Beyond Destiny ~ A Saga Of Timeless Love

09 ~ Butterflies

"My body has become a sanctuary for the butterflies you give me."

Ruhanika

“Feed me,” he said, looking straight at my face.

“What?” I asked him in disbelief, my mind racing to process his words. Am I hearing things correctly? If not, why on earth would he ask me to feed him? The weight of the moment hung heavily in the air between us, and a strange tension crackled as I searched his expression for some hint of humor, but found none.

“I told you to feed me with your hands,” he repeated, his voice steady yet laced with an undertone of urgency. What the hell? I am not mishearing him. He genuinely wants me to feed him. Why am I suddenly getting butterflies over this? My heart raced, caught between confusion and an unexpected thrill at the intimacy of the act.

“Why?” I questioned, my curiosity mixing with apprehension.

“My hand is injured, Rooh. I cannot use my hand. So you need to feed me.” His tone was matter-of-fact, but a hint of vulnerability seeped through, compelling me to look at his hand. As my gaze fell upon it, I noticed the bandages wrapped tightly around his palm, the stark white fabric contrasting with his skin, and the way his shoulder slumped slightly as if bearing the weight of more than just the injury. The reality of his situation hit me hard. Do I have a choice? No.

“Okay,” I finally replied, my voice softening. After saying this, I took the plate and sat on the sofa beside him, as he motioned for me to do.

With a deep breath, I picked up a morsel of food, the aroma wafting up and mixing with the palpable tension in the room. I brought it closer to his mouth, my heart racing as I caught him looking at me. In that fleeting moment, our gazes locked, and I felt a jolt of electricity shoot through me. He took the morsel into his mouth while maintaining eye contact, and I shivered when his pink lips lightly brushed against my fingers. It was an innocent act, yet my entire body shook at the unexpected intimacy. Butterflies were fluttering in my stomach, wild and unruly. I could not keep eye contact any longer, so I quickly diverted my gaze back to the plate, hoping to compose myself.

I continued to feed him, my movements tentative and careful, trying desperately to avoid touching his lips again. Each time I brought a morsel to his mouth, the air between us thickened with unspoken words and hidden emotions. I can’t take it anymore; if it happens again, I might just melt like ice cream in the sun. He had an enormous appetite, but his quiet demeanor and focused gaze were unnerving. He sat there, devouring the food, his eyes never leaving mine. Please look away, or my heart will spill out for him to see.

Just when I thought I would drown in the intensity of his gaze, a soldier came into the room, breaking the spell.

“Your Highness, Queen Takshila would like to meet you,” the soldier announced, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. I noticed that Dev’s face stiffened at the mention of her name, the mask of neutrality slipping to reveal a flicker of something deeper—perhaps dread or annoyance.

“Okay, send her inside,” he instructed, his tone clipped, eyes still fixed on the window as if looking for an escape.

As he finished his meal, I instructed the soldier to send the attendants in to remove the silverware. They entered, taking the plates away with the grace of practiced hands, and I felt the weight of the moment shift again.

“Should I leave?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, unsure if I wanted to escape the tension or cling to it.

“No need,” he replied, still looking outside, his posture tense.

I stood by his side, quietly observing him, my heart aching at the sight of him. No matter how hard he tried to conceal his feelings behind a blank facade, his eyes betrayed him. They were stormy, swirling with a sadness that made my chest tighten. I wanted to reach out, to comfort him, to understand the shadows lurking beneath his calm surface. But I felt frozen, caught between my desire to help and the fear of crossing a line that had only recently begun to blur.