AUDREY
The large bed with sinfully soft velvet sheets lured me into their oblivious comfort. The headboard-sorry, headpiece-was intricately carved with fine wood, and the pillows... gosh, the pillows were so soft it was like they were made out of clouds.
The chairs that were placed around were gorgeous. The floor was covered with furry, light beige wall-to-wall carpets.
To my right were two tall double wooden doors, and to my left stood the same pair of doors, but wider. Sugars, were they torture chambers or something? They had intricate, vein-like designs engraved into their depths.
"Ryker, be careful, she may still be shaken," a deep voice spoke from the entrance. Both he and I snapped our heads toward the entrance to see a huge, tall figure walk into the room and immediately go silent when his eyes landed on me.
My dark gaze melted into a pair of onyx eyes; it was like the air in my windpipe had gotten stuck and I couldn't breathe.
I was lost in his dark, stormy eyes, like a brewing storm waiting to wreak havoc and destroy anything in its path, yet I couldn't help but be mesmerized and enthralled by them. The more I stared hopelessly into his eyes, the more I drowned in their dark, ethereal abyss.
"She's a little startled, Your Highness, please be cautious," the man whispered to the large, mythical being that stood well over six feet tall, taking up half of the room. He failed in his attempt to whisper as he gave me one last glance before sauntering out of the room.
I gulped hard, averting my gaze from his tempting eyes. I let my eyes travel down the King's form, and my throat went dry. He wore a simple dress shirt and pants; his long, thick tendrils of golden-brown curls were pulled up into a slick ponytail, a better job than I could ever do with my hair. Even though he didn't have his official attire on, he still had a sophisticated aura surrounding him that made him look out of this world, with his stubble and sun-kissed ivory-gold skin.
Everything came tumbling down, and memories of last night and seeing him came flashing into my mind.
It wasn't a dream. I had spilled drinks all over him, and he was here to punish me for it. Immediately, I started trembling, my hands shaking as I gripped onto the sheets to at least have something to protect myself. Stupid, I know, but I was panicking.
I could feel the power and dominance radiating off him in waves, and it had me shaking more. My dark eyes widened as he began walking closer to me.
With each step he took, my body jerked, and I flinched back. He stopped in his tracks, his hard, terrifying features softening once they landed on my rattled form. "𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐞," his deep, dulcet voice spoke so fluently, the foreign words sliding off his tongue, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. (Calm down, my love)
Sugars. His features were rough and dangerous; they had an almost primal look to them. His stubble only made him look even more physically powerful than his huge frame already did.
He effortlessly towered over me and everything else in the room. His hands were so big and powerful, they looked like they could break the whole fabric of our world. The beast in a mantle.
The soft look in his eyes had me so transfixed I hadn't noticed he had closed the distance between us and was now sitting on the bed beside me, his weight making the space dip. "How are you feeling, love?" he asked, actual concern lacing his features.
I blinked a few times, uncertain if I had heard right. Was he talking to me? Di-did he just call me love?
~
He's trying to be nice, sugars. "I-I'm fine, y-your Highness," I answered softly, adjusting a few inches away from him. His perfect brows furrowed as he frowned deeply, making my heart race. Did I do something wrong?
Fiddlesticks! "I-I'm sorry if I offended you, Your Highness, and I'm sorry I spilled drinks on you at the party. It was not my intention, I swear, and I didn't see where I was going. I mean, there was no way I didn't see you-you are very hard to miss-but I was feeling dizzy and I wasn't looking. I promise I would never intentionally ruin your clothes and humiliate you in front of everyone. I'm sorry, I should have been looking, and sugars-"
I kept rambling, and he just watched me with a foreign, faraway look in his eyes. I shut myself up; my heart was racing and my palms were clammy. Nervously, I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, fiddling carelessly with my fingers.
Was he going to have me whipped?
"Stop that," he commanded in an authoritative voice, and almost immediately it sent my heart into a frenzy. I halted whatever movement I had been doing.
"I'm sorry," I apologized meekly, knowing very well apologizing would ease his anger before he would lash out. That meant fewer strokes for me-well, at least I hoped.
"No," he declined, slightly shaking his head at me. "Stop apologizing and don't call me Your Highness, please," he requested. I just gaped at him.
Okay, maybe he preferred Your Majesty.
"Audrey, my name is Darius. Call me Darius," he commanded in a serious tone, as if reading my thoughts, and I couldn't help but nod. I didn't want to anger him further than I already had. Shucks, it was so hard for me to control my rambling whenever I felt anxious.
B-but you're the King, a-and everyone should accord you y-your respect," I stuttered, my heartbeat quickening. I still could not register whose presence I was in at the moment.
He didn't respond, only hummed lowly to my words, and I took it as a sign to stop talking.
I decided to ask the question that had been tugging at my mind. "W-where am I, King?" I asked, my eyes wandering around the room in a daze.
"My quarters. You are in my palace," he answered, and I felt all the air get caught in my throat. H-his palace? The Royal Palace!?
"Did I do something to warrant my being here, King? I-I know I made a mistake and I spilled my drink on you, so please f-forgive me. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, and I will face any punishment you give me because-" tingles shot up my hand, cutting me off.
He held my little hand in his calloused one, and I couldn't help but let out a shaky breath at his actions. I flinched away from him, but his grip on my hand tightened enough to keep it within his hold.
Looking at our hands, they were so unlike each other's; his hand was huge, rough, and covered in dark markings, while mine was small, soft, and clear. He stared intently at our joined hands. "Why would you think I would punish you, Audrey?" he questioned, his soft gaze not leaving our hands.
Something about the way he called my name made me shiver, a burning feeling resonating in the pit of my stomach, making my insides flutter.
