Bab 16: Icier than Normal.

The Festival was over for the night, and Aragon was heading back to the room. His Robe was draped across his shoulders, and his hair had been set loose and running down his hard-muscled back. It had been a good night indeed, but he was worried about one thing, and that was specifically why he had asked Felix himself to guard the room and report to him immediately if someone tries any shit tonight.

"She's inside, your Majesty" Felix reported and moved out of the way, letting Aragon walk into the room.

And there was his wife. She had once again fallen asleep on the couch, but this time she wasn't reading a book. She was lying in one of those strange positions that looked like she was trying to protect herself from something, and even in her sleep, she was gently rubbing the wristband. He has always wondered what was so important to her about the mere clothing, and he was planning to ask her so very soon.

The second he tried to lift her, Raziah subconsciously smacked his hands away from her body, startling Aragon. She was still fast asleep which surprised him even more as he tried once again, but her face twisted angrily and Raziah's small fists went into action.

She was fast, and maybe because he hadn't expected it one bit from someone like her, he had let down his guard and her fists collided with his chest... Hard. The force had him releasing her, and a slight pain shot up his chest for a second there.

What the hell just happened?

"Don't touch me," Raziah murmured under her breath stealthily, the raw warning and menacing tone sipping out like she was this close to snapping into two.

"Your body is cold," Aragon replied, even though he knew she couldn't hear him in her sleep, "And mine is warm. So, you're coming to bed with me, snow-white."

Raziah was immediately lifted up so effortlessly, and all her warnings and struggles fell on deaf ears. He dropped her on the bed and threw both of his legs over hers, then he pulled her body against his so she would have nowhere to run. Raziah was now half-awake and realized that she must have done something awful for him to have pinned her down this hard, so she pretended to be asleep. Her anger must have taken over while she was asleep - her mother had warned her about it.

Settling down, they both fell asleep.

"Take the princess, and escape from here. I have prepared a horse right outside the door." Blood spluttered out from her lips, running down her chin.

"But I can fight! I can't just leave..."

"Bound her hands and legs if you have to. Make sure you get away from here as far as you can. Make sure you both make it out alive, and never turn back. Do I make myself clear?!"

Aragon's eyes flew open. It Looked like it was already morning, and what a strange dream he had This time. All his life, he couldn't recall when such had happened to him, and all the faces in the dream were so blurry. The first voice sounded like an older woman's, while the second was that of a young one. His eyes twitched, something was bothering him about the dream.

He felt like he had heard one of the Voices before.

"Your Majesty, I need to make use of the bathroom,"

His eyes jerked to the woman laying beside him. For about half of the entire night, she had kept struggling to get away from him but her strength was no match against him. And right now, her eyes looked icier than Normal.

"Were you having a nightmare?" Aragon asked.

"No. I was simply uncomfortable." She wriggled herself out of his embrace and stood up, "Now if you'll excuse me," Raziah's lips were set into a thin line as she made her way to the bathroom. Normally, she seemed like a hard nut to crack but right now she seemed even harder. Was there something bothering her?

When she stepped out, she refused to look at him. Even as she prepared his bath, she refused to look at him. Everything she did, she simply pretended like he wasn't there, and she kept on rubbing the wristband More than usual.

She had just finished preparing his bath when the shamelessly naked man walked into the bathroom and stood behind her. When she tried to walk past him, the heat of his hand fanned her arm right before he grabbed it and whirled her back to his chest. She felt as if she had just run into a mountain of a man from his rough motion, and now she had her back to his chest.

Ignoring his heat was now a piece of cake for her.

"Care to inform me why you're so...?"

"Why I'm so what?" She cut him off, her voice hard.

"Why you won't look at me, why do you look angry and why do you keep touching that band more than usual?"

"What are you saying exactly?"

"Are you Mad at me for something?"

"Your Majesty, is there anything you could have done that would warrant, or make me get mad at you? Hm?" She retorted questioningly, her hazel eyes hardening.

"I can't think of anything..."

His reply had her clenching her fists. Really? The dang man can't think of anything at all? "Exactly." She responded, and made to leave again but he wouldn't let go of her.

"Bath me, hazel." Aragon's eyes widened. Did he actually just say that? The words had just naturally fallen out from his lips before he could think about it. Her bathing him was a bad idea.

Raziah was quiet. All the replies she had thought of in her mind would either reveal why she was behaving this way, or would sound very rude. Plus, the man was her husband and the Prince - she couldn't tell him no, but at the same time she didn't want to raise a hand to bathe him. Why would he want his 'guest' to do so?

"Take off your clothes. I've decided to bathe you this time," he rumbled. Raziah was a little taken aback by the sudden change of his tone as if he had forced out the words.

"I'm fine, your Majesty. I'll bathe myself." Raziah replied sharply.

His grip on her arm had tightened to the point of pain, and it was only getting worse every ticking second. Did he not know that he was hurting her? And why was the air around them getting hotter? His sharp fingernails were now softly digging into her skin, and shaking him off was like trying to push back a mountain.

"Your Majesty?" Raziah swallowed unconscious, slowly turning her head back to look at his face. His gaze on her back was piercing, and for some strange reason again, Raziah's body trembled. Why did she feel like there was something different other than her husband staring at her right now?

Right before she could make eye contact with him, Aragon had let her go and turned around swiftly, making her face his back.

"Your Majesty..." She didn't know whether it would be alright if she touched him, but even as her fingers shook, she took her chances and placed her hand on his shoulders, "Are you alright?" Her voice was no longer as hard as before.

She sounded a little concerned for him.

"Leave, now!" Aragon growled.