Falling for Royalty

Chapter Eleven

I wander around aimlessly. I wipe my arm across my eyes once again to clear the tears that kept coming like rivulets of rain. My eyes were puffy and bloodshot. He was such a jerk! How could he even say something like that? He would never know what it's like to be poor. I sigh as I sit down on the newly mowed lawn. I look up at the clouds as cold splotches of rain patter against my skin. I tuck my knees in against my chest and bury my face in my knees, soaking up the rain. I replay the scene over and over again in my head and each time it hurts even more than the time before. I feel the wind blow gently and it sends shivers down my spine making goosebumps rise on my arms. I feel someone pull me into their sturdy, toned arms. The soft touch of their fingers reach my forehead as they stroke back loose strands of hair from my face. I shudder as another gust of wind blows sending chills through my body. They grasp me tighter, pulling me in closer to their chest and they hang their head over to observe me.

William looks down at me, distraught clearly distinguished in his facial features. He puts a hand to my fair-skinned cheek. "Evelyn, you're freezing cold and unnaturally pale." In that moment, I greatly wanted to roll my eyes at him and say something to show how infuriated I was but I couldn't speak or do anything as a matter of fact. My throat felt constricted and arid and my whole body felt rigid like an igneous rock after being cooled and hardened. He begins trotting towards the castle with me in his arms. I watch his face as determination crosses over it and he continuously trots towards the castle. His hair drips water and he flips his hair to keep it out of his face. He looks at me and gives me an apologetic smile. I dart my eyes away before looking at him again ad he turns away to look straight ahead. The wind was rustling his hair and he looked...well, he looked gorgeous. I couldn't help but notice the way he narrowed his eyes as he tried to concentrate, the way he tilted his head slightly to the right as the wind blew, and the way he smiled to himself when he realized how close we were to the castle. Getting caught up in all his beauty, I still had to remember I was mad at him as much as I wanted to hold him closer to me and bury my face in his chest to get warm, I had to hold my ground. As we arrive to the castle, he bursts through the doors like a knight into a tower to save the princess from a fire-breathing dragon. He sprints up the stairs and into his room.

I fidget uncomfortably and open my mouth to speak. "It's f-f-forbidden." It comes out merely as a hoarse whisper.

He shakes his head. "That hasn't stopped you before." He sits me on the bed and points to his maid. "Jennifer, run hot water in the tub and add some midnight honey musk bubble mix." Jennifer comes to me, helping to lift me off the bed and she ushers me into the bathroom. After hurriedly closing the door, she grabs a towel and sets it on the toilet seat, which was adjacent to the tub. She dismisses herself and I undress before stepping into the tub. The tub was filled with steamy water like that from a hot spring and white bubbles, smelling like midnight honey musk, envelop the tub. I lie back as a warm sensation floods my body, making my skin tingle. It felt like a fire spreading throughout my body starting at my fingertips. The bubbles covered the entire area of the tub, you couldn't see into the tub. All you could see was the bubbles and my head, which was above the surface of the water. I close my eyes in peace and listen to the silence which, somehow, relaxed me. I jerk my head up as the door opens and in walks Prince William.

He sits down on the toilet seat after moving the towel onto his lap. "I guess our date will have to be a little late."

I stare at him, a fire burning in my eyes before leaning back again resting my head against the wall.

He leans forward resting his elbows on his knees. "Evelyn." After a long moment of silence, he clears his throat. "I am deeply sorry. I was not thinking about how it would effect you. I didn't mean it to sound like that." I look at him alertly. 'Was he really apologizing?' He swallows a lump in his throat and I can see the sorrow in his eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt you..."