Pegasus Girlfriend: Giovannia (special preview)

My face is growing warm and I fear I am staring too much at his chest, but his pecs look good enough to snuggle between. I try to shake the thought from my head and I am further ashamed of myself.

“You flatter me by saying that, but really, the citizens of Braewood are what is important. New leaders can be found everywhere, but it is the people I feel we should really protect.”

Romulus tilts his chin up. He says nothing and he follows me out to the gardens where I am having an art lesson. I’ll admit, I am better at things like math, and I can weave myself through poetry, but actually writing poems or creating works of art has never been my strong suit. 

Romulus stands guard while my art teacher prattles on and on, nagging me from time to time for not keeping up. I’ve never liked my art teacher, he verges on the edge of creepy and he is always touching. He had made me feel uncomfortable at one time or another, especially his lesson on anatomy, something about it made my skin crawl.

“Not like that!” He comes over to me and puts his arm around my waist. He grabs my wrist and then places his other hand on my waist. “Hold your brush like this.” he guides my hand. “And don’t be so rough.” His hand on my waist is moving upwards.

I go stiff from fear and my throat shuts tight. His fingers are brushing along my breast and his hand on my wrist is starting to hurt. “You have to caress the canvas. Slow and easy. You can’t just go in at it so hard and rough, your highness.”

“Please, stop,” I tremble, but my voice is too weak.

“No,” he says. “I am showing you the proper way to paint! Now hold still.”

I close my eyes tight but in that next moment, he’s ripped away. I look down as Romulus drags him across the ground. The art teacher shouts and berates him, calling me horrible names. Romulus punches him and then ties his hands to a tree.

“I saw what you did!” Romulus’ voice is a low angry snarl. “I saw everything! You’re a monster and I will let the king know!”

“I didn’t do anything she didn’t want me to!” The art teacher cries. “Please! Don’t tell the king! What would you know? Look at her, she wanted me to!”

Romulus turns and looks at me. “She is crying!”

“Because she knows what she did,” the art teacher struggles against the binds on his hands. “She doesn’t want to get caught!”

I know I should be yelling and screaming at him about how horribly wrong he is, but I can’t find the words. I’m so terrified that I’m still frozen in place.

“How dare you?” Romulus growls. “I bet if I go and ask any one of your other students, they would say the same thing about you. You lie and you take and you think you can get away with it? I know what I saw!”

“It’ll ruin me, please! Just let me go and I’ll quit my job here!” The art teacher cries. He’s sobbing and it’s making me sick.

Romulus turns to me. “Are you alright?” His voice is now so gentle and comforting.

I sniffle and nod. “Thank you.”

“It’s ok,” he comforts me. He takes hold of my hands and gently rubs his thumbs across my knuckles. “Take deep breaths.” He brushes the hair from my face. “Go inside, I’ll deal with him.” He walks me to the door and then makes sure a handmaid sees to me before he goes back outside.