Heart Over Sword
Chapter 181: Intense Reunion

Chapter 181: Intense Reunion

Evanna would know that voice anywhere. Their time together may have been little compared to those of her friendships over the years, but Arawn, the Crown Prince of the Flori, left an incomparable impression. Evanna stared at Arawn’s shadow, her sword shaking in her hand.

"*Turn around,*" Evanna ordered softly, although she didn’t feel like the depth of her command was strong. She was in the bath, and although she held a sword in defence, she felt far too exposed.

Arawn chuckled, and she heard him shuffling his feet. She couldn’t quite see him; although there were gaps in the divider, she couldn’t tell if the Prince really did turn away. So she called to her gift and watched as vines weaved in and out of the holes as pink flower buds grew and bloomed.

"*I trust you will drop that sword of yours,*" Arawn commented quietly; his voice was light and almost too musical for the situation. Evanna expected him to be angry with her, but instead, he was acting as though nothing had happened.

Evanna dropped the sword. Whether that was a smart move or not, she would find out soon. Yet she already knew Arawn could not be bested in combat. They fought once before, and she ended up locked away.

"*How are you here?*" Evanna stood up in the bath, her eyes locked on Arawn’s back as the water sloshed in the tub and water dripped down her body. Her body shivered, and not because of her sixth sense but from anticipation. Anticipation? If he was to turn around now, there was nothing she could do to stop him from seeing her body.

Her heart thudded ferociously from the thrill and nervousness. What was wrong with her? This was most unacceptable.

Evanna stepped out of the bath and reached for her towel, covering herself up instantly.

"*It is not hard to wander the woods that belong to me..*" Arawn replied, and she could hear the smirk in his voice. Evanna remained behind the divider as she dried herself as swiftly as possible and was about to protest his answer when he continued, "*We put everyone to sleep.*"

"*To sleep? You..*" Evanna trailed off, trying to grasp what the Prince meant. Was it a metaphor for killing everyone? "Did you kill-"

Arawn chuckled, cutting her off. She held her breath and halted her actions, waiting for his confirmation and the dread that would spread in her body upon the realisation that Arawn was the cruel Prince everyone rumoured him to be. "*So quick to think of violence. And the humans think we are brutish savages." He clicked his tongue. "We blended a concoction to the forest’s mist. It smells like Lavender*"

Evanna blinked at his explanation. She was not expecting that, but how could she not? Magic was a part of her life now.

"*So, are you here to kidnap me?*" Evanna asked. She was curious as to what his plan was now. She was somehow stuck between the only two powerful Princes that would make her escape, her plans so much harder. One had countless elven gifts and was highly skilled with a sword, and the other wielded dark powers, some to raise and control the dead and most she was most likely unaware of.

Evanna pulled the robe on and stepped away from the divider, tying the robe tighter to her body. The silky material stopped just above her knees. It was bold of her to see him in such a fashion, but her curiosity was at an all-time high. How would Arawn look at her in this state?

The Princess tried banishing these thoughts of how he would react. She tried to argue with herself that this was all a display of confidence. Arawn would not kidnap her with a robe as the only clothing covering her body, and he would need to wait for her to change, which was enough time for her to come up with a plan. What sort of plan, she did not know.

Evanna walked past the Prince and to the sofas where a jug of wine had materialised with two golden goblets. She stopped and turned, pouring herself a drink and stared back at Arawn, whose gaze had grown hungry. Hungry? Like he wanted to devour her? She was startled but kept her features impassive as she watched his eyes roam her body indecently. His gaze trailed up her body, prickling her with a scorching intensity that made the tent seemingly grow hotter.

Evanna drank in the sight of Arawn. He was in his outerwear, his attire black, and although she couldn’t see his swords, she knew they were hidden on his back. But what struck her was his perfectly straight hair falling down his chest and the sharpness in his jaw. The Prince had clearly been in the forest since before she escaped, and he didn’t look wary or dirty. He was just as handsome as he always was, no matter the circumstance or what he wore. Arawn was always a sight to behold.

Evanna sipped the wine, finding herself all the more thirsty after looking at him. Arawn’s eyes landed on her throat, and then those eyes that shone like jewels, that captivated her so much, held her captive, locked in his gaze. She could hear her heart pounding as the elven Prince took slow, measured steps towards her. "*Is it kidnapping if you come willingly?*" He asked quietly; his voice was husky, which seemed to make her body react even more.

The closer he came to her, the more she struggled to respond to him. Arawn stopped just before her, and she knew from this closeness he could tell the effect he was having on her. Evanna could feel his warmth and shared the same heated air as him. She blushed from the way her nipples were pointing against the thin fabric of her robe.

Evanna craned her neck back as Arawn lowered his head to hers. Her lips parted, and she inhaled sharply. Her stomach somersaulted, and her breaths quickened with her racing pulse. He grabbed her wrist, the one holding the goblet and lowered his lips and began drinking her wine, his eyes still on hers.

The Princess watched as his throat bobbled from swallowing her drink. Evanna subconsciously licked her lips as she started to imagine licking and kissing his neck. The Princess gasped at her own thoughts and stepped back, her hand letting go of the goblet as the back of her legs bumped into the sofa. She started to fall back, but Arawn’s arms wrapped around her waist, his lips quirking up at her misstep.

"*W-why would I come with you willingly?*" Evanna asked breathlessly. She couldn’t even fathom their positioning right now. His leg was between her thighs, his arm around her waist and the other hand-

Evanna gasped. Arawn’s hand trailed down from her neck and to her chest, stopping in between her breasts. She was at his mercy, and instead of pushing him away, her hands clutched tighter on his jacket, pulling him closer to her.

"*Do you not wish to escape here, Evanna?*" Arawn drawled, his voice a seductive whisper. His gaze lowered to their bodies before returning to search Evanna’s eyes. His hand trailed down to her stomach, pausing at where the robe was tied together. "*Personally, I wouldn’t mind staying a little longer to test out that bed...*"

That snapped Evanna out of the overwhelming tingling sensations that ran across her body and to a particular area between her thighs that she did not want to think further about. She was attracted to him. Evanna knew that, and she had these feelings for him she could not explain, but she was a Princess. She had to keep her virtue no matter how much she wanted to explore these feelings that hungered for the elven Prince.

Evanna released her hands from his jacket and placed them above his hand. Arawn read the message instantly and let go with much reluctance. He stepped back and abruptly turned away from her, clearing his throat. The Princess released a shaky breath, not one from fear of him but fear of how far she was willingly about to go with the Prince.

"*Put some clothes on. Meet me outside, and let us speak under the moonlight. Neither of us can concentrate with.." He looked back at her, and she closed her slightly parted legs, adjusted her robe and crossed her arms against her chest. He looked away again, swearing beneath his breath and strode towards the entrance of the tent. "Do not make any move to escape from me, Princess Evanna Goodrich.*"

Evanna straightened, and her head whipped to the side to look at Arawn, but the tent flaps were already closing behind him. She stared after him, her hands clenching into fists as her breathing became uneven from the whirlwind of emotions he’d left behind. Evanna had no plan to escape Arawn now; he knew who she was.