Warrior Protect

-16- AURORA CORIERE de Hanivel

We chose to eat alone that night in his rooms. After the incident with Lady Bella, it seemed we couldn't get much time alone. Many guests were walking the gardens and most either congratulated us or gave my outfit a once-over. So, we shut ourselves away and continued to talk. We now sat at the table, Cade's hand on his shoulder as he rolled his neck with a sigh.

"Why do the other kingdoms call you the Dark Prince?" I asked taking the last bite of the cake. I knew Cade only ordered it because he learned I liked sweets. I was grateful, since I was famished. He rolled his eyes at the term before he sighed.

"I thought it was the Black Prince or something? To tell you the truth, despite what it seemed, I had tried to be more pleasant with you. Yet it still backfired." I arched my brow in disbelief. If that was him trying to be affable with a stranger, I couldn't imagine what he was like not trying.

"You were very poor at it." I snickered, and he glared at me. "I am very blunt and serious with others. When it comes to politics, I tend to not allow any questions and I always sound cold. But, I had tried to be different with you." I tilted my head as his hung. I could not help the smirk that curled on my lips.

"The first day, I had tried to be more pleasant, but from the moment you stepped out of the carriage you started to sneer at me."

"You glared at–" I stopped before finishing, my face flushing. "Maybe you should tell people you can't see well. It would help a lot."

"It is a weakness," he growled.

"Something I should have known," I growled back. "I did choose to be more open-minded after your mother spoke with me at dinner, but you ignored me at the ball. You also laughed at me in the library!"

"Gods, I need a drink," he muttered as he picked up his water like it were wine.

"I'm sure the maids will bring you one." Crossing my arms, I clicked my tongue, tilting my nose right up in the air.

"I wasn't laughing at you like that." He looked away from me, face flushing even more than mine was. "Forget that." He covered his mouth trying to hide his reddening cheeks. I noted that he hid his mouth when he was embarrassed. That might come in handy at some point. I resisted the urge to smile as he continued.

"I didn't ignore you at the dance either. I had to greet everyone in the court. I also didn't think you knew our dances all that well. Your parents had told me you were not a dancer to begin with, and you had yet to learn ours." His words were slightly muffled.

"If you would have just told me." My voice dropped, he was being considerate back then. Though it was still his fault, he didn't even speak to me at the time. "Or at least spoke to me during the ball."

"I could have but I have my own issues. I'm not one to sit back and let others protect me. When I saw you, it killed me to know that a woman so full of life would have to protect me with her life. You would have to put your body in harm's way for me. I want to protect my kingdom and my people, yet I have to be protected by my wife. It made it hard for me to talk to you, because it is all I thought about." He let out a dry, emotionless laugh. "I thought about telling you after the ball, but how could I? Every time we spoke I turned into a mess, trying to figure out how to fix things and you were practically biting my head off." Cade let out a frustrated sigh as he rubbed his neck once again. His eyes crinkled. The pain was finally starting to get to him.

I stood up and walked behind him. I reached out, hand brushing his shoulder. He went deathly still, but my heart started to beat faster ever so slightly. I slowly started to massage his shoulders, trying to find the knots and work them out. I was used to doing something so simple for my soldiers and Karas. Yet, it felt different this time.