chapter 11: A second to fall in love

Kian's POV

"Dean!!" I shout his name making him stop whatever he's doing.

My eyes turn red and I take a deep breath while trying to control myself from doing anything that I shouldn't. I'm now on my way back to my room after finishing my work. Walking past the hallways, I witnessed this horrid act in front of my eyes. Dean pinned Winny against a pillar as he leaned his body all over Winny while kissing him. I can't believe I'm witnessing something like this. My loud voice makes them jolt away from eachother.

"What are you doing?" I question him as I walk towards them hurriedly.

Dean gently sides Winny with his hand in a guarding manner as if I'm going to hit him or punch him.

They both stay silent without answering my question. And I decide it's better to solve this without knowing to others. I thank God as there's no one here at this moment. Even my guards, who always follows me aren't with me now because I send them to the newly appointed general to give him some papers.

"You both, follow me." I order and head to my room as they both follow my suit.

Upon entering my room I see Archie lying on the bed while holding a book in his hands. I guess he asked rema for a book so that he won't be bored while having to stay in the room all the time. He turns to us when he hears the sound of the door. Once we all entered into the room, I close the door so that no one could know what's happen in here. When Archie sees us, he closes his book and stares at us confused.

I walk to the middle of the room and stand there while Dean and Winny entrench themselves by the door.

"Care to explain what were you both doing there?" I ask them sternly while folding my hands on my chest.

From the corner of my eyes I can see Archie looking at us all confused. In all honesty, I'm confused as well. The only difference between him and me is that I have seen them kissed while Archie didn't. Apart from that, I don't have any idea of what's going on.

"I like him, Kian." Dean says after heaving a sigh.

"That doesn't mean you do whatever you want to him. You should also think about him, not just about yourself." I sneer after listening to him.

"King, it's not Dean's fault. I-I like him as well, we both like eachother." Winny stammers while taking a glance at Archie, it's like he's trying to see how would Archie react to him.

"I don't understand. Aren't you here just one day back? When did you both start liking eachother and came to a point where you guys just ki--kiss eachother regardless of your surroundings?" I fume at them as I shake my head.

I could see Archie eyes getting so wide that his eyeballs would come out of his socket if he opens them anymore.

"We don't need years to like someone, Kian. Just a second is enough to fall in love." Dean states while gazing straight into my eyes, why do I feel like he's directing those words towards me rather than explaining himself.

"My heart wants him when I first saw him and he accepted me when I told him about my feelings and asked him out." He ends his speech.

"What are going to do next?" I query glancing at both of them alternatively.

"Once I finish my training here, I'm going to go to their kingdom and talk to his parents. I'll marry him when it's my time to take over the throne." He deadpans and I widen my eyes at him.

"Dean, you know it's not that easy. Do you think your father will agree to this? He always said he's going to marry you to a princess and not to forget he's already in talks with northern king to marry his daughter to you." I remind him of the reality.

"It doesn't matter what my father thinks or what he wants. Infact, it doesn't matter to me about anyone all I want is him and I'll make sure I'll get what I want." He says determined, "I don't think there's anything you want to ask or I need to answer. We're leaving, now."

He states before grabbing Winny's wrist and leaving our room, taking Winny with him. I take a hard stare at their retrieving backs before slumping down on the bed. Keeping my hands on my knees, I hold my head which started pounding after having this conversation with Dean. He's so stubborn, he does what he says. The way he spoke, the confidence, I genuinely believe he's never going to let go of Winny. That's not bad, I'm not against them or anything. But my main concern is my uncle, his father. I can hundred percent assure, he's not going to accept them. He would create a hell even before listening to them completely.

"Should I call rema and ask her to prepare a bathe for you?" The sound of Archie's voice brings me out of my thoughts.

I leave my head from my hands and look at Archie to see him sitting beside me. When did he even sit up?

"I'll ask her myself." I give him a short reply.

He nods at me before keeping his head down and staring at the silk blanket that covered his legs.

"How are you feeling?" I ask.

"Um..not bad. The medicine reduced the pain. I don't feel the pain anymore." He replies and I hmm, acknowledging his response.

"Archie," I call his name and when he looks up at me, I continue, "did you know about them already?"

I ask thinking maybe Winny would have told him about them.

"No, I don't know anything about them. Winny was here in the morning after you left, but he didn't tell me anything." He answers.

"I don't know what is going on. You know I caught them while k-kissing eachother in the hallway and I brought them here. When I question them, they say they like eachother." It's more like me recalling the whole incident instead of explaining to Archie and I don't have any idea as why I'm shuttering when I utter the kiss word.

It's not that he wasn't here. He heard everything we spoke and witnesses all, so more or less he got the story now.

"It sure came as a shock but I can understand what Dean said. We don't know when and how or with whom we fall in love, we just do. It all happens just in a mere second." He remarks dreamily as if recalling something or he has experienced the same thing.

And I have no resort to his reply, so, I simply get up from the bed and proceed to the bathe area. Today, I don't need rema to prepare a bathe for me. All I want is to sink myself in cold water and get the stream out of my head.

I discard my clothes and enter into the huge bathe tub before sitting in. Spending some time in there, I decide to leave when my brain functions back to normal. I put on the night clothes and walk to the bed where Archie is still sitting. I take a look at the tea table and see the food served for us. Walking to Archie, I scoop him up in my hands and he let out a yelp as I lifted him suddenly. A chuckle escapes my mouth at his surprised face which looks cute while he urgently brings his hands around my neck and grips me in a tight lock.

"It's not funny." He mumbles while pushing his lips out in an adorable act as pink tint coats his cheeks.

"Ofcourse, it's not" I agree while sitting him on the chair, "because it's cute."

That makes the redness on his face grow up ten folds and reaches his ears as well.

"Are you teasing me?" He squeals.

"I won't anymore, let's eat." I giggle making him smile before we start digging in our food.

"Oh! I forgot. Did you think of a name?" I ask in between our dinner.

"Um, actually thinking back I realised there's no need to think of a different name. You are already given a name and it's purpose is to use. Your name suits you alot actually and I decided to call you Kian." He mumbles softly.

I take a minute to sink his words. Whatever he said is true but since he already told me he would give me a name only for him to call me, I was kinda excited about it.

"Kian," I look up when my name rolled out of his mouth, "are you disappointed?" He queries sadly.

I was a bit disappointed but when I just now heard my name from him, the disappointment vanished. My name from him sounds different from when I hear from others. And I absolutely love it.

"No, whatever you want, Archie. I'm fine with anything." I reply honestly.

He nods his head slightly with his eyes cascading down.

We exchange a smile before we continue to eat our food. Once we're done eating, rema comes and cleans everything. Archie and I lie on the bed after giving him the medicine. As it's not yet time to sleep, Archie continues to read his book while I work on some papers. Sometime into the work, my neck starts paining as I look down while checking the sheets. I stretch my head up and rotate it in a process of loosening the muscles. Twisting my head from one side to another, I stop when my eyes land on Archie who's concentrating on his book.

Taking into his features, I observe his small face, sharp nose and plump lips which are coated in red. And without realising, earlier incident of Dean and Winny flashes infront of my eyes. An urge to do the same with Archie ignites my mind and my imagination goes wild just at the thought. I gulp down while staring at his chestnut shaped lips as my heart beats to a new rythem. Why does he has such an effect on me? Is it that I already like him but didn't realise it yet? Or am I slowly falling for him?

"Just a second is enough to fall in love." Dean's words rings in my mind as if they're trying to hint me something.

Just a second is enough, did I already encounter that second in my life? I don't know, all I know is I don't want Archie to leave me anymore. I want to stay by his side for all my life, until forever.

"Just a second is enough to fall in love."

If what I feel towards him is love, then I love him. I love Archie.

Just sinking those words in and accepting them myself, gives me senseless joy and makes me feel ecstatic like I'm not restrained by my past anymore. It's like I'm free and ready to start a new chapter of my life.

"Archie." I call him with the new found feelings.

He looks at me with his chocolate brown eyes, looking all innocent and adorable. I can't believe it took me this long to realise what has been in front of me all this time, the love I always yearned for. Unable to resist anymore, I bend down my head and gently hold his face in my hands as I connect his lips with mine with a kiss.