That was the redeeming nature of humans. They were resilient. Made to weather whatever life threw at them.
Before he knew what he was doing, he was already within arms' reach of Alethi. He didn't know what he was doing, but he knew he was supposed to reassure her. But the why and how of it escaped him. She was a captive. Royal and beautiful by prisoner standards, but that was what she was. She could wallow in self-pity and he shouldn't care. And the problem was, not only did he care, but the emotions that were making her cry was, he knew, not from self-pity.
"I could send you to another place, but who's to say what others would do to your mind?" he finally said, "The protection in the treaty is only physical. It takes only one elf to realize that and harm you. We may be elves, but we can still hate."
Alethi bowed her head and her shoulders shook. Arun knew she was crying and he did not know what to do.
"I shall leave you a while," he said finally wanting to break from his own confusion. "I have other duties to attend. In the meantime, make yourself comfortable."
He left.
That was it. He did not want to come off as callous but what could he say? "Nuat," he turned to his captain, "Make sure my room is guarded. Should the seamstress come, receive it. No one is to go in or leave without my permission."
"Understood." Nuat bowed and barked orders.
Arun glanced around and spotted Liushan. He knew he would be trouble. While his brother, Nuat, could rein in his temper and hatred, Liushan was less likely to be as reasonable. For now, though, he needed to clear his head.
-------------
The moon had risen quite high when he returned from all his duties. All the while, his mind played on what to do with her. The truth was, he was torn. He did not want to torment her more than what she had just gone through, and yet, he wanted to. Those fiery eyes that only humans could achieve were treasures he longed to behold for far longer.
He stopped before he entered his room and resolved his dilemma. If she was too distraught, he would make a new deal with her – one that would be less taxing on her emotions. If she showed more strength, he would press on. Either way, he would do what needed to be done and get information first hand.
The room was dark when he came in. He muttered a spell and several crystalline globes gave their light. On his bed, Alethi shielded her eyes and adjusted to the sudden light as she slowly put them down. They were red and swollen, but they weren't fresh. She had stopped crying for quite some time, but the evidence of her tears were still there. She smelled of sweat but none of the arousal he had distinctly caught wafts of. More importantly, she smelled of herself. Humans always did have a queer smell to them, though hers was not entirely unwelcome. In fact hers was…memorable.
It did not take long for her eyes to adjust and she stood quickly, covering the distance between them before he could react. Furnaces burned in those hazel eyes and it had him – for a brief moment – apprehended and at a loss.
"How dare you treat me as a prisoner!" she hissed through gritted teeth. "Who do you think you are? I have treated you with fairness and you do not even extend the same grace to me! I should slap you in the face, but I will not. You know why? Because I'm better than you."
Another involuntary chuckle escaped him. Damn the woman was making him nervous in all the inappropriate times. But he needed to focus. She still had fire and strength. A little more seduction and coaxing would not harm her. After all, a little fun would definitely brighten his own mood. Never will it be said that elves did not have their own politics.
"So you wanted to take a bath naked with other elves who might take the chance to entrap your mind?" he asked.
Alethi blinked and blushed at the same time, suddenly backing away a few paces. And – by the gods! – it was the cutest thing he ever saw. It was innocence personified and he had to remind herself that she was not innocent, no matter how she acted or looked like.
She took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry. You should have told me."
Arun could not believe his ears. A noble apologizing? And not just any noble – it was the princess of Dosalam, herself! She was getting queerer and queerer. His curiosity drew him closer to her. He lifted her chin with the crook of his forefinger and looked into her eyes. There was no hint of guile as her hazel eyes met his. But there was sorrow, confusion, anger and, if he was not mistaken, a flicker of desire.
He didn't say anything when he released her or when he caught a hint of her arousal confirming what he saw in her eyes. Yes. Human to the core. He could not forget his mission.
"Let me have the honor of accompanying you, then, princess. To make amends."
Her mouth was slightly parted and her eyes darted to the sides, looking anywhere but at him. He cursed at her feigned innocence and closed the distance to not see her and focus on regaining control and manipulate her. "Is there," he whispered hoarsely in her ear and registered the sharp intake of her breath, "a problem, princess?"
"No…"
Arun swallowed feeling the rush of air from her lips graze at his sensitive ear. And he felt it. Felt the stir in his loins. His own arousal did not matter as long as hers increased, and by the smell of it, she was. He tore away and walked with her to the lake.
He stole a quick glance at her and took in the perfect skin covering her slender arced neck. They were silken under his touch and evoked a wild sense of mania throughout his body. He had never considered touching a woman intimately before, and now, he was considering fucking one. By the gods, he had to rein in his thoughts!
The lake was serene, and as he expected, there was no one else there. He set down her new clothes and sat at the rock by the water's edge. "Go ahead."
"Turn away."
"Why? I'm an elf. Not human. I've seen nakedness of countless others. Likely, more attractive than yours. Why should I turn away?"
"Because I don't want you looking." She crossed her arms under her breasts, staring at him defiantly.
He grinned. "You can try and order me, princess. But this is Rehanathi, not Dosalam. You are not my princess, thus I have no impetus to obey." He rested his chin on his hand lazily.
She glowered then stalked off away from him.
"Where are you going?" he called out after her.
"Away from your prying eyes!" She responded loudly, not turning to him.
He stood and followed her at a distance. "They're not prying. Just watching over you. You never know the dangers."
"Ha ha! Clever." She dodged behind a hedge of tall bushes. "What kind of a ruler are you if you cannot even control your people?"
"And you can?"
"Better than you by degrees if you worry this much about me!"
Arun stopped and opened himself to enhancing his hearing, choosing to ignore her comment. She could hear her struggle behind the bushes whispering about the damn laces and buckles behind her. He grinned and stepped silently behind her. She had managed to remove her tunic, but was now having trouble with a leather jerkin and – from what he could tell – a corset underneath before her chemise. He moved quickly and silently, closing up his heightened senses, and covered her fingers fumbling with one of the buckles.
Alethi stiffened, and turned to him. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.
"You seem to be having trouble. I am only trying to help."
She bit her lower lip and nodded, starting to turn. But before she could complete her turn, his hands darted behind her and started undoing the buckles slowly encasing her in his arms. Her eyes widened in surprise and he held her closer before she could say anything.
As their hips met, he heard her gasp and shiver, the smell of her arousal growing ever stronger, igniting his own as her heat kicked his stimulation into his groin. She opened her mouth to say something, but what It was he didn't wait for it. His own arousal was threatening to speed things up to a point where it would be impossible for him to control himself. "Turn around," he said, finishing the last buckle.
She stared
at him dumbstruck. Her look of innocence stirring him into even greater heights. "Turn. Or do you want me to undo your laces having this view?"
A panicked look spread across her face and she quickly turned, cheeks aflame even without his heightened sight. He closed his eyes to control himself, slowly undoing the lace and deliberately brushing her spine when he could.
He could sense her breath quickening and he knew he had the upper hand. This was a game of temptations and he would not be the first to give in. He would lure her and finally trap her. He would not let his own lust get in the way. And what a lustful creature she was turning him into!
"Go bathe," he said and left her. He stole a small glance and saw her holding herself, shivering, not from the cold, that much was obvious.
Chapter Four
Alethi could still feel the heat of Arun's touches even as she immersed herself in the cold waters. She thought she could break whatever spell it was that he entrapped her with the chilly waters. Unfortunately, the cold only made her seek his warmth more.
She sank in the water lower until it nearly reached her nose. Her body still remembered his sturdiness against her. He was firm and hot against her when their hips met and it was such a surprising delight that she could not say a word, torn between wanting it and pulling away for propriety's sake. His feather-light touches on her back made her ache more for his touches. Her mind wildly entertaining other thoughts of what more he could do to her.
She shook herself in her thoughts and directed them on more important matters. What would she say to her father when they meet again? That she wasn't her daughter and that his wife and most trusted liege commander had betrayed him? She could not bear to tell him all that with what he was going through, but he also deserved the truth. And what of Dosalam? What if they learned of that treason? She could not and will not hand over her rule to the witch, Niraya. Even she had no successors, anyway. Besides—
Her thoughts stilled hearing something intrude the stillness of the waters. Or someone. She groaned inwardly, hoping that it was not who she feared it was.
Arms circled around her pulling her into a warm and solid body and she yelped. She didn't need to turn to look who it was. The undeniable scent was familiar and she could feel her nether regions blaze anew. They burst into flames when her sensitive virginity brushed lightly against his leg and rested on it. She dared not move fearing the betrayal of her body getting closer to the edge as her back and her stomach took in the radiant fever he was giving off.
She closed her eyes to hold off her feelings, but only manage to conjure an image of him. She saw his bright green eyes, his radiant fair skin, the blond tresses that were more silk than hair and those exotic pointed ears. His lips inviting her into a temptation she was only happy to give into. She forced her eyes open to fight such a temptation.
Her mouth worked soundlessly for a while trying to unlock whatever it was that caught her voice. When she managed to speak, it came out a squeak. "What do you think you're doing?"
"You seemed cold," he replied, voice sultry, alluring and tempting her far beyond what she thought she could endure. "I thought to help. That's all."
He ran his finger from her neck to her shoulder and she gasped as waves of pleasure hit her. She wanted it and her body ached for it. But it was…wrong! She took a deep breath to steady her voice. "Let go." It came out as a whisper, but it was commanding and more than she had hoped to accomplish with the torrent of lechery that was coursing through her.
"And leave you cold?" His hand brushed her hair off to one side, brushing and exposing the nape of her neck, while the other stroke her stomach. "That would be ungentlemanly."
Alethi could do nothing but bite her lips to keep herself from crying out. She noticed how quickly she was breathing and cursed herself. He knew he was playing her like a fiddle and she was sounding out silent notes that told him he was doing things right. She stiffened and sucked in breath as his lips pressed at the nape of her neck.
"Am I making you uncomfortable?"
His hot breath seared her to the core and any coldness she felt from the waters vanished completely. All she felt were their bodies touching, his hot breath on her neck and his heartbeats resonating her own. She shuddered as his fingers moved along her back, tracing her skin lazily and she knew she was not only wet because of the water.
"Truly, princess," he whispered, lips touching her ear and she couldn't help a whimper, "you are exquisite, but I reckon you would want to bathe in peace. I will leave your new clothes by the bushes."
As suddenly as he had come, he vanished. His body no longer touched hers, but she could still feel him. His thighs caressing her intimately, his hands teasing her body mercilessly and his breath forcing fire out the embers of her body. She could not dare look at him. At the man who had so expertly brought out in her desires that she didn't know existed.
And the man infuriatingly left her as if nothing happened!
She didn't know what was in his mind when he teased her. His breathing was even and she was unable to notice the tell-tale signs of arousal she heard her nurse talk about. He was stone, steady as he rocked her core and made her shiver and whimper.
At the same time, she was glad he stopped. She did not know if she would have been able to stop him herself if he did go further.
She willed herself to look around and, confirming that the prince was nowhere to be found, she dashed to the bushes – only to find out her knees were too weak for the dash. She managed to walk on shaky legs toward the bushes and picked up the dress.
It was the purest white she had ever seen and the cloth was unlike anything she had ever felt. They were so thin, but at the same time, strong and very much opaque despite its sheerness. She donned the clothing and it felt even smoother than silk and lighter than even her thinnest chemise, making her feel like she was wearing nothing at all. It was perfect, except for the hem that only reached halfway down her thigh. It was the most scandalous thing she had ever worn, but looking back earlier, she did notice a few female elves with dresses above their knees. Even so, it did not make her feel any better.
She looked down on herself and shook her head. She could not face the prince in these clothes. They would not provide any defense against his lechery…and her own. Wearing them, she became very much aware of the cool night air caressing her thighs – and beyond. Already she could feel her nipples responding to the feel of wearing nothing. It was then, she decided, that she needed her old clothes.
She looked around the bushes for her clothes and saw that she could not find them. On the ground beside the bushes, where she was sure she left them were slippers woven in what seemed to be the purest silver, only it was like cloth to the touch. She sighed and wore them – fitting her perfectly – eager to find her clothes.
"Prince Arun?" she called out unwillingly. He would be the only one who could have known where her clothes went. She called to him over and over until she found him striding toward her holding something in his hands. Her eyes widened horrified at what she saw. "What have you done to my clothes?"
He stopped in front of her and gave a chuckle. It was not exactly evil, but she felt that they hold something else.
"These rags?" he asked, holding out the tatters that had been her clothes. "They do not deserve to touch the skin of royalty. You are my guest and you will be treated as such. Only the finest spider silk for royalty, of course."
Spider's silk? She knew silk was made from a kind of worm, but one that is made from spiders? Perhaps that was why it felt so exquisitely different. But it did not change the fact that she still missed the conservative nature of her old clothes. One look at the tatters and she knew it was impossible to regain them. "At least give me something that is not this short."
Arun shrugged. "I don't see any reason why not. You have nothing that you should hide. For a human, you have your own unique perfection." His gaze lingered on her exposed thighs for quite some time before looking up to her face with a chuckle.
Blood rushed up Alethi's face and ears. She had never known elves to complement humans in their appearances, not with their own perfection such commonplace for them. But then again, she had not met many elves until now.
"Shall we retire for the evening, princess?" he offered her his hand, "I'm certain it has been a long day for you."
Alethi nodded but did not take his hand. She knew she could not trust herself or him once their skins touched. His scent on her lingered and it haunted her and as he walked beside her, he smelled of…something else. She could not put her finger on what it was. She was sure the smell did not come from the ruins of her dress that he carried. It was something else.
Something that made the middle of her thighs heat up and dampen as she walked, trying to reveal nothing in her features or her movements.
Chapter Five
Arun had not expected it, but it happened. He had never felt a desire so thick it threatened to choke him if he did not let it out, and it had only been partially diminished as they walked in silence to his haven.
Touching and teasing her would bring out her lustful nature, he knew, but he did not expect that it would bring out his own so quickly. It was not so much as feeling her body in his hands – there had been many times in his lifetime that he had held female elves – but it was something else about her.
Her gasps and moans stroke fire inside him. Her quivering and her heat stiffened him. Her resolve drove him to insanity in his demand to dominate her. His control when he held her in the lake had been threadbare and pulling away from her was a herculean effort. But he managed it. Barely. He did not know what it was, but something about the princess of Dosalam made him want to take her and – the gods be damned – make her cry out his name over and over until his strength failed him.
Game of Temptation Page 3
