Elys stared at the prince’s eyes – her blazing rubies to his piercing gold – and saw the Aleksander’s unyielding determination. How many times had he asked her again to help him? She honestly doesn’t know anymore.
The princess literally lost count already.
"Lend me your power Princess Elysianne... become my queen, and we shall get our revenge served in a silver platter," Aleksander said, this time his voice turning soft, his eyes genuinely pleading.
Had the princess heard his voice crack a bit too? Was the prince about to cry? Elys suppressed the impulse to snicker.
"My dear husband," Elys reached out to Aleksander’s cold cheeks with both her hands. "Can I ask you something?"
The prince’s eyes widened, bewildered by the sudden shift in Elys’ tone, "Yes?"
Elys squished his face and hissed, "Get off of me and we can talk like civilized people, or else you might as well go out to claim your crown alone."
Aleksander felt the intensity in her words, and immediately scrambled out of the bed. He reached out a hand to help her up, and as Elys was about to slap it away, Aleksander’s face turned away and he withdrew his hand.
’Did he saw me coming for a slap?’ Elys thought.
"Y-Your nightgown," the prince stuttered, his hand pointing supposedly at Elys but was actually pointed towards her window.
The princess was confused for a bit and looked down. She felt her whole face and ears turn warm with how her nightgown looked.
"Fuck," she muttered with a breathy undertone.
On her way to get into a sitting position, the strap on her nightgown slipped unknowingly, exposing a bit too much of her cleavage. Going downwards, the hem of the dress was swept to the point it reached her belly.
Needless to say, her lace undergarments had been lain bare for the prince’s eyes as well. Elys was frozen dumbstruck with how she must have looked.
"A-Are you done?" Aleksander asked as he was about to turn his head.
"I will break your neck if you turn as much of an inch of it!" Elys threatened hysterically.
The princess hurriedly fixed her dress and nightgown strap. The mess must have been caused when Aleksander pushed her to the bed and her persistence to resist him.
Elys got out of bed and Aleksander heard her light foot step on the sleek floor. His mind was flooded with the picture of Elys moments ago, and because of it, his ears turned sensitive to the sound of rustling fabric.
The prince slowly turned around to face Elys, his face as flushed as a ripe tomato. He saw the furious look in the princess’ face and his eyes veered away. The princess raised a brow, baffled by his reaction.
As much as Elys had been embarrassed with how she had been unexpectedly been exposed, she didn’t think Aleksander would be the same way.
She couldn’t even begin to comprehend why he even pushed her to the bed in the first place if he was going to react like this.
The princess crossed her arms and then scowled as she said, "Husband, look me in the eyes."
Aleksander’s mind was racing, the image of Elys’ smooth and pale skin underneath the flickering lamp light while shadows played around them occupied his brain. Why did his heart pound as if it wants to explode and self-destruct?
It wasn’t as if the prince hasn’t seen his fair share of skin from the previous blood servants that tried to seduce him before. He had even made them strip before ultimately killing them in a cruel game he used to play back then.
The memory of Davika’s recent death in his hands flashed in front of Aleksander’s eyes, and the prince winced at the memory. He was aware he had been cruel, but he hasn’t been particularly bothered by it until now.
Elys, her past, and the fact that he was trying to turn over a new leaf for her must have played a great part in the prince’s sudden hyperawareness of his actions.
"Aleksander Ardorlean!" the princess yelled at him, smacking the prince on his arm and bringing his attention back to reality.
"Ow!" he yowled.
"Stop being a whiny brat," Elys said as she settled her hands on the tiny part of her waist.
The prince couldn’t help but notice her movements, and he slapped himself before his mind began to replay the half-naked glory that he had seen several moments ago.
Elys snapped her fingers right in front of Aleksander’s face and said, "Hey, eyes here!" She pointed to her face and made sure to make eye contact with the prince, "Do you really want to convince me to your side or are you just going to stare at my body all night?"
"Yes," the prince blurted, but immediately regretted his blunder, "I mean, no! Yes, I want you on my side and no, I wasn’t looking. Truly!"
’How hilarious,’ Elys thought at the back of her head.
The princess almost laughed, but stopped herself before she could even scoff. She wanted to maintain the upper-hand in the situation, and laughing might just end up lightening the mood.
She didn’t want that.
"Prince Aleksander," Elys spoke with all the seriousness she could muster.
The prince turned attentive to her, casting all distractions at the back of his head for the meantime.
"Yes?" he responded to her, his back straight like a soldier to his commander.
"You have asked me several times already for help, and I have declined to use my powers for you," Elys began.
"Can you not? I am sure -"
"I’m not yet done," Elys raised a hand to his mouth, shushing the prince in an instant.
The princess withdrew her hand that covered Aleksander’s mouth, and then walked to her window. She turned and faced the prince, "I will agree to help you, under several conditions."
"I will do anything for you," Aleksander immediately spoke. "Anything."
The princess hid a smile, and then said, "First and foremost, abolish the slavery system, my king."