Kitanna
Chapter 49: CHERISH

Chapter 49: CHERISH

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: LOVERS IN THE NIGHT ~ SEORI]

The next morning, Kitanna felt much lighter. She turned her head to look at the side of the bed Nix had slept in last night. She was shy about turning to meet his face with her morning face. She slowly turned with her cheeks blushing, but her face turned to one of disappointment when she found the bed empty.

Kitanna sat up on her bed, frowning. Nix had promised to stay with her until morning, but he left. Was he that uncomfortable around her? Kitanna asked herself with a frown.

Axilla stepped into the room and moved to open the curtains, allowing the bright morning sun to kiss the whole room.

"What has got the princess frowning her beautiful face this morning?" Axilla said with a smile.

"I see Clephas left his student behind. I must say you learned very well," Kitanna used her hands to push herself up from the bed. She made her way to the bathroom.

Axilla grinned at the princess’s comment. It was true; she was trying to flatter her that morning.

"Axilla, I didn’t see you at the gate yesterday when we were seeing Clephas off," Kitanna asked when she settled into the warm bath, dipping half of her body into the water.

"I couldn’t bear to see him leave. I’d have cried and begged him to stay back. I was in my room," Axilla said, adding more flower petals to the warm bath that the princess was in.

Kitanna nodded at the thought. It was a genuine reason. "Enough of the petals, go to the store, get safflower and sesame oil. I know you forgot them," the princess said with a wink.

Axilla gasped. It was true; she had forgotten them. She dropped the basket and rushed out of the room to get the things ready.

Kitanna smiled at the girl’s clumsy nature. She remembered when she first taught Axilla how to speak fluently and act accordingly, just the way young maidens did in Morado. The girl was such a cute one.

Kitanna picked up one of the petals that was floating and started playing with it. Just then, an image from her last night dream flashed in her eyes. She gulped nervously, looking around the room to see if anyone was watching her.

Kitanna remembered how she almost drowned in the pond. She pressed her two hands together as her chest heartbeat started to rise. Just then, the door to her room screeched, and someone walked inside.

"Who is there?" Kitanna asked. She grabbed the towel that was lying next to her bath, using it to wrap herself. She stepped out of the bath.

"Who is that?" Kitanna asked again as the footsteps became sharper, approaching her bathroom.

The door opened, and Nix stood outside holding something fluffy and white in his hand.

"Nix!" Kitanna gasped. She finally brought down the hand she had already raised for an attack.

Nix tilted his head to the side, his eyes trailed to look at the princess who was half-dressed with water dripping all over her body.

Kitanna used her hands to cover her chest, stepping back into the bath.

"You weren’t there when I woke up, you promised," she complained.

Nix turned and left the bathroom, he just couldn’t with the princess. She always did whatever she wanted, never properly dressed in front of a man. Nix clenched his teeth.

Kitanna rushed her bath quickly and wrapped herself properly in her clothes before stepping into the room. She noticed Nix was looking at something with so much interest.

"I see you’re good at everything except keeping your promises," Kitanna complained again, moving to sit on her bed. She twitched her lips. What was Nix so interested in that he wouldn’t even answer her? She asked herself.

"I was with you in bed until this morning," Nix finally turned to look at her.

It was true that he stayed with her on the bed throughout the night until morning came. Nix opened his eyes when morning arrived and saw Kitanna snuggled on his chest. He had reached out to touch her face. But then he stopped himself and left the room to get some air. His eyes moved to look at Kitanna’s neck, the same slender neck that laid helpless on his chest. He looked away.

"You were? Why did you not wake me up?" Kitanna asked, this time she was blushing.

Kitanna thought about the other night; she found it difficult to sleep a wink because Nix was lying right next to her. She didn’t even know when she had fallen asleep.

"What are you holding there?" Kitanna asked again, standing up from her position. She wanted to know what had captured Nix’s attention.

"A bunny. I found her while I was taking my morning walk. She kept running around in the wild woods like she was afraid of nothing. She’s like someone I know," Nix said, stretching his hand for Kitanna to see the white fluffy rabbit.

"Wow... so beautiful," the princess smiled, petting the bunny. Before finally carrying it.

"You know someone that loves to run in the wild?" Kitanna asked, bringing the cute animal to her face.

"Yes, someone that stands in front of the lion’s den just to tease the lion" Nix replied his eyes still on the princess who was oblivious of her environment.

But she still did not understand that he was referring to her, she always acted too comfortable in front of him. Did she forget that he was a man? Nix asked in himself.

"I will name her Cherish!" Kitanna hugged the rabbit gently.

She raised her face to look at Nix, he was someone who appeared to be cold and aloof seeing him do nice things for her, got her heart melting. Kitanna smiled when she remembered how much she used to hate Nix before now.

Kitanna continued to glance at Nix, she was again mesmerized by his mere presence, she felt her heart skip when she saw him walk towards her.

Nix sauntered towards the princess, his gaze never dropped until he got to where she was standing with the furry little animal.

"Stop being careless" Nix moved his hands to raise the part of Kitanna’s dress that was falling from her shoulder, exposing her pale neck.

Nix turned and moved to the door, "Cherish is a good name" he said before he stepped out of the door.

Kitanna stood there, her whole body humming because of the casual grazing of Nix’s hand. She felt blood rush up to her neck.

"What did he mean by careless?" Kitanna muttered to herself, she shrugged her shoulder and continued to pet her new found friend.

Axilla stepped inside the room with the items Kitanna asked for, she noticed the princess was done with her bath. She rushed to oil her skin.

"Axilla, meet Cherish. She’s your younger sister" Kitanna moved a little for Axilla to see the little animal.

"She’s so cute" Axilla joined in rubbing the animal.

Then she clapped her hands together as if she forgot about something. This action caused Kitanna to raise an eyebrow.

"I forgot; the queen dowager asked that everyone in the royal family should get dressed. You are taking a walk outside the palace," Axilla reported.