10 | Do Not Drop the Bomb in the Queen's Castle
Emerald's POV
The next day, I was more cautious with the way I speak with Axel. Something tells me he's not someone I should mess up with or else I'll get into deep trouble. He gives off this easy, relaxed atmosphere but then he'll switch into this dark, serious and dangerous guy who makes people avoid him. I would only talk to him when spoken to and I watched every word that I say. Deep inside me, there's a warning in my head not to piss him off. It's weird but yesterday made me doubt of his intentions and true purpose. Hell! When I was about to sleep, I even thought of him as a secret assassin who would not even blink to kill someone. That really unsettled me.
"Emeralda?" I jumped from my seat upon hearing his voice.
"Good God! Don't scare me like that." My heart was beating faster and I had to place my hand on my chest to calm myself down.
"Sorry. Are you free?" He asked as he entered my office, his big strides making him reach me in just seconds. He went to sit on one of the winged chairs opposite to my table and faced me.
"I am. Why? Can I help you?" I asked placing my hands on my lap and played with my fingers. Why the fuck was I nervous? He won't kill me or anything... right?
"Are you okay?" His question made me stop and think if I hallucinated there for a second.
"What? What do you mean?"
"You have been spacing out. You don't look okay to me." He said, his eyes bearing into mine. I wet my lips, intimidated and nervous of his stare at me. He was looking at me as if he was going to burn me and I wanted to say something but I was afraid he'll get offended and kick my ass.
"I'm fine. I'm just stressed."
"You don't look like this is just stress. Answer me frankly, Emeralda." His voice went deeper and I went stiff, now getting cautious and a little bit afraid of him. He told me that I had no idea who he was and that took me to dark and dangerous places inside my head.
"Uhm..." My throat got clogged and I tried swallowing the nervousness but failed.
"Em?" He wore a concerned look on his face now with hsi eyebrows scrounched up and his eyes assessing me. I began to scratch my left elbow; a manner of mine whenever I'm nervous of confrontations and facing crowds.
"You're scared. What are you scared of? Are you hurt? Who hurt you?" He stated and I shot him a confused look. How can he know what I felt?
"How do you know?" I asked in a small voice and he stood up from his seat and went to my side. I clenched my fists and held on to my skirt tight not knowing what he was going to do next. He's not going to hurt me. He's not going to hurt me. He's my bodyguard. That would be insane of him to hurt me, right? The deep fear in me grew as he close to me and I trembled. I was glad that I was not standing or else my legs would have given out. I wasn't sure and I couldn't pinpoint why I was so scared of him. For all I know, I was giving him every sass and sarcasm before but now, I was afraid that he was more than a bodyguard. I remember him telling me he was not just a bodyguard and I was afraid I was messing up with the wrong person. I gasped as he kneeled in front of me and placed his hands on my trembling ones.
"Who are you scared of, Emeralda? You can tell me." His voice was soft and calming now and I bit my lips. I didn't want to tell him that I was now scared of him. What if he someone who works to make a person silent forever? Has he killed anyone?
"Em?"
"Uhmmm... I can't tell you." I looked away from him, hating the idea of him facing me right now. I really don't like confrontations and this was not sitting on me well. I heard him sigh and then, he did something I didn't expect. A gasp left my lips as he placed both of his hands on my face and cupped my cheeks, making me look directly into his green eyes. How can he have peaceful and calming eyes like that but has a very mysterious and dangerous job? His beautiful eyes didn't mix with his personality. Who was he?
"Wh-who are you, Axel?" I breathed out in a whisper and he blinked before sighing.
"Are you afraid of me?" He asked as he let me go and I looked down on my lap, my fingers fidgeting.
"Yes." I replied with a firm voice. I didn't want him to know I was breaking inside and I don't want him to think I was a pussy to back down easily just by his words.
"Why? Did I do something to make you fear me?"
"You're just my bodyguard, Axel. You're just a stranger to me. You only work to protect me and the way we are hanging out... I don't know. It's confusing." All words that came out of my lips were pure honesty and I didn't want to look at him as I've said those words to him. I saw his hands hold mine once more. I just stared at his large hands and I wondered if blood has already covered his hands before.
"Emeralda, you don't need to be afraid. Please. Trust me. I will never hurt you. I am here to protect you. Why do you think I'm going to hurt you?"
"I don't have any idea who you are." I answered remembering what he had told me last night.
"Oh." His answer made me look up and saw the realization dawn on him. He let me go and stood up. He walked to the large windows overlooking the city in front of us and turned his back on me.
"Believe me when I say this to you, Emeralda. I will never hurt you. I will never lay a hand on you and make you cry. And I will make sure no one will hurt you." Then he faced me with his eyes full of determination and his face of seriousness with his posture stiff and straight.
"No one will ever hurt you when I'm with you. I promise you that." His words made me sag into my seat and I let out a breath if relief. Deep inside me, there was a strong sense of trust and belief with what I heard from him and i was going to embrace that. I smiled and my hands stopped trembling. I stood up from my seat as he approached me again.
"Don't be afraid of me, Emeralda. I will never lay a hand on you without your permission." His eyes were full of promises and my heart skipped a beat. I nodded at him.
"Okay."
"If you would like, you can ask me questions to make you feel comfortable with me. Is that okay with you?" He was so close to me. We're just inches apart. I had to remind myself that this man was someone I don't want to hurt with my careless behavior. I know I was a bitch and I know I needed to stop lusting on this man in front of me.
"Yes please." He smiled with his eyes twinkling this time. Silence fell upon us as we resolved our issue. We looked at each other and I noticed a slight scar on his right eyebrown. It was a straight line but it was tiny. His eyes were searching for mine and I closed the distance between us. Just as I was about to be tempted to lean towards him for something I might regret later, the intercom beamed.
"Miss Sanchez? Prince Maximus is here." Charm's voice made us break from an unknown spell and the dark clouds in my mind and heart vanished.
"Oh! Sorry!" I gasped at Axel who was clearly surprised just as I was.
"He's here? He didn't tell me." he frowned and stepped away.
"Okay. Let him in." I replied to Charm and I had to compose myself while Axel went to the door to open it.
"Ah! Axel! Good to see you again." The prince's voice boomed as he entered my office. His aura beamed with authority and his impeccable white suit made him look like a prince out of a fairy tale story.
"Good to see you too, Your Majesty." He replied with a bow.
"Good afternoon, Emeralda. How are you?" The prince came to me and I met him halfway. I tucked a stray of hair behind my hair and smiled at him, my heart beating fast as I stared at the handsome man in front of me.
"Good afternoon, Max. I'm good. You? You didn't tell me you're coming to visit."
"I want to surprise you." He replied with a wink.
"Oh. Is that so?" I chuckled and he nodded.
"Yes. I admit, I miss your company."
"Ah! You must miss me hurting your ego." I teased and he laughed.
"Yes and some other things." He smiled, his eyes sincere and hypnotizing. I stepped back and went back to my table.
"Have a seat, Max." I offered and he nodded before pulling the seat Axel has seaten earlier and he faced me.
"Axel?" He called for the man standing at the corner, silently watching us.
"You can wait outside." He spoke with demand and Axel immediately answered 'Yes' before walking out of the office leaving me with the prince. I tilted my head at the man in front of me, assessing his actions. He waited for the door to close before facing me and he smiled when he saw me straighten up.
"Emeralda, can I ask you something?"
"Sure. What is it?" I asked with interest.
"I'm going to ask directly since there's no other way of asking it." Okaaay.
"I've liked us being together with your witty comebacks and you're confidence." My heart began to race again and there's a part of me that sensed that he would ask something I haven't done for a very long time.
"Can I ask you on a date tonight? I really want to know you more." He dropped the bomb with a calm expression but the impact of his words made my chest tighten, my heart beating fast and I was left speechless. What. The. Fuck. Did the future king of Sweden just ask me out?!