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Realistic or Modern Night’s Embrace | Private |

Rose’s eyes had focused on the back of Emory’s hand as she held it, her index finger still tracing the gentle patterns on the back of it. She could barely see anything past his hand due to the dim light in the room. The moon had shifted in the sky to be far above the mansion by that point, causing the light that had been in the room before to disappear. She knew she probably should’ve lit a candle by that point, but she couldn’t find it in herself to pull away from his side. She didn’t want for him to wake and see she was not there. It wasn’t often that he insisted on her staying by his side. She would do whatever she could to be there for him. She paused the circling of her fingers on the back of his hand, eyebrows furrowing as she continued to hum. She couldn’t shake the worry that had piled deep in her stomach. She hadn’t a clue if it was only getting worse due to the chill in the air that hadn’t left yet or if it was her own mind imagining it all.

Her humming paused as a soft yawn managed to break its way through her lips. She blinked in order to try to push the thought of sleeping from her mind once again. She knew well enough that she could handle a sleepless night. It would be her first and it most certainly wouldn’t be her last. She wanted to be awake in case the slumbering man beside her woke. She was sure he would want to know the news that Avrune had responded, that they were finally able to have a direct contact to the nation. She also knew she needed to be the one who broke the news of his worsening condition. It was a conversation she was truly dreading, but one that needed to be had sooner rather than later. She found herself drifting so far off into her own thoughts once more that she hadn’t even realized Emory woke from his sleep. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she kept her eyes focused on his hand.

She was immediately pulled from her thoughts as she felt his fingers weakly curled around her own. She sat a bit straighter in the chair, pulling herself to the edge of it. She made sure that she didn’t fall off though. She lifted her gaze to finally look to Emory only to see him staring at her as though he had seen a ghost. Confusion was clear on her own expression, not knowing of the torments his mind had put him through. “Emory?” She asked softly, words no more than a whisper in the quiet room. It was the only sound that was present other than the labored echo of his breathing. Her eyes shifted to study his expression, trying to see if she might catch a glimpse of what would’ve caused for him to act in such a way. The only thing that marked his face were the tears mixing in with the dullness of the gold in his irises. That surge of worry immediately took hold of her again.

She hadn’t expected for the strength in which he swept her up in his arms. A soft sound left her while he did, body tensing for a moment. It didn’t take long for her to finally relax, arms shifting to carefully wrap around him in return. Her grip was nowhere near as tight as his own and his was beginning to hurt, but she refused to say anything about it. He truly seemed like he had needed this embrace. She had no intention of taking it away from him. She allowed for a silence to settle between them as her hands gently rubbed his back. It took a few minutes of being held, of hearing the unevenness of his breath before she could find it in herself to speak once more. “It was just a dream Emory. Your mind is just playing tricks on you. You are alright. You are safe.” She murmured. She hadn’t a clue if anything she said would help as she didn’t know just what he had seen.

“It’s okay. You are going to be okay.” She added after a moment. Her own fingers curled carefully into the tunic that he wore. She wanted to tell him what had occurred, but bit her tongue. They had plenty of time to discuss such matters later. She allowed herself to finally fully go quiet. She didn’t know if her words did soothe him or just irritate him more. She rested her head carefully against his, stifling another yawn. She wanted nothing more than to just curl up in bed beside him. She assumed it might help him calm down more if she did. She didn’t move though, letting him hold her for as long as he wanted to.
 
The grip of Rose's arms around him, although gentle with their weight was enough to put more sensations of relief to flood his body. A corpse couldn't hold him like she did, a corpse didn't hold the warmth that clung to her. As her hands ha gently rubbed his back, that had made a small sound leave his lips, almost akin to a whimper as he was trying to scramble to bring himself under composure again, for that was what the inevitable ending to his moments of panic. He would merely hide everything again, suppress it until he could no longer feel it. But, the panic of losing Rose, of feeling so utterly overwhelmed with grief... he didn't want to feel that again. Rose's gentle murmur didn't soothe him, his tone quaking as he pulled her closer, still not knowing that his grip was far too tight, "...Don't leave me.. don't leave me... don't leave me.." These three words were spoken in a haunted whisper, his head burrowed in her shoulder as his tears flowed relentlessly in a torrent down his face. He could freely disregard all of his past trauma regarding himself, though it certainly opened up old wounds for him, seeing Rose lifeless was something he could not bear.

After a few moments, his breathing was beginning to even out once more, Rose's reassurances beginning to soothe the man, though he didn't seem to want to let her go. His grip had loosened slightly, hesitantly he had finally released her from his hold though quite frankly, the man's expression wasn't the best. The hollowed look to his eyes was one that certainly would be alarming, even if it wasn't as intense as it certainly could be. His hand gripped her own, eyes dropping to her own, as if nervous that she may vanish before him at any moment. It wasn't like Emory to be as nervous as he was now, the anxiety that was writhing in his chest was flowing out in his movements and the way his posture was, lacking his usual cold confidence. If anything, he seemed a bit smaller and almost fragile in this moment, a vulnerability to him that was concerning.

"...I thought I lost you forever.." The words were spoken so quietly that it was hard to hear, but it implied enough. No doubt once morning came, Emory would pretend like this never happened, that he never acted as pathetically as he was now. "..You were so cold.." His breath caught in his chest, rattling within as the imagery caused a wave of fresh despair to settle over him. Shifting back upon his bed, he tugged at her arm, an action almost akin to a child's, clearly desiring her to lay down beside him. Emory knew enough he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep easily, his mind far too agitated to allow him to do so. Normally, he wouldn't be so selfish or pitiful with his desires, but he truly did need her presence beside him, even if he would be unable to sleep. Of course, by this point oddly enough the chill in the air had dissipated, vanishing so suddenly as if whoever it had been had lost interest or perhaps withdrew somewhere. Not that it truly seemed to matter, it couldn't have been too important, could it?
... Meanwhile at the Gallovan Estate ...​
Eunice's eyes fluttered open as she breathed in deep, the woman's arms wrapped around Algernon as his lips pressed to her throat. It didn't take much for her to entice her puppet of a husband, for the man was under her enthrallment, wrapped around her finger. The pleasure he provided, however was lacking, disappointing truly and far too... boring. It wasn't as if she had been too focused on the man attempting his best to please her at this moment, her mind being cast far away to an all too adorable toy that she finally managed to latch onto. Agrius in his foolish mission to enlighten the people of this land had provided the woman a little thread to reconnect herself to the little toy she dearly loved to torture.

A tingle of pleasure ran down her spine as her mind recounted the little details in her brief scrying foray into his slumbering mind. Considering she'd not seen him in many, many years due to how elusive he had been, she was over the moon with how attractive he'd turned out to become. Making him recount a mere fraction of his torment was such a joy to see, the way he pleaded for it to stop and when he simply had given in for just a lapse within his mind... he could still be broken. Even if he had snapped at her daughter, Demelza, she knew he wouldn't dare to do the same to her. It was obvious in the fear that lit up his handsome features when she had came into contact with him in the dream. A light moan left her lips then, pleasure sparking within her as she held Algernon tighter to her, her fingernails digging into the man's back.

It wasn't as if she was merely entering his dream for no reason, she was probing at him for weaknesses, little breaks in the man's psyche to cause him to surrender to her will. It wouldn't be fun controlling him like she did with her current husband, for what sort of game would it be if she would already win? No, she wanted to hunt her prey down and exhaust him, force him to break into a mere shell of himself like he was supposed to stay all those years ago if Maridel hadn't gotten in her way. And she certainly already had a fatal weakness to use against him, the one thing that truly made him topple and lose all sense of himself from what she had viewed. A princess that supposedly had died; Rose. The thought of the woman caused her fingernails to dig in tighter into Algernon's back, prompting the man to grunt in pain, although he eagerly clung to the woman beneath him in response, his lips coming into contact with her own; a kiss that she allowed even if her mind was elsewhere.

It was... odd that Rose was Emory's weakness. Sure, Eunice could break him down mentally and physically overtime, but if she threatened Rose's life... she wondered how he would react then? Certainly, he would become obedient if the threat was constantly dangling over his head. A pleased hum left her lips, drawing Algernon deep into the kiss... she wondered how pleasurable it would be to kiss Emory again? He probably wouldn't hide his disgust, but if he was so deeply attached to Rose as it seemed like he was in the little dream she had rudely infiltrated, he wouldn't resist. Wouldn't it be fun to allow her little followers to have their fun with him too? Plus, she could truly do everything she wanted with the man, as her strength only continued to grow with each passing year and it was already immense. She quite literally could do whatever she desired, and Emory would simply have to take it. Maybe it would be fun to break his mind into little pieces until he actually enjoyed her torment? What a warped idea that was... she loved it. The woman couldn't fight the wicked smile from crossing her face as she parted her lips from her husband's, leaning her head back against the cushioned pillow underneath her as she whispered, "More..."

More. Now that she merely gotten the tiniest taste of how Emory would look in agony or torment, she wanted to see his face mixed with pleasure and pain. Eunice wanted to absolutely break the man until he couldn't live without her... oh, she truly was looking to the fun she would have! This life for her had gotten so utterly boring when she couldn't locate him again, now that she had... he was doomed.
 
The sound that managed to make its way from Emory’s lips did little to soothe the worry that was still present in Rose’s mind. She wished to ask what was wrong, to demand what she could do in order to help him. She bit gently down on her tongue to avoid asking such a thing. It would be counterproductive to what she was trying to accomplish with him at that current moment. She needed for him to feel safe and secure. Whatever he had seen in his dreams caused him more of a fright than she had seen before. That alone was enough to make the pit in her chest grow, even if she was doing everything to push it away. Her eyes closed partly, breathing in his scent. Despite his trembling in her grasp, his own grip provided her a great deal of comfort. The issue with his mana was still present in her mind and the fact that he was even able to hold her as tightly as he was did enough to soothe some of the tension that had eased into her muscles. The soreness was still present from the training earlier in the day.

She shifted slightly in his embrace, the strength of his grip beginning to get a bit uncomfortable. A grimace had settled onto her face, but she still refused to say anything. The gentle tug that he gave her to pull her closer caused for her to finally be out of the chair. She immediately had to adjust her legs to balance herself out more, not wanting to fall to the floor and accidentally pull him with her. The repetition of the soft phrase was one that she hadn’t expected to hear. She immediately turned her head to look towards him easier as they held one another, eyebrows pinching. “I would never leave you Emory. I have no intention of doing so,” She paused, lips parting as she tried to think what he might’ve seen to react in such a way. Nothing was immediately coming to mind, though she would’ve been devastated if she knew what he had seen. “I love you. I will always be beside you.” She added in a reassuring tone.

She could feel the loosening of his grip, adjusting her body weight to continue to support herself as he let her go. She allowed for one knee to carefully rest on the floor beneath her. She brought her free hand up to gently caress his cheek, thumb tracing his cheekbone. The movement was one that she had done many times before, one she knew helped calm him. In the dim light of the room, she could see the stress lit on his face. The dullness of his eyes matched that of the pinching lines around them. She had seen him with such an expression before, but it was still alarming. It still brought forth a squeezing sensation around her heart. She blinked a few times before adjusting herself to where she could properly standing. She didn’t remove her own hand from his grasp while she did, but she did her the one caressing his cheek fall to her side. There was a childlike frailty to the way the young lord looked at that moment. She didn’t want to leave his side then, even if someone came to drag her away.

His first comment caused the confusion to stir once more, but his next made realization dawn in her eyes. He had seen her die. There was nothing more she could elaborate on as the fact that simple enough. His mind had taken the one thing that he found comfort in, the one thing he allowed himself to love, and twisted it to cause him a pain unlike any other. She could only imagine how much it hurt to see her like that. The memories from Freycrest were still fresh in her mind. She could vividly picture stepping into the cabin and seeing the burns spread across Emory’s body. The smell of the flesh wafted back to her nostrils, the ragged sound of his breathing filled her ears. She turned her gaze away for a moment to push the memories as far back as she could. “It was just a dream Emory. I am alive and well and have no intention of ever allowing myself to die anytime soon. You are stuck with me until we are old and grey.” She whispered as she forced herself to look back to him. It was a weak attempt at lightening the air between them.

The gentle tugging on her arm told her all she needed to know. She offered him a gentle nod before finally releasing his hand. She moved around the bed quickly before carefully climbing underneath the familiar weight of his comforter. She was quickly surrounded by his scent, one of her favorite reminders of the man she loved dearly. She shifted towards him, adjusting herself to where she could carefully pull him to her. It was opposite how they normally laid, but she assumed it would bring him the most ease if he were to be the one resting his head on her chest. He could easily hear her heartbeat that way and let it be a constant reminder that she was alive and well. She wrapped her arms around him gentle and tugged him closer. She brought a hand up to carefully play with his hair, doing whatever she could think of to continue to calm him. Her eyes were partly closed as she did so.
 
Rose's attempt at lightening the air between them was met with the faintest light beginning to return to Emory's hollow eyes, though his gaze followed her with an intensity that he hadn't shown before. It was mostly him trying to make himself realize that this was his reality, that Rose was indeed still alive and well. Emory didn't resist when she had pulled himself to her, her warmth being enough to settle his frayed nerves even if it was only slightly. Gently, his head rested upon her chest, the thrum of her still beating heart giving him further reassurance as one arm hesitantly settled around her middle, moving slightly closer to her without causing their position to get too uncomfortable. The gentle touch of her hand in his hair had made the man's eyelids droop slightly, though the residual panic and fear he held earlier still would not allow him to drift off just yet. The comfort Rose provided, however made the man feel as if he truly was being far too greedy, too dependent upon her. But, how could he not? She was the first to truly try to give him a chance, insisting still on being with him. She was everything to him.

"...I won't live without you in this world... I love you far too much.." His words were softly spoken, not as agitated as his prior panic, but he knew enough his words were true. His nightmare shown him enough with how his resolve would crumble. Even if she wasn't at his side, knowing that she would be alive was enough for him. If she wasn't... the thought was far too dark for him to be considering, but Emory knew enough he wouldn't hesitate. The man prior to meeting Rose did value his own life, perhaps as far as the thought of surviving to spite those who had made him feel shame and hopelessness. He'd achieved power and riches on his own with his own hands because it helped him survive; to protect himself from anything and anyone because he wanted more than anything else before to be left alone. Through that, he had numbed himself and the only thought of him was surviving... but with no purpose. There was nothing that he really wanted before, no dreams or ambitions, no happiness. He had everything, but it amounted to nothing. Meeting Rose and having this woman in his life had opened up a side of him that he wasn't even aware existed... but he was clinging to her as his sole purpose. It was borderline obsession.

He loved her but didn't think he deserved her love, but he was becoming far too dependent on her gentleness, her care. She had cracked his cold armor and left him vulnerable, and he adored her for it, even if she scared him all the same with how almost easy it had been for her to slip past his defenses. The more he thought about it, the more she was becoming an existence that Emory couldn't live without if he knew there was a chance that she would slip from him forever. Emory's felt his throat tighten as he closed his eyes, desperately listening to her heartbeat. "..I love you." The words were spoken weakly, but he was being sincere. It was clear he would be wrestling with the vivid nightmare for the rest of the night, but the man wouldn't be selfish enough to keep Rose awake, having her sleep beside him would perhaps be better, considering he had yet to fully calm down, it would be perhaps hours until he was calm enough to sleep.

"Please, sleep." He spoke those words next, tone becoming a little bit stronger than before, his head turning slightly to look at Rose, a bit of the normal light beginning to return to his eyes. He wasn't a fool, he saw how tired she was. It wouldn't be right of him to keep her up any longer, she had looked over him for long enough. It was time for him to return the favor.
 
It didn’t take long for the two of them to get settled beside on another and Emory did shift to hold her in the way that she had been hoping he would. She kept her eyes focused ahead at the wall across the room from the bed as her fingers absentmindedly played with his hair. Her movements weren’t much, just gentle touches from her fingers without her hand moving. It reminded her all too much of what her mother would do to soothe her whenever she was sick or whenever she managed to crawl her way into her parents bed in a terrible storm. It was the only way she knew how to comfort another person, especially someone like Emory. Patience was key when the other male didn’t know how to properly open up and express his emotions. She would stay by his side for however long she needed to, even if he insisted she barely moved from him for days. She wouldn’t mind one bit.

Her fingers paused the movement in his hair at his comment, turning her gaze to look down at him. “I say the same about you. I cannot imagine my life without you anymore. You have become far too valuable to me.” She confessed, tone thoughtful. The air surrounding their current situation was beginning to grow far too uncertain. Tensions were sure to be ramping up once they got to the kingdom, especially with Avrune now being in contact with her father and themselves. Emory’s condition was too unstable as well. The more that she thought on it, the more that it caused an aching to begin in her temples. “I love you too Emory, truly. If you are to remove one thing from your list of worries, let it be that I will never leave you willingly. Someone will have to drag me away while I fight tooth and nail to stay by your side.” She added after the brief silence that had settled in the air once more. She shifted her grip on him to let the hand that had been previously playing with his hair rest just below his shoulder on his back. Her fingers curled lightly into his tunic once more.

She tilted her head to press a gentle kiss to the top of his own before settling back against the pillows beneath her. “I love you too, forever and always.” She repeated, a tinge of exhaustion finally creeping its way into her tone. He seemed to immediately pick up on that and everything she had been trying to hide away from her expression. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She just tightened her grip on him more, enjoying the warmth that his body was bringing her. “If you need me, please wake me. I do not mind one bit.” She mumbled, stifling a yawn. She doubted he would find it in himself to wake her if he truly did need her, but she had no doubts that he presence would be soothing enough in that moment. She didn’t let any indication of what happened while he had been asleep show, knowing it would be best to approach it in the morning with a fresh mind. Her eyes slowly fluttered shut, even if her mind was urging her to fight the sleep she desperately craved. She supposed it was a response to staying awake for as long as she had in order to look over him. Despite her hesitation, it didn’t take too long for her breathing to even out and her head to tilt off to the side as sleep overcame her.
 
His heart felt soothed by her reassurances, her words of love for him. Emory's eyes was beginning to feel heavy again, hearing Rose attempting to stifle a yawn, though he murmured, "Alright." Emory would try to refrain from doing so however, she needed the sleep even if he desired rest as well. Part of him was far too terrified to try to sleep though, what if she was in his nightmares again? Emory's grip tightened around Rose at the thought, though he had to quickly force himself to not squeeze her too tight. He didn't want to wake her up, she deserved to sleep peacefully. As the minutes ticked by, Emory was left on his own in the waking world, listening to the sound of Rose's heartbeat echoing in his ear, the soft sound of her breathing underneath him being a reassurance that she was still alive, still with him. Eventually, his eyes closed despite the coiling fear still writhing within his stomach, the man's body relaxing as his exhausted mind plunged him into the darkness once more.
...​
His mind once more found itself in the comfy room that he had been in before, the crackling of the fireplace causing his head to turn toward it, a tingle of fear flowing down his spine. I need to get out of here. The man stood to his feet, now feeling that he could move freely which in of itself was a great relief as his steps echoed in the empty room, though once more if he stared at any particular object for too long it would become incomprehensible and vague. A frown crossed his face as he crossed the room toward the back, his hand resting on the blank wall... there was no door, no exit. A curse left his lips then as he looked about wildly, panic beginning to rise in his chest, though he froze as soon as a voice echoed chillingly behind him, "Oh my, you're back here again? I would have thought you wouldn't desire to sleep again so soon?" Emory's head whipped around as he spotted Eunice leaning comfortably against the back of the chair, her posture calm, the pale brown of her hair flowing over her shoulders in lovely waves, her hazel gaze however was cold, calculating as her ruby lips twitched up in a lovely yet terrifying smile. She was beautiful, certainly, having not aged since he had seen her as a boy... but he knew this woman was a viper, he wanted nothing to do with her. Why was she now haunting his dreams?

Questions swirled about in his mind like a torrent, though he could feel a trembling beginning to start up in his limbs, a twisting in his gut and the feeling of bile beginning to rise in his throat. Emory's reactions of course, didn't go unnoticed by the woman standing a mere few feet away, "I know you have many questions, but I should say that you shouldn't be surprised. After all, Agrius had crossed your path, did he not? Because of your all too special mana awakening... I can easily visit you in your dreams like so. Isn't it wonderful? Though, it's a shame we aren't in person." She shook her head, an overly animated display of mocking sorrow, "Especially considering you've gotten far too unruly since you've last been in my presence.. I'll have to re-educate you again." Emory's teeth bared then, forcing the feelings of disgust to settle enough so he could speak, "As if I'd want to be in the presence of a devil like you!" I'd stayed to myself for so long.. why is this happening?! The panicked thought made his legs feel weak, struggling to keep his breathing even as Eunice had raised an eyebrow at him for his remark, only for a chilling laugh to leave her lips, "Oh, how the dog barks at his master!"

A slender hand raised as she had snapped her fingers, a chill settling within the dreamscape as he felt a sudden tightening at his throat, the feeling of a tight band of metal squeezing around his neck with a connecting chain coiled around her hand, she suddenly tugged causing the man to choke at the sudden strength that a woman of her frame perhaps should not have. He fell forward, losing his balance as his hands gripped the metal collar, feeling himself being dragged across the floor as the chains clinked mockingly within his own ears, a stomp upon his stomach caused the air to be driven out from his lungs, a sharp heel digging into his stomach as his eyes could only few a bare leg, the woman standing above him, though a sinister presence began to feel as if it were invading the once comfy surroundings. It was something dark, something... ancient. Eunice's voice echoed around him as she spoke coldly, "You have no choice in this matter. How ungrateful are you to treat the woman who rescued you from that box?" Another angry tug at the metal collar made Emory choke, his fingernails desperately scratching at it as it felt like it was shrinking, feeling the burning sensation of a multitude of eyes staring at him, but from where? He couldn't see them. Panic was causing his heart to beat at a quickened pace as he spat out in defiance through clenched teeth, "Why should I feel gratitude, after what you did to-" Another fierce stomp to his stomach once more robbed him of the breath in his lungs, coughing as he felt his insides beginning to churn, pain surging from within.

"What a shame... it seems you really have decided that you can defy me. Well then, let me remind you of how little you truly are." A cold smile filtered across Eunice's face as he could see her expression in full, an expression that made his blood run cold, "...Rose, was it? That woman you cherish so much?" Rage flared in his eyes and heart, beginning to struggle once more as he snarled, "Don't you dare!" Eunice's lips widened in response, the cold smile growing into something that was vicious, "Considering now you've experienced that magic is all too real... don't you think she would be so easy for me to kill? I could kill her at any time, though I wonder how creative I can get? What would make you suffer more? Hmm?" Emory's expression twisted with anger, his jaw clenching tightly though he could feel the fear within him beginning to grow overwhelming. Anything but her. Please... no.

"Or, would you be selfish enough to allow her to suffer in your place?! That would be fun as well, after all you know quite well how much fun my friends had with you. Introducing her to the world as a shameful prostitute would be quite enjoyable... but of course since I care not for her, perhaps she would die after a few days, her body was quite weak... is it not?" The collar around his neck tightened once more, now he found that he couldn't breathe easily anymore, beginning to choke more as tears sprung to his eyes at the pain, struggling to suck in oxygen into his lungs. "N-no..!" He managed that exclamation out, his breathing uneven as he wanted to plea for her to not consider it. These were not empty threats, he knew she would if she got the opportunity to do so. "P-please.. don't.. hurt.." He gasped as the collar suddenly had released its tightening hold, his head finally falling back against the floor beneath him as he was left pathetically panting beneath the woman, Eunice crouched down then, feeling the pressure of her body finally settling upon his abdomen, a vicious and victorious glint coming to her face as she raised a hand, settling underneath Emory's chin, tilting his head up to force her to look her in the eyes, "If you don't want me to hurt her... then you have to do all in your power to help me in return. It shouldn't be so hard, considering you've already done so before."

Emory's eyes narrowed, a feeling of helplessness beginning to flow in his chest as he spoke weakly, "..You don't mean.." He would have to suffer all of that again? For how long? No.. that was a foolish question to even come to his mind. It was as long as Eunice desired, he knew that alone from the expression on the woman's face as she cooed, "For as long as I want. As long as you remain obedient, I promise your dearest Rose won't be harmed, in fact I'll personally make sure she'll be protected when you're not at her side. I am a woman of my word." A scowl crossed his face then, though his mind was quick to remind him at the overwhelming despair he felt when he witnessed her death... it was a promise he knew that Eunice would fulfill if he refused. He didn't want her to suffer, he wanted to protect her and keep her happy. If this was the price he had to pay to keep her safe... but could he truly take it again?

Nausea swelled within him as he stared into Eunice's hazel eyes, trying to search for any sign of deception within. There was none, she was being honest with him... which made him feel worse. He had no grounds to negotiate with her on this, she had him cornered. A bitterness settled within him as he finally caved, "...Very well. I'll keep you to your word, do not harm her." Satisfaction flowed across Eunice's lovely face as she leaned forward, her ruby lips coming into contact with his own, causing the man to feel more disgust as her voice echoed mockingly around him in the dreamscape, "Good boy. We have a deal." Pain soared in his chest as he felt a scathing heat beginning to flow through his body, it burned with such an intensity that was enough to rip his breath away, feeling as if he was being burned from the inside out as the pressure of Eunice's lips upon his own increased, his hands coming up to try to push her away as disgust soared with him. Her fingers were unyielding upon him, the clinking of the chain connecting to the metal collar around his neck suddenly tugging and tightening, causing his body to slacken in response, his body being unable to react to his own will. Darkness then began to swarm his vision, eventually swallowing him whole as her voice whispered, "I'll contact you soon, my adorable toy..."
...​
The morning sun was streaming in through the window, though the rays were pale signifying it was still quite early in the morning. Emory's grip hadn't moved from around Rose since when he had dozed off during the night, sweat was covering his body and he was trembling from head to toe once more. Shifting his weight, the man shifted out of the bed, feeling as if there was a tight vice around his neck, as if the collar that Eunice had put upon him during the nightmare was still all too real. Struggling to breathe, the man felt disgusting. Was that nightmare even real? Was his mind playing tricks on him again? Nausea settled within his stomach then, though becoming unbearable as he felt bile beginning to rise in his throat. Struggling not to gag, Emory had stumbled out of the room immediately, going toward the nearby bathroom before locking himself inside... and unfortunately the sound of his retching and gagging would echo from the bathroom itself. Being in Eunice's presence, whether it was a dream or reality was enough to make him feel sick, furthermore her words were echoing in his own mind, taunting him like that of a warning.

He couldn't run from her anymore, for Eunice had him cornered. Part of him wondered if this was punishment for him retaliating against Demelza, another part considered this was just punishment for him being happy for once. Emory should have never allowed himself to grow so attached to Rose, now the woman he loved so dearly was being threatened... he had to protect her. This meant that if what Eunice was saying was true, then Rose would suffer the consequences if he chose to be defiant. His stomach heaved once more, the contents within expelling from his lips as he was shivering from head to toe. It wasn't as if he'd not suffered this before... right? Emory could take it again... he must. But, overwhelming fear had surged within himself at the thought of being ripped apart.. violated once more. That was what Eunice implied, that was what she desired. Was he to be a slave to her will again?

Of course, he would.

His body trembled as he sucked in a sharp breath, struggling to bring breath into his lungs as his hands came to his head, beginning to once more remember the feeling of hands upon his body, disjointed voices and heavy breaths, old injuries beginning to ache again. A small whimper left his lips as he felt himself curl into a tight ball on the cold floor, his arms tightly protecting his head, shielding his face from view as he was struggling to bring himself together. Emory couldn't afford to allow himself to break apart now, there was too much for him to do, too much for him to brace himself for... he needed to stop crumbling further, if only for her sake. And yet, part of his mind, the side he had been trying to suppress for so long was protesting against everything, desiring nothing more than to run and hide. It was a cowardly side, that of when he had been just a boy, the side he had denied for so long. He was scared, rightfully so, but he didn't have a choice in this. Endure. Survive. These two things he needed to revert to once more, he needed to hold on for as long as he could until Eunice would eventually grow bored... if she ever did. This was nothing.
 
Rose’s body didn’t shift as he carefully moved away from her, slumber still having a strong hold on her. Her dreams had been nonexistent, which she was rather grateful for. She would much rather deal with darkness compared to dealing with the memories that she had been reliving as of late. A soft shiver overtook her as he moved away from him, immediately missing the warmth that his body been providing him. She curled into the bed a bit more and tugged the blanket a bit tighter around herself. Her body shook from the chill that overcame her. She had rolled onto her side, back facing the doorway to the room. She stayed in that position for quite a while. It was only when the sounds from the bathroom began to echo throughout the silence that had settled throughout the mansion that she woke up. Her eyes slowly peaked open, the dim sunlight still being far too much for her to handle. She let out a few mumbled as she forced her eyes shut for a few more moments.

She lifted a hand to rub at them after she managed to get them open once more, finally realizing that Emory had long left her side. Despite the exhaustion that was still clinging onto her, she knew she needed to see if he was alright. He hadn’t woken her during the night which made her assume that he hadn’t had anymore nightmares. She used her free arm to carefully prop herself up. She turned her head towards the sound, the hand rubbing her eyes falling to rest on the bed beside her. With a gentle breath, she forced her legs over the side of the bed and she then got to her feet. Her body ached far worse than it had the day before. Part of her wondered just how long she would be this sore for, especially since she felt as though she had barely been able to do anything in regards to training yesterday. She took a few moments to balance herself, vision blurring while she did so. Her steps were slow and quiet as she made her way back towards the bathroom he had destroyed before.

She paused outside, her hand resting on the hand. She gently tried to wiggle it, but it didn’t open. She knew she shouldn’t be surprised that he had locked it. Even with all that he had done in regards to accepting the proximity she had given him, he still had his boundaries that she would most likely never be able to cross. She lifted her hand from the doorknob to allow it to ball into a small fist. She knocked gently on the door, leaning her head forward slightly as she did so. “Emory?” She inquired, words still filled with sleep. She cleared her throat gently before she moved to lean against the doorframe. “Emory, are you alright? Is there anything I can get for you?” She repeated after a few seconds. She didn’t know if he could even hear her, though she didn’t try to pry anymore. She just stayed leaning against the doorframe, hoping he might open the door for her.

After a few more minutes of no responses, she moved to take a careful seat against the wall by the door. She leaned her head back carefully, gaze looking up at the ceiling as she did so. She hadn’t a clue the extent of his suffering at that moment in time, but would feel terrible when she did. “Avrune responded to the letter. It came last night while you were asleep. I was going to wait to tell you of it this morning, but this lady appeared. She apparently is working to track down the man who did this to you. They reached my father and will be attending the ball in order to do so.” She broke the news slowly, not knowing if he was even listening to her in that moment. She just hated for the silence that set between them to continue. “She said that the reason you are suffering is because us mortals are unable to process the mana needed to sustain life once inflicted with it. She said you were the first case that she has seen. Apparently it is of grave importance you go to Avrune, to be treated by a mage there. The mana is supposed to be rich in the earth, which will help you.” She added. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as a soft yawn left her lips.

“It is why you cannot taste anything either. There is no mana in the food for you. She suggested that we move to Avrune, for you to live. I do not know if her words are entirely true, but they do make sense. I hope that they will be able to help you some when we go to the ball. Perhaps they can even find the crazed mage that destroyed so much.” She offered the hopeful thought, though she doubted it would ease his mind any. There were still nerves bundling in her stomach. What if she was placing her trust in the wrong person? Everything could go downhill from there. If there was an attack at the ball, if her father and family were killed— The thought was too much to bear, physically wincing at it. She tilted her head to look back towards the bathroom door, eyes partly closed as she did.
 
Emory struggled to make his breathing become even, though his breath caught in his chest when he heard the doorknob to the bathroom begin to wiggle, prompting his tense muscles to lock into place, his face paling only for Rose's voice to meet his ears, causing the man to force himself to relax. He was being foolish, it wasn't as if Eunice was within his own mansion, he was safe... for now. The twisting of his stomach served only to make the man struggle to not vomit anymore than he'd already done, his frazzled mind scrambling to try and act normal. Slowly, his tense muscles had relaxed as he forced himself into a sitting position, taking in deep, slow breaths to calm himself as he heard Rose's voice echo from beyond his door.

News that Avrune had finally responded took his stressed mind a few moments to process; the man struggling to push away his despair as he shakily stood from his position on the floor, his body's movements being stiff and almost forced as he had unlocked the door, the door itself slowly creaking open on its hinges as Emory's expression seemed blank, his usual mask when he was obviously trying to keep his facial muscles under control. "..In other words, I'll die unless I move to Avrune?" The words slipped past his lips as if it were a normal sentence, lacking much if any emotion within as the man's pale eyes looked down at Rose. There was no fear in his face, not that he would have allowed it to show if he was indeed afraid. It seemed as if matters were growing much more complicated for himself. His eyes closed as he inhaled sharply and exhaled, frustration managing to break through his cold mask for a mere few seconds, stepping fully out of the bathroom as he moved to Rose's other side, not desiring to block the bathroom entrance as he settled beside her on the floor.

As far as he knew, regarding if Eunice was serious about her threats, the Black Market didn't extend to Avrune as the other nation was far across the seas. If he left now, or after the ball, Eunice could possibly see that as him trying to run away out of her clutches; and Rose would be at risk if that was the case. A headache thrummed at the base of his skull as his expression tightened... if he left as well, then his people would be vulnerable to the king, as well as his sentries. He couldn't simply abandon his duties as the lord of this land either, even if it was to save his own life. "I can't leave." The words were firm, a harsh edge settling in his tone as it seemed like there was a darkness that covered his expression, "That isn't an option, I'm sure you know that as well as I." Though, it was more so due to the desiring of wanting to keep Rose safe and out of harm's way being the primary reason for his rejection of the idea. Whoever this mage was that was offering to help, surely coating his food in mana would be enough for now. It had to be enough.

His head leaned back against the wall, expression filled with tension as it seemed like a heavy weight seemed to have been tossed on the man's shoulders. What could he do? What was the right decision to take from here? He didn't know. Emory's hands clenched into fists, his jaw clenching as he almost wanted to scream in the building frustration coiling within his chest. At the very least though, it seemed as if Avrune at least was taking the mage that was running rampant seriously, though after a few moments, his eyebrows furrowed as he spoke then, his tone still very much controlled and cold to carefully prevent himself from crumbling, "Did this woman tell you what the mage's name was?" Eunice had spoken of an unfamiliar name in the midst of his nightmare before, a mage that supposedly connected him to that viper. Agrius, if he could remember correctly, quite the odd name. If that was the case, he knew there was now a target he could push all of his frustration on then; if that mage had never even come to Erista, then he would have never been pushed in such a position like this.
 
Rose turned her head in order to look towards the door as it was finally tugged open. She immediately studied over his figure in her best attempt to try to get a read on what had occurred. Unfortunately for her, he had done well enough masking everything in the way that he normally did. She wanted to be able to help him in any way that she possibly could, even if he had no intention of allowing her to know the anguish he was currently experiencing. She decided that keeping the conversation flowing would most likely be best for the two of them then. Perhaps it would be enough to draw his mind away from whatever nightmares had haunted his mind. It was a weak attempt, but one she was more than willing to try. It seemed as though the mention of Avrune had helped shift his mind enough to where he could emerge to speak with her about it. A rather solemn look crossed her face as she nodded.

“Unfortunately so, it at least that is what it seems. She showed me your heart and the mana raging around your body. You need help in learning how to channel it. I fear that you will only grow sicker if you don’t.” She explained. A piece of her mind urged for her to go grab the letter, to get Emory to speak to the woman himself. But with the state the young lord was currently in, she wouldn’t force him to do such a thing. They could approach it later on in the day if they pleased. She turned her head to look back forward again, fingers curling into her palms as she sat there. The back of her head was leaning carefully against the wall as well as her back. She didn’t mind the silence that had settled as he shuffled to sit beside her. It gave her more time to think, more time to formulate a plan that could allow both of them the peace they deserved.

The harshness to his tone hadn’t been expected and she immediately looked over to him at it. “Emory, I know it isn’t ideal but it is the only way to keep you alive. The longer that we spend here, the sicker you get. If you don’t learn to regulate it soon, it will kill you. What the mages will do for you at the ball will only be a bandage, not a permanent stitch.” She confessed, trying to keep the emotion from swelling in her tone. “If it truly needs to come to this, I could always make trips back and forth. The people in your territory know me and trust me. It would prevent my father from stepping in and it would still allow us to be together. I wouldn’t have to constantly be surrounded by the magic either. I have learned it makes me feel quite ill.” She added with a slight shake of her head. She wouldn’t allow for him to continue to say no. This was far more important than anything else in her mind. Even if she knew of the new threat to her life, she would still urge for him to leave. She would rather him be alive and worried than him dead and dole over something that could’ve been fixed.

She shifted slightly in order to fully face him, using one of her arms to prop herself up as she sat there. She could read the tension that was building more and more the longer the two sat there. She couldn’t imagine the stress that he was under with everything that was coming forth. She nodded her head quickly, adverting her gaze. “She did. He is named Agrius. It seemed as though he is being shielded by someone living here in Erista, which is causing even more issues. The woman said she couldn’t get a read on his location due to it.” She elaborated. The entire situation was beginning to stress her out more and more the longer she thought on it. “She said that we could speak to her whenever we pleased by the letter she originally sent. I am keeping it safe in my journal by my bed. I can grab it if you want to ask her a few questions yourself.” She offered.
 
Confirmation that he was indeed dying hadn't made the man panic, it only served to make him feel bitter. As if he didn't have enough to deal with, this issue was proving to rage far out of his control. Although there was a small bit of hope for him to actually thrive, it required uprooting him and forcing him to live among a population of people that he didn't know the first thing about. Not only that, he would have to entrust his life in the hands of unknown mages who could very well have ulterior motives... after all, he wasn't one that put his faith in others easily. A heavy sigh left him as Rose continued speaking, knowing full well there were very few options for him to take at this moment. It was either grab hold of this chance, or suffer the consequences... but he couldn't leave.

His gaze settled upon his hands that were now clenched together so tightly that his knuckles were beginning to turn white. Rose's temporary solution didn't sit right with him, primarily for the fact of travel time. Emory knew not how the mages went about traveling back and forth, but there was no telling how long a trip would be from Avrune to Erista, especially now that he had the knowledge that Rose felt ill when being surrounded by magic. Forcing her to come with him to a land that seemed to promise nothing but the very thing that would make her sick didn't sit right with him. "..I'd rather you stay here if that becomes a reality." The words were spoken quietly, but reluctantly. Emory clearly didn't like the idea of leaving her own her own, especially considering not too long ago the two had been separated. Besides, there was no telling how long it would truly take for Emory to master controlling this mana in his body, subjecting Rose to such a thing especially when he knew how easily she could fall ill was not something he would even consider longer than he needed to. It was perhaps him digging his heels in and beint stubborn, but it was clear she wasn't going to be changing his mind just yet.

When Rose had revealed the mage's name was, Emory had visibly flinched, his cold expression seeming to waver as the gold to his paling eyes had darkened. Ah, how funny and cruel this was becoming. This Agruis, the same mage who had cursed him with this unwanted gift was no doubt the one and the same mage who was being shielded by Eunice. It wasn't hard for his mind to figure it out, though he knew not how the viper was doing the things she was, now that he knew magic could be an added element to anything, it seemed as if Eunice was all too happy to be controlling everything from afar. Was she laughing at him right now? Was this all a joke at his expense? Did she truly love to make him this miserable?

Despite the rage beginning to coil within his gut, his expression finally broke, the icy exterior crumbling into an almost cornered expression, laughter slipping past his lips despite him wanting to cry. It certainly wasn't a normal reaction from him, but it could be blamed on him being stressed as he shook his head, "...This really is turning out to be a sick joke." He couldn't escape from that woman, dread beginning to press down upon him as he forced himself to try and regain his slipping composure, his facial muscles twitching as he once more became empty and cold. He knew quite well his words were confusing, but he didn't seem inclined to elaborate.

"...I'll speak to her later. You dont need to get the letter for now." A shaky hand came up to his head, feeling a headache beginning to pound within. He truly felt like he was trapped and couldn't find an obvious solution. Even if escaping to Avrune was an option, he couldn't do it at the risk of Rose's safety and well-being, after all he certainly had made a deal with the viper he certainly hated with all of his being. He couldn't act despite how much he wanted to. Emory's shoulders slouched as his posture seemed to be growing more tense by the second, his mind struggling to offer any solutions but meeting none. If Eunice truly was the culprit who was shielding Agruis... he would have to confirm it himself.
 
The lack of reaction that Emory gave her in regards to that fact that he was dying did little to soothe her mind or the worry that was continuously growing in her chest. She wanted for him to care about his own life, to fight to stay alive. The conversation the two had in regards to spending the rest of their lives together was one that was still clear in her mind. She didn’t want to lose him well before his time. She had every intention to spending the rest of her days by his side, enjoying each second she had with him. He brought her a different type of happiness that she never thought she would be able to experience. It was a rather selfish thought, but she believed she at least deserved that after all she had been through. A part of her likes to believe that Emory would like that as well.

Her expression immediately twisted in surprise at his words, not having expected for him to react in such a way. It had almost stunned her actually. She blinked a few times as her eyebrows pinched together. “Emory, I do not mind dealing with a wave of illness if it means I get to be by your side. I would much rather prefer to not leave you after everything that we have already have to deal with.” She confessed. She shifted how she was sitting once more, the floor beneath her unforgiving to the soreness still lingering in her muscles. “I think we have spent enough time apart. Even if you wish for me to keep watch over your lands while you are gone, I would still be more than willing to make the trip to spend time with you as well.” Her words were beginning to come out in rambles, a slight sign of the panic this situation was causing her to feel. She did her best to remind herself that nothing was set to happen just yet, that they had time to come to a decision about what would be best for the both of them.

She hadn’t expected for him to flinch in the way he did as the name passed through her lips. As hard as she tried to put the pieces together in her mind, she was unable to. None of it was making any sense to her. The reactions that he continued to give were unlike anything that she had seen him do before. She lifted her hand to reach forward and place gently upon his arm as she normally would, a weak attempt at trying to soothe whatever he was currently feeling. She gave it a gentle squeeze before slowly pulling her hand back. She didn’t want to overstep after seeing the way that he had reacted after waking up from his dreams. She glanced down to her lap for a few moments before forcing herself to adjust to stand. Her balance was a bit off, but she used the wall to steady herself as she stood. She reached down and offered him a hand in case he wanted to get up in that moment.

“Let us try not to worry too much of this now. The situation isn’t one that is too pressing. We can discuss it more after meeting with the diplomats from Avrune at the ball.” She mused, trying to lead the conversation somewhere that might ease both of their minds. It was going to be a constant thought that lingered in the back of her mind though, urging her to act on it even when she knew she couldn’t. She would do whatever was necessary in order to keep Emory alive for as long as she possibly could. “Speaking of, we do need to start packing and preparing to leave. One night in the kingdom and then we are back home. We can figure out what to do when we get back.” She stated. She offered him the same smile that she always did in another attempt to ease the worry he was currently feeling. If she only knew what had truly happened and the deal he had to make, she would be reacting completely different.
 
Rose's response in return to him saying that he'd rather her stay behind if he had no other choice to leave was... expected. Emory knew his words were perhaps a bit cold, but what other choice did he have if that was the case? Besides, with her life practically being endangered now, he'd much rather not add another risk on top of it. Frustration flowed within him, however he shoved the unpleasant emotion back down, his expression still cold and collected. He didn't speak further on the matter itself, knowing it would be futile to argue in circles around it. Both of them were equally stubborn, and as much as Emory loved Rose, he knew enough this was an issue he could not afford to cave in on. If it came to it, regarding her safety alone he would do whatever in his power to protect her. It didn't matter what he had to do to keep her safe and happy and more importantly; alive. Her life was far more precious to him than his own, to lose her would deny him any right to keep living himself, especially after all of the horrid things he had done.

Emory didn't move or react much at her gentle touch, though his eyes did drop down to her hand which gently squeezed his arm. The sight was enough to make the man relax, her touch being far more welcome to him than before, but it didn't do much to halt the overwhelming surge of negative feelings that was threatening to drown him. His eyebrows furrowed as she stood up, his golden gaze watching her with care as she seemed to be struggling to stand upright. Concern had begun to surge within him, but then he remembered: she was still sore. Of course she would be having difficulty, it wouldn't be much of a surprise for her to be struggling a bit more today. Despite this logical thought, concern finally managed to break the icy exterior he had been stubbornly sticking to, his gaze settling then on her outstretched hand.

The turn of conversation to the ball made Emory's eyes seem to dim slightly, not an excepted reaction once more. But, one couldn't blame him due to the fact that Eunice had fully put her sights on him now. He pondered if she would try to come in contact with him prior to the ball? What was he thinking, of course she would. Eunice was a woman that did things on her own terms, and after avoiding the woman since he was ten, it had been eighteen years since he had been in her clutches. He was... afraid of what would await him, when she would call upon him. Would she send another letter? Or would she send something else? Not that he had a clue what she would do, but he knew well enough that the Black Market would soon become a location he would frequent far too much for his own liking in perhaps the coming hours or even days.

Feeling his facial expression beginning to break, Emory shook his head as he had gently grasped hold of Rose's hand and got to his feet, although taking care in making sure he would be standing on his own without putting too much pressure on her, "Right. I probably should tend to preparations beforehand." He hesitated, his expression tightening for a second as he gazed down at Rose, a frown finally laying claim to his face, it almost seemed like he was about to say something but he clearly decided against it as a smile, granted it was all too obviously forced had been shoved upon his face, "I've already procrastinated enough, I did mean to summon Mathias yesterday after all." He was recalling the matter of his suit, something that he'd failed to do due to his worsening condition concerning his body. He knew the sentry would be a bit annoyed at being given such a minor task... but it would have to do for now. It wasn't as if the man would refuse.

Emory's gaze turned past Rose down the hall, a sudden feeling of a faint chill settling upon his skin as his attention felt like it was suddenly pulled toward his study. He knew not why, but the dread in his stomach had intensified as his forced smile had dropped, "...I suppose I should look at any documents as well. Do you.. mind getting the letter from Avrune? It's better to get everything out of the way now." Now, this wasn't too odd of behavior from the man, he was a workaholic, it was only due to Rose that he had taken so many breaks in between his duties. However, something was beckoning him toward his study even if he very well didn't want to approach. It was due to mere duties, even if he normally would be plunging himself into his work at the quickest opportunity, perhaps even to bring himself to a sense of normalcy. The man's emotions were still tied in knots, incomprehensible and yet raging out of control even if he was trying his best to act normal and not suspicious in front of Rose. She didn't need to know.
 
Rose gently grasped his hand once he reached it out to her, tugging him upwards to the best of her ability in order to help him stand. She could tell he didn’t allow her to help him nearly as much as she had planned on. It almost caused for her smile to grow, but she caught herself before it could. The two were far too stubborn for their own good. She wouldn’t be surprised if they would eventually have to deal with the consequences of their own stubbornness. “I can handle most of the preparations. You just need to worry about getting yourself a suit. It would be a shame if everyone turned their eyes from my handsome suitor to myself because he didn’t get his suit in enough time.” It was a soft teasing statement, one she was using to test to see just how he was feeling. Everything about the way in which he moved and reacted reminded her far too much of what it had been liked when she first arrived at the manor. That alone was enough to send another surge of worry through her.

She nodded her head quickly at his question, releasing his hand and turning away from him. She took a few steps towards the door before she paused and faced him once more. “I know I say this far too much and I am sure you are quite tired of hearing it, but I am here if you wish to speak. I have no clue what torment your mind brought you last night and it is not my place to pry. But I will listen to whatever you wish to say whenever you feel comfortable to.” She assured. The smile that she forced onto her own lips didn’t quite meet her eyes, the green of her irises still dull with exhaustion and worry. No matter how hard she tried to hide her concern for the young lord, it always managed to show up. She only hoped he hadn’t been studying her closely enough to recognize it in that moment. She wouldn’t allow herself to be overbearing once more.

She turned back around and then made her way from the room. Her steps took her down the hall, soft echoes returning to her ears from the gentle tapping of her feet as she stepped. She opened the door that she hadn’t fully recalled shutting the night before once she arrived to it. She then hurried to her nightstand. She pulled the letter from the place she tucked it in her journal, eyes studying it for a few moments. Part of her still couldn’t believe it had been enchanted in the way it was. The magic that the mages in Avrune were capable of was something that both fascinated and terrified her. If they weren’t able to stop Agrius, what would become of Erista? The thought caused another shiver to shoot down her spine, the air in her room feeling suddenly much colder. She turned her head to glance over her shoulder, eyebrows furrowing some as she did so. It almost felt as though someone was watching her, but she knew better than that. Viola wasn’t expected at the mansion for a few more hours and it was only Emory and herself there, right?

She blinked a few times before she quickly made her way back from her room to his side. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had gotten standing in her bedroom and she hated it. The mansion had become one of the few places that she truly felt comfortable in. She supposed she could pass the blame off as it being her own mind playing tricks. She still was rather tired and exhaustion could cause the mind to procure odd things. She held the letter out for him to take once she had returned to his side. “She said whenever we wish to speak, we can through the letter. She was rather surprised to not immediately speak with you, though I am sure she will do a better job telling you everything than I did. I was half-asleep when it came.” She confessed, glancing to the side as she did so. Despite having reassured herself that there was nothing there, that feeling was beginning to grow stronger and stronger. She shuffled her feet slightly, hands grasping one another in front of her.

“Do you need any help looking through the documents? It will give me something to do and two of us will cut the time in half.” She offered. She wouldn’t admit that she didn’t want for Emory to disappear in her office and leave her along with her mind’s own creation. “Besides, then I can show you just how diplomatic I can be. I need to brush up on my princessly skills before the ball anyways. It has been ages since I have been around those types of people.” She attempted to lighten the mood once more, but even her own tone didn’t lift in the way it normally did. Whatever it was, it was finally causing her such a feeling of discomfort that is reflected on her reflection. Her lips parted, swallowing as she tried to figure out how to ask him her next question. “The sentries never come into the house uninvited, right?” Her words were barely that of a whisper, almost unable to be heard.
 
Emory's expression grew somber at her reassurances once more, telling him that he could come to her, to share his burdens with her. How tempting it seemed then, especially considering he could see her worry within her eyes. "..I've already told you enough." His response was a bit somber in response, almost... sad, though sorrow wasn't quite it either. He didn't desire to burden her with details she already knew, it was more or less the same issues being repeated over and over within his mind. Of course, he wouldn't speak of his all too doomed deal with Eunice, knowing full well he would have to hide the damage she would probably wind up doing to his body. His mind was beginning to slip, filtering through the possibilities. It would be inevitable he would receive bruises.. he'll just have to take care to prevent his face from being struck as well as preventing his neck from bruising as well, those would be difficult to hide. Perhaps he could make an excuse? He did frequently go out and slaughter people under requests for different clients, it wouldn't be completely unheard of if he got injured during a fight... but would it be convincing enough for a man of his skill?

And what of soreness? What if he retained broken bones? The more he thought down such a dark path, the more he felt the dread beginning to pile up as tendrils of the past he had to endure threatened to make him feel it anew. Once more, the many scars upon his body seemed to ache, causing his arms to cross as he looked away from Rose as she had retreated to her room, agitation flaring within him as he glanced toward his study, the closed door seeming more so ominous to his eyes. He didn't truly want to go in there, but just as he was about to move toward the closed door, Rose was once more at his side with the odd letter that had arrived during the night grabbing his attention. Eyebrows furrowing, the man took the envelope from her, inspecting it within the early morning light within the mansion. It... seemed like a normal letter. How was he supposed to contact this mage? "It seems... normal." There was nothing particularly out of the ordinary about it, just regular parchment. A questioning expression crossed his face as he turned the letter over within his hands, his golden eyes shifting upward to Rose as she had spoken up, breaking his confusion over the mysterious letter for now.

Her offer made him visibly tense, though he closed his eyes and forced himself to calm own before he would react too out of the norm. He already had been acting unusual, no need to make Rose worry more. "That would be... helpful. Thank you." Stepping past Rose, Emory had gripped the doorknob leading into his study, opening the door as he was about to step inside though he paused at her odd question. Eyebrows furrowing, the man had turned his head to look at Rose. Did something happen when he had been unconscious? A pit of anger began to coil in his gut, did any of his sentries step out of line? "...Not unless there's an emergency." That was the only time his sentries were permitted to step foot within the manor without prior notice, if there was an emergency that could possibly be a major threat. Of course, his tone was tense as he responded, a bit of anger beginning to coil in his voice, obviously his mind jumping to the worse possible scenario. Did one of them hurt Rose? He didn't see any visible injuries on her, so that wasn't a possibility. "Did one of them do something to you? Who was it?" His voice was beginning to grow in intensity, the rage beginning to seep through. Obviously, Emory wasn't afraid to execute his sentries... he'd already done it to one.

"Rose-" He had turned toward her then, about to reach out to her when a cold chill flowed over his skin, breaking his previous concentration as he heard something land upon his desk, the sound being of rustling paper though a smell came with it. Lavender. His anger had flickered out then, replaced by dread as his thought process had been interrupted. Normally, Emory would be able to ignore it, simply focus his attention on Rose alone and ignore any other issue, but the overwhelming chill and the fear that sunk deep had stopped him in his tracks. The man turned his head toward the study, fixating on the new ominous letter that seemed to have materialized out of thin air upon his desk. The envelop itself was black, with quite an annoyingly familiar seal upon it, a seal that had been on the previous letter that had caused quite a stir prior to Demelza Gallovan being a nuisance within Emory's lands. The smell of lavender seemed to be coming from this source, far more overpowering than the previous.

The color seemed to drain from Emory's face then, staring at the black envelop that was merely laying upon his desk. Did it seem more dangerous due to the fact it was colored black? The smell of lavender was making his stomach churn with nausea as he didn't seem to realize his hands were beginning to shake, fingers tightly clenching the letter from Avrune in his grasp, almost crushing the paper within his tightening grip. This fear response wasn't normal by any means, a fear so strong to fully stop Emory in his tracks. I don't want to. Please stay away from me. I don't want to open it. If he opened it... it would make his nightmare a reality. Maybe he wanted to pretend that it never happened? No, he would never do that.
 
Rose hadn’t meant to make the other male upset with her question as she hoped the answer she received would be one that would calm her racing mind. She knew it couldn’t be one of the sentries. None of them had done anything to harm her while she had been here, especially not since he had given them the order to protect her. Even if they didn’t all trust her fully, they had yet to disobey any order Emory had given him. She could immediately tell the anger that was building in him was one that wouldn’t fade easily and she doubted her explanation as to why she had asked would do anything to help with it. Their situation was growing more and more complicated with each passing day. She would never admit to Emory the strain it was beginning to put on her. Headaches were beginning to pound at her temples more than they used to. Whatever sleep she got was beginning to feel like it could never be enough. It had been that way ever since she had returned from Freycrest. She tried to keep herself distracted, but nothing could ever fully work.

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, though she refused to meet his gaze. She didn’t want for him to believe that everything she had experienced might be causing her to lose her mind. She shook her head slightly, her hair falling into her face. She had meant to braid it before she dozed off the night before, but she hadn’t gotten the opportunity to with everything that was happening. “N-No, no one did anything to me.” She stumbled over her words slightly as she tried to formulate just how she wanted to tell him. There was nothing she could do to sugarcoat it, nothing that wouldn’t make it seem as though she was insane. “I just thought someone was watching me in my room,” She paused, voice shaking. “I still feel like there is someone watching me. I know we are alone but it is just—“ She broke off as she heard movement coming from the office behind him. Every muscle in her body tensed.

The gentle rustling of paper on his desk caused for another wave of chills to wash over her, her entire body trembling for a few moments. She felt as though she was a scared little girl once again. It reminded her all too much of the nights where the rain and lightning poured down on the castle, the thunder loud enough to shake the entire ground. She turned her head to peer over his shoulder, a faint breeze still moving the papers that had been sitting there. Her eyes settled on the black letter that hadn’t been there before. Another wave of nausea overcame her. She bit down on her bottom lip as she tried to ignore it. She wondered if it were the lingering effects of the mana or if any sort of magic had clung to the letter. The lavender quickly hit her own nose as well. The scent was powerful and overwhelming, enough to make her want to gag.

She turned her gaze to look to Emory, seeing then that he looked as though he had seen a ghost. None of what was currently happening made any sense in her mind, though it seemed as though he was hiding something from her. “Stay here, I will go investigate.” She assured, her voice still weak. She placed a hand on his shoulder in passing before she carefully stepped around him into the office. Her steps were slow, cautious, as she moved towards the desk. She didn’t reach for the letter immediately, but the seal did catch her attention. She studied it for a few moments before the recognition clicked in her mind. “This is the Gallovan seal.” She spoke gently, carefully grasping the black envelope then. She turned back to face the terrified man standing in the doorway. “Emory, why are the Gallovan’s contacting you? I thought everything had been handled with Demelza.” She asked quietly, the lavender almost becoming too strong for her to continue to take. It did nothing to soothe the headache she had.
 
Frozen in his place, Emory's mind was struggling to catch up and comprehend everything that had been spoken, everything that was occurring. It felt as if the world around him was beginning to crumble, Rose's touch receiving little to any reaction from him until his mind in its slow process had finally registered she was walking to the letter. No. The thought was almost panicked, prompting the man to nearly shout at her to not approach it... but his fear had kept him mute, the sound of Rose's footsteps echoing that much louder within his own ears as she slowly approached the damnable letter, though unlike the letter from Avrune when it had arrived, the letter just remained still and normal. But, it certainly couldn't have been there before right? Emory already knew the answer to that, of course it wasn't. He hadn't been in his study for a few days but even he knew there was no black letter there before, especially smelling like lavender. He would've taken notice quickly and disposed of it beforehand.

That meant it just arrived. From where? And how? There was only one culprit for it, and the thought made him sick. His breath caught in his throat as Rose grasped the black envelope, though like any normal envelope it did... nothing. Quite a welcome change from a letter bouncing around crazily, but her touch alone had stirred the lavender smell even more, causing Emory to gag, forcing the man to take a step back, as Rose had spoken. In response to her questions, his fear-filled features had tightened, his gaze avoiding her own as he finally forced his stiff body to begin to move, approaching both her and the letter as much as he truly didn't want to. "...Perhaps not." His response was equally as quiet as he reached out and took the letter from Rose, his mind trying to form any sort of explanation as to why the Gallovans would be contacting him again; a lie to tell Rose to not concern herself. Perhaps this desire to shield her from the truth had been intensified by her earlier confessions to him just moments prior, with her anxiety in feeling like they were being watched.

"Maybe, they want to officially settle matters considering I rejected their offer?" His voice was empty as he spoke those words, staring at the black envelope that was in his hand, knowing full well that wasn't the case. As if it were as simple as offering reparations due to him rejecting Demelza's hand in marriage... he wished it was that innocent, that simple. A curse settled within his throat; why did Eunice have to send such a suspicious envelope? And why with her husband's seal? It felt awful enough trying to lie about this, but perhaps she was trying to make life as difficult for him as possible. Putting the black envelope aside, Emory had no intention of opening it in Rose's presence. He knew it was a summons to tell him to come to the Black Market, though the exact time... he knew not until he would open it. "Either way, don't concern yourself over it." He forced his voice to be firm, though it was obvious enough from the sudden icy expression that had settled upon his features, he was hiding something from her.

A shadow had crossed over the man's face as his eyes was still fixated upon the overpowering, sweet-smelling letter, the scent being enough to make him want to gag, but he knew he shouldn't focus on it too much. Rose needed to be the center of his attention right now, he needed to recollect himself. "...I'll.. handle it. So, please.." He trailed off, unable to bring himself to speak on the matter further. There was clearly something else, obvious enough in the way he was clearly closing such a topic off that it wasn't something he was willing or able to reveal. Casting his gaze to the other pile of documents laying on the other end of his table, it seemed like a good enough time for a distraction now.

"We should get started before it gets too late." Curving the discussion abruptly from the chilling topic surrounding the ominous letter that he once more picked up and now settled within one of the empty drawers within his desk, toward the bottom so that it was at least out of sight and that the smell itself would hopefully be reduced. No need to make it be a constant distraction.
 
Rose gazed up at him with concerned eyes. It was easy to see that he was doing his best to hide something from her in that moment. Every instinct was urging her to say something, to try and find out what it was. She knew better than to continue to push and pry though, especially in that moment. She forced herself to turn her gaze away from him then. She couldn’t handle seeing the iciness returning to his gaze like it had all those months ago. She instead adverted her eyes to her feet, shuffling them slightly as she moved to stand closer to the desk once more. She hoped that the documents they had to dig through would be enough to keep mind off of everything that was beginning to unfold, even if she knew her curiosity would be the one thing that would get her in terrible trouble. She wanted to know the contents of the letter that had just arrived. If it involved Emory, she had a feeling she would end up being dragged along into it.

“Perhaps. I just do not trust them after they tried to force their daughter into you.” She confessed, voice still quiet as she finally lifted her gaze once more. She still refused to look to him though, instead looking to the documents they would have to go through. The firmness in his tone startled her. Her eyebrows pinched together more. It had been quite a long time since he had spoken to her in such a manner. A soft breath left her nostrils. “I am sure I will worry no matter what the circumstance. Anything involving you involved me by extension.” She reminded. With all that had been happening as of late, she seemed to continuously be involved with everything happening in his life. He had done his best to keep her away from Freycrest and she managed to find a way to his side. The letter that had arrived last night was for him and she had been the one to pass the message along. Their close proximity caused for many thing to not follow the plan that Emory had intended.

She opened her mouth to speak once more, to finally gain the courage to ask just what it was he knew that she didn’t. She unfortunately didn’t get the opportunity with the shift in the conversation. A tinge of annoyance sat in her chest, but she did her best to ignore it. Instead, she moved to grab one of the extra chair in the room. She carefully pulled it to the desk and then took a seat in it. She reached forward to grab a few of the documents, speaking as she did so. “I am not entirely sure as to how we can speak with the woman from Avrune through the letter, but she had been clear to not ruin it or damage it in order for us to keep the line of communication open,” She commented, pulling the papers closer to her. “The letter came bouncing into your room and started to glow before she appeared. Perhaps we just place it on the floor and see what happens? Her name was Ephovia.” She added as her eyes began to scan the documents in her hand.

Most of what she read concerned matters regarding the lands in which Emory controlled. She knew well enough what to do from the time she spent watching over them herself while he was gone. She reached to grab a pen, quickly signing off on a few things in his name. It had taken a few hours of practicing his signature for it to be passable as his own. She set the pen down and the documents beside it. She went to reach forward to grab the next when a golden seal caught her attention. Her eyes widened in recognition of the the griffin carved into the wax, the signature seal of her family. “Gods, my father responded.” Her words were a bit breathless. She hadn’t believed the man would after the rocky relationship he had to Emory.
 
Emory's jaw clenched, knowing full well that Rose had every right to voice her caution... even if he knew it was far too late for her to have much if not any impact on the course of events that would inevitably lead forward. This tension in his body grew upon her next sentence, knowing quite well she was right... as much as he wished so desperately that she wasn't. He didn't want her to become so deeply entangled in the darkness of his life, but there seemed to be a pattern he was seeing that was worrying. Even with this, her life was at risk just because she had become an existence that he couldn't very well live without. She already was involved and he hated that she was. Keeping his silence over the matter, he hoped that would prevent her from sinking in deeper, but if being with him constantly put her at risk...

He didn't bother finishing the thought, else he would become too wrapped up in his own thoughts to function. Instead, Emory had settled upon his seat, pulling his chair closer to the desk covered with documents as he placed the letter from Avrune on the tabletop, eyeing it with faint interest despite it not stirring. Rose's words made his eyebrows furrow once more, "It certainly would've been easier if whoever this... Ephovia is had elaborated." Sure, keeping the letter in good condition made sense, but how could they activate it? Did it require mana? Emory knew not the first thing of controlling magic, so the man felt quite clueless about the mysterious letter. Nonetheless, he allowed the letter in question to remain where he had placed it for now, beginning to read through the documents that were laid out before him.

Most of them once more were matters regarding imports and exports, though he took notice of a few reports from Drygulf, the port town that was Freycrest's neighbor. The Admiral seemed to at least report that there was no signs of the mage, thus there were no more incidents for now that required Emory's undivided attention; a huge relief for certain. The man couldn't take another issue right now, there was far too much for him to consider and worry about. Granted, he did take notice of Rose signing off on a few documents, her replication of his signature being quite impressive. It was almost exact, though he decided not to comment on it. It was more convenient this way if by chance his health worsened.

What he hadn't expected was the exclamation from Rose, and the all too important letter with her family's seal upon it. His expression grew serious then, plucking the sealed envelope from its place and opening the flap, his expression unchanging as he read over the contents. Surprise finally managed to flicker to life in Emory's gaze, though it was both good and bad news. The good news, it certainly seemed like the king was willing to cooperate and coordinate in efforts to corner Agruis, and it expressed which cities the king's knights were stationed in. The bad news however was some cities were already afflicted with dead or dying people, no doubt any efforts to save those citizens were far too late now. However, there was a further invitation to speak over the matter in person; something that Emory planned to do regardless, but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless.

Handing over the letter to Rose, his eyebrows were furrowed as he was considering his options, though saying in a distracted tone, "I'm surprised your father was willing enough to even attempt to respond." He knew full well that Rose had contacted him on his behalf, but it seemed like the king was prioritizing his citizen's safety over the grudge he had with Emory.
 
Rose’s gaze darted to the letter where it still sat after Emory placed it down. She truly wished that she had been given some insight into how to use it to communicate when the time was necessary. No matter how hard she scoured her mind for any reasonable explanation as to how to do so, she couldn’t come up with one. It caused from frustration to begin to build in her chest. She hated not being able to fully understand certain situations, especially with everything that was happening at that moment. Even without her knowing the extent of the situation Emory had gotten himself into, the one with Avrun and Agrius had taken enough space in her mind. The involvement with not only just Emory but also her father kept her awake some nights. She couldn’t imagine losing either of them now. She was just about to reunite with her family once more and she had just gotten Emory back.

Her mind lingered on the possibility of losing the young lord as well if he didn’t take the opportunity to go to Avrune as he needed to. She couldn’t imagine the anguish that would overcome her if he were to die. It was something she knew she would never be able to come back from. “I agree. Granted, she did seem to be in a bit of a rush to end whatever scrying you could consider the letter to be. She almost seemed startled.” She admitted with a slight shrug of her shoulders. Her aching muscles twitched at the action, though she did her best to ignore the residual soreness that came with it. “I am sure we will be able to figure it out between the two of us. I like to think we are smart enough.” She mused, tone lightening some while she spoke. The air in the room had gotten far too heavy since the arrival of the letter from the Gallovans. She wanted to at least try to see a small smile upon his lips.

A smile couldn’t break onto her own though, not even with the recognition of her father’s letter. She leaned forward in her chair, hands resting on the desk as she watched his reaction to the contents of it. Her own expression was blank, eyes wide as she waited. Hope swelled in her chest at the thought of her father finally putting aside his differences to work towards the greater good. The surprise that managed to weasel its ways into Emory’s eyes was enough for the hope to continue to go. Her shoulders relaxed as the letter was handed over to her. She carefully grasped the thick parchment, eyes scanning over the words written. Her mouth whispered them as she did. “This is good news indeed.” She murmured before she set the letter down. Hearing word of the cities that had been attacked was terrible, but it seemed as though they were finally all working together.

“My father has his moments, but thankfully he isn’t a fool. He knows when to cast aside grudges, even if he has threatened to grind your bones into dust before.” She stated as she leaned back in her chair once more. She had a feeling their appearance at the ball would be even more important then. “That is good news in other cases as well. If he is willing to work with you on this, he might even be willing to accept the fact you are courting me. That along with you saving my life and protecting me all this time is going to earn you a lot of trust from him. And if we are able to stop Agrius before he destroys more of the kingdom? Well, you might even be given a position in his court before our marriage.” She admitted, the relief evident in her tone. She lifted her gaze to meet his own, waiting for a few moments to gauge his reaction. “With Avrune and my father involved, we are going to be able to capture him and end this. We might even have a few months of peace.” She couldn’t hide the hope that was beginning to show on her face. She truly thought that they would be able to enjoy their time after this was over. She believed they deserved it after all they had been through.
 
No smile had seemed to visit Emory's face, though this could be blamed on him being far too absorbed in thinking to truly take notice of any more lighthearted tones. Granted, he did shook his head as she had reminded him of one of the many threats the king had told him before, only then had the faintest of smiles had managed to touch the man's face in response, but he did not speak as he was still running over the contents of the letter in his own mind. Emory had let most, if not all of the knights under his command retire after the king had given up trying to take over his territory by force, replacing them with his far more mobile and flexible sentries. He was pondering how many he could lend to assist the kingdom, considering how they could easily stay in the shadows and collect information as needed, it would make necessary communication between the knights a lot smoother.

Rose's optimism had grabbed the man's attention finally, his gaze turning to settle upon her as the hope that sparked in her eyes made him desperately wish that he could believe that he could've been optimistic too... but Emory knew full well that he couldn't be. Mention of the kingdom's court had made him look aside, dread beginning to fill him anew, though he forced himself to make an attempt to react appropriately. No need to drag the mood down again. A faint smile had forced its way upon his face, "I certainly hope everything would go smoothly... though even if your father did offer me a position on his court; I'd rather refuse. Can you imagine all the protesting that would cause? It would be a headache." Though in his mind, he truly wanted to mitigate any further damage Eunice would inevitably be doing to him. Allowing her yet another location in which she had easy access to him... no. He'd rather not, and not to mention her other followers too.

Another wave of nausea had settled in his stomach at the thought, but he forced himself to cast his mind away from that issue. He could handle that on his own, figure out how to try and make himself endure it without causing suspicion... though he knew well enough that probably wouldn't last too long. A heavy sigh had left his lips then, his attention fixated on the letter from the kingdom, "...It would be nice if all of this could end soon." The faintest of smiles had managed to capture his face again as a weak chuckle left his lips, though the pale gold to his eyes seemed exhausted, "I certainly could use a break after all of this is over." Though, he knew he wouldn't. It seemed like his life always seemed to toss another hurdle in his way, and considering the major one with Eunice that was hanging over his head... he would not be able to get any of the rest he desperately needed.
 
Even the faintest of smiles was enough to ease Rose’s worry some. She doubted even the brightest smile on his face would be enough to push away the entirety of the concern that was bubbling over in his chest, but she would try her hardest to get him to ease up some. She couldn’t imagine what all was circling in his head after the news she had broken to her and the arrival of the letter from the Gallovans had only caused more stress. Her curiosity was still eating her up in regards to what the contents of it were. She did her best to push the thoughts aside in order to no overstep any boundaries in place. It got to be hard for her to recognize when she needed to lighten up, especially since Emory was now one of the main people she fawned over. She truly would do anything in her power to ensure his happiness for as many years to come as she could. She didn’t care if that meant her sacrificing a few things of her own.

She clicked her tongue gently at the thought, shaking her head slightly. Her own smile had faded slightly, though a hint of it still gracing her lips. “Half of the other noblemen are only looking out for themselves. They would consider you a threat to their Houses just due to you being an unfamiliar face. Who knows? Maybe he will ask for your guidance from afar, though I am sure he won’t be too upset if you do refuse his offer. You wishing to marry me might be enough interaction he can handle.” She stated with a shrug. She was sure that the mention of Emory courting her would be enough of a shock for anyone that would hear of it. That along with the fact that Blaine conspired to have her killed would sure to be spread throughout the kingdom like wildfire. There were a few people she wished to get her revenge on that she knew were associated with Blaine. She was still rather wary of the Gallovans after Eunice had forced her daughter onto Emory in an attempt to wed the two. If she only knew what was truly happening…

His next comment caused for her expression to soften, a sad glint coming to her eyes. The green had dulled far more than she normally allowed it to, her own exhaustion finally showing. The stress of the recent events have been almost too much for her to handle. She honestly didn’t know how she managed to survive this long. Even with Emory refusing to kill her, she had come far too close to death twice after. She couldn’t imagine how Emory managed to get through all that he had. “I know. You deserve a break from everything.” She confessed in a soft voice, reaching her hand out to carefully grab ahold of his own like she had done many times before. “Perhaps we could go away for a while. It doesn’t have to be out of Erista, but somewhere far enough to where we don’t have to worry about anyone bothering us.” She offered. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. Her suggestion was nice; though she knew it was one that would probably never happen. With the events unfolding with Avrune, they wouldn’t get a break anytime soon.
 
Emory's expression seemed to resign into a calm, though a tinge of slight annoyance managed to creep into the man's gaze regarding the many possibilities concerning the king and his court. Pompous noblemen was one thing that he would have to endure, as well as having to deal with the king's increased interest in any affair that Emory may or may not be involved with. He was trying to marry the king's daughter after all, so the interest of the king before would only proceed to get much worse now as Rose's well-being would be more of a concern, especially considering Blaine and whenever his actions would come to light. It would be safe to say that Emory probably would have the king breathing down his neck even more so now than before... but to have Rose at his side would make it worth it.

"He'd better not be too upset. If anything I would hope he would expect my immediate response would be refusal." He grumbled those words a little, granted as relieved as he was about the king actually being agreeable for once; he knew quite well that the man did tend to try to make use of his connections, primarily through his daughter's marriages. It was strictly through strategy of course, something he couldn't truly blame him for... but still, he would not put up with sudden requests from the man, nor would he budge regarding giving up some pieces of his land either. That in particular was still quite a point of contention between the two, though one would hope that the king would put that matter to rest while there were more important matters at play, though it certainly seemed like he was doing so now.

Granted, part of him did feel anxious regarding any other relationships he would have to form regarding Rose's other siblings. It was inevitable that he would have to properly meet them, and hopefully not come across as too frigid. Any positive connections he could form would be beneficial for the future, especially now that a certain dreaded nuisance had sunk her nails into him again. Anything to perhaps shield not only himself, but primarily Rose would be good. They could use all the allies they could get, especially if the court would be getting riled up with Rose's reappearance, and there was no telling what Eunice would do.

Guilt finally settled within him, mixed with some alarm as Rose's expression had changed, seeing the exhaustion that lay clear in her eyes. She was getting worn out by all of this, this much was clear. His eyes dropped her hand that reached out, feeling more so sick to his stomach than before as she had gently took his hand in her own. The gentleness of her voice as well as the suggestion had caused him to feel worse, unable to meet her gaze. "..That would be nice." Emory's tone seemed distant then, almost somber. That was an impossibility, as nice as it seemed... he knew he never would. This wasn't an expected response, but then again the man didn't seem to be in much of a good mood before, and it seemed like his gloom still lingered now... not that he ever had such a sunny disposition before due to all too obvious events in his life.

Realizing he was beginning to sink too deep into his anxious thoughts again, he had given her hand a gentle squeeze in return, his gaze settling upon her though yet again it seemed like the smell of lavender was beginning to seep from the drawer, the sweet smell making him agitated; however he was steadfast in ignoring it for now. "You should try to get some rest now, I can handle the rest of the paperwork on my own." He paused before adding in a gentler tone, keeping his tone calm this time as he felt a bit guilty for using such icy and firm tones with her earlier, "Don't spare any worries on me right now. Focus on yourself, I don't need you wearing yourself out from all of this." He knew she was mentally exhausted, giving her a break from everything was something he wanted to provide for her, he didn't need her pushing herself too much for his sake. Emory wouldn't want that anyways for her.

However, he knew he was a hypocrite in this situation, telling Rose the very words he should be heeding himself. But, what else could he do? Emory didn't want to have her involvement run deeper, and quite frankly the letter laying within the empty drawer was beginning to become too difficult for him to ignore much longer, the smell making him feel more sick by the second, and after vomiting as soon as he awoken that morning, he didn't want to do so again, especially considering now his stomach was certainly completely empty.
 
A half smile flashed across Rose’s face at his grumble, knowing her father would most likely try to see what lines he could push now that Emory was courting her. She had a feeling he would learn quick that the young lord was just as stubborn as she was and that nothing more would come from their marriage. Truthfully, she was just grateful that she was finally with someone she could see herself marrying and spending the rest of her life with. She didn’t care for any of the connections or drama that would occur due to their engagement, even if they were to be the rumor of the kingdom for months to come. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like after they were officially wed. She had a feeling that the conversation surrounding them would continue on for years afterwards. Her old self would’ve loved to have been given the spotlight over her sisters, but now all she wanted was peace for both her and Emory.

His inability to look at her directly in response to her suggestion did little to soothe her mind anymore. She always found herself to be the biggest optimist in Erista and there were times she still stood by it. As of late, it was drifting farther and farther away from her. Her time here with Emory showed just how harsh the world could be and just how dangerous things could get. “Maybe we could find a little cottage near the coast. I do not remember the last time I saw the ocean. It is lovely during the late summer months. The sunsets are the most beautiful then too.” She murmured. She knew her words would fall on deaf ears, but it managed to keep her calm enough by speaking. She was sure Emory had gotten used to her ramblings by that point. Her gentle grip on his hand tightened for a moment, savoring the feeling of his calloused skin against her own. She then carefully pulled her hand back and moved to stand at his next suggestion.

“You know that I cannot help but worry about you Emory. It is almost like me telling you to not worry about me falling ill when we both know just how easy it is for me to catch a cold,” She pointed out, tilting her head slightly. She rested both hands on the edge of his desk, turning her gaze to look down at the wood beneath her fingers. “It comes with the territory of our relationship. You will worry about me and I will worry about you. Every now and then Viola will worry about the both of us.” Another weak attempt at lightening the mood. Her own words didn’t bring any light back into her eyes. She had done her best to hide just how much this was beginning to affect her up until that point, but there was nothing she could do to shove it away anymore. She hated that she was probably startling Emory due to it. She knew the other male already had plenty on his mind. She didn’t need to be adding to it any.

She pushed away from the desk and turned to slowly start making her way from the room. She paused halfway to the door, hesitating before turning to look at him once more. “I know I can be pushy at times, but I am grateful for everything you can confessed to me. I want you to know that whatever you have going on, you do not have to go through it alone. I am here Emory and I have no plans of going anywhere. If there is anything bothering you, and I truly mean anything, please let me know how I can help. I want to help.” It was something she had said a variation of before, though the time seemed right to remind him. Her fingers had curled gently into her palms, nail pressing into the delicate skin. She bit her bottom lip as she debated on turning to leave once more. “If you need anything from me, please come and get me. I will be in my room.” She added. She doubted she would be able to get any decent sleep without him beat her, but she would at least try.

Offering him the brightest smile she could, she finally made her way from the room. Her steps were light as she closed the door carefully behind her. Her posture slouched more once she was into the hallway, bringing a hand up to rub at her eyes. No amount of sleep she could get would ever cure the exhaustion she was feeling. It was combining with her stress and creating a deadly concoction, one she hoped she would be able to overcome eventually. She soon arrived back in her room and slid her shoes off. She climbed carefully into her bed and then pulled the comforter over herself. It didn’t take too long until she managed to drift off into a light sleep, though it wasn’t the best she had gotten.
 
Emory heaved a heavy sigh in response to Rose's words all too rightly pointing out that it would be impossible for either of the two to not worry about the other; though her including Viola into the mix had finally made a half-hearted chuckle leave him, "You're right.. I know." As much as that felt odd to know now more so than ever that others were concerned about him, he knew it to be true. He couldn't meet her gaze still, unable to bring himself to see the dim light within her eyes, the exhaustion that obviously would lay within. And the source, of course for such exhaustion was him. His mind was struggling to come up with any quick or temporary solution to perhaps begin to try and alleviate her fears, but... there was no easy solution. Especially not now.

As her warmth had moved away from the desk, Emory's expression had visibly tensed as she had spoken, the words cutting deep within him. His lips pressed in a tight line, hands clasping together as he didn't seem like he was going to meet her gaze. Silence would meet her words, a silence that was all too heavy as his gaze finally met her own, heavy and hollowed. The gold of his eyes certainly seemed almost the worst they had been, a heaviness that had settled within them that certainly wasn't normal. However, he would not speak, if only because he was afraid if he did, he would tell her everything. Everything that she needed to not know, for the outcome would not change what he had to do to keep her alive. There was nothing she could do. No one would be able to save him this time.

It was only when Rose had finally left his study, Emory had hung his head, his hands coming to his face as his fingers curled tightly into his hair, whispering in anguish, "...I wish I could." He truly did wish he could tell her, but even with such knowledge it wouldn't benefit her. She wouldn't be able to help him, and he was powerless to save her otherwise. Straightening up in his chair, the man's eyes settled upon the drawer, and finally had drew the letter out from where he had stored it, placing the black envelope upon his desk and undoing the seal, the pale parchment from within already releasing more of the dreaded lavender smell which made the man gag once more, as his gaze settled upon the hauntingly familiar penmanship.

"Hello, my adorable toy. I do hope you're not having second thoughts about our arrangement. Meet me in Phidia's Touch at your earliest convenience, the earlier the better! If not, then I fear you would be returning far late into the night, and I do have quite a lot of my dear friends that wish to catch up with you.
Besides, I'm sure you don't want your princess to not worry about where you've been.
- Your lovely flower, Eunice"​

Emory's hands crumpled the letter immediately, a sharp exhale leaving his lips as he cast a glance out the window from his study behind him. The early morning light was strengthening, fast approaching when Viola would arrive at the mansion. A sick feeling settled in his stomach regardless as he tossed the crumpled letter back within the drawer, not desiring to have it out in the open; he would discard of it later whenever Eunice decided to let him go home. I hate this. He truly did hate this situation, but he made a deal, he couldn't back out of it now as much as he wanted to. It was clear enough from the letter that he would have to endure until late until the day, which certainly didn't make him feel any better. With heaviness in his heart, Emory stepped out from his study preparing himself to finally meet the new day, as much as he didn't want to.
...​
Viola stepped into the mansion, arriving at her usual time to do so, being close to an hour after Emory had set himself to prepare. The maid had paused as she heard the familiar sound of heavy footsteps, a tingle of anxiety settling within her chest for a moment as her gaze settled on Emory, only to be puzzled at the fact he was once again wearing his attire he usually did when he went to the Black Market. "..Lord May? You're already leaving?" It was unusual for the man to leave so early, granted the only other time he left during the day to the Black Market was when he was in distress... he certainly seemed off, but it wasn't the usual expression he would wear when she should expect to clean up blood from off the floors. She couldn't exactly figure out the emotion on his face, but it disturbed her greatly.

She took note with great bewilderment that the man seemed quite interested in avoiding her gaze, "Yes. Something unexpected had occurred. I need to leave." Viola's lips pressed in a tight line as Emory had stepped past her, confusion causing more questions to come to her mind, only to pause and add in a quieter tone, "I'll be back before nightfall. Can you tell one of the sentries to pick up a suit in the meantime from Parnell? I won't have enough time to do so myself." More confusion settled within the maid at that, though it seemed like a normal enough request, but what was so urgent in the Black Market that needed Emory's swift and undivided attention? Something certainly didn't seem right, she couldn't shake the feeling. "Lord May..." She began, her eyes settling upon the man as he was at the entry way now, "Are you sure everything is alright?"

Silence met her words, making the woman even more so concerned as she watched the man grip the doorknob, noticing with a heightened concern in her chest that his hand was shaking. What was going on? Before she could press for an answer, Emory had spoken, his tone a bit rough, "Don't get involved." The firm command startled her, her eyes growing wide as she stepped back instinctively, the man then leaving through the door and closing it behind him. This left Viola stunned in silence, unable to figure out just what in the world was happening now. For the man's hands to be shaking... that wasn't something she saw before.
 
Rose found herself to be tossing and turning after a few hours of lying in the bed, her nightmares coming forward to haunt her once again. Once more she found herself in the ruined room in Freycrest, dried blood surrounding her. Her body trembled from the cold that crept into her bones. It felt as though fingers were gripping into her skin, nails creating soft crevices in her skin. She slowly turned her gaze down to look at her arms. Small trickled of blood were beginning to show on her delicate skin. She didn’t know what was causing it as she was the only one in the room. At least, she believed that she was the only one in the room. She tried to shift her feet to look around her only to find that her feet were frozen to the floor. Ice covered the trousers and shoes she wore. She shifted her entire body, trying to pull herself free.

The sound of footsteps approaching her from behind caused her to stop, breathing hitching in her throat. She almost could barely recognize them anymore, the heaviness that accompanied the prescience of Blaine. Despite the male not having the muscles that Emory did, he always made sure to make his presence known. She didn’t have to look at him to see the sneer that was spread on his lips. “I missed you, my little flower.” The whisper of his voice was warm on her ear. It caused a shiver to shake her body more. Fear had a grip on her unlike anything she had experienced before. Everything that she felt while she had been with Blaine before was only amplified in that moment. She supposed that it was due to every factor around her at that moment.

Blaine pressed a gentle kiss to her earlobe, beginning to trail them down her neck before raising a hand to move the tunic she had borrowed from Emory from her collarbones. Her expression had twisted in anguish, the blood still dripping from her arms. It was beginning to fall in steady streaks. “Did you really think you could run to him out of all people? Like I wouldn’t find out?” That confidence to his tone made her want to gag, just like the feeling of his hands on her hips. Her chest was beginning to heave more as she stood there. Her head was beginning to pound from the loss of blood, but it didn’t stop. The blood continued to pour onto the ground, the dark red liquid covering the ice at her feet. It didn’t give way, didn’t melt the one thing keeping her from running.

Blaine buried his face into the crook of her neck, pressing another kiss to the delicate skin above her collarbones. “This is how you planned to do it. I saw the note you left that one day. You wanted to slit your wrists, but you couldn’t go through with it. You are just as much of a coward as the day I left you.” He growled, pulling back from her. Her legs were starting to tremble more. If her feet weren’t stuck to the ground, she wouldn’t fallen forward to her knees. Fingers gripped her chin and forced her gaze upwards to meet the dark brown of Blaine’s. “But perhaps I am wrong. You have been starting to gamble in things he wanted to protect you from. You haven’t told him a thing. Do you really think he will want to stay with you when he finds out?” She flinched at the mention, knowing exactly what he meant. It wasn’t as if she dealt in the Black Market much. There were things that she had handled for Emory while he had been ill.

“He will leave you and you will be alone once more, but like you always have been. I will be waiting for you at the hall. I’ve missed that pretty little face of yours.” He purred, pressing a rough kiss to her lips. She leaned back in her best attempt to pull away, finally falling back onto the floor. Her head slammed against the cold ground, stunning her immediately. Her mouth parted as she tried to let a gasp out. She could feel the blood beginning to pool around her entire body. It continued to fill the room before it covered her entire body. It filled her mouth and her nose, dripping into her lungs. It suffocated her completely, vision blacking out.

She hadn’t realized she had finally woken up until she realized she had rolled completely out of her bed. Her left leg was tangled with the comforter still, dangling in the air due to it. The pain from the fall in her dream was still present, though she assumed it was due to the fall she had taken. She must’ve hit the floor rather hard. The back of her head was pounding and her right elbow was scraped. She laid there for a few moments with tears swelling in her eyes. She spent much of the day sleeping. The only way she has known was due to the dim light filling her room as the sun was beginning to set. She couldn’t find it in herself to get up for a few more minutes. Everything was far too overwhelming and her dream felt far too real. She could still feel the lingering touch of Blaine’s lips.

She slowly managed to get herself standing, raising a hand to run through her hair. She winced lightly at the pain the gentle touch of her fingers brought. She turned her arm to look carefully at the skin that was beginning to bruise on the back of her elbow. Shaking her head slightly, she moved to make her way from the room. Her steps were slow as she finally made her way down the stairs. She hadn’t a clue Emory had left.
 
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