What Blooms At Midnight

Twenty

"How are you feeling, my Love?" When the words slip from his mouth it seems to only make me feel even more flustered than I found myself feeling when the Queen and Princess Carrilyn had excused themselves leaving me here alone in my new room with Prince Edmund... Neither one of them feeling as though they should stay and chaperone the two of us... Even though I know I heard Mama ask over whether or not the two of us would be left unsupervised while courting... Though I cannot seem to remember what Her Majesty's response was...

I don't recall being so nervous over the two of us being alone together before... But before... I had known less than I know now... I was still understanding that this is my home now... And that Prince Edmund is more than just my ruler or even just an interested suitor who is using his bountiful allotment to better my life while wooing me by feeding me the entrancing blood that nature has gifted him...

I think it is because for a moment earlier the two of us had been so drawn to each other that his lips had nearly met mine right in plain view of both his mother and mine...

And now the two of us are practically entangled together on my new bed with my mind hazy... The thick warmth filling my head induced by the bonbon heightened by the smell that continues to drip from the Prince's collar to fill my nose with its shiver-inducing decadence...

...

Edmund

...

It is all too pleasant to gaze upon my slight soulmate while I wait for him to break through enough of his shyness to answer me... I do not think my eyes could ever get tired of taking in his special brand of trembling hesitation... Watching him nuzzle his sweet face against my collar likely without even understanding why the crook of my neck seems so very special to him that he has trouble trying to break himself away or why he feels so very drawn to the comfort that he finds there... His words when he answers me so very charming when it starts... Only to make my heartache as he finishes...

"I... I think I might be alright, Your Highness... Is... Is it time for us to part today so that you might attend to your duties?" The way his mouth forms the words seems so very careful... And I find that my arms tighten themselves around him unconsciously so that I might soothe away some of the pain I hear in his suggestion... My mind wondering if he might already be beginning to feel the draw that comes with consuming my blood even though it has been less than a full night and day having been exposed to its beneficial healing qualities... Another cup of tea surely only going to strengthen the draw I have on him just as every whiff of his lovely scent strengthens my desire to keep him safe and love him in ways no other shall ever be capable of...

"If I have duties to attend to surely I would not ever leave you behind, Darling," I say my words with no hesitation, and my enthusiasm seems to stir up another stunning flush of color to his cheeks, his delicate heart begins to race in a way that reminds me that my sweet Love needs a calm environment to keep his endangered heart from any unnecessary stress, even if that stress comes from a very positive form of excitement over the thought of always being able to stay right where he belongs by my side, "There is nothing today that cannot wait, my Love... Right now I'm more concerned about your health and making sure you can rest uninterrupted... And you truly do not need to be so formal, my Love... You have every right to use my name, Jasper."

...

Jasper

...

As Prince Edmund... Edmund... As Edmund speaks to me he seems to rearrange me in his lap until we are sitting just like we had been in the glade yesterday with only his arms positioned differently... My legs traveling his lap with one of his arms wrapped around my waist keeping me close to him and his other hand petting my hair in a way that makes me feel safe and calm in his presence, even if our positioning might seem so very scandalous...

I am not sure if the flustering I feel deep within the pit of my stomach is due to all of the spirits that had been infused into the filling of the chocolates that had been shared with me... Or if it is Edmund himself who causes such a fluttery feeling inside of my soul...

Either way, it causes such unbridled warmth to flood my soul that I find myself clinging to his much cooler body as if he might save me from having my face flush even brighter than he has already managed to make it... The way I pull myself closer to him as much as I can seemingly encouraged by Edmund, a small chuckle leaving his lips as he aides me... A small gasp being released when the tiniest sound flees my throat in contentment once I feel more settled on top of him...

It's so very fascinating how we seem to react to each other... How Edmund seems so very focused on nothing but me... His eyes constantly on me as I cling to him to draw safety and comfort from his arms in a way that I have never managed to allow with anyone else...

It feels as though he is truly close to me, and that he has been since he saved me yesterday... It's as though I know I need not to fear him... Or to hide my emotions... Even when my emotions are as jumbled as they currently are with my eyes struggling to keep themselves open while we sit in silence and enjoy each other's company... The fear that normally finds itself stored in my body after a spell like yesterday's having vanished just as swiftly as my pain... Only... In this instance, I do believe that it's not Edmund's blood that has soothed that part of my being...

It's Edmund himself.