can i, baby? | zdj & cvm | completed

xvii

of course mother jumped at the opportunity of throwing a ball to celebrate christopher and i's engagement. i wasn't even surprised when i saw her ordering around our servants, probably driving them crazy.

"this is big." she said. "this is your engagement ball."

"you should calm down and leave it to the servants to prepare everything. when have they ever let us down?"

"no way, i've been dreaming of this since you were a little girl."

my mother stubbornly protested, but i managed to convince her to go attend her royal duties. the ball was taking place in two weeks, yet she was rushing everything as if it was happening tonight. quite honestly i can't wait for this ball. it was not only our engagement ball but also it was the first time in years that christopher and his brother would make a public appearance.

~ ♡ ~

many quarrels with my mother later, the day finally came. she woke me up when the sun was barely coming out, saying that i needed to get ready and every second counted.

if she was acting this crazy for a mere ball, she will go insane on my wedding day.

talking about the wedding, christopher's brother and my mother agreed that the wedding should take place in six months and we could extend it if we took longer with the preparations.

"your day will be perfect, my dear." mother would say whenever the wedding plans were mentioned. the more she said it the more i wanted that day to come by quickly.

christopher, however, was mad at his brother. apparently his brother implied that he should use my kingdom's riches to rebuild theirs. "it's not that i won't care about my people in alraz when we marry. my brother has to do this by himself instead of using the easy path."

i found it lovely that christopher resisted his brother's offers to use my kingdom once he becomes king. it was all so different from my engagement with zabdiel; with both of us being the heirs our kingdoms would become one, and it definitely would be slightly harder to rule.

"you look so cute!" sebastian mentioned every five minutes as i was getting my makeup and hair done. "i just got from chris's place, actually. you should see him, he's like a sweaty mess. he doesn't want to make a fool out of himself tonight since, you know, he hasn't been to a ball since we were like seven or eight."

he helped me get dressed in my light blue gown, then left downstairs because apparently it was already beginning. i didn't even realize how many hours had passed.

i went downstairs a couple minutes later, finding christopher and sebastian already talking. i held onto christopher's arm, smiling warmly at everyone who came up to us to congratulate us.

however, what i didn't expect was for zabdiel to come to the ball with princess anne on his arm. my happy mood went down the drain once i saw them.

sebastian dragged me away from christopher, "you're so jealous of zabdiel and that other girl. can you at least try to be subtle? chris will figure it out and then he will put two and two together."

"i'm not fucking jealous." i mumbled.

"you're still in love with him." he stated.

i pressed my lips together. "i'll be right back."

sebastian nodded before i left to find the bathroom. i was beginning to get anxious, i needed at least a couple of seconds to myself. when i reached the door someone held my hand and pulled me in it, closing the door after us. i had to take a moment to analyze what just happened, but then i tried to yell for help. it was like the person could read my mind, because they placed their hand on my mouth to shut me up and pressed me up against the door.

"you seem to have moved on quite quickly, babygirl."

that fucking voice.

i squealed, trying to break free from his grasp. he chuckled lowly at me before letting me go. "what the fucking hell, zabdiel? leave me alone."

"baby— "

"i am not your baby!" i tried to run away but he was quicker and stronger than me.

"why are you marrying him?"

i frowned, pressing my lips together. i didn't owe him any explanations.

his eyes softened, and so did his grip on my wrists. "look, i wanted to talk with you since that day when your little boyfriend interrupted us."

i was going to tell him to continue, but then he pressed his lips against mine. i was quite surprised, i had missed the feeling of his lips on mine. his hands gripped my hips, pulling me close. i couldn't help but compare his rough, hungry kisses with christopher's soft and loving ones.

i pulled myself out of the trance that he managed to put me in everytime i'm in his presence. this is so wrong. i pushed him off of me and ran out the door before he could compose himself.

however, i bumped right into christopher as soon as i was out the door. "my love, i've been looking for you."

he must've noticed that i was out of breath because i saw him raise an eyebrow. "i could say the same. your mother is about to present–" he cut himself off, looking behind me.

i turned around to follow his gaze, he was looking at a smirking zabdiel who was wiping my lipstick off his lips. thankfully christopher didn't pay much attention to him, instead he grabbed my hand and pulled me away.