Chapter 44

Alexis sighed at his annoying voice and spoke without much thought.

"I'll join you, now please leave".

"What? You will?! I knew it!" He acted as if he had accomplished a big feat and little did Alexis know he had. His desire to be acknowledged by his father and have Alexis by his side and not his brothers was so strong. And due to that, he didn't doubt her words.

"Will you leave now?"

"Yes, yes I will. You won't regret this Miss Mage", he chimed as he walked to the door and then just before he opened it he turned to her, "wait for my letter".

And then he finally left and Alexis could finally wallow in her feelings, except she didn't and she instead started to internally freak out about the mess she just got herself into.

She hadn't realised what he said and agreed so he could leave. Despite having planned taking action, which was going to be in the future where she got used to actually using mana properly.

"What have I done?" She groaned.

That night when she finally dozed off to sleep she dreamt again, a dream where she was completely hopeless at everything she did. It was so bad she woke in a cold sweat after dropping hot tea on the emperor in her dream.

She couldn't sleep after that, Alastair's reaction, real or not frightened her and she sat staring out the large window for a bit, until she had enough and decided to visit Alastair.

Why?

She wasn't sure…

But her feet seemed to take her towards him regardless. Up the flight of stairs and on and on until she reached the seventh floor.

She walked down the hall and stopped at the most fancy looking door. Pushing it open to reveal a dark candle lit room. The candle sat on a small table near Alastair bed and it illuminated his beautiful face.

He looked almost unreal in the light, so perfect and unattainable that Alexis suddenly felt even more worthless.

"Alastair".

She walked over to the empty side of his bed, tiredly lying down next to him. She wrapped an arm around him and stuffed her face in the crook of his neck. Her depressed feeling lessened considerably at this as sniffles left her nose.

"I'm sorry. I'm so useless, and I hate that you're nice to me even though I can't do anything for you right now", she tightened her grip around him.

"You're too good for me".

She stared at his back with a frown. She was glad in a way. Glad he had kidnapped her. Which was crazy, right? I mean, no girl with a normal life would think something like that.

'Is it Stockholm syndrome?' She mentally chuckled.

She didn't realise Alastair wasn't really sleeping and was just resting. He always felt weary, even when he was alone, so he rarely slept. He was fine despite it, thanks to his elf blood and he had only lay down to help retain more mana.

He didn't expect Alexis would call out to him, and he ignored her thinking she might leave. Except, she didn't.

His head that faced the other way flushed at her actions and then frowned at her words.

'I'm too good for her? No, it's definitely the other way round', he glanced at her arm that seemed to tighten around him, her warmth intoxicating him, taking him to a strange land that was pretty and… warm.

She stayed like that for a while and the longer she stayed the more her grip lessened until Alastair heard a small snore and turned to her, amused at her actions.

"You crawled into the lions bed and decide sleep?" He questioned, tossing her hair away from her face with a smile. Her smooth skin met his finger tips, it travelled down her soft cheek and to her chin.

Alastair felt that same heat in his body except it was much more intoxicating and stronger, he leaned towards Alexis' his eyes trained on her lips.

If she hadn't let out a whimper at that moment he didn't know how long he might've gone on for. He lifted himself away and settled for a kiss on her forehead and then lay down next to her.

His mana exhaustion had been quite serious because the teleportation magic royals were born with was only to protect their lineage, not to protect others with.

He couldn't help but glance at Alexis again, he felt fear at the thought of her dying, anger at the thought of her getting hurt and the poor lonely emperor who hadn't felt this way before was concerned for himself.

He wanted her. But she…

He grimaced as he recalled the scene in the carriage and frowned. He was sure, even though it hurt him to admit it, Alexis would run any moment she had a chance.

If only he could lock her up.

He was ashamed to admit that he eventually fell asleep, enjoying the unfamiliar warmth of another person.

When morning came Alexis stirred, well rested despite her nightmares which eventually drifted off into sweet dreams. She rubbed her nose on her pillow which was so warm and soft and then stretched her legs apart. One of them rested on another pillow it was long. Really long.

'Which pillow is this?' She thought as she snoozed back into dream land.

Her bed was so much cosier and softer. Her body seemed buried deep in the covers and her blanket seemed to hug her, it was almost as if it were spooning her.

She turned around wanting to hug the big pillow which she did, and suddenly something felt very very wrong.

Her pillow was moving, softly, up and down, taking in breaths and for a second her delirious mind wrote it off as a breathing pillow, until she frowned and in alarm realised something.

Pillows don't breath.

She sat up straight, cautiously turning around the large, familiar room and yelped as she realised what had happened.

'I fell asleep! Oh my god! What the hell is wrong with me?!' She started frantically panicking and due to her short sight missed something as she tried to leave.

The emperor arms were wrapped around her and seemed to tighten when she moved. They were strong and naturally, she didn't want to wake him. And so she lay back down, hyper aware of the closeness of his body as her mind went in overdrive.

However, since the sun had only just dawned she was still tired and went back to sleep after giving up.

She didn't realise Alastair had already woken up and purposely kept her from running. He enjoyed the warmth and wasn't willing to let it go just yet, he pulled her closer, going as far as to place a leg over her so she couldn't leave.

He smiled at her sleeping face and was unable to help landing another kiss on her head as he also fell asleep with her scent deep in his nose.

They woke up to the door slamming open and a familiar voice calling out, "Tairy I'm here- Oh My!".