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A Prince's Pride [WishxDecay]

Leo watched as Jasmine left and even when she turned to look at him he couldn't turn away, she had his complete attention and there was nothing he could do to resist her. It wasn't until she left the room that he moved, getting up and walking over to pick up the cloth, tossing it in the corner with a few other dirty pieces of clothing. He took a deep breath, grabbing his sheets and throwing them off the bed as well, the juices and blood having ruined them, though he cared little for ruining it, there were plenty in the castle for just such a reason, juices often staining his silken sheets. He then went over to his pants on the floor and pulled out the key, moving over and hiding it in a secret slot that was underneath his work table, the one with papers and books strewn across it. One of the pieces of paper on the desk was troop movements of Jasmine's kingdom, he had been studying them to ensure no surprises when he kidnapped her. In fact he had a bit of sensitive information on the desk and he moved some of the strategy and history books he had been reading on top of the papers, wanting to keep them hidden as best he could, try not to provoke Jasmine's interest in case he turned his back, though he wouldn't be leaving her alone often.

When she entered the room again he smirked, she was always feisty and he loved it, as if she had any bargaining position. "Oh no, we are going to be bathing together because I am not leaving you alone. This isn't about me seeing you naked, your beautiful but I will see that again, and it isn't about me helping you clean, I won't be scrubbing you, that would be troublesome. I am just not going to let you be by yourself in a part of the castle that isn't secure." He took a few steps closer, still completely naked, his body masculine and glistening from the sweat still lingering. "So there is going to be no bathing alone... Though you can certainly opt not to bathe at all, you can remain dirty if you wish." He laughed slightly before shaking his head and walking over, slipping his already worn pants back on to allow himself to walk through the halls, in case one of the maids or guards was between the room and the bathing room. He was sure there wouldn't be but he didn't want to be caught unaware, it would be an odd meeting and a distraction he did not need.

With that said he took another deep breath and looked at her again, "So anyways, your choice, come with me or I'm locking the door and having guards watch, and they won't be regular guards, they will be my father's honor guards. They are some of our finest soldiers and don't play quite fairly." The guards in the inner keep were all honor guards and while he knew she was a strong combatant he doubted she could take on four honor guards without a weapon and in her current state. So he was sure she would be joining him, the other option was nasty and she was a princess. "Now, come on, we both know you want to wash yourself clean, even if so my smell doesn't remain on you..." He grabbed the fresh clothing and went to the door, opening it up and waiting for her answer, "If not I'm going to lock you back in that room..." He took a second and then smiled, "Oh and I hope you like the room, I know you never thought I paid attention but I know what you like... More than any of the other men who have tried to get your attention..." With that he stopped speaking, watching, hoping she agreed. He didn't want to wash her but seeing her wash herself, that would be great.
 
She rolled her eyes at his words. What better way was there for him to show her he cared than to be bath her? She could appreciate a man that was willing to do a servants job to please her but that wasn't who Leo was. This hard, bastard of a man was anything from the ideal one she saw sitting beside her. Even if he was ruggedly handsome and looked damn fine holding a sword. Look's weren't everything. At least to her. When he spoke of the room she rolled her eyes, giving the door behind her a glance as if she was contemplating going back inside before she stepped forward and towards him. Even with this bastard watching a bath would be nice, if for no other reason than to take the stench of Leo off of her. She didn't want it there, especially with her having to be so near him all the time right now.

Pulling in a breath she continued forward, barely even looking at him as she walked past him and out of the room. She didn't move very fast, keeping her walk even and sure as if she already knew the way through theses halls. Okay.. so maybe she did. The path to the baths was an easy enough one, one that she knew as the path to freedom but she wasn't going to tell Leo that, especially when he seemed to be so sure that she wasn't going to be getting away any time soon. "You may pay attention to the things i like but you don't even have the decency to cleanse me after you've raped me." She scoffed. "Vial barbarian. How do you plan on making me fall for you when you haven't even done one decent thing other than put items in a room? Was that supposed to be the moment that i realized how much you paid attention because it wasn't. All i saw was your attention on objects i liked not the things i liked done to me, which by the way, prince, is what you should of been focused on this whole time." she scoffed again, giving a shake of her head without even looking at him as she continued on her way to the baths. it was sure way to let him in on how well she knew things he probably thought she didn't. like hell she'd allow herself to go some places she didn't know.

"At least the other men who tried to court me didn't kidnap me and then rape me. They at least tried to genuinely make me like them. but here you are, throwing objects at me as if that would be payment enough for forcing something on me i did not wish." She stopped here, turning to glare at Leo with a deep ferocity very rarely seen in her eyes and it was all pointed at the idiot prince. "I am not those other woman who turn to jelly at the first sign of your affections. From now on your going to forget what you think you know about me." She took another step closer, reaching out to press a hand against those strong muscles and feel them twitch beneath her palm. "If you truly wish to make me like you your going to have to give in to me. For the last thing i will ever do is give in to you." With that she turned, head high as she continued down the path towards the baths with a small satisfied smirk on her lips. "You will bathe me. Prince. If for no other reason than i like it. I'm sure none of your supposed spies in my castle told you that. Just one of the many things you could learn about me if you weren't such an idiot and tried to go behind my back in such backstabbing ways. Or did you think i'd appreciate that? Because i don't. You ambushed me that day, prince. As if proposing to me in front of my father and the rest of the court would force me to accept. No, it only made me hate you more." She gave a shake of her head, stopping as they reached the door to the baths. It was then that jasmine realized that she had spoken the whole time they had been in the hall and she looked at Leo, folding her arms across her chest. "Well, open the door. Or do you wish to seem more like a fool?"
 
Leo grit his teeth as the most frustrating woman in the world walked right out the door and into the hallway, his eyes following her before he shut the door behind both of them and moved as well. His eyes didn't leave her even after they began walking, instead they moved downwards to get a peak at the fine ass that lay beneath the overly sized shirt. He couldn't help but wish she had chosen one of the many other more sexy outfits he had provided, or just something that hugged her curves a little more. Not that he complained, she was gorgeous no matter what she wore. Her mouth was not as fine as her body though and soon she was bitching again, going on about how he should have noticed what she liked done to her as opposed to what kind of objects she liked. The truth was he knew both, he knew how Jasmine liked to be treated and he knew what she liked people to do to and for her, it just wasn't something he could bring himself to do. As much as Leo liked Jasmine he also had pride and it was not so easy to toss aside, not so easy to give himself up to her and be the nice guy people always assumed he wasn't. So instead he went about things clumsily, he never showed how he really felt unless it came to combat.

Jasmine wouldn't believe a damn thing he said though so he didn't try and instead planned to show her that he knew exactly what it was she wanted. He would show her he knew, make her happy, and do it all without letting her escape him before she fell for him. Yes, she would be his by the end and there was nothing she could do to stop him, he wouldn't stop wooing and eventually he would get through that thick skull of hers. That didn't make her remarks and comments any easier to bare though and soon Leo found himself angry again, listening to her misinformed nonsense causing him to fume with rage. He was hot under the collar to begin with but still, it was getting to him and quick. It was about the time they reached the door that he lost it, looking at her with rage filled eyes and trying his best not to explode in the hallway and draw unwanted attention. It would be better if he kept his heated words so only they could hear it, the guards would just ruin the plans he had for the rest of the night and while he had approval to do as he wished with most if screaming and rumors escaped it would anger the people of his kingdom, people who cared for the other countries princess.

So when he finally spoke, opening the door for her as he did, his voice was angry but low, almost a growl as he tried to contain himself. "Now listen here because I am tired of you acting like this is the only thing I have ever done... I tried to get your heart, I attended parties and balls, I personally ensured treaties and trade agreements between our kingdoms, I didn't even take any other women when I was aiming for your hand and that includes your smitten little handmaiden who had tried to hard to sleep with me. I did things so out of character to try and win you over and you didn't even notice, the opposite in fact. When I tried to be kind, tried to make you happy you looked at me like I was some disgusting creature, you denied my proposal and made me look like a fool!" He dragged her inside of the bath and closed the door, able to speak slightly louder now that they were no longer in the hall. "And for your information I know more about you than you might think, I know what you like with both objects and what you like done to you. So before you act as if I am pure and utter evil think about what you did to me, how you treated me when I tried to act like what you claim to have wanted... And then think about why I had to start acting like this again..."

With that he locked the door to the bathes to keep her from getting out, a key hanging on the wall for those who wanted privacy. He then took the key and placed it atop his fresh clothing, sitting that on top of a marble bench near the back of the room. The room itself was large, a huge room with a giant heated pool in the center, fires from the kitchen below keeping the water nice and bubbly. After that he removed his pants and tossed them aside, moving to the water and slowly lowering himself in, his sore muscles thanking him immediately. It was only after he was in that he looked to Jasmine again and he sighed, angry that he was saying it but saying it anyways. "And if you wish for me to bath you I will..." She had him, for all his talk and anger her words rang true, he was going to bath her just because she liked it, because she wanted him to. It was just like with the door and how he kept giving her choices even if they weren't always fair, he always deterred to her, even before he took her he had given her the choice, while it wasn't obvious it was there, he was like putty for the beautiful princess.
 
"Right.." She scoffed softly at his words about knowing everything she liked to have and done to her. He knew what she wanted him to know, knew the things she had given his spies to take back to him. She wasn't stupid enough to allow him information that she didn't want him to have, especially if that meant information about herself. Little did Leo know that she had paid his spies off to only give him the information she wanted them to give him. It wasn't hard to figure out who they were, really. All she had to think of was where she herself would want a spy. Once she thought of it that way it was easy enough to pin point them and moved them back to her side. Money was always an easy thing to give and she gave it like water, if only to keep things the way she wanted them and not how Leo wanted them. So all the stupid little acts that Leo had preformed to catch her eye had done nothing more than make her turn away, knowing that he was using such a back stabbing way to figure out what she wanted. It wasn't like he had come up to her right off the bat and just asked, no he had to pay someone to give him the information he wanted instead of actually courting her. Every thing he had done to try and win her affections had been under handed and the last thing she wanted was to have a man like that standing beside her.

Aw, the handmaiden. He was mad about that? Well, she supposed he was. She had sent her. If only to see how truly he wanted her. He hadn't gone for it, but that didn't mean that he didn't want to. In the time between him proposing and then coming up with this plan she was certain he had taken a few woman to his bed, if for nothing else but to rid himself of some stress before he had decided on kidnapping her in such a way. thankfully she had foreseen such a stupid thing, knowing Leo's mind better than he probably thought she did. Her eyebrow rose as she smirked, not having missed the fact that he had opened the door despite his complaints before he grabbed her arm and yanked her inside. The dull click of the door being locked behind her made her turn, eyes narrowing on him before she turned her attention to the baths once more. He was still griping behind her but she barely noticed, taking in the large room before she heard him move behind her and turned. Silently she watched as he stripped naked again, edges of her lips curling up even more as he stepped into the bath and said that he would bath her. Well, that was a delightful change, wasn't it? For all his complaining he was going to do what she wanted. At least there was that in his favor.

"You know what i've allowed you to know. Do you seriously think i would allow any kind of information to leak? That i wouldn't be on the guard for someone trying to do such an underhanded thing as that?" She sighed, grabbing the bottom of the shirt and pulling it up and off of herself before tossing it over in the general direction of his own clothes and moved forward. "Maybe, if you hadn't done such an idiotic move and had just come and talked to me this would of ended differently. But your cowardice disgusts me. What woman wants a man that only know's her because he has to pay others to spy on her?" Slowly she sank into the water, humming softly as the heat soaked into her skin as she slowly made her way over towards him. "And then, beyond even that, after believing that you knew me you asked for my hand in marriage. Never once have you truly spent any time with me alone. Never once have you even tried. So don't even begin to think that your in the right here. Because your not." Moving before him she turned, giving him her back and shifting her thick locks to the side to present her bare back. "Begin with my back. It's the hardest for me to reach."
 
Leo was tired of arguing with Jasmine, she seemed to have an answer for everything in order to make him look like the only bad guy, the only one who was at fault. The truth was different, he had tried to get to know her but people stood in his way, people who hadn't wanted him to have her hand and then she herself made it difficult. Jasmine wasn't the most welcoming princess, most made an effort to get to know him as well, she hadn't been like that because to her it was entirely his responsibility. Of course he was taken aback when she spoke of knowing who his spies were and him only knowing what she wanted him to know. At first he just smirked but soon he realized she wasn't joking and he became a tad nervous. If she had all of his spies then how did she allow herself to get kidnapped, he had used their information to predict her movements and gather information on what he would have to do in order to get out without problems. That single statement brought many questions to his mind. The first of which was whether or not she had wanted him to kidnap her, which he quickly dismissed as bullshit. The second was why she would want him to know anything and even that made him think she was full of it. Of course one last thing, less important than the others but most believable. He was wondering why that if she had known anything at all why she wouldn't have tried to get to know him, talk to him, why did he had to be the one to do everything?

"Jasmine, I paid people to watch you because you are by far the most difficult woman I have ever had a liking for. You decided you didn't like me from the start, not to mention I couldn't stay at your kingdom for long because once business discussions and envoys were done your father promptly kicked anyone out to keep his little princess pure. Now while I probably could have been more aggressive in my pursuit of you I didn't just pay people to inform me about what you liked, I did pay attention when I was there. I did learn some of it on my own..." He didn't say more and he didn't make any more excuses, what happened wasn't going to change. Besides he had things he needed to think about, like what he would have to do just in case what she had said was true, just in case his paid informants and even some of his own people were compromised, and it was something he couldn't trust anyone to do. So he shut up about it, not wanting her to realize she had slipped up, if in fact it was true information that she didn't want people to find out.

Instead he just sighed as Jasmine gave further instructions he nodded, "Alright, your back it is, just give me a damn second... Just remember I don't have to do any of this..." He grumbled but once again he was doing what she asked and he even stood to move to a supply closet right outside of the rub, opening it up and pulling out some scented soaps and a shampoo as well, items he had stocked for Jasmine's arrival, and those he hadn't learned from informants but from personal experience. He then got back in the tub and immediately went over to Jasmine, taking a deep breath as he looked upon her beautiful back. She was gorgeous and it made him nervous but he refused to miss a step, he quickly wet and lathered a woven towel with the soap, moving it and rubbing it across Jasmine's back, making sure to clean her body as best he could. "Where next..." He grumbled after finishing her back, going as far as to rinsing it off after he lathered it. He was a bit adorable really, the way he got all mad but faltered and did exactly what she said. Sure it was only small stuff but knew how far he would go to make her happy, as somewhere in there was the guy who had been so attracted to her that he got nervous just trying to talk to her.
 
He wasn't going to figure it out and even if he did it was too late. She could stand here and tell him her whole plan and he still wouldn't be able to stop the over taking of his kingdom. Even she couldn't stop it now. War would ensue and she had ensured that her kingdom would win. His own people would riot. That he'd be so far behind her that he wouldn't even be able to try and catch up. She's over take his kingdom right from under his nose and there was nothing he could do about it. Everything was in place and Leo himself had set it all in motion. He had damned his kingdom the minute he decided to kidnap her. Other wise this would of ended much bloodier.

"My father is a smart man and you'll do wise not to speak of him in such a manor." Her voice was like ice, eyes narrowed at the water before her instead of the man she was still waiting to wash her back. Though surprise crossed her features at the tone of his voice, glancing behind her when he moved away and out of the water. "What are you doing?" She said the words softly, much softly than she had been speaking to him this whole time but when he opened the closet and started pulling out her favorite scents and soaps she shut up, frowning darkly as she looked forward and waited for him to return to his place. The first touch of his hand on her back made her flinch, gritting her teeth as she forced herself to stay where she was. It was nothing more than a reaction to his roughness before and she could still feel the ache where bruises had formed on her neck and hips from him. It was a wonder that he was being gentle at all towards her but it didn't take long for her body to relax again, seeming to rather enjoy this part. Usually it was her own maids that washed her, knowing exactly what to do as they busied themselves with bringing her soaps and scents and lathers to keep her clean and satisfied. By this point she probably would of been humming a tune but she didn't allow herself that comfort, keeping her attention on the uncertain hands washing her back.

At his grumbled words she couldn't help the small smile that played at her lips, betraying her as she turned around to look him in the face. Aw, he was nervous. Now.. that was an adorable emotion. This was a side of him that she had never once seen before. Leo with all his certainty and aggressiveness was now standing before her uncertain and nervous as if he was just waiting for her to command him, to tell him what to do. Her smile grew, becoming a smirk as she reached out and took the towel from him. "Turn around." She didn't wait for him to do as she asked, reaching out and taking him arm to push him around. Once his back was to her, she lifted the towel, quickly lathering it up before she started to wash his back as well. "I would never make you do anything i wouldn't do." She said the words softly, sighing slightly as her hands finally got a chance to move over that scarred skin. It was just as wonderful as it appeared, fingers brushing over the lifted lines as she washed him. Soon the towel fell to the water, splashing slightly as she splayed her fingers across his wide warm back to take in the wounds. "You don't keep your guard up well enough not to get hurt, Leo. Maybe you should think of better armor." She hummed slightly, pulling her hands away to grab a bowl and fill it with water so she could rinse the soap from his back.

Once she was done she grabbed his arm again and gently pulled him around, handing him the towel once more after pulling it back out of the water. "Now the front. Don't get any wise ideas. And don't forget my arms." Her eyes narrowed on him, frowning slightly before she gulped and looked away. Really this was just about being bathed, not about getting to know the man before her. It wasn't like it would amount to much in the long run. She wasn't going to marry Leo. There was no need for it. Not after she had taken over his kingdom and had him sitting in her dungeon waiting for her decision on what to do with him. Of course, she would make him pay for the injustice that he had placed on her, show him that he was an idiot for even believing he had a chance. But after that, she wasn't even certain what she would do with him. It was a mystery to her, one that she had decided to deal with after she took over his kingdom and had his people part of her own. They loved her as it was and her plan meant as little blood shed as possible. no one that didn't need to be harmed would be.
 
Leo should have known that Jasmine's father was someone he shouldn't talk about, they seemed to be quite close. Besides, as much as he hated the way the man treated him when he was trying to court his daughter he did respect the intelligence he presented at trade and treaty discussions. He thought he had impressed as well, as much as Jasmine thought him an idiot it was not true, he was more intelligent than most of the royalty in the kingdoms even if his hot-headed personality often voided that intelligence. Proof of that was him kidnapping the princess, she was someone beloved by her own people and by his own, when they found out what he had done it would be difficult to calm them down. That was how things went though, he made a choice and now he had to live with that choice, he had to figure out how to continue to keep power of his kingdom, something he had taken some steps to accomplish, including placing more men than ever on patrols and to enforce the kingdoms power. He had also increased the keeps security, both in guards and in design, putting stronger doors in place and more gates, making it a difficult area to overtake as the few could combat the many.

None of that mattered to Leo in the moment though because he seemed to be at least pleasing Jasmine, something he had to do if he ever planned on winning her over without doing something drastic like knocking her up. At the same time she soon took control and when she turned him around he tensed up, not knowing what she was going to do. He didn't calm down until she began doing something he never expected, she began to wash him as he had washed her. He looked down at the water, unable to look back as he pictured what she was seeing, his scarred back. He had wounds from a young age and some recent, the coloration giving away when they were given to him. He didn't look up until Jasmine accused him of not having his guard up and he turned his head, not moving his body but getting a view of her in his peripheral. She had no idea how he had lived, what he had to put up with. He belonged to one of the most powerful kingdoms in the world, they had wealth and power. Then there was his father whose reputation was that of a murderer and barbarian, an image that was passed down to Leo, a reputation that overshadowed all the differences from Leo and his father. Perhaps he wasn't so different though, what he had done to Jasmine, that was just what his father would have done.

When he was pulled around he looked at Jasmine, his voice coming out calmly despite how difficult it was to remain calm while looking at her. "My guard is always up Jasmine, the only reason I am alive is because my guard is up... Besides, most of these wounds aren't even from the battlefield. I good amount are, some are from practice, but most of these wounds, most are from assassins. Some because of my mouth but plenty due to my position and my father's past." Leo wasn't looking for pity and there was nothing in his voice to suggest he was, that was just how things were. People didn't care though because Leo wasn't a prince to be liked, that was something his father had always taught him, he was a prince that could lead and fight for his people when they really needed him, a figure of strength to hold the kingdom together and while it didn't bring him any friends and little respect it allowed the people to live without fearing outside threats. He understood that and his aggressive personality made living as that man easy, but something he wondered what it would be like to have a different image, to be that weak but well loved prince.

He had more to think about than being loved though and at the moment it was Jasmine he needed to think of, how to keep himself from freaking out as she told him to wash the front. It was pathetic to be so nervous after having taken her, but being in front of her, looking at her naked body, it was different and he was having a hard time stopping himself from blushing. "Fine." He took a deep breath and grabbed the washcloth, putting a fresh bit of soap on it and then moving to slowly wash Jasmine. A different side of Leo was showing as he moved his hands and gently washed her, starting with her arms and then her shoulders, her stomach, sides, and finally almost nervously he washed her beautiful tits, his eyes looking to the sides away from her as he did so. Then, after he finished he poured a few bowls of water over her to remove the lathered soap. He took a moment when he was done and just swallowed, "Anyways, its not like these scars truly mean anything other than that I'm a careless idiot. Each one is just a reminder that I faltered, it is just as you said, maybe I should get some better armor." With that he took the towel and began to rub it over his front, wanting her to but not really wanting Jasmine to do so as this time he couldn't hide a blush or nervous expression if one happened to form, he was facing her.
 
"Assassin's. Leo. Then it's not just your guard that has faltered. It's the guards meant to keep watch over you." She snorted, lifting an arm when his hands came towards it to start cleaning it. The two of them fell into silence at that, her eyes never leaving his face as he cleaned each part of her. It was easy to see how unused to this he was. This was probably the first time he had ever done anything like this to another person and she couldn't help being pleased by that. This had to be hard for him and that was what she wanted. To force him to do something that he deemed as a lower persons job, to be in such a position when he was standing before her. His pride needed that hit. A hit that would knock it down to size before she destroyed it. Her eyes moved to his hands as they slipped across her stomach, gulping slightly as the thought of a child inside it stirred her guts. The last thing she needed was a true tie to this rude bastard. Maybe, if they hadn't already been at the brink of this war things could of been different. Maybe if Leo wasn't such a hot headed idiot things could change. But it all boiled down to the need of the people. Truthfully that was why she was doing this. Leo and his father.. were vial people and unworthy of sitting on a throne. And the people of his kingdom agreed, even if they couldn't do anything about it.

Her breath caught when his hands finally lighted on her breasts, eyes narrowing on him as she waited for what she thought he would do. However, he surprised her, a blush forming on his cheeks as he looked away while his hands worked, only glancing at her when the need arouse. It was puzzling and nothing like the prince that had stood before her only moments before. Once he was finally done and had moved the towel to his own skin she stepped forward, grabbing the towel from his hands to place more soap on it. "Yes, better armor, prince. And not just the kind that you place on yourself. The kind that surrounds everything. The kind that no matter who comes at you they won't get through." Without waiting for anything more she started to work on Leo's chest as well, eyes softening as she started to work on him the way he had worked on her. She washed his arms, then his sides and then his chest and stomach, fingers brushing against each scar as if in fondnesss. "This doesn't mean your weak, Prince. Far from it. I would be too weak against a sword aimed at me so i hide behind my armor, using it in my advantage to take out my foes. But you, if there was an honorable thing about you, you stand up to it."
 
Leo didn't retort to Jasmine's comment, he knew that his men had failed to stop many assassins but the truth was it was ultimately his fault no matter what because he had either trained them or assigned them to guard duty. Besides, some of the guards had been his would be assassins, his fathers infamy making many enemies even among their noble knights. He remembered one such incident, a boy he had trained had been the one to come for him, wielding a sword and using a style Leo himself had taught. The boy stood no chance, it was a one on one fight and Leo had been armed. Even then the boy refused to back down, he had uttered nonsense about how his mother was killed by Leo's father and that by killing Leo he could avenge his mother and hurt the king. It was an unfortunate day for Leo, mainly because he knew that even if he died his father wouldn't be sad, he would just be frustrated that he had to have another son, angry that he would have to train another future king. Of course having to kill the boy had been hard as well but it was something he had grown accustomed to, he had learned that eventually even those you trust would betray you and that lesson allowed him to survive and make it to where he was.

Nothing could surprise him, or so he thought, his mind snapping away from the assassination attempts to Jasmine as her sensual voice awakened his senses once more. What came from her mouth surprised the Prince. Jasmine had said something as close to a compliment as she had ever given him. He looked down, watching her fingers trace his scars and then peering into her eyes. Then he spoke in a way that made him want to kick himself, he downplayed the one thing she had complimented him on and even as he said it the look on his face made it obvious how stupid he knew he was. "I am not sure honor means much. My father taught me that being an honorable man meant killing those who rebelled against the kingdom, that being honorable was putting the needs of the many ahead of the needs of the few. I have never done that even when standing up for myself against assassins. I never thought about putting the people first or why I was being attacked, I just killed those who came for me and went on with my day as if nothing happened, even with the assassins I had known. Even with the ones I knew were good people."

When he finished talking he just sighed, letting Jasmine keep the wash cloth and backing away as if he were allergic to success, to actually opening up a bit. He was nervous though and it was hard to overcome nervousness when around a woman like Jasmine, someone who could get to him without the Prince even realizing it. So instead of staying close to her, touching her and letting her clean him any longer, he moved towards the edge of the bathing pool and leaned against the side, he would finish himself, avoid further confusion. He did however feel compelled to ask a question of the princess, try and figure out something he had always wanted to know. "Princess, I have always wondered why you have never taken a husband... You've made it perfectly clear I am not worthy but if not me than who? What prince in the many kingdoms has managed to get your attention? I'm curious to see who I've lost to in the race for your affections."
 
His words made her frown, hands stilling on his warm chest as she took in his face and his tone. She had given him a compliment and yet, he hadn't taken it like she thought he would. Hadn't taken advantage of the moment to spout some none sense about how she should of already known how honorable he was and all that stupid stuff. Instead he was backing down, refusing the very compliment she had given him and turning it instead as a way to look down on himself. Her hands dropped the minute he moved away from her, confusing leaking into her pretty green eyes as she watched him move away and to the edge of the bath to lean against it. He was putting distance between them when he was the one that had wanted them so close to begin with. It was as if the minute she opened up to him he withdrew. Coward. She huffed, rolling her eyes as she lifted her arms and folded them across her chest in almost a pout. This was getting them no where so instead she turned, giving him her back as she listened to his question. Though instead of answering she sank down into the water, wetting her hair thoroughly before she came back up and ran her fingers over her head.

"Lost to. You speak as if you were ever in the running to begin with." moving over she grabbed the shampoo, squeezing some into her hand before she started to massage it into those silky strands. "My father believes that i should marry someone that will widen our kingdom. And you, Leo wouldn't do that. Our kingdoms have already joined, so to speak. There would be no reason to marry you if your kingdom is already so close to our own." Her fingers slowly started to move through the ends of her hair, still giving him her back as she stood there. "If i was given the choice on who to marry it wouldn't be a bull headed barbarian who grows angry at the slightest thing. I don't need someone else telling me what to do or forcing me to do things i do not wish to do. And you, are just like your horrible father." She scoffed, giving a shake of her head as her eyes looked down at her bruised hips and she frowned at the sight. "Taking anything that isn't freely given, even if war happens because of it. If your father truly knew what honorable was his people wouldn't be in the streets angry and starving. They'd be praising his name instead of asking another kingdom for food. Your father does not deserve his throne and his people do not deserve a successor that will end up just like him."

With that she dunked her head back into the water, making sure that all the soap was out before she finally turned to look Leo in the face. "And for your information, none have. If there had been even one prince i had taken a liking to i would have been married to him by now. But obviously i haven't. Nor do i find myself so inclined to marry myself off to the princes my father wishes me to marry. I'd rather take a kingdom from the inside out than marry just to combine the two." Moving forward she made her way out of the water, grabbing a towel and patting herself dry before grabbing the shirt and yanking it on. After rubbing her hair until it stopped dripping she dropped the towel to the floor and headed towards the door, only pausing when she noticed that the door was locked. "Let me out. I no longer wish to talk to a man that can't even see his own strengths. Unlock this door." She didn't turn to look back at him, instead keeping herself facing the door so when he did eventually get out of the water she didn't have to look at him. Didn't have to see all those perfect muscles as they worked to move Leo around. His physical appearance just wasn't good enough for her to look past the attitude and the personality. Or at least the attitude and personality that she knew about. Just like Leo didn't know everything about her, she didn't know everything about him. But she just wasn't sure if she actually wanted to get to know him or not. From what she knew, she was still unsure about it all.
 
Jasmine definitely knew how to piss Leo off but he did his best to keep his cool when she insulted him. Then again he couldn't help but wonder if she was being honest and if he had never even had a chance, if he wasn't even considered before being shot down. If so that made him angrier than anything but it was a different kind of anger, it was disappointment as well. He was also upset about her saying he wouldn't have widened their kingdom because that would only have been true in the short-term. In the long term Leo would have made a great king and with Jasmine by his side they could have, they would, conquer any kingdom which stood in their way. Of course he hadn't been surprised when her father had been the one to bring up that point though, the man had done everything possible to keep Leo away from his daughter to the point of even making up meetings and excuses to keep Leo away from her. He had even been banned from several events Jasmine was to attend, her father believing Leo to be nothing more than a bad influence, believing him to be just as his father, something that most seemed to think was true.

The Prince had always denied it, never believed he was anything like his father and strove to change the kingdom for the better. Yet now when he needed to deny it the most he couldn't bring himself to say a damn thing, not after what he had done to Jasmine. He could still see the bruises his rough actions had marked her immaculate skin with and the worst part, the part that made him think that he was just like his father, was that he didn't regret doing it. When it came to Jasmine he had always been capable of doing underhanded deeds, dishonorable deeds. He had hired people to give him information on her, he had gone around her fathers back in an attempt to court her, and he had humiliated other princes at tournaments just to catch her eye. None of it had worked the way he had hoped because she made it clear she had noticed but also that she despised his methods. Of course it was a double-edged sword so to speak, while he could be entirely despicable for her he could also become more driven and admirable. He hadn't slept with other women, he had come up with several trade agreements and ideas that had strengthened both kingdoms respectively, and parts of his personality improved for her alone.

Leo's eyes watched Jasmine as she took to washing herself, her body glistening after she dunked her head and he took a deep breath. She was enchanting, if only things had worked out different between them he could have been looking at her as more than the kidnapping bastard who seemed to do nothing but anger and disgust her. When she went towards the door he had continued to watch, his eyes following her and he didn't begin to move until she spoke. When she did speak he moved quickly however, dunking his own head and washing it rapidly before getting out and drying himself off. With that he dressed himself, grabbing the new pants and shirt, tossing them on before heading over to the door with his dirty pair of pants and the key. He unlocked the door and opened it for her, like it was habit after opening the door on the way in. With a sigh he moved past her, his golden hair still a bit wet but it was dry enough. He didn't speak once again as they moved towards the room, the hallway was no place for a conversation. When they arrived back at his room he ushered Jasmine in and locked the door behind them, tossing his dirty clothing in the corner. Then he turned to Jasmine, words she had said to him earlier going through his head. Taking a kingdom from the inside out. A chill ran up his spine as that combined with her knowledge of his spies made him nervous. He just stared at her, how stupid did she think he was?
 
Leo wasn't talking and for some reason that made Jasmine nervous, her eyes never leaving the man as he dunked his own head and washed his hair before he made his way out of the water and dried off. She gulped slightly as she watched him pull his clothes on, not even looking away when he started her way. The smallest smirk slipped onto her lips when he opened the door, rather enjoying the fact that he did what she told him to do as she stepped through the door with Leo and then started down the hall. Leo still wasn't talking though, moving past her to walk in front of her instead beside her so instead she looked around, looking at the paintings in the wall instead of the steady moving man before her. It was interesting to see the kinds of paintings Leo's father had put up, smirking at a few of what looked like a young Leo. Others were of scenes and things of the like but the few she saw here and there of Leo and his father and mother were rather adorable. It wasn't like she'd ever get a chance to see what kind of child Leo was before he became the selfish asshole before her now.

When they reached the room she huffed, stepping inside and frowning as she slowly turned around to look at Leo's face. There was something going on in that brain of his and for a moment she wondered over the last words of their conversation, it dawning on her a second later. Who wouldn't rethink what she had said with the knowledge that she knew of his spies, but at the time she had said it she couldn't help but let the words spill out. Talking to Leo was.. comfortable. As if Leo would listen to anything that she said even if it made him angry and that thought made her stomach clench, taking a step back as she looked away from him to glance at the room. She hadn't bothered before but now, now she couldn't help but want to delve a little further into this man. If for the only benefit of knowing her enemy. "What about you Leo?" She said the words calmly, as if the conversation from the bathroom had never ended. "How would you take over a kingdom?" She glanced to him for a moment before she stepped away from him, moving over to his dresser and gently touching a box on top of it. Her fingers moved across the wood, humming softly as her fingers dropped off the edge. "I'm sure you'd run in head first. That's the kind of warrior you seem to be. You don't take precautions unless it seems absolutely necessary." Her fingers moved from the box, going to a candle stick as she slowly moved along the dresser.

"Mm. Death in the middle of the war seems a befitting end of a prince such as yourself. It would be glorious." She laughed softly, giving a small shake of her head as she came to the end of the dresser and looked at him. Yes, there would be stories and songs sung of how bullheaded he was. Rushing ahead with hundreds.. no thousands of men behind him, taking up arms for a cause that would likely end in disaster. "Though.. i suppose that's why i underestimated you a little. Hmm? Thinking i'd see you coming a mile away, running towards my camp with an army behind you instead of coming in the steal of the night to snatch me away. Did your father even call me here? Or was that just a ruse as well?" Her eyebrow lifted as she watched him, frowning slightly as she stood there leaning back against the dresser. Of course she already knew that it had been a ruse. One meant to get her out of her keep and in open ground so he could kidnap her. But what she hadn't been anticipating was that the hate she had for him would fizzle out upon meeting the man beneath that angry facade. She'd only been with him for a few hours and yet, there was something different about here while he was here than when he was in court that had her looking closer and slipping up. As if there was potential there that she had never seen before. "Full of surprises, Prince."
 
Leo's mind wasn't going to get off what she had said, the words spoke of intentions he wasn't positive about but when combined made way too much sense for him not to be careful. Most likely he would have to prepare if she had something planned, it wasn't like it was impossible, Jasmine was intelligent and she seemed to have his information network turned against him. With that he knew just as important as preparing for the possible he had to make sure she wasn't aware he was doing so, if she figured it out his preparations could be countered. That meant acting normal and his silence was not going to convey normalcy. He had to talk and that meant responding to her questions when they were back in the room. If his suspicions were correct she was currently trying to cover up her slip up. Of course she once again pushed at him, insulting him without coming right out and saying anything, acting as if she knew him and what he would do, making him out to be some ignorant brute who was only capable of charging headfirst and using his brute strength to accomplish something. Could he blame here though? That was how he had taken her in the end, forcing her down onto the bed and slamming himself inside of her, being rough and causing her pain. Even if it had worked it wasn't giving him the reputation he hoped to have with her.

He finally spoke though, sighing as he watched her with his eyes, taking note of what she was doing, making sure she didn't try anything. It seemed she was only searching around his room though, nothing strange, regardless he was watching her. "You would be wrong, I am not a headfirst kind of guy when it comes to leading an army... Though I guess you aren't entirely wrong, I would crush my foes if I went to war." Leo locked the door and approached Jasmine. "See if you charge in headfirst without a plan you can be defeated or surprised. Me, I prefer to learn as much as I can and plan an assault down to the every movement. I lead on the front lines to ensure orders come instantly, adjustments can be made. Above all I would crush a nation quickly, move from battle to battle with minimum rest, trusting my men have trained enough to make it possible. That way no militia could be formed, no preparations made, it would keep more of my soldiers alive and make sure no civilians could take up arms." He moved even closer, his eyes peering into hers. "Fear is necessary as well, make them scared, let them know what happens if they fight, try and force men to give up weapons to save themselves. That isn't the same as being a murderer as my father might think, no women or children should be murdered but fear is still useful."

Leo's hand went out and approached Jasmine but stopped short, he couldn't touch her, he was still nervous despite what he had already done to her. So his hand pulled back and he turned around, walking over to the bed and sitting on the edge. "Most importantly you give everyone options, make sure they know surrender means life, try and allow as many people to live as you can, not only because it's the right thing to do but because when you've won they will be your people, killing them without hesitation will have hate already bred in their hearts..." Leo just shook his head, "Headfirst is never the right approach when things are important. But don't mistake my attitude for eternal hotheadedness princess. I may be passionate and speak my mind but that doesn't mean I am not carefully thinking about everything I do." That was the truth, though he had come to terms that proposing to her had been more rushed than anything, it seemed Jasmine had him mess up, it was rather bad when he thought about it, she was the last person he needed to falter around. "Not that any of that matters, my father doesn't do things that way, he prefers the ruthless and headfirst approach, says it keeps people in line... And it works... As long as he shows no weakness."
 
It didn't matter. Jasmine had already infiltrated his kingdom to the point that she even had the king's right hand on her side. The moment her fathers army marched on the city to get her back the gates would be swung open by the barbarians own men to allow them entry. No one would stand in their way as they marched through the city and into the castle. It would be like taking candy from a baby. No bribe or amount of money was going to get Leo out of this own. She had already turned his people against him, used their unhappiness to her advantage and had placed men through out the city even to push the people into a riot when they found out she was being kept prisoner here. Not one man would slip up and the king would fall by his own peoples hands. Of course, this was all thanks to Leo. It wouldn't have worked if the prince hadn't been stupid enough to kidnap her in the first place but he had and now he was just going to to have to sit back and watch his kingdom being taken right out from under him. Her slip up wasn't going to matter. Neither was the way his presence made her feel. She would own his kingdom, take it right out of his hand and kill his father for the insults he had placed on this land. There was nothing Leo could do any longer. It had already been put in motion, rewards already being given even as they spoke, dropped in front of houses and orders being sent to those in the city for them to be ready and waiting.

Slowly she started to move again, slowly making her way over to where she could see some maps hiding underneath a stack of books. They were probably his plans on kidnapping her and she couldn't help but wonder just how far he had gone into this so called planning. Of course, she had probably already seen the map, had probably given the damned thing over to one of the spies but that didn't make her any less curious, wondering on how effective his brain truly was when he wanted something as bad as he seemed to have wanted her. Her eyes moved down to the table she was passing, moving her fingers across it's edge until she suddenly felt Leo's proximity and looked up, green eyes wide as they looked into those cold blue ones. No, they weren't exactly cold anymore, were they? More warmth and sincerity than she had ever seen showed in those dazzling orbs, making her grit her teeth slightly as her own eyes narrowed. They shot down to his hand as it reached out towards her, not being able to stop herself from flinching back and away from it before Leo pulled his hand back and started speaking again. "Fear breeds hate, Prince. It may stop them from coming after you but hate builds the longer it festers. And by the time it boils over there is nothing any one can do to stop it."

Her eyes never left him as he moved over to the bed and sank down, lifting a hand to tug at the damp ends of her hair in a rather nervous manor before she dropped it and turned around herself. Gripping the edge of the table she leaned forward slightly, shirt edging up to show off a small portion of her perfect ass as she tried to pull herself back together. "Your father hides behind fear like it's an armor. i suppose if anyone needs new armor it would be that barbarian father of yours." Pulling in another quick breath she turned, looking Leo in the eye once more. "Though his battle plans are much more efficient than your own. There's a reason why he makes them and you execute them. If in a real war you stopped to give everyone a choice you'd be killed on the spot. War isn't about being nice, it isn't about being fair, it's about conquering and the people follow who ever conquers them. And It isn't the war that gains their allegiance because no matter which side your on the loosing side will always hate the winning. It's how you treat your people after you've won. Fear only lasts for so long, Prince. But love. It truly does conquer everything." With that she pushed away from the table, forgetting those maps for a moment as she started to make her way towards her bedroom door. "I'm going to bed. I think i've had enough for one night." Reaching the door she paused, looking behind her at Leo. "Don't expect me to wake up early in the morning to fuck you cause it isn't happening. Good night, prince." With that she pushed the door open and slammed it closed behind her.
 
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