On the other side of the door, Selene sat by the grand window as she watched the unrelenting downpour. It made loudly rushed 'pat-pat' sounds as it splattered against the glass.
In a great way, rain mirrored her sorrows. It felt to her as though each droplet were her tears she refused to shed. It was as if the sky cried on her behalf.
Even the storm of loud claps of thunder and frightening flashes of lightning expressed her fury within. Her body physically boiled hot and shook with anger even though her opulent room felt cold and distant.
She just couldn't shake off the heaviness that had settled on her chest. Her heart felt beaten, worn out and ready to give up yet her mind wanted to fight, it wanted to get back at the one who put the heart in so much and angst.
The betrayal cut deep. Much too deep for Selene's liking. Andreas, remember his name felt disgusting and bitter to her. She began to believe meeting him on that wretched day was a curse.
As memories of his laughter and 'sweet nature' flooded her mind, she clenched her fists but the pain of her nails digging into her palms did nothing more but to be a welcomed distraction from the chaos and pain within her mind and heart.
How could she have been so blind? How could she be easily deceived by his nonsense words and stupid touches?
How could she have been so foolish to allow this man close to her? She had even allowed him to kiss her and touch her in places that are kept hidden from public eyes! It didn't matter that he didn't penetrate her, the vile man did more than give her pleasure.
He made her feel safe, he made her laugh, he made her happy, he made her emotionally rely on him and worse of all he made her love him! Oh! How cruel it is to make her love him when he had no intentions of loving her! How wicked must one be do such a thing?!
It was all a sick game to him. She loved him but she was game.
A flash of lightning suddenly lit up the room and casted eerie shadows on the walls, the thunder that followed it was so loud it seemed to shake the palace building as though it would soon collapse. Selene didn't even flinch, her heart pounding as she found herself desperately wishing the thunder to strike Andreas. Her anger seemed to brew the longer she dwelt within the walls of her thoughts.
Somehow, despite Selene's thoughts. She heard a familiar authoritative deep voice boom through the noise of the rain. It was so loud it managed to break through her thoughts from the other side of her door.
"We need to talk."
To Selene's utmost surprise she could hear Prince Kang Dae's firm voice continuing to cut through without wavering. "Princess Selene!" His voice reverberated through the wooden door once more as it demanded her attention.
"Damn it, Zeus," she cursed quietly under her breath as her teeth gritted with annoyance being its companion.
Selene at that moment regretted she had dismissed her maidens hastily just after the prince's first visit. Now that he's back so soon, she truly was unprepared to deal with him both mentally and her emotions were still haywire.
The loud and insistent knocks on her door jolted from her thoughts with the sound of a harsh reminder of reality. She knew she had no choice but to answer him before the servants start talking and her father starts listening. Selene quickly adjusted her sheer red robe to properly cover her cleavage, despite this it still found a way to cling to her heated skin.
It was a waste of effort to calm down because the tension that gripped her entire being refused to let her go. The storm continued to rage on outside like it didn't care it was adding more tension to the situation but moreover it was actually the storm within that she feared most. She wasn't sure how she would react to Prince Kang Dae being around her in her state of vulnerability.
As she took her time walking towards the door, she realized that her anger wasn't just at Andreas. It was multifaceted like a tangled web of emotions.
She was angry at herself for being so gullible like a child, that she could be so easily swayed by sweet lies and false promises. How can she? Someone who had been trained in the art of deception?
She that knew how to read people? How could she had been played like for a fool? Did this prove she was truly naive? The thought gnawed at her as it fed her self-loathing more and more.
With a deep breath, Selene pushed all of chaos within down and buried everything she felt. Her mask of calm quickly came. She opened the door just enough to see him but not enough to fully expose herself to his piercing gaze that somewhat intimidated her.
The first thing she noticed was his eyes, those pretty intense dark chocolate orbs that seemed to reflect the storm outside. That's when she realized he looked... distressed, maybe.
He was usually composed but now his demeanor seemed strained. Could it be because of her? But why would he be stressed about her? They hardly even knew each other and yet, there was something in his eyes that whispered something she couldn't quite place. Yet.
For a fleeting moment, Selene's resolve wavered as her heart was already betraying her with a flicker of doubt. It was searching for a cushion or perhaps it was searching for someone to confide in.
Was she falling into another trap?
No! Not again!
She forced herself to remember Andreas, to remember the way he welcomed her with open arms only to stab her in the back. The memories of his betrayal caused her eyes to harden. The softness of her features that were once calm were replaced with cold resolve.
Prince Kang Dae noticed the change on Selene instantly. The way her eyes slightly narrowed and the way lips subtly pressed into a thin line. He had expected some resistance from her but not this sudden shift from calm to anger. Despite her display of anger, it did nothing to slow him down.
Unfortunately for her, while she took her precious time to open the door, his patience had already worn thin. Truth be told, he had half expected her servant to answer the door not Selene herself.
And most certainly not Selene in a sheer robe that did the bare minimum in hiding her figure.
Instinctively, his eyes glanced over her figure before quickly returning back to her eyes. He needed to have a proper conversation with her not salivate over her beauty.
Allowing the words he spoke to roll off his tongue with the weight of his resolve. "May I come in? I believe we have serious matters to discuss."
As if on cue, the lightening flashed and series of loud thunder claps quickly followed reminding them that the storm outside roared on. However, it was the storm within these palace walls that would determine their next course of actions.
Selene stepped aside and wordlessly opened the door a fraction wider. The silent invitation was clear yet it was subtle but also a deliberate signal for Prince Kang Dae to enter her private chambers.
As he crossed the threshold, the soft creak of the door Selene was closing behind him barely disturbed the thick electric tension that filled the room. He chose to ignore it.
Prince Kang Dae glided further into her room with his usual deliberate grace, his footsteps were a measured rhythm on the polished white and grey marble floor. He made his way to the chair near the ceiling window, the very same place Selene was previously seated unbeknownst to him.
He might not have said it out loud but he had expected Selene to take the second seat beside him but instead she remained standing with her posture a blend of defiance and an unspoken allure. Somehow he wasn't surprised, he already knew Selene has a streak of stubbornness.
Another thing he noticed was the sheer force of her electric presence. It had begun to ignite a visceral reaction within him. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't stop his gaze from being fixated on her as if she were a forbidden fruit.
His eyes traced her form as he followed the sultry curves of her wide hips that melded seamlessly into the slim elegance of her small waist. He began to imagine just how soft they would feel under his touch when he grasps them she rides his—
Prince Kang Dae tried but failed woefully to push away the lewd thoughts. The sheer red robe she wore alone was a temptation in itself. It clung to every contour and sensuous lines of her body.
Each soft fluid movement she made with grace sent the fabric whispering over her fair skin all of which amplified his awareness of her proximity.
As his gaze ascended, he caught the subtle outline of her nipples that stood pointed and proud thanks to the cold weather. Even her full round breasts beneath the sheer material was an intimate revelation that made his breath hitch.
He tore his eyes away as he struggled to maintain composure as his body reacted involuntarily to the provocative sight. The last thing he needs is for his third leg to rise at attention.
When he thought he could get himself, he suddenly noticed how her exposed collar was illuminated by the soft flickering candlelight that revealed the creamy smoothness of her skin. The candlelight glow casted delicate shadows and highlighted the soft sculpted beauty of her face.
All the while, her striking blue eyes shimmered with a vibrant youthful fire that whispered promises of fun. Her pink lips were oh so slightly parted and seemed to beckon him with an irresistible allure. It were as though each curve promised him a kiss that could ignite more than the very air between them.
The gentle breeze from gods knows where, teased her disarrayed golden hair. It made it flutter around her face like a golden halo which seemed to make her look like an ethereal beauty.
It didn't help the prince's case that the room was suffused with her intoxicating scent of lavender which mingled with a hint of something sweet, he could almost taste it on his tongue like caramel. The fragrance enveloped him with each breath came the hypnotic aroma that was uniquely hers.
It sent his senses reeling and his thoughts spiraled into a frenzy of a desire he was losing control of. His inner turmoil was a temptation of longing and restraint. He had a craving that had simmered since the first time he saw her from King Lycaon's balcony.
In truth, the hunger that gnawed at him was primal, it grew more insistent with every moment he spent in her presence.
And soon, he found his thoughts wondering if there was a point to him being here? It's not like what she asked for wouldn't do him good. Why was he upset before? He couldn't even remember.
If he could leave now without ripping that excuse of a cloth from her body and taking her right here and now. On the floor, maybe even against the window, fuck the bed, that stupid door he had been banging on would be banged on.
Fuck! He needed to leave. He no longer trusted himself. Granting her request would mean they would be married no later than tomorrow noon. This meant he could have his wicked way with her by the evening of the morrow.
"Prince Kang Dae," she murmured with her soft and breathy voice. It sliced through the haze of his reverie and pulled him back to the present. Her tone, although it was rich with curiosity it held a challenge. "What is it you would like us to discuss?"
Somehow and thankfully, her words acted like a splash of cold water which calmed down the flames of his desire. He met her gaze and the air between them crackled with unspoken tension. Selene would have felt it if she weren't so caught up in her thoughts of Andreas.
It is quite saddening to see that the one whom he desired and longed for had her longings elsewhere. Quite unfortunate really.