Chapter 73 - Flustered

The princess pursed her lips and looked down at her barely eaten food, which was most likely cold now. She placed her cutlery down, pulling her hands away from the meal and clasped her hands in her lap. Evanna wondered how long she could go with answering the same questions without providing answers before the elven prince really did lose his temper with her and use his 'torturous ways'. 

"Well?" His deep voice pulled her out of her reverie, and she glanced back up to his cool gaze.

"I got bored," She stated indifferently before grabbing her glass of water and sipping from it, holding his gaze.

Arawn smiled broadly, making Evanna gulp a large amount of water down her throat and almost choking on it. She didn't know if she was nearly choking because he looked completely different, not so closed off and cold, or because there was an unnerving glint to his eyes. She placed the glass down and finally looked away. Instead of eating from the cooked meal, she grabbed a grape from the side and put it in her mouth.

"You know," The prince stood up, throwing his napkin on his plate, waving off the servants behind Evanna as he did so. She turned her head and watched them leave while swallowing the grape, and panic rising in her chest. His sudden presence by her side made her turn her head swiftly and pull back by how close his face was to hers. "I can always tell when you are lying, Evanna."

He raised his hand to her face stroking her cheek, his hand a featherlight touch sending her cheeks aflame and her stomach in tight knots. She held her breath in shock. "You tend to blush like you are doing so now." Her lips parted to deny her lie, but instead of words leaving her lips, a grape was placed on them.

Evanna's eyes widened at the prince's index finger holding the grape in place. Arawn's gaze was fixed on hers as he pushed gently on the fruit until her lips automatically closed around the grape and his finger. She watched as his gaze darkened, and a blue fire flickered to life behind his eyes at her action.

Arawn slowly removed his finger to the outside of her lips and stroked gently across her lower lip. His eyes were now solely on her lips while hers were still wide and watching his every move, her body tense as her heart thrashed against her chest. He removed his finger, and with the same hand, he grabbed a grape and threw it in his mouth, chewing immediately.

"Are you not going to eat the grape I gave you?" He asked innocently, still too close for comfort.

Evanna nearly swallowed the grape hole, but like a lost child, she followed his lead, watching him chew his own grape. She bit into the fruit, the delight of the sweetness bursting in her mouth now lost on her as she watched him rip another grape from the vine and place it on her lips once more. She opened her mouth, and he pushed the fruit once more behind her lips.

Arawn's eyes flickered from her lips and back to her rosy cheeks and doe-like emerald eyes. He slowly leaned in closer to her, and she couldn't help but feel an odd urge to look down at his lips. They looked so soft; she wondered how they would feel and taste like... She watched in fascination as those same lips formed into a smirk, and the prince abruptly pulled back, snapping her out of his spell.

A small chuckle left Arawn's lips as he stood back up and sat in his father's seat, watching her intently. He leaned back and crossed his ankle over his knee as though what he just did was not abnormal at all. Evanna sagged slightly and reminded herself to chew the grape in her mouth before swallowing it.

"I was worried you haven't been eating enough, Evanna," He said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Evanna still felt flustered from his actions even though he sat away from her.

"Well, the next time you show concerns for my appetite, please do so without trying to feed me," Evanna replied breathlessly.

She did not know how she was able to reply, but it seemed everything else was on autopilot today as her mind raced and clutched for any ideas of how her body was reacting to him. This was unfamiliar territory for her; a man stroking her cheek only to watch her blush, then to feed her grapes was shameless. Unless Arawn was her husband, he shouldn't be doing such things.

"But how else will you eat? If not for me?" The prince gestured at himself with his hand slowly before using that same hand to rest his cheek on the tips of his fingers while he observed her.

"As you very well know, your highness, I am a Lady, and to do such things risks my reputation," Evanna looked down and resisted shifting in her seat after feeling his intense gaze on her. When the silence became too much, she met his gaze once more. She watched as a frostiness formed behind his eyes, almost lighting the blue in them as they hardened.

"As you can see, Lady Evanna," Arawn drawled, "there are no servants in here." He tilted his head to the side slightly and raised a brow, "But, now that you mention your status, and what is appropriate between a single man and a woman.. it does make me wonder how you survived, travelling on the road with three men."

Evanna parted her lips, but he interrupted her, his frosty gaze unwavering from hers, "You see, you were a Lady before you became a thief, is that not correct?" He paused for her to answer, already knowing her response; he continued, "And now, you are my prisoner. And as my prisoner, I will do as I please."

His words silenced her, and she bit her tongue.

"Unless," He drawled once again in his deep voice, "you answer my questions."

Evanna's throat became dry, and she looked down at her clasped hands in her lap. Wetting her lips, she replied quietly, "So, you are giving me an ultimatum?" 

When he did not answer, she raised her head once more to find him smiling almost cruelly at her. "There is no ultimatum, Evanna. You stole from me. It is as simple as that."

His words incited a new fear within her, but she reminded herself of his remarks the previous day. He would never sexually assault her. So, it seemed his abrupt coldness was because she brought such matters up, as though he was not aware of such things. Of course, he was familiar; the prince even sent his servants away. Was that not, in a way, protecting her reputation?

Sighing to herself, Evanna felt frustrated. Even if the prince did send the servants away, she didn't want his attention! Or so she thought, she still couldn't comprehend her reactions to him. His hand on her cheek or his finger on her lips… No, no! Stop thinking about that!

That was the very thing she could not be doing. If she escaped, and she will, the person she was to marry would be the next man to kiss her, touch her and..

Her cheeks blushed at the idea of the sexual activities a man and a woman did in the bedroom.

Evanna became lost in thought, not realising the very man who had been making her flustered now crouched next to her again, "Is everything okay?"

Evanna jumped, twisting her body to the side; her eyes locked with his, and she already felt herself being sucked in from the rip current swirling in his eyes. Blinking profusely at how close they were once again, she finally replied breathlessly, "Yes, your highness."

The prince slowly followed the rising blush from her cheeks, his eyes hooded and his lips set in a smirk. He raised his hand and placed it on her forehead, "Are you quite certain? You seem flushed. Are you ill?"

Evanna felt an uncontrollable power of fire and ice. Her body burned underneath his icy touch. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing down, although her thoughts kept jumping back to the fingertips placed on her forehead. Opening her eyes, she found the prince staring at her with a glint of amusement behind his eyes.

"I am well, your highness. I did not mean to worry you," Evanna said through gritted teeth. His smirks and amusement grated at her. Prince Arawn removed his hand and stretched to his full height, providing his hand for her to receive.

"Perhaps a walk in the garden, getting that fresh air, will help relieve you of your.. heated body," He smirked again before composing himself with his icy charade.

Placing her hand in his, she immediately felt the sparks burning against his cool hands. The princess did not know what was wrong with her, but his hands, his presence, seemed to be the catalyst for this burning and icy feeling.