Chapter 142 - PADDLE

That was when those who paddled were twelve people with no rest. The next two hours passed and Yanarym was so bored. She had rolled from left to right, eating and eating and eating. Stared at the fishes and even saw a giant turtle swimming along with them. 

"Lapil, aren't you tired?" She asked as she stood up from laying on the platform. She walked carefully to Lapil's spot and Lapil had to stop his gliding as he watched her coming to him. He stretched out his arms to catch her body if ever she trips or falls from the moving of an unstable boat. 

"You're so energetic," he commented as he held her small body in his arms. "Can't you stay at one place while I work?" She looked up to him and smiled charmingly. 

"I'm bored. I wanna do something." She told him and reached out for the kawayan he's using for paddling. "Omg, this is so heavy." She exclaimed as she tried to move her arms to row but barely swift it. Omg? Lapil blinks his eyes hearing another of her terms that he doesn't understand. 

"We're moving!" She exclaimed then laughed happily.

Lapil laughed with her and marveled at her ability to pass the lever. This work wasn't right for her; it was too physically demanding, but he did not deter her. Instead, he circled her waist with his arms and gazed at her creased forehead as she forced herself to do the canoeing.

"I gave up, my arms are getting heavy." She ceased moving and pouted her lips seconds after three strides. She comprehended that she would not accomplish insisting on the labor. She's even stalling their time. 

"It's fine, you just should rest." He told her, and she turned and faced him. Lapil gaped at her plumpy sultry lips that were pouting inviting him to strike.

"But I wanna help you." She uttered, placing her hands on his toned chest and trailing the tattoos on it with her delicate finger. 

"Bai, are you seducing me?" Lapil asked in a low tone manner but his smile did not fade on his lips. "If you are then I should compliment you, it's effective." He whispers to her and squeezes her waist he still holds. 

"What? I'm not seducing you, I am just curious why you have so many of these." She disputed him and persisted to stare at his batuk, or tribal tattoos, with her gaze fixed on them. To be honest, the way she's looking at the symbol of his pride, heroic and bravery piques his desire even more. 

"You should know why." He said and she halted her hands. Yanarym looked up and grinned at him as she had remembered she was not listening to her history teachers and professors, that she has no idea what the hell is the meaning of these tattoos.

She was curious when she was with Achis but forgot to ask him every time, and now she can't just set it aside. Because she was too intrigued by Lapil's skin that is heavily tattooed from his shoulders to his ankles, somewhat like clothing. She wonders how painful it was to get so much back seeing how they carved them on the skin of warriors and women.

"...can't you tell me why again?" She wondered sweetly, acting like a baby in front of him. Lapil casts a sidelong glance at her mesmerizing performance and nods absently.

"It… It's because I triumph over countless battles. Each time I won, I would paint it over my body as the evidence of my victory." He explains staring at her expression of amusement. Her eyes slightly widened and her mouth formed a little 'o' shape. 

"You have won so many! How old are you? Twenty? Twenty-three? Twenty-five?" She exclaimed looking better at his body. "Achis' body has just batuk on this side and this part..." Yanarym quickly swallowed her words and closed her mouth, mulling what she had just said.

He was staring directly into her repentant eyes as she peeked at him. He didn't say anything, instead, he showed her a sweet smile as he scoured her hair within the sea breeze.

"You're not mad?" She asked, shushing her voice. 

"Why would I be mad?" He replied to another query curiously. 

"If not, then good." Hearing his reply, she exhaled a sigh of relief. She had grown accustomed to Achis' violent reaction whenever she makes him envious, that she felt a cold bucket of water splashing on her body when she said things that can cause Lapil to be jealous. 

"But I'm not fond of hearing the names of other men coming from your mouth, it's excruciating." He added with a soft tone, caressing her delicately. Yanarym gulps, this kind of reaction feels much scarier than Achis. It's calm before the storm. 

"You're my bride, my future wife, and not to him, alright?" He said it gently but his gaze tells her otherwise. 

"A-alright." She subserviently nods her head, diverting her eyes to the ocean, where she sees dolphins leaping out of the water, but she isn't thrilled because she is having creepy chills for Lapil.

"All right, you just look at me now, hmm?" He grasped her chin to redirect her gaze to him.

Yanarym takes another gulp as she submits, "Alright..." He bent down on her and closed his eyes to kiss her lips.

She retreated by reflex and the boat rocked from her movement. Her eyes widened as she panicked, however, he continued to kiss her, refusing to let her go and didn't mind the rocky boat. Rather, he wrapped one arm around her waist and lifted her body towards him. The closer she is to him, the hotter he feels. 

Yanarym encircles her arms to his neck and kisses him back to slake his thirst so that she can move to the middle of the boat and get out on this corner.. He heeded her silent prayer to change location.