Page 37 of The Wild Prince's Favorite
“Commander, we brought the bath!”
They had been quick.
Alezya, alerted by more male voices, had already retreated back in the bed and under the blanket, her eyes riveted on the entrance.
He’d noticed it before, but she seemed to be afraid of men, not just because they were foreign. There was something in her gaze that made it clear she didn’t trust any of them, as if to say she knew their kind and had no trust in males.
Kassein couldn’t even explain how he knew it was a gender issue more than one based on their homelands; he could just feelit. She’d reacted more surprised than she should have any time he’d acted kindly to her. Her dumbfounded and embarrassed expression when he’d washed her feet came to mind. She’d never had someone do that for her, and she couldn’t believe he had. She despised males and she wouldn’t let her guard down in their presence. Was it related to the ones who’d attacked her?
Kassein went out himself to get the bath, which was really just a large bucket filled with hot water, and carried it inside. It was extremely heavy, hence Alezya watched him bring that inside with big round eyes. He didn’t sweat over it and just handed the towels to her. She quickly understood who that bath was for because soon, her eyes were riveted on that steam with envy. Kassein let out a faint smile and pointed at the water.
“Bath,” he said.
She frowned, and this time, didn’t try to repeat it.
He could tell she really wanted to clean herself as her eyes kept going to the hot water, and he couldn’t blame her. He’d known one of his sisters to bathe twice a day, and though she probably wouldn’t be so needy, Alezya had spent a long time stuck in bed, probably sweating out the light fever she’d had too.
He went toward the end of his tent. He’d received some luxurious items he seldom used, sent from the palace or given by the locals as thanks for chasing the barbarians away. Some were soaps with smells that he didn’t like, too sweet and floral for a grown man.
He grabbed a handful and brought them for Alezya to use. He showed it to her, said “soap,” and put it on the bedside table where she could easily grab them.
When that was done, he wondered if he should help her get in the water or undo her bandages. She could already move a lot better now. While he hesitated, he stood there, watching her. Alezya’s eyes were still riveted on the hot water, and she faintly glanced up at him, looking unsure.
“Take a bath,” Kassein finally said. “I’ll be right outside.”
She knew his name, she could always call him if she needed help.
Kassein gave her one last glance before he walked out and, as he’d said, stood right outside his tent. As it saw him appear, his dragon immediately reacted, growling.
“Shut up,” Kassein growled back.
Kein wasn’t having it, and growled some more, showing its fangs to its owner, its claws digging into the snow under it.
The few soldiers who’d been posted nearby all jumped back or quickly ran away, undoubtedly scared there would be another fight between the two of them out of the blue. It wouldn’t be the case though.
Kein and Kassein glared fiercely at one another, but the dragon didn’t get up, and Kassein didn’t touch his sword either. The animosity was palpable, but they stood in this strange stand-off, neither refusing to stop glaring at the other. It lasted a while before Kein reduced its growling, and Kassein finally stopped glaring, his eyes going to the mountain behind their tent. The corner of his eye had caught something moving.
His dragon also turned its head the same way, alarmed, and stood up, flicking its huge tail with annoyance. They’d never seen movement from this side of the mountains, but it didn’t mean there was nothing. It was hard to see anything because the snow covered every surface, creating a blanket of pure white.
While he kept inspecting the area, Kein jumped first. The dragon effortlessly began climbing the mountain, in search of whatever it had spotted, its large body causing another substantial ruckus as its claws dug deeply into the stone. Kein was, as usual, oblivious to its enormous size, and didn’t realize that massive rocks were being detached from the mountain under its climbing, loudly hitting the ground. Kassein glanced at the landslide his dragon was provoking.
He hadn’t been foolish enough to put his tent that close to the mountain, but it still caused an awful lot of noise and made the ground tremble in the area. His eyes went back to his tent, where Alezya was bathing. There was no way she hadn’t heard that, but she hadn’t called him. Was she alright? She hadn’t collapsed in the bath or something, had she?
He tried to listen, but it was hard to hear anything with his imbecile dragon making such a racket. Kassein didn’t care anymore about whatever they’d been searching for up there, he was more worried about that woman being silent despite the uproar. After one more glare at his dragon, he decided to walk back into the tent.
“Alezya?” he called her name as he walked in to try and warn her.
When he stepped inside, he saw her, half-standing in the middle of the bath, looking panicked. She turned her eyes his way, clearly surprised to see him. Kassein was stunned. She was naked, most of the bandages taken off and lying next to the bath on the floor, and her long black hair all around her, framing her beauty.
She was breathtakingly beautiful, and this vision hit him. It was like he’d walked into an impromptu moment, and caught some ethereal goddess bathing. He’d seen a bit of her body before, but then, she was heavily wounded, covered in blood and bruises, and he hadn’t cared much for her silhouette. Well, she had a gorgeous one.
She had a long, slender body, but larger breasts that a lot of women would have envied. Her long ink-like hair was down to her thighs, enveloping her body and enhancing her superb figure.
As Kassein took his eyes back to her face, he realized she was glaring, and he suddenly realized he’d been staring too much.
He darted his gaze elsewhere immediately, ashamed.
“S-sorry,” he mumbled.
