﷽
Prince Maximus was kissing me!
I didn't know how to react, my eyes wide open as he kissed me softly. My nervous system had shut down and I couldn't function anymore. I was in shock, my heart absorbed by tingles crawling from my lips down to the pit of my stomach. And in all honesty I wasn't prepared, a swirl of nervousness circling down in my stomach.
Then he stops and pulls away to nervously scratch his neck. I was still in shock and staring at him like he suddenly transformed into an ogre. I touch my lip and close my eyes trying to recall the unexpected kiss.
"Hales?"
"Yeah," I open my eyes and look towards him my thumb still tracing my lips.
"Im sorry- I don't know what got into me Im really-" before I could let any sane thoughts prevent me, I jump on him pushing him to the ground so that I was dangling on top of him.
"Hales?" My eyes were concentrated on his pink lips and I was contemplating whether I should do it or not.
"Are you-"
"Fudge it!" And with that I attack his lips, making sure this time I actually was a part of it.
I close my eyes and gently kiss him. Embracing the feelings that were exploding in every nook and corner of my body, swirling and rising as my lips danced with his and the rain water trickled down our bodies. Dirt mixed with rain, my body tangled in his, both a perfect combination that made warmth spread across my chest. The taste of his lips was smeared across mine as I continued to explore his lips. Desire burnt through me, the feelings of wanting growing more and more.
Then I pull away from the kiss and look down towards him, my soggy hair long enough to fall on his face. He had that stare in his eyes, that dark one that made me feel scrutinized. With a fierce hold, cupping the back of my neck he pulls me back down towards him and I go flying down just to land right on his lips. A raspy groan flees from his lips and I found my body growing weak as a respond to it, initiating a wilder fire between us.
Before I knew what was happening I was suddenly on the ground, his possessive touch pinning me down, he looks at me for a second, so brief but a look that certainly will be carved into my memory. I moan when he launches back down, now kissing me deeper than ever, his tongue begging for permission and when granted thrusts into my mouth as it battled mine. His fingers twine into my wet hair and he pulls my head up never even once wanting to break from the kiss.
The unexplainable feelings were growing, my chest felt like exploding and my stomach felt weird as different sensations crawled about, dancing all over my body.
Then he breaks the kiss but I couldn't open my eyes, the rain drumming my face, my body sinking into the dirt beneath. I was a longing wreck, my lips prickling like tiny little needles missing the feel of his on top of mine.
"Hales lets go," I nod but decline to open my eyes. I couldn't. Even though I wanted to I was afraid. The kiss was an evident alteration to our relationship and I didn't know how it would affected us. I was afraid because I knew things were never going to be the same.
"Hales?" I open my eyes and look up towards him, he holds his hand out for me to take, the grey cloud above him blurring with his features.
"Hales?" I take his wet hand and let him pull me up and all that while I was thinking of what to say. Our conversations... would they be the same? Would they morph into cringe ones? I didn't want to know and I had come to enjoy and appreciate the weird friendship we had.
Not that I was thinking of it but being in a relationship with him would risk me being exposed to the media, to everyone. People wouldn't consider the Prince in a relationship but the Prince in a relationship with a crippled girl. It was safe to continue with the secret friendship we formed.
I look down towards my muddy foot, my prosthesis barely visible under the mud that consumed it. Heck I didn't even know if he actually liked me! What if he was using me all along for his own benefits, I mean wouldn't, 'Prince Maximus goes on a role to make a crippled girl smile,' be a good headline? One that would paint him as a hero.
I look at him, then back to my prosthesis. He can't actually like me? I mean what is there to like? He is the Prince of England he probably has girls chasing him from every corner. I look back at him and furrow my eyebrows, he was quiet this whole time what is he thinking?
"Im sorry," I breath in, here it is a confession of his amazing acting.
"For?" My teeth start chattering and Im glad they did because they hid the nervousness in my voice.
"For bringing you out here, its super cold and you look so pale, you must be getting sick," I nod agreeing with him, the rain water and the harsh wind were too much on both our exposed skins and the shawl was now a muddy mess laying on the ground.
"Thanks," I whisper, he smiles at me taking my wrinkly hand into his.
"Let me carry you," I shake my head no.
"Please, you'll be less cold."
"No its okay."
"Im not taking no as an answer Hales, you can't just walk in this rain with just that!" I look at my attire and shake my head again.
"Watch me," I walk away from him and lead the way to God knows where.
"Fuck it!" Before I got the chance to turn around, his hands were already circled around me hauling me up to his chest. This time though I don't fret, I lay my head on his shoulders and close my eyes trying my level best to dismiss the cold that was now coursing through my body.
"Im so cold," I move closer towards him and bury my head into his neck as if it would grant me warmth.
It was that type of rain, not so much, barely drizzles but one that could freeze you alive. My whole body felt numb and I couldn't feel my fingers nor my toes. Just thinking about how far the castle was was more torture then hearing the shuffling of his feet and the chatter of my teeth.
"Max," The words chatter out of my lips.
"Don't worry there is a car, my bodyguard must be near here," I felt more reassured of not dying at that statement.
"There," I try to open my eyes but immediately close them when a surge of pain punches me in the head.
"I suddenly feel sick," my head was throbbing in pain and all I could do was wrap my hands tighter around him then they already were, praying that the action actually did do something.
"It's okay just breath in," I dismiss his voice suddenly feeling weaker than I already was.
I loved the rain, but the rain never loved me. If I stayed out playing too much in the rain I would always get a really bad fever and I hated that, it'd simply end all the fun.
I could feel him lowering me in to the car but I don't open my eyes, I mumble a thank you and thats the last I remember of it.
----
I yawn and stretch my body, my eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness that consumed the tall room.
"No candles?" I couldn't see him but I didn't bother to call out to him instead I close my eyes and lay back down on the comfy bed.
"Is it okay if I sleep here on the couch," I smile and turn towards the voice. He was sitting on the window sill staring at the big blue moon that lay in front of him. Its mirrored rays spilling across the room.
"Its okay," I look towards the coach and back at him. He wasn't going to fit there because he was too tall. His legs would be uncomfortably dangling off the coach but on the bright side I was a perfect fit for it.
"Its beautiful," I kick the blanket off me and walk towards where he sat, this time not even shocked that I was in clean clothes. I look down towards what I was dressed in this time and nearly gasp out loud.
"Um?" He looks towards me and evidently gulps.
"Uh she couldn't change your panties and bra but you should take them off cause they are wet- oh lord thats not what I mean-its jus- fuck," He face palms himself and groans, hiding his face in embarrassment and as much as I tried to not make him feel bad by laughing, I couldn't hold back the laughter that obnoxiously erupted from my lips. I hear him quietly groan then chuckle until he was joining me in my laughter that made my sides hurt. I had to hold on to a side table to compose myself but it was like someone had opened a tank of nitrous oxide.
"They aren't wet anymore," I finally compose myself and climb up on the window sill to sit across him and stare down at the silver topped trees adorned by the moonlight, a smile still lingering on my lips.
"Where did you get the night dress?" I compose my voice trying to not let any more laughter loose.
"John went into town to buy it," I look at him and a smile was also lingering on his lips. Maybe the kiss won't ruin our friendship after all.
"Anha," I look down towards the satin dress that ended just above my knees, leaving my unwaxed leg completely exposed. I had no idea why I was caring now but I wasn't used to being so exposed in front of a man. Nothing I had ever worn was above my knees yet here I was.
"Um do you have like pants or anything? I feel cold."
"Ah yeah but they are mine and they are too big on you."
"It's okay," I reassuringly smile. He jumps off the window sill and walks towards a big cupboard that surprisingly had clothes. He must come here a lot and the thought that I may not be the first person to come here with him made my stomach uneasily churn.
I look back towards the window trying to distract myself from the unusual thought, "Here you go," a gray sweatpants falls on my lap and before I could even pick it up he was already gone, leaving me in the big dark room with the staring moon that made chills run down my spine.
"Max!" I shout towards the door when the shadows start transforming into monsters.
"Max!" I run towards the door and with every step I take my heart kept pounding louder and louder in my chest wanting to escape from my body just as much as I wanted to be on the other side of the door. The fear was consuming me and the door seemed far. The shadows were growing, ready to strike me. Growing taller and taller until they touched the ceiling and I was just the disabled girl desperately clinging onto the door.
And when it finally opens, my rapid breathing slows a notch and I throw myself into his arms.
"Hales?" I hold tighter, my heartbeat still racing and my mind filled with fear.
"I am scared of the darkness sometimes and the shadows it creates, I sleep with lamp on," I was blubbering but it was something I did to compose myself. His hand gently massages my hair and I breath in wondering if it was capable for him to massage my head forever.
"Sorry for leaving you. I didn't know, Im so sorry I actually didn't mean it. Im such a terrible person," It wasn't his fault but I don't reply as I was too busy sniffing his sweet scented cologne that seemed to also sooth me.
"I love the darkness," I look up towards him and frown, "why?"
He smiles down at me, the shadows that bothered me when I was alone casting his smile, "Hales..." he was walking us towards the bed while he talked, "...not everyone is like you, not everyone sees the world through your eyes, not everyone sees the world bright and beautiful, not everyone has learned to cope with the world as you have with big smiles and an outgoing personality..." he sits on the bed and gently places me beside him, "...some of us, we are damaged and we can't fix the damage, it stays with us, haunts us, we find peace in the darkness you hate," I was concentrating on his eyes that seemed to shine in the darkness all that while trying not to interrupt him. This was a side of Maximus he rarely talked about and I wanted to know of it.
"Since Sams death, Ive changed, Ive become a whole new different person, but..." I intertwine my fingers with his to show that I was listening and that it was okay to talk about it. He breathes in and smiles at me, "since I met you, its like you restored this happiness I never knew would return, you make me forget about how miserable the future king is," he laughs but it was bitter, "sometimes I want to run away and just live a normal life with no pressure but then again I can't."
"Why can't you?"
"I just can't," he smiles at me, a gentle smile, one that showed the broken prince that he tried so hard to hide.
"Its okay Max maybe there is a good reason behind that and thanks for talking about it," I smile back at his shadowed face.
"Thanks for listening," I'm glad he talked about himself because while he was I was so concentrated in every word that spilled from his lips that I had completely forgotten about the darkness.
"You make me happy...thanks," I was about to reply to his random statement but then swallow it when his lips meet mine. In the darkness, with the moon shining on us and his warm hands circling around my waist.
I could get used to this.