Chapter 178: in his arms

Marianne

"You… i … you" it took me an eternity to come out from my daze. Did we just kiss! A kiss! Another kiss! It was ringing in my mind like a siren. His eyes were still fixed on my lips and I saw him gulp visibly, his adam apple moved, that made me further embarrassed.

No matter how inexperienced I was, the look of his eyes were so clear that he wanted to kiss me again. His eyes were burning with desire and passion. For Christ sake, how did we reach to this point, when all i wanted was a peaceful ride.

I wanted to hide my lips and at the same time, I did not, I had never faced this foolish dilemma.

"Cassius, i think we should go" it took all my leftover sanity to say these words, but the man did not respond. He was still looking at my lips with desire as if he was spellbound, and I did not know what else to do.

My heart was beating so hard that it would soon come out of my ribcage. We are lost in the middle of nowhere and the only one who came to save me was the one who was making me so afraid.

"Cassius" I called him again, pulling his shirt lightly and finally his eyes snapped, thank goodness, they were looking better now, not yet normal.

He coughed hard and looked at the other side, I saw his fists were clenched so hard that soon it would bleed, he was having a hard time controlling it, his face had turned the mirror of his desires. I did not know what I should do to make him feel better, stay away from him or come closer.

What if this was just a moment of passion for which he would feel regret later, i closed my eyes and let him think for us, as i was having a hard time sitting there when the creature was still poking me, in the name of lord i beg, to stop it, or i was sure blood would start dripping out of my face from further embarrassment.

"I.. i apologise, for what happened, it.. It was accidental, I swear." he started and I wanted to tell him that I was not worried about the kiss. I was worried about the creature that was trying to break his shackles and get free. I did not think it was accidental either.

I just nodded, looking down, as he held me and slowly shifted and let me down. 

"Mari…. anne" he called me with so much hesitation and restraint that my heart leaped further thinking about the words he wanted to say.

"I.. i want to…." 

But before he could say further we heard the sound of many footsteps. 

"Your highness, her highness" A large number of knights were standing there, as if they had come on the battle ground.

Finally the charm on him broke, and in the blink of an eye he turned into the same cold and strict person I knew.

"Turn around and don't look here." he roared with such strength that even I shivered.

"Pardon, but.." before the head of the knight could say something further.

He stood up and stared at them with bloodlust, making everyone of us shocked.

"I said, turn around, and even once did you look here, I would make sure to gauge those eyes out, and you would not be able to see anything again" he snarled and they all took a step back and gulped. For a moment even I shook.

The knights turned away in a snap of a moment, and then stood there for further instructions.

"Hold the horse, and start moving, we will follow you." he ordered again, 

"Um," they all looked hesitant at each other, too afraid to put their point in front of him.

"Your highness, shouldn't you both stay in the middle of the circle, as per decorum and rules" asked the senior most among them and he gave a devilish smile, not like they could see it with their head turned around.

"What I say here is decorum and rules, and you will follow it without any question and remarks," he said so arrogantly, but still it perfectly suited him, in fact, that was what he was.

I could see, he still had that… bulge in his pants. He must be embarrassed to show his knights that he was having such kind of thoughts in the middle of the forest.

"Yes your highness" they spoke in unison as one of them moved to take the reins of the horse, and then everyone started walking.

He looked at me and only then did I realise I was still sitting there. I coughed and held the ground to get a push as I had worn a heavy dress today and its weight increased ten times due to the water it absorbed.

He looked at my struggle and his face turned soft, and in the next second he did something I had never expected from him.

He crouched down and held my hand. I looked at him raising a brow, he just shook his head.

In the next second his hands reached my waist and thighs, and in one swift motion he took me in his arms, which made my eyes bulge out, 

"What.. what are you doing?" I asked, embarrassed as I looked around like a thief.

This was not something we do in the open even if it was the most loving couple of the empire.

"Put me down." i whispered but he just moved, as if he could not hear me.

"Cassius, I am serious, just put me down for god sake" I said as my grip on his shirt tightened, afraid that I would fall. I closed my eyes, as I was too afraid to see what they would think, was that the reason he asked them to turn back, but why!!

"We want to reach the palace today, but with this speed you are moving, it will take a century to even move an inch."