ROYALTY

Chapter 14

"It is not a crime, is it now?" I still had not looked at him, "Usually, ladies such as yourself, should be sipping tea under the warm afternoon sun and thinking of Jewry and dresses." I had found a warm spot by the fire, my book tucked under my arm as I sat down. "Well, I am terribly sorry to inform you that I am not such type of ladies."

"And so, I have noticed." he said as he sat down, he still had on his evening attire, the first batons of his shirt untucked, his sleeves rolled up, he placed a bowl of fruit right in front of me and leaned back against the wall.

His chest becoming so visible under the white of his shirt. He was looking at me and seemed to be smiling to himself as he knew where my gaze had gone to. I cleared my throat and looked away to ashamed. I opened my book and tired to read but I could not because I felt self-conscious. "I must thank you for the apple, it was quite delicious." He chuckled and I blushed. "Well, that left me with leaves and sticks in my hair, and Maeve was not at all happy." He looked confused for a second, "I got them as I climbed down the tree." He formed an "o" with his mouth.

"Do you like the book? There are more here and even in the main library, if you always want a book you can.." he left the sentence hanging. "Is this your way of asking for forgiveness your highness?" He looked hurt, "lady Naomi, I am really very sorry about last night, it is just that, I had a lot on my plate and, and.." he trailed off looking into space, he looked so lost, like a five-year-old.

I was moved within me, I placed my hand gently on his and gave him a little squeeze, it brought him back to the present and he seemed grateful, he placed his warm hand on mine, and gave it a little pressure. I felt a warm and fuzzy feeling, it travelled up my spine from my toes to my brain. I cleared my throat awkwardly. He must have noticed the effect his hand had on me, because in that moment he blushed, pink lighting up his cheeks.

I moved back to my seat and opened the book I had in hand. "Do you believe in love?" I was still focused on the page I pretended to read, I did not want to get his reaction. "It depends, what exactly is love?" he stood up and walked to the shelves of books.

"Is it a feeling or a behaviour? Is it an attitude or a characteristic? Because if it is a feeling then why is it faked? If it is a behaviour, then why is it not shown? If it is an attitude then why is it not common? If it is a characteristic, then why?" He turned to look at me. "Why do we not have it?" I looked down at the book, it had a poem talking about love, written in cursive even though the handwriting was fading and the pages where turning from the white they were to the yellow, the poem was really a beautiful one. "Love is a feeling, an attraction you develop for someone close to your heart. It is the most beautiful feeling in the world. It is patient, it is kind, it does not have pride, it is a bliss."

"Funny how your fooled easily, there is no such thing as love, it is just some four lettered word that people use to get what they want from you. Have you not thought about it. I see a fresh maiden one that has not been soiled, and send her letters professing my love towards her just so that I can have something in exchange. And do you know what that is?" I looked away, even though I had not a clue as to what he was talking about. "Your parents, the king and queen seem happy, they married for love." He gave a laugh and walked to the wall cabinet and pulled out a bottle and a glass. he took a swing of the strong substance and smiled. "If you thought you would ever find love in this system, then you are a bigger fool as I am. What they have now was not what they had then."

"But there is-." He shook his head with a mocking smile about his lips. Before leaving through the door, he turned to look back at me. "Trust me, love is some stupid fantasy, it is written in books and stories, but it is never real."

As i walked out of the little room, i could not help by feel eyes watching me.

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