CHAPTER 478: SHAMELESS PRINCE

Ariel had never met anyone as shameless as Kaiden at least, not that she could remember.

Kaiden smiled, then pulled off the rest of his clothes. "Stop acting like you haven’t seen me naked before. We’re technically married, Ariel. There’s nothing to be shy about..." he said, rising from his seat.

He didn’t care that his ’mmhmm’ was now right in front of her. Ariel cleared her throat, mortified. The thing was waving. He truly was the definition of shameless. Her cheeks flushed as she averted her gaze. It was... pretty large. No wonder the bastard was so cocky.

Kaiden chuckled at her bashful reaction, finding it particularly refreshing. He sank into the tub of warm water that had been prepared in advance. A soft sigh left his lips as the heat soaked into his skin, easing the tension from his shoulders.

He was thoroughly exhausted first from dealing with the bounty hunters, then from chasing around his stubborn ’wife’ who refused to even look his way.

"Besides, I’m not giving you another chance to escape. We’ll be sharing a room until we get to Vitalis," he mentioned, eyes now closed in peace.

That finally caught her attention. Her head snapped in his direction, and her eyes lingered on his serene expression. He looked far less demonic with his eyes closed.

She hissed under her breath and shut her eyes again. He was giving her a headache.

"The water’s nice. You should join me," he offered like some charming angel.

"I’d rather not," she snapped back instantly.

"Your loss." Kaiden shrugged.

That was just the beginning.

Ariel valued her personal space. She hadn’t expected to meet someone who respected it even less than she did.

The entire trip was, to her, a form of psychological warfare. Kaiden was constantly in her space, always hovering around like a lovesick puppy. Even when she left the room for some air, he was right behind her.

To others, they probably looked like an adorable, doting couple. But only she knew the suffering. She was living in daily torment and headaches, with a man who seemed to *enjoy* driving her crazy.

The only time she had a moment’s peace was when he trained. That was when she could breathe. But Kaiden, ever suspicious, insisted she accompany him even then. So now, her ’me time’ was spent watching him train.

And he was skilled not that she’d ever admit that aloud. Feeding his ego would be a tragedy.

He behaved like she might leap overboard at any second to escape him, and honestly, that idea was starting to sound more appealing by the day.

They even began bathing together. During those times, Kaiden often talked about his childhood. And even if she tried not to listen, he was a compelling storyteller. Despite constantly pressing into her space or sneaking a kiss, Kaiden wasn’t necessarily bad. Just... very annoying.

Over time, she grew used to him, and his particular brand of affection. She wouldn’t say she loved him, but she had grown fond of his presence. Within those two weeks, she accepted that Kaiden was now part of her space uninvited, but no longer unwelcome.

****

Ariel still thought the idea of a bounty on her head was a joke until it wasn’t. Her face was posted in every seedy inn, drawn in rough strokes with the word WANTED in bold letters underneath.

Someone genuinely wanted her dead, and she had no idea who it could be.

Their journey from Vesper to Vitalis had been entirely by sea to avoid running into hired assassins. Kaiden had questioned her more than once, trying to piece together what could have made her a target, but she was just as clueless. He could only hope for answers once they arrived in Vitalis.

*******

Steam rose from the bath, curling into the air like mist. Warm water surrounded them, soothing sore muscles and easing tension. Ariel always looked forward to a hot soak. It was usually when Kaiden chose to talk about his past.

He hadn’t had a perfect childhood, it was far from it. Every day was a competition of survival. He had become the man he was to avoid dying like his brothers. Even the Queen’s son wasn’t safe from the rivalry of the royal harem.

"Up till this day, no one knows I tricked them," Kaiden said with a laugh after finishing one of his mischievous stories. Despite his upbringing, Kaiden hadn’t lost his mischievous tendencies, though he hid them well from the public eye.

He glanced down at Ariel, who was nestled against his chest, eyes closed like she was sleeping. But he knew better she was still awake. His arm was wrapped around her waist, hand resting just beneath her chest.

Ariel had grown far less resistant lately. Slowly, Kaiden had breached her walls. He teased her often, yes, but he never crossed the line, even when they shared a bed.

There were moments when desire clawed at him when he tried to relive that night, but he held back. He was already asking a lot of her.

"You never mention anything about your childhood," Kaiden said softly.

Ariel’s brows furrowed, and her eyes opened slowly. A soft frown sat on her lips.

"I lost my memories after a near-death experience two years ago. Mother never spoke about it, and I never asked," she answered.

Kaiden nodded, pulling her closer. He pressed his face into the curve of her neck, savouring the moment. He knew once they reached Vitalis, their time like this would become scarce.

"We’ll be arriving in Vitalis tomorrow. I plan to introduce you to my mother, and then we can proceed with the wedding," he told her.

Ariel shifted out of his arms, turning to face him.

"Are you sure your parents will accept me?" she asked. With a 10,000-gold bounty on her head, only the royal family could truly protect her. But how would they feel about him marrying a village girl?

"My mother is kind. She’ll accept you once she knows the kind of person you are. And even if she doesn’t, it won’t stop the wedding. I promised to protect you and I intend to keep that promise."

"Being kind isn’t enough, Kaiden. I’m scared they’ll say I bewitched you," she whispered.

Kaiden frowned, instantly concerned.

"Did someone say something to you?" he asked, sharp and direct. He had already suspected something was bothering her. A royalty knew how nasty rumours could be.

Ariel bowed her head, her finger tracing small circles on his abs. She swallowed hard before answering.

"I overheard one of the maids saying things I’d rather not repeat... but they were true."

Suddenly, the room felt colder.