CINDE, The Kings Mate (boyxboy) ✓

Chapter Twenty Two

I was still tempted to prolong the argument however I knew it would come to nothing. While Veldore is steady and calm when it comes to the matters of his kingdom he is always hard headed in his decisions regarding me.

I watched him from under my eyelashes as he tugged the robes prepared outside his room. They were a pearly white, loose fitting, buttons leading all the way to the top. They were almost an exact copy of the clothes we had been wearing prior.

His muscles seemed to flex and bulge as he tugged the fabric over his shoulders and slowly filled every gap with a button. I could have pouted at the sight of all that rippling muscle being veiled and hidden.

My own pair had been placed by the bedside table on my edge of the bed.

I slipped into the trousers. Loose fitting, soft, white fabric with a thin leather lace to be bound at the waist. Folding the flaps at the legs and tying the leather, it felt more snug than my previous pair had.

When I reached for the shirt it was pulled away from my reach.

Veldore reached in and stole the shirt, undoing the top button and signalling for me to lift my arms.

"Arms up." He said when he saw me freeze a moment.

I blushed at his babying of me but did as he demanded.

He pulled the material over my shoulders, pausing briefly to stare at my body before slowly buttoning my shirt, his eyes rising higher and higher as he did so till they came in view of my own.

Beautiful green eyes greeted me. Specks of red floating in the garden of color. I felt memorized.

His look mirrored my own.

He looked down and sighed.

My own pout fell onto my lips. I did not wish my mate any burdens, his pain was mine to carry, not the other way round.

"Cinde..." He began as he took my hand.

"Veldore." I nodded.

"Do not think badly of me when I say this, but many things bother me at this time. If I am harsh on you it is for that reason and that reason alone.

It is hard to adjust to the level of emotional imbalance your doings hold over me. When once I might have sent a soldier into battle with no armor and a lost limb, with you I don't want you breathing the same air as the violence battle holds."

"Veldore, my mate, there is no need for explanations." I said, the guilt rising in my throat. "There is no need." I pressed a hand to his chest and fumbled with the soft fabric. "I would feel the same way, it is only because it is a promise that it bothers me so."

A hard glint returned in his eye as he turned away.

"Yes. Well my judgment on that matter remains the same."

I bowed my head in his direction.

"As I assumed it would."

I felt another low sigh rumble from his lips, softly.

"My dear... You are so oblivious to what I would do to keep you from harm. So oblivious to what I intend to do to keep you from harm."

My eyes made my way over to his.

What he intended to do?

Why did that make me nervous.

The look in his eyes told me not to ask him of therefor I decided to let the matter go, however it was not forgotten. What did my love intend to do to protect me? Was this a matter involving Eddergan?