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Chapter 11 – The Bath Together
The storm had passed, leaving the palace wrapped in a damp, heavy quiet.
Himeka sat at the vanity, brushing out her hair with slow, shaky strokes. Her lips still tingled from the stolen kisses of the night before, her cheeks hot with the memory of pressing her mouth to his neck. Every time she remembered it, her chest fluttered, her thighs pressed together unconsciously.
She had gone too far.
And yet… she wanted more.
The silence of the chamber was broken by the faint sound of water—the hot spring bath, already drawn. The servants had lit lanterns along the tiled walls, their warm glow flickering in the steam.
She rose, her heart hammering.
When she reached the bath chamber, he was already there.
The sight stole her breath.
His robe had been set aside, his pale skin luminous against the steam, his long white hair loose and damp from the mist. He sat with his back to her, his crimson eyes lowered, his form statuesque and unearthly.
Himeka froze at the doorway, her breath caught in her throat.
So beautiful…
Her cheeks flushed crimson. Her body tingled with both embarrassment and want.
"Y-Your Majesty," she stammered, her voice trembling. "You… you don't mind if I…"
No answer.
Her heart raced faster. Does silence mean yes? Or… am I shameless for assuming so?
But desire pushed her forward.
She slipped out of her silk nightgown, the fabric falling soundlessly to the floor. Steam clung to her bare skin, heat rushing across every inch of her body. Covering herself with her arms, she stepped into the bath.
The water embraced her, hot and soothing, but nothing compared to the heat rising from within.
She settled beside him, her shoulder brushing lightly against his. The contact made her gasp softly.
"…It's hot," she whispered, though she wasn't sure if she meant the water or her own trembling body.
He didn't move. Didn't react. But he didn't pull away either.
Encouraged, she leaned into him, her damp skin pressing against his arm. Her breath hitched at the intimacy, the closeness.
"…Do you know what you do to me?" she whispered, her lips brushing dangerously close to his shoulder.
The steam made her dizzy. Her body felt weightless, tingling everywhere.
She turned slightly, pressing a shy kiss against the wet skin of his shoulder. Then another, slower, lingering longer.
Her hand rose, hesitant but trembling with need, to rest against his chest beneath the water. His skin was firm, warm even through the heat of the bath.
Her lips grazed up the side of his neck. Her voice came out in a husky whisper, trembling with both longing and fear:
"…You make me ache. You make me burn."
Tears welled in her eyes, not of sadness, but from the unbearable sweetness of the moment.
"I want you to touch me," she confessed, her lips brushing his ear now. "Even just once… to know what it feels like. To know I'm not the only one burning."
Still no answer.
But his silence no longer crushed her—it drove her mad.
She kissed him again, bolder, lingering at his neck before pulling back to search his face. Her lips quivered, her cheeks flushed a deep crimson.
"Even if you never say a word," she whispered, "I'll keep kissing you until you can't ignore me anymore."
And with that, she leaned in, capturing his lips in a trembling, heated kiss.
The steam swirled around them, water lapping gently against the sides of the bath. Her body pressed against his, her hands clutching at his shoulders, her lips desperate and hungry.
His stillness only made her desire fiercer.
When she finally pulled away, panting softly, her face was scarlet, her eyes glistening with both tears and heat.
"…You let me," she whispered, her voice breaking into a shaky smile. "You're really letting me."
Her body melted against his, her head resting on his chest as the bath water rippled around them.
And though he remained silent, she could feel it—his warmth surrounding her, holding her more surely than any words could.
That night, in the steam and the silence, Himeka's love burned brighter than ever.
And the fire inside her promised: this was only the beginning.
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End of Chapter 11
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