The runaway bride | Cregan Stark

Chapter 6

Dealla woke up warm, she was even a little too hot and for a moment she wondered if she was even still in Winterfell. But she didn't have it in her to complain, not when she hadn't woken up this warm for a long time. Satisfied, she tried to roll over onto her belly, but was stopped. Dealla's eyes flew open in shock as she realized the reason for the sudden warmth. Cregan Stark was lying in the same bed as her, holding her as he slept. His bare chest was pressed against Dealla's back, while both of his arms were wrapped around her as they both lay on their sides. Embarrassed, Dealla realized that in addition her chemise had ridden up to her stomach during the night and her bare legs were intertwined with Cregan's.

Princess Dealla could have died here and now. And not in a good way. Cregan was like a bull even in his sleep and didn't move a bit when Dealla tried to escape from his grip. She had to succeed before he woke up. He didn't need to know about this, it was enough that she knew. "Stop moving," Cregan then grumbled sleepily as Dealla was actively wiggling. Dealla held her breath and then Cregan decided to make it worse and nuzzle his head against her shoulder. His lips touched her bare skin where her chemise had slipped down. Was that a kiss?

Dealla stopped being gentle and literally jumped out of the bed, so suddenly that not even Cregan's grip could stop her. She tangled herself a little in the covers and rather stumbled out of bed. Her hands straightened her chemise and when her feet came into contact with the cold floor, she hissed. "Come back," Cregan mused, still half asleep and with his eyes closed, while Dealla rubbed her hands over her bare arms. It was quite cold outside the bed.

"What are you doing here?" she shrieked angrily. When she had gone to bed, there had been no sign of Cregan in the room and she had thought he was spending the night somewhere else. If she had known that he would be sleeping in the same bed as her, she would never have undressed down to her chemise. She wouldn't have even laid down in that bed. "Sleeping...before you had to wake me up," Cregan grumbled, rolling onto his back before his eyes slowly opened and he looked to Dealla. The sight made him want to pull her back into bed with him. Her hair was unkempt and a mess, while her chemise showed so much skin it could kill a weak man.

"Why don't you join me again?" he asked with a teasing smirk on his face as he stretched his arms behind his head and leaned against them. Dealla's stomach tightened into knots. His voice was deeper than usual, rougher, and the muscles of his arms and stomach that Cregan shamelessly bared before her made her blush as she stared at them for a few seconds longer than she should have. "I need clothes," Dealla mumbled to herself. It was the opposite of what Cregan wanted; he wanted to get rid of the remaining clothes on her body, but watched in amusement as she searched for yesterday's clothes and couldn't find them.

"Did you hide my clothes?" she then accused him, stunned, as she placed her hands on her hips. "Why would I hide your clothes?" Cregan's laugh was still raspy from the morning and Dealla didn't like the way her body reacted to it. The truth was that Dealla's clothes had been tidied up by a couple of maids that evening, but Cregan said nothing, preferring to watch the princess in amusement as she walked over to his wardrobe as if it were hers and picked something out of it with the same attitude.

"You're taking away the good view, Princess," Cregan whined playfully as he watched her pull his clothes over her head. He had never had a better idea than to let her stay in his room. "Then find yourself another view, Lord Stark," Dealla grumbled back, throwing a shirt in his direction onto the bed. "Get dressed," she muttered quietly and Cregan grinned back at her as he picked up the shirt. Instead of putting it on, however, he stood up from the bed. Dealla heard him do so and didn't dare turn round to face him.

"You know, you can look. I'm not shy," Cregan teased, which made Dealla let out a huff. She had realized a while ago that Cregan Stark was not one of the shy type. Dealla was just about to pull her belt through the loops of her trousers when Cregan grabbed her by the arm and turned her round. Breathless, she let go of the belt and almost stumbled into him while his hands grabbed the belt and fastened it for her. Dealla kept her eyes closed, not taking the risk of seeing something that wasn't proper for her to see.