The Bald Princess

~Twenty One~

Do you ever look at the moon? Do you ever feel its loneliness? The only light it gets is from the mighty sun and what really surrounds it is just darkness.

Atarah

Warrior Duncan looked handsome as ever. It was hard to even take my eyes off him. He looked different today. But then I realised, he had just removed his red overcoat and has unbuttoned his first button of his white uniform shirt. It wasn't until today, I realised, his red overcoat made him more intimidating than he was. But he had his sabre with him. His freshly shaven face was glowing under the infirmary lamp, making my heart to stammer inside me.

"I would really like if you could appreciate me using your vocals, healer." Warrior Duncan joked. His smug expression made me scowl; blush erupted my cheeks as I looked away from him.

"The intention was to make you aware about your looks. How does it matter if you heard it from my mind or from my mouth?" I asked, grateful to the confidence that often surged inside me when Warrior Duncan was around me.

He rose his brows at me as he crossed his arms around his chest making his crisp, white shirt to snuggle closer to his body.

"Your mind tells me thing, you don't want me or anyone to hear but your mouth— it tells me of the thing, you want to share with me. The difference is, hearing from your mind is something I can't control but hearing from your mouth, it makes me happy." He confessed and I realized how honest was being today. I cleared my throat, feeling the sudden pain in my throat. The weather was getting cold.

"Is it?" I asked softly, looking down as I quietly placed my stethoscope inside the drawer before shutting the record register. Warrior Duncan hummed in response.

"In that case, you look beautiful, Sir." I mumbled, shyly gazing up in his eyes and his lips parted in shock. I couldn't help but smile at how his face was devoid of any malice or anger at that moment, just raw and pure shock.

He blinked in surprise. His eyes looking at me like a kid looks at the first snow— with fascination, with the desire to play with it, to brush his fingers agains the cold snow. But he also looked like a man enchanted by a woman who was burning in equal yearning.

"Are your words the result of my previously said words?" He asked lowly, roughly and I shook my head gently at his question.

"You are beautiful, Warrior Duncan, there's no lie in it. It's just my habit to say things in my mind, thinking people don't want to hear them. You are the first one who are interested in knowing what I think, why I think instead of getting irritated of why I speak." I said, my insides trembling with the newfound confidence and bravery. I never voiced my opinion before, never confessed my feelings out loud. This wasn't me.

"Your voice calms down my devil." He whispered, I wasn't sure if I was meant to hear that but then I realised, he was Warrior Ansel Duncan, he wanted me to hear him. He never said things, he didn't mean. "Are you done seeing your patients? Can we head out for dinner now?"

He asked after a minute and two of silence; I nodded my head, taking the keys of the infirmary and shoved it inside my purse before I sling it around my shoulders. Bailey had left early today, she had an interview on the construction site.

"Yeah, let's go." I said, taking the neatly wrapped parcel in my hand as I locked the infirmary. Warrior Duncan was patiently waiting for me as I took my time to close the infirmary. When I was done, I quickly turned around and pushed the parcel towards Warrior Duncan and he rose his left brow in confusion.

"What is it?" He asked in his deep, rough voice. I shrugged my shoulders as my heart kept hammering inside my chest. I wasn't used to this. Someone standing beside me, waiting for me so that we could enjoy a meal together. This was foreign to me.

"I didn't had anything to bring for you. So, I thought this blanket would be a decent gift. I have made this blanket at home. It's not from any sale." I quickly added the last statement, not wanting him to misunderstand the importance of my gift. I have weaved it by my own hands.

I saw his lips twitching slightly as he looked at me, not opening the parcel yet. Something flashed in his eyes. I didn't knew what it was, but it felt aesthetic. His beauty often left me in turmoil, how can such a gorgeous creature be so full of sins and demons?

"Who gave you the idea that I wanted a gift from you, healer? You didn't had to bring me anything. I'm planning a lot more meals with you in future, will you bring me blankets in our every meet?" He asked firmly and I felt like he didn't like the idea of me bringing him the gifts. I knew, blankets weren't a great choice for gifts. Who even gifts blankets anymore?

"Did I offend you, Sir Duncan?" I asked quietly and he sighed, shaking his head as he took a few steps ahead and I followed his lead. He looked tired but not disappointed.

"In my world, healer, we don't mix the materialistic things with such divine and sacred bonds. Materialistic pleasures only induces greed in people, in creatures." He explained and I bit my lips, sighing.

"I'm sorry, Warrior Duncan, I've never been out before with anyone. This is new to me and very awkward too. The last time I went out for dinner was a new year's feast fifteen years ago. My mother always said that we must not go empty hand to anybody's house or party. This blanket is far from materialistic pleasure, Sir, it's my kind of respect to you and your valuable time."

"You, healer, always be with me and that would be the most valuable gift for me till the end of the time and eternity, okay?" He said, making me swallow nervously. I bit my lips, looking at the barely visible moon.

"I will try, Warrior Duncan." I said and his lips curled up in a smile. Not the predatory, sadistic smile, nor any evil smirk but pure smile. It made my heart tp skip a beat. He was so beautiful, like the moon. For a moment, I forgot that he was a vampire, the Warrior in Chief of our kingdom and I was the cursed woman, ordered to stay away from him. For a moment, I forgot everything.

"Healer," He called out for me after walking for seventeen minutes and I looked at him, humming in response. "Where would you like to have our dinner? We can either go in the diner or any cafe nearby. Cafe would be a better option, what do you think? I could ask them  for a private booth for free there."

He said, marking me chuckle. Of course, he would ask everything for free. I shook my head, feeling the cold air slapping my body and I realised, I urgently I was in a need for a sweater.

"Can we not eat in the woods? It's so calm outside with such pleasant wind blowing. It's the first night of the winter after all. What do you think?" I asked and he looked at me, for a second I got lost in his dark eyes. They were boring into mine, probably rummaging for something in my mind. Sometimes, I wish, he couldn't read my mind. But some days, I was grateful for his skills. He could understand me without me speaking a single word. It felt like a bliss at times while it felt like a curse at other moments.

"Is it because you're scared of meeting people?" He asked softly, my breath hitched at the sudden softness his voice had. I wasn't yet getting used to his soft personality. Though it was very rare to see him...... this gentle, it felt good. All my life, I had only face the aggression of people and having someone who didn't wish to dominate me felt fresh.

"You already know the answer, don't you?" I asked quietly and his intense eyes looked at me with an expression that told me how dumb my question was but he answered me nonetheless. The softness was slowly seeping out of his tone, making me frown.

"Yes." Was all he said. "But I want to hear it from you." He said lowly and I squirmed under his scrutinizing gaze. When I didn't speak anything for a very long time, he spoke again.

"The first step to eliminate the fear out of you is to accept your fear, healer. You can't get rid of something, you don't accept exist." He said firmly, his voice held authority and I sighed.

"It's not the people I fear from, Warrior Duncan. It's the disgust on their faces. It haunts me, Sir." He soft admitted. It felt........ relieving to confess the truth and for once I didn't felt like someone would judge me for my thoughts. My fears, my insecurities were valued by him. And it felt great to have that change.

"Come, we'll buy the food from the diner and eat in the woods. You have brought your money, right?" He asked seriously and a smile cracked on my face as I nodded my head and he nodded back.

We walked in the diner. The owner was first disgusted, enraged to see me walking in his diner but his disgust soon turned into shock when he saw Warrior Duncan coming in behind me.

"Oh, my great mighty Warrior. What shall I bring for you today?" The owner asked, bowing his hear down elegantly and I realized how much he scared the people. He looked at the menu, his emotionless, impassive eyes scanned the menu before he turned towards the chef who stood there still, like a statue.

"What is cooked fresh today?" He asked in his bone chilling voice. I didn't knew what caused the hair on my neck to stand, was it the cold air or his cold voice? I wasn't sure. Maybe both.

"Chicken is freshly......." The chef started but was cut off in between.

"No, not in non vegetarian. Tell me what is there in the vegetarian menu today." I rose my fake brows at his demand. Vegetarian? Doesn't he drink blood to survive? He can drink blood but not eat chicken?

Warrior Duncan glanced at me, his lips curling up in an amused smile as he looked at me with his raptorial gaze.

'I don't wish to make you uncomfortable by eating flesh beside you because you are a vegetarian, healer.' His voice echoed in my head, making me jerk forward. Gosh!

My cheeks reddened as I quickly looked away from him.

"We have freshly baked and even roasted and grilled vegetables and some fried fritters too. If you want, I can quickly make you some fried rice, you great Warrior." The chef said, his voice calculated, alert as if he was trying his best to not mess up in front of the Royal Warrior in Chief. I didn't blame him honestly.

"What would you like to have, healer?" He asked and I pressed my lips together. I wasn't that hungry. But then when was I ever been hungry? I had to choose wisely. I could always end up wasting a lot of food.

"Roasted vegetables shall suffice me, Sir." I said after a minute and he nodded his head.

"What about you, great and brave Warrior?" The owner asked in his shaky voice and he thought for a second before telling him his order.

"Make those fried rice for me and do not add too much of spices, hm? Do you have fresh tomatoes and fruits with you?" Warrior Duncan asked curtly and the chef nodded his head way too energetically.

"Add them too. My food is free, right?" He asked in his dangerously low tone and I saw the owner gulping in fear as he nodded his head.

"Yes, Sir. It's free for you."

"I knew. And for the lady, she will pay for her own food."