Heart Over Sword

Evanna looked up at the prince and frowned; his mask had fallen, and she could see the amusement on his features and the gears turning behind his eyes. She sighed, placing her hands on each side of his feet and lowered herself to his boot, and pouting her lips. It will only take a second, then this will all be over! She tried convincing herself of her action. Arawn leaned further over his knees, his eyes widened at his miscalculation.

Just as Arawn was about to stop her, Evanna halted in her tracks and covered her mouth. There was a dead bug at the end of the leathery material also!

"Arawn! Please! I beg of you, don't make me do this!" Evanna pleaded, looking up at him with her big green eyes.

But the prince wasn't falling for her act. Instead, he tilted his head to the side. "You know your ultimatum, Evanna." He said calmly in his low baritone voice.

For some reason, it calmed her racing heart for a moment, but that didn't last long when she remembered her ultimatum. Her heart began to pound loudly again, and she gulped as she stared back into the prince's icy blue hues, surrounded with long lashes. For the number of times she had stared at him, this was the first she really took note of the individual lashes fanning his eyes.

She snapped out of her daze and asked the first thing that came to her mind. "Why do you want me to kiss you?" She whispered, looking down at her hands in her lap as she sat her bottom on her legs.

Arawn blinked back at her. The only indication he heard what she said. Instead of answering her, he asked his own question, "Why do you think I want you to kiss me?" His lips curled into a smirk while his eyes lit up in amusement.

Evanna forced herself not to roll her eyes. But, of course, he answered her question with a question. He was so frustrating; why couldn't he just answer her question like a normal person? Sighing to herself, she racked her brains for an answer. "Because it's my punishment.. You want to embarrass me? How else would I be punished if you had no intentions of actually harming me?"

The prince's smile grew into a wicked grin at her answer.

"Yes, I suppose you are right.." He replied pensively as he tilted his head again, looking at her as though she was clueless about something. Maybe she was clueless because she didn't understand why he was looking at her like that. "What would you prefer? A muddy boot to a clean soft face?"

Evanna stared back at him, already knowing the choice she was about to make.

"I don't have all day," Arawn added in a clipped tone.

Evanna's brows drew together as she whispered, "This will stay between us?" She met her gaze with his, her own filled with worry.

One side of Arawn's lip twitched, but the action was missed by Evanna, who stared intently at his crystal blue orbs. "You have my word, Evanna."

"Okay," She whispered and looked at the prince's cheek.

Arawn turned his head slightly, providing her with better access to his clean, chiselled cheekbone. It was so sharp, she wondered if her lip would be cut. She rolled her eyes internally at herself; the man was good looking, but there was a devil behind those looks, one that enjoyed moments like these.

She gingerly leaned forwards and gasped, almost jumping out of her skin when Arawn grasped her hands and placed them on his legs. Her heart beat furiously against her chest, and she felt herself becoming flustered and heated from his hands atop hers on his legs. HIS LEGS! She could feel the warmth of him under her touch.

How was she meant to kiss him on the cheek if all of this was going on in her mind and body! Why were her hands on-

"Use your hands to stabilise yourself. If I had known you would choose to kiss my cheek, I would have stayed by the window," He smirked.

Evanna followed his instructions and raised herself so their faces were at the same height. She could see Arawn watching her intently. Come on, it will only take a second! You can do this! If you can take down a damn faceless monster, then you can kiss a handsome prince on the cheek! (or was he a toad dress as a prince?) Hmm.

She closed the distance between them, and just as her lips nearly touched his skin, the prince turned his head, but Evanna pulled back immediately, shocked. "Why would you do that?" She exclaimed, "Arawn, do not do that! I have never been kissed before! You would be stealing it!"

Arawn sighed. He knew she had never been kissed before, and he wanted to be her first kiss. He wanted to be the one to take it from her.

"I'm serious, Arawn. Otherwise, I will just kiss your boot and be done with this! You know I can only kiss my future husband!" She continued.

"I apologise, Evanna. I did not mean to.. you tickled me. Honestly," He held his hands up and looked so earnest; Evanna eyed him suspiciously, but instead of making her punishment longer than it needed to be, she decided to take things into her own hands and take the prince by surprise. That way, he couldn't say she hadn't done.

Evanna swiftly rounded his face and softly brushed her lips against his cheek. However, she did not anticipate him to be just as quick as her; he turned slightly, and where Evanna thought she kissed his cheek, was in fact, the corner of his lips. She pulled back immediately, startled by the action. Her hand went across her lips as she stared at the smirking prince, who burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry I couldn't resist!" He barked in between his loud laugh that filled the room. Her cheeks reddened by the near kissing of their lips. But at the same time, Evanna was mad at him, she couldn't help but feel a little exhilarated. But of course, she would never show that to him. He was her enemy.. She narrowed her eyes at him.

Evanna slapped him lightly on the shoulder, "My husband.." She sighed and stood up, shaking her head.

"Are we done? Can I go back to my room?" She asked and watched as Arawn stood up. He brought his hand to her face and caressed her cheek, both cooling it with his fingertips and possibly his gift, as well as setting it aflame.

"No. We have some prisoner's to go see," All jest had left his features and his voice.