The Empress

Chapter : 3

Concentrating on breathing was proving to be a tedious effort .

I adjusted my gown , my right leg thrown over my left and i sat at the dining table . Calling it a dining table was an understatement . It stretched so wide , it could accomodate atleast forty people . I smirked at the thought , crossing and uncrossing my leg .

My uncomfortability was thanks to a certain prince who sat across the table from me . Turns out the 'diplomats' my father wanted me to meet with were my future husband and his parents .

Inside , i was seething . Outside i had the gentle , confident smile that never slipped off my face when i had company .

I felt his gaze on me . It made my body feel a little hotter and my clothes feel a little more suffocating . I cleared my throat and looked up at him , meeting his gaze as i smiled . He smirked , as if he could see through my act .

The smile dropped .

" I really would like to apologize for earlier , gattino" he finally spoke , his voice rumbling . His parents smiled at me and i smiled at them too .

" Prince Stefan" i began " my name is valentina . I'd like you to call me that until i say that you can call me otherwise " i said , standing up .

I turned to look at my father , who was glaring at me . I rolled my eyes and shot him a smile . " Father " i said , my teeth clenching " Maybe i could show Stefan the garden ?" I asked ,moving before my father could agree . " ehem , well yes, i suppose you could go and ,um ,show him " my father said . I nodded moving towards the door before realising he wasnt following . I turned around to find him seated at the table .

"Well?" I asked , raising a brow at him as a smile crept across his lips . " aren't you coming ?"

     ******************************
We had been sitting at this table for an hour . The weather outside was absolutely glorious and the table under one of the many gazebos in the garden was now occupied by me and my future husband .

If there was one thing i prided myself in being , it was confident . I had groomed myself over the years to exude the kind of confidence a queen was expected to show . But as i sat there , looking at my feet as i played with the hem of the silk tablecloth, i found myself feel insecure for the first time in a very long time .

I looked up , clearing my throat . I held back a gasp as my eyes met his hazel ones , that seemes to be lit from within .

He hadn't taken his eyes off of me for a second .

"Prince Stefan , I-"

"Do i make you nervous"he said as he cut me off , the seemingly signature smirk finding its way back onto his lips . The question had definitely caught me off guard , but if there was one thing i had learnt it was to never show my emotions blatantly .

I scoffed , turning to break eye contact for a second before dragging my grey eyes back to his amber ones.

" I would like to let you know that i am a queen with or without you . Queens don't get "nervous" as you so crassly put it " i said , reaching forward for my tea absentmindedly , thus ignoring the alarming proximity of the cup to the edge of the table .

In seconds , the cup crashed to the ground , but not before spilling some scalding tea on my fingers .

" shit!" I cursed , jumping back as my fingers burned enough to bring small tears to my eyes. In minutes , the man in front of me was beside me , his large hands enveloping mine as he lifted my finger , stared at it .

And put the tip into his mouth .

The gasp that left my lips barely expressed the pure shock running through my body . I felt the desire pool in my belly , my mind fighting it. I stared at him , my mouth hanging open as he lightly sucked on the burnt tip of my finger .

When he lifted his eyes to mine as he ran his tongue over it , i groaned . It was enough to shock me out of the trance he had me in as he played with my body while barely even touching me . Using ever shred of willpower in my body , i snapped out of it and yanked my hands back from him as i  stood up , not sparing him a glance as i stormed away , my heart thundering and my cheeks burning .

I walked until my feet ached . While i had left the garden in a sprint i had slowed down when i reached the corridor of my chamber . I walked to the door of my room and slipped in , shutting it behind me as i stood against the door and closed my eyes , taking deep laboured breaths . What was i doing ? Why had i let him affect me like that ?

I walked to my bed , staring at it wistfully , ready to fall into the covers and fall asleep when i heard a knock on the door . I rolled my eyes and straightened .

I could already imagine what had happened . Stefan had probably gone to my father and told him all about how his daughter couldnt even sit through a meeting .

I walked to the door , held the handle and yanked it open , my defense up . "Father i swear to-" i began but the rest of the words died away on my lips as i gawked at the person in front of me , my mouth going dry.

Stefan sent a calm smile in my direction , his hands clasped behind him , broadening his already expansive shoulders . " May i come in ?" He asked ,his voice rumbling . I bit my weathered lip and nodded , moving to grant him entry as i wondered how he had even found my chamber .

He walked in , looking around my room . He smiled at the pictures on the wall and picked up a few of the things i kept on my bedside table , examining them . He took a full circle before stopping and only turning to look at me when he heard me clear my throat .

I stood with my hip jutting out ,my arms crossed . It was the most classic defense position in the book and god help me if that wasnt exactly what i was at that moment .

He looked at me , softly smiling before he looked down . " Valentina " he began taking slow steps towards me , his eyes travelling from my feet up my shaking body with each step he took . "I need you to understand that im not the enemy here "

I scoffed . This was unbelievable . I was not going to stand here and let him treat me like I'M the problem.

"Stefan , can i call you stefan ?"

He nodded , smiling softly as he motioned for me to go ahead .

"I found out , on the day of my would-be coronation , that i could not be queen unless i married " i continued , taking a step towards him . Unlike me , he stood still , a hint of mirth in his eyes . I began circling him as i spoke . "All my life , i was told that i would be queen of this country . That one day ,  i would rule Gracia . It never bothered me that Gracia is a small country , i took it upon my shoulders to be the best monarch i could . I prepared for it every waking moment of my existence , channeling every thought and move towards my goals . And then , one fine day , as i was inches away from becoming who i was destined to me , i was told i couldn't . Do you want to know why?" I stopped in front of him , leaning forward " because i needed a man" i spat .

"I'm sorry that the situation forced you to make this choice . But , i do think we would be great together . We could have a wonderful marriage" he all but implored .

" i don't care what you say . I don't care if youre happy or sad " i said looking straight into stefan's eyes .

"Well what is it you care about them , mia dolcezza"

" My crown " i grit out .

I saw a new light enter his eyes , as if he now saw me with a new regard . I had expected him to be offended , disappointed or even repulsed that i wanted to use him go become queen  but i only saw respect in his eyes .

That unsettled me more than anything .

He looked down and smiled before directing it at me . " gatino , your eyes are the colour of a storm , the grey has shards of ice in it which you direct at everyone around you because that makes you feel safe " he said , ignoring my shocked face .

He leaned in , until his lips were grazing the shell of my ear " i hope i can melt them one day " he whispered , forcing a tremble through my body as my eyes snapped shut .

When i opened them again , he was gone.

A/N : well  that happened

P.s: picture of val's eyes above