why can't you love me

Chapter Six: The Forbidden Touch

The sunlight slipped through the heavy curtains, painting golden streaks across my chamber. I let out a soft yawn, pressing my small hand against my eyes to shield them from the early light, but sleep had deserted me long before the sun rose. Last night’s memory lingered like a spark threatening to ignite a blaze his touch on my face, so light and deliberate, and the way his gaze seemed to pierce through my very soul. I shivered involuntarily, realizing just how deeply it had affected me.

A knock at the door made me jump, my heart skipping a beat. “Enter,” I called, trying to keep my voice steady, though I could feel the faint tremor betraying my calm.

The door opened, and there he stood the king. My pulse raced, betraying the careful composure I tried to maintain. His presence alone had the power to make me feel exposed, vulnerable, and inexplicably drawn to him.

“Good morning, Princess Aria,” he said, his voice low and smooth, carrying both warmth and authority. He stepped inside, and I instinctively took a small step back, though a part of me a part I wasn’t ready to admit longed for him to stay.

“I… good morning, Your Majesty,” I stammered, my cheeks warming at the sight of him.

He studied me for a long, measured moment, his piercing gaze sweeping over me as if weighing my very soul. Every heartbeat, every shiver, seemed to be laid bare under his scrutiny. Then, gently, he reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face. His touch lingered longer than necessary, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.

“You are restless,” he observed, his tone soft but with the subtle edge of authority that reminded me of the boundaries I was not meant to cross.

“I… I sleep poorly,” I murmured, looking down, wishing I could hide the storm of thoughts raging within me.

“Or perhaps,” he continued, stepping closer, “your heart is troubled.” The words were a whisper, almost intimate, but carried the weight of danger. My breath caught in my throat. My pulse quickened. I wanted to speak, to deny it, yet the truth trembled on the tip of my tongue.

He drew nearer, the heat radiating from him enveloping me, and I could not help but notice how impossibly close he was. My hands clutched at the folds of my gown, grounding myself against the pull I felt toward him. “Your Majesty…” I tried to speak, my voice barely audible, betraying both awe and fear.

He bent slightly, the faintest of smiles playing at the corners of his lips. “There are some fires,” he murmured, his gaze locked on mine, “that cannot be hidden. Some desires… that cannot be tamed.”

I felt my knees grow weak, yet I knew I had to find some semblance of control. “I… I must prepare for the council meeting,” I said quickly, forcing myself to step back. My voice trembled, though I tried to steady it. The words felt hollow, a flimsy shield against the intensity of his presence.

He chuckled softly, a sound that wrapped around me like a dangerous melody. “Very well, Princess,” he said, turning toward the door. But even as he left, I felt his lingering presence, like a shadow cast over my skin, leaving me restless and aware of every hidden craving I refused to acknowledge.

Alone, I sank onto the edge of my bed, my mind a storm of forbidden thoughts. Every fiber of my being seemed to ache for him, yet I knew the danger of giving in. What did he want from me? Was it only curiosity, or was it something deeper… something dangerous? And more importantly, what did I want?

I dressed for the council meeting with trembling hands, my mind barely on the duties that awaited me. Every glance in the mirror reminded me of the fire that had been awakened, the longing I couldn’t suppress, and the questions I dared not ask. The palace felt suffocating, the walls closing in as my heart wrestled between desire and duty.

And yet, despite the fear, despite the warnings, there was a thrill in it a dangerous, intoxicating thrill that I could not deny.