Bewitching The Alpha King

Chapter 13

"Woah, I never thought I would be ever in one of these" Elise couldn't help but squeal in excitement as Arthur and she walked into the maze. The weather was not too cold, not too warm. It was just perfect to have an evening stroll.

The sun wasn't fully sinking yet so the sky was a mixture of purplish-pink clouds with orange in them. The birds were chirping somewhere far away, adding a sense of serenity to the evening. Arthur wished that he held her hands as they walked, then the evening would be perfect. At least for him, that is.

Arthur smiled at her excitement, "This used to be very popular" He said, glancing at her. For a second, her beauty blinded him.

She was smiling as they went deeper into the maze and it was genuine. Of course, she wasn't smiling at him but he couldn't help but marveled at her when her pearly white teeth were showed just a little. There was a cute dimple on the right side of her cheek. She looked alluring. And all he wanted at that moment is to just grab her and kiss her.

He has been waiting centuries to meet her.

Elise felt his eyes on her and she looked up to catch him blatantly staring at her. Her cheeks turned rosy and it looked lovely. She cleared her throat uncomfortably, "Yeah, I heard about that" She said, scratching the back of her neck nervously.

Why is he looking at her that way? Most importantly why there are butterflies fluttering in her stomach? Elise scolded herself for wavering. The King surely wouldn't be interested in her of all people. Someone who is not even his own kind.

The King snapped back to the reality just like that and looked away from her, staring right ahead, "No one is interested in it nowadays" He added after a few seconds, rearranging his features so he wouldn't look like a lovesick puppy. He has waited centuries for her, he could wait a month or two more. Waiting isn't something new to him.

Elise didn't know what to tell him so she simply nodded her head at him in agreement. They came to a dead end so the both of them turned around, trying the other path, "This looks well kept though" She said, noticing how the leaves were trimmed into a box-like shape.

"Yeah, the gardeners trim them every week," Arthur told her, glancing at her again. They came to another dead end and Arthur noticed Elise's face scrunching up in disappointment, "I am not going to help you on this" He said, shaking his head, "You have to figure out your way out on your own" He added when she looked up at him, her eyes flickering in irritation.

If the King wants to challenge her, then she shall accept that."That should be a piece of cake" She scoffed, looking away from those blue eyes so she can focus on the maze. With renewed energy, she quickened her pace so she would exit the maze in a record of time to prove to the King that she can solve this.

Meanwhile, Arthur shoved both of his hands into his pockets and followed her coolly. An amused smile was playing on his face the whole time when she keeps meeting a dead end.

Arthur knew exactly where the exit was and they were far away from it."Piece of cake huh?" He mocked her after about fifteen minutes of tiresome search. But Elise didn't look like she will give up anytime soon and he liked that.

After all, if there is a will, there's always away. He was sure that Elise would eventually find the right path but it might take her some time. Better late than never.

"This is harder than I thought" Elise mused to herself, ignoring the King's comment. She took another path and groaned when it was a dead end as well.

Arthur chuckled softly. She was frustrated and she wasn't the first to groan in this maze, "That's not something I haven't heard before this" He said.

Since her back was to him, Elise rolled her eyes, "So your highness, who will be training me to use my powers properly?" She asked him curiously as she took another path. A sigh of relief left her lips when it wasn't a dead end.

Arthur watched her as she took the right turn this time, "Since you are an elemental and I happened to have an elemental by my side..." He trailed, knowing she will catch on in a few seconds.

Elise froze dead in her tracks and turned around to look at Arthur in disbelief, "You mean Murray is the one who is going to train me?" She asked, her eyes held a mixture of worry and uncertainty in them.

Arthur nodded his head in confirmation. He was getting better at predicting her."He is an excellent teacher" He reassured her, "I never seen anyone failing to grasp whatever he teaches them" He continued when the worry in her eyes intensified.

Elise turned to the front again, resuming her steps, "He is brooding all the time" She complained. He may act differently in here but she didn't forget the way Murray kept glaring at everything in his sight. Like he wasn't satisfied or impressed with it.

Elise knew right then and there that it will take a lot to impress him. She needs to give her best so he wouldn't glare at her as well.

"Well, he is the second in command for the King. He has a lot in his mind, most of the time" Arthur commented conversationally.

Elise sighed, "I see," She said, "I am really grateful that he is willing to train me despite his hectic schedule" She continued, taking another wrong turn.

"You don't have to worry though" Arthur tried to make her feel better, "Murray wouldn't hurt your feelings ever. He will be gentle" He said, easily catching up with her in a few long strides to walk side by side with her.

Elise chuckled softly, shaking her head, "No, don't ask him to hold himself back" She said, glancing at Arthur with a soft smile curving at the corners of her lips, "I won't be able to know what heights I can actually reach if he doesn't push me, your highness" She pointed out to him.

She is a warrior. She doesn't like it when someone goes easy on her.

Arthur couldn't help but compare Elise with Eliza again. That something Eliza would have said if she was in the same situation as Elise now. They both are similar in many ways but at the same time, there are some differences as well between them as well."That's some mature thinking, Elise" Arthur said after a few fleeting moments, "I am proud of you already" He smiled at her.

That somehow made her feel valued."Thank you, King" She grinned back at him.

Arthur noticed that she was almost at the exit of the maze, "One more thing" He said making her look up at him in question, "Please don't call me 'King' when you're alone with me" He commanded softly with a shake of his head.

Elise knitted her eyebrows together in confusion. If he doesn't want her to call him king then what she call him with? He wouldn't possibly like it if she calls him by his name, "Should I go with 'Your Highness' then-"

"Call me Arthur," Arthur said, interrupting her abruptly.

Her eyes widened and she stared at him with her mouth hanging wide open. It took her a moment to let that sink into her brain, "I don't know if I can do that" She said, shaking her head at him once she gathered herself together, "I have already fixed in my mind to call you by your title" She added.

And it would disrespectful to call the King by his name. How can she do that?

Elise didn't realize that she stopped walking until the King crossed the distance between them in a flash, "Try" He whispered, his warm breath fanning against her face, intoxicating her briefly.

His eyes were brimming with too many emotions and it was so intense that she had to look away so she wouldn't drown in those blue pools, "I will" She squeaked, stepping away from him to put some distance between them. She turned around and took one more turn and found herself at the exit of the maze.

She squealed in delight, clapping her hands together like a child as she was completely lost in the moment, "Oh, finally! I can't believe I did it" She grinned to herself, forgetting the King was right behind her.

Seeing her happy made Arthur happy as well."I knew you would find the right path eventually. I didn't expect you to exit this soon, I have to say, that's not bad for a first-timer" He said, making her blush.

One thing he noticed was, it was easy to make her blush. It was so hard to make Eliza blush on the other hand."Come on, let me escort you back to your room" He said, walking back into the maze.

"But we just exited it" Elise complained. What does he think he is doing? Elise grunted to herself internally, She didn't want to go through that hassle all over again.

"Trust me, it will only take a minute," Arthur said, pausing in his steps for a second, "You have to find your own way back if you don't follow me now," He said without looking back at her, a cryptic smile was on his lips as he resumed his steps.

It seems like he has been smiling a lot lately. And Elise was the reason behind it. Most of the time that is.

Elise grunted but she followed him back into the maze. It didn't take him even a minute to walk out from the maze to the place where they both had entered the maze in the first place.

The sun went down and it would have been pitch black if it weren't for the lights. The crickets started to sing and somehow it reminded Elise of her home.

"Seems like you know the maze like it is the back of your hand, your highness," She said when he turned around to face her again with a smug smile.

Arthur nodded his head at her, "I thought you will be impressed," He said, tilting his head to the side.

She shook her head, "No I am not impressed" She admitted, not wanting to sugarcoat anything, "Can we go back inside please?' She asked.

The smile on Arthur's face faltered just a little. He nodded her head and once again, they started to walk side by side. They entered the castle and Elise immediately bounced towards the elevator, wanting to get to her room as soon as she can.

"You seem like you are in a rush" Arthur noted as he kept glancing down at her watch.

Elise nodded her head, "Actually yes" She said, looking up at him again, "I told my mother that I will call her. She will get worried if I didn't" She sighed when the elevator dinged. She missed her family so 

"I see," Arthur said, stepping into the elevator with her. He wasn't going to waste the opportunity to stay by her side as long as he could.

Elise stepped into the elevator as well, "I think I can get to my room by myself, your highness" She said, not wanting to burden him or anything, "I have already memorized the path" She added when the King looked at her with a perfect poker face.

"That's good to know but I insist to escort you," The Alpha King said with a soft smile.

Elise bit the inside of her cheeks and nodded her head, "Okay" She said.

They reached the floor where Elise was currently staying and stepped towards her room, "Thank you for spending the evening with me, I thoroughly enjoyed it" Arthur told her as they neared her room.

"Oh I enjoyed it as well, your highness" She smiled, "Are you staying at the same flour as well?" She asked him curiously.

Arthur shook his head, "My room is right above yours" He answered her.

"Ohh, okay," She said nodded her head.

They were now standing exactly at the front of her room. "So, I think I should go in" She said, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly.

"Yeah, you should," Arthur said.

Elise nodded her head and pushed the door to step into the room while Arthur watched her, his hands were shoved inside the pockets of his trousers again.

"Elise..." He called out to her.

Elise froze in the spot she was standing and turned around to look at the King, "Yes your highness?" She asked him, wondering if he needed anything from her.

Arthur simply wanted to stall her. He wanted to spend time with her. He craved for her company. He had missed her oh so terribly.

Elise watched the King as he stepped closer to her, her heart hammering against her chest at the proximity, She held her breath, "Good night" Arthur whispered right next to her ear, his hot breath made her skin feel like on fire.

"Good night to you too, your highness," She said.

Just when she thought he would pull away from her, he leaned closer and pressed his lips against her cheek for a few seconds before pulling away from her.

"I have to go now" He muttered to himself, watching her bewildered expression. He should have waited but he couldn't resist her anymore. He simply turned around and stormed away from her, leaving her confused and bothered.