Ivan had a lost stare in his eyes.
He could feel his body burn in powerful need and Elsa's drunk like gaze continuously invited him to steal a kiss from her lips.
" I bumped into princess Harriet earlier," Elsa began and moved away slightly from him.
She leaned on the rail in front.
Ivan turned his face away and slid his hands into his pocket.
" Why don't you like your sister? You two seem distant to me," she treaded carefully.
" My sister used to be my closest companion but she changed when she found out that I was going to assail the throne and take over the kingdom after our father's death," he uttered in a soft but cold voice and looked on with a tender expression.
Elsa faltered for a while.
" Why'd she change? It's only right that you take over the kingdom after the king's death."
A heavy silence reigned.
The stern glint returned to his glaring eyes as he clenched his teeth and snorted.
He had not realized that they had stayed out for so long until he looked up.
The setting sun stared back at him.
" The sun is setting.
" We should return to the palace," Ivan suggested.
Elsa mumbled indistinctly - under her shallow breath.
She wanted to ride the horse but it seemed like she won't ride anymore.
Ivan made the first move towards the palace with plenty thoughts bouncing in his head.
He needed the distraction from those thoughts.
Wasn't it a curse?
Why did it have to be him?
Why did he have to be this way?
He dreaded himself and wished someone could take his pains away.
He wished someone would be courageous enough to face him and take away the monster because he desired freedom.
Yes, he desired to be free in all ramification.
Elsa reluctantly trailed behind him after straightening up.
__________
Elsa walked into the room in a purple double laced nightgown that exposed her bare shoulders.
The mild breeze from the open window made the fire from the candles sway from side to side.
There were five candle sticks placed above the curtains.
Ivan watched her hair sway as the breeze danced with her olive-scented hair.
This scent filled his nostrils.
Elsa grabbed a pillow and turned around to leave.
" Please, don't go," he said.
Elsa stopped as she struggled to save herself from the emotions unfolding inside of her.
She remained motionless and tucked her hair behind her ears.
Ivan's voice had a trace of sorrow in it and his pathetic face hit her in the face.
" I won't go," she assured him.
Slowly, she walked towards the bed and dropped the pillow.
Ivan's gaze softened.
Everything at this point in his life surprised him.
All his life, he has never felt this way about anything or anyone.
Elsa was slowly doing so much to him.
He stretched out his hand and caressed her face.
Elsa turned her gaze downward.
She suddenly began to feel hot in the frigid room.
" Elsa, are you afraid of me?"
She remained quiet for a moment.
She could feel her fingertips turn cold and her shaky voice couldn't muster enough courage to speak.
She opened her mouth but no words came out.
" Do I scare you?" he asked again and straightened up on the bed.
Elsa thought inwardly.
Was it a trick question?
He had almost strangled her to death earlier, and here he was asking her if he scared her.
But again, she thought.
He had had a fair share of feelings of guilt, and she didn't want him to drown in it.
Her words came out strong - the opposite of the emotion in her voice.
" You don't scare me."
Ivan smiled faintly in the dim light.
He could see her eyes clearly.
He could see those shaky pupils.
He knew she lied.
He could hear her wild thudding heartbeat that seemed like the only tangible sound in the dead silence of the night.
Ivan moved closer to her.
Elsa held her breath unconsciously.
Her heartbeat heightened - beating loudly in her ribs.
It felt like she was going to die anytime sooner.
It felt like those violent thudding of her heart would murder her.
Ivan pulled her closer and she met his gaze.
Those eyes?
There was something peculiar but uncertain about them.
They held fire in them; fire that burned her face.
She couldn't quite pin them down but she knew they hid thousands of mysteries and secrets.
The collision of their bodies distracted her drowning thoughts.
She froze on the spot when Ivan removed the hair sprawled on her neck.
He planted a kiss on the nape of her neck and gently pulled her into the bed.
The kiss was warm and inviting but her fingertips turned cold upon the second kiss.
Her scent wafted through his nose.
Her warm and sweet scent aroused him more.
He kissed her again and trailed off to her back with his fingers.
The knot in her stomach tied again.
" Ivan, you promised me you were going to wait till I'm ready," her voice came out amidst the struggles on the bed.
He hushed her instead and moved his fingers from her back to her face.
Her drunk like gaze continued to invite him.
He could feel it inside of him.
She was making him lose control of himself.
He desired her.
He wanted her.
He knew it wasn't lust.
Surely, it wasn't lust.
This woman had found a way to his heart and he was willing to keep her.
Elsa's eyes widened as he bent over her.
He was going to kiss her?
He was going to kiss her!
Her head screamed back at her.
Her head ached as images of what could happen at the moment flashed through her mind.
She unceremoniously placed her hands on his bare chest and held him back.
" I... I... I'm not ready..."
Ivan pinned her hands on the bed as he snuggled over her.
" I know you are, Elsa. I know you want this."
He kissed her neck again.
He extended his kiss from her neck to her chest as he let the thin sleeve of her gown fall off.
Elsa struggled underneath him.
Muffled sounds escaped her lips instead.
She curled her toes.
What would she do?
Ivan wasn't even listening to her.
" No, Ivan. N...N....N...No," she whimpered.