The fact that he hadn’t had an answer to the question she’d posed was not entirely surprising, as she supposed that like with many things, one never really knew what they would do until the moment came where they were tested. She had no intention of testing him to find out. She was being reckless enough as it was; she saw no reason to test fate, or to find out if this was all just a facade.<br/><br/>Instead, she’d given her answer, rather than drawing it out and waiting for an answer that may never come, and that likely wouldn’t change the outcome either way. He didn’t seem surprised by the answer she gave; perhaps he had expected it. She wondered briefly if he made a habit of such things. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer, but she was certain that it made no real difference, and she didn’t generally make a habit of asking questions to which she didn’t need or want answers.<br/><br/>Perhaps it was silly to wish to believe his promise that she needn’t fear, but she didn’t get the feeling that he was lying, so she chose to believe him rather than doubt. After all, if he’d wished to kill her, he’d had his chance to try in the forest. Of course, he hadn’t known that she was the princess then, but as far as she could tell, that knowledge hadn’t really changed anything.<br/><br/>It became difficult for her to maintain some semblance of composure as he spoke, offering promises that she couldn’t help but cling to as he moved to stand behind her. When she felt his soft breath against her ear, her body shivered involuntarily, betraying whatever attempts she made at seeming at least a little controlled. Her body betrayed her further when she let out a shuddered breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as his whispered a final promise of what was to come. "You're a bold one, aren't you?"<br/><br/>Some part of her screamed at her to run, another told her that this was wrong, that she shouldn’t give in, that she should just say no and walk away. But another part of her didn’t want to; this part of her wanted to give in, to know what it would feel like, to allow herself control over at least this one thing. There would be consequences, she knew that, and yet it didn’t seem to matter. No matter what her mind or her better judgement told her, it all seemed drowned out by the voice that told her one simple thing:<span style="font-style: italic">give in</span>.<br/><br/>“Very well,” she almost whispered the words, despite her desire to give a more decisive and clear answer. It was difficult to focus on speaking, or on anything other than the way he was nipping at her earlobe. It was also difficult to sound confident when you felt nervous, which she did, although, the bite was not the source of these feelings. Truthfully, she had expected to have been bitten already and had braced herself for such, but instead, he displayed a surprising amount of restraint.<br/><br/>When he moved to help her out of her jacket, she slipped it off, allowing him to help her do so more easily before she placed it on the nearest piece of furniture. A soft breath escaped her lips as she felt his cool hands against her skin, sending another shiver through her body. She inhaled sharply as his hands moved upwards until they were cupping her breasts, caressing them gently and teasing her nipples.<br/><br/>It took a great deal of self-control not to make a sound with every little touch sending new feelings surging through her body. It was all so new, and it felt incredible, leaving her wanting more and tempting her to let him know exactly how she felt. This one temptation, she resisted, both because she didn’t wish to draw attention to what was happening beyond her doors and because it was, perhaps, the one way in which she could retain just a little control.<br/><br/>She wasn’t sure whether it was brilliant or cruel of him to have told her what to expect—the bite, the pain, the pleasure—and then leave her in suspense. Not that she was particularly thrilled to be in pain, but if it was to happen, part of her wished to just get it over with. Then again, she couldn’t exactly complain, because she was left to anticipate not only the unfortunate pain, but the promise of a pleasure far greater, and with every touch, he only added to that anticipation, to that desire.<br/><br/>A soft but pleasant sigh escaped her lips as she allowed her head to lull just a little to one side, expecting that even he would likely not hold out much longer. She tried to allow her body to relax—a difficult task, all things considered—guessing that it would probably be at least a little less painful if her muscles weren’t so tense and resistant to the bite. Perhaps not, but it was worth a shot, anyways. Until then, she would try not to focus too much on the expectation of pain, perhaps instead she would enjoy the pleasure while it lasted.