𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆

EMPRESS-IN-WAITING ~11

𝘼𝙉𝘼𝙄𝙎𝙀

I made my way onto the open field, my gaze registering the arrows and the bullseye. True to his words Ryker was going to teach me how to use a bow and an arrow.

He was doing a lot better thankfully. I was a bit skeptical at first but the elixir Astrid gave me proved to be really effective. After a few days his wound and system had been drained of all the poison, he had gotten stitches to cover up his cuts. I was concerned if he flexed too hard his stitches would break but he insisted he would be careful.

The past few days had been absolute bliss. I spend majority of my day with Ryker, be it accompanying him on his walks or chatting while he ate or reading to him before he slept. It all felt so surreal and sweet.

I loved our time together and it only strengthened our bond, or at least the bond I presumed we had. We had become inseparable and it was as if the tension had only gotten worse between us. Most times I found myself at the verge of kissing him and I had to pull away, every single time. Unlike before Ryker made no move to resist, instead he seemed to initiate it now. I didn't want to take his kindness and friendship as flirting so I kept a little distance between us, lest I get carried away.

I picked up the bow, admiring how fine and intricate the designs carved on the wood was. It would be interesting to learn from the best archer in the kingdom. I fisted the bow, trying to position it in front of the bullseye. I picked up an arrow and positioned it against the arrow, trying to fit it comfortably in between my fingers. The arrow kept slipping out of my fingers and I huffed, frustration sipping into my skin. It looked so easy when other did it, why was it so hard?

Suddenly I felt a hot breath against my ear and hands went round mine, holding onto the bow and arrow with my fingers. His form pressed against mine and his head lowered to my ear as he pressed his face to mine to have a view of my line of sight, as he positioned himself behind me. I tried to swallow down the butterflies that were thrashing around in my stomach and threatening to spill from my lips. I inhaled a shaky breath and tried to keep my eyes focused on the bullseye and ignore how close he was, how my nose tingled from his delicious scent, how my body buzzed from the warmth he emanated.

"Tighten your grip on the arrow, keep your eyes on the mark you want to hit" his deep voice reached my ears, washing over me.

"Loosen your stance" his hands left mine and slowly trailed down my body in heated, suggestive movements. Slow, intentional, seductive. "Is this okay?" He asked, his voice heavy and his lips pressed against my ear.

I nodded, knowing if I tried to speak my voice would come out shaky. His hands went to my shoulders and he smoothed them over, signalling me to release the tension from them. He proceeded to place his hands carefully on my hips, repositioning it so I wasn't standing square but one hip was angled out. A blush blossomed across my cheeks and I tried to steady my breathing.

"Focus on the target and let the arrow fly" he regained his close posture behind me and goosebumps rose against my skin.

I shook it off but failed to resist as my eyes trailed to his, my head turning to look into his eyes properly. His face was so close, our bodies were so close. If I just moved even an inch our lips would be touching. My eyes trailed down to his lips instinctively and without caution my fingers slipped and the arrow went flying and hit the barrel filled with hay. The barrel toppled over, the noise startling us out of the moment.

"Oops, sorry" I bit down on my lower lip, walking out of his arms to pick up the arrow and the barrel. I placed it back at its spot, cringing at the hay that had poured onto the grass. I quietly walked over to the bench that has my woollen gloves and put them on. I tried to ignore the fact that Ryker was still standing there, the tension was still thick in the air and I kept my gaze away from Ryker's lest he see my red cheeks. I squatted down and began packing up the hay back into the barrel. I heard footsteps approaching but chose to ignore it. I had to avoid any close contact as much as possible, no matter how difficult.

If we kissed or did anything out of order it would be such a scandal and my family would disown me. My image would be ruined, but what frightened me the most was that I had begun to care less and less about what society would say. I needed to keep it together.

He reached down to help but I held unto his wrist to stop his movements, "I can do it. You shouldn't be straining yourself, your stitches could break"

I finished packing and handed the arrow to Ryker when we had gotten back up. An awkward smile possessed my cheeks, "I guess archery is not my thing"

Ryker chuckles, a glint in his eyes "It could be, no one can say for certain" his words held meaning behind it and I could tell but I chose to not pay mind to it. He stepped closer, his gaze holding mine in a long hypnotic stare before he cut the suffocating silence "I believe we have had enough practice for the day. Would you like to accompany me to the town fair?"

I blinked, my mind resetting "Town fair?"

He smiled boyishly, "yes, town fair. I always wanted to go but I never had the time, funny how getting stabbed gets you the time off" he chuckled lightly but I frowned in response.

My gaze drifted to the part of his shirt that the wound most likely sat behind. My face crumpled. The sight of Ryker's bleeding fork in my arms was not something I wanted to remember. "Not funny. Sorry" he closes up the distance and takes my hands in his glove clad ones. As I watched my hands in his I wondered how it would feel to touch him, actually touch his skin. How would it feel? How would I feel? Would his palms be warn from always being covered? Or would they be surprisingly cold?

I sighed, "It's okay. So the town fair?"

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