The Realms

15.RESIST

Iris walked down the stairs absent minded and nearly crashed into Palin.

"Watch where you are going, my queen," she sneered

Iris had no time for a Moody attitude and walked on leaving Palin gaping at her back. She was confused about her unresponsive behavior.

She shrugged her shoulders before going up the stairs to her room.

The training grounds had no soul in sight when Iris arrived and she thanked the heavens. She slipped her over-robe off to display her training attire. Leather pants and a tight leather cropped top. She unsheathed her sword.

As she turned mid air she spotted him. Kai. He was walking towards the grounds and he seemed to be unaware of her presence yet.

She landed and at the same time, he looked up and met her eyes. Cool and suspicious. He noticed the slight accusation in her brown eyes and he opened his mouth to clarify but she made her move. She was leaving. He wasn't going to let her leave again without him talking.

Kai's hand stopped her by holding her left hand. She stiffened.

Kai swallowed before letting go of her hand. She didn't move. Iris turned her whole body so that she was now facing Kai.

"I didn't know you were here, I'll leave,"he said softly searching her eyes. Kai would be lying if he said he willingly wanted to leave. He prayed to the goddess that iris would stop him. When she said nothing he turned and blinked back the surprising tears in his eyes before taking the first step.

Iris smiled involuntarily before doing what he had done before. She reached for his right hand.

"I think I need a partner,"  she said when he turned and chuckled when he tried to hide his very obvious smile.

She took a fight stance and he did the same. They went on practicing for a moment until iris literally slipped her leg under the prince, he slipped and gained balance but in the process tripped himself falling forward towards Iris who was not focused but was laughing silently at his struggles . He knew he was going to hurt her if he fell on top of her but he was feeling a little mischievous ;in the fastest movements he has ever made before, he pulled her to him before falling on his back with her on top of him.

Iris shrieked in shock and blinked several times.

Kai's hands were both on her uncovered back and hers were on both sides of his head such that she was basically straddling him.

Her eyes were yet to look at him. He needed her to look at him. He held his breath when Iris's eyes met his. She wasn't glaring but softly looking at his face and finally she looked at his eyes.

Iris swallowed visibly, his eyes were, magical. Wait, what? She blinked once, was she having fever?
He was looking at her, searching her eyes, but for what?
Iris was no longer listening to her rational part of her brain this time. She listened to the bond.

Kai's hand moved the slightest and she fought the urge of closing her eyes. It felt right.

Their eyes held each other. She felt home but deep down she knew it was a temporary one. But she ignored the truth for the first time.

She would feel this for now and regret it later. She brought her right hand up and caressed his cheek. His eyes fluttered shut and opened again when she stopped. But closed them again when he felt her lips on his. She wasn't demanding, her lips stayed motionless on his and he thought he was going to burst. He felt the sparks, they were so intense he thought he was literally getting charged.

Then she moved her lips lightly as if to break the kiss, he instinctively moved his lips.

Iris closed her eyes and savored the moment. The stolen moment of misplaced pleasure. She gasped when kai turned them over such that he was now straddling her.

In all her life and especially some days ago, if someone had told her that she would willingly kiss the prince, she would have laughed at their faces.

There are a few times in one's life when you feel full inside not from food but that feeling of full satisfaction when you feel loved or wanted by someone. Kai felt that I was that chaste yet passionate kiss.

Whether it was from the magical bond they shared or true feelings Kai felt full. He felt wanted as iris's palms roamed his back and fisted on his robes. He opened his eyes when she went still.

Iris came back to reality and went still. The moment was over and she felt the heavy reality of her life come back and with it despair, a broken sob escaped her parted and slightly swollen lips as a lone tear tolled down her temple to her ear. She was not going to face the prince now.

She knew he was looking at her in question but she didn't know what to say about what she was feeling.

She gently pushed him off her and stood up leaving him still seated and whispered an apology before literally running away.

Kai watched her leave. He felt her despair and his heart broke after seeing her face when she cried. He couldn't go after her. What would she tell her? Hhe was sorry for kissing her? Deep down he wasn't sorry for that and he felt that whatever was happening was right.

Kai wouldn't tell her that he was probably falling for her and he sure as hell wasn't going to because that would sound ridiculous.

While seated there alone, he wondered if before the marriage he had unearthed feelings for Iris, just a little to make him feel better that he wasn't falling for her because of the bond.

He remembered the first time he had seen her. During his return, she was outstanding, when she silenced the crowd, how she looked at him disapprovingly when he introduced his consort, he wanted to make everything right. When she refused to acknowledge him at the training grounds, he sought for her approval.

He looked around him and smiled at the memory of their meeting there.

Was he subconsciously trying to get her acknowledgement because he was attracted to her?

Shocked and a little relieved that this was the case he stood up and left the grounds. He failed to see Palin who stood a few feet away with a menacing glare on his back.

Kai would wait and proof to Iris that his attraction was real. He would win her heart, but first he had a task to do.

A hard task of explaining to Palin why he was no longer attracted to her.

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