CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
We spent the next thirty minutes navigating through the excited staff that couldn't believe their prince was amongst them and while I stood awkwardly by the side, he spoke with them in a way that made me confused.
Before stepping into this life, id always seen him in TV and he usually appeared aloof and in that ‘i don't care if y'all die’ state of mind but right now he was talking to the humans and XYZ that ran the boathouse where we were getting set up with a sturdy canoe.
“But your highness, we should be paddling for you, you don't need to get your hands dirty,” one of the men protested.
We'd gotten to the edge of the lake and we're about boarding the small but firm structure.
“Come on, Carlos. It's not Kayaking if someone else is doing all the work for you. Besides, you'll ruin the moment. Now, make sure no one knows I'm here and get me that list immediately we're out, alright?” He instructed him before taking my hand.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you so much,” he bowed alongside the other workers and I wondered if their backs didn't ache from all the bowing.
Xavier helped me into the boat and I was happy I wore this outfit because it gave me freeway to sit as I needed to. Jeans would have been too tight.
As they pushed into the water, he began paddling us deeper into the water and creating another fantasy for me.
As we went farther, I brought out the snacks Theresa had packed for us and handed him some. He shook his head but I gave him the look my Momma gave us when there was no room for negotiations.
He took the damn spring rolls and I could see him fighting a smile.
He rowed us gently and when we were stable, he stopped paddling and we just kept quiet while watching the star-lit sky.
“It's so beautiful,” I whispered, vibrating from a shiver
“Are you cold?” he asked in concern but I shook my head.
“Has anyone told you you're quite stubborn?” He said as he took off his shirt and handed it to me.
“But you'll be cold,” I protested.
“Aww, are you worried about me, Mia Cara?” He teased me.
“Fuck off!” I grumbled and put on his shirt which smelt like him, making me feel like we'd just crossed a bridge in our situationship.
“I wonder if there are wild animals in this water. If it wasn't so cold, I'd be tempted to dive in,”
“There'd probably be a lot of angry animals who would be upset that you're disturbing their sleep,” he said with a chuckle.
“Wait, I thought you'd tell me there weren't any harmful animals in the water. Should we even be this far out in the lake with no diver?” I asked him, already panicking.
“What's the worst that could happen? You can swim, can't you?”
“Yes but I'm not an athlete. Please take us back, I'm beginning to feel scared,” I protested.
“Tessa,” he called my name like he owned it
“Hm?” I replied as my attention was hyper focused on his lips all of a sudden.
“You realize I have like, real life superpowers, right?”
“You got water bending too? Come on, that's unfair. And all I got is the ability to recover from near death in a week. Very unfair bargain,”
“It's not water bending per se, but I can breathe underwater for an extended amount of time,” he replied.
“How long?”
“I've only been able to test it for an hour before you woke up and chased me out because your bladder is temperamental,” he laughed.
“It's not my fault I'm normal,” I flicked my tongue at him childishly.
“There are benefits for you too but I don't think you're ready to unlock them,” he said and I noticed his voice dropped a little.
“Like what? Why are you the one who decides when I'm ready for it?”
“It's not like that, baby. It's just, you are kind of running away from stuff like that so I don't want you to do it for that reason. When it happens, everything will make sense. Do you want us to head back?” He asked but I shook my head.
“This is the first time I've been completely at peace since I got here. I want to extend it a little bit more,” I replied.
“Okay. Scoot over here then. Your back might hurt,” he said, motioning for me to come to him.
I stared at him like he'd bitten me or something. I was confident in my self control but only from a distance. I'd hugged him earlier and it felt like I'd been plugged to live wire and now he's asking me to come sit in front of him and put my head on his lap.
What if I do something stupid?
“Don't worry, I won't do anything untoward, I promise,” he said and I saw the sincerity in his eyes but he didn't know what I was scared of.
If he did do something, I doubted I'd be able to resist him but then, I didn't want to make it obvious the effect he had on me so I stood up slowly and gently walked the two steps to his side and he brought out a blanket and draped it over me as I laid my head on his strong laps.
Then he began to sing.
It was magical and haunting at the same time, a shock to my system. He alternated between paddling and running his fingers through my hair while singing to me in the dark night with the moon and stars above us.
Look at me thinking this wasn't going to be a romantic night but what else could I call the erratic beating of my heart for the alien Prince who I wanted to hate with every fiber of my being?
I watched his face and the blue lines that ran across his jaw, his beard thick and furry and I knew I was in trouble.
I couldn't deceive myself anymore. If I didn't distance myself from this man, at the rate he was going with trying to indirectly woo me, I was going to fall like crazy.
So I coughed a little and stood up, slowly walking back to my side of the boat to avoid it shaking and flinging us into the lake.
He was looking at me in a way that showed he was hurt and confused but I refused to validate that. I needed to save myself or I'd be crying very soon when he breaks my heart.
“I didn't know you could sing. Your voice is otherworldly,” I said and then I realized what I did there, bringing a smile to both our faces.
“It's something I've always loved doing but being a prince meant I couldn't do anything serious with it. So I held bathroom concerts like everyone else,”
“That's so sad,” I said, a stupid urge to hold him, overtaking me but I was stronger.
“Well, that's the life I was born into. I don't really have the luxury of choices. I had to be the best at everything that was important so there was no time for ‘frivolities’ as my father would say,” he said and I felt the sadness clouding us like blankets.
“But you're doing a great job at this and now you don't have to do bathroom concerts anymore. Can you sing for me when you feel the urge?” I asked, feeling dumb after the words were out of my mouth.
The man was trying to get me to fuck him, not fall in love and count stars while singing kumbaya and stuff.
“Sure. Just don't get bored of my voice, I'll probably wake you up in the morning with it,” he joked and I laughed too because the idea of him singing to wake me up was hysterical.
“If you leave it to me, we'd stay here all night so it's best we head back. It's already quite late,” I said, willing the night to end before I went and did something stupid like getting lost in his lips like my mind kept conjuring.
“Are you sure? We can still stay for a few hours more,”
“Don't worry. I've touched enough grass,” I joked.
“I'm sorry for keeping you literally locked up all these while. We'll find you hobbies and stuff so you don't get bored all the time in the house,”
“Look at you being open minded. How quaint,”
“You hurt my feelings, Tess. Are you saying I'm a caveman?” He asked after fake gasping.
“Yes, Mr. Dramatic. You're absolutely a caveman. Remember how you made me sign that contract because your cousin wanted me instead?” I asked jokingly but his face went dark immediately.
Oh not again.
“I'm not saying I want him, I don't. Please don't get angry,” I begged, already fearing the worst. If he threw me into this water, how long would it take for them to find my body?
“I'm not angry, just so tired of him being a topic between us. I fear you like him more than me,”
“He, um.. he rescued me from something terrible when I got to this side of the world and I just can't forget all of that just because I didn't end up with him,” I tried explaining.
“Whatever it is, I'm not going to make you talk until you're ready but just know I'm never letting you go. If it's the only thing I get in this world that is genuinely my own, I'll fight for your heart till you trust me enough to give it to me,” he declared.
I couldn't even look into his eyes because I saw how much he believed I was going to fall for him one day and I didn't have the nerve to tell him otherwise.
We arrived at the dock to an unseemly commotion with guns and an angry looking mob of Moderates.
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