Kris - Part Five

I Won't Ask Anymore.

 

“Come here.” Her soft voice echoed into your ears as your eyes locked onto the material – you were busy at the moment…

“Hey,” She chuckled quietly, causing you to hum quietly as your hands worked on the wool you were knitting – you wanted this to be as perfect as you could. It has been a month or so since that incident at the garden, ever since that morning… it still blew your mind everyday just thinking about how it all happened; it felt so surreal; as if everything was just a dream. Those nonchalant talks in the garden seemed to be a regular thing, those little touches he’d sneak in as he passed by you, those handsome smiles he’d give you as he ‘coincidentally’ passed by your room – it was impossible to not fall in love with him a bit more each day.

Yet you couldn’t be happier as each day passed.

You wanted to make this sweater for him. At least, that was what you could do.

“Is that for Kris?” She asked quietly, kneeling down beside you where you blushed a little before your eyes lifted to meet with hers shyly. “Y-Yeah…” You mumbled softly, causing her to grin as she patted your head, you were so diligent in making this that you actually lost nights of sleep just perfecting this – you wanted to give it to him by tonight before he left for a trip to another village where he would be dealing with some issues. You heard that the trip there would be very chilly and he would be gone for a few days or so. Not wanting to risk anything, you wanted him to be warm and maybe… maybe think of you while he was gone?

“I’m sure he’ll love it, dear…” She whispered, causing you to look down on the pure white sweater you knitted with a small letter K at the top right – would he really like it?

“I… I’m not sure, though…”

She couldn’t help but laugh at how nervous you were – why were you even nervous in the first place? Ma had already sensed that the Prince had feelings for you even way before he confessed, even way before the two of you had secretly gotten together – she, had already figured out. She noticed the little signs he gave; those moments where he’d specifically ask for you to clean his bedroom, those moments he’d ask about you and hurriedly skip to asking about the other maidens he didn’t care about – he was being a little too obvious to a woman who has a lot of experience in noticing young love.

“He’ll love it – it’s perfect.”

You sighed as your hands ended the hem of the sweater with a few knots before you pulled the sticks out, your hands patting the well-knitted sweater with a small frown, “I really hope he does…”

Ma reached for the sweater, putting it down on the floor before she assisted you up to follow her to the other side of the room. She made you kneel down with her in front of a chest – it was her special chest in which she kept some of her valuable items. “M-Ma…” You croaked out unsurely, eyes following her hands as she lifted the chest open only to pull out a white material that made your eyes go wide. She lifted it up in front of you beside her face where she showed you this full length white dress – it looked so beautiful… It had long sleeves along with a v-cut at the back, white lacing over the white material – it was a very plain yet elegant dress…

“Wear this tonight when you meet him by the garden. I want him to remember how beautiful you are while he is away.”

You gulped and shook your head, “M-Ma, I can’t. That’s your favorite dress…”

She sighed and made you hold onto the dress with a smile, how are you so considerate?

“I want you to wear it – I’m sure, and your parents are sure that you will look stunning in this. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Plus… Isn’t today your first month with Kris?”

You immediately gasped, using your other hand to plaster it over Ma’s lips with a shocked and worried expression, “Shh! What if people hear?” You were so frantic, it was so amusing to her as she held onto your hand whilst laughing, “We’re living at the lowest ground in the castle – what makes you think there are people listening to maids talk?”

You frowned and shrugged, “I don’t know…”

She snickered, patting your hand with another hushed sigh, “Wear this tonight and I hope, no, I know things will go well.”

---

You fiddled with the box you were holding on – what if he didn’t like it? What if he thought it was too corny? What if he thought that… it was something too… cheap for him? He was, after all, a prince. A prince who has the good life, the luxury and such but you do not have any of that. You couldn’t even afford a good piece of silk even if you tried. Wool was the best you could buy from the village (even with that, you risked sneaking out just to buy it). You remembered vaguely one night in his bedroom where he made you sleep in his arms in his bed, he had mentioned white was one of his favorite colors. Taking note of that quick, you had bought the right about of white wool just for his body size.

You sat down on the bench behind the trees – it was the regular place you’d meet Kris here every other night. You had your legs crossed – this dress was a bit shorter than the long skirts you’d usually wear. You had the box on your lap, still waiting for him to arrive that you had closed your eyes for a moment.

Him, on the other hand, had a bit of trouble trying to escape from his bedroom without much questions from his mother. As soon as he managed to lock his bedroom door, he snuck out from the window, climbing down from the side before he hurriedly used the stairs to reach the ground. He then continuously jogged all around the back to get to the other side where he could vaguely see your figure under the dim moonlight. He was slightly breathless, but he quickened his pace in walking nevertheless until…

Until he could finally see up close on how you looked like.

He was merely just ten steps away from you, opposite you but he couldn’t take any more steps when he was taken away by your looks.

You looked, stunning.

You were breathtakingly beautiful to his eyes as he stared at you.

The way you had your hair swept to one side as it was laid down on your shoulders, that gorgeous dress hugging your body nicely as you sat down comfortably, the way your eyes closed as if you were in a deep sleep but you were actually just waiting for him to arrive – it all made his heart beat faster as he came closer towards you. The moment you heard his last step towards you, which is right in front of you, your eyes opened carefully only to gasp when he was suddenly here – so close to you. You gasped and jerked backwards with your eyes wide open, a hand on your chest where you were shocked – he has got to stop doing this…

“K-Kris!” You half-whispered, half-shouted as you blinked at him.

He chuckled, sitting down beside you with a grin, “Sorry, mei li. But… you were just so pretty from afar that I wanted a closer look without disturbing you.”

You frowned and looked away with a quiet huff. He couldn’t help but snicker, reaching for your hand where he gave you a squeeze, “Don’t be mad… You’re prettier when you’re happy.”

You peeked to look at him – he was already grinning at you as he made you turn your body to face him.

His eyes looked up and down on you – as if he was scanning you from head to toe. You gulped and lightly poked his arm, “W-What are you looking at?”

He sighed, giving your hand another squeeze, “You look so beautiful…” He continued staring at you in awe, not wanting to look away from you as you shyly looked down. Your lips parted in a gasp when his fingers tilted your chin up, where your eyes met gazes with him, “Don’t look away from me – I want to see your eyes…”

You blinked at him slowly a few times, as if you were putting him in a trance just by looking at your beauty – he could go on staring at you forever. But he knew his time was limited, so he had to carry on what he wanted to do; what he intended to do for a while now.

“So, I-“ The two of you had mumbled the same words, causing a small eruption of laughter at the same time.

“You first.” Again, the same words came out from your lips.

You leaned away with a small smile, shaking your head as you used a hand to motion him to go first, “You first.”

He shook his head, “You first, mei li.”

You frowned at him, but went first nevertheless. Your hand holding to his had released, moving to the box where you gripped onto it tight, “I… I know you’re going to the village for a few issues so… I made this for you.” Your hands shyly moved forward, handing him the box where you looked away the moment he held it in his hands. He chuckled, eyes smiling at you as he held onto the box, “Why are you getting so nervous, mei li?”

You gulped, shrugging, “I don’t know…”

He patted your hand, “I’m sure I’ll love it.”

Your heart nearly stopped when his hands lifted up the cover of the box, revealing the perfectly knitted sweater that was fitted folded to fit the box. His hands placed the lid to the side, where his hands lifted up the sweater by the collar as his eyes grew wide from looking at it – he has never received a gift like this before…

Indeed he was a prince, and that he had the luxurious life but he has never received something that could radiate warmth and love in an instant – he has never received a gift that contained such sincerity before…

His eyes blinked at his as he lowered it down, feeling the material as his fingers brushed on the wool – he felt the tingles running up and down his spine.

You on the other hand, had no idea what’s going on in that mind of his that you mumbled out, “I… I know it isn’t much but, it was the best I could do. I didn’t have much to work with.”

His head turned to look at you – in disbelief. How could you think this wasn’t enough when this was more than enough?

“I know that it may be nothing to you but I hope that it can at least warm you up on your journey there. I heard from Tao that it’s going to be very chilly so maybe this could help. I’m sorry I couldn’t get a better gift-“

“I love it.”

“-but I… what?” You breathed out in the end, eyes growing wide as you stared at him. You cleared your throat, “You what?”

He smiled, eyes looking back at the sweater where his fingers brushed over the small letter ‘K’ you sowed at the top, “I love it…”

He carefully put the sweater into the box, closing it before he turned to face you. “I love it so much, mei li. Don’t ever think it’s not enough because it’s more than just enough. I’ll definitely wear it every night when I go to sleep, thinking about you and how you made it just for me. It’ll be like feeling your touch, your warmth when I’m away. Thank you so much.”

You gulped, heart skipping a beat from what he had said about the sweater you made. He loved it…

“R-Really?”

He grinned at you, a hand he had raised up to place it at the back of your head where he gave you a loving , “Really.”

You couldn’t help but show this cute side of you where your feet shuffled excitedly on the ground, your hands fidgeting as you couldn’t contain the happiness in you. He snickered, catching your attention as you looked at him. This time, he gave a nod, as his free hand reached into his pocket after he whispered quietly, “Close your eyes, mei li.”

Your eyes fluttered shut on command as he told you to. You could feel him letting go of your hand but that was about it. It wasn’t even a minute when he had spoken.

“Open your eyes…” His voice echoed into your ears, making you open your eyes where you stared down at him - he was now kneeling down on the ground. His eyes seemed to have directed you to look down on your chest where this sparkling letter of your first name appeared. A necklace.

He had placed a necklace around your neck with your initial along with a letter ‘K’ linked to it with a heart.

Your lips parted as you reached for it with your fingers, blinking at it as if you were looking at something so foreign. It was so beautiful as it sparkled under the night sky. Your lips parted as you were taken away by this – it was a first for you to receive a necklace…

Your eyes flickered up to meet with his where he gave you a shy laugh, “U-Under such a short notice, I couldn’t get something else-“

“It’s so pretty…”

“-and I- oh?” He couldn’t help but sound surprised at your reaction – you were being so cute, too. Your eyes glancing at him as your eyes were looking at the necklace around your neck. “It’s so beautiful, Kris… I love it…” Your eyes looked away from the necklace this time, staring directly into his eyes where you whispered sincerely, “Thank you, Kris… It’s amazing…”

One of his hands reached up to hold onto yours, where he laced your fingers together, “I’m glad you like it.”

“I love it.” You corrected him, causing him to laugh quietly, “Alright, alright.”

You laughed along with him, but you let the laughter die when he let it fade away into the quiet atmosphere. You stared into his eyes and noticed this pinch of hidden feelings behind it – there was something he was silently asking for. Your lips curled up into a smile, making his heart warm up just looking at you smile like this. How can someone be so obliviously beautiful?

“What…? Your voice was so hushed, so quiet as it soothed into his ears.

He got on his knees, his body raising up to loom over you.

“Can I…” His voice was soft but that was the only thing you could hear. His other hand reached up to cup your cheek warmly, just taking its rightful spot as he your skin lovingly with his thumb – he would want to do this for a very, very long time, whenever he’d could. If he didn’t do it now, he’d regret it all the way during his trip.

“Can I just…” He stammered this time, his lips uncertainly as his eyes flickered down to your lips and then back up to your beautiful eyes. You could see that he gulped nervously as his hand holding onto yours had moved over to cup your other cheek – both of his hands holding your face delicately as his lips inched closer.

And that was when it happened when your eyes fluttered shut the moment his lips brushed against yours before he covered his lips with yours. You felt how gentle the kiss was, how sincere and how much love it contained as he was being so delicate. He could feel you kissing him back – it sparked up the dominancy in him as he kissed you a bit harder, loving that quiet wince you let out as your hands clutched onto his shoulders as he got up from his knees, moving to sit beside you with your lips in lock as his hands moved down to hold you by your waist as you two were so close to one another on the bench. He pulled you closer, trying to get a better angle at prolonging the kiss. It felt so blissful and he felt like there was this promise he had created with you as soon as your lips touched.

It was as if silently and quietly, this was a promise that he belonged to you only.

And you, him.

It never felt so right – and not a single doubt crossed his mind.

He parted his lips away from yours just a mere inch – breaking the kiss as his forehead leaned against yours with his breath hitting your skin as he inhaled and exhaled; you were doing the same, too. He saw how pink your lips were, how slightly red your cheeks became from that kiss – it made him smile as he whispered on your lips, “I’m definitely going to miss you when I’m gone…”

You couldn’t help but sigh, your hands moving over to hug him by his neck, “M-Me too…”

You could see how he blinked at you, how his hand at your waist moved up to frame your cheek tenderly, “Can I kiss you again?”

A grin played on your lips as you nodded your head, nuzzling your nose with his, “I don’t think you need to ask, Kris…”

He smirked, lips coming closer again, “I don’t think I’ll ask anymore.”