Page 7 of The Princess's Pet

I followed closely behind the Princess as she spoke with Clara and greeted others.

Eventually, she led me to a large auditorium and a seat in the second row. I sat down beside her and realised that it was some sort of history lecture about a war long forgotten by everyone else apart from those in the room. I felt my eyes drift around the room as inconspicuously as I could. There were many purebloods, some with eyes glowing in response to internal emotions.

I felt the Princess’s eyes on me and I looked up briefly to see liquid silver shining back at me. I smiled nervously and averted my eyes. I couldn’t tell if she was unhappy with me, having been caught curiously looking around. Didn’t she say I was to keep my eyes low or something?

“This lecture is boring me almost to sleep.” I flinched slightly as the Princess whispered low in my ear. Her arm slung over my shoulders, as she leaned close. “Do you know much about the wars of our country?” she continued in a low voice.

I shook my head before remembering to answer in words “Not really, Ma’am, the only war we learned about in school was the war between the Borealis and Auster kingdoms. And how that led to the ruling class we have today,” I whispered back.

The lecturer, a plump and older man, looked over at us, but he didn’t pause his lecture or seem disapproving. Were the staff here allowed to reprimand the Princess?

“The war of our respective families was the most important in our country’s history,” she whispered, her lips so close to my ear I could feel her warm breath.

It was the first time I considered the Austers of the civil war my family. But if my great-grandfather was a Royal, as the Princess had stated, then I guess it was my family history too. Father rarely spoke of his father or grandfather. Both had been killed in the same accident when I was very young.

“Do you think it coincidence or fate that would bring you of Auster blood to be my little pet? Borealis once again dominating Auster,” she continued to whisper, her hand not wrapped around my shoulders, moved to rest on my leg and squeezing suggestively.

I swallowed hard. Her hand inched further up my thigh. “Ma’am?” I whispered worriedly, moving my leg away from her. We were in the middle of a lecture and here she was trying to feel me up! The Princess allowed me to move away.

“You’re too easy to tease, little pet,” she laughed quietly against my ear before sitting back and appearing to pay attention to the lecturer again.

The lecture could have lasted another hour or only minutes, I wouldn’t have known, all I could do was focus on the Princess next to me. She wore a grin on her lips, and I couldn’t help glancing at her. Her brief touch had ignited a fire in my chest that craved more as much as I wanted and tried to douse the flames.

There was a loud ring, and the other students around us began to gather their things and leave. I stood with the Princess, and she left the auditorium without seeming to pay me any attention. I jogged lightly to keep up with her and not lose her in the throng of students.

The Princess turned abruptly to me.

“Are you hungry, pet?” she asked me. And I knew I had to be, not having eaten since the previous morning, but with all the stress of the last 24 hours, I hadn’t thought about food at all.

“Yes, Ma’am,” I said, nodding.

“Good, I’m famished, practically wilting away.” She grinned suggestively at me and my stomach dropped.

“I don’t think I have it in me to uh, you know, uh, give more...blood,” I stuttered, my voice growing quieter as I spoke. I worried that the Princess was thinking about taking another bite of my neck.

Her strong hand grabbed my jaw, lifting my gaze.

“I’ll decide if and when I take what’s mine. Make no mistake, the blood pumping under your skin is in no way yours, it’s mine,” the Princess hissed in my face, surprisingly sweet breath fanning over me. She seemed to have no mind that we were not alone.

I swallowed, fear prickling the back of my neck.

I didn’t respond, only stared into glowing molten silver eyes, before she pushed my jaw away lightly.

“I was speaking of food, not blood,” she spoke more calmly, her glowing eyes dimming to their normal liquid silver. “The café on campus is quite tolerable,” she continued, before turning around and walking again.

The café was large with an outside seating area. Outside the tables were separated by small boxed flower beds containing bright spring flowers with reds, yellows, and pinks of daffodils, tulips, and pansies. They caught my attention so completely when we sat down that I didn’t even notice when a server approached the table. Not that it mattered, as the Princess ordered without needing my input.

I missed my garden desperately as I watched the flowers flow with the wind.

I reached out to a deep blue and yellow pansy that reminded me of the Borealis colours. Brushing my fingers against the petals, the flower bloomed growing larger and brighter. I smiled to myself. Leaning further out of my chair, I plucked the flower turning to the Princess beside me.

“Like your colours,” I said, holding the flower out to the Princess.

I looked up to her when she didn’t take the small gift from me.

Liquid silver stared at me curiously. “What are you doing?” she asked me, her voice strained.

“Giving you a flower?” I responded, not sure if I was making a statement or asking myself.

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