"Spend with me tonight," Arzaan proposed.
He had walked back to her quarters l and now they stood in front of her door. She was just about to open it and enter when she heard his request and froze.
"I can spend the night here if you wish," he said and she blinked, not understanding what difference it would make.
Whether she agrees to stay in his chambers or she agrees to let him stay in hers, it still ends in the same way, she gets to spend the night with him on the same bed.
"Please, don't turn me down again," he pleaded. They had done through this tonight already and he got rejected then. He was hoping for a different answer this time but from the looks of things, he would be getting the same answer as before.
"Your majesty…"
"Arzaan, Hazel, you can call me by my name," he said, interrupting her. He didn't like the fact that his mate, the one who was of equal standing as him, addressed him the same way as everyone else did. He always wanted to hear her call his name, he liked it when she did that.
"Arzaan," She called with hesitation in her tone. He smiled when he heard her call his name and she shook her head inwardly. Did he like to hear her call his name that much? This made her lost for words. How was she going to reject his proposal now if he was being so happy just by hearing her call his name?
She had a great time tonight, she was happy to have her mother's photo back in her arms. The knowledge that she had magic inside of her thrilled her and made her heart pound even by just thinking about it alone got her excited. All these were because of him. Would she be considered heartless by rejecting him? This was the second time tonight.
"Would you?" he asked, making him look up to meet his gaze. Those beautiful lilac eyes of his that always pulled her in got her stuck, unable to look away. The tenderness and hidden promise behind them made it impossible to do so or even to blink.
"Alright," she said staring into his eyes, she couldn't find anything like a threat or harm in his eyes and believed he just wanted to sleep in the same space with her. She could do that. Just sleep and nothing more. He has promised not to do anything she didn't like before, so she would hold on to that.
"Thank you," he said, giving her a bow and a smile. To him, this was a step forward. Getting to spend the night in the same chambers with her. He opened the door and let her go in first, he then turned to his bodyguards and sent them to go get a change of clothes before walking in with her.
He walked in and found her already in the mattress and placing pillows to divide the bed. He wasade speechless by this but he smiled and walked over to her. "You don't trust me?" he asked, picking a pillow up and sitting next to her. "You can't always do this, My Mate," he said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You have been here for a while now, the realm would demand a mating ceremony soon, we would have to consume in order for it to be completed and considered a success," he informed her and her eyes widened.
She hadn't thought of the rute and ritual before. She knew being called his mate was the same as being called his wife but she hadn't thought of what would follow. "I… I am…not… ready," she stammered, turning red with just the thought if all that would happen. The word consumers alone had sweating invisible sweats.
"I know, I just want you to be aware and prepared," he said, lying beside her on the edge of the bed. He snajed one arm around her waist from behind pulling her closer, her pressed against his chest. This alkn had rendered the pillows she placed useless. While he wanted to place his head on her lap, he realized that would be too much, for now, this was okay. "Don't worry about anything, Hazel, you are my queen and therefore their Queen, we can always ignore it until you are ready," he said but he knew that alone had put a pressure on her.
"What happens if… I…decline…?" she asked, her voice dropping an octave the more she spoke and trailing off meeting his gaze. The hurt in his eyes forced her to stop. She was not sure what she wanted to say anymore. "You said you will take me to see the dragon earlier, when will you take me?" she asked, changing her question. This was better, with this, the talk of consummation would be forgotten and she could breathe rightly again.
He was silent for a moment trying to calm his heart that felt like it was being stabbed earlier. His question now made him remember that she said she had something to ask him before they walked into the hall of forgotten legends.
"I will take you there in the morning," he replied and sat up. "You had to ask me before, what was it?" he asked and she got confused having forgotten their conversation earlier on. "After dinner, you said you wanted to ask…" He paused when she seemed to have remembered what he was talking about.
"Well… yes but it's not that important, it can be discussed later, it is late now, so…"
"Ask away," he said with a serious expression. She stopped and thought for a little longer.
"Okay," she said and turned her body towards him. "I know I am the only human here, and everyone here is different including you," she said while he listened attentively. "I… I was wondering what… who…" she trailed off, not sure of the right word to use.
"What creature I am?" he asked and she blushed and looked away from him. "You know what? You are right, it is late and you should have some rest, we can talk about this in the morning,"
Her head snapped up looking at him immediately with a frown and confusion in her eyes. "You said…" she snapped when he smirked. Annoyed, she picked a pillows to hit and climbed on the bed to sleep.
"You will understand tomorrow, I promise," he said following her, resting his back on the head board he stared at her pretend g to sleep and smiled. "You won't to see a dragon don't you? I show a dragon in the morning and all if these would makes sense to you," he assured her and turned around to look at him.
"Promise?" she asked with sparkles in her eyes.
"Promise,"