My heart raced the moment my chest landed on his broad chest. His grip was so firm and I could swear he was indirectly trying to tell me that he owned me.
"When you stay away from me, I can't help but long for this feeling that comes with holding you. You make me want to get selfish. You make me want to keep you in my hands like this as every minute passes. I badly want to keep you all to myself. I want to claim and hold you, Mala. I want to be the only one you would hold this way. I want you to always be by my side, Mala. I always want to hold you," he confessed and my whole body was flooded with emotions.
No one had ever made me feel so wanted.
That feeling was what I had always longed for. I had always pictured a man who would always want to be with me. I had always wanted a man who would do anything to have me for himself; but in a sweet way though.
Even though Francis seemed dangerous from the outside, he was the man I had always wanted.
"Then what's stopping you? Hold me for as long as you can. Get selfish with me….keep me by your side for as long as you want. I'll always be there….I promise, just…. just don't hurt me. It's all that I ask for. Nothing is stopping you. Do all these things with me," I answered, sobbing gently.
That was what it felt like to love someone.
Francis only said a few words, but it was heavy. "I can't."
He broke the hug and left. The moment he shut the door, I fell on the ground and I cried.
Why couldn't he? Loving me shouldn't be so hard. Should it? I didn't understand why he was being so close and distant at the same time.
"I heard everything that you and his highness said," Madam Olivia's voice sounded from the entrance as she opened the door.
I raised my head.
There was no point in hiding my tears. "I love him," I sobbed and she smiled.
"I can tell from a thousand miles away that Francis loves you too. But I must ask, is there anything that you did? You didn't take anything from anyone to use on him, did you?" Madam Olivia asked. She had a sense of suspicion in her voice.
"If I took anything from anyone, then it would be from you," I answered.
"Is it true that Francis came back looking like….like a beast?" Madam Olivia asked.
She sounded worried.
I nodded. "But. ..it stopped after he held me," I answered and she immediately grabbed my hand. "I knew it. It's a sign, Mala. You and his highness are meant to be together," she said.
I shook my head. "He said he can't love me even though he wants to. I suspect that something is wrong. He keeps acting weird. He doesn't even open his eyes when he's around me. Maybe he also thinks of me as a curse, like everyone else," I responded.
Madam Olivia smiled meekly. "Whatever is good doesn't come easily. If you want Francis, then fight for him." She said to me.
~Aurora's POV ends.
******
Francis walked into Sir. Oliver's place.
Sir. Oliver was standing in front of the mirror as he gently rubbed the bruise on his neck with an antidote.
"I have warned you. Never argue with me when I'm angry," Francis coldly said.
The moment he spoke, the bruises vanished and sir. Oliver slowly turned and bowed.
"I am sorry, your highness, I didn't mean to be so disrespectful," sir. Oliver answered and Francis took a deep breath as he sat on the wooden chair next to the table.
"You can always summon me to the palace if you want to see me. You really do not have to worry to come this far, your highness," sir. Oliver said.
"The walls have ears. We discuss matters that shouldn't be heard by anyone else."
"Are you ... .you willing to tell me what happened earlier your, highness?" Sir. Oliver asked with his voice laced with fear.
"I had to leave because I kept longing for her touch after that night that I hugged her, trying to make her love me," Francis revealed.
"Her touch?" Sir. Oliver asked like it was an abomination.
"The desire turned wild and I started to feel strange. I badly wanted to hold her so I had to leave. I thought it was going to end if I stayed away from her, but it only got worse. It felt like I couldn't breathe anymore.
It felt like my whole life was in her hands. I ran back like a monster….I can't explain what Mala has done to me. I can't explain why, Oliver but….I keep wanting her," Francis said.
"And your highness, that is why she has to die."
The room fell silent for a while. "I am sure that Mala knows what she's doing. I no longer see her as someone that's harmless. She must have found out about her powers and she has started using it against you. She's trying to take advantage of you and…kill you, just like the prophesy states," Sir. Oliver said.
Francis shook his head. "I doubt it. I doubt that she's doing it on purpose. She seems so ignorant. I can feel it. She looks innocent and now I'm beginning to feel…." before Francis could finish, Sir. Oliver cut in.
"Guilty?" He asked and Francis looked away.
"No. Threatened," Francis answered with his voice sounding almost inaudible.
"You should have just left her to die in the hands of lord Chris, your highness."
"And I would have died if I hadn't seen her," Francis sharply answered.
"You would have felt better. I am sure of it. It's a very good opportunity, your highness, I do not know why you're turning a blind eye to it. Since you can't kill her, then we can make Lord Chris do it. Every body wins," Sir. Oliver suggested.
Francis growled and stood up. The thought of Lord Chris laying his hands on Mala made his blood boil. "What if he kills her and I as well end up dying because she's not there to make you feel better?" Francis asked.
"Make you feel better? Your highness, why are you making it sound like this curse of a girl is a necessity for your survival?"
"Because she is! It feels like if she leaves, I'm doomed!" Francis yelled.
Sir. Oliver's voice held a depth of concern. "Her charms seem to be working perfectly on you. I want to ask you a question and I want you to answer me honestly, your highness. Do you love her?" Sir. Oliver asked and Francis shot him a glare.
"I have to leave now. Do not think of doing anything to her. Just like we have agreed, I would bury her myself on the crescent night. But for now, I have to keep her close to me as much as I can," Francis said before he vanished.
Sir. Oliver's heart pounded with fear. "We do not have much time. That curse is doing a lot more than I thought she would and his highness is not seeing it. If he has refused to end her, then I would end her on his behalf," Sir. Oliver mouthed.