?" I foolishly stammered almost confirming his words.
His gaze sent unexplainable shivers through me and I realized the seductive game might not be the one I can play. I was bad at this.
"I said are you trying to seduce me, Princess?" This time he asked slowly his hands gripping my shoulder.
"Are you insane? Why would I do that?" Even to my own ears, I sounded overdramatic.
"Like I said it's not a game and getting information from me by this childish technique is useless." He said and I glared at him for catching on my game plan so easily.
So I gave up and accepted, "I had to try."
And that made him sigh.
"Have you ever tried charming a man Princess?" He asked almost mocking me for my failed tricks.
"No, not really?" I mumbled, "I have been too busy training or reading."
Again, he was staring.
"Do you not have a betrothed then?" He asked overly curious about my love life.
"Of course I have. I have someone I love."I said rather boastfully.
"Not a wise choice Princess." He said and let go off my shoulder so harshly that I slightly lost my balance.
The atmosphere became unusually cold after that as we continued with practice and after my seducing the enemy technique he was angrier than ever.
When the practice ended as the sun started setting, I asked because felt truly hopeless then.
"I have been here for more than a month now, will I ever get out?" It was weird asking my captive this question but I had no one else to talk to.
And he might actually give me an answer.
"Yes, you will." He said and I stared at him in surprise.
He actually said I will be out, it elated me but at the same time worried me.
"When I will take you out for the mission." And that killed the elation.
He was training me for something and I will be out when I was ready as per his plans.
"I will have my revenge, for everything you did to my Kingdom, my father." I said feeling angry because I was nothing but a puppet at his mercy now.
He raised one of his hands and cupped my face making me gasp too loudly in shock and sensation that shot through my body. My eyes widened in utter disbelief.
What was happening?
"Are you sure Princess?" He asked in a tone he has never used.
His eyes looking at me with an emotion that made my heart flutter in my chest subduing the warning in my brain that he was the enemy, he was the killer who took away everything from me.
His gloved hands stayed for a moment as I was surprised how good it felt. I just stood there all the energy and senses gone from my body.
He asked me a question but I couldn't remember. I felt ashamed because I was never this flustered even with Henley and I loved him.
That thought brought my mind back and I staggered back as his hands fell from my cheeks.
"Yes, I am sure." I answered in a small voice, almost a whisper and ran back inside.
---
Surprisingly, I slept well. Better than other days anyway when I woke up the next morning. Yesterday's events were still imprinted in my head and I was trying hard not to think about it.
I took a quick bath and changed and waited for him to arrive. I don't even know who prepared the bath waters or how every time I took a bath, my body muscles would relax but asking him would not get me answers I didn't even bother.
There was a knock on the door for the first time and I carefully got up and opened the door to find him. He didn't look at me and turned around as soon as I stepped out as the sun greeted me.
"It's getting colder." I said and he nodded.
The air between us was different today.
"Do you feel cold at night?" He asked like he was my caretaker instead of my abductor.
"Slight chill when early morning closes in." I answered truthfully.
He nodded and proceeded to pick a weapon of choice. I turned to look at my usual spot of food but I almost yelped in surprise.
"Are those books?" I asked.
He nodded again not looking at me. A slow smile crept on my face. I told him yesterday all I did was reading and training.
"I didn't know the genre so I brought you all." He said the words in his usual serious deep tone which amused me even further.
"Thriller and mystery." I shared.
"Good." He said in an approving tone.
And then our usual pattern of training started.
"Can you not use your ninja power for a minute and fight?" I sight bending down exhausted at trying to hit a target not visible.
"Ninja power?" He was lately amused at me quite a lot.
I ignored his jibe at my description.
"There will be way more dangerous things you will face Princess, get used to it." He said.
"More dangerous than you?" I retorted at the one everyone feared.
"Oh, not more than me. But not everyone will be as merciful as me."
His narcissism showed in those words and I couldn't help but think what kind of person he was behind that mask.
"How am I suppose to hit you when I can't even see you?" I asked the important question.
"I can be hit; you saw when I came all bloodied to you."
I wanted to ask why you came to me in that state but I just nodded.
"Feel the movement of aura." He said.
"And how do you suggest I do that?"
"Focus. Just focus all you energy on your opponent and not on anger or revenge or any other emotion."
He made it sound easy but I knew this was not true, maybe.
"I can't be that good without the black magic." I glared at him to get through my anger how not everyone can do what he did.
"Stop whining Princess. Are you a quitter?" He snapped now and I almost flinched.
He came closer and I felt myself having those insane sensations through my body, my heart thumping loud enough for the birds in the sky to hear.
"And if ever used the magic I know humans might not even see to live the day."
His words made my thumping heart stop, all sensations gone.
For a moment it registered in my brain and I felt the fear and the hate but then I realised something more important, he said if he ever used.
"Have you never used your magic?" I asked in a whisper like we were discussing some castle gossip when this was a serious matter.
"Once." And with that, he didn't continue.
"Elaborate Prince." I said and looked at him with raised eyebrows.
But that is as far as he went with sharing his secrets.
So we continued our lessons. I loved the sword among all the other weapons and as he said I tried focusing on the aura. My eyes burned from keeping track of the footprints in the sand that vanished too quickly, the sweeping of wind and the black smog sometimes.
After a few hours, my eyes starting seeing almost a light shadow left behind so if I could just deduct the timing of shadow I can hit the owner. But this required burning all the nerves in my brain and in my eyes.
I tried making hit everytime hitting the air but when my eyes were just focused on the shadow and footprint, I raised my sword and tried another which he caught in his hand this time. The blade was caught in his palm and I winced and dropped it.
And then I realized my mistake. I was supposed to hurt him, not let go off the sword when it did its work.
"Better." He said and I saw his eyes crinkle slightly telling me that he was smiling. I wondered what his smile looked like.
And it felt so good like all I needed was his approval.
"Your hand ." I said trying hard to relish in my glory but the blood dripping from his hand made me uneasy.
"Just a minor cut." He said with an air of arrogance.
"No, let me help." I said.
Don't be stupid, don't be stupid.
My brain kept chanting but I stared back at him challenging him to refuse my help.
"What is this about Princess?" He asked in a deep husky tone.
"This is a thank you for getting me books. I was dying of boredom and nightmares." I bit my tongue for giving away a little too much information.
He followed me to the room and sat down. Surprising me, he removed the gloves. My eyes rested on long pale fingers for a while too long and I had a ridiculous thought, he had beautiful hands.
But then I realised that those hands killed too many innocent people.
He stretched his hand out allowing me to cleanse the cut and apply the balm and bandage over it not even uttering a word. But I could feel his gaze upon me and feel the heat rising on my neck and over to my face.
Deep down I still had the desire to kill him but after over a month it was clouded with something else I can't put my finger on.
"I will leave now." He said and the tension between us broke.
I just slowly nodded.
But just when he was about to leave, he stopped at the door unlike vanishing as always.
"Was this a trick of seduction Princess?" And his tone was not accusing.
I frowned at his words, "No you saw yourself I am terrible at that. Can't you accept a simple thank you gesture?"
He sighed and shook his head," Whatever this was, it was working."
And now after dropping this explosive on me, he vanished as I stood there with my heart thumping too loudly again for my comfort.
___
*sigh* lack of comments from you guys make me sad.
But then I thought, after completing the chapter. Writing itself makes me happy and relieved from all the stress I carry...so yay! all good!
Anyway, did you see the tension people?!
Thoughts? Favorite moment?
NEXT UPDATE: FRIDAY