201 vi. You Only Have to Teach

She would wake up and find the prince by her bedside. The lamp’s light is just enough to illuminate his brusque figure as his shoulders rise and fall softly.

A gentle smile escaped her lips as she watched him, his golden hair hiding a bit of his face from the side. She reached out and nearly touched his cheek, if not for him suddenly waking up before her touch can finally be in contact with his skin.

“How are you feeling? Do you want me to call the physician?” the crown prince’s eyes filled with panic and concern, and she felt her heart leap just hearing that.

She shook her head, “No, please. I am sure they have been exhausted from taking care of me while I was asleep. Please don’t wake them up. It is still so dark. Let them rest for a bit, your highness.”

His face would darken as his brows creased, “That is not true at all. I have been the one taking care of you while you were asleep. I even learned how to check for your pulse and your temperature because I didn’t want them to touch you. I also distrust the maids so I was the one to bathe and clothe you.”

Her eyes would widen in shock, “Why the hell would you bathe me?! I mean, your majesty, why were you the one to bathe me?! Don’t you think it is quite inappropriate?!”

He looked at her with a confused look, as if he didn’t quite understand what the problem was, “Why is it inappropriate? As for my motives, of course, I just want to make you feel comfortable. The imperial physician recommended a warm bath for you. Plus it is recommended to bathe daily, wasn’t it?”

She forced herself to sit upright, and he was quick to support her as she rose, “How long have I been unconscious?”

His eyes would darken as if he has just been reminded of the darkest day of his life, “For a day and a half you have not wake until now. That was really the hardest thing I ever had to go through.”

.....

He gripped her hand tight, “Please don’t do that again. Tell me whatever you need. Tell me whenever you start to feel bad. I’ll go crazy if you don’t.”

“Your royal highness, don’t you think you are overreacting?” she pouted over his drama.

To be honest, this man is a bit cuckoo, and that’s according to her of course. Who would panic this way just for something like that? She has been out just a day and a half after all.

They aren’t even together in any way, and he is as much of a stranger to her as she is to him. It is already incredibly disturbing he thinks it is okay to bathe her himself and not feel any remorse.

She wanted to argue of course, but first, she really needs to eat and regain her strength. Least she faints again, and this man does whatever he wants with her.

“How is it overreacting? You are to be my wife a few weeks from now! Naturally, you mean the world to me,” he said, frowning a bit as she keeps arguing.

“The selection period isn’t done yet yout highness. Plus, I haven’t made up my mind whether to accept your proposal if you do decide to choose me, your majesty,” she pointed out.

“We both know the selection is just but a formality. I have decided a long time ago that I will be the one to marry you and no one else. How can you even think I’ll propose to someone else?” he sounded dejected.

If she was not the one involved, then she would have laughed at the silliness of the conversation. His royal highness is indeed acting like a child.

“And what if I don’t want it? What if I reject the idea of marrying my childhood bully? What then becomes of your plan?” she didn’t know where she got the confidence to continually and unabashedly tell the crown prince these things.

But at this moment more than wanting to irritate the crown prince was her curiosity over how much he indeed liked her. She blushed over the way his intense gaze landed on her lips.

She opened her lips but those soft petals just quivered, as she anticipated yet again his action.

historical

When he didn’t pull her head towards him or lowered his head to meet her lips, she felt a bit embarrassed, finally realizing she has been expecting his kiss after all.

“I can always change your mind, you know,” he pressed his thumb on her lips, tipping her chin a bit so he can have more access.

She felt like she couldn’t breathe again. She castigated herself. The crown prince wasn’t even kissing her senseless and yet just the mere touch of his skin and the way his eyes looked at her with longing... is enough to drive her thoughts into what could only be described as utter perversity.

“Do you doubt I can make you consent to a marriage between us?” his expression would turn bright.

The smile on his lips was playful and for sure cannot possibly be trusted, “Tell me, do you think you really will be able to resist me? I doubt you hated me as much as you wanted to make yourself believe.”

“What made you think that way?” her voice was nothing more but just a squeak.

Faced with a predator like the crown prince himself, she felt like a prey who has been cornered. Surely, there was no escape for the likes of her.

Just when she thought it was over and done with, her stomach grumbled, stealing the show from his royal highness himself.

“Pft!” she would laugh at the intense noise coming from her belly.

The crown prince has an inexplicable frown on his face which then changed into uncontrollable laughter on his part, “Fine. Let’s talk about this another day. We don’t want whatever is inside there to come out and possibly eat us alive.”

“But, I don’t want to wake the maids at this late hour! They must have been so tired of looking after the palace during the daytime. To take even their rest away would simply be too cruel,” she pointed out.

He placed a hand over her head, ruffling her hair as he let out a charming smile, “Who the hell said anything about waking up the maids? I will feed you myself.”

“I am sure you don’t mean you’ll cook the food yourself, your royal highness!” she mumbled, horrified.

He let out a chuckle and stood, bowing before her. As he lifted and carried her in his arms, the crown prince would surprise her even more by saying, “Of course. You only have to teach me how to do it.”