Heart's Desire

Chapter 26

"Y/N, you need a break. Let's go out."

"I-I can't risk it, Odessa."

"How long has it been since Aetius threatened you?"

"About a month now."

"And nothing has happened, right?"

"Yet."

"But nothing has happened."

"Yes. Nothing has happened."

"Good. Now, I get your stressed and you're worried about your safety. That is why I am here."

"I know, Odessa, but we can't be too sure about anything. Some of the people are still getting used to me being their Caesar."

"That's on them. Come on. You need to get out of this palace and somewhere with fresh air and fresh faces. I get it. I am attractive to you, but I don't think you want to constantly see this ugly mug," she pointed to her face, a smile forming on her lips.

I smiled back at her, "Your face isn't that ugly."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she smirked as I stood up, walking towards her.

"It's just I've gotten used to it. Maybe when we're married I'll call it ugly," I pecked her lips. "Even then I won't tell you it is."

"Come on, love," she said, placing her hand on my back, guiding me out of the room we were in and out of the palace.

The guards raised the gates and then lowered it when we left. It has been a month since Aetius had threatened me. My mother and Odessa think he's just a coward for threatening me and then not doing anything. They say it's to boost his fragile ego. Or what was once his fragile ego is no longer his ego. It still bothered me that he would threaten me with something like that. And he knows that Odessa doesn't leave my side and I think that's the reason as to why he hasn't done anything. Is because he knows that he'll have to get through Odessa to get to me. Well, the guards, my mother, Antonius and then Odessa. But still, even if he were able to pass through those people, Odessa would beat him to a pulp.

My mind wandered and I didn't recognize that we were walking towards the creek she took me to whenever we first went out as "just friends". We both knew we were into one another, she just didn't want to admit to any sort of romantic feeling until both of us knew we were certain those feelings were true. And not just some form of admiration towards one another.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked Odessa.

"Bring your mind to ease," she said as she slipped her sandals off, stepping into the flowing water. "Water is nice."

I slipped my sandals off and joined her, squeaking slightly at how cold it was.

"You call that nice?"

"It's not freezing cold like some days."

"T-That pond you were relaxing in that day I found you," I said.

"What about it?"

"I want to see it."

"I'll take you up there in a bit."

I let out a sigh, kicking some of the water up and at her, getting it on her toga. It was a nicer one than the one I normally see her in. The one where it was filled with holes and stitches. She still has that. She uses it whenever she is walking from the bathing area to our room.

"Now you've done it," Odessa said and splashed me.

"Odessa!" I cried, laughing as I watched that shit eating grin form on her face.

"You were the one who started it."

"I know, but this is hard to wash. This material is, not the toga."

"So?"

"It takes forever for it to dry. And this one was my favorite."

She walked over to me, dipped her hands in the water, and raised them up.

"Don't you dare."

That grin turned wider as she flipped them around, her palms facing me.

"Odessa Stone," I said. "Don't you fucking dare."

"You shouldn't have given me that information."

"About what?"

"It taking forever to dry."

"Odessa," I said in a stern tone. "Don't. You. Fucking. Dare."

"Sorry, love," she smirked and placed her hands on my chest, squeezing my breasts.

"Odessa!" I yelled, smacking her hands away.

There were hand marks on my chest. I let out a sigh as Odessa chuckled to herself.

"I had to, love."

I let out a sigh, walking back towards the shore.

"It doesn't look that bad. Besides, it's not like anyone is going to--"

Once her back was turned I had pushed her into the water. Droplets flung onto my toga as I shielded my face from her getting up. She turned her head over her shoulder, a playful smirk coming across her lips.

"Now you've asked for it," she got up and grabbed my shoulders.

"Odessa!" I laughed as she carefully pushed me into the water, pinning me there.

It wasn't deep enough to where my entire head was submerged. Her wet hair flopped down onto one side, making it look like there was a curtain covering the one side of her face. The moonlight shone in between us, lighting up her eyes in ways I never thought were possible. The sun made her amber eyes look like they were on fire if she was mad, glowing whenever she looked at me with the same awe as she does now. The moon also made it look like they were glowing, but with a calmness to it. Like they were pulsing the way lightning bugs do. The flicker of light before it diminishes, flickering once more as they traveled through the night. Of all the people I could have fallen in love with, it was her.

She gave me so many reasons to fall head over heels for her. To be enthralled with her. For me to want to call her mine. To be the reason I fought so hard to keep her with me. And she loved me for who I was. Not for the power, not for anything else other than being me. I raised my hand and placed it against her cheek, some water rolling down from my palm and to where my elbow bent. A soft smile crawled onto both our lips as she lowered herself to me, pressing those soft, warm lips to mine.

She pulled away after a few moments, admiring the look in my eyes. While she looked at me with awe, I looked at her with love. Pure, unconditional love.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you," she smiled.