AVERYHere, I was starting to expect that maybe Goddess knocked some sense into this man and he decided to let me live in peace but well…he still has a screw loss.“ You just want to take advantage of me in the name of my brother’s deal. You just want me Aleister and you don’t care how you get me anymore! ” I state as a matter of fact while barely concealing the explosive anger and stupid hurt. “ I want you. ” Aleister acknowledges instantly, leaving me with a quivering stomach.“ What— ”“ But I also care about how I get you. ” His hand skims down my chest, resting on my lower abdomen. Our eyes meet and an inevitable wave of heat scorches down my body. I grip his shoulders harder as he leans in.“ If I wanted to take advantage of your brother’s deal, I would have fucked you by now. ” He breathes, hot and dangerous. “ but I didn’t, did I? No! Instead, from the time you have come here, I patiently indulged your denial. I let you deny me, Princess, because I don’t want to force my way
AVERYFour days. He went four days without seeing me or letting me anywhere near him. Aleister is surely trying his best to resist. But why should I care? It’s better if he goes mad like this and stays out of my path.“ You are scowling again. ” Draven reminds me.My nose wrinkles. I throw him a stinky look, that tells him how much I dislike him right now. “ What? ” He laughs sarcastically. “ You wanted me as a guard, didn’t you? Now, why do you show me such a long face whenever I follow you? ”“ It’s because you are just…unbearable. ” I nod as if telling him an important secret.“ Princess, don’t ruin your mood. ” Renee grabs my elbow and squeezes gently.I release a soft breath and lean to the side. I was not expecting Aleister to send me Renee. When she first appeared in my room four days, she told me that Draven told her that she must accompany me all the time, and keep an eye on me as my companion. I know it’s not Draven who did that. But the one who issued such orders right
AVERY“ Niana! Come here! ” Suddenly, a woman’s voice echoes in the area.I look to my left, at the entrance of the lounge. A small girl runs inside but is grabbed by her mother who is wearing the clothes of a royal servant.“ I apologize. ” She bows her head slightly when she notices me staring.“ It’s fine. ” Draven replies instead of me.My eyes remain on the child. She appears to be the same age as…her—Aleister’s daughter.During all this, I didn’t pay much attention to that matter, to her in general.It’s clear that Celia stays locked up in that place and Aleister never lets her out. All over again, my heart aches when I think about it. Will it be okay if I visit her sometime? She seemed excited when she first saw me anyway. “ Renee. ” I turn to her.“ Yes, Princess. ” She looks up curiously.“ Go to the main Hall for the women until I call you back. ” I command, without any room for debate but she still glances at Draven as if seeking permission.My eyes twitch as I direct my
AVERY“ You are cheating! ” I shriek, pointing an accusatory finger towards Draven.“ Yes, Uncle! You are a bad boy. You are cheating. ” Celia nods and places her hands on her waist to confront him.Draven smirks. “ How does one cheat in Jenga? ”“ I don’t know! You have some trick up your sleeve. How can you pull that out without dropping the tower? ” I am sure I am going mad with frustration.“ Yes, Uncle! ” Celia huffs, equally frustrated.“ Tsk. Girls are such sore losers. ” He snickers and smugly puts the block he pulled on the top.I glare at the shaking tower which goes back to holding its position. All the solid blocks are already out. Now, pulling out one means losing. Next up is my turn, of course. “ Uncle, you cheater. ” Celia cries out, and slides closer to me. “ Pretty Princess, we have to play without Uncle. ”“ Of course, you want to play without me. You can’t defeat me. ” Draven laughs villainously.My breathing speeds up. “ you are cheating! That’s different from win
AVERY“ Daddy! Help us punish Uncle! ” Celia adds, reaching out to grab Aleister’s hand.His eyes darken as he looks over my shoulder. After a moment, Draven shrieks like a little girl.I turn around and watch in awe as blocks rise in the air due to some invisible force and hit him one by one. He is dancing all around, dodging and protecting himself.Celia giggles, and I follow suit. I can’t help it. Seeing Draven like this is just so satisfying!“ You all are teaming up against me! That’s unfair. ” Draven huffs sulkily after the last block hits him in the back.I giggle harder. Worries cease to exist as I indulge in the moment, losing grip over the lifelong taught manners and poise. “ You truly are terrifying. I won’t play with you anymore. ” He announces, his nose scrunching.“ Who told you to go against us? Hmph! ” I say in between my uncontrollable giggles. The print of a block on his left cheek makes it funnier.“ You look so pretty like this, Pretty Princess! ” To my surprise,
AVERYMy eyes twitch as I glare at the barely standing tower. I am just so done. First, Draven was getting on my nerves. Now, it’s Aleister who is after my sanity.“ What are you waiting for? It’s your turn. Don’t make us wait. ” Draven snorts, his eyes twinkling with satisfaction.“ You— ” I glance at Aleister.Not so surprisingly, he is already drilling holes in my face. I swallow the word ‘Cheater’ when I notice his dark eyes. My stomach turns to mush as I hurriedly look back to the Jenga tower.“ The Princess has lost. Leave her be. ” Agrona chimes in.I shoot her a strained look. My bottom lip is almost sticking out at this point.I do not want to lose for the 14th time. This is just so…stupid. I groan internally.Suddenly, a current jolts down my spine as Aleister’s forefinger brushes down my ear. A pleased sigh escapes my lips before a horrified look crosses my face.“ Put her to bed. ” He whispers.“ Hmm? ” I blink, facing him. His hand is still hovering around my ear. Eithe
AVERYAleister notices the stiffness in my body and tugs my top lip in his mouth. I hiss, instantly sucking that lip in. “ Don’t mind me. Just pretend I didn’t see you two kissing like animals in the middle of the hallway. ” Draven chuckles.“ Get the fuck out of my sight. ” Aleister glances over his shoulder. My dazed eyes rise to the strained veins in his neck. An image of him hovering above me like a Grim Reaper as he pounded mercilessly flashes before my mind, making my cheeks warm up. I lick my lips, slowly lowering my eyes to my hands that are resting over his chest. I release a sigh, no longer focusing on Draven or Aleister’s bickering. I am hidden with his body that can cover mine any day. Surprisingly, it feels…safe. It’s like if he continues to stand like this, so close to me, hiding me from the world, I might never fear anything again.But he hurt me. I reason. The thoughts of feeling safe with him just don’t make sense to me. It feels like this is the nth time that I a
AVERY“ Why is it so dark? ” I wonder, folding my arms across my chest.When he forced me to ‘eat with him’, he didn’t say he would be bringing me to a terrace. The table was already set and the food was steaming hot so I had no doubt, he planned this all along.Would he ask me for dinner if he didn’t find me with Celia?Or did he ask someone to prepare all this after he saw me there? There is no telling.“ A Kingdom and the King have a bond. ” Aleister says, before taking a small sip of the red wine. “ I know. The Kingdom’s weather and conditions sometimes get affected by a King’s mood. ” I sigh. “ then is your mood so dark right now that the sky is covered with dark fog and I can’t see the moon? What time even is it? ”Aleister’s lips stretch into a smirk as he puts his glass down and looks at me. The shadows of the candles lit on the table make him appear glowing. His grey eyes twinkle in the yellowish light, compensating for the lack of stars in the sky.“ It’s not my mood. ” He