Chapter 327: Chapter 327 — Fruity lights and Flowery scents... It’s the Festival.
Zeleskiaz took a moment to inhale the air he thought would regain as the sight of the lady was of majestic haze better than a daydream.
However, as if bewitched, his steps walked him inside. Caring for the quiet so it would remain and so, her test would not be disturbed.
Standing behind the seat he would usually seat at, his hand laid on its frame to admire the fair youth of the beloved lady. Looking noble even as her crown tilted downwards, while on her lap the familiar stack where her letters would reside was held weakly by relaxed bony fingers.
’... Your days must be tough on your frail energy... Beloved Marianne...’ — Sympathetic for the woman, he sighed with concerned thoughts. Letting his gaze go from her soft visage down the lovely hair of reddish brown waves, appearing seemingly endless while framing her torso... Which gown’s cleavage has been his greatest struggle from the very first peek he had of her figure at a Spring dusk.
"....."
Feeling how the silence permeated into his every corner as if warm titillation, Zeleskiaz inhaled the special scent of the chamber to push his feet to walk him nearer the lady.
Surrounding the settee while her beauty was the guide, the Prince’s eyes could not allow her sight to be lost even by a blink of his violaceous hues, becoming more fond as her presence was absorbed deeply by his acute senses.
*Swi~sh...* — His fingertip lightly sounded along his walk as it traced the edge of the couch. Eventually arriving behind her... Solely to lower his height, leaning to admire the purity of her profile while her breathing was listened to like a serene song of the wind.
’... Woman... Kindly open your eyes for I miss their brilliance...’ — Lost in Marianne’s inherent magnetism, Zeleskiaz requested as his impatient hand took a loose strand of her soft hair. Stroking it with craving fingers just as sweetly as he wished to caress her everything.
’Open those lovely eyelashes... So this kiss can lay on your lips instead...’
Grazing the strand with his edges, the Prince’s lids closed to feel its texture and opened only to find a difficult sight he could not allow himself as a gentleman to continue staring... As her feminity was enticing the impatient manliness he has barely controlled... As her allure was effortlessly a danger against his wish to demonstrate the serious devotion the loved lady deserved.
"Fuuh..." — A frustrated whiff escaped his mouth after carefully releasing her long stream to straighten his posture.
Nonetheless...
"....."
Another glance was given to the fair figure of a grown woman. And an impulse made him rush to the other side where she sat, to smoothly seat beside her and lean over... even when difficult was the position to try and steal a graze, or even if slightly some of her flesh.
Yet.
"–..."
The feel of her breathing halted his urge.
’My love...’ — Pained, his lower lip was bitten as self-reprimand.
And swallowing the thirst for her taste, he slowly distanced himself to say as deeply as he wished to kiss her... as breathless as her presence made his lungs from mere awe... he was to tell the intense feeling he held for the unique Lady... In the loneliness of his inner voice.
’I love you... I love you, Marianne... My love... Infinitely so my soul becomes as mad as my heart does whenever I am near your mesmerizing light...’ — Unable to only let these truths be said in the secrecy of his spirit, his head came near the woman once again... Although still not touching her majestic skin, but lightly grazing his nose against the hair hiding it. — ’I am to treat you as carefully... I am to court you dearly... Maybe even more shameless by the day as impatience has me on edge, oh love of mine... Nonetheless...’
"..." — Opening his eyes to look at her tasteful colour while saying his promise, blush came over him the more heated he became at what he was to declare silently yet in front of her.
’I am to gain the greatest treasure of this realm... I am to gain your deepest love and your agreement with that dulcet voice you keep inside... You will one day consciously receive the legendary rosy sunset kiss I keep solely for you... and you will be my woman... my partner, my Empress... My love and neverending happiness... I...’
"I will fight the gods if needed, Marianne..."
*******
"....."
’Should I remind them?’ — Surrounded by many women and a loud background of a noisy moody Madame, I asked Anne sarcastically while I felt how my eyes were open but actually staring at nothing out of exhaustion.
"..?"
’Should I remind them who we are? As in... How weak we are to continue enduring this?’
"...."
’I mean... We can feign fainting. Might become real though, like that time when having dinner with Kinky and the Duke... But at this point, I would even agree to fall into a coma. I need some real rest, darling–!?! Ouf!!! Yup...! Might not need to feign. This corset will help with fainting!!’ — Jumping to the strong crush of my already tiny waist and ribs, I felt a bit of my blood drop along the deprivement of air. — ’But d*mn~ we haven’t gained weight, so... why do I have to use this almost vacuum sealed thing!?!?’
The patience had abandoned me ever since I woke up from the first night at the Palace.
Every fluttery sensation Kinky had let me feel after his chaotic escape that night has gradually disappeared after having so many busy days in preparation for that d*mned Summer Festival in which I’m supposed to be introduced as the Ninth officially to the Empire’s people.
... The fact that I was in a daydream after being kissed so suddenly and then, gaining some composure, deciding to peek outside ignoring that I would find him in my balcony, mumble something to himself that made me feel conflicted, troubled, anxious... yet even still... So very happy...
— Will be d*mned... It’s difficult being around her... —
’Haaa... why... Why is it difficult... I know you had craves for us but...’
... Hopes... I can’t help but have them... Hopes that it became difficult for him for the same reasons...
"Now turn around, Bella Pristina... Hm~"
... But I can’t even enjoy the thrill of hope like this.
I haven’t stopped doing things with the event in mind for the last... Five days (?) I’m so out of it that I don’t even know anymore.
The Empress and Jasmine had taken upon themselves the duty to help me with all the bothersome preparations... But they wanted me around for every little thing.
Well. Not "them" truthfully... But Princess Jasmine, if strictly speaking.
I’m appreciative. Truly. But I need my alone time to fill my battery...
The days took off by her visit and only ended with the help of the gentle Empress that would convince the Princess to free me at some point.
I could be more annoyed. But it’s only thanks to the Empress that I’m still acting kind of sane right now.
Maybe at this point, it would be fair to say the Empress is my only ally. After all...
’It’s all thanks to her I’m not starving today... This crazy Moody Madame and Jasmine... If not for the gentle Empress, I would have fainted already because of an empty stomach.’