I'll Protect You [Charles (oc) x reader]

Chapter 5

"I'm sorry about my parents," Edward says. We're seated at a table in the garden, Charles and Edward's guard standing by our sides, and cups of tea sitting in front of us. My head is resting on my hand with my elbow on the table, not very ladylike but I don't care, I'm staring into my tea like a portal will open up and swallow me. "They shouldn't try to push our relationship."

"It's fine," I responded. There's barely a relationship between us. I keep glancing over at Charles, his face is ineligible.

"I fought with my parents afterward as well," he starts, taking a sip of his tea. "They just kept going on and on about how it was my duty, so I just walked away from them."

I look up at him. That's almost exactly what happened with me and my parents. I stare at him intently, waiting for him to speak up again.

"That really ruined my breakfast," he says, smirking. My world stops, my breathing becomes shallow and I feel weak all over. Why is he smirking? Why did this happen the exact way mine happened?

I cough and look over at Charles. "I should probably go... I'm sorry, I just have other duties to attend to."

We both get up.

"It's fine, really," he says. "I bet you're a busy gal."

"Yeah, well thanks for co-"

Before I can finish my sentence, he walks over, grabs my head and kisses me. He kisses me! Right on the lips as well!

I stand there, just absolutely paralyzed. My eyes are wide and my face has been drained of all color. And not because I'm smitten over him. It felt like kissing a brick wall.

"Take that as thanks for inviting me over," he whispers, winking and walking away, his guard following.

I back up a bit. "Umm... Charles?"

"I'm right here," he says, walking up beside me.

"Don't you think that was completely out of nowhere?"

"Nothing you had done or said even closely resembled the fact that you wanted a kiss, so I'm guessing the kiss wasn't consensual."

I nod slowly. "I wanna go back to my room." I look over at Charles, whose face is a mask of pure anger. "Charles?"

He shakes his head and looks down. "Alright, if that's what you want."

I turn around and start walking back towards the building, trying to regain a bit of my dignity. I feel alone for a few moments before Charles shows back up at my side.

"That was the worst kiss in the world," I say after we get back to my room. "There was no emotion behind it." I sit down on the edge of my bed.

"Was that your first?" Charles asks, closing the door.

I nod. "I've imagined so many different ways in which my first kiss would happen, but that was most certainly not anything I could've imagined." I leave out the part wherein most of those imaginations, it was Charles kissing me. I blush and look at the ground.

"Oh? Do tell," he says teasingly. I didn't think my face could get any redder but it must've.

"I.." I can't look up at him but I want to. "I thought it would at least be more romantic than that."

He sits down next to me. He doesn't seem as uptight as usual. I peek over at him and the way he's sitting is very casual, nothing like he usually is.

"I'm unsettled," I say out of nowhere, drawing attention to that bad feeling in my stomach. "I have this bad feeling in my stomach I feel like something bad is going to happen."

"Well you don't need to worry about anything, I'll always be here to protect-"

"No, not just to me, to everyone. Ever since Edwards been hanging around this feeling won't go away, and I know for a fact that it's not a good feeling."

Charles shakes his head. "I think it's just fear of the unknown. You're afraid of getting married because you're not really sure what's going to come out of it."

"You think I'm crazy?"

"When did I say that? Just because you have a bad feeling about something doesn't mean that it's actually about something awful."

"He basically told me had the same exact fight with his parents that I had with mine! And he smirked after he said it! Like he knew exactly what he was doing!" I say, standing up and staring down at Charles. "Then after I say I have to leave he kisses me! He saw I was uncomfortable! He knew I wasn't interested! What is his goal here?!"

"You have a point," Charles says. "But how do we know? You have no proof other than he smirked at you and he kissed you."

I plop back on the bed. "I don't know."

I lay my head on his shoulder and close my eyes. He tenses but relaxes soon after.

"My life is a mess," I say. "Less so than yours is though."

"What does that mean?" Charles says, sounding offended.

"Nothing. I'm just tired."

Charles shakes his head and rests his head on top of mine. I close my eyes. "It's only the afternoon, it's far too early to be tired." Charles whispers.

"I know," I respond. We sit there for a few moments, just relishing in each others presence.

"How about we visit the town?" Charles asks. "I'm sure it'll get your mind off things."

"That sounds nice," I respond.

We both move our heads and Charles stands up. I stand up as well and walk towards the door. We walk out of my room and down the hall.

"Where would you like to go?" Charles asks as we approach the door.

"I don't know," I say. "I guess we could just walk around."

Charles nods and opens the door for me.

"Where are you going?" One of the guards by the door asks. "I don't think her parents want her out of the castle."

"Oh, Well the princess herself asked to go out, and I wouldn't be doing my job correctly if I were to decline," Charles responds. I walk out the door and Charles follows, shutting the door behind him.

"Shall we go then?" He asks.