Rendezvous in the Romanowskian Empire

59. Delicacy

A/N
Uhhh this can get hot. There's only so much our king wants to be censored (that's why I said be careful lol)

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Julian

I didn't say anything as I moved my fingers in her hair, gently massaging her scalp. The soothing feel eased her under my touch, as her eyes closed in temporary bliss.

Lush honey hair flowed till her back and I took my sweet time moving them to one side of her shoulder, "What is your perfume made of?" I traced my nose by the side of her neck. My hand was still buried in her hair, only tightened its hold in a feverish feeling.

"I… don't," she said in a breathy whisper, "Y- You said… not to attract attention to myself… so I didn't use any," she confessed.

I closed my eyes, resting against the back of her head. Only one thought rushed through my head. A strong urge to hide her from everyone and everything. She didn't even know how susceptible she was to the men around her. Maybe she… truly was someone else. A normal being for her world, but a nymph in mine.

"So you've got a body scent…" I murmured. Now I knew why she scented of that deeply sweet but so faint fragrance when she woke up by my side that morning. 

Morning essence. A trait of the mystical, as priests and holy scriptures, talk about.

My arms, ever so slowly, encircled her, fingers curling around her bare waist. I could feel the jewelled chain sitting there, always touching her skin. So lucky that chain was.

Althea sunk into my embrace. Head rested calmly against my chest as I moved my fingers around it, tucking out the hook so the chain loosened from her waist. I chucked it off to one corner. 

Realising the discomfort the jewelries were causing her, she raised a hand to remove the amulets when I stopped her.

I held her wrist, so delicate, but even then I knew she could land a fair punch. That made me smile. "Should I remove them?" I asked her softly, lacing my fingers with hers.

She lowered her gaze, trying to contain her smile, but couldn't when it unravelled beautifully across her face. So shy, telling how pure she was, contrary to my ways.

Her head moved in a little hum, gentle enough for me to just notice. Planting a soft kiss over her cheek, I shifted to face her, holding her shoulders lightly to push her against the pillows so she was resting on her back.

"Do kings… do these things?" she asked with a small laugh, the fact amusing her that I was willing to do something as removing jewels off her.  

"Being a king and being Julian are two different things, Althea," I took her feet in my hand to untie the anklet. Everything about her was deliciously delicate. 

"And I'm Julian to you, not a king." I looked into her eyes and she stared back intensely, so… lovingly, refusing to look away. The anklet left her feet, and I lowered my mouth to kiss the spot.

I heard a soft gasp. She was so startled by my action, "I'm- I'm just like… any other woman, Julian…" She was still trying to reason out why I would want her. Still so unaware of her allure.

She may try to mix in the herd, but she didn't know. She always stood apart. Like a lone little flower in a ground full of weeds.

"Says the one who knows how to do everything. That too with perfection?" I mused, removing the other anklet to slowly trail up my kiss. Her legs trembled as I kissed all the way up her calves till the back of her knees. Given her breathing that had quickened, eyes pressed shut, she was so not ready to be kissed anywhere near her thigh.