A Kiss A Day

6: The Kiss

"What do you know about the House of Lavignia?"

Arrakis asked his trusted knight Tancred, who raised a questioning brow at him before answering nonetheless, "Only what you know as well, my Lord. That they are earth-shatterers originally from the East."

"Find out more about them."

"Yes, my Lord." Tancred bowed as a salute and left Arrakis to continue watching his wife dance with the Crown Prince of Cyranda.

Arrakis noticed the tension between Cassie and Prince Garrett earlier but couldn't put a finger on what is going on. He first thought that is was a sibling rivalry, but looking at them now dancing and laughing, they seem rather close. Too close, in fact, that if they weren't siblings, he'd think they were former lovers or something.

He sensed it before it happened. Arrakis was out of his chair and striding past couples on the dance floor to reach Cassiopeia and Prince Garrett who were no longer dancing and just standing still in the middle of the ballroom, his hand on her cheek, the other on her waist, and hers wrapped around his neck.

Arrakis growled and was about to pull the prince off his wife when he saw her hands turning blue and her face drained of color. He caught her just in time as she collapsed.

She lay limp in Arrakis' arms, freezing cold. The Drakonian Prince immediately melted the forming ice on her skin with his powers.

"I'm sorry...I-" Prince Garrett was muttering, "Oh Gods...Peia...Eliana!" He called for the lady to attend to the fainted princess because he can't seem to go near her. He was backing away like what she had was contagious. The crowd followed his lead and soon there was a clearing on the dance floor that's now covered in ice.

The mood in the entire room became tensed as everyone is momentarily distracted from the festivities to observe the commotion. There was an immediate stir of concern and surprise among the people but nobody dared approach the couple to help.

Only Eliana and Dalton rushed to Cassiopeia's aid, "Let me, Your Highness." Dalton attempted to take her.

But Arrakis growled and strides past him, still holding her in his arms. "Attempt to touch my wife again and I will have your head." He warned menacingly. He was still suspicious of the Lavignia twins because of the dress.

Tancred appeared at his side as if from thin air and put a hand over the hilt of his sword. The twins shared a look and stepped away.

Tancred led the way to the west wing and opened the doors when they reached their chambers and stood guard outside.

Cassiopeia was still cold to the touch despite Arrakis pouring his fire in her from the walk there.

He blasted his fire to the hearth and saw his powers were working fine so he was confused as to why Cassiopeia was still cold and unconscious. He sat down with her near the fire and held her cheek with one hand to try and shake her awake. Her chest was unmoving, an indication that she was not breathing.

"Come on, Cassie. Wake up. What's wrong?" He murmured to Cassiopeia in worry.

His sleeve caught between the crystals in her dress. He suddenly realized that the crystals might have been absorbing his fire instead of her. So he immediately tear off her dress, leaving on her only the white flimsy satin and lace chemise underneath.

He poured his fire again in her and when her chest heaved slightly, relief washed over him. He stood up with her in his arms and moved away from the crystaled dress that was littered on the floor and strode to the bed.

As Arrakis lay Cassiopeia down on the mattress, she stirred gently, her lips parting in a way that had his heart racing. He watched her softly heaving, her silver hair that was in it's usual bun came lose and is now spread out on the pillow. Without even thinking about it, he brushed his thumb against her bottom lip, dragging the pad of his finger against the plump fullness of it, vaguely wondering what it would taste like to kiss her properly.

Catching himself getting stirred with lustful thoughts, he rose from where he was sat on the bed and started to pace. "Get a grip, Arrakis!" He told himself, "Why are you thinking about kissing her?" He closed his eyes and shakes his head.

"It's the blood oath,"

Arrakis turned to the small hoarse voice by the bed. Cassiopeia has awaken, still gently heaving and weak, but alive and awake.

"What?" Arrakis asked confused as he walk closer to her.

"The urge to kiss me is probably the effect of the blood oath," she softly explained and nodded to the grandfather clock near the window. "It's almost midnight and we still haven't kissed for the day."

Comprehension slowly dawned on Arrakis and he sighed in relief. So it was just the blood oath and not anything else. He sat on the bed again, "So, we just have to kiss, right?"

Cassiopeia feebly lifted herself half up on her elbows and nodded.

Arrakis leans in enough to feel her cold breath against his. She closes the gap between them and plants a soft kiss on his lips like she always does. He isn't aware of when he pulled her head to him to deepen the kiss. He vaguely noticed the chimes sounding in the background as he took her bottom lip and she shivered.

She tasted sweet like honey and intoxicating like wine. He's suddenly feverish with desire and kissing her was not enough. His tongue explored her mouth, while his hands explored her body.

"-aargh!" Arrakis grunted when his hand was frozen, enveloped in ice.

"What in the chaos are you doing??" Cassiopeia asked bewildered, she's now sitting on the bed with her back on the headboard.

"I-I..." Arrakis stuttered, astounded himself at what he did and still wanted to do. "What are you doing?!" He deflected. "This was probably your plan all along! You didn't kiss me this morning knowing that with the blood oath, you'd have a reason to go crazy on me! You...you minx!"

"What?? You were coming on to me!" She covered herself with her arms, only now noticing her missing clothes. "And what happened to my dress?!" She screeched.

Arrakis stood up now and let his fire melt the ice caging his hands. "It's there by the fire," pointing to the ruined dress, "and you're welcome by the way! If I didn't take it off you in time and warmed you up with my fire, you would be an ice sculpture right now-!" Arrakis berated, incensed.

"-Thank you." She said abruptly with sincerity. Her eyes glassy with the sudden unshed tears. She really is grateful because she felt it when her heartbeat slowed and frost covered it bit by bit. If Arrakis didn't melt the ice in her heart, who knows when her dragon might wake her up. She shivered at the thought of only waking up after the death of her non-tether love, as the lores go.

Arrakis let out a long breath, "What happened anyway? Is that why they made you wear the crystal dress? Because you couldn't control your powers?"

She just shook her head, raised her legs and embraced her knees. It didn't escape her that her husband still thinks she was forced into the dress. She looked like a scared child and Arrakis had the urge to hug her.

"And what's up with your brother? He couldn't get away there fast enough!" He scoffed.

Cassiopeia looked at him with an arched brow and realized that he must be talking about Garrett. She chuckles softly before saying, "I can see why you would think that. We were brought up like siblings, but Garrett and I aren't related."

Saying Arrakis was shocked would be an understatement. His eyes bulged and he seems to be struggling with what question to ask first because his mouth kept opening and closing like a fish.

This made Cassiopeia curl her lips inside her mouth. What does she expect from someone who doesn't even bother to learn their own laws? Learn about the Kingdom and background of the person he's forming a marriage alliance with? Suddenly, the thought of Garrett warning her about falling for this self-absorbed man-child was hilarious.

Arrakis finally settled on what emotion was fervent. And it was anger. He didn't know why, but he was angry at the Cyrandan Crown Prince. Maybe it's because the prince knew Cassiopeia since childhood and he didn't. They have a shared history and were close, and they weren't, having only met a week ago. And yet he was the one who seemed to be more concerned for Cassie. The Crown Prince of Cyranda, the coward that he is, wouldn’t even touch the unconscious dragon maiden and even called for her handmaid instead. After dancing merrily with her, the moment she lost control of her powers, he discarded her like a plague.

Maybe that's why they sent her to the West.To him. If the Northern prince was man enough, he would've tried to help Cassie to control her powers. And if she were only able to control her powers, she wouldn't be sent away to be married off. He wouldn't be married to her and he would still be happy with Astraluna.

"Are you angry?" Cassiopeia asked, confused.

Yes. Arrakis wanted to say, but turned away instead. He knows it isn't her fault, maybe she didn't want to get married either that's why she made that contract for their divorce. But why include that ridiculous condition? Was she poisoning him with every kiss? No, that can't be it, there's no reason for her to kill him. Maybe she's bewitching Arrakis with every kiss so that she can control him and through him, his army of dragons, to take revenge on the kingdom that sold her out.

"Hey...are you alright?" Cassiopeia was now standing behind him, her hand on his shoulder. He flinched at her touch and her light blue eyes met his liquid gold that's turning darker by the second.

"Stay. Away. From. Me." Arrakis said in a low growl, eyes burning with fury. His whole body emitting scorching heat and Cassiopeia felt afraid of him for the first time.