108 Promise Kiss 2

Althea

I close my eyes and hold my hands as I pray silently about my thanks to the Gods and Goddesses. That they give me another life to live and to serve to them and to the people. I pray that my brother would always do what is right and keep loving his people. I pray that all the kings would do the same to fight darkness and show their light for the people who are in darkness.

I pray now that, Lancelot would find a maiden that is suitable for him. The one who isn't shattered as I am, and the one that was pure and clean, not the one like me. I open my eyes and they all look at me.

"Bon Appetite." Lancelot announced and we started eating.

"How's the Kingdom of Era, Princess Althea?" Guinevere asked. I put down my spoon and look at her.

"Please call me on my name, Goddess. The whole Kingdom is celebrating at this moment for the reunite of the tribe that has been from other Kingdoms. Queen Adhiti had done well to convince their leader. I had heard that Lord Darius, Lord Calixe and Patrick had found the sixth Kingdom and they are now searching for the others as well."

"That's a good news. Patrick is doing well. How about Marissa?" Clarence asked that is now covered with some clothing around his wings and naked upper body.

"Marissa is doing fine. She's safe in Psychē with Princess Amanda." I sipped on the wine and it taste different from our wine. I put it down and glanced at Lancelot who seemed staring at me.

"How about Andrew?" Davin asked. "Is it true that she's with a beautiful Princess? The one with beautiful green eyes—"

"Almira, yes. He's my sister's lover. He's in the castle helping on few of things." They all gapes on what I said well except Guinevere, Lancelot and Gibson. "Adhiti reunite their soul, they are soul mates." I explained.

"Soul mates are real?" Anya asked.

"Soul mates are real." Rosy the girl with Gibson, smiled and fix Gibson's hand. So, the God of Death has also a soul mate?

"If that's real, maybe we are soul mates." I stop for what is Carmina is saying. It pains me somewhere there in my heart but I will be happy for Lancelot if he found a woman that will truly praise him.

"It must be a misunderstanding, Carmina." Lancelot murmur to her.

I heard it clearly and somehow a little part of me was disappointed and other parts are not. I keep eating focusing on my food than listen to them talking and laughing on few things. Lancelot laugh a lot and somehow I found it relieving that he was happy. He will be happy without me. He's independent and maybe it's my time to go back to Era and go back to my own life.

I could ask my brother to let me live away from the castle or give me another princess job than being stuck on the castle. I don't like to be in my room. I don't like the memories I have there.

"How long has been Sky give you a gift?" Gibson asked me. That time that Sky give me a gift was the most unforgettable moment. I hate that moment but Sky was there for me to comfort me and he save me from darkness.

"Seven years ago." I said without any hint of pain though my chest clenches hard.

"Where?"

"Ring cliff of Era." Gibson nodded and didn't asked much because he seemed noticed how I felt about it.

"What are you exactly doing in the Ring cliff?" Lancelot asked. I don't want to answer it. I don't want any of them to know that I am a shattered maiden.

"None of your business, Lord d'Auvergne." That probably stop them from talking. Few seconds pass and there's no words from them. Someone cleared his throat and started another conversation.

After the dinner, since the rain had stopped, I walk around the garden that has posts of lights. I feel no evil shadows around. I fix the soil and the plants just to get my mind clear for being preoccupied. But I can't help but to feel worry on lots of things.

"Don't you like the gift that Soul gave to you?" I felt his powerful presence behind me. And he sat down on the fountain. A God that was surrounded with clouds and holding a thunderbolt. "The breeze seemed nice here."

"Was he the gift you are saying, my God?" I keep doing on what I am doing. "No man would love a shattered woman." I turn to him.

"If it is love, no man would turn back from it."

"There are lots of woman, better than me. More beautiful that I am. And more alluring. He don't deserve someone like me." Feeling insecure was one of my worst enemy.

"Is it what you think or is it what you feel?" I don't even know how to answer that. I face him and exhales exasperatedly. "My dear, daughter, even I, don't get wrong of choosing a person to give a gift. Soul, never get wrong of choosing a person to give a gift. Do you know what the life of the tree on her realm is?" I keep quite. "It was the souls that has been waiting until there's a right time for them to go down and find their soul mate and at the same time do what their purpose here on earth."

"I have my purpose. And it is to protect Adhiti, fight Abyss and help the people of Earth."

"That are few of your main purpose. But you always deny one or two." He stood and walk toward me, as he kiss my forehead. "My daughter, just let the grass grow. If you keep cutting it or trimming it, it will just keep growing until you give up and let it be." He wasn't talking exactly about the grass. "Let him grow into you."

I sat down on the fountain and glare on the grasses that keeps growing. I hate it now. On what he said to me, was really, really getting into my nerves. I should go back by tomorrow. I will let them deal with other problems. I had saved the twin and I should move on and save others.

"It's cold here." His footsteps are quite heavy on the ground. He stood in front of me stepping on the taller grass that hasn't been cut. "Why are you always lonely, Althea?"

"Was it your attitude to always snoop around and get your nose into other's businesses?"

"It might be, milady." He inhale the cold air of the night. "Should you be back to the room and rest? Your cut wasn't healed yet." I stood and face him. He's inches taller than me and he have to look down at me.

"Or was it your way to clean my wounds and look at my breasts?" his eyes dilated and then a playful smile curves on his lips.

"Sorry about that. I didn't really see much of it. I was more focused on the thing that is inside your veins." I rolled my eyes and glare at him. "Can I have my kiss?" I look at his lips, looking all luscious and like a cross bow that is stretch out as he smile. We aren't in bed or even near to bed.

I scoop his jaw wrapping my hand around the back of his head and pull him down as I tip toe and meet his lips. I felt his hands on my waist wrapping it around me as he pull me closer, making me walk in my tiptoe. I gasped and he smiled at me when our lips departed from that action.

"It wasn't a real kiss yet." He mutter. His breath smelled like pepper mint and grapes.

"Lancelot. It's enough."

"It wasn't a real kiss, love." He scoop my chin as his other arm was wrapped around me. I try to keep my balance from tripping. His soft lips gently nip my lower lip and trying to part my lips as he keep nipping my lip and suck it. I felt his tongue licking the seam of my mouth until I surrender and let him do as what he is expert on doing.

His sweet kiss felt so right and wrong at the same time. I let him take the lead, and as we kiss deeper and longer, I keep drowning on him. His scent, his touch, his kiss and his taste was all I wanted to feel when my eyes are closed. It felt warm not cold. It felt so good not so bad. It felt more than what I ever felt. My heart skip beats on the kiss.

He let my mouth go and we grasped some air. He doesn't mind that we are both breathless and keep kissing me. I felt a big drip over my head and it started raining hard on us. It's more romantic when your first kiss with your mate is under the rain. I heard Sky whisper inside my head. I almost grin. Instead of feeling disgusted, I feel so good and it is driving me insane.

He let my mouth go and he smiled though we are both soaked from the rain.

"Again, we are wet. What's with your God?" I gape, my lips feel swollen from that kiss. His lips as well. He lean his forehead to mine and kiss my lips again. "I never felt a lot of electricity in my veins before." He murmur and hold me tighter.

"I shouldn't let that happen."

"Why not?"

"It doesn't feel right to me?" his eyes become lonely and I hate to see it.

"Do you have a lover perhaps? Or are you getting married?"

"No and no." I caress his beautiful face. Wishing to see it every day and night.

"Then what it is, love?" he caress my long hair and embrace me to keep me warm. If I wasn't shattered. If I wasn't impure, I could drown into him. I could let him be with me. I don't want him to think that I am a dirty woman. I don't want him to think it every day and night that I am a whore or something.

"I'm not the woman for you." I couldn't hold my tears anymore. I let it rolls down from my eyes and let the rain wash it.

"What makes you think of that?" he kisses my forehead. It felt so powerful. I don't want him to move it away from my forehead. Just few seconds. I wanted it. I pull my arms from him and he didn't let me go. "Tell me." His other hand scoop my face. "Tell me." I push him and he let me go. It felt really cold without his touch.

I hug myself as I turn back from me. I felt my heart shattered as I walk away from him. I let my tears wash by the rain so no one would think that I am crying.

"Althea!" he calls.

"Please, let me be." I murmur though he wouldn't hear it.

I walk in the corridor with my hand at both of my sides and the walk directly to the girl's dormitory. They all seemed stop from talking on the main room. Guinevere stood and toss me the towel that maybe she's been keeping. Probably they predicted it or perhaps saw it.

"Did you speak with my brother?"

"Whose brother are referring? The mortal or the immortal?" Guinevere smiled.

"Both."

"I did. Could you lend me another clothing? I will be leaving tomorrow."

"Of course. It's on my dresser. There are other clothes that has tags, it's the one you should use. Remove the tag before using it."

"Thank you, Lady Guinevere." I nod my head as I leave. I walk directly to the bathroom and took a warm bath as it rains on me. I keep thinking on the kiss. I still felt it on my lips. Once that I am done, I went to her dresser and took choose the clothes that has a tag and remove it.

"Meow…" I turn to see a white furry cat. She purrs and walk toward me as she rounded on me and rubbed her fur on my wet ankle. "Meow."

"Katherine?" I kneel down and sat on my heels. She sat down and look into my eyes. "You're here?"

"Of course, Princess." She talk to my mind like a real person.

"What are you doing here?"

"I am guarding few around here. But now that you finally came. Would you take me to Adhiti so that I could protect her as well?"

"Yes, Katherine. What would you take me with you on the insideworld?"

"I'll show you by tomorrow if that's alright with you. How about we visit the Patterson's house?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Clarence will lead you to their house. It is near to Era's portal."

"I will." The door opens and Lancelot peek on us.

"My apologies." He closes the door.

"What a hot young man, you should bang him."

"Bang him?" I asked quizzically. Katherine yawns and walk off.

"Never mind."

"What does it mean?" I ask the cat.