The Crumbling Tower

The Connection Is Brewing...

Still fuming, Princess Amber firmly requests not to be followed and she enforced her stance by making it know that she does not care under whose orders. She just wants and needs to be alone right now. Even the new members from her personal guard had tried to accompany her, but given the sharpness of her cutting eyes, they knew better and decided to fall back.
Princess Amber just couldn't believe nor understand it. Why is everyone so concerned about her love life and whether or not she has a mate? Why are people so obsessed with bringing up her ex fiancé in every conversation? And why do all of the women insist on trying to set her up with their sons? But the big question is, why does her mother condone the foolery? Her father is not making a big deal, so, why is her mother so damn pushy?
The princess finally makes it to the Spring house and wastes no time to undress and pull her hair in an updo to prevent it from getting wet. She grabs a robe and pulls it on. She also grabs a pair of slippers and slides her delicate feet into them. The last thing that the princess grabs is a large, thick, fluffy towel for when she steps out of the spring.
She steps out of the changing quarters and into the Spring room. The steam coming up from the water immediately inviting her in. Princess Amber sighs and shimmy's her robe down from her shoulders and allows it to free fall to the cobblestone floor. Then, she slides her feet out of her slippers and padded her way down the spring steps and into the water. A soft, relieving moms audibly escapes her as she submerges everything from the shoulders down into the hot spring. "This is what I needed!" She says to herself as she steer out her arms along the edge of the pool and allows for her head to fall back and close her eyes. She lets out another sigh. Nothing can interrupt this peaceful and relaxing moment. Absolutely nothing.

"Excuse me, Princess?".

Princess Amber's immediately flies open and she looks to her left. Standing on the very top step of the spring's pool entrance with his towel wrapped and tied where his waist and hip bone meet and the water slushing about on his bare feet is her guard captain, Kyran Domenico. His long locs are not pulled back in its usual low hanging ponytail, but are free flowing over his beautiful broad and bare shoulders. His head is tilted and his expression shows confusion and concern.
Princess Amber is rooted to the spot. The sight of him has made her mouth dry. She stares at him wide eyed. She is shocked to him in the royal side of the spring...or she is shocked to notice the slight bulge imprint at the midsection of his wrapped towel. Kyran catches her staring and clears his throat. "Um... Princess?".
Realizing she has been caught, Princess Amber shrinks deeper into the water causing the water to touch her chin. "What the hell are you doing in the royal quarters of the spring?" She barks, "the guards quarters are the other side!". Kyran furrows his eyebrows. "I mean no disrespect, but this IS the guards side quarters. So my question is, what are YOU doing in here?". Princess Amber was about to open her mouth to respond but immediately closes it and looks around the pool room.
The spring pool in the royal quarters is not as big; almost like a private pond. Another slight difference that the princess notices is the privacy screen on other side adjacent to the main spring of the pool, and she is on the opposite side of that screen... in the spring pool that the guards and other staff use. Princess Amber let's put an embarrassing "EEP!" And shrinks herself down in the water just a little bit more; with the water covering her mouth. She must've just dashed in without paying attention to where she was actually going. Dammit!
Princess Amber raises up just enough to pull her chin out of the water. "I was annoyed and upset and decided to come down to the spring. I misdirected myself," she grumbles and looks away to avoid looking at Kyran. Kyran let's out a soft chuckle which causes Amber to look up at him. "It happens. I ended up in the maid's quarters once to avoid whooping one of my guard buddy's ass. I probably should have instead of avoiding it, but didn't want to risk my rank".
"You can get demoted for that?" Princess asks. "Depends on if it was a justified ass whooping or not," Kyran responds. "And would it have been?" Princess Amber tilts her head a slight. A huge smirk spreads across Kyran's face, "In my mind, abso-fucking-lutely," then his smirk softens, "but it might not have been to the higher commanders. So, I took the high road".
Princess Amber averts her eyes and gnaws on her bottom lip. She can feel the pull to him even while in the water. And him being damn near nude with nothing but a towel on his definitely not helping, and her body has no choice but to respond. I've got to get out of here, she thinks to herself. "So, what caused you to misdirect if you don't mind me asking?" Kyran inquires.
Princess Amber swallows the lump in her throat and tries to keep herself composed. "The ladies luncheon. I'm always the topic, and I just got fed up".

"Why are you always the topic?".

"Nosy much?".

"Not really, just trying to learn the royal that I am solely responsible for protecting".

Princess Amber scoffs and rolls her eyes. She want to retort, but instead, she sighs. "Because I refuse to court and marry after my wedding fresco with my ex fiancé". Kyran let's out a laugh. "Let me guess," he clears his throat and forces his voice to lighten up a few octaves, "baby, when are you going to find you a man?". This causes Princess Amber to burst out laughing, her laughter causing an echo in the room. She slaps a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound of her loud cackle. Once composed, she removes her hand. "Not quite like that, but yeah, basically".
Kyran smiles and nods his head. He understands. He can relate. He has not been interested in courting and finding a mate either, not since his first and true love was taken from this world. People have been asking, wondering, and had even went as far as to spread rumors that he was gay. He just shakes head and ignores it all, especially knowing that no one is going to come out and ask him directly.
"Well," Princess Amber speaks, "I think that I have soaked long enough. It's time that I head on out, so if you don't mind could you turn around please so I can get out of the spring?". Kyran obliges and turns his back to her. Carefully, Princess Amber swims to the other side of the spring and carefully pulls herself out of the water. She hurries over to where she had dropped her robe and scoops it up. Quickly, she slides it on and goes to slip her feet into the slippers.
Princess Amber manages to get one foot into a slipper, but when it came to sliding her other foot into the other slipper, the slipper slides a slight due to the floor being wet. Princess Amber missteps and loses her balance. Her arms flail as she tries to steady herself, but ends up turning her body somehow and falling backwards. A slight scream escapes her as she braces herself for impact, but her fall stops. She never hits the floor. Instead, she lands in the arms of Kyran, who catches her so swiftly and effortlessly.
Princess Amber looks up and they lock eyes. The wind leaves her body and her mouth goes dry once again. "Are you alright, princess?" Kyran asks, his voice low and husky. His scent is intoxicating and the only thing that is on Princess Amber's mind right now is this naked vampire man having his arms around her, and all she wants to do is kiss him with a fever of want, need, and longing that she has never felt before.
Then it dawns on her that he is having a reaction to her as well, because his lips are almost close to hers. Kyran notices this and pulls his head back just a little. A lump forms in Princess Amber's throat. She can't speak. So she just nods her head "yes" to his inquiry of concern.
Kyran helps the princess to stand and he grabs her other slipper, and places it in front of her to slide her foot in. She does and adjusts her robe; tying it snuggly around her. Then, Princess Amber grabs her towel and turns to Kyran. "Umm -thank you, Captain," she murmurs. He returns with a stiff nod and clears his throat. "You're welcome, princess".
With that, Princess Amber scuttles away from the pool room and into the changing quarters where she quickly towel dries and puts her clothes back on. Her heart pounding at her chest wall. She can still smell his scent on her skin. "I need a shower," she mumbles to herself. Once she is fully dressed, Princess Amber makes haste from the hot spring and heads up to her bedroom chambers. She hurries and rings to the call bell for Romania to come to her aid. She needs her bubble bath ran pronto, and she needs to talk to Romania ASAP because this connection that she has with her royal guard is brewing and getting stronger.