Bycrest

Secrets

His bed.

It has been two years since Xander had last stepped foot into his own room. Left exactly the way he had it except for the bed. He chuckled lightly, wondering if his mother had his bed made just in case he would have come home. His clothes left tidily hanging out of his wardrobe. Shoes neatly put away either under his bed or placed into his closet, set by color. Dusty books left along his bookshelf and desk. The desk had nothing but papers and ink scattered along the table. One of those papers had been a letter that had been now filled with mostly ink. The letter that had once had been white with words had now been mostly a bluish black paper with words that had blended in. A letter from the woman he once fell in love with. With a note that is now unreadable.

Xander crumpled up the paper and tossed it into a nearby can that had resided by his desk as he excelled to the balcony. The sun that had now been at its highest beaming down on the man. The sun is different when you're traveling through the desert for years. A burning sensation that felt like swimming in flames, on the bodies of men who barely made it. But this had been the sun, where you would also feel the oceanic breeze and smell the preciousness of innocent trees nearby. The view of the beach, he would sneak off to as a child. As well as the smell of the cook making dinner for tonight's festivities.

All he wanted was to be alone. He wanted to bathe in silence and sleep comfortably until the years were over. It had been difficult for him to sleep. Everytime he would close his eyes, it would bring him back to the desert he crossed and the dangers that were lurking out around him and his men. A war that should have stopped but continued because of what the king wants.

The Prince took steps back into his bedroom, as his female servants entered his room preparing his bath. It takes two to prepare his bath as he liked it, while the third came to him to remove what's left of his armor and his clothes. He stood tall and let her do her job. Normally he wouldn't mind doing this himself, but his body is tired. She removes his half destroyed breastplate and gauntlets, his shirt after. She sees the bruises that have been lucky to heal over the years. The servant blushed at how strong he is to take on the damage and still return home. It almost made her want him, but she knew she was only here to do a job.

Xander can see the redness in her face as she removes his clothing. "Shy?" He asks her as he drops his gauntlets and his shirt to the ground.

She doesn't answer at first. Unsure if she can really address the Prince in the manner she would like to. She knows his history with servants.

"Cora, is it?"

She takes another shy look at him. Nods her head as slowly as possible as she gets ready to kneel to take off what's left of his leg armor.

"You know, it is rude to not speak back to your superior?"

"I'm sorry, sir."

"Now tell me, what is it that you're thinking?"

Her innocent face looks at him in his golden brown eyes. His long, undone hair covering his chest and back before his pants dropped in front of her. Her slow shiver went down her spine as she tried not to look at him.

"Nothing, my Prince."

"It is rude to lie." His voice grew a little impatient with her. He took her gentle hands and stood her up. He stood a little closer to her as he whispered in her ear. "Now tell me, what are you thinking?"

He backed away as she started to stutter.

"You're j-just a beautiful man." She finally speaks as her eyes start to wander from his face, chest, waist and back up again.