Tomorrow being Ian Kirtak's birthday, there will be a small side story The votes are in, and in an overwhelming landslide... The setting is in your apartment in Corsac! Now that the story is over halfway done, I wonder who's picked their favorite prince? The time to decide is coming up.... I hope you guys have enjoyed it so far, and I'm in the works of making a sequel of sorts... *drumroll* > insert cliffhanger about the sequel You'll have to wait and see! Thanks to everyone who has bumped this for me. I would be updating much more frequently if I hadn't had an accident. I am getting my car back this week, so please bear with me until then
~☆*:.｡. o~Crown Prince~o .｡.:*☆~ *･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'Ian Kirtak'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･* ♪───ＯSweet Birthday StoryＯ────♪ I grimaced as I pried open my eyes. They felt as if they had been glued together. As the light from outside my window hit my face I cringed, trying to remember what had happened the previous night. My coworker from the local paper and I had worked long into the night to finish the draft. After the success of finishing our article into the wee hours of the morning, she had taken me out to celebrate. It appeared that I had drunk a bit too much. Then again it didn’t take much for me. I didn’t remember coming back to my apartment, but here I was. My head pounding, I closed my eyes again and surrendered myself to the miniscule comfort of my bed. Somehow my bed felt very comfortable actually, and warm despite the March chill I had seen upon the windows. My head was throbbing but the hand running through my hair felt wonderfully soothing. I sighed happily and snuggled further into bed. “Really now,” a deep voice said in an exasperated tone. My eyes shot open. I recognized that voice, but there was no way. Then my eyes looked up to the hand that was resting on my forehead. My body suddenly tensed as I realized that a heartbeat was beating a pattern into my back I gave a cry of surprise as his highness Prince Ian Kirtak leaned over me then, with a little smirk upon his lips. A wisp of his perfect light brown hair crossed over his face as his wonderful brown eyes looked into mine. His polo shirt was slightly creased across his chest where I had been laying upon him. “Y-Your highness!” I exclaimed, pulling back from his body and almost falling off my bed as I did so. He smiled again before becoming serious. “I did expect a call,” Ian said accusingly, his lips pursing into something like a pout as he looked at me. Glancing down I realized that I had somehow shed my pants and was just in the shirt I had been wearing last night. Blushing furiously I pulled the covers up around me like a cocoon and peered at the prince over the top of the blanket. Ian raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. “You do remember what day it is, don’t you?” He didn’t seem bothered at all by my lack of dress. Wracking my brain, I felt a sense of dread wash over me as I realized that it was his highness’ birthday. “Oh,” I managed, before jumping from the bed and rushing to my armoire, belatedly realizing that the prince was now treated to a view of my exposed legs. “Ah, no! Look away!” I gasped. “What? I didn’t see anything,” Ian said, sounding scandalized. Prince Kirtak was innocently looking out the window, although I felt as if I could see a little grin on his face. Turning back to the armoire I pulled out a neatly wrapped present, before realizing that it didn’t seem so appropriate now. The small gesture no longer seemed significant, and it felt unbearably heavy in my hands. As she was pondering over the gift in her hands, Ian was doing his own thinking. Although he had planned to sneak away from the prestigious and rather pompous in his opinion festivities, he hadn’t planned on arriving in Corsac. Wearing dark sunglasses and a long coat, he had thought his disguise was impeccable, but his presence still had made people stare at him as he had walked down the street. Although Prince Kirtak had told ordered Julian to find him her address, he was rather stunned as he stood in front of the tiny worn door. Julian had only raised an eyebrow but dutifully supplied him with her information and here he was. It was somewhat startling to the prince who had been raised in a castle to be standing before an apartment. The landlady dropped the trash she had been carrying as she stared at the imposing gentleman who seemed to be trying to stare down the door of that writer woman in 205. She shook her head and picked up the trash, resuming her trek to the dumpster. It wasn’t her business anyhow. Prince Ian stared at the door before at last reaching out to knock. The door swung open from its latch as he rapped it lightly with his knuckles. Blinking, he stepped inside, pushing the sunglasses up to the top of his head. He had expected her to be there somehow, but the room inside was dark and empty. Exploring tentatively at first and then more bold, he walked through the kitchen and emerged into the living room. He saw a hallway at the back of the room and ventured towards it, keeping quiet, although he didn’t know why. That’s when he had seen her, sleeping upon the bed, her hair tousled on the pillow as she sprawled in the most unladylike manner ever. Her lips were parted slightly and Ian could see the tantalizing hint of bare leg from under the partially kicked-off covers. At first, Ian felt indignant that she wasn’t awake after all of his effort to be here. But as he watched her sleeping so peacefully he couldn’t stay mad. Before he knew it he had approached the bed and sat upon it. Her arm suddenly grasped his and pulled him down. A surprised look on his face, Ian’s sunglasses toppled from his head and clattered on the floor. She held onto him with such a grip he thought she had awoken but when he looked at her eyelashes resting upon her cheek he knew she was still sleeping. A small smile was upon her lips. He brushed her hair back from her face and she made a noise of contentment so he did it again. Her nose wrinkled slightly and he continued to run his fingers through her hair, untangling it gently. Moving his legs onto the bed he pulled her into his arms, enjoying this rare moment. “I can’t stay long,” Prince Ian said, coming out of his reverie. “I’m sure Julian is suffering at the hands of mother and father right now.” He gave a wry smile. Undoubtedly the King and Queen were grilling his loyal servant about his whereabouts. I watched as his face assumed a displeased expression. Desperate for him to smile again I clutched the present in my hands. “Happy Birthday… Your Highness, please take this as a token of my…” I fumbled for words and then thrust it at him. Prince Ian stood then, his tall frame shadowing mine as he tilted his head to the side, studying me. His eyes felt as if they were burning into me, and I blushed again as I realized that I had yet to don pants. Then he smiled at last and took it from me before setting it on the bed. “I have to say I was rather disappointed you were sleeping instead of coming to greet me,” he said in a deep purr. I opened my mouth to make an excuse but he approached me then, cutting me off. “However, I can’t stay mad in a situation like this.” Standing before me, I shivered. He leaned his forearm upon the armoire door, pressing me up against it. His perfectly chiseled face was only inches from mine, and my eyes were drawn into his. His pale lips twitched into a smile and I felt my breath leave me. “I’ll take my real present now,” he said softly. Unbelievably soft silken lips closed over mine. I could feel his body heat setting my skin on fire as his free hand touched the side of my face. He tilted my head slightly and his light kiss touched my lips again, and then again. As the moments passed they became hungrier and hungrier, devouring me. At last he pulled back, pushing himself away with the armoire. I couldn’t even think straight, as I stared at him. A noise escaped my throat but I couldn’t form words. A tingling had shot through my body all the way to my toes and I felt as if I had been electrified. “Your Highness,” said another voice from the hallway and I dove behind the bed, just before Julian walked in. Huddled on the floor, I peered over the edge. “The King and Queen have requested for me to pick you up. They are not amused.” Prince Ian Kirtak sighed. “All right,” he said becoming serious. Then he turned to Julian and whispered something as he walked out of the room and down the hall. Julian turned to where I was hiding and spoke in a clear voice. “Whenever you are ready, a car is waiting outside to take you to the airport. His Highness cuts his cake at 7:00 pm.” Then the servant turned and left, softly closing my bedroom door behind him. Giving a sigh of relief I stared at the present sitting upon my bed. I couldn’t stop the smile from crossing my face. Getting up I hurried to the shower. From outside, Prince Ian looked back at the small apartment. The landlady’s cigarette fell out of her agape jaw, as she stared at the small helicopter adorned with Equix royal flags. She shook her head and stepped back inside the apartment; it wasn’t her business she told herself. Ian Kirtak climbed into the helicopter and as it took off into the sky he smiled. He couldn’t wait until tonight when he could see her again. This was a wonderful birthday. ~Fin~