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Realistic or Modern Night’s Embrace | Private |

To say the least, the young woman's sweet smile threatened to fade as the reply she had received certainly was one that shocked the young woman. Huh? This only seemed to make her smile fade more and more until her expression became neutral, though from the irritated twitch of her lips it almost seemed like she was mere seconds away from slapping the woman before her. How dare she speak to her in such a rude manner? Did this fool not know who she was talking to? The anger coiled deep within her stomach as her tongue felt fit to spit venom, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as her fingers curled tightly around the fan she had in her hand, knuckles turning white as the now mystery woman had walked ahead in the tavern, leaving the noblewoman to fume.

"That uppity f-fool! Does she know who I-" A hand rested upon her arm, her servant who shook his head at her which resulted in the woman sucking in a deep breath and exhaling, a pleasant smile plastered upon her features as she muttered, "If only I had my guards with me. It's such a shame." The woman stepped forward after Rose, much to her servant's dismay as he could see the look in the woman's eyes, "M'lady, please!" The woman turned her head toward her servant whispering, her eyes showing a glint of a crazed light, "Not another word, understand? I will not suffer any insults." The man's expression paled as he looked behind him and forward at the many people scattered about the tavern, though it seemed as if the man was two seconds away from fainting due to the stress lining his features.

The bartender behind the counter seemed to be an older man, his hair tinged with gray as he was cleaning a glass as Rose approached. The man looked up toward the young woman, his eyes appearing certainly less than friendly for the fraction of a second before Rose had spoken, though his rough voice responded, "Tea, huh? Can't say I've heard anyone request tea for awhile... eh?" His eyes turned past Rose to the noblewoman swiftly approaching behind Rose, the expression on the woman's face causing the older man to frown. To say that the tavern owner heavily disliked any nobles, especially foreign nobles was an understatement. It was enough that he had allowed his wife to serve their own crazy lord, but a noble in his establishment was a completely different matter. The woman in question had slammed her hand down upon the counter, her sharp painted nails gleaming in the tavern's faint, flickering lights as she spoke, her voice no longer sweet but venomous, as her attention fixated upon Rose, "Who do you think you are to speak to me in that way? Do you know who I am? Who I'm going to-" Before her anger filled words could continue, the man had stepped closer, his eyes narrowing at the noblewoman, "Oi. If you're to start picking fights with my customers, leave. I'm not putting up with your kind around here, I don't give a rat's hairy ass where you come from either, and I'm sure as hell this woman doesn't care either."

The noblewoman's face ignited a bright red, whether it was from anger or embarrassment.. or probably both, her lips opened and closed a few times as sounds that were seemingly unintelligible had left her lips before she hissed, "I-I never-! Do you realize I have a room here, and you're treating me this way?!" The man shrugged, reaching underneath the desk where he secured a pouch of coins and tossed it at the noblewoman, hitting the woman square in the face which it fell upon the wood floor, the bag itself smeared with some of the makeup that adorned the woman's face as some of the gold coins clattered free from the inside of the bad as he said in a monotone voice, "I don't give a damn. Leave." The noblewoman's teeth bared as she hissed, "I'll make sure this whole tavern is burned to the ground, mark my words!" With that, she turned on her heel, stomping out from the tavern, though not before the man called out behind her, "Go 'head and bring a single torch near my tavern and I'll make sure you'll be six feet under!" The man's eyes dropped to disgust to the servant hastily picking up the fallen coins as he grumbled, "Go and chase after your damned banshee." The servant avoided the man's eyes as he picked up the bag of coins calling after his mistress in distress, though as soon as the door to the tavern closed, the tavern erupted with laughter as the people snickered amongst themselves as one man jeered from his place across the tavern, "You'll get beheaded one of these days Merewin!"

The man snorted, rolling his eyes as he called back, "I'd like to see anyone try!" The man's attention now fully turned toward Rose, a roguish grin crossing the man's gray peppered stubbled face, "Now let me see about that tea, yeah? You certainly look like you need it."
 
Rose knew that those or noble backgrounds always believed themselves to be better than everyone that surrounded them. It was something that she had been raised against. She was taught to always be as kind as you could to those beneath you. With everything that had happened that day, she couldn’t help herself snapping at the noblewoman. She felt as though it had been building after all of these years. Her gaze was focused on the man behind the counter, offering him a gentle smile at him words. “I am sure it isn’t a popular request. I appreciate you having some though.” She admitted. She would never act rude towards commoners. There was absolutely no reason to. She knew that most of them could be wonderful and sweet, such as Viola. It hit her then that the maid was probably worried sick about where she ran off to.

Her smile faltered some until she heard the familiar sound of the noblewoman stepping into the tavern and blabbing her mouth. She turned to look at her as she stopped and slammed her hand on the counter. Her expression was less than amused, but she tried to hide it as best as she could. She was sure the other woman wouldn’t hesitate in slapping her. Besides, she was beginning to feel worse. The long walk in the cold weather hasn’t helped her any. She opened her mouth to respond when the bartender spoke first. She looked towards him as he did, a small smile breaking onto her face. She allowed the situation to play out then. There was no reason for her to intervene. She was just grateful that the people were able to see how terrible of a person she was.

She shifted to look back to the bartender, Merewin, as he was called. “Thank you for that. I swear they always believe that they walk on water and no one else matters.” She mused. She dug her hand into her pocket and pulled out some cosines. She made sure that it was more than enough to cover the tea. “Please keep the change. That way you are compensated for losing her as a customer.” She commented. She hoped the man accepted as she placed them on the counter. It was the least that she could do for his help in that situation. A smile was present on her lips. The other male’s grin was enough to make her relax. The people in this town seemed to be rather kind. She was shocked that he stepped in to help her in the way he did. Most would just let the noblewoman throw insults at her.
 
Merewin chuckled, "You got that right." However, the man had raised an eyebrow at her pulling out some coins, granted it was more than enough for a single cup of tea, yet her words had made the man grin as he gratefully then took the coins, "That's mighty kind of you, you won't hear me complaining!" Of course, Merewin wasn't shy to turn down any sort of coin, especially if it was willing enough to be given more than the usual amount. After all, any bit of coin certainly helped to keep the tavern going. Even if it was rather crowded today, and got more so crowded during the nights, it was only due to being one of the only taverns within the more busy spaces of Emory's territory. Usually the tavern had mostly empty spots, with only drunkards coming to drink their fill. The only rare occasion when the tavern received a lot of business is unfortunately due to the noblemen and noblewomen who very rarely came to visit the territory and took up lodgings in his tavern; and considering everyone knew how Merewin was with the nobles, he had unknowingly become quite the unsung hero amongst the common folk who would sooner avoid talking in such a rude manner unless they wanted their heads to roll.

The man hobbled off, his steps a noticeably uneven gait as he set about humming, taking to making her tea. It wasn't long until he approached her again with some tea in his hands, placing the cup before her, "Here you go. Hope it's to your liking, though admittedly I don't make the best tea; certainly nothing compared to my wife's tea." He grinned from ear to ear at her, turning away temporarily to pick up a dirtied cup, beginning to clean it away with a dirtied rag, "I hope you don't mind me askin', but are you alright? You look under the weather." Of course, Merewin could point out also that the young woman before him seemed to have rather puffy eyes, akin to crying most likely but he wasn't going to make her talk about anything she didn't want to. The man was used to many people crying out their woes and complaining how the world had wronged them, tales he heard time and time again. It came with the job he had now he supposed.
 
Rose’s smile softened as she heard his words in response to her giving him the extra coins. She could tell by the expression on his face that it meant a lot to him. “It is my way of thanking you for helping with that situation. Besides, this is a lovely tavern. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on any income on my behalf.” She commented. She carefully took a seat then, glancing around her. She would tell that many of the patrons were drunk. Everyone seemed to be happy though. It made her wonder if Emory ever did anything to help these commoners. It was uncommon for those of noble status to, but she always hated seeing those worse off struggle. She had been known for her generosity before she had been presumed dead. Her expression fell at the thought, only blinking from her thoughts when he returned.

Her smile returned once more at his words. “I am sure it is perfect. Thank you.” She reached out to take the cup in one hand before she took a sip. A gentle hum left her. She knew the warm liquid would be enough to warm her up a bit. “You did a wonderful job with the tea. You need to give yourself more credit.” She kept her tone light as she spoke. She placed the cup down then. It was clear she hadn’t expected his words. “Oh, I am unfortunately ill and I haven’t had the best day. Men can be rather thick-skulled at times and never pick up on your feelings without you having to explicitly tell them. Then you find out they are betrothed to another woman. In fact, the noblewoman that you removed from the tavern.” She admitted. She didn’t know what the commoners thought of Emory and she doubted they even knew he had someone staying in the manor with him. She reached to take another sip of her tea then.
 
"Well thank you, you're far too kind." Merewin winked, however the mirth upon his features gradually faded as Rose had begun to speak of her woes. Her being ill was certainly a concern, but as she had begun the express her unfortunate situation, Merewin's expression seemed to grow more grim. He recalled the noblewoman from before in the time she had been within the tavern that she was soon to be their precious lady; which it wasn't hard to know what that meant. That woman was to be wed to Lord May, and everyone in the territory knew how much of a monster the man was... or rather the horrific event that had taken place to rip the former Lord May from power to be replaced with such an unfeeling man in his place. Or rather, that was more like the public sentiment toward Emory at the moment.

Yes, Emory kept the territory safe from invasion, and he was quite attentive to the pressing needs of his citizens and kept trade as a constant flow to benefit the merchants and by extension the local population. But, not a single soul forgot that he slaughtered his own family and loyal servants. That on its own was enough to cast a dark shadow over the townspeople, that they were being watched over by a man who wouldn't hesitate to kill at a moment's notice. Merewin's feelings toward Emory were even more so hostile, as he certainly didn't feel comfortable with him, as the man remembered quite fondly the former Lord May and how gentle and noble a soul he was... of course until Emory had darkened his door and by extension Emory's mother. However, this had nothing to do with the poor woman before him.

Merewin's hands had stopped cleaning the glass he held as he had placed the cup down, his eyebrows furrowing as a frown now settled upon his face, "Don't take my words as too harsh, but I think it'd be best for you not to get yourself involved with Lord May... assuming that's who you're talking about of course. I'm not the one to usually discourage young love but... not with him. He's dangerous." The look in the man's eyes was one of genuine concern as he gazed at Rose, obviously thinking that he was doing this for her benefit. "Better her than you. After all, I wouldn't be surprised if that banshee winds up dead if she so much as steps a single toe out of line." It was obvious, Emory's reputation was not the best, nor would she get much better responses if she were to ask anywhere else; though it would be without question that the kingdom viewed him in an unfavorable light with the exception of less than stellar nobles such as Blaine or Eunice Gallovan and her daughter.

However, Merewin's expression had gentled as he sighed, "Though... I suppose even if I would to discourage you and tell you to count your blessings... who am I to not give you proper advice? If the man is as thick-skulled as you claim, you gotta just go for it and tell him. There's no need in waitin' only to have what you want snatched away by someone else. He's sure as hell not gonna be able to read your mind, is he? ...Unless he's a freak of nature of course." He snorted at that, a tinge of amusement returning to the man's face, "But, before you go charging off and confessin', take care of yourself first. Wouldn't be the best declaration of love if you're two seconds from dropping into your grave, eh?"
 
Rose hasn’t a clue as to why she allowed herself to spill her worries to this man in front of her. After all, she didn’t know him. She assumed it might’ve just been because he helped her out earlier. It could be the welcoming energy that surrounded him. It almost reminded her of her father. Gods how she missed him. She would do anything to see him again and give him a hug. She was sure that her father was grieving what he believed to be her death. She still couldn’t wait to exact her revenge on Blaise. That was, if Emory was still willing to help her. Their entire dynamic was sure to change now that the noblewoman was here. She was quite worried that she would be dumped back out onto the streets. Well, or murdered. She was familiar with Emory’s reputation.

“You are not the only one who has warned me of this. I know how he was when I first arrived. He was so cold and distant. But as of late, he has been kind and gentle. He took care of me at the beginning of my illness. Goodness, he even rushed to the kingdom to get me medicine,” She paused, letting a gentle sigh escape her. “I know he is a dangerous man, but something seems to have changed. I don’t believe he has realized it himself. He even opened up to me and told me his worries. It is hard to not fall for someone when they are allowing themselves to be vulnerable.” She mused. She shrugged her shoulders lightly as she relaxed into the seat. She continued to sip at her tea. “He doesn’t seem to have the plans to do so. I offered the suggestion of a fake marriage to get him out of the situation. Not only did he not take the hint as to what I was implying, he discarded the idea without another thought. I left after that. There were a few other words spoken, but it would only hurt my heart to repeat them.”

A gentle laugh left her at his words. She appreciated the effort to lighten the mood and it showed. “You sound exactly like Viola. I hope I didn’t worry her too much by just rushing off earlier.” She realized how terrible that was of her. She knew she shouldn’t spend too much time out in the town. She would probably cut her time down by skipping the market. She could always come another day. “Maybe I will summon the courage to confess to him upon my return. I hope he doesn’t decide to just hide away in his study though.” A light frown appeared on her face. She shook her head lightly before focusing back on him. “Oh my, I just realized I never introduced myself. I’m Rose.” She lifted her hand for him to shake. “I don’t believe I am that close to falling into my grave. Besides, everyone already thinks I have.” It was her turn to joke.
 
Merewin's eyes seemed to show his disbelief as Rose had said that the ever so closed off Emory had a gentle side. It made the man break out into laughter, a hearty chuckle as he apologized, "I'm sorry, but I find that incredibly hard to believe, much less imagine. But, I'll take your word for it!" However, his laughter had subsided, a sigh leaving his lips at her describing what had happened in further detail, "Well, perhaps you had said something beforehand that would make him think you believe you weren't interested? Granted, I don't think a man like Emory would catch onto hints." He remembered Emory even when the man was a boy, and to remember the empty look in the child's eyes sent chills down his spine. Yes, certainly he wouldn't be surprised if Emory had no clue how to deal with words and true intentions... at least when it came to love. He still thought of the man as a monster after all.

However, as soon as Viola's name was mentioned, the bartender noticeably perked up. His brown eyes seemed a lot brighter as he grinned, "Oh, you know my wife then? She's always been the worrying type, haha!" He waved his hand at Rose, chuckling, "She won't hold it against you though, don't worry. If anything I'd think she'll be glad to see you back safe and sound." He gave her a bright grin, extending his hand out as soon as she had lifted her own, "Nice to meet you Rose, and I hope you'll have the best of luck." However, at her joke the man had tilted his head, obviously the general population wasn't too aware of the kingdom's royal family, nor had they lain eyes upon the imperial family. Nonetheless, her joke had caused Merewin to at the very least chuckle, though as he opened his mouth to utter a reply, his eyes shifted upward to see the door to the tavern open and a rather flustered and panicked Viola whose face was quite red and breathing rather heavily, "L...Lady... ah!"

Merewin had stepped behind the counter, a big grin upon his face as he lumbered his way over to Viola, though his awkward gait was now obvious due to his left leg clearly being a rough prosthetic made of wood. He scooped his now rather flustered wife in his arms as the woman uttered a breathless protest, "M-Merewin! Please, I have to-" Merewin gave a hearty laugh as he placed a kiss upon Viola's reddened cheek, "No, none of that! I can't have you chewing out a customer of mine, now can I? Besides, need I remind you that you and I have some unfinished business." This only seemed to make Viola's face go a deep red as she immediately clamped her hands over her husband's lips before he could land another kiss upon her again, "L-later! Now is not the time!" Viola's voice stammered, obviously flustered, though it seemed as if Merewin's teasing had caused the woman to at least lose a bit of her panic from earlier. Feeling satisfied, Merewin then had let Viola go, although grinning at her and whispering something that caused the woman in return to turn away from him and face Rose, although it seemed like she'd much rather not suffer her husband's teasing much longer, especially considering Rose was nearby.

The maid had hurriedly rushed over to Rose's side, clearing her throat, "Please, don't rush out like that again! I'm relieved you are safe though." She let out a sigh of exasperation, "I hope that Merewin was cordial at least." At those words, Merewin had walked up behind Viola and placed his hands on her hips, drawing her to him as he grinned at Viola's reddened face, "Oh please, I was a perfect gentleman! Wasn't I?" Viola in return lightly swatted at his hands as she huffed, "I'd sooner believe pigs could fly."
 
Rose wasn’t shocked when she saw the change in the man’s expression. It was hard for anyone to believe that Emory could show any emotions other than anger or his cold exterior. “It is alright. I know no one believes he is capable of such.” She assured with a small smile present on her face. “I don’t believe that I did. I think he was just stuck inside his own head and refused to realize the prospect in front of him.” The one phrase that had been sticking in her mind was what he said about marriage. She was aware that she didn’t want to marry another man without the intention to stay together until death. She had been shocked the young lord remembered her saying that.


Some confusion crossed her expression as Merewin spoke. “Viola is your wife?” She repeated in some surprise. A soft chuckle left her lips. “That is very true. She is a wonderful lady. I don’t know what I would’ve done if it hadn’t been for her.” She admitted. Viola helped her through quite a bit since her original arrival at the estate. She was very grateful for the other woman. “It is a pleasure to meet you as well Merewin. Thank you. I do appreciate your honestly and your advice.” Her tone was sincere. She wouldn’t dare mention that he reminded her of her own father. It was clear that he didn’t seem to know who she was. She wasn’t surprised by it. Emory had been feuding with her family for as long as she could remember. Her name wouldn’t be respected here even if it was known. That is why she knew that she just needed to act as polite as possible.


A grin was clear on her face as she watched the two interact. That was the love she yearned for. She believed she would eventually obtain it, but she just didn’t know if it would be with Emory. She truly hoped it would be. “My apologies Viola. I didn’t mean to make your worry. I was rather upset with Emory and well…” She trailed off, her expression falling. “He was actually wonderful. He helped me take the shrew, Lady Gallovan.” She informed. Her words were bitter as she spoke the name. She continued to sip on her tea, soon finishing it. “I’ve decided that I am going to confess my feelings to Emory. Merewin had some good points and I believe it will be best. Not only will it remove the weight off of my chest, I will finally be able to release my anxieties about it.” She admitted. She knew Viola had been suggesting to confess her feelings for a while.

“We should probably head back to the mansion. It is a bit of a walk and I walk to try to arrive before the shrew does. She recognized me actually. The idiot just couldn’t put my name with my face.” She commented. It was clear her feelings for the family weren’t the best. She had more experience with them than others had. She turned her gaze to Merewin then. “Thank you for everything. I am sure you will be seeing more of me soon.” She stated. She put her hand into her pocket and dug out a few extra coins. She placed them on the counter by her Emory tea cup. “Let us go Viola.” She moved towards the door then.
 
Viola had breathed a sigh of relief at Rose's response; her previous worry concerning her rather boisterous husband being put to rest. However, a frown had touched Viola's lips as Rose had expressed the reason for her suddenly charging out from the mansion. That explains it well. She had told Emory prior to leaving that she was going after Rose, and the expression she had spotted on the man's face wasn't something she had seen before; but she would not speak of it now. The mood wasn't pleasant at all when she had left, and she could only feel a sense of apprehension if Emory would possibly be in a worse mood, or would be calm when they returned. She certainly hoped the man was calm.

Of course, as she attentively listened to Rose, her eyes grew wide at the woman saying that she would confess. As much as she felt ecstatic herself at the idea of Rose finally revealing her feelings for the young man, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of nervousness on her behalf. How would he react to her feelings? It seemed as if Merewin was swift to pick up on his wife's uneasiness as the man had spoken rather loudly in Viola's ear, "Why are you getting so gloomy? It's not like you're the one confessin'... unless," The man mockingly gasped, "Don't tell me, oh say it isn't so!" Viola's cheeks puffed up indignantly at her husband, lightly swatting at his hands as she huffed, "Don't start, Merewin!" This only caused the man to smile at her playfully and patted her on the head, "Then stop worrying on other people's behalf, eh?" With that, Merewin's gaze turned to rest upon Rose as she had expressed her bitterness, though it was soon followed up by words of gratitude which the man smiled as he didn't hesitate to take the extra coins with a twinkle in his eye, "Don't mention it. Though, when you do come back, I wanna hear some good news! Don't be like these sorry drunks in 'ere, drowning their woes away... I already have to hear enough of their sorry ta- ow!"

Merwin grimaced at the light pinch Viola had given him as the maid clearly was giving him a warning sign to be silent. No need to make Rose nervous, or feel dread leading up to the inevitable confession. However, she merely glossed over the issue by responding in return to Rose, "Of course." With that, Viola had promptly followed Rose, though her thoughts unfortunately were filled with concern regarding both Rose and Emory. As much as she wanted to stay optimistic; she couldn't help but feel nervous, though it was mostly out of the desire to not wanting to see Rose become heartbroken if Emory were to reject her. Though that was the true unknown; Emory. The man was an enigma to even Viola despite the years she had been working for him. However, worrying about it would do no good, she knew that well enough.

...​
Emory usually would never allow himself to feel restless. However, the man at the moment could do nothing about the ball of nerves and stress that was settling within his chest. The matters concerning the Gallovans was difficult enough, but that was far from his main concern. Rose was at the forefront of his jumbled mind, although still reeling from her upset responses to him despite him thinking that would be what she had wanted, she had left the mansion. Where had she fled to? Was she even coming back? And more importantly... was she safe? His eyes closed as he pressed his forehead against his clasped hands, his jaw clenching tightly as a heavy sigh left his lips, nearly letting a curse fly from him in frustration. She shouldn't have left when she was still ill. Just what in the world was she thinking? Plus, even if he had allowed Viola to go after her; part of him felt... uneasy.

He wasn't sure how to deal with her. Even considering this was his first friend, something didn't feel right at all. This worry... this anxiety, it felt like it was eating him whole. He never felt concern for another before; so these feelings were completely foreign to him and he desired nothing more for it to stop. His teeth grinded together as he finally stood up from his position on his bed, walking until he was at the top of the stairway, looking down toward the front door of the mansion absent-mindedly, his golden eyes certainly not bright, but instead appearing duller than they normally would be; as he merely stared vacantly waiting for Rose to walk through the door.
 
Rose tried to keep the confidence that she had while she had been in the tavern, but her nerves began to get to her as she walked the path back towards the mansion. She didn’t realize how terrified she was that Emory might not feel the same way towards her. Merewin had a great point though; there was no way she would know unless she told him. Her steps were a bit brisk. Normally she would be chatting with Viola the entire time, but it was clear that this was staying in the forefront of her mind. She kept her gaze focused ahead as she walked, hands clasped onto each other. Her fingers tapped lightly on her knuckles, a sign of her anxiety. She allowed for her thoughts to overcome her, gaze just focused blankly ahead as she walked. She hadn’t even realized that they soon arrived back at the mansion.

She stopped in front of the door, blinking. Her stomach felt as though it was twisting in knots. Was this truly what she wanted to do? Would she be able to handle living with the rejection that might come to her. She shook her head lightly as an attempt to remove those thoughts from her head. It would do her no good to think like that. She turned to finally look at Viola. “I forgot that I never thanked you for coming to find me. I truly do appreciate it. You are a wonderful friend Viola.” She shifted to pull the maid into a hug. She held her for a few moments before pulling away. She offered a nervous smile before speaking,” Here goes nothing.”


She placed her hand on the doorknob and turned, pushing it open. She then stepped inside. She lifted her gaze to see Emory standing at the top of the stairway. There was something in his expression that she never noticed before. It was hard to place, especially with how difficult it was for him to show his emotions. “Emory, I have something to say to you and I would like for you to not speak until I have completely said it.” She seemed to gain a bit of her confidence back as she spoke. She moved swiftly towards the staircase and up it until she was at his side. “I am in love with you. I know you might find that hard to believe or you might think I am lying, but I can assure you I am not. That is why I had gotten upset earlier. I don’t know how, but I have fallen so deeply for you. It hurts for me to think that you might be wed to another. I don’t want for you to be. I want for you to be with me.” She words were passionate. She lifted her gaze to meet his after she finished speaking.
 
On the way back to the mansion, it was becoming increasingly obvious to Viola that Rose was losing confidence. From the way she was tapping her fingers upon her knuckles was an obvious nervous fidget; which Viola felt a tinge of sympathy for. However, for now the maid had held her tongue. No matter what sort of words of encouragement she could offer, she highly doubted it would very much help until Rose would overcome her anxiety herself by of course eventually revealing her feelings for Emory.

When they had stopped before the mansion's door, even Viola could feel a bit nervous herself. Her gaze turned to Rose as she had turned to face her, though this was accompanied by words of gratitude which made Viola's expression turned surprised for a few seconds as Rose had hugged her, though she certainly didn't reject the hug, and instead her facial expression had gentled as she returned the hug, smiling brightly at Rose in an attempt to ease the woman's nerves, "Well I couldn't help but worry about you." Rhe woman gently squeezed Rose's hands, attempting to give her some encouragement as she said gently, "Go ahead, you'll be fine."
...​
The door was opening, the sound causing Emory's expression to tense. However, his expression had relaxed as he saw Rose stride in, with Viola lingering behind, though noting that the maid stayed near the doorway, closing the front door behind her as he watched Rose approach, almost about to question her on where she had been, and how foolish it was for her to rush out on her own when she was ill... but the words didn't start as Rose was the first to speak, asking for Emory to not interject. Odd.

Emory raised an eyebrow at that, crossing his arms as he nodded. That was the least he could do for now, though he had to admit the air between himself and Rose felt... uncomfortable. Granted, he was certainly not prepared for what she was going to say next. Once she was at his side, he was frozen to the spot as soon as she had said her next words. She is in love with him. His expression filtered from surprise at first, only for it to fade as she continued. At first, despite her saying it wasn't a lie, he couldn't help but try to find some sort of lie within her words. But, the passion behind her statements left him at a loss for words.

He also begrudgingly had to admit, it did explain her being upset when he had rejected her initial offer. Though, it also left him thinking back to during one of their dinners when she had spoken rather boldly then, and he had taken it as her desiring to be friends with him. Ah. The more he thought about it, the more he knew she was telling the truth, he had just been ignoring her hints. The darkness to his golden eyes didn't ease away, though only a few seconds of silence had met her confession; it was hard to say whether this was a good or bad thing as Emory was trying to process what she was saying to him.

"...I cannot touch you." The words were quiet, his eyes now looking away from her, "Nor do I know how to return your feelings. Rose... you... you really.." He was obviously struggling at this point, an all too noticeable tinge of red coming to his ears as the situation was fully dawning on him. This resulted in him sighing as he shook his head at her, "...I cannot be a proper partner for you. You do realize that, don't you?" It wasn't quite a rejection, it was more like Emory was attempting to put his thoughts in order, wondering why in the world would a woman like Rose want him of all people. It just didn't make sense in his own mind. Wouldn't she desire someone who could properly return her affection? He wasn't even sure of his own emotions at the moment as it felt like chaos coiling around within his own chest.
 
Rose’s breathing was a bit uneven as she stood and waited for his reaction. It was clear to see that it was due to her nerves. Despite having finally confessed, she felt more I’ll than ever. She stomach was twisting and knotting much more than it had before. She studied his expression for a hint as to what he was feeling at the current moment in time. The surprise had only lost a few moments before he seemed to fall deep in thought. She hadn’t a clue as to how he would respond to her. He was just barely beginning to open up to her as it was. What if this ruined things between them? How could she ever face him again?

She did her best to push those thoughts from her mind. There wasn’t anything else she could do at the moment. She finally had spoken the words that had been weighing heavy on her mind. She couldn’t go back in time to stop the confession. She would have to live with whatever came from it. Her heart dropped as she heard the sigh leave him and watched as she shook his head. It was never a good sign for a man to do so after being confessed to. She read poems about the way in which men reacted to such confessions. It had given her hope that maybe it would happen to her one day. This truly wasn’t what she had in mind.

“I think you don’t give yourself enough credit Emory. Do you forget the first night I was ill? Everything that you did for me then was exactly what you are saying you are unable to do. The way you have been acting around me as of late is far better than you ever have. What about the garden earlier? You unconsciously suggested to plant roses in the garden. You have given me free rein to so as I please while I am here.” She paused, trying to think of the best way to go about this. She didn’t want to seem desperate. She also didn’t want to push his boundaries.

“You have already been returning them in certain ways. You just haven’t fully realized it yet. You might not be traditional in doing so, but I can assure you that you have.” Her tone grew softer. She slowly nodded her head at his question. “I do realize that. It isn’t as though I have had a proper partner before. Nothing about my life has ever followed that of my sisters or of my father.” A weak smile came to her lips as she finished speaking. The next bit would be the hardest for her to say. She didn’t want to, but she had to do it. “I can understand if you wouldn’t desire having me as a partner. I know you have been through enough with women taking advantage of you. It hurts me to know that they caused for this to happen,” She paused, biting her bottom lip.

“If you truly don’t believe you replicate my feelings, I will leave the manor. There will be no reason for me to stay with the Gallovan daughter coming. It would just be too much on you and you do not deserve that. I am sure I can find another place to stay far from Blaise’s eye. If that so, I want to thank you for all you have done for me. I truly never though I could feel this way again. You have brought me more happiness than you know Emory.” Her tone was soft and sweet. It was clear that she meant every word she spoke.
 
"Yes but-" He had spoken the words hesitantly, though the words died on his lips as Rose began to point out that he had in fact been showing her kindness and gentleness. His usual retort would be that he was only doing it to keep her alive and calm, after all Emory beforehand had every intention of using her for his benefit without growing an attachment to her; after all he had no intention of allowing himself to fall prey to romance due to seeing not so pleasant examples regarding his own mother; not to mention the abuse he suffered. He lowered his gaze at that thought, for once guilt surfacing within him. Yes, he felt guilty about his previous stance beforehand... but did anything really change?

As much as he wanted to deny it, to say his heart hadn't changed in the slightest... that would be a very bad lie. Even now, his heart was beginning to pound within his chest, even if his face wouldn't reveal his emotions, he certainly was feeling a whirlwind of feelings that flooded him from head to toe. As much as he wanted to hate these confusing, unknown feelings... he couldn't quite get himself to. However, when she stated she would leave if he were to not replicate her feelings, his heart plummeted. He... didn't like the thought of that.

Rose had made him feel certainly a lot of feelings that he didn't know he was capable of having, and as much as he felt annoyed at the prospect of feeling such bothersome emotions... he didn't hate it. He grew somewhat used to having Rose around, to hear her voice and see her smiles. To have that lost to him... he didn't want that. The thought was very selfish, he knew that quite well, but he never said he would willingly accept the Gallovans forced marriage offer.

Without him thinking about the words, he spoke, "You can't leave. I don't want that." That alone made him surprised, causing the man to take a step away from her as if he'd been stung. He was unable to look into her eyes, the sudden heat flooding his body making him feel as if he were burning on the spot. His own face felt like it were burning, uncomfortably so which made him fidget, "I... I don't know how I feel about you, but I don't want you to leave." Emory couldn't bring himself to fully allow his feelings to show, after years of shutting himself off from emotional situations, he didn't know how to express them. But, this was certain, he wasn't rejecting her from his timid responses. In fact, the more this situation could sink in, the more Emory seemed to be cracking and showing a bit more emotion.

"I apologize if that answer isn't satisfactory, but I'm... uncertain on what I'm feeling right now." His reddened face now was turned away from her, "But, I will say that you deserve better. I.. I.." He was stumbling over his words now, a clear sign of becoming flustered as he was struggling to hold himself together, though quickly crumbling.
 
Rose didn’t think that she had ever seen the other male acting this way before. The way he was acting right now reminded her of how one would act when they had their first crush on someone. They had never experienced those feelings before and were unsure how to proceed. It made her heart ache. Any chance at a normal upbringing had been ripped away from the young lord. She was growing curious about how he might have turned out if he hadn’t been abused in such a way. She quickly pushed it aside. Now wasn’t the time to think on the past. She needed to focus on the current moment in time. It was the only thing she could do.

She blinked in surprise at the quickness in which his response to her came. She hadn’t expected for him to say any of what he had. His reputation was one of shoving others away. “If you wish for me to stay, I shall. I just didn’t want to if it were to be a burden to you. Besides, this situation isn’t the most flattering for me and I am sure I might be embarrassed later.” She tried to joke some, hoping to get the other male to relax a bit. She knew it wasn’t easy for him to be going through this. Part of her felt terrible for bringing it up in the first place. The other part was glad. She was grateful to be seeing him show more emotions. She just hoped it wouldn’t break him.

A genuine smile came to her face at his words. She slowly stepped to stand closer to him again. She reached forward, gently placing a hand on his arm. “Emory, you don’t realize that you are my better.” Her tone was still the same, staying as gentle as possible. She didn’t want to startle him in a way that would make him even more uncomfortable. “I know it will take you a little to figure out what exactly you are feeling. If you wish to talk to me about it, I will gladly listen. I can try to help you navigate through your emotions. I won’t rush you though.” She commented. She gently squeezed his arm in a comforting way. “You know, I am grateful you didn’t have me killed. I do have to say every time that I mention you showing any other side of yourself other than the cold exterior causes for people to believe I am insane. Even Viola didn’t believe me at first.” She mused. She couldn’t help her ramblings. She was still a bit nervous and it brought her comfort in doing so.
 
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Emory's body remained tense, his face having yet to cool as he listened to Rose's response, halting the flow of uncertain words he had been attempting to speak. Her joke didn't seem to ease his nerves much, albeit he tried at a faint smile, though it only came out as a small grimace instead. However, this expression only solidified upon his features as she had reached out to him, her touch being unexpected especially now when he felt confused. Although typically any touch he would receive would send tingles of disgust through him, or even fear; her touch however felt like tingles of electricity had shocked him. It nearly made him rip his arm away from her, though before he could do such a thing, he had forced himself to relax. There was no need to act like a fool, just because she happened to confess to him.

He listened to her rambling words, though like his usual self he would allow her to do so as long as she would want to. After all, he wasn't sure if he could muster a sufficient response to her words. However, his golden eyes slid to Viola at Rose mentioning the maid, though the maid looked absolutely overjoyed at the bottom of the stairs, grinning from ear to ear, her face had reddened as soon as Emory had looked at her, attempting to hide her broad grin behind her hands which flew to her face. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly, expression hardening immediately. He had forgotten that Viola had even been there, and as much as he probably wouldn't mind showing a bit more expression around Rose; he wouldn't want an audience, no matter how small to see such an embarrassing side of him. "Is that so?" Emory's tone, although still tinged with his previous frayed emotions was slowly beginning to recover to his usual calm, even if it was a bit forced though this could easily be seen through if one would look at the red tinge that still clung stubbornly to his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

Clearing his throat, his gaze dropped back down to look at Rose, though.. this didn't last long as his golden eyes soon were looking off to the side. He couldn't look directly at her now, unable to understand the unknown emotions running through him, "As tempting as that offer is, and as grateful as you may be; I'd much rather you be resting right now. You shouldn't have left the mansion, you've yet to recover." It seemed like Emory was dodging any further discussion regarding his feelings, or even lingering on the confession itself. He knew it wasn't a proper answer, and he knew he was trying to avoid the issue until he could deal with it later... but that made him feel like a coward. A tinge of shame had settled within him, but he waved it aside. This small bit of shame he could live with, had had been living with much worse. Emory had then hesitantly moved a hand to grasp Rose's, though again the strange tingling sensation had nearly caused him to snatch his hand away. But, he had moved her hand from his arm, slightly disturbed as he could still feel the soft pressure of her hand there. Although, it wasn't completely unpleasant, he felt unnerved at the tingling sensation there as well. Good god... was he becoming ill himself?

A frown had finally laid claim to his face, his thoughts unable to make much sense of anything which resulted in him just giving up on trying to understand. "Viola, please can you prepare more medicine?" Viola's response was immediate without him even turning to look at her, hearing her oddly cheerful tone ring out, "Of course, Lord May!" He could've sworn from the corner of his eye that the maid had a little skip in her step as she rushed off to the kitchen, causing a heavy sigh to leave Emory's lips. Even if Viola would never express her excitement to him, he knew she would be expressing it in other ways... much to his embarrassment. His hand that was gripping Rose's had let go immediately as he stepped away from her, almost a bit too quickly as he looked away from her, focusing now on her room, his heart stubbornly refusing to calm as he murmured, "Please, get some rest Rose." He spoke her name gently, whether he knew it or not, it didn't seem as if he would be in the mood to give any answers.
 
Rose managed to pause her ramblings, realizing slowly that it was due only to her nervousness. She usually had a bit more control when it came to that sort of discussion. She almost felt as though she couldn’t control herself. Adrenaline coursed through her veins. She could feel her heart beating quickly in her chest. She could blame it on her illness, but it would be incorrect. It was definitely due to what all occurred. Now, she was having quite a hard time trying to decipher everything occurring with Emory. The other male was shocked, clearly, but he was allowing for his expression to turn back to what it normally was. It was nice to see him express some more emotion around her. She guessed that her mentioning of Viola had ruined it.

She cleared her throat gently and then nodded. “Well, you don’t ever show anyone a different side to you. I was surprised that you were even willing to talk to me about your life like you did.” She spoke truthfully. She seemed to have forgotten that her hand was resting gently on his arm. “Everyone views you as though you are some time of monster because you never allow yourself to show the emotions you feel. You don’t know how grateful I am that you have allowed me to share some of that experience with you. Of course, I seemed to have made a fool of myself now. I hadn’t wanted to confess just yet, but the timing seemed to be fitting. Besides the Gallovan’s daughter is very much a shrew and will cause you a worse headache once she arrives. It was probably better for me to confess earlier rather than later.” She let out a gentle huff as she realized that she was rambling once again.

“I apologize for rambling so much today. It seems as though I can’t control it.” She murmured. She lifted her gaze to look at him as he spoke. She didn’t know why it hurt her heart to hear him change the subject back to her well-being. “I wouldn’t have run off if you hadn’t made me upset earlier.” Her words were truthful. She was sure the other male was already aware of that. She opened her mouth to speak more until she felt his hand on her own. She almost seemed stunned at his touch, allowing for him to move her hand away gently. She closed her mouth, biting gently on her bottom lip as she figured out how she wanted to approach the situation. It would do them both good to not escalate thing. She had no reason to scold him any for not responding to her feelings in ways that others normally would.

“I understand you need time to process. Please allow yourself to feel your emotions this one time. I will go back to my room. If you wish to speak, I will be either there or somewhere else in the manor.” She spoke gently, offering him a small smile. She then turned and moved towards her room. Once there, she closed the door partly behind her. Her heart was finally beginning to calm and a wave of fatigue hit her. She planned to ignore it though. She moved to the wardrobe, taking off her extra layers from the day. She was then left in one of her usual day dresses. She moved to take a seat at the desk by the window, placing her head in her hands for a few moments.
 
Emory silently, and rather begrudgingly had to admit that Rose certainly did have fair points. He had been rather surprised himself when he had revealed such a twisted past of his, although it was under the condition of him reaching his limits regarding restraining his emotions for so many years. He didn't interrupt her, also admitting she certainly had a fair point that he had upset her earlier, causing her to run off... even if he still felt a tinge of bewilderment that was quickly becoming less and less as the revelation of her confession was sinking in. As she withdrew from him, Emory couldn't even muster much of a response, his gaze remaining on her until she had vanished from his sight, the door closing behind her and it was then that the man felt an odd weakness begin to flow over him, although more like his legs were trembling causing the man to move to the nearest wall, his face brightening anew to a brilliant red as he inspected the hand that had removed her hand from his arm, still feeling the unfamiliar tingle there. If that wasn't enough, he could still feel the heat from her hand upon his arm, the pressure that had been there. As much as he felt like he should be disgusted, there was no disgust. It confused him.

He released a heavy high as he shook his head. Now was not the time, if he wanted to merely sit and stew in his own emotions he would have to do so later when he wasn't feeling so confused... and of course the matter with Lady Gallovan's daughter was sorted out. Just thinking about the woman had caused the man to get quite the harsh headache, which only was amplified as the door to the mansion as if on cue had a light knock upon it. Almost immediately, Emory's jaw clenched as dread filled him from head to toe. He didn't want to deal with this right now, he almost couldn't bring himself to move from his spot, but unfortunately it didn't seem he had much of a choice at the moment. This was a problem that wouldn't go away, no matter how much he willed it to. Forcing himself to stand straight, the man had taken in a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart, a fault of being taken off guard by Rose's confession and waited only until his face had lost its red hue. He needed to be as calm as possible before answering the persistent knocking that was slowly beginning to irritate the man as the knocks only grew more loud and obnoxious, almost if whoever it was on the other side of that door was growing more and more impatient.

Emory heard the sound of fast footsteps, and a metallic clang, no doubt Viola in a flurry attempting to get to the door although she was without a doubt more concerned about Rose's medicine, the man had called out loud enough before Viola could reach the door, "Don't. Just focus on preparing Rose's medicine, I can deal with this myself." I have to deal with this on my own. It wasn't as if Emory was going to allow anyone else to interfere in an issue that he had to deal with himself, as well as bury his old fears that was clinging to him. It was no way for him to live, especially if he was attempting to fulfill his position as a lord. He heard Viola's steps halt in response, though her hesitant response had confirmed that she was worried, "..Very well, Lord May." The lack of confidence in him felt a bit insulting, but he supposed her concern was a given due to his rather embarrassing display earlier. A part of him wished both Viola and Rose would perhaps forget that he had done such a thing.

Taking in a sharp breath and exhaling, the man had descended down the stairway, his expression set in his usual emotionless mask as he reached for the doorknob, opening it and immediately the man was assaulted by the sickeningly sweet smell of lavender. His stomach threatened to heave in an automatic response, but the man kept his composure, his cold eyes settling on the noblewoman before him and almost immediately he felt tendrils of old fear beginning to creep into his bones. The woman before him was young, a spritely, small woman only a few inches taller, maybe even less than Rose. She had a dainty hand up, halfway in the motion of knocking upon his door again. Her lips were painted a bright, obnoxious red, the same as her perfectly crafted nails, her hair a pale gray-brown, akin to her father. But her face.. the eyes in particular, the same hazel color of her mother's was peering at him now with the same light that Eunice would give, he could feel her gaze studying him as if he were a new toy that had been placed before her. And it was her smile that soon followed had nearly made Emory close the door, it was a cold and calculating smile, a viper had slithered to his door.

"Lord May, it is a pleasure to finally meet you," Her voice was sickeningly sweet, no doubt trying to lay on an innocent facade as the noblewoman had bowed before him, "I'm Demelza Gallovan, my mother told me a lot about you." Her lips seemed to widen a bit more in her sweet smile though it only served to make a chill go down Emory's spine, "I hope my mother's letter had reached you. I wouldn't want my arrival to be a surprise, especially for my future husband." Emory's gaze grew more cold at that, his tone cold, "I have no intentions of marrying you." His response was automatic and firm as he continued, "Regardless on if Lady Eunice had intended for me to marry you, I refuse to accept it. I'm sure I don't need to elaborate why if your mother has told you a lot about me."

Demelza's lips twitched, a flash of something odd behind her eyes. Though, Emory wasn't sure if it even was anger, it almost seemed like... laughter. The woman laughed, taking a bold step toward Emory, her lavender smell making Emory nearly gag as she lowered her voice, "Even if you refuse to marry me, that doesn't matter. A toy doesn't have any free will, or have you forgotten? Do you honestly think that because you became a lord, you can stand up against whoever owns you? I'm surprised, my mother said you most likely would have no spine left. No matter," Her smile grew colder, an excitement sparking within her eyes, "It'd be fun to break you again!" Emory's expression twitched, his hands clenching into tight fists as the woman's hands came up to touch his face, "Are you scared, Lord May?" The woman cooed, almost mockingly as Emory had withdrew, his tone rough with anger, "You dare to speak to me in such a way? Have you gone mad?"

Demelza laughed, "No, no I haven't. You won't do a single thing to me, will you? Fear stays your hand." Her eyes shifted past him, though seeing Viola staring back at her, though the maid's expression was rather red with fury the maid had turned on her heel immediately and retreated up the stairway immediately, carrying the silver platter that was Rose's medicine as well as some food. The noblewoman's eyebrow raised, "You have guests?" Emory's expression tightened, anger flaring to life within his chest, "It doesn't concern you. Now, leave. Don't come back to my door again." Before Demelza could utter a single word in reply, Emory had slammed the door shut, locking it immediately. Slight tremors were going down his spine and through his arms, closing his eyes tightly. He knew she would be back, it wasn't as if the problem would go away if he ignored it, but he would refuse. He didn't want the nightmare of his childhood to come drag him back into it again.
 
Rose kept her face in her hands for a few moments, finally processing everything that just happened. She couldn’t believe that she had actually admitted her feelings to the young lord. She wished it had been in a better manner, but it was something she couldn’t go back on. One thing that had shocked her was the fact that he didn’t seem to push away the idea of her affections. Of course Emory was flushed and unsure, but she had seen the ways he acted before. The emotions he managed to show were ones she hadn’t seen before. It made her feel a bit more relaxed. The fact that he wanted her to stay in the manner brought her hope she didn’t believe she would experience.

She rubbed her eyes gently before lifted her head. A gentle sigh left her as she gazed upon her self in the mirror. Her hair was a bit tasseled from the events earlier in the day. She moved to undo the braids that were in it before carefully brushing it out. It sat properly as she finished brushing it out. She didn’t bother redoing it. She doubted she would do much for the rest of the day, besides having dinner with Emory of course. She tilted her head as she kept her eyes on her reflection. She could clearly see how much she had changed throughout the course of her marriage and now her time here. She seemed to be more mature. She could only guess it was from her exhaustion and stress. She lifted a hand to trace the soft skin on her jaw.

She allowed her fingers to rest there for a few moments before she brought her hands back to her lap. She slowly stood then as a gentle yawn escaped her. A nap might do her some good later on. She wouldn’t bother with it though until Viola returned with her medicine. She walked to the door before she opened it carefully and slowly. She peeked out, noticing that Emory was no longer in the hall. It brought her some relief. She stepped further out then. She planned to go see if Viola needed any help, but paused when she heard the voice of a woman. She quickly recognized it as the Gallovan’s daughter, Demelza. She held back the urge to roll her eyes. It didn’t seem as though she was charming Emory with the angry tone that she could understand from where she stood.

She wanted to stay and eavesdrop longer, but she heard the footsteps of Viola coming up the stairs. She hurriedly made her way back into her room. She left the door open though as she believed it would be easier for the maid to step in with the tray. She took a seat on her bed while she waited. She offered the woman a smile when she finally saw her. She quickly stood to close the door behind her. “I believe that went somewhat well. It was certainly better than I thought it would be.” She spoke truthfully. Her tone held the remaining nerves she was feeling. “I also heard the shrew arrived. I went to see if you needed help and heard her talking with Emory. Do you think he will be alright? I mean, I can certainly check later at dinner but I worry,” She paused as a smile came to her lips. She shook her head slightly with a gentle laugh. “Now I am truly getting ahead of myself and allowing my feelings to get the best of me.”
 
Viola's steps had since lost her previous cheer, and now the maid's eyebrows were knitted in a clear sign of annoyance. Demelza's rather bold words were troubling to her, although the woman certainly had no clue what she had hinted at with them, nor would she pry unless Emory would ever speak to her on the matter - which chances are he would never do so - and now was fuming as she had reached the top of the stairs, though a faint smile had crossed her face upon seeing Rose hold the door open for her as Viola had entered in the room with Rose and placed the tray on the nearest table, though a bit of a laugh had managed to escape the woman at Rose's first words, "Well I certainly agree, at least it seems as if Lord May had accepted it." Though Viola wasn't sure what Emory's eventual answer would be to Rose's confession, she certainly would hope her feelings would be reciprocated. It would be nice if Emory finally opened his heart to someone, with Rose being the primary candidate... certainly not Demelza Gallovan. At the mention of the young noblewoman, even as the maid was making the last preparations with Rose's medicine, the woman had rolled her eyes being unable to stop herself from doing so. A bit uncharacteristic of the usually timid maid, but she was becoming more comfortable with Rose than before, and perhaps having encountered her husband earlier in the day, a bit of Merewin's boldness would somewhat reflect in his wife, "That woman has some nerve coming here. To think she would say such disrespectful things to a lord, I would've thought the lady would have some common sense... maybe even some delicacy!"

Viola's shoulders had slumped slightly as she shook her head at Rose, "I don't know, but I would certainly hope so. I wish I could read Emory's mind sometimes, though he certainly did seem angry." Even as Viola could see some gentleness in Emory, she didn't want to be around the man when he was enraged. Honestly, Viola was surprised he didn't kill Demelza on the spot for her arrogance, but she couldn't deny that the man was trembling a little despite the cold air he would usually have. Maybe he wasn't alright? As troubling as Emory's potential current state was, Viola had gently handed over the tea with the medication mixed in to Rose, though she had let a laugh leave her at Rose's words, "That's not a bad thing, especially now. But, I wouldn't worry too much. You should be resting and focusing on recovery, I'll let you know if anything troubling happens." Viola was a woman of her word after all, and no doubt it would be maddening if she kept Rose in the dark about the situation.
...​
Outside of the mansion, Demelza's expression hadn't lost her previous smirk, a bubbling of laughter threatening to leave her. Her mother had told her how entertaining Emory could be, although such information she had thought of as old, her mother had described the man as obedient and meek, although with a temper if pushed too far. She had been expecting a shell of a man, but what had greeted her was a defiant one, although she could see the fear in his eyes, she knew he'd not forgotten her dearest mother. "Ah," She raised her hands to her face, eyes sparkling with joy, "What bliss!" Normally, Demelza would have been angry beyond belief if a commoner were to speak so harshly to her, primarily being the arrogant woman she had come across earlier and the foolish tavernkeeper, but for a handsome man such as Emory to reject her made her laugh. And of course, the woman delighted in the thought of beating and breaking the man down until he was husk of his former self, a man to toy with to her heart's content.

"Oh, Lurch!" Demelza had spun on her heel, though the timid, scrawny man being her manservant had flinched at the crazed and bright smile on his lady's face, his own paling at the sinister light that had sparked in the young, crazy woman's eyes, "Y-yes, M'lady?" His fearful reply was filled with hesitation as Demelza had skipped over to him, "We must go to the Black Market, I've forgotten something really important there. And I simply must see Mr. Barker again!" The man, bewildered had stammered, "B-but, M'lady we have nowhere to sleep tonight, surely if we apologize to Lord May, perhaps he can-" The woman put a finger to his lips, silencing him as she had grinned, "Have you forgotten? A Gallovan doesn't apologize. Ever." She stepped past the man toward her carriage, saying in a bright tone, "Besides, that's why we're going to Mr. Barker. Now hurry up, I don't want to waste a single second!" The man grimaced, casting one last look over his shoulder toward Emory's manor, mumbling under his breath, "I do hope she loses interest, for your sake." Lurch was never a huge fan of Demelza Gallovan, the woman was as twisted as her mother Eunice. To say he wished for Demelza to lose interest in Emory was a kindness that he would hope could happen soon enough, she was relentless after all.
 
Rose could tell the change in Viola’s mood. She could only assume that it was from the other woman coming into the home. She had to admit that she was a bit surprised that Demelza had decided to show up unannounced. She didn’t recall her being as bold the last time that they met at the kingdom. Then again, no one was ever bold enough there. Her father didn’t allow it and held whoever tried to be responsible. It was a bit amusing to her that she tried to act so arrogant when she knew that she would eventually be squashed like a bug. “I was worried for a little when I spoke with him. I believe him asking me to stay was the best turning point in the conversation.” She confessed. She moved to take a seat back on her bed, a light sigh leaving her as she did.

A laugh burst through her lips at Viola’s words about the Gallovan daughter. “I apologize for my reaction, but she was never the type to be kind and graceful. Her entire family is rotten, other than her father. I have no clue what twisted mind games her mother committed to force him into a marriage with her.” She spoke truthfully. It was nice to see Viola acting more comfortable around her. “She wasn’t nearly as bad when she visited the kingdom and my father. But then again, no one would dare be rude to a king. I would love to see the shrew’s reaction when she finds out exactly who I am. I am sure she might faint.” She refused to call the woman by her first name. There was no reason for her to. She still held more rank than her, despite being considered dead.

“You sound exactly like Emory.” She teased the maid in a light tone. “I appreciate you doing so, but I am growing restless. There is only so much for me to do and I can’t let an illness control my entire life. It was nice to go to the town today. Emory talks of it a lot. Your husband was very kind.” She spoke truthfully. She took the tea from the maid with a smile, sipping on it. She was beginning to feel better and it showed in the way that she talked. She knew that her health was going to continue in this cycle. An illness would hit her, she would recover, and then she would get sick again. It was the one thing that she hated about herself. Her mother had a weakened immune system as well. It led to her demise, so her father always worried about her. She was trying to learn to not let it overcome her any longer.
 
Viola's face tinged with a red flash of embarrassment, realizing her sudden outburst was rather inappropriate considering the level of comfort she now felt around Rose, but nonetheless a slightly timid smile had crossed her face in response to Rose's words. She knew little of the ins and outs of the kingdom, but she knew well enough that the king was the authority there. She certainly had to agree if Demelza were to know of Rose's identity, if the woman had much sense at all, perhaps she would be frightened beyond belief. After all, none of the royal families that were truly loyal to the crown would ever want to put their family opposed to the king; whether it would be for wealth reasons or maybe even to hold onto their status. And from what little Viola knew of the Gallovans, Demelza's father certainly treasured having the king's trust and was extremely loyal, perhaps even to a fault. Emory, of course even prior to knowing that Eunice had married into the Gallovan family, certainly didn't like the man. Though, Viola rarely even heard him mention him, he often called him the king's "lap dog", with a tinge of spite.

Emory truly didn't have any warmth in his heart for allies of the crown; exception as it slowly is beginning to seem, being Rose.

A sigh left Viola's lips, shaking her head at Rose although she said in a gentle tone, "You may be right about that, but your health is a priority," Her shoulders shrugged, slightly exasperated. "I simply wish for you not to overexert yourself, and I'm sure Lord May feels the same- oh?" Her sentence came to a halt as she looked toward the door, a hesitant yet firm knock upon the wood which caused Viola to step toward the door and open it, looking upward at Emory who seemed... quite normal. The man's expression was void of what he could possibly be thinking at this moment in time, and it didn't seem that he felt inclined to show much, if at all. That made Viola relax slightly, having anticipated the man would be in quite a foul mood, but it seemed at the very least he felt calm. "Lord May?"
...​
Emory's agitation regarding Demelza had flown from his mind on his way up the stairway. The pressing matter, the matter he desired to settle as soon as possible was Rose's confession to him. He wasn't sure what emotions was flowing through him, as his mind, nor his heart would give him much of any answer. He wasn't even sure if he was... happy with her revealing such a thing to him. Surely, she would desire a far more kinder suitor? A man who would be willing to offer her everything, heart, body and soul? Emory didn't think of himself as such a man. Not too long ago, regarding his feelings toward her, she was a means to an end. Someone who he will throw away if she would become a liability, or if he were feeling merciful, he would have slaughtered her. Now, she was claiming that such a man who had slaughtered his own family, a man who had been raised from the dregs of society was someone who she loved? It would be the greatest joke he'd ever heard; if he'd not known her better by now.

Rose wouldn't lie to him, she was as genuine with these feelings and claimed that he was that gentle man for her. Yet, he knew not what she was seeing in him, much less his own feelings which were still swirling about him in a confused tangle. Even if he should be more focused on the nuisance that was Demelza, those tendrils of fear that had sunk into him were nothing more than mere annoying flies at this moment that he could brush off. Confronting this more pressing issue was something he would not allow himself to run from, he refused to be a coward as the shame of him attempting to withdraw was burning him more than anything else at this moment in time. And so, the man had stopped before the door, a strange feeling of nervousness causing his heart to flutter in his heart a few beats before he had knocked upon the door. A hesitant knock, but it was only a few seconds before Viola would open it, and her surprised tone upon saying his title had made the man look toward her, though his gaze kept threatening to stray to Rose, "I need to talk to Rose... alone." He added the last word a bit hesitantly, already bracing himself for Viola's reaction which as expected was the maid's expression seeming more shocked before she in a sudden hurry had been a bit too quick to obey.

Emory watched, slightly exasperated as Viola had spluttered in an overexcited stutter, "O-of course, l-let me get out of your way!" The woman hastily picked up the silver platter, pausing only to look over toward her shoulder to Rose, "I'll come back later for the cup, you can leave it on the table Lady Barclay!" With that, Viola like a whirlwind had rushed past Emory which left the man speechless as he heard her hurried steps nearly stumble down the stairway. As much as that alone made him want to sigh, the man had stepped inside Rose's room and closed the door behind him, his back leaning against the door as he was all too aware of the distance he was placing between himself and Rose from where she was upon her bed. The man was silent for a few moments, his expression firm and unreadable as his golden eyes merely stared at the floor as if he couldn't meet her eyes. Come now. You didn't come this far only to be a coward. That was certainly right. He needed to confirm, and attempt to make sense of his own feelings. The only way to do so now was to act.

"I see, at least you're looking healthier." He dared to finally raise his gaze to look at her, though he'd not truly noticed it before during her confession. Her recovery at least was a relief, something that seemed to be going right. Straightening up where he stood, the man kept his hands clasped behind his back, a rather stiff position but at this moment in time the pressure upon his wounded hand was giving him something to keep focused on through the sudden scrambling of his thoughts as he looked at her. Keep it together. Closing his eyes, he took in a breath and exhaled to calm himself, his eyebrows furrowing as he opened his eyes as he stared directly at her, "I'm planning to go on an outing tomorrow to check on the town. I was wondering... if you're not feeling too unwell, if you'd like to join me?" The words were stiff, as it didn't seem like he was truly taking her out to court her. No, in Emory's mind this was business and he was doing this because he'd much rather have his eyes on her to not leave her by herself while he needed to check on some things, especially with Demelza running about... that was what he was telling himself anyways. But really, the man was trying to see what he felt for her, if he felt anything at all. Sure, their last outing ended in Rose getting sick, but he was quite confident that it wouldn't be raining, and he had a sinking suspicion that Demelza would come to pester him again, so vacating the mansion for the day seemed like quite the appealing option.
 
It was clear that Rose didn’t mind Viola’s outburst. She had grown to be comfortable around the maid’s prescience, regarding her as a friend. She would rather she be honest with her than not. She always had hated whenever people seemed to hide things from her due to her status back in the kingdom. This was the first time in her life where everyone was being completely honest with her. It made her feel more human that she ever had before. “I do know my health is a priority, but I can’t let it control my life forever. Besides, I know when enough is enough regarding it. I would never push myself to a breaking point.” She spoke quickly, wanting to get her words in before Viola opened the door.

She fell silent then as her gaze followed the maid. She was a bit surprised to see Emory there. She would’ve expected for him to go back into his study after the interaction with Demelza. She believed it to be the most important matter at hand. After all, her confession was something that Emory would need time to understand and think about. The young lord was completely out of touch with his emotions. She doubted he would ever fully be able to understand them. She would do anything in her power to help him, but it worried her that he might never realize if he had the same feelings for her. There was only so much she could do from the exterior. It was Emory who had to understand what was going on within his mind.

She took a sip of her tea, nodding her head at Viola’s words. She offered the maid a quick smile as she made her way from the room. The silence was deafening. She adjusted her gaze to look at Emory, waiting for him to speak. She had no clue the reason for him to want to come in her. She almost believed that he didn’t know the reason either. A smile came back to her lips at his words. “I am feeling much better. My mother had a terrible immune system as well. She would get I’ll constantly. It unfortunately was passed onto me. The medicine you bought for me is very helpful though. I know I have said it before, but thank you.” Her tone was the same as it always was.

She perked up where she sat at the mention of going into town tomorrow. Her eyes widened some and she quickly nodded. Her hair fell into her face some, which she quickly lifted a hand to brush back. “I would absolutely love to. I was only able to see the tavern today and wanted to head to the shops before I ran into the shrew. That would be wonderful.” She spoke truthfully. It was clear the prospect of going out tomorrow excited her. As much as she loved the manor, she was beginning to get bored of it. She seemed to pause, losing herself in thought for a few moments. “Do you wish to speak about what you are feeling? I know earlier I suggested you could talk to me about it and you said it was a nice prospect. I don’t mean to rush you or to push. I just want to help you if I can.” She offered. Now wasn’t the time to worry if she was being too forward.
 
His eyebrows furrowed, forming the usual creases upon his skin in a slight worried expression, something that Emory found he was doing a lot more often than before. The mention of Rose's mother being constantly ill had caused a knot of worry to settle within his own stomach, recalling with a chill down his spine that the current queen was dead. Would there be one day where Rose would fall ill and never recover? Would he lose her? Why did the thought of losing her forever put more fear in him than anything else at this moment? It felt as if a tub of icy water had suddenly been poured over the man, rooting him in place. At the very least, this was one emotion he could understand: fear. But, unlike it being a fear for his own safety, it would perhaps be a fear for Rose's well being... even if he would not verbally express this sudden irrational fear. The man forced himself to shake off the feeling, dislodging the cold tendrils of this fear from sinking in too deep. There were other emotions that were bothering him that he'd much rather focus on.

He'd barely responded in reply to her words of thanks, only responding with a slight nod, however her accepting his offer had made him stiffen up a bit more, as if surprised that she'd willingly want to go with him. Emory's heart had started beating faster in his chest, causing the man a tinge of annoyance at the reaction. At the very least, he wasn't blushing, he wasn't sure if he would be able to stay within the room if he did begin to start. The man was content to listen to her words, finding that when he did so, his heart... wait, the rapid beating of his heart only seemed to quicken. He really must be falling ill himself, if even the sound of her voice was enough to cause his heart to feel like it was fit to burst from his chest. It was an unnatural, and strange feeling, and he certainly didn't feel like he was in control of himself. That was causing him a bit of distress, as control over himself was one thing he treasure more than anything else. It was primarily the sole reason why the man didn't drink often, even when going to social gatherings. The thought of becoming drunk, especially due to his childhood's horrid events of being drugged past the point of knowing who he even was had deterred himself from allowing any of his senses to dull. But, instead it felt like his senses were going into overdrive around Rose, though he didn't know if the reason was because she had confessed and now having that awareness was making him act this way. If so, what did that mean for him? He didn't know.

Yet, in the midst of his confused feelings, he had picked up on Rose's rather unflattering nickname for Demelza. That made the man raise an eyebrow as he echoed, "The.. shrew?" His lips unknowingly had curved up in an amused smile, having an all too good idea of who she was talking about. Laughter bubbled up within his chest and despite the roiling chaos of emotion within him, the man had allowed himself to laugh. A rare bit of laughter indeed, the honey gold of his eyes brightening, accompanied by the crinkling of his eyes as his deep voice let out a rather hearty, cheerful sound. When had been the last time he had laughed so carefree like this? It was... nice. Yes, he felt this sensation was nice, and he certainly didn't hate it. He took in a breath to attempt to draw in some air into his lungs, a bit of chuckle leaving him as he said in amusement, "How spiteful of you. I certainly wasn't expecting you to give her such a fitting name." It seemed as if Emory's voice rang with the truth with those words, he detested Demelza. There was certainly no chance the woman would even come close to winning Emory's affections.

After his previous mirth had faded, the man's lips dropped down into a tense line as Rose had brought up if he wanted to begin to speak about his emotions. Part of him immediately recoiled at that. He never felt comfortable talking about what he was feeling, and typically the man showed these emotions through his actions; although most of the time they were negative emotions. Anger, frustration, fear, sadness. These emotions were things he was more comfortable with, these new ones he was feeling was making him confused... as much as he would never wish to admit it. But, regardless the man had stopped leaning against the door, his gaze cast to one of the empty chairs within the room and had settled himself upon it. He would have sat on the bed next to Rose, but that was far too close of a distance for him right now, especially considering he felt... odd. He didn't want to do anything that he would regret later.

"I don't even know what I'm feeling right now." He admitted that in a softer tone, lowering his gaze from looking directly at Rose. Emory wasn't even sure where to begin, every time he thought he knew what he was feeling, as if pulling on one familiar strand, it would quickly tangle with unknown ones that he couldn't even unravel because he never felt them before. The man clasped his hands together, squeezing his wounded hand a bit more tightly again, the bit of pain there had caused him to stop allowing his mind to wander too much, closing his eyes as he exhaled sharply through his nose. A bit of frustration it seemed. But, soon came a question, a question of his own that he would respond with, "How do you feel around me?" A counter to her question, but at the very least Emory felt a bit of curiosity about that. Perhaps he would begin to make sense of his own emotions through that, though he had high doubts it would make him feel much at ease, but it would be a start.
 
Rose noticed the expression of worry that crossed his features. She didn’t comment on it, knowing it wasn’t her place to. Emory had a lot going on at the current moment in time and it was probably overwhelming for him. Her confession on top of what he was already dealing with probably only made it worse. While there was some part of her that regretted speaking as she did, she was grateful to finally get it off of her chest. It had been weighing on her for a while now. If she hadn’t spoken with Viola or her husband, she doubted she would’ve never fully realized just how much she had fallen for him. She also would’ve never confessed. She was beginning to think that this might be one of the better things that had happened to her in a while.

A smile automatically spread on her lips as Emory began to laugh. It quickly turned into a grin. She had never heard him do so before. The joyous sound made her heart flutter. “Yes the shrew. She had always been rather terrible when I still lived with my father. Of course I had to run into her when I went to the tavern earlier and she was worse than she used to be. I hadn’t expected it at all. I believe it is the perfect nickname for her and I will stand by it.” She seemed almost defiant in her words, but it was clear that she was enjoying the lighter mood. “She almost recognized me. I think she might lose her mind whenever she finally does realize who I am. That or she won’t believe I am alive.” She mused with her own soft laugh. Her smile softened as he heard his next comment.

“Content and comfortable. I hadn’t felt like this around you originally. I remember being worried and tense when I first arrived. As I began to talk with you more and spend the time with you, my heart would begin to flutter whenever I saw you. Sometimes it beats faster in my chest. I have to stop myself from admiring your features at times,” She paused, her cheeks flushing pink. It was clear she had never discussed this before with anyone. “There is so much that I can’t possibility find the words to describe. But earlier when you locked yourself in the bathroom and you shattered the mirror, I was terrified you hurt yourself. Of course you did, but I felt as though someone was pressing down on my chest. It was almost as if I couldn’t breathe. Then the thought of your marrying the shrew hurt more than I could saw.” She seemed to be lost in thought for a few moments.

She shook her head lightly, lifting her teacup to take another sip. “As I said, there is a lot. I do know that it is because I have fallen in love with you. I never felt this way around Blaise. Do you recall hearing those bedtime stories as a child where the prince and the princess would marry after he saved her from a dragon? It is sort of like that for me.” She doubted it was the best description, but it was the only one she could give. She placed the cup down carefully on her beside table. “If you feel comfortable enough describing how you are currently feeling, maybe I can help guide you. I don’t want to overstep or push for anything that might not be there. I do want to help you if I can though. You deserve to know and feel your feelings for once.” Her tone grew softer as she spoke, gaze focused on the young lord.
 
Emory waited patiently for her to describe her feelings, however he didn't anticipate her next words. Content and comfortable, around him of all people? That caused an expression of disbelief to cross his face, but he didn't interrupt, but instead had held his tongue and let her continue. A slight tinge of pink had also crossed the man's face in return as she had admitted that she had admired his features, although Emory knew he wasn't an ugly man, he didn't think she would have been attracted to him. This made him remember vaguely the moments he had admired her features as well, though this dangerously veered toward the time when he had wiped the sweat from her body which immediately he locked away that particular memory. It was an uncomfortable one for him, requiring him to touch her skin, although through a cloth and he admittedly couldn't forget the sight of her naked body... even if he was no stranger to such a thing. He fidgeted a bit in his chair, waving away the memory as quick as possible. That would be rude to linger on the memory in Rose's presence, regardless of how she felt about him.

Then she spoke of when he had locked himself away within the bathroom in the midst of his rather vulnerable state, of the concern and worry she felt on his behalf. It was one that he understood well enough, though he could only make the similarity with his own concern regarding her health. It was a mental check he had to keep in mind, a similarity that seemed worrying for himself. Her admitting that she also detested the idea of Emory marrying Demelza had made his heart squeeze, something that he didn't quite understand the reason why yet... but he was slowly beginning to think he knew the answer, and he wasn't sure if he was too pleased with what he was beginning to understand. He lowered his gaze, looking toward his clasped hands as he continued to listen to her speak, hearing that she'd not felt this was with even Blaine had caused him a surge of joy that nearly took his breath away, a satisfaction that he didn't want to focus on too much. But, despite himself he had laughed at her comparison, making him a prince, and she the princess he would save from the dragon. He shook his head at her, "I'm no prince, Rose. Shouldn't I be the villain instead?" He chuckled a bit at that, considering Rose had been thrown to him for him to kill.

His laugh this time was short lived, expression for once becoming thoughtful as he was lost within his own thoughts. Finally, he began to speak, "...From what you've told me so far, it seems... I might have some feelings for you." Admitting that was alien even to his own ears, but he needed to put a boundary, "However, how far that goes, I don't know." He raised his head to look her in her eyes, expression as serious as he possibly could, "Rose, when you came here I saw you as a means to an end. If you proved to be wanting, I was resolved to kill you so that you would not become a liability." The words were harsh, cold even, but this was something she deserved to know. To withhold this truth from her would be cruel. "I had no intentions to become your friend, your companion... you were to remain nothing to me. However... I don't know when that changed." His hands tightened their grip on each other as he closed his eyes, a heavy sigh leaving his lips, "The thought of being alone in this estate again, without you here causes me... distress." That was the only word he could use to describe the unpleasant feeling that would rise within his chest and coil around his heart, "I've grown too used to the sound of your voice, to be able to speak to you. It would feel empty without you here, that was why I said earlier that I wouldn't want you to leave."

"But regarding my feelings... if I had fallen for you, I do not know. I doubt that I will ever be able to allow myself to do so." Another truth, a bitter one that he didn't desire to share. "I can't help but feel, perhaps there is someone better suited for you rather than I. I cannot even touch you... not for long at the very least. Or.. I think." His eyebrows furrowed, conflict raging within the depths of his eyes, this felt... odd. He wasn't used to being so honest with his words, usually speaking very little. It felt like the more he spoke to Rose, the more he desired to speak. It was unnatural, he wasn't used to this. A groan left his lips as he put his head in his hands, mumbling as if a bit frustrated, "I don't know what is happening to me."
 
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