The Royal Contract

"Because we are riding this. Come on. I promise that this is very safe. I won't let anything happened to you." He stood by the motorbike built, specifically for rough roads. "Besides, where we are going would not fit a huge vehicle."

She looked at him, uncertain of what to do. However, she knew she could not go back to the palace. Her mother would surely want to spend some time with her. And that option was not something she was looking forward to doing.

He took a leather jacket that he bought and gave it to her. "Wear this." Then, he also wore his as he moved to check on the bike. 

"Fine. But are you sure you know how to drive this thing?" She questioned him. Still hesitant to participate in his plans, but she still wore the jacket for precautionary measure. 

She did wonder how he knew her exact measurements. Almost all the clothes he was giving her felt like was designed only for her. Even the style and design did appeal to her as if he knew what she wanted.

"I won't risk your life if I don't know what I am doing." Alex placed the helmet on top of her head, securing that the strap tightly under her chin. "Do you trust me?" 

As he said this, he could not stop looking at her eyes in that small opening. He could not stop admiring her face. Despite her simple makeup, she was still indeed very stunning. He suddenly regretted not complimenting her looks when he first saw her open her door.

"I think that is tight enough." She broke his trance as she stepped backward, away from him, avoiding answering his question. She was not sure if she did, trust him. She had not given much thought about it before. 

"Ok. Just making sure that it won't get loose." He knew it was a lame excuse. But he had nothing else he could say from the way he acted.

He rode his bike and beckoned her to get on the bike. "Just hopped on." He tapped the space behind him. 

"I hope you know what you are doing." It was a final plea before she met her impending doom, she thought as she rode for the first time a bike. Now, she found herself in an awkward position of where to hold on. She had not thought this through when she agreed to ride with him.

When he felt that she was already sitting properly at his back, he also placed his helmet on and started the engine. "Hold on to me tightly." He said behind him, turning slightly to her.

"How?" She muttered to herself, moving her hands clumsily in front of her. Finally, she decided to put her hands on his shoulder, debating whether to put them around his neck. But that might choke him, she thought.

"Here." He could not help but smile at the dilemma she was facing. He found it cute than anything else. He pulled both of her hands away from his shoulder and wrapped them around his waist instead. "Hold on tightly." 

He could still feel that she was hesitating to wrap her hands securely around him. So, he decided to start the motor with a slight jolt, which made her panic. This time, she had no choice but to hold to him real tight. Well, he did not want her to fall because she was afraid to touch him. 

"That's better." He muttered under his breath as he continued to move the motor in the road, contented with his reasoning.

"Be careful! I almost fell." Dani finally found her voice and reprimanded him. But she could not let go of her hold on him after that. She had no choice but to rest her body on his back as they rode to their destination.

Dani only agreed to go with him on his bike because she was afraid to face her mother. But she prayed that she could see her mother again and return in one piece.

"I'm sorry. I won't let you fall, but I do need you to hold on tight." He could feel the tension in her body as it connected with his back. The fast beating of her heart told him that she was indeed nervous. 

He drove with a comfortable speed, not to scare her off any further. Besides, he wanted her to enjoy the experience not only with the place they were going. But the feeling of freedom when he was riding his bike. 

He considered sharing with her what he loved to do with the hope that they could get more comfortable with each other. They could not last long if they were always in each other's throats like cats and dogs. 

Mostly, it was his doing, he admitted. But he was ready to mend his ways with this first step. He wanted them to become friends.

"Are you alright?" He finally asked after a while of driving on an empty road. He slightly turned his face to her so that he could hear her question.

"I think I am." She replied near his face, hoping that he would hear her reply, afraid that the wind would drown her voice.

"Good. I hope you'll try to enjoy the experience." He pointed out a few landmarks and historical sights, as they moved around his hometown. 

She only nodded to his statement. However, if she was honest, her earlier anxiety was slowly turning into something else. Excitement was crawling in her skin as the motor speed up on the highway. 

"Ok. I will try." She finally answered him.

She was beginning to enjoy the ride as she appreciated this new place, feeling the wind blowing on her face. The experience was far from what she had been accustomed to, and the place was quite different from where she grew up as she gazed around the open space. 

She also realized that her fear was slowly subsiding as she felt more comfortable around him. Feeling his steady heartbeat against hers was, in a way, calming hers. It was assuring her that he was in control. He knew what he was doing. But she could also sense that she was about to discover new things.