The king

14

THE KING
~ Jaxson's pov ~

The ladies were fighting again. They normally have their daily scream offs but this one in particular was about Sir Kingsley. I didn't come in between the two ladies, I stood soldier-like near the wall, waiting if I needed to get in between just in case of someone getting bruised or beaten.

Arabella was a fireball. She never let go of the situation and she stood her ground- something that I find common with how a Queen should be. They were bickering over a certain ball held by Sir Kingsley whom Arabella dislikes.

"Arabella, please. You are causing everyone a headache. Go have some tea and settle down," Mrs. Houstings speaks to her daughter in a tired tone. She's pinching her skin between her eyes, sighing.

"Settle down? Why shall I when you want to put me in a dress that is pink! I do not like pink," Arabella shouts to the world. Her face is growing red with fury and I try to hold back my smile at how beautiful she looked.

"Pink is a lovely color, it would look good on your complexion and dark hair of yours," Serena states.

"On you maybe, but not me. I shall never wear anything pink." With the cross of her arms, she had her mind made up.

"Perhaps a dark pink will suit best?" Mrs. Houstings acknowledged, raising a brow at the idea.

Arabella shakes her head. "I want to wear the dress I made and I shall wear it."

"No." Mrs. Houstings shakes her head.

"I will, Mother. If I have to go to this ball, I shall wear my gown," Arabella wines.

"Yellow washes you out, and green doesn't quite suit your complexion," Serena answers, rolling her eyes.

"Says the girl who only wears pink," Arabella retorts.

Serena scoffs. "And who told you that those colors work wonders on you?"

"A friend," Arabella hums. Then her eyes meet mine in a far distance. Serena catches the motion, and meets my eyes as well, catching onto whatever we had shared.

Serena grows curious, raising a brow at me but I stand like a soldier- not ready to lead her to anything else.

"I am done with this foolishness." Serena scoffs again.

"Fine." Mrs. Houstings gave up. "You can wear your dress!"

Mrs. Houstings leaves the room, talking under her breath, seeming to be maddened about the situation. Mr. Houstings finds himself in the room, humming out at the scene in front of him before kissing Arabella on her head.

He smiles. "You will look beautiful in whatever you find best."

"Thank you, Father," Arabella says, smiling gratefully. "I think I'll need a fit check before we shall leave."

"I can get Josephine for you," I say aloud.

She shakes her head, disagreeing. "I want this time alone, but thank you." I nod my head in understanding and watch her flee from her father's arms and walk upstairs to the fitting room.

"Make sure she doesn't prick herself or fall, but keep your distance," Mr. Houstings orders me politely and I reply with a firm nod.

I follow upstairs, waiting at the door of the fitting room. Her hums can be heard outside the door, and I lean my head against the wall in agony. Clothing is being taken off from what I can hear and I can't help but wonder what she would look like under all those clothes.

Have you gone mad, Jaxson? You are the king who shall have some respect for a lady such as Arabella. You need to control yourself.

Her huffs and puffs are filling the room now and I am unsure of what to do. Does she need my assistance? Would that be overstepping a boundary somewhere? Of course it would.

"Oden..." Her little voice calls aloud.

I cough awkwardly before proceeding to answer her. "Yes?"

"Could you help me?"

I am hesitant on walking in the room, but the moment her voice cracks, I am in shambles at her feet. Opening the door, I find Arabella on her stool in front of the mirror, seeming to be in a mess with her newly knitted dress. She needed help tying it.

She holds the top, covering her breasts, but not doing a good job at the action since her breasts are almost falling out. I gulp at the scene in front of me.

She needed my help with her dress which meant she needed me to touch her. The last time I touched her I couldn't control myself. What could I do this time? Could I stop?

Her bottom lip is poked out, her eyebrows furrowed in question. "Have you seen a ghost? You are quite pale."

I shake my head, dismissing her. "I am well. What do you need help with? I can call Lady Josephine in for you."

"That will be unnecessary since you are here and you can help, it won't take long." She waves me off. I gulp once more.

Her silky smooth skin I once had touched is in my line of sight. I wanted to take a bite out of it- savor it and devour her until she couldn't walk the next morning.

"Oden?" She called my name, catching my attention which was strictly on her arms. She hands over the two ties, facing her back towards me. "Tie it as far as it can go."

"Will that not hurt you?" I am quite concerned with how tight I can go with my strength.

"It won't," she promises.

Arabella stands straight in the mirror, watching herself and waiting on me to tie the string. I pull and tie as much as I can to her liking until it is perfect. She's able to let go of the top of the dress and it sticks to her breasts like magnets, and she pulls the sleeves over her shoulders.

My hands feel a burning sensation. I am squeezing them tightly, but I cannot relieve such pain. The room felt suffocating, and the lady in the room smelt delightful, I was going mad for such a lady like this. Arabella was maddening to be around. I couldn't stay around for long if she wanted to continue to be friends.

She does the one thing I wish for her not to do and that is to turn around and face me. She grows confused at my state. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine," I answered.

"You are sweating." She's about to hold her hand up to touch my face or even my forehead, but I back up before she could conceal skin to skin. She's now growing weary. "Stop moving and let me feel your head."

I move away from her every time she tries to make one near my being and she's growing frustrated by the minute.

"Oden, could you stop-" She's interrupted by herself but I am the one that led her to become quiet. My hands find her waist, squeezing her as I have been craving to do so.

Harsh breaths release out of me, and I'm holding on by a thread.

"Oden..." She softly whispers and with every squeeze of her hips, she's gasping for air, and with every gasp, comes the tightening of her dress and her cleavage is bearing.

"This is why..." I breathe out, looking down at her dress- not seeming to care if I wasn't being a gentleman.

"Why what?" Her hands are now gripping my shirt.

I lean my forehead over hers, wanting to sink my teeth into her skin. "If you want to continue to be friends, I shall not touch you. I cannot unless you want bad things to happen."

"Do not say such things like that," she gasps, her eyes closing on my lips.

"Why?" I tilt my head, lining my lips over hers. "Do you want to touch me, Arabella?"

Her hands leave my chest as if I burned her. "No, I-" She shakes her head, completely speechless.

"Friends," I breathe against her lips.

She nods, not meeting my eyes- still on my lips. "Friends."