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Realistic or Modern Night’s Embrace | Private |

Rose stayed quiet as the other male began to speak. She didn’t want to overstep and say something now, especially since he seemed to finally be ready to confront his emotions. A soft smile came to her lips as he spoke on her comparison. “You are only the villain if you label yourself to be Emory. You have been through a lot. There are things that I wish you didn’t have to experience. You did terrible things because of it. But that doesn’t make you the villain. None of it does. You have so much good within you. You are just afraid to let it show. I believe it is one of the reasons as to why you don’t want to experience your emotions.” Her words were soft. It pained her that his immediate connection was with the villain. She knew that he had so much more within him than just that. He had already showed that side to him whether he believed he did or not.

She blinked in surprise as he confessed that he might have some feelings towards her. She didn’t expect for him to say it. She thought she would discover he never would today. “I had assumed that. I didn’t think the highest of you when I arrived either. Of course that was Blaine’s fault. I knew rumors of you from my father as well,” She spoke truthfully. The prospect of Emory killing her had been on her mind for a while. She was grateful that it changed though. “I will stay for as long as you can stand me to be here. I know I can be a little annoying every now and then. I didn’t want to leave when I spoke earlier. I just didn’t want to overwhelm you with my emotions.” It was clear she would do what was necessary to allow the other male to experience comfort.

She slowly stood after he finished speaking completely, moving to stand near him. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I wouldn’t be too sure. I mean, you believed you never would experience these emotions and now look at you. The future isn’t something that is mapped out. It is constantly changing. You don’t know where you will be as a person by next year. I would like for you to give yourself more credit.” She admitted. She doubted it would help ease his mind any, but she could at least try. “I think you are finally realizing and allowing yourself to experience what you have kept pent up your entire life. It won’t be easy, but it will be better for you. I can promise you that. You will eventually feel more relaxed and you might even be able to understand what you are feeling. I can try my best to help to guide you through it. After all, they say women are very emotional.” She spoke the last couple of words with a somewhat sarcastic and joking tone.

“I don’t believe that there is someone better for me. There are other suitors, yes, but none of them would want me for any reason other than the fact that I am a princess and one day they might be able to sit on the throne. None of them would view me as a proper person like you do. I would be forced to have children and live my days out miserably. You have allowed me to do things that I love. You even allowed me to watch my own funeral. You must understand that you are the best person for me.” She confessed. She had seen it happen with one of her sisters and herself. She never wanted to be wed like that again. She knew Emory didn’t have ambition to rule the entire kingdom. He didn’t want for her any other reason than just her genuine self.
 
Emory wanted to deny her words, an instinctual reaction to protect himself from even so much as viewing himself in a kinder light. Even regarding him possibly changing, he wanted to say that was impossible. Perhaps even a few weeks prior he would have denied any possibility of him even beginning to fall for a woman to occur, that he would begin to feel something different. But, Rose had uprooted him from his comfort zone, and although he didn't hate her for it, it made him feel vulnerable. And vulnerability caused him to be uncomfortable... but if he wanted to confront what was in front of him, he couldn't run away as much as he desired to at this moment in time. Rose's soft touch had caused the man's muscles to lock and tense, the odd electric feeling running down his spine. He refused to budge from his current position until Rose's sarcastic and joking comment had made the man chuckle despite feeling quite distressed.

Then, she claimed that she doubted there would be anyone better for her, and once she gave her reasons it was then that Emory had finally moved to look at her, his hands falling to rest upon his lap. Although, he wished to deny her claims... he couldn't. She was right concerning why men would approach her, especially considering she was the princess to the kingdom. It would be a chance to potentially either gain rights to land, or by extension a chance to become king themselves. She would be treated like a pawn to use for power, and of course to produce royal heirs who also would have a chance for the throne. It was what Blaine was using her for before he dumped her in Emory's hands due to her not being useful enough to him. Her fake death had allowed Blaine to hold onto the land that the king gave him as a member of the royal family, and he still had claim to it and was quite pride of it.

Of course, Emory had no intention of taking the kingdom for himself as he didn't care for the capital or the people who lived there. He had no desire to inherit the throne and was content with his own territory he controlled, besides the man was ruthless when enraged. He had a temperament that was ill fitting of a king and more akin to that of a executioner, nor did he come from royal blood or even noble blood. The man simply wasn't one who would be the typical man to be wed to a princess, yet this woman before him was choosing him of all people. If the situation wasn't so serious, Emory would have laughed then and there, but instead his expression had gentled as he tried at humor, "Your father wouldn't approve." It wasn't like Emory cared what the king thought, in fact the thought of stealing Rose away from the king's care had nearly made the man smirk. Though, he had to admit he would have to deal with the king when he revealed Rose's status to the public, no doubt the man would be enraged. The mental image had caused Emory to chuckle, though he shook his head at Rose, unable to keep himself from smiling.

"He might try to execute me for stealing his precious daughter away." Emory's hand had moved to touch her own which was still upon his shoulder, though he hesitated to make contact with her skin, his touch when he eventually did was gentle and light. His fingers were trembling, though it wasn't out of fear surprisingly enough... or at least not too much fear. He found when he touched Rose, it now wasn't as horrid as before, although there was still that sensation to recoil, he could at least suppress the urge to do so. Slowly, his large hand had moved her hand so that it no longer was resting on his shoulder but instead in his own. Her skin upon his own was enough to cause the electric feeling to intensify, but he allowed it to continue, forcing himself to get used to the sensation even despite the trembling in his own hand. His gaze lowered to look at her hand in his, observing how small, how delicate her soft hands were. A noblewoman indeed, such a breakable and fragile person she was... and yet, so very warm. Emory seemed to be lost in thought, his thumb hesitantly running over her skin for a few moments in small circles, trembling and yet still it seemed like he was forcing himself out of his comfort zone for her.

And then he raised her hand up, slowly and hesitantly up to his lips. His warm breath brush over her skin, his eyes closing as his lips had lightly pressed against the skin upon the back of her hand. Although the hair of his beard no doubt would come as ticklish, his lips were soft and warm. This small, polite kiss would only last a few seconds as he lowered her hand from his mouth, his golden eyes warm as he gazed up at her saying softly, "..I hope I truly am the man you seem to think I am. I'll try to fulfill your expectations as best as I can." A brief flash of annoyance had crossed his face as he looked down at his hand still holding hers, though now the trembling seemed to have gotten worse which he reluctantly had pulled his hand from hers, murmuring in a quieter tone, "Though, it seems like I have some work to do until I am able to." He felt displeasure for once in his deeply implanted fear.
 
Rose appreciated the gentle chuckle that left his lips at her joke. She felt his tense under her hand, but didn’t remove it. She was enjoying this moment between them. She didn’t think she had ever seen Emory in such a vulnerable state before. He seemed to be a completely different person. It wasn’t a bad thing. It was, in fact, incredible. She was sure that Viola would be thrilled if she only knew the conversation they were having. She wouldn’t be surprised if the maid was eavesdropping on the other side of the door. She blinked away her thoughts, offering the young lord a smile as he looked up to her. His gaze seemed to have softened. The golden of his irises weren’t cold like they usually were. They were warm, almost like honey. It was a lovely sight.

She let out a laugh at his words. “It’s a good thing that he thinks I’m dead then, huh?” She wanted to keep the tone as light as possible. She didn’t want for Emory to fall back into his doubts and fears. This was the easiest way she could think of doing so. “Besides, I don’t care what he thinks. I’m the fifth princess anyways. He picked a husband for each of my sisters and for me. I saw his taste in men and I believe my own judgement is much better. He might not like it, but he will just have to come around to the idea.” She wouldn’t let her father push her around in this situation. She believed that this would be the best for her. Now came the matter of seeing if Emory truly would be alright with this. She didn’t want to rush into anything when he seemed to be uncomfortable enough.

She shrugged her shoulders at his comment, her smile staying on her lips. “Well, Blaine would be first in line for execution before you. At least you would have some time to prepare and to set your affairs in order.” She was clearly joking, enjoying the lighter mood between them. She didn’t actually think that the air had ever been this light when they had been in a room together. She shifted her gaze to look at their hands for a moment, her expression softening. She could feel his trembling, but wouldn’t comment on it. She bit lightly down on her lip. It was hard to believe that this was actually happening. She never thought the man would be willing to hold her hand in his own. He had been terrified of her touch before.

Her heart fluttered as he pressed his lips to the back of her hand. Surprise flashed in her eyes for a moment at how soft and warm his lips felt. She could only imagine what it would be like to kiss him one day. “My expectations aren’t anything more than who you already are. I can assure you I don’t want for you to change. While I would love for you to feel more comfortable expressing your emotions, I am not going to force you to. I fell in love with you for who you are.” She reminded. She rested her hand back on his shoulder for a few moments, giving it a comforting squeeze. “You do now Viola is going to be fawning over this, correct? She cares for you so much Emory.” She confessed. She assumed it was due to how long the maid had been working at the manor. “Have you met her husband yet?”
 
Emory couldn't help but laugh at her jokes, his amused expression remaining upon his face as he met her gaze after her hand had rested upon his shoulder, the gentle pressure he allowed himself to relax underneath. Rose's reminder that she accepted and loved him for who he was had made the man's facial expression become unreadable for a few moments, though this was quick to fade as he said softly, "Well, this is certainly a first for me... but I don't hate it." Emory had been alone for most of his life, and not once did he receive such kind words as he had turned more cold over the years. His foster father, the former Lord May had been initially quite kind to him... but that kindness was quick to fade as the man had become a vicious madman after Maridel's true colors were exposed to him. Not to mention his half-brother and half-sister, though their demeanor wasn't pleasant either from what he could remember. Ah, he'd not truly thought about them in so long, it was odd for him to think of them now. However, remembering his family always put him in a rather unpleasant mood, and he'd much rather avoid having nightmares about them later, so he quickly dislodged the unpleasant memories.

At the mention of Viola, Emory's eyebrows furrowed at her claim that the maid cared for him. Well, he supposed she did, granted he wasn't sure if it had been due to obligation to the family... or out of fear. She had been one to view the horrid slaughter that Emory had committed, and he had always assumed that if she had the opportunity to leave with her life, she would. Not once did he consider that she cared for him as if he were a son of hers, or perhaps he had always been blind to her concern. Nonetheless, he shook his head in exasperation at the mention of Viola, "She's a hopeless romantic, I would be surprised if she wasn't." That was one thing he was always certain of, even in his early childhood when he was forced to go to awful, drawn out parties, she would always babble about how he should attempt to interact with the young ladies and he would meet 'the one' if he tried. She would always be so disappointed to see Emory by himself while his half-siblings would be mingling with guests.

Though upon mentioning Merewin, Emory's expression filled with immediate distaste, "You met that fool?" It was clear, Merewin's and Emory's relationship was strained at best, bitter enemies at worst. The man crossed his arms, a frown remaining upon his face, "Yes, I met him. He tried to kill me, if I remember correctly." The man used to be a soldier in the former Lord May's army, and was absolutely smitten with Viola. Of course, after Emory had taken over in his bloody coup, Merewin was enraged that Emory had forced Viola to stay at the manor, the man had the nerve to storm his way to the manor and upon Emory opening the door, he tried stabbing the young lord much to Viola's horror. The incident remained fresh in Emory's mind, causing his jaw to clench though he released a heavy sigh, "...Though he had every right to attempt to kill me when we first met. I don't think he's forgiven me at all, nor do I expect him to. I still occasionally receive angry threats from him every time I have to check near his tavern... which I need to do so again tomorrow."

He paused, looking directly at Rose as it dawned on him that she and Merewin had indeed met, "He was polite to you, was he?" His tone was tense, it seemed like Emory would have a bone to pick with the tavernkeeper if he found out the man had so much as spoken one impolite word to Rose. Merewin was especially one of the more vocal people against the kingdom and the crown, in fact the man would go on tirades about it whenever he got the chance.
 
Rose appreciated the laughs that left Emory. It let her know that he was still comfortable at the current moment in time. She didn’t want to push too much now. If Emory ever felt the need to step away or to go to his own space, she would allow him to. This process would be a long one. It was one she was prepared for though. It made her happy to know he seemed to be enjoying the light massage she had given his shoulder. “I’m glad that you don’t. I do enjoy spending time with you, even though you are always quite busy with your duties.” She spoke truthfully. She completely understood that he would have to be busy at certain times. She did notice that he was making more and more time for her as of late. It was another thing that warmed her heart.

A laugh left her lips. “Oh trust me, I am very aware. I would always tell her anything that happened when it came to you and I. I don’t think I have ever seen her that happy before. I believe she would have us wed today if it was in her power.” She admitted with a light hum to her tone. While Emory might’ve not seen it, she could tell just how much Viola cared for him. She believed that it went to show anyone could be loved no matter what they had done. She only hope that Emory would eventually fully believe that. “She was even angry earlier when the shrew visited. Granted I did partly eavesdrop because I am getting quite bored of being stuck in my room. Speaking of, would you be willing to go on another walk with me later? I believe I saw a lake not too far from here and it would be lovely for an evening stroll.” She suggested.

Shock was clear on her expression as she heard his words. “Really? He didn’t have anything pleasant to say about you, but I hadn’t expected him to have tried to kill you.” She confessed. She did recall the harsh words he used when describing Emory. She had only believed it was due to the general uneasiness that surrounded the young lord. “It does make sense now though. He does seem like the stubborn type, though as are you. I am sure you might eventually get along if you are able to forgive him for trying to kill you and if he is able to get over whatever you did to upset him.” She spoke truthfully. She perked up at the mention of having to go near the tavern tomorrow.

A smile came back to her lips at his sudden concern. “He was very kind. He was actually the one who convinced me to confess to you. I will need to stop in and thank him tomorrow for that,” She paused as she tried to picture what his reaction might be to it. “He also helped dispel the shrew after she followed me into the tavern to scold me for being rude to her.” She was hoping Emory wouldn’t say anything tomorrow whenever she went in. She doubted he would want to follow her inside, but she would insist on going no matter what.
 
He was a bit surprised to hear that Viola had actually been angry on his behalf due to Demelza's actions. He never once had seen the usually gentle maid angry, but the man's expression had gentled over so slightly at the thought. She truly had lingered at his side for so long, supporting him in silence and even if she disapproved of the road he had taken, she didn't betray him a single time. Such loyalty was why he permitted her to live, but now he found himself grateful for her presence that he always ignored. Perhaps, he would allow her to go on an extended vacation, no doubt she would spend that time with Merewin and the rest of her family. She deserved some sort of rest. However, a bit of laughter had left him at the thought of Viola would have them wed if things were to go her way, "I wouldn't doubt that she would." Although, Emory still was hesitant at the thought of marriage just yet when he was taking his first hesitant steps to opening himself up to Rose. Such a thing seemed far away, much less even starting a family... though he knew Viola would be exhilarated at any bit of romantic progress Emory would make.

Of course, regarding Merewin, Emory had rolled his eyes, a quite comical sight for the usually emotionless man. He spoke, his tone rather dry of humor at this point, "I'm not surprised. He used to be extremely loyal to my father." He fell quiet after a few moments, then muttered, "But, of course I doubt he can forgive me after I killed them." It wasn't a secret that Emory had slaughtered his father and his family, it was a horrendous and vicious act of violence against his own family. Merewin never forgave him, nor did majority of the townspeople. His father was a beloved and kind figure, and although independent of the kingdom, he had been on better terms with the kingdom than Emory. But, despite this Emory had listened when she had told him about Merewin being to one to encourage her to confess... as well as the man scolding Demelza which caused a smile to once more lay claim to his features.

"Well, I do suppose I have to thank him for that at least." His thoughts immediately cast back to Rose's request for him to go on a walk with her. Granted, Emory did realize he had some paperwork he needed to attend to... but that could always wait until later in the night. He wasn't one to go to sleep early anyways, and for some reason his heart desired to stay with her for only a little while longer. Besides, he knew locking Rose away within his estate, no matter how much he didn't want to get herself hurt wouldn't be fair to her. And, he did recall the lake, a little bit away from the edges of his estate, which wasn't frequented too often unless it came to the festival season or late at night. He never bothered with the lake himself as he rarely left his estate with the exception of business reasons, so if Rose desired to go there; he would be happy to oblige. "As for the lake, we can go if you want to. However, again you need to be careful." As usual he was warning her to tell him if she were to begin to feel unwell. Even if she were feeling better, that didn't mean she was completely at her best.
 
Rose’s eyes were warm as she gazed at the other male. “I will have to update you as to what she says when I speak with her later. I am sure she will be gushing at everything.” She shook her head with a light smile. She slowly turned to head back to the bedside table, picking up the teacup on again. She finished what was left in it now that the liquid had completely cooled off. She made a mental note to bring it down to Viola later on. She didn’t want for the maid to have to come and get it when she was sure that she had plenty of other things to attend to. Besides, she wouldn’t mind doing certain things to help her out. She loved making herself useful. She had a terrible habit of doing it even when she was back in the kingdom.

She turned back to face the young lord as he spoke again, biting her bottom lip once more. “Well, it is never too late to try to mend relationships. He did say you do great things for the people of the village. They just view you as cold and cut off. Maybe tomorrow you could try to mend your image to them. That is if you care to do so. I won’t judge you if you don’t. I am sure that it would mean a lot to them if you did.” She confessed. She was hoping that she would be able to go with him whenever he did his rounds to the village now. She was sure that might help ease things some. After all, she considered herself to be a lovely person. It would probably help for people to see Emory around someone like her.

“Yes you do.” She agreed. Her expression brightened as she heard his agreement to her suggestion of visiting the lake. It was clear that she loved the outings she was able to do. “I am always careful. At least, I try to be.” She let out a light laugh as she moved across the room to look out one of the windows. “We should be able to get there and back before dinner if you wish to leave now. I would just want to return the teacup to the kitchen before doing so.” She commented as she turned her head to look at him again. Without waiting for a response, she moved to her wardrobe to pull out a coat for over her dress. She carefully pulled it on before running a hand through her hair to fix it. She then turned back to Emory and offered him a smile once again.
 
Emory's face only held reluctance and doubt. He didn't think Merewin would ever forgive him, much less warm up to him; nor the townspeople either. Just even attempting to change his image now after so many years of acting how he normally would... well no one would perhaps believe it at first. Even with Rose at his side, he would sooner expect they would think of her as odd for staying at his side. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if most people assumed that even Viola was being held against her will to work at his mansion, even if the thought of it would be absurd. So, he didn't speak on the matter, it would entirely depend on if he was willing enough to go to such lengths to repair all the damage between himself and his people. Though, without a doubt it would take perhaps months even years to bridge the gap that he wasn't sure he would be ready to close. But, he had changed plenty since Rose had come to his estate, so it would be worth a shot... if he could relax enough.

Her brightening expression had made the man's heart flutter within his chest again, though her response had made Emory shake his head at her in mock exasperation as he stood from his chair, "Do what you must, I'll be waiting." He took steps toward the door, although when she offered him a smile, the man had hesitated before returning a faint smile of his own and then leaving the room itself. His heart at this moment in time was pounding in his chest, causing him to take in a deep breath to try and calm himself. The sensations running through him weren't normal, but he didn't fight to suppress them and instead embraced the feelings wholeheartedly, the more he got used to it, the more he could feel like he would be in control of himself. As he crossed the hallway down to the stairway, he heard hasty movements, no doubt Viola attempting to busy herself with something to pretend she wasn't excited.

Emory held himself back from laughing at that, retreating to his bedroom to retrieve his own coat, although he didn't use it much due to there being very little reason for him to do so. Pulling the coat around him, he had straightened out his clothes to look slightly more presentable then promptly walked down the stairway, lingering near the front door as Viola's head had poked out from the kitchen, her voice hesitant, "Lord May, where are you off to?" The man's expression was still somewhat soft, which was a shock to the maid as he was quiet for a few moments and responded, "The lake with Lady Barclay. We should be back before..." He trailed off seeing Viola's eyes beginning to sparkle as her hands came up to her grinning mouth, making Emory feel a bit embarrassed as he cleared his throat, "We'll be back before dinner." He wasn't willing enough to answer the questions that Viola no doubt would be drowning him with, and it was clear that Viola picked up on this due to her holding her tongue and bowing her head to him, "Enjoy yourselves out there, and be careful." Her tone betrayed her enthusiasm which made a faint smile cross Emory's face. He certainly was smiling a lot today... this was odd, but not unwelcome.
 
Rose nodded at Emory’s words, watching as he left her room. It was only then that a grin spread on her lips. She couldn’t believe that Emory had reacted in the way that he did. He seemed almost like a completely different person and it was something she welcome with open arms. She couldn’t believe that she had been lucky enough to hear him laugh or to see him smile as much as he had. She never thought that he would kiss the back of her hand either. It was a pleasantry that she had missed. This entire moment in time was something that she didn’t believe she would ever be witness to. It brought her faith that things might be able to change for him, for them. It seemed at though Emory might believe it as well.

She turned to look in the mirror that was against the wall, gazing at herself for a few moments. The joy on her expression was something that she wasn’t able to hide. She was sure that Viola would notice it whenever she saw her later on. She adjusted her hair once again before moving to grab the teacup. She carefully made her way out of the room and down the hall to the stairs. Once she was down them, she began to move towards the kitchen. She offered Viola a smile as she stepped inside. “I just wanted to bring this down so you wouldn’t need to get it later. Thank you for the medicine earlier.” She spoke gently. It was obvious that the maid seemed to be excited about what all was happening. She didn’t comment on it though then. She made her way out of the kitchen and towards the front door.

A smile grew on his lips as she noticed Emory was there waiting for her. “Let us go.” Her words were gentle. She reached to open the door for them and stepped through. The air was cooler than it had been that morning, but it felt nice. It was clear that spring was coming. She was rather excited to get the garden finished before starting on her next project. She was aware that Emory was allow her to fix up the barracks. She believed it would make a good storage place as well as a little paint studio. “You know, you still have to teach me how to use a sword. I know we discussed it earlier, but I am rather eager to do so. I have always wanted to. My father decided that learning how to use a bow was better for me.” She had fallen back into her pattern of rambling.
 
Viola beamed brightly at Rose as soon as she spotted her walking down the stairs, and without hesitation had took the teacup from her hands, although waving with her free hand as she said cheerfully, "Oh you didn't need to do that." She paused then with a quick bow, she said in a gentler tone, "Have fun, you two." With that, she left with a skip in her step and Emory could have sworn he heard the woman release a tiny sound of joy as the door to the kitchen had closed behind her. Odd, but not unexpected. The reaction alone had made the man raise an eyebrow, though his expression changed as Rose had spoken up, drawing his thoughts immediately back to her. He nodded in response, following her steps out the door, securely closing it behind him.

The cool air was pleasant against his skin, although he didn't have a single doubt that it would get colder by the time night would come. For now, he would merely allow his thoughts to relax, to now allow himself to think too much on the duties that he was pushing off until later. Although, it felt strange to not be constantly working... it felt nice, especially considering he had Rose at his side. It was still strange to him that he desired her companionship so much, something that he would have to get used to. The man was never so... needy. It made him almost self-conscious, suspecting that this desire to be near Rose might come before anything else. But, if he did have plans to begin courting her, he reasoned in his mind that spending time with her would be necessary. Even now, the man's expression seemed quite serious as he was thinking already on just how he would go about things properly. He never had tried to win a woman's affections, or go through the process of courting, so the minimum he knew was gifts or taking her nice places. Did he even know any nice place? He never really had noticed the beauty of the world, seeing it as a harsh and unforgiving place, so nothing had caught his eye before...

The man nearly jumped out of his skin as Rose's voice had interrupted his rather deep train of thought, focusing immediately upon what she was saying. Though this was a topic that made the man frown almost immediately. She really was serious about learning how to use a sword, wasn't she? "I did say I'll only teach you when you're feeling completely healthy. You're not quite there yet." He huffed as he took a few steps, stepping a bit closer toward her as his golden eyes looked over her frame, as petite and small as she was, he certainly wasn't too enthused about teaching her the art of the blade. "Well, he wasn't wrong. If anything a bow would keep you out of harms way, even if it requires strength from the arms." His frown only deepened as he looked ahead at the path before them, beginning to walk though taking shorter strides so that Rose could keep up with him, "Besides, with your health in mind I'm sure your father was trying to give you the easiest weapon he could think of that wouldn't require you to train every single day. And it's not as if sword training could be taken too easily, you could get hurt even during practice..." He trailed off, the thought of Rose getting hurt making his expression tighten. Ah, he didn't like the idea too much after all.

From how he learned from his own father, after exercising his body to make sure he was physically fit, and doing repeated actions with a wooden sword for hours on end, the actual combat with wooden swords was... unpleasant. It was around that point in time when practicing did the former Lord May had begun to lose his mind and had lashed out at Emory with attacks to force the boy to defend himself, the welts and bruises he received from then wouldn't be given much time to heal before the next practice and the next. He would never subject Rose to a harsh regimen like that, but he wasn't sure how gentle he could be without going too easy, to the point as if she wasn't truly learning at all. "Are you absolutely sure you wish to learn?" His tone seemed a bit worried now, even if he forced his body posture to be relaxed.
 
Rose had only smiled at Viola’s words, holding back the urge to laugh when she heard the happy sounds leave the maid as she walked away. She couldn’t believe the other woman was so happy that things seemed to be moving steadily forward. She was sure it was a nice change though. From what it seemed, Viola probably tried to get someone for Emory to court before and it never worked. She had no doubts the maid would want to discuss this later on when she drew a bath for the evening. She wouldn’t mind it though. It was fun to gossip sometimes, especially about this. She hadn’t been able to do so when she was originally being courted by Blaine. The thought of the man almost made a frown come to her face, but she quickly pushed it away. It wasn’t something for her to worry about anymore. Things were better now and she knew Emory wouldn’t allow for the man to harm her here.

She turned her gaze to glance at him as they began to walk, curious as to how he would take her words. He didn’t seem keen on the idea, which didn’t surprise her. Wielding a sword was often reserved for men as many women didn’t find joy in doing so. She had always wanted to learn though, especially since her father refused to teach her. She believed that she could handle herself enough to be able to do so properly. She was only hoping that Emory wouldn’t go back on his words. If he did, she would have to figure out how to teach herself. “I do recall that.” She stated, puffing her cheeks out as he continued to talk. “I am positive that I want to learn. If he hadn’t forbade me to, I wouldn’t have the desire to learn. If you need to know one thing about me, know this; it won’t get you anywhere to tell me I am not allowed to do something. It will only make me want to do it more.” She informed.

She could tell the other male was overthinking this and worrying too much on her behalf. “I will be alright Emory. A free bruises won’t kill me. Besides, I dealt with worse when I was with Blaine. I would love to see the look on the rat’s face if he saw me wielding a sword.” Her tone had softened a bit, trying to get the other male to ease up some. She knew it wouldn’t help Emory’s mind, but she had to try. Clearing her throat gently, she looked at the path ahead. “I’m rather excited for spring to fully come. I need to make arrangements with the gardener to finish having everything planted and set before then. I also plan on beginning to clean the barracks tomorrow after our outing to the village. I plan on leaving some space for storage and the other for a studio. I would love to begin to paint again.” She commented.
 
"Yes, and that's exactly why I'm worrying." His immediate retort came as soon as she had spoken up, though he felt his heart beginning to melt within his chest at the way she puffed out her cheeks as if irritated. Oh dear, he really was ill wasn't he? He didn't fight the feeling though, allowing it to continue as he forced his gaze to settle on the path before them, shaking his head, "That is a dangerous habit of yours... though I know there's no point to try to convince you otherwise." He could already tell he would have to hold back a lot of his strength, although the man wasn't sure how to do such a thing. He wouldn't mind of course if she were the one wielding a wooden sword, perhaps he'll just let her come at him and instruct her without having to strike back at her? But, she wouldn't be satisfied with just that wouldn't she? Of course not.

Her stating a few bruises won't kill her had made the man shake his head immediately at her, his body tensing at the mention of Blaine. Ah, the man had been so far from his mind that he'd not thought of him until this moment. Although he used to think of him indifferently, an odd coil of anger had settled within his stomach. That was right, he had been the one to put Rose in this situation in the first place. In all honesty, the man felt a sudden urge to slaughter the man then and there, his frown deepening upon his face. Whether Emory realized it or not, instead of being Rose's executioner, he had instead became her protector. Certainly an odd change indeed. He would have never thought he would be capable of such a change, but knowing full well that Blaine had hurt Rose was something that he felt he couldn't tolerate now when before he felt nothing about it. His golden eyes dropped to Rose's hand, the one he had unintentionally hurt during the events of Rose's funeral, and hesitantly he reached out with a hand, fingers trembling as he drew near and had gently taken hold of it, murmuring quietly, "I don't want to hurt you again. And certainly not like him." The guilt he felt from then seemed just as fresh now as when that small incident occurred.

He fell quiet as Rose changed the subject, his trembling hand still remaining around hers. Bit by bit, he wanted to push himself to grow more comfortable with contact, pushing himself out of his comfort zone bit by bit. Although he knew her plans, he was content to allow her to chatter about it as much as she'd like. Of course, with spring slowly beginning to settle, with it would come to usual spring ball as well as the kingdom's annual hunting competition. The thought of both events usually would put a scowl on the man's face as he detested going out in public, but this time it would be different. Perhaps it was solely because of Rose, and knowing he'll have her by his side. Even if he normally would skip both events due to his own personal bias against the kingdom, the thought of the shock the nobles would have certainly made the man smile. "We also have the ball to look forward to... though I'd never thought I'd ever say that. The hunting competition is coming up as well." Of course, Emory wasn't too welcome to either events due to his opposition to the king, but he certainly would think this year would be particularly very interesting. Blaine perhaps would have been making steps to introduce his new wife to the eyes of the public, although he knew quite well that Rose's appearance would probably cause the man no end of grief.
 
Rose could feel a smile spreading on her lips as Emory seemed to finally agree to it. “I do have to earn you that I am quite stubborn. I am sure you are already partly aware of it, but it can get to be worse than this.” She admitted. She learned to be this way when she was younger. Her father had his attention on his older sisters for a portion of her life. If she didn’t fight for herself to get what she had wanted, she often didn’t. It was a bad habit that she had yet to break. “Though I will try to be a little less in order to compromise. You can thank my father for that.” She added after a few moments pause. Her mind hadn’t thought of the possibility that Emory could gravely hurt her in their training. She was aware the other male was much stronger than she was. She just didn’t believe he would actually be able to hurt her.

Her expression shifted at his next comment, surprised that he had brought that moment up. She looked to him with soft eyes, offering his hand a gentle squeeze of comfort. “You won’t Emory. Besides, you only bruised my hand because you had been worried. It was an accident. If you were to hurt me while we trained, it would just be another accident. Blaine had a purpose when he did it. You don’t. I won’t ever hold a grunge against if for something like that. You aren’t him.” Her words were truthful and kind. She kept the gentle grip on his hand, hoping he would find some comfort in it. She appreciated that he was trying to adjust to her touch and her presence. “Anyways, you more than made up for it when you went to get the medicine for my illness. You probably saved my life.”

A gentle breath left her, realizing then how bad it could’ve been. It was one thing that always scared her. She never knew if one of these illnesses would be her last. That was exactly how her mother died. She had gotten sick. She tried to force everyone to believe it wasn’t as bad as it was. It was her own demise. She blinked to try and clear the memory away, knowing that she would do everything in her power to not let that happen to her. Her face lit up at the mention of the spring ball. “Oh my, I had completely forgotten about it! I will need to see a seamstress to get a new dress started. I hope it can be finished in enough time.” Some worry hit her then. She hated not being timely when it came to these sort of things. “I am sure the ball will be much more enjoyable for you this year. Not only with you have me by your side, you will also be able to see the look on Blaine’s face when he realizes I am alive. Now that is something to look forward to.” Her words held some joy behind them. She knew the ball was approaching quickly. She was rather excited to make it known she was still alive and well.
 
Emory's facial expression showed that he wasn't convinced as she had tried to assure him that if by chance he did hurt her, it would be an accident. But, he'd much rather if there were no accidents, that she wouldn't be in harm's way with him. Although he was more than elated that she trusted him so much, part of him wished that she didn't. His golden eyes didn't seem bright, and instead were dark as he lowered his gaze once more to his trembling hand in hers. She was so breakable, so vulnerable, and he knew he could hurt her; maybe even kill her if by chance he desired to. Whether in a fit of rage, just one slip would be enough. As much as he was an outwardly emotionless man, there was a lot of anger and frustration coiling inside of him, not to mention a completely different side of him that he concealed from view whenever he was requested to kill another person. She knew not of these sides of him, only catching glimpses here and there, and even if she showed trust in him, and was assuring him that he made up for it when he got medicine for her, he wasn't convinced.

This gloomy mood was halted luckily enough as the conversation turned away from his worried mind to the spring ball. A faint smile managed to cross his face as he saw the excitement in her eyes, allowing her to excitedly speak about the ball. "We can stop at a seamstress tomorrow if you'd like." Although, Emory had to admit... perhaps he was looking forward to seeing Rose in different dresses. The man wouldn't admit this out loud of course, that would be improper of him, but he was still a man. With the spring came more revealing dresses around the sleeves and bodice, fashion that grew particularly popular with women as the season brought with it warmer weather. Such dresses were very flattering to the eye, and certainly he could and had appreciated such fashion choices... even if he kept his distance from women for years. Realizing his mind was drifting a bit too dangerously to perhaps on the verge of being perverse, he coughed, looking away from her as to hide his reddening face. Behave yourself. He repeated the mental warning over and over in his mind, after all it wasn't as if he would do anything to Rose. He couldn't, not with the tendrils of fear still sinking its teeth into him even now... but that didn't mean that his mind wouldn't behave, much to his dismay. Perhaps it was because he was becoming more aware of his feelings, that he was now becoming awakened to other emotions that had dulled and been locked away due to years of terror. In all honesty, he even felt guilty just holding onto her hand at this moment in time.

Forcing his mind to focus on the flow of conversation, he chuckled a bit at the mention of Blaine, "Ah, yes. I suppose he'll look like he's seen a ghost. Though, he might be quite upset with me that I hadn't done my job," The man cleared his throat, taking in an exaggerated breath as he mockingly copied Blaine's arrogant and nasally voice, "How dare you! We had a deal, give me my hard-earned coin back!" Certainly a more playful side of Emory was being shown as he ended the mockery with a chuckle, "I suppose he'll also be quite angry that I decided to take you for myself." Blaine was many things, and the man was possessive over things that he saw was at one time his. No doubt he would be angry that the woman who was his ex-wife had been taken by what he considered a friend and a business partner. A betrayal indeed.

"Though, I'm still quite certain your father would want to skewer me as soon as he realizes that the... what was it..." He paused tilting his head as he tried to remember the word that the court "affectionately" gave him, "Ah yes, the 'monstrous madman' has his daughter. That'll spring up a few questions." His face wrinkled up with distaste. No doubt the court would be abuzz with gossip surrounding the two, perhaps coming up with something ridiculous that Emory had mind controlled Rose, or maybe was threatening her to be with him. Though, he knew those rumors would be from women he had personally insulted by either ignoring their advances, or outright threatening them when they got too close. And certainly not pleasant threats either. Honestly, Emory was surprised he could even still take a single step into the court for the things he had said in the past. The words weren't pretty.
 
It did bother Rose a little bit that Emory didn’t seem to be convinced that she wouldn’t hold it against him if he accidentally hurt her. She was sure that it was because of everything that happened before in his past and what all had happened the day of the funeral. She hadn’t seen him as frantic as she had that day, nor did she believe that she ever would again. She had no clue of his different side and just how bad it actually was. The way that Merewin and Viola spoke of Emory did worry her some; she wasn’t going to lie about that. She just didn’t think that he would ever end up doing something like that to her. She didn’t know if she was right or wrong, but she liked to have that faith in him.


She didn’t let her mind focus on it too much more, deciding it would best be focused on the spring ball. A smile spread on her lips at his offer. “That would be wonderful! I don’t have many dresses suitable for the spring so I would need to get a few more made for the season as well. I hope she has some good patterning. I want my first pubic appearance since death to be one for memories.” She stated. She had many ideas running through her mind as to how she might be able to dress in regards to the ball and to the seasons ahead. She glanced over at Emory, noticing his reddening face and how he looked off to the side. She was a bit perplexed due to it, but it quickly hit her as to where his mind might’ve went. It made her almost want to laugh, but she held it back to not embarrass him.


“I cannot wait to see his expression. He was always a bastard and he deserves to be exposed to the court. I hope my father steps forward and takes control of the land again. That would be wonderful.” She spoke truthfully. A loud laugh broke through her lips at how he mimicked Blaine. “You unfortunately sound exactly like him! I didn’t know you were able to do such a good impression.” Her tone still was light and playful. She nodded in agreement. “He most definitely will. He can deal with that though. It will be the least of his worries though. He will have a lot worse to deal with as soon as my father gets ahold of him,” She paused as a realization hit her,” You actually might not have to worry about him in the way you think you do now.” She mused.


“He will have to converse with me before he is even able to do so. Besides, he might actually look on your favorably for saving my life. If I am able to speak with him and confess my love for you, they might actually accept our relationship. They might never accept what you have done in the past, but they might not be too terrible when it comes to us.” She spoke in a light hum. She was sure that it would take quite a long time for the court to warm up to Emory, if they ever did. “I can be quite convincing when I need to be.” She added with a smile.
 
Emory felt a surge of satisfaction at Rose's laugh. He was finding that he loved the sound of her laughter, to see her smiling was a treasure he would eagerly hold onto. However, he had to agree. Blaine had put himself in a position that would only result in most, if not all of his assets being returned to the kingdom. Not only that, his title would most likely be stripped from him, and execution for daring to harm a member of the royal family would follow soon. Part of Emory felt a morbid curiosity in how Blaine would try to plead for his life, beg to be spared. He wondered if the man would try to drag down Emory with him, though that was without a doubt all but certain. Not that it would work, of course. Emory was a skilled fighter, and the man wouldn't be one to willingly be arrested by the court unless he felt what he'd done was beyond forgiveness. But, nonetheless Emory wasn't concerned with Blaine, as the man wasn't even an issue.

As Rose began to talk of the king, Emory's heart did a tiny skip within his chest as Rose once more spoke of confessing her love for him. He still couldn't believe that she would ever spare her affections on a man such as he, but he was grateful nonetheless. A tinge of doubt had settled in his chest as he responded, "I certainly hope you can be convincing." He hesitated, saying in a quieter tone, "You'll certainly need a silver tongue to be able to convince your father I won't be harmful to you." Though the unspoken words he had meant to include was also himself. What he did on the side, especially with his deep ties to the Black Market would be a stain on his reputation. Although some of the court members also dabbled in the Black Market here and there, those who knew Emory would quickly enlist the man to eliminate enemies to their family name. Though, he knew those court members wouldn't verbally protest against Emory's union with Rose, the vast majority who were intensely loyal to the king wouldn't be too happy with Emory gaining a political upper hand by courting, or even by extension marrying Rose. Regardless of whether Emory desired her as a person or not, with Rose came the political pressure, and with Emory's less than stellar upbringing and being so deeply involved with matters best not spoken in public, he was a less than ideal spouse for her.

It wasn't as if Emory would allow anyone to take Rose from him, especially now that his heart was beginning to open up to her. But, he did realize with her getting involved with him, she would potentially be in danger due to his nightly activities. Not to mention how much it had changed him. His golden eyes turned to look at her, his pace slowing a bit more as his hand, still trembling had slightly tightened his hold. "You really have a nose for danger, don't you?" The words were humorless, his eyebrows furrowing in a familiar expression of worry. But, he didn't elaborate, not desiring to. Emory never wanted her to see such a disgraceful side to himself, though it was more that he was terrified of scaring her away from him. It was irrational of him to feel such a way, as he found it bizarre she had fallen for him in the first place, but there was certain things she was better off not getting involved with, and he was certain her father would agree.

Regardless, Emory had began walking again, his steps still relatively slow so that Rose could keep up with him, going down the familiar pathway that he always would go down, though it was a well worn dirt path with the amount of old footprints cluttering the pathway. The path cut through some trees, and eventually would lead to the lake. The lake itself was rather clear, with a dock having been set up. If one would inspect the trees nearby, there was carvings in the wood, dozens of initials of couples who had broken away from the festivals that usually would take place during the village to hide away here, or even during the late night when the fireflies would eventually spark to life. It was a calm location, a place Emory never stepped foot due to never having a reason to before. Eventually, once they were close enough, Emory had reluctantly let go of Rose's hand, granted it was more that he had to due to the feeling of having contact becoming a bit too much for him to continue to withstand, and had walked forward near the dock itself, sitting upon the edge and allowing his long legs to hang over the lake's waters. "I never bothered coming here before." His words were calm at this moment, lost in thought as he gazed over the crystal clear waters, only disturbed by the wind causing ripples upon the lake's surface.
 
Rose couldn’t wait for the day that Blaine lost everything that he gained from marrying her. She was sure it would bring her great joy. She wouldn’t doubt that Emory would find amusement in it as well. His impression of Blaine just went to show it. She knew that Emory had a right to be concerned about her father though. She wouldn’t doubt the king would go off in a rage over what happened, especially since she would’ve been believed to be dead for a period of time. She was only hoping that she could calm him down enough to realize just how safe she was with Emory. It was of great irony, she knew, but she would try her absolute hardest. It was the least she could do. She didn’t know how she could handle losing Emory after finally realizing the love she had for him.

“He will have to realize that you didn’t harm me nor do you have plans to. If you wished to kill me or torture me, you would have by now. You wouldn’t have waited any period of time.” She pointed out, knowing she was correct in that situation. “Besides, I am his youngest daughter. He has a large soft spot in his heart for me. If I wish to be courted by you, he cannot protest. His first attempt at a marriage for me was terrible. My judgement must be a bit better than his own.” She was trying to reassure Emory that things would be alright. She doubted he would feel at peace with it until the ball was over. She was hoping it would be clear to see that Emory wasn’t using her for political gain. After all, the kingdom and the young lord despised each other. There was no reason for Emory to court her other than proper love.

She felt the tightening hold on her hand, glancing down at the embrace. She offered him a smile in hopes that it would ease his mind some. “I have been in danger from the day I was born Emory. It comes with my bloodline. I think I will be able to handle whatever comes from a relationship with you.” Her confidence was being shown more and more as she spoke. Despite having already been open with him before, she was clearly allowing more of her personality to come through. These bits were things that only her family members knew of. It wasn’t as if anyone would be allowed to see this side of her. She didn’t speak again though as they continued to walk.

She kept her gaze focused on everything that was around them. The grass was growing greener and flowers were starting to bloom. A pleasant aroma surrounded them as they walked due to it. It was clear she was enjoying this. “It is beautiful.” Her words were quiet as they stepped through the trees and the lake came into view. While they had areas such as this back in the kingdom, there was a certain peacefulness she hadn’t encountered before. She didn’t react to Emory letting go of her hand. She only followed him out onto the dock. She carefully kneeled, leaning over the side to place her hand into the clear water. It was cold, but refreshing. She adjusted herself to sit beside him then, her own legs dangling over the side. “I am glad we came out then. It will be lovely to swim in during the summer.” She admitted. The sun was already peeking behind the trees as the sky tinted with hues or orange and pink. She leaned back on her hands as her gaze looked up to the sky. It was clear she was enjoying the peace that came with this moment.
 
Emory looked over to Rose, a faint smile crossing his face once again as he saw that she was enjoying herself. Good, that was good. Her commenting it would be good for them to swim in during the summer had made the man tilt his head as he looked back toward the clear water, "Perhaps. Though, I can only suspect it will get a lot more crowded here as summer comes. The village usually holds festivals around that time of year." Summer was when the harvests of spring was truly beginning to be enjoyed, families would often go to the lake to play or idly gossip. It was also when the people would hold celebrations of the local goddess, paying tribute to her. It wasn't something that Emory participated in due to him not wanting to be around large crowds of people, and the only time he had been forced to attend was when his family was still alive. The memories now that he looked back on it wasn't completely awful, as his father had attempted to connect with him at first during that time. The memory now left a bittersweet feeling lingering within him, brushing aside the memory before it overstayed its welcome.

Emory leaned his head back, closing his eyes as he felt a gentle breeze stir across his skin. The silence was something he appreciated, allowing his anxieties and fears beginning to ebb away. Honestly, if he didn't have difficulty sleeping, the man would have fallen asleep where he sat. But, that wouldn't be wise of him to let his guard down completely. "..Viola used to tell me a lot about visiting the lake," His voice was quiet as he said those words, an amused smile managing to touch his face, "She always used to try and insist on me taking a nice girl here one day. I always used to ignore her though... now that I think about it, that's probably why she was so excited before we left." Emory was well aware that the lake was a popular couples spot as he remembered when he first arrived at the mansion when he was ten, Viola had been just married to her husband Merewin; and due to her being far more younger then, the woman would oftentimes neglect her duties during the night to meet the soldier out at the lake. No one told him back then the reason why, probably because most would think a ten year old child shouldn't know about such things, but he always knew that the couple had been insufferable to be around then, and although they had calmed down over the years, Emory still grimaced every time he would see the two together as their displays of affection was borderline embarrassing.

It was an amusing thought to him that he ever would begin feeling a fraction of what Viola felt for her husband. Even if he still was uncertain how deep his feelings went for Rose, some affection for her was still there. His eyes turned up to look at the skies, the colors seeming so much more brighter than before. Was the sky always so pretty? He'd never noticed. Or was this a trick of the eyes, or his emotions causing him to look upon everything with more appreciation than before? It felt so... odd, as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes, and the dull and disturbed world he had looked upon for years suddenly had some color, some vibrancy. "It feels like the skies are brighter than before... was it always that color?" His question was quietly spoken, gaze transfixed upon the skies, a thoughtful expression had softened his face.
 
Rose turned her gaze from their surrounding back to Emory as he mentioned the festivals. She tilted her head with some curiosity. “I didn’t know the village hosted festivals. What do they celebrate?” She inquired. She wasn’t familiar with the religion in this part of the land. She mostly just knew of what the kingdom celebrated. She was rather curious to learn more about the surroundings in which Emory grew up in. She wasn’t referring to the negative things; she wanted to know about the area. She was sure she would be able to learn a lot from Viola and Merewin, but she would prefer to listen to Emory talk of it. After all she found his presence to be soothing and his voice like warm honey. “I am sure I will figure out a nice time to come swim where it isn’t too crowded. It helps that the manor is located nearby.”

The silence that fell between the two while they talked wasn’t something she hated. It was actually quite comforting. She was sure that the environment around them helped influence her thoughts. She looked back up at the sky herself, deciding to lay back onto the deck. She still let her knees and feet dangle over the water. The way in which she was lying helped stretch her back out some. It felt quite good. “That could very well be one of the reasons she was so excited we came here. I think she was just glad to know that we are spending time together. I will have to update you tomorrow as to why she says when she draws my bath tonight. I have a feeling it will be a fun conversation.” She mused. She turned her head to look at him once again. “Do you think I fit her description of a ‘nice girl’?” Her tone was teasing.

A light laugh left her as she closed her eyes for a few moments. At Emory’s mention of the sky, she couldn’t help but look at it again. “It was. Now it is rare to have a sunset as beautiful as this one will be, but the colors are always so vibrant here. I feel as though I have missed something growing up in the kingdom. The sunsets were never this pretty there.” Her tone grew softer as she spoke. She was clearly reflecting back on some things. “I am grateful that life brought me here, that it brought me to you.” She didn’t elaborate on it as she didn’t feel the need to. The implications of her words were there. She brought her hands up to rest behind her head, adjusting her hair so it wouldn’t get too knotted from the dock she laid on. She made a mental note to come out here more often, whether it be on her own or with Emory.
 
"Hm?" Emory had tilted his head to look at Rose as she had asked him about the local festivals the villagers celebrated, his attention shifting back to look at the skies above, "Ah, right. Considering you went into town earlier today, you probably encountered some of the symbols of Azeya, she's this region's patron goddess." He wracked his brain for a few moments, attempting to remember long lost memories of the villagers talking about what she represented. He never had paid too much attention before, "Azeya, from what I remember was the goddess of harvests and fertility, further out past Dusk's Respite the area has a lot of farm land, and people around here tend to have larger families than from anywhere else I can remember going to." Even the former Lord May had been a devote follower of Azeya, his rather larger family being proof of that. Perhaps, if things had been different, Emory would have not been the youngest of the trio of children that his mother would birth, in fact he probably would have had a few more siblings if his mother's infidelity hadn't been revealed through Emory's birth and eventual arrival at the manor.

"In the spring, and the summer the village likes to celebrate the new harvest and prays to Azeya to receive bountiful harvests for the following year. They usually set up decorations around the lake, reconnect with family members and celebrate the 'joys of life', as they like to call it." He closed his eyes as a sigh left his lips, "A lot of marriages happen around this time, since the villages believe that Azeya would bless lucky couples with plenty of healthy children. It's common for the local church to begin to be more busy around this time of year because of it." Of course, Emory wasn't paying too much attention to this explanation, considering the man was merely giving Rose the information she desired. Besides, it came with what Azeya presented... or at least part of it anyways.

Her next words regarding Viola had made the man's face break out into a large grin, a hearty laugh escaping him once more as he chuckled, "Oh, please do tell me. I'm sure she won't be able to contain her excitement." He looked to Rose as she had teased, a boyish smirk for once crossing Emory's face, easing away the lines of worry upon his face, making him seem almost more youthful as he said in response, "I would assume so. It's not as if I would just take anyone with me." Of course, he was being genuine as he said those words too. Rose would certainly fit Viola's description of a 'nice girl', and he wouldn't even protest against such a description either. No one had captivated him like Rose had, and he certainly was going to take his time to enjoy being with her when he could.

For a few moments, Emory remained in his sitting position, but eventually the man too would lay back upon the dock, looking up at the skies alongside her. His expression gentled at Rose's words, although he knew enough what she meant by those words alone. "I'm grateful too. As... odd and eye-opening the experience as been so far." Another attempt at humor, but Emory was being serious at least with his feelings. Even if he found his emotions disorientating and overwhelming, he was slowly trying to at least not run from them. Not now. Besides, even if he wouldn't admit it, he didn't hate feeling a bit more than the usual emptiness that would be within his heart. No, he finally felt something and that felt new and refreshing.
 
Rose listened intently to every word that he said. It was honestly fascinating to hear. She didn’t recall ever learning about Azeya, though the name did sound somewhat familiar. It must’ve been mentioned at some point in the court. “That is all very interesting. I wonder if Viola has any children. After all, she seems to have lived in the area for most of her life. I could see her having a large family.” She spoke truthfully. The mention of children was something that had been present on her mind for years. She knew it was one of the reasons as to why Blaine pushed her away to be slaughtered. She hadn’t been able to produce him any children. She was grateful for that. She knew the situation would’ve been worse if she had.

“I would love to go to one of the festivals this year. It would be wonderful to experience it, especially since I am living here now,” She paused with a smile on her lips. “You don’t have to join me if you don’t want to.” She added quickly, knowing it might not be something that he would enjoy. She wouldn’t force him to do anything against his will. They still would need boundaries, even if they were eventually going to have an official courtship. She was hoping she might be lucky enough to attend one of these weddings. She was sure it would be a beautiful sight. She always loved attending them, especially back in the kingdom.

She laughed herself along with him, unable to help it. She didn’t think she had felt this relaxed in years. “Now I can gossip with you as much as I do with her. Be prepared, my lord, for you will get quite tired of hearing me talk.” She kept that teasing tone. She had noticed the smirk on his face. It was surprising to see just how much younger he seemed when he allowed himself to express his emotions. She let out a joking gasp, placing her hand over her heart. “You sure do know the way to a women’s heart. I’m glad that I was your first consideration to bring here, even though I was the one who suggested it.” A giggle left her before her hand returned back beneath her head.

She heard the wood creak as Emory laid back beside her, glancing over at him for a moment. “I’m glad you are allowing yourself to finally feel your emotions. You seem so much happier and relaxed now that you do. You are even more handsome as well with a smile on your face.” She mused. The colors turned more vibrant as the sun began to sink lower in the sky. The pink turned into purple while the orange matched that of fire. She noticed little stars beginning to show themselves in the sky. She wanted to stay here the entire night, enjoying the cool air and the sights that came with the evening.
 
Emory snorted, nodding his head as Rose had questioned if Viola had any children, "Oh, she has plenty." There were many times during Viola's employment that his father had permitted her to lighter work as she had oftentimes gotten pregnant by Merewin. It had gotten to the point where almost every single year she had another child added to her family, though it was only after Emory had taken over the mansion had the woman stopped having children, being quite haggard and on the rare occasion complaining that her husband at times was "too much for her". Of course, with Viola being more worried over Emory's mental state and his temper, perhaps that had stopped her from desiring any more children of her own. "From how much Merewin clings to her, I'm surprised she managed to convince him to stop." His tone held nothing but amusement, and a tinge of exasperation regarding Viola and her husband. The two, although their love had only gotten stronger over the years, they were still insufferable to be around, at least in his opinion they were.

At the mention of the festival, Emory had shrugged his shoulders, "I wouldn't mind going with you if you would like to see it." After all, he was familiar with the festival and he oftentimes let Viola take the week off to be with her family. Even if he wasn't fond of crowds, spending valuable time with Rose was something that was more appealing to him than anything else. Besides, it wasn't as if he held any bad memories associated with the festival; in fact he was mostly indifferent to it back then, and was slowly recovering from the abuse he had to suffer at that point in time. This time would be different, and he was an adult, surely it would actually be quite enjoyable this time around?

Another bout of laughter had left Emory's lips at her next words, "The day I get tired of hearing you talk will be the day hell freezes over." His golden eyes seemed to sparkle with his laughter at her next joking words, lowering his tone so that it was almost akin to a soft purr, "Careful, I can be quite charming when I want to be." Of course, it was him merely joking at her expense as he added after snickering, "Though, I'll be on my best behavior at all times." After all, Emory even if he didn't know it could be quite the seducer when he wanted to be, though he'd never had use of the skill for many, many years. Regardless, he felt at ease simply being able to joke and have mindless banter with someone he trusted. It felt nice, comfortable.

His expression had softened slightly, now turning his head to look at her. A bit of surprise had crossed his face for a moment, though this faded as he grinned, "Flattery? How unexpected. You don't need me getting an ego now will you?" He playfully winked at her, turning his head to look up at the skies, "I'll become as insufferable as the men in the court. I'm sure you don't want that, do you?" Of course, he was joking. He found the men in the court obnoxious, dressed in the most expensive fabrics to flaunt their wealth, the more handsome ones bragging of their own appeal. The very thought made a chill go down his spine as his expression filled with distaste, "Though, on second thought, I don't think you have anything to worry about." Blaine was a good example of such a man, and he certainly refuse to become anywhere as similar as he.
 
“I assumed that she might with her motherly instincts. She reminds me a lot of my own mother. It is quite sweet actually.” Rose confessed. She had seen the way that Merewin acted around her before. It didn’t come as a shock that the two had many children together. “I do give her a lot of credit. I don’t know if I could ever handle having children. I do not think I would make a bad mother. I just think I am physically incapable.” She commented. She didn’t think much of it. She wouldn’t be surprised if it was a connection to her terrible immune system. “You should’ve seen the two earlier at the tavern. I have never seen Viola so embarrassed. It was actually quite sweet.” She was a sucker for the romantics, though she would never admit it.

Her expression lit up as he offered to join her on her trip to the festival. “I would love your company. I am sure it would be a wonderful time.” She spoke truthfully. It was another thing for her to look forward to. She truly couldn’t wait for the air to get warmer and for the days to last longer. “Maybe we could even sit in on a wedding. I have to admit that I have a soft place in my heart for them. There is just something so joyous about seeing two people so in love that makes me thrilled. I do hate to be so sappy at times. It is something you will have to learn to deal with.” She kept her tone light, showing that she meant it in a joking way. She didn’t think there would be many issues with how things were beginning to go for them

She sat up at his words, the brightest grin on her lips. It was clear she was enjoying the banter that the two of them had going. “You are a terrible flirt, you know. Who would’ve thought?” She teased once more. A laugh left her as he continued to speak, nudging his shoulder with her hand. Her gaze was focused solely on him then. The green of her irises shined with joy. It was probably the happiest she seemed since she had gotten here. “I don’t think you could ever get an insufferable as the men on the court. Now, you could definitely match the ego of the knights. They were almost as wretched as the court.” She admitted. The mention brought a memory back to her. “Oh my, I need to tell you of the one who tried to court me before gaining my father’s permission to!” She exclaimed. She always found the story to be quite funny.

“I must’ve been only seventeen at the time. I had walked down to the barracks to grab the bow that I left from training the day prior when this knight ran into me. I mean, physically slammed into me. He was so sweaty and disgusting. I not only was covered in his muck, but I fell and ripped one of my favorite dresses. You should’ve seen the look on his face when he realized just who I was. I have never seen a man’s face turn red so quickly.” She began, trying to recall all of the details. “He kept apologizing over and over again. Of course I refused to make an issue out of it. I just stood and left with my lady maids chasing after me. If that wasn’t terrible enough, he began to follow me around like a lost puppy. He even tried to kiss me once. My father was furious when he found out.” She finished with a light laugh.
 
Emory had to agree with Rose regarding Viola. The maid acted like a mother typically world, kind, gentle and with the patience of a saint, especially with what Emory had put her through. He felt a tinge of guilt regarding her, especially when he had gotten upset with her earlier with the painting. He didn't comment on Rose's condition however, deeming that it didn't matter to him whether she could bare any children or not. That was not his priority with her after all, her companionship was enough for him so far, and tossing her away over such a small matter would never cross his mind. No, the only thing that would possibly make the man send her away from him is if he would become a danger to her. The thought made his light-hearted mood dampen for a second before he had brushed it aside. The man rolled his eyes as he grumbled, "I can only imagine. Insufferable indeed."

Her next words regarding the festival, though hearing she would want to sit in on a wedding, he certainly wouldn't have thought she would want to do such a thing. A chuckle left him once more, amused, "Oh Azeya, please help me with the hopeless romantic you've given me." Though, he didn't mind too much. Whatever would make Rose keep smiling, he was content with. In fact, Emory never wanted to see her smile fade from her face. Her happiness was a priority to him before anything else at this moment, and keeping her content and joyful throughout her life was all that he could ask for. It would have surprised him earlier in the day, but he was slowly growing used to the fierce emotions that were rising up in him regarding Rose. Perhaps, one day would come where he wouldn't become surprised with these feelings and it would feel normal, as if he'd felt them all his life.

Emory chuckled at her words then, "Guilty, though how can I help it? I fear you're encouraging a rather bad side of me." His golden eyes softened at the joy in hers, oh how they sparkled, it was enough for his heart to feel as if it were fit to stop. Though, the man perked up at her story of someone attempting to court her, raising an eyebrow at her as a vicious sense of possessiveness had settled in his chest. However, as she began to describe the story, Emory couldn't help but burst out into laughter, "Oh the poor fool." Emory sat up as well, his golden eyes gleaming in the darkening orange skies, "I'd imagine he would've wanted to die then and there, after all who would want to embarrass themselves so terribly in front of such a lovely princess?"

He raised a hand then, slowly reaching out to gently rest on her cheek, his voice dropping down into a deep purr, "Though, I must say I'm glad he ruined his chances, after all what is a boy playing at a knight to a fair maiden such as you?" His fingers tingled from the odd electric feeling, but he didn't mind, his rough, calloused hands trailing down the side of her cheek, lightly tracing across her delicate jawline, "A fair maiden deserves to be treated with gentleness.." His thumb pressed lightly against her cheek, following his hands progress as his thumb had then reached the edge of her lips, the light hearted mood beginning to fade as Emory's body moved closer to her own, his other arm landing upon the dock behind her, his body still remaining apart from hers. He could hear his own heartbeat beginning to ring in his ears, the usual fear being chased away by another feeling that he'd thought he'd never feel again. Lightly, his thumb continued it's journey, lightly pressing against her soft lips, the warmth there causing goosebumps to flow over his skin. His heart swelled with desire at that moment, his golden eyes although warm seemed to reflect this, an alluring look, dangerous enough to draw one in to the honeyed depths.

His lips parted as he whispered, an alluring sound indeed, "A gentleness enough to seduce..." He leaned his head closer to her own, his hand trailing back down underneath her chin as if to tilt her head up, drawing closer and closer, the warmth of his breath could be felt against her own lips... but then there was no contact. A sly smile had crossed the man's face, dropping his hand from her chin as he leaned away, "That is, if a gentleman was trying to give in to such a horrid side of himself." Emory then had moved away from her, grinning wickedly at her as if he was feeling quite smug, "I did say I would be on my best behavior." He winked playfully at her once again, adding in the deep seductive tone, "After all, we do need to go back to the mansion eventually. And it wouldn't be proper of me to steal a kiss from you, now would it?" Even if Emory was feeling quite smug, he couldn't deny the desire he had stirred within himself was gnawing at him, to quench the fire that flared within him. But, not yet. He couldn't allow himself to act too inappropriate now could he?
 
Rose couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his grumbling. “They are sweet together and rather adorable. You just have no taste for the kind things like them. At least, you didn’t before. Who knows what I have brought out of you now?” She found it to be quite amusing that Emory seemed to despise seeing Viola and Merewin in the ways that they acted. The love that the two had was something that she had always wanted. It was something that she was beginning to think she could find with Emory. The way in which they were acting around each other was exactly what Emory acted like he hated. Their banter was only causing for her affection to grow more and more. She doubted he truly understood just how hard she had fallen for him. “There is nothing wrong with being a hopeless romantic! Besides, I deserve one shot at a good romance in my lifetime.”

She nodded her head at his words. “Oh, he most certainly did. I don’t recall what happened to him. All I know is that I didn’t see him again. I know my father certainly would not have had his executed. I can only imagine that the poor man ran off and quit his knighthood.” She stated. She wouldn’t be surprised if her assumptions were correct. She could only imagine how bad the teasing from his fellow knights had been. “Now you are boosting my ego. I don’t think you would want to deal with an even more confident version of myself. A princess can be quite a lot for one lord.” She spoke with a hum.

She could feel her heart skip a beat as the other male brought his hand up to her cheek, relaxing as he gently traced her jawline. Her breath hitched in her throat as he moved closer to her. It was a side of him that she never thought she would see. Each movement he made was soft and he seemed to take great care in his touch. Her cheeks flushed pink, the tinting clear under what little light was left in the sky. She could hear the gentle sounds of the bugs that surrounded the lake. It allowed for her to fall into the moment even more. This scene was something that she had witnessed only in the fairytales her mother used to tell her. As the other male leaned in, she allowed her eyes to close. It was only when he pulled back that a gasp left her.

She smacked his chest and stood, her anger in the situation clearly not too serious. “You are absolutely terrible Lord May.” She huffed. She never used formality when it came to speaking with him. She couldn’t help a smile from breaking on her lips as she stood. “I guess you are just going to have to spend the evening by yourself. I think that is a fitting punishment for this. I can enjoy having dinner by myself in my room.” Her words were teasing as she made her way off of the dock. She got to the trees before she turned back to him. “Maybe I shouldn’t have confessed. After all, I wouldn’t feel this pang in my heart because you refuse to steal one sweet kiss from me. But I guess you will just have to wait much longer as two can play this little game.” She spun back towards the path and began to make her way back towards the mansion in a light jog. The air was much cooler as the sun was finally sinking below the horizon. It was clear that she still was enjoying this moment.
 
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