Chapter 11 #2
“I want you to tell me to kiss you, Swan,” he said.
“I… I want you to kiss me,” I said. He waited. “I… Kiss me, Mr. Evergreen. Please.”
With my confession, I had expected him to erupt into a fit of passion, to take me into his arms, and pin me to the blanket, or carry me into the house, but he didn’t. He took a step backward and sat coolly upon the sheet to take a sandwich.
“W-Was that not what you wanted?” I asked.
“On the contrary, it was everything I wanted,” he said. “Come sit down. Eat.”
“Are we not going to…” I cleared my throat. “Are we not waiting for the others to indulge?”
He gestured to the picnic. “As much fun as it is to be the ever social Mr. Evergreen, I prefer to take advantage of these moments alone with you and be who I really am.”
“This is taking advantage?” I asked.
“Aye. Ser Willoughby said to find them, didn’t he? The day is young; we have plenty of time to be indulgent.”
Evergreen caught sight of something behind me. He climbed to his feet, finished the bite he held, then stole something from the greenery and brought it over.
“What is it?” I asked.
He hid it behind his back. “It’s not a feather,” he explained. “But it is white and pretty.”
“Is it a flower?” I asked. “I’m not much for flowers. Sameer—” I paused as he revealed a rose.
The petals were smooth and perfectly unbruised, and somehow it was brighter and livelier than the whole bushel of daisies the Prince had given me.
“A rose?” I asked.
“A rose,” he confirmed. He presented it again, this time with a flourish, and when I took it, he was happy.
“I’ll save you the trouble of defining its special meaning, love. I saw it there, thought you might like it, so I plucked it for you. I’m not declaring us soulmates.”
“Ha!” I nearly choked, horrified that I had laughed so shrilly. “I’m sorry. That was rude. Of course you’re not declaring us soulmates, Mr. Evergreen. Don’t be obtuse.”
He grinned at my response; his eyes fell to my lips.
“It’s wonderful though, really,” I said. “Thank you.”
“Not as wonderful as your laugh.”
“What?”
He shook his head, then brought his palm to the underside of my face. Cyrus leaned forward, gently, sweetly, lightly kissing my lips. I opened my eyes as he drew back.
He said, “I’m somewhat of a flower enthusiast. They hold meaning behind their colors, did you know?”
I could only see his mouth as it departed from mine.
After a moment, he said, “For instance, a red rose is commonly considered the most romantic. It represents passion and love. However, I believe that is a matter of personal experience. A white rose brings with it respect for one’s partner and new beginnings,” he explained.
“Loyalty, yes? Depending on your priorities, that feels deeper, I think.”
I tried not to smile, but couldn’t. “Have you schooled yourself in flower meanings as a means to woo us ladies?” I asked. “That was quite the demonstration.”
Cyrus sat back with a quiet bark of laughter. “Of course, Your Highness. Everything I learn is for you ladies.”
I couldn’t decide if he was serious. I asked, “Sir… What do daisies mean?”
Mr. Evergreen cocked his head. “Daisies? I give you a rose and you ask about daisies?”
My eyes narrowed and looked over the flower, twisting it in my fingers. “It was your doing, wasn’t it? Tell me. Did you instruct the Prince to give me flowers? Did you tell him which ones?”
He angled his brow but he never said the words.
“I see. They were daisies,” I said.
“Were they?” he asked.
“Yes. Yellow ones. What do yellow daisies mean?” I asked.
He mulled on it, muttering something I did not hear.
“Your pardon?”
“Friendship,” he said louder.
“Friendship?” I asked. “I see. Yes, the Prince and I are quite close in our friendship, aren’t we?”
“He wanted something that wasn’t…”
“Romantic?” I asked.
“Over the top,” Cyrus replied. “He’d just met you.”
“Ah. So he enlisted the great flower expert, Cyrus Evergreen,” I said. “And you picked daisies for me? Was that before or after you called me attractive? Would you have given me daisies with such feelings? Had you been able to act upon it?”
He frowned then grinned.
“Cat have you tongue, sir?”
“I would’ve given you roses,” he said.
“I see. I’m surprised you answered.”
“Well done, Your Highness.” He clapped. “I must say, that was a brutal plaint.”
“Thank you. I did feel rather clever for it.”
“As you should.”
“And also…. Thank you…” I played with the stem. “For the daisies and for the rose.”
He nodded once.
“Should, um, should we go inside?” I asked.
Evergreen stammered, and the magic and the spark between us was gone. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said.
“What? Why not?” I asked.
“Because you’re inexperienced, and-”
“Inexpe-?” I replayed the word. “Oh!” I gasped.
“Sex is—”
“Sex? Oh! Mr. Evergreen, no! I meant, I meant for the privacy!”
“The privacy?”
“Yes! The privacy of the cottage. Because— Because there’s a door, and I thought…. I thought we could continue to kiss privately? But not-I’m mortified.”
“We really need to revisit your phrasing, love. I thought you were coming onto me.” He fought off a self-deprecating sound.
“You thought I wanted to-?”
“You asked me to go inside!” he said. He shrugged. “And a minute ago you asked me what I wanted.”
“I…Wait!” I said. “Do you not wish to go inside with me?”
“Svana,” he moaned.
“Why not? Because I’m inexperienced? Does my virginity repulse you? Or do I?”
“Good God, do stop, love,” he said. He smiled. “That is not the case, I assure you.”
“Oh, you assure me, do you?” I asked.
“Now you wait a moment. Are you angry that I’ve chosen to be a gentleman? Most women would remark upon a man’s good nature for remaining patient with this sort of thing!”
“Sort of thing. Virginity is not an affliction, sir! You think there’s something wrong with me, do you? It’s not as if I haven’t had the urge or anything. I’ve just never had the opportunity, and-”
“Yes, your urges, huh? I suppose I do recall ramblings of bedposts.”
“Ugh!” I swatted him and he returned fire playfully, but soon the amusement dropped from my face and the whole mood sank. I crossed my arms.
“There’s nothing wrong with you,” he said.
“But because of your status, both in experience and in your engagement to my best friend, it feels wrong to agree or suggest such things. Like I’d take advantage of you that way.
Your first time should be special, and not in a deteriorating farmhouse with a man who uses flowers to manipulate the feelings of women. ”
“You’ll forgive me for feeling differently.”
He raised a brow at that. “About farmhouses or the manipulation, love?” Then he jutted his thumb out behind us. “Does the chance of spiders do it for you, yeah?”
“About whom I spend my time with, sir!” I explained. “Lord, you’re mad.”
He eyed me closer. “Additionally, you’re not like the other women I’ve been with. You’re…”
“Oh, spare me! Is this where you tell me I’m special? Like this special rose? Am I supposed to swoon at how significant I must be?”
That earned a smirk. “Dangerous was my choice.”
“I’m dangerous?” I asked.
“Aye. Extremely. A major risk, bearing major consequences for someone like me to suffer, when we are caught in this affair.”
“If.”
“I could get hurt for kissing the Prince’s wife. Worse for worse.”
“I wouldn’t let that happen,” I said.
“You’ve told your knight about us,” he said, nodding toward his and Miss Josie’s path. “Two men can’t keep a secret unless one of them is dead.”
“Oreian men are different,” I told him. “You should understand that, try as you might to escape your heritage, you never will. Further, Ser Willoughby is my cousin. He’s not just my guard.
He won’t divulge anything that happens between us, but if he did, and if we were caught, I would make sure everyone heard that our connection was a mutual connection and nothing malicious. ”
“Your reputation would not recover,” he explained. “I could not do that to you.” He shook his head. “And Sam… He would be marred.”
“Sam would not care,” I said.
“You don’t know him like I do, Princess. He would care.”
“Then if we were caught and if he were upset, I would cite Miss Agatha, and he and I would be even, and that would be the end of that conversation.”
“We’ve been close since youth,” he said. “Sameer was my first friend here. And though you might not want to hear it, he is a sensitive sort. He would care. He would be hurt.”
“I will refrain from commenting further, out of respect for you and your opinion of the Prince, but I do want it noted that your sensitive Sameer does not worry for my sensitivities, now does he? Besides, we’re friends.
You and I. I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. You’re doing me a service.”
“A service, eh?”
“Yes. Of friendship.”
“Ser Elías knows, too,” he added. “Does he subscribe to our friendship?”
“He won’t be a problem,” I said.
“He was very clear with his disapproval the last time I saw him. It makes me nervous to learn that both of your Blades are aware there is something between us.”
“Elías wouldn’t hurt a fly,” I insisted. “He’s a big cuddly wildcat.”
“He’s a soldier. His job is to hurt. And, not to mention, wildcats are natural killers. Did you mean to use that analogy?”
“He hurts in the way of duty. Why does everyone keep saying he’s heinous?”
“If two or more see it, it’s not a mirage, Princess.”
“Mr. Evergreen, please. I swear. I would not let you get injured and Elías and I are very close. He would never hurt me. Hurting you would hurt me. He knows that. He- I’ve-” I had to stop myself. “Why am I fighting you for attention anyway? I respect myself far too much to beg you to like me.”
“No one’s begging,” he said. “We’re discussing.”
I shook my head. “No, I’m begging and I’m repulsed. We should head back.”
“I didn’t-” He caught my arm as I tried to turn away. He let go the moment I noticed. “I don’t want this to stop,” he said.
“You don’t?” I asked.