Chapter 33  

Yawning I rubbed my eyes as I woke up. Strangely I slept well after such a long time. Could it be because Lucian was sleeping next to me? I looked over at Lucian and found myself admiring his beauty and wondering how someone can look as sinfully beautiful as he did. As usual I could only admire his beauty while his hypnotizing eyes were closed and again my fingers itched to touch him. No, I wouldn't make the mistake of touching him again while he was asleep. I had embarrassed myself enough last time. '

Only his hair. I would only touch his hair I convinced myself and slowly brought my fingers to touch his hair when he frowned. Was he waking up? His frowned got deeper and he mumbled something looking disturbed. Was he having a nightmare?

"Lucian?" I said carefully and tapped his shoulder but he didn't wake up.

"Who are you?" he hissed in his sleep.

"Lucian! Lucian! Wake up!" I said shaking him slightly.

His eyes shot open and he looked around confused.

"Lucian?"

"How?" he asked panting.

"How what?"

"How did I get here?" he asked sitting up.

"You never left. You were just having a nightmare"" I said softly. He shook his head as if he didn't believe me and then looked around confused again. He really needed to wake up.

I grabbed his face gentlyand made him look at me.

"Lucian... it was only a nightmare." I assured him. He considered what I said for a while then nodded like a lost child. I let go of his face and he lay back on bed with a sigh.

"Do you want to tell me about your dream?"

"No." he said.

I just nodded.

"Don't you have anywhere to go today?" I asked. He looked at me for a while.

"You want me to go?"

"No, it's just that you usually leave early." I said "and in a hurry."

Yes, he needed to leave and find Klara. Today he had to speak to her and solve the issue.

He wouldn't hurt Hazel, he didn't want to. He felt as if they bonded lately and he didn't want to break that bond.

"I'll Leave." he said standing up.

Hazel looked as if she was going to protest but didn't say anything.

Leaving the room he took a bath, quickly got dressed and was ready to leave when a few maids came in with breakfast.

"Won't you have breakfast?" asked Hazel as he was about to leave.

"No." He said and headed for the door when Hazel grabbed his wrist.

"Will you come early then tonight? I want to have dinner with you." All he heard was tonight, want and have. God, he was losing it.

He took a deep breath "Yes, I will." He said and tried to get away fast but she still held his wrist.

"What happened to your wrist?" she asked looking at it. He brought his arm up to take a look. There were red marks on both his wrist as if he had been tied.

Tied?

"Hazel? Are you sure I was here the whole night?" he asked.

"I think so, I never heard you go out. Why?" she asked worried.

"Nothing." He said and tried to smile. He didn't want her to worry.

"I'll see you tonight" He said and left.

"Lincoln?"

"Yes, Your highness."

"Did I ever leave my room last night?" Lucian asked.

"No Your highness. You never left."

Lucian stopped in his tracks. He was sure he had met that strange man but how without leaving the room?

"Is something wrong Your highness?"

"No." He said and continued walking.

"Your highness, have you decided about the marriage yet?"

"I am not going to marry Klara." Lucian said.

"But Your highness…"

"Don't .." He cut him off. He didn't want to hear about what would happen if he didn't marry Klara. He already knew the risks.

He went to the garden where he guessed she would be training but she was having tea with her sister instead.

"Good morning" he greeted as he neared their table.

"Good morning prince Lucian." Astrid replied with a joyful smile.

Klara put her teacup down and smiled at him as well.

"May I borrow you for a while?" He said reaching his hand toward her. He could hear her heart speeding up as she took his hand.

"Of course." She smiled then looked at her sister before she followed him.

He led her through the garden until he found a peaceful place where he could speak to her.

"The king suggested I take you as my wife." He began. She looked at him with a shy smile. "But I can't" he said.

The smile disappeared from her face and confusion appeared in her sapphire blue eyes.

"Why?" she asked.

"My wife won't like that." He said simply.

"And you?"

"I wouldn't like that either."

"Why? What is wrong with me?" She asked.

"There is nothing wrong with you. You are perfectly fine but I am happy with my wife and I don't want to change that."

"I don't want you to change that either. I just want to be next to you. Unlike your wife I can be a great support. I know how to fight and I know war strategies and my brother is a king."

He knew what she meant. Yes she would be a great help and he needed it know but Hazel was his priority. He wanted to make her happy.

"I know, but would you really be happy being a second wife?"

"I would be happy as long as I am your wife." She said.

" Lucian...I... I .." Her eyes darted around avoiding his. "I love you."

His eyes widened. That came as a surprised. He knew she liked him, desired him but loved him? He never thought she would use that word.

"I fell in love with you from the first time you held my hand in that battlefield instead of killing me and I loved you even more when you gave me your sword to protect myself and after that I just kept falling deeper and deeper." She said taking a few steps closer to him.

This wasn't going the way he hoped it would.

"Lucian…" she said taking his hand "I am not telling you to love me. Just have me, half of me, a piece of me, anything, but just have something."

If only Hazel had said so…

He pulled his hand away.

"I am sorry, but I can't." He said. Her eyes hardened.

"And I can't let you go." She said. This was bad. So bad, but he just turned around and walked away.

"My lady, Princess Klara is here to meet you."

Klara was here? Why? I looked myself in the mirror. I had put on some makeup with the help of a maid so the bruises were barely visible today.

"Let her come in?" I said. Shortly after Klara came into the room.

"Good afternoon, princess Hazel." She greeted without a smile.

"Good afternoon" I replied in the same manner. "Please have a seat." I said politely.

"No thank you. I will leave soon. I just came here to tell you that you are very selfish."

"Excuse me?" I said both shocked and confused that she said that to me.

"I know you want your husband for yourself, but if he dies you can't have him at all. It seems you don't care, you are putting him in danger for selfish reasons."

Alright wait. How could she say that to me?

"And you? Are you not selfish who wants someone who is already married?"

"I fell in love with Lucian before you even met him. I loved him despite the rumors about him. Can you say the same thing? You probably feared him and kept your distance."

I didn't know what to say. She was right, I was afraid but still even if she loved him first he was my husband.

"Besides unlike you I am willing to share him with you. That's because I know he cares about you and I care about him. Would you be able to do that for him? If I was selfish would I do that? " She asked.

"No I wouldn't." She said answering her own question. "I would make him leave you then marry me." She said in a tone that told me she could do that if she wanted. Chills went down my spine and I stood there unable to reply.

She walked closer and stood right infront of me.

"I can do anything and everything for him. Can you? I can help him become a king, I can fight by his side in a war and when he comes home I can be the woman to comfort him. I can give myself to him body, heart and soul. You…,you can't even give him your body?"

How did she know? And how dare she? I clenched my fist, how I just wanted to slap her.

She smirked.

"Think about it. What is worse? To have your husband dead or share him with me?"