His Desires

*Illyria’s POV*

As he carries me up the stairs, my long curls whip around from the motion and wind… making my neck feel quite uncomfortable.

*’Gosh.. I’d be surprised if my neck didn’t snap from all this jostling. He's being so rough.’* I thought to myself, studying the man’s face once more with a raised and curious eyebrow. *I could swear I knew this man from somewhere.*

His eyes stay firm ahead, his expression cold and almost forced. My eyes trail along his sharp jawline, which was covered in dark stubble. Then along his neck, and broad muscular shoulders… which were bare.

*’He’s… actually a little cute.’* I think as my hands move from his neck to reflexively touch his bare chest, which is shining with sweat.

He glances down at me momentarily, making my face flush with a crimson red. I abruptly hide my face in my hands, causing him to let out a low chuckle.

*’Can he hear thoughts too?’* I became immediately embarrassed, aware of my previous thoughts. *’I hope not!’* I hold my breath as my face grows hotter and my eyes go even wider.

I consciously noticed him tighten his arms under my legs, causing my heart to almost burst out of my chest. I bring my hands together over my heart, shielding its loud beating and hoping he couldn’t sense my nervousness.

*’Who is this man?’* I question once more, my curiosity heightened by my body's reactions to him. I gently peek over his shoulder towards Oda, who is sheepishly following him and staring down at her feet. The clack of her heels loud on the tile palace floor below.

*’Hmm… maybe he’s one of the Princes?’* I ponder, watching his face stay stiff as we walk through a dark part of the castle. *’She did call him ‘your Highness’...’*

I start to feel afraid and anxious, as the darkness begins growing around us while we travel down older looking hallways of the castle. I hide my face in his chest and reflexively grip onto him, hiding from *literally* nothing.

He tightens his grip on me, gently. Startling my heart once more, as his hand gently rubs little circles on my back. *’What is he doing?’* I think to myself, slowly beginning to feel relaxed.

Before I knew it, a gentle sleep swept me away.

———————————————————————


*Drystan’s POV*

I smelled it immediately as I hid from her sight, *the Vestal’s blood*. Sweet, yet sharp, teasing my senses.

*’Wait… is she bleeding?’* I whip my head around the corner of my hiding place, to the small table I saw her having tea with father not too long ago. She tries to stand, a face of realization washes over her.

*’She's injured..’* I think, watching her closer as my heart rate speeds up. *’I need to take her somewhere safe before someone else recognizes her blood-scent.’*

Her handmaiden calls out, asking for help… causing me to flinch. I hesitate, wanting to run to her and help. *’Wait… what if she recognizes me?’* I hold my breath, *’She will **hate** me.’* My chest aches tightly, a large lump growing painfully in my throat.

I look back to her, the throbbing in my chest growing more intense. She laughs painfully, and turns to walk again. She suddenly grimaces and bites her lip, then I see her beautiful body start to fall towards the gravel.

Without hesitation, my legs move before I can debate my thoughts any further. As soon as I come to… I realize I am carrying her in my arms.

I panic at first, attempting to control my breathing. The sweat starts to bead on my forehead, and run down my back with a trickle. I keep my eyes glued to the hallway just up the stairs.

*’I just need to take her to the physician.’* I think, trying to convince myself that *I don’t want her.*

I hear someone say something behind me, but I don’t even pay attention. All of my energy is being bore into walking forward, taking her someplace safe… and controlling my instincts.

*’I could… just take her to my chambers. I could heal her myself.’* I take a deep breath.

*’Wait…What the **hell** am I doing?’* I ask myself, *’Father will be furious.’*

I take a deep breath, feeling a pair of eyes on me. I look around, but nobody is around. I don’t even sense anyone… aside from the princess’s handmaid.

I glance down, and my eyes momentarily graze her large violet orbs beaming up at me. My heart jolts and skips a beat as her face takes a light pink flush to it, matching her long soft flowing curls. Her eyes grow wide, just before she buries her face in her hands.

*’How… cute.’* I think to myself, letting out a chuckle and immediately tightening my grip on her legs. *’**No**, you cannot attach yourself to this… human.’* I snap my head forward once more, forcing myself to stay ahead.

*’She is nothing. Just another obstacle to get to the throne.’* I attempt to convince myself, ignoring the feelings blossoming in the depths of my spirit.

I take a turn into the older subsection of the castle, towards my bedroom. *’It may not be the smartest place to take her… but at least it’s away from everyone else.’*

The section of the castle where my father chose to put my room, is the furthest hall from all of my siblings' rooms. I was a handful as a child, so making sure I had my distance from the ruckus was the smart choice. So I couldn’t make it any worse than it already was.

I feel her tense up, and almost… shake? The darkness of the back halls grew around us, and I could feel her heart pounding in my ears. *’She must be… scared.’* I think to myself, gently rubbing circles on her back.

Just before we reached my bedroom, she dozed off in my arms. *’I feel sorry, and sad for her.’* I sigh, looking down at her again. Her eyes were shut gently, and her hands were resting on my torso as I carried her.

My stomach twirled and my heart felt like it could fly away. *’What a sick feeling…’* I grimaced, *’I wish I could end it.’*

I turned to her handmaiden, speaking clearly, “Fetch some clean water and an aide kit from down the hall. I will stitch her up.” She looked shocked, but she bowed and nodded her head before walking away silently.

I pushed the door open, and softly laid her on my silk sheets. Her eyes fluttered and a smile teased her plump lips, like she was having a dream. Watching the way the red flushed into her lips and cheeks, made me want to *kiss* her.

I watched her lips as they moved ever so slightly, and my eyes began to trail from her lips to her long eyelashes. Then up to her *beautiful* blush colored hair, falling in soft curls around her bosoms.

Her handmaiden returned with a bowl of clean water and the aide kit, before bowing and excusing herself from the room for a moment.

I hadn’t realized what I had decided to do until now… as I began lifting her skirt to find the injury a lump got stuck in my throat. *’Her skin… is like porcelain.’* I thought as my hands trailed her calves, before stopping at her bloodied knee.

I dabbed water on the deep slice in her leg, washing it thoroughly before grabbing a small bottle of cleansing alcohol from the aide kit. I poured some on a balled up edge of the damp towel in my hand, and gently patted it before she began to stir.