Forbidden Essence

Forbidden Essence : Undeniable

Forbidden Essence

Chapter 14 : Undeniable 

"Ms Woods?" 

I jumped away from Francis with my heart beating out of rhythm and turned on my heel to see Prince Edmund watching us with narrowed eyes, and his fists clenched. I lowered my gaze, my cheeks burning in embarrassment and horror. I glanced at Francis from the side to see him still, and watching the prince with an almost angry gaze. I was startled, and glanced back at the prince feeling so ashamed that he had caught Francis and I in a compromising position, although I had not wanted it. 

I feared he would tie us in a bond of marriage at the scandal Francis so daringly initiated. 

"I had just walked you to your room, Miss Woods, why are you here?" prince Edmund asked and I hesitantly rose my eyes to glance at the prince. As I observed hastily, he and Francis had their angry gazes locked on each other. As he questioned, he glanced at me with an annoyed and irritated look in his eyes before scowling at Francis again. 

I bit my lip, my hands trembling in hope that the prince had not seen Francis kiss me. "I-I h-had-"

"Please return to your room, and do stay there now, Miss Woods." He snapped as the cold gold eyes came to rest on me. I felt my insides wrenching as I thought back to how they had been so kind and soft earlier on, and now they're just cold.

I quickly turned on my heel and hastily made my way out of the garden, turning on the last step to glance at them. I paused to see them close to each other's faces, with anger lining their faces and furiously whispering angry words. I watched in shock and horror and my stomach dropped as I worried for Francis. Just as I thought of him, his angry gaze glanced at me and I stepped back with a hand over my mouth and quickly ran away before Edmund turned. 

I ran to my room and closed the door behind me, my breathing coming out in pants. I leaned against it and slid down, my shaky hand reaching for my lips. I didn't know what to think of it, I had been wanting it for so long, then why does it feel as if it does not belong there? Had Francis really kissed me? A part of me hoped that I was dreaming and that I would wake up and realize that it had all just been my foolish imagination. That his tender and soft kiss had never really happened. I got up dizzily and collapsed on my bed, clutching the bed as panic began seeping into me as I recalled Edmund's angry gaze on him and how much he was capable of. I worried for Francis and hoped that he was well, but overriding that was a deep anger, an anger that I couldn't seem to diminish.

I was angry at him for thinking that all was well between us, that what had happened all those years ago i had forgotten. Although I knew he was not to be blamed, I couldn't rid of the thought that I could have nearly lost dear Alexander. I was angry that he thought that we still had the spark of attraction we had before, that he had stepped forward and deemed it fine to kiss me! Maybe I had begun to see him in a brighter light, but it had not gotten so bright that he could dare to be so forward and kiss me.

I clenched my jaw and closed my eyes in effort to calm myself, before I thought of matters that I had come here in the first place for. I recalled the news that Francis had told me earlier about my brothers coming to get me. I bit my lip and got up quickly, making way to the small desk towards the side where I had hid an ink well and a pen from Edmund's study.

I sat, heaving a breath and pulling out a small parchment of paper and dipping the pen in the ink. I mulled over what to write so that it won't be suspicious. I smiled in reward to myself before I began gliding the pen against the paper. I drew an outline a girl with a crown on her head, and a castle behind her. Within the girl's dress I wrote safe and sound and drew designs. I sat back and smiled at my art work, waiting for it to dry. When it was dry I rolled it and tied it with a string and thought of how I would give it to Francis, and what I would say. I bit my lip and decided that I would curtly hand it to him and walk away. I sighed and slumped, placing my head against the cool of the wooden desk, I wished it were that easy to face Francis again. Why did he have to make it so hard?