Look Me In The Eye When I Tell You I Love You

Just A Pawn

MJAM: I've been trying to write more, usually sometime around 9pm to 12pm. And I've been sneaking on the computer in broadcasting class and during my online class time to type up what I've written the nights before. I know this is a the Watty Awards category but its not likely that I'll finish this by then. Oh, well, I hope you like this chapter!

Deix

Father called me into his study the next day. I stood before his desk where he studied a stack of documents. "Is everything going along well?" He didn't bother to look up from his work. "Have you gotten close to her?"

"Yes, she trusts me more and more everyday. I was with her last night, she invited me out." I answered walking closer to his desk.

"Good, you must make her trust you over any other. Make her fall in love with you. Women are weak to men; love will keep her blind."

"Yes, Father," I replied. having heard this time and time again. I knew the plan backwards and forwards and inside-out: get close to the princess, use her to gain info on Oelh, and take over the kingdom from the inside. My father had great pride in this faux alliance.

My thoughts wandered to Demie and I felt a pang of guilt. Something in me didn't want to betray her in this way, to make her fall in love with me only to crush her heart in the end. I held back a snort, then again, she doesn't seem like the type of girl to fall in love easily.

I'm not going to be exclusive, she'd told me last night, surprising me. Didn't all girls want a boyfriend? Then she'd gone off to dance with the boy with the long hair and piercings, leaving me with a strange feeling of both longing and frustration. It had taken me three songs to finally get up and go over to them. She danced with me then, coaching me as she did, and shivering when I did something right. I had felt how much she'd wanted me at that moment and then she'd suddenly ran away from me.

"Deix! Are you even listening to me?" My father snapped me out of my thoughts.

My eyes focused on him, trying to think of what he had been saying. "Y-yes, Father," I cleared my throat, cursing myself for how distracted I sounded.

My father's eyes narrowed at me and I felt a sharp pang in my head as he invaded my thoughts. "I know she's beautiful, but you must stay focused. She's nothing more than a pawn in our game. Remember that Deix." The pain left my head and I nodded numbly.

Demie is nothing more than a pawn, I told myself. But I couldn't deny the strange feeling I felt just by thinking of her.

<3

I made my way up to her room, watching her as she slept, a peaceful expression on her face. She had the covers pulled up to hide all but her face. She looked...adorable. I shook my head, expelling the thought. I needed to focus.

I sensed him coming up behind me but I didn't move from where I stood, observing Demie as she slept. "Why are you here?" His voice was guarded.

"I'm taking her out today. You are free from your duties." I told him without turning.

"You have no authority over me. I will keep an eye over her as His Majesty has ordered." Ian replied, referring to Demie's father. "Besides, she has school today."

I had forgotten that, but it didn't change my resolve to take her out. I decided to change the topic to something that had been bothering me for a while. "How close are you to her?"

He was silent for a moment before answering, "We're good friends."

"Yes, but she trusts you, isn't that right? She listens to you, she's familiar with you, she teases you- you are the one she goes to. Why? Why did you let the line blur between friendship and duty?" I turned to watch his features as he answered.