CHAPTER 648: CHAPTER 648

"..."

"The way you treated Clemente was unfair."

"Why talk about him? Wasn’t it because you were at his household that we could not talk? I reckon my attitude was not fair, however, he-"

"Do not blame him for your frustrations!" — Agraviated I raised my voice, surprising myself. Realising that was not the way to handle things yet feeling I could not back down as easily. — "What happens between his highness and me has nothing to do with him, so do not place the blame on my dear friend."

"Dear-!?....... Then... who am I to blame, my lady...?" — With broken sound he asked, making all of my blood cool down. — "The letters I sent, none were replied... the times I escaped to look for a way came to nothing... I waited and waited... every day felt like a decade... I wondered what it could be... because..."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I refused to believe it... It could not be that you refused to reply to me... right, my lady?"

"... wait... so... you also sent letters?"

"...also? Huh? Did my lady send letters?"

I nodded aghast at what I was hearing. The beliefs and dejection I had been feeling crumbled as I learned he had actually tried to reach me.

"I sent you letters. Many. Did you not receive them, my lady?"

"No... I... every day I would ask if anything was sent to me, yet every day it was a no that I received... did you not receive my letters either?"

"I never received anything, my lady! I even sneaked to the gates so I would be receiving any incoming letters first-hand!"

"... Then... someone must have prevented our letters from reaching the other..."

"Noverrne-"

"Don’t. It was not him... If you are to suspect someone in that household then it should be the guest they have with them instead of him."

"Does that woman have that kind of power in their household?"

"She does not... formally. But what if under the shades she is doing as she wishes?"

"... is that why my lady told him to be careful? Did you see something while under his roof?" — Coming closer his hands gently held my arms, which made me flinch as I got a whiff of his scent.

"N-no... I saw nothing... however, even his mother was suspicious of her... sigh...what in the heavens is being knitted where we cannot see..."

"..... Does that mean that my lady was not ignoring my letters? Instead... Were you also trying to reach me while away, my... my dear lady Marianne?"

".... I was... I even... I even thought it was his highness who was ignoring me-"

"I would never."

"..."

"Solely if my life came to an end... and even then I would still crawl from the depths to find a way to reply to my lady’s letters..."

"... pff... that is so exaggerated, haha~"

"I would do it... without failure."

"..."

"What did my lady say in her letters?"

"Uh? I... well... I wrote many..." — Becoming shy, I stepped back unable to shake him off. Blushing at the thought of saying what I wrote.

"In mine... I would tell how I miss seeing your figure from afar..."

"..."

"... how the recall of your sound kept myself awake hoping to hear it through your handwriting... I ate sweets solely to feel the taste and think about your delighted blush, my lady..."

"Uh... I also..." — Shrinking in myself I barely was able to mumble. Closing my eyes to fight the embarrassment and flutters he provoked. — ’Gosh... I am feeling dizzy with his lovely whispers...’

*Peck*

While I closed my eyes trying to keep myself together before the melting little things he gasped preciously, the touch of his lips on my cheek restarted my breathing, letting me see how while still close, his lips smiled as the tip of his nose wanted to lead him to my lips. Feeling the gloom of his hands only venture to tangle in my long strands... so dreamy that I felt sleepy and drunk by the warmth.

"I was going crazy believing I was disliked, unwanted... yet it turns out... my lady also thought about me..."

"I did... I missed you till it deprived me of ease, your highness... it unsettled my spirit not to hear from you." — Shaken, timid... I bit my lips forcing myself to be brave enough to share these words... embarrassed to feel this way. Ashamed that it became more difficult to be honest in my current self.

I cannot bear to look at him... I feel myself becoming feverish to the mere thought... and yet his warmth became hotter, stopping my instincts yelling me to somehow run away for I could not take his closeness as nonchalantly as I once did.

"No... I beg you not to say such... it cannot be... For if it did, then how can I feel joy to know this?... I would prefer you to ignore my being than causing disruption in yours, my lo-... my lady..."

’Oh goodness... did he almost...’ — The hands of the man, had finally decided to graze my skin, that of my jaw so lightly it felt cruel to me.

The touch of careful fingertips even if tough while manly felt as intoxicatingly sweet. There was still sadness filling me from the days I missed him... my body was tired and slightly hurting after recovering from the poison... however, I wanted to swallow the burdens. I wanted to forget them only to fulfil the true wishes of my confused but in the end simple heart.

My body was doing as my heart wanted. Ignoring the caution my mind warned me to hold on to... I felt myself breathe in to lose sense of time... solely aware that his warmth was what I needed to taste...

"I... feel disrupted, my prince..."

"... Disrupted?"

"Something... please do something about it..."

*******

Zeleskiaz had understood that a kiss was what the lady wished for as a remedy. His core also throbbed endeavoured needy to comply.

Ready he was to forget restraints if it was she who initiated the lovesome touches. Her hand unbeknownst to her had already lifted to stroke the arm so his touch would not give a step back and her crown had tilted gingerly waiting for her plea to be replied.