Eternal Whispers

Chapter 6: Grumpy Pants

As the early hours of the morning found Adrian stirring from a restless sleep, the unfamiliarity of the situation weighed heavily on his mind. With a grumpy sigh, he slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb Kyeler, who was still deeply asleep.

Heading downstairs, Adrian made his way to the kitchen, the scent of coffee filling the air. As he prepared a cup for himself, his thoughts drifted to the events of the previous day, the forced marriage, and the unexpected intimacy of sharing a bed with Kyeler.

Lost in his thoughts, Adrian was startled when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. He turned to see Kyeler descending the stairs, her hair tousled from sleep.

"Good morning, Adrian," she greeted him.

"Finally awake, Sleeping Beauty?" Adrian's tone was laced with sarcasm as he sat on the couch with his tablet in hand, a bitter mockery in his voice.

"Hope you enjoyed your beauty rest, Princess. Must be nice to sleep till past 10," he added, sensing the underlying hostility in his words.

Kyeler raised an eyebrow, her own irritation bubbling to the surface.
"I'm sorry if I overslept. I'm not used to this... luxurious lifestyle," she responded, her jaw tensing with suppressed anger.

Crossing his arms, Adrian maintained a defiant glint in his eyes.

"I didn't realize sleeping late was a crime. My apologies for inconveniencing you, Your Highness," She retorted sarcastically.

Adrian raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

"Oh, how gracious of you to apologize. I suppose it's just your royal privilege to sleep the day away while I slave away at work," he fired back.

Kyeler bristled at his words, her irritation evident.

"Oh, please. Don't act like you're the only one with responsibilities. I have my own ambitions, you know," She responded, her tone sharp.

"Ambitions? Please. What ambitions could a spoiled princess like you possibly have? Oh, and I assure you, it's a real treat to have a spoiled princess grace my humble abode," Adrian retorted, his frustration evident.

Kyeler's jaw tightened, her eyes flashing with anger. "Don't you dare call me spoiled! I am not a spoiled princess, Adrian. I've had to work hard for everything I have," she retorted, her voice filled with determination.

"Oh, I'm sure. Working hard to maintain your perfect little world while the rest of us mere mortals struggle to get by," Adrian shot back, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Kyeler's eyes narrowed, her voice rising with each word. "You have no right to judge me! You don't know anything about me or what I've been through," she retorted, her frustration evident.

"And yet here we are, forced into a marriage neither of us wanted. Quite the twist of fate, isn't it?" Adrian replied, the bitterness in his voice unmistakable.

The tension between them crackled with each biting remark, the weight of their forced union heavy in the air.

"Yes, quite the twist. But don't think for a second that I'll just roll over and accept it. I have every intention of making the best of this situation," Kyeler asserted, her voice filled with determination.

"Oh, I have no doubt about that, Princess. You seem to have a knack for making the best of a terrible situation," Adrian retorted, his voice laced with sarcasm.

****
The tension in the air slowly began to ease as they found a moment of respite, the bitter banter fading into a more subdued atmosphere.

With a sigh, Kyeler decided to take matters into her own hands.