"You have to stop doing that."
"Stop doing what?"
"Saying things that make me want to kiss you when I can't."
Becoming the prince's personal bodyguard should be a dream come true, shouldn't it? Good pay, palace life, but the real gem that ever...
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"Should we avoid him then? Or should we meet him too?" I ask uncertainly, feeling slightly on edge.
It is never a good idea to talk about the ex but talking about who the ex has gotten with after is probably much worse.
Hearing my question, his lips purse into a thin line and he arches his eyebrows, furrowing subtly. Casimir balls up his fist subconsciously and it is impossible not to notice how tightly clenched they are. One can even see his knuckles turn white. His fingernails are digging into the flesh of his palm.
Witnessing how distressed he seems, I cannot help but wonder.
Is it possible that Rosalia had left Casimir for the Prince of Exalos?
"Let's not. If he realises I'm here too, he might not even offer his assistance anymore." Casimir reveals, clearly disheartened.
He almost seems helpless.
"Let's get rid of the cherries that have been contaminated," Casimir changes the topic before I get the chance to pry.
"No way in hell are you going anywhere near those cherries. We don't even know if you've been poisoned yet. You will stay here until we know you're completely fine. Trust me, all the cherries will be gone before you even realise it," I immediately shut his idea down.
"At least—" Casimir tries to rebut but to no avail.
"I am here as your bodyguard, not as a friend. If you really aren't the ignorant and reckless prince that everyone thinks you are, then you'll stay here and you will not move an inch from this hut. You will let me do my job." I cut him off sternly.
"And for the record, I don't believe you're what everyone describes you to be."
He stares at me silently and I struggle to understand the look he had on his face.
His eyes are slightly widened as if he had not anticipated what I had just said. On the other hand, creases that are hardly noticeable form on his forehead. Perhaps he is against my plan to do it all alone, or maybe he is just unhappy that I had the audacity to give him an order.
Or is he concerned?
As unnerving as his expression was, I leave the hut without another word, entrusting that Casimir will for once in his life stick with the less stupid choice.
♚♚♚
"That should be all the cherries," I let out a sigh of relief quietly under my breath.
It has probably been close to an hour or two since I started to gather the cherries. Even the sun had begun to set and I can feel the soreness gradually creeping up to attack my limbs.
Just as I am about to pick up one of the many baskets of cherries laying on the ground, a gravelly voice stops me in my tracks.
"Leave it, we'll take care of that." The man practically commands.
