tsubasa

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye wasn't fully paying attention to their conversation, which might have been why she didn't want Robert about boundaries and his words. She enjoyed his hands playing with her hair and voice. Her voice was airy and she was hardly even there when she replied, "My father is the King. He can do as he wishes... and he needs know that he is living the kingdom in good hands... That's why he chooses my husband. It is my job, as a Princess, to marry to a man capable of running the kingdom."

She yawned and nuzzled against his side slightly, "I haven't a reason why David was so rude... I don't know why you were either... Asking us not to be lovey dovey in front of you when I can't be away from you. You had no right to say that... and it was a little," she yawned, "Selfish..." She rested her head against his side and slowly fell back asleep.

The gladiator and the princess

"Maybe," Lauralye said as she snuggled into him, enjoying his warmth. She felt cold, despite running a fever, it was strange. She never really did understand the human body. She closed her eyes, "I am not so sure though..."

She listened to his breathing and heartbeat. It was amusing, how things so simply and often over looked were what was keeping them alive. She took a deep breath to match his own, "I am still tired..."

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye listened to him as he spoke about his adventures. She was amazed. She had never gone farther than the city and, other than last night, that was twelve years ago. She enjoyed hearing about the world beyond there. Robert had even more stories than David did. She placed an arm over his stomach and yawned, "That's amazing... I wish I had stories like that."

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye gratefully curled up against him. She shivered slightly and enjoyed heat of his body. She rested her head on his chest and pouted slightly when he told her it might not be best for him to read the story, worrying it might upset her. She looked up at him, "Can you tell me a story?" She asked like a small child.

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye pulled the blanket closer to her and shrugged, "Better... I'm still really cold though... But I can feel myself sweating..." She buried her face in her pillow, "It's no fun..." She looked at him, "Maybe if you lie down with me, I'll feel warmer," she asked innocently before moving away from the edge slightly. She looked at the book, "Can you read to me?"

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye woke up sometime later. She felt the cloth on her head was still cold, meaning someone had changed it recently. She looked at Robert, who sat by her bed reading, and smiled, "Hello..."

She coughed a little and looked at the book he was holding, "What are you reading," she asked quietly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye looked at him and nodded when he told her not to think about it. Reassuring her that she was most likely safe with in the castle, "Thank you," She said quietly,

She removed his hand from her cheek, however did not let it get far as she intertwined her slim, soft fingers with his larger rough ones. She held it as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. After a moment, her hand's hold on his loosened as she slept soundly.

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye gave him a tired smile, "It is nice," She said quietly in agreeance. She lay there for a moment before looking at him, "I'm scared," she confessed to him.

Her eyes searched his face slightly, "What... what if the demons attack me again... What if they hurt you?" She shook her head, "Why did they even try to kill me?" Her eyebrows knitted together under the cloth on her forehead, "I'm not to going to run my country... Why not my father... or David? I... don't get it," She said quietly. Her hand wrapped around his wrist slightly tighter as she worried.

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye continued you hold his wrist softly. She enjoyed the feeling of his cold hand on her cheek. She lay there with her eyes closed, her head resting in his palm and smiled. She listened to his promise to her and curled up. She liked the idea of him always protecting her. Which was funny, considering she had been afraid of him mere days ago. She opened her eyes and looked at him, "You sound like my father," She said quietly, "He wants to protect me... That's why I'm not to leave the castle... Not after my mother was killed by demons...." She yawned, "She died when I was five.... I miss her."

The gladiator and the princess

Lauralye leaned into his hand slightly as he replaced the cloth on her head. Her eyes opened slowly as she looked at him, "Thank you... For staying here... Really, the handmaidens could be doing this..."

She gently took hold of his wrist and moved it to cup the side of her face. She closed her eyes again and rested her warm cheek in his cold hand. She smiled, "Your hands... they're like ice cubes."