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Post by Lydia G. Van Helsing on Nov 12, 2015 5:38:52 GMT
”Are you enjoying yourself?””I suppose.””You suppose?”Lydia loathed dancing with Marcus. His hands always wandered to places where she would rather not be touched. Not by him, at least. Being in the same room with this man made her ill, so being forced to touch get so uncomfortably close to him was just torturous. With Aiden and his troops having arrived home safely, their mission a success, Marcus of course felt the need to celebrate. This was a king who loved parties… mostly because he loved to display his dominance in front of a crowd. It wasn’t a party at the palace without at least one person being condemned to execution or someone being brutally tortured and humiliated for all to see. ”It’s all right,” Lydia said, her eyes searching around the room. She knew he wasn’t far. He was never far from her during events like these, unless it was absolutely necessary. Music played and there was plenty of chatter and laughter, as always, but who knew how much of it was genuine? Those who felt comfortable in their position were obviously more at ease than others who felt the need to pretend that they were having a good time. You could usually tell who felt as though they were safe and who didn’t. Lydia never felt safe, even as the king’s betrothed. ”I can liven it up for you…” Marcus said to her. She caught the darkness in his tone and turned her eyes back to him, his intense gaze causing feelings of unease to stir within her. She knew what his idea of livening up a party entailed. ”No,” she insisted, a lump in her throat. She cringed at the thought of who his chosen victim would be. ”That’s not necessary, your highness. The party is lovely.””You’re lying.” He stopped dancing, drawing her to him so closely that their bodies were right up against each other. ”Just take your pick, m’lady. I’m sure any one of our guests would be honored to serve as your entertainment.” His head lowered and he placed a kiss on her neck, even as she pressed against his chest in an attempt to push him away. ”Your highness, please,” she begged him, the all too familiar feeling of terror in her gut. ”There are people around.””My pet, you should know by now that I don’t care about having an audience,” he said with a smirk. ”I could bend you over that table right there and fuck you for all to see if I wanted… and nobody could stop me.”Her face reddened at these words and she tried to concentrate on anything but that horrific mental image. She was consumed by anger and fear, wishing so badly that she could get as far away from him as possible. The world needed to be rid of King Marcus and she knew that better than most. ”You won’t though,” she responded. She was a lady, but she wasn’t just any lady. She was his betrothed and the woman who would, if he had his way, one day rule by his side. If she had her way, he would fall off of a cliff after being set on fire and land in a bed of rusty swords. Abusing her in front of others was one thing, but stripping away her dignity and virginity was another thing entirely. Her response didn’t make him the least bit happy. ”Don’t test me,” he warned her. She didn’t exactly plan on it though. He wouldn’t take her and rape her up against that table, but she wouldn’t put it past him to do it to another innocent girl just to spite her. This was the man who had executed her father right in front of her after all. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. Marcus had once tortured a woman just for trying to comfort her after he’d had one of his guards hit her. He flayed another man alive for telling her she looked beautiful and he raped her hand maiden right in front of her once simply because Lydia took too long for his liking to meet with him. When the girl wound up pregnant, he’d sent someone to feed the infant to the dogs, but Lydia wouldn’t stand for such an atrocity. She would have gone to stop the man herself, but Aiden wouldn’t have allowed that. He’d dealt with it for her and Marcus was none the wiser. They’d been able to give the young mother the chance she needed to flee with her baby. That didn’t even cover half of what he’d done over the years though. ”Of course not, your highness…” she said submissively, only for the sake of those around. She often put up more of a fight when there was nobody around for him to hurt other than herself. Taking her arm, Marcus led her away from the dancing. ”Why do you always wear that thing? I’ve given you plenty of jewelry to wear and yet you always wear that piece of junk.” His eyes were on her locket and her face flushed in anger. ”I wear it because it’s important to me and I like it,” she said, leaving out the fact that it had been a gift from Aiden. It was the one thing that gave her comfort when she couldn’t be near him. Marcus only rolled his eyes. ”You’re too sentimental.””And you’re cruel,” she said, glaring daggers at him. ”Please, you’ve used that one before.”This man made her so angry… but he also scared her, as much as she hated to show it. ”Am I free to go, your highness? Or do you wish to insult my dress next?””Lydia, I will never be able to fathom why you still choose to speak to me in such a manner. I’m your king and your betrothed.””Not by any choice of mine. I’d rather marry a venomous snake.”She knew she hit a nerve and watched his eyes spark angrily. ”That can be arranged. Sir Kellan, I think Lady Lydia needs to be reminded of who is in charge here…” Marcus said to his closest guard. Lydia always tried to dodge it or back away, but it wasn’t often that she was successful in doing so. They ganged up on her this time, one guard grabbing her arms to hold her still when she backed right into him. The other backhanded her so hard across the face that she was seeing stars. Though she received many sympathetic looks, everyone was too scared to step up and say something. She preferred it that way, knowing that doing so would be a death sentence for them. ”Now why don’t we try that again, my pet?””Go to hell.” The second backhand was a great deal harder and she bit back a curse when she tasted blood on her lip. ”One more time? Perhaps I should send someone to fetch my dear little cousin, Lena. She might be able to remind you of how to properly speak to your king and betrothed.”Lydia’s eyes widened at that. ”No,” she said, her heart in her throat. Aiden and Lena were all she had left and she would do anything to protect them from this tyrant, no matter the cost. ”That’s what I thought. Sir Kellan…” The guard looked at him dutifully, not an ounce of remorse in his eyes. ”One more for good measure.” This time when he backhanded her, the guard holding her held her for just a moment longer. Otherwise, the hit would have knocked her right off of her feet. Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to cry in Marc’s presence. He left her standing there, the side of her face red from being hit and her lip bleeding as she fiercely fought back her tears. The idea of marrying that monster absolutely terrified her. After a moment, when he was completely out of sight, Lydia’s eyes once again searched the ballroom. The moment she spotted him, her eyes locked on his and she reached up to toy with her locket.
Heading down the corridor, the passage was a fair distance from the ballroom, enough so that she couldn’t even hear the music any longer. Having grown up there, the palace was familiar to her. Together, she and Aiden had explored a great deal of it as children. That had actually led them to the discovery of the hidden passageway that they’d played hide and seek in so often growing up. Over the years, they’d started using it for reasons other than child’s play. Coming up to the passage, she checked to make sure nobody was coming before she pressed the stone in the wall that opened the hidden door right up. Slipping inside, she shut it behind her and the torches inside sprang to life, their glow blue and magical. Whoever created the passage was clearly some sort of magician. Waiting there for him, she leaned against the wall and wiped at her tears before crossing her arms. She could still taste the blood on her lip, but she knew it was her own fault for not holding her tongue. Lydia
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Post by Aiden L. Blackwell on Nov 12, 2015 6:48:47 GMT
Aiden was watching her, he was always watching her when his monster of a cousin was around her. He raised the goblet to his lips, taking only small sips because it would never be good to get drunk at a party like this. Anything could happen at them and those who didn't move fast enough often were the most unfortunate. He was raising it to his lips again when he heard a voice from behind him speak.
"The wedding has been set for two nights from now."
"Yes, will everything be in place by that time? It's imperative we act sooner than later Gregory."
"Yes, everything is in place. It should go off without a hitch on our end."
"Good. By this time two nights from now this palace should be free of Marcus and his vermin."
Aiden didn't bother waiting around to hear the man's reply making sure that no one had seen the two talking because the man was supposed to be in Marcus' pocket... not Aidens. The entire time he was talking to Gregory, his eyes hadn't left her... especially not as he watched Marcus get his little henchmen to rough Lydia up by smacking her rather harshly across the face several times. He made a mental note of who the men were before watching them walk off with his cousin.
In the next moment someone in front of him moved and there she was, looking at him. Her face was already red and there was blood on her lip from where it had split. Aiden her an audible popping sound and realized vaguely that he had just dented the goblet he was holding in his hand. Looking straight at her as she messed with her locket he made a show of itching his nose in response.
Aiden walked around the room, watching her as she slipped out and counted to twenty-five before following her. As he made his way down the corridors he glanced ever so often over his shoulder just to make sure he wasn't followed... something Marcus seemed to enjoy having people do as of late. He was just turning the corner when he heard the unmistakeable soft click of the hidden door locking back into place. That could only mean he was right on her heels now.
Pausing for a moment, he made on last look before pressing in the stone unlocking mechanism and slipping inside to see her. "Lydia." Aiden said the moment the door shut firmly behind him. Not for the first time he was grateful for the magical light system that was inside the passage for it gave him an excellent look at her face. Gently he touched the side of her face, lifting it up before pushing her hair back and behind her ear. He hated that he couldn't use these moments to update her on how the rebellion was going, or the fact that Marcus was planning yet another wedding for her and that it would be during this wedding that all hell would break loose... hopefully ending with Marcus' death.
Instead of talking about either of those things though he said "What did you say to him this time? You didn't tell him where he could stick it did you?" While Aiden hated that her retorts were the main reason she got hit by his cousins men so often, he was glad that no matter how many times Marc tried to break her he was never successful, not even remotely.
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Post by Lydia G. Van Helsing on Nov 13, 2015 2:16:49 GMT
The moment he said her name, she melted. Gods it was amazing to finally have him back home with her. Nothing was ever right when he was away and her level of anxiety usually skyrocketed. Nobody could comfort her the way Aiden could and, even with Marc around, she just felt safe with him. She always had. She just wished that they didn't have to hide anymore... and, most of all, she wished that her father had betrothed her to him and not his psychotic cousin. It was only with Aiden's help that she had been able to go so long without the wedding actually taking place. It pained her greatly to know that, so long as Marcus was around, she could never truly be with Aiden. That was an understatement, really. It broke her heart to know that she couldn't marry the man she loved... the one man she'd always wanted.
The moment he touched her face and gently made her look up, she felt a surge of tingling heat within her abdomen. When he tucked her hair behind her ear, he left her tingling where his skin had brushed against hers. His concern for her always warmed her heart and she wanted only to fold herself into his arms in that moment and never let him go. How could he be so warm and loving when his cousin was so cruel and twisted? She wasn't an idiot; she knew that Aiden was a force to be reckoned with as well. How else would he have earned himself the nickname "the Reaper?" When she looked into his eyes though, she saw beyond that and beyond the man who was forced to do his cousin's bidding and dirty work.
"The first hit was for telling him that I would rather marry a venomous snake," she said to him, her hands sliding up to rest gently on his chest. "The second was for telling him to go to hell, and the third one was 'for good measure.' I'll keep that one in mind for next time though. I'm sure he'll love it enough to hit me himself instead of having his dogs do it." While she was attempting to joke about it, even she knew that it's something she would say to him, only earning herself another backhand... or worse. Although, it wasn't often that Marc did anything worse than that to her. As he so delicately put it, he didn't want to scar or maim her because he wanted her to be perfect for their wedding night, when he would drag her kicking and screaming back to his chambers and fuck her so hard that the entire kingdom would hear her screams.
How long could they stay away from the party without Marcus noticing? It was impossible to tell, but she was determined to soak up every moment with him that she possibly could. She knew it wouldn't be enough though and, by the end of their encounter, she was only going to want more of him. "How long do you think we have before he notices we're gone?" she asked him, her brows drawing together. With it being a party to celebrate Aiden's successful mission, she was sure that Marc was going to want him around to torture, just as he was going to want to have Lydia around to show off.
"I don't want to waste any of our time talking about him..." She took his face in her hands, her vivid eyes soft and loving. She'd never looked at another man the way she looked at Aiden and she hoped he knew that. Just as she hoped he knew that, no matter what Marc forced her into doing once they were married, she would never truly be Marc's. She was entirely his and nothing could ever possibly change that. "It's been entirely too long since you last kissed me and I'm afraid I need a reminder of what it feels like..."
The smile that crossed her face was both mischievous and breathtaking as her hand wound to the back of his neck. Standing on her toes, she pulled him down to meet her, pressing her lips gently to his. She didn't care about her split lip, she was much to eager to taste him right then. She tugged a little on his lower lip, egging him on as if daring him to show her what it really meant to be kissed by a man. Their close proximity helped to keep her warm inside the drafty passageway, especially considering how her dress exposed her shoulders and the tops of her rounded breasts. Her locket fell perfectly over them, a subtle reminder of who her heart belonged to.
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Post by Aiden L. Blackwell on Nov 13, 2015 5:24:55 GMT
As she spoke Aiden slid his hand down to span the column of her throat and gently stroked the skin there. It was funny, he had killed men with his bare hands before yet with her he was so gentle it was as if she were a piece of fine china that he was afraid of chipping. Not that he thought she was in any way fragile... it was just how she deserved to be treated. His eyebrows raised when she mentioned that Marc would probably hit her himself if she were to tell him where he could shove it. Honestly Aiden wished that the rat bastard would do it so that he could make him cut his own hands off. "Let's get off the topic of him or his lackeys hitting you before I go out there and make a spectacle myself and ruining his chance of appalling more of his subjects." He told her, pushing her gently up against the stone wall of the passageway.
Aiden raised his hand from where it sat at her neck and put a finger to her lips as she asked how much time he thought they would have until they were beginning to be missed. Honestly they both knew the answer to that was not damned long enough. But he had to remind himself that they would only have to hide from him for another two days. Two days and then his cousin was going to learn firsthand what it was like to be on the receiving end of "the Reaper"'s wrath. Aiden had been looking forward to that day for a long time to be honest... ever since he had failed in killing his cousin as a child. He had felt guilty about it at first, until he realized that killing would have been a great service to the Kingdom. Finally he was going to have the chance to redeem himself and take the throne that was rightfully his... and the bride that was rightfully his as well.
He totally agreed with her as she mentioned it had been far too long since they last kissed but he didn't need any coaxing to kiss her. When their lips met it was a mutual decision. One hand slipped behind her head as the other held onto her ribs, right under her right breast. He groaned as the little temptress tugged on his lip with her teeth and he pressed her harder against the wall as he took her lips with his in a heated kiss. It wasn't but a moment later that his tongue slipped past her lips into the warm heat of that silky mouth of hers. Pressed up against her the way he was there was no doubt that she could feel the way his erection grew with every passing moment they stayed plastered against the passageway wall.
Aiden's hand moved involuntarily from its place below her breast to tease the bare nipple that rested just below the fabric of her dress, it became a hard peak in moments and he was about to tug down the neckline of her dress before he groaned and pulled away reluctantly. They definitely didn't have time for any of that. Not that he didn't want it... but he definitely didn't want Lydia's first time to be up against a brick wall fast and quick. He had plans... he was going to take his time with her, teach her how amazing sex would be with someone who loved you instead of someone who only wanted to dominate and torment and torture you every minute of the day. With one last tug on her bottom lip, mindful of the split, he said breathlessly "We probably should be making our way back out there... make an appearance..." God it was the farthest thing from what he actually wanted to do but he refused to put her in more danger than she already was on a daily basis.
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Post by Lydia G. Van Helsing on Nov 13, 2015 7:30:00 GMT
His every touch made her tingle from head to toe and, when he pressed her against the wall, she suddenly felt as though there were too many layers of clothes between them. She wanted to feel his bare skin against hers, exploring each other's naked bodies as they had done so many times before. She had come to know his body just as well as she knew her own, and yet she could not have him entirely. There was one thing she'd yearned for and he wouldn't give it to her. Just because she understood why didn't mean that she had to like it though.
Their kiss was so full of heat and she was more than willing to oblige when he responded to her teasing by slipping his tongue into her mouth. Gods, his kiss had her going, craving more of him as their tongues slid against each other in an erotic dance of passion. She could feel just how hard he was as he pressed himself against her and she moaned against his lips. Lydia was throbbing for him, wet and eager to feel him inside of her. She didn't care that it might hurt the first time, as she'd been told. Aiden was the love of her life and she wanted to be as close to him as possible.
As if feeling his erection pressed against her wasn't enough, his teasing of her breast only made matters worse. Her own hands wandered to the buckle of his pants and, as unladylike as it was, she undid them. Then again, there was nothing ladylike about this encounter... or any of their encounters for that matter. She was fairly certain that, as a lady, she wasn't supposed to be unbuckling anyone's pants or allowing a man to fondle her breast, but they had done much more than that before. In the past, she'd felt his tongue between her legs... she'd learned what it felt like to have his fingers sliding into her tight opening, and she'd done things with her mouth and hands that would make any man weak at the knees. "Oh Gods, Aiden..." she moaned softly, wanting to rid herself of that damned dress so that he could take the very same nipple he was toying with into his mouth.
She was just starting to slide her hand into his pants when he tugged on her lower lip... and stopped. "No... please Aiden," she begged him, breathless. She was aching for him and so incredibly ravenous. Only one thing could satisfy her right then and, as always, he was denying her of that one thing. She knew that he did it for her own safety. If she wound up pregnant, there would be hell to pay. The didn't make his rejection any easier.
Taking his face in her hands, she made him look at her, desire shining in those intense green eyes of hers. "I love you beyond belief and all I want to do is make love to you," she said, wishing that he would give in but knowing he wouldn't. There were far too many risks. What if, when they finally did manage to get married, Marc noticed that she was no longer a virgin? What if she wound up pregnant? But what if everything went just fine?
"I'm ready for you. I'm aching for you, Aiden. Please?" She didn't like having to beg, but they'd been skirting around having sex for a few years now. Blinking back tears, she turned her face away for a moment. "I want my first time to be with you... not with Marc bending me over and forcing himself on me..." She winced at the thought, refusing to meet his eyes. Her fear was genuine and she spoke only the truth. Marc had been waiting for years to do just that and he had no issue sharing his unsavory thoughts with her. She refrained from telling him about how, this time, he'd threatened to bend her over a table and fuck her in front of all their guests. Lydia knew it wouldn't make him the least bit happy.
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Post by Aiden L. Blackwell on Nov 14, 2015 2:52:53 GMT
She definitely wasn't going to make this easy on him that much was obvious. Aiden hated to see her begging him for the one thing he couldn't give her just yet. If only she knew his plans and everything he was doing for her, just so they could be together properly once and for all. It took a great deal of effort to not just let his pants drop right there and take her against the wall as she begged him to do, and instead buckle them back up as he stared into her vivid green eyes. Aiden hated turning her down time after time, giving her only so much but never the one thing they both wanted... needed most.
Aiden made a sound between a sigh and a groan and leaned his forehead against hers as she told him how much she wanted him.. and why she would rather it be then and now in a stone passageway instead of a bed. It was a good thing he knew he would never allow Marcus to ever touch her in that way... otherwise he might have actually taken her there like she was begging him to do. "You really do make it hard on a man to remain honorable, Lydia." He said as he pulled her into a tight embrace, trapping her arms to his chest so that they couldn't wander and try to convince him otherwise.
"You don't have to worry about that ever happening. Marcus wouldn't even get to push down his pants before he'd find himself realizing in some very unpleasant way how very weak he's always been." Aiden told her seriously. He wasn't innately violent but there had always been then large part of himself that has fantasized about his cousins death for years. There were several different ways that he kept tossing back and forth for his cousins final moments. Whichever would cause him the most terror, make him realize how wrong it was of him to take things that weren't his, learn the most crucial lesson ever... that Aiden was and had always been stronger and more suitable for the position he had stolen.
He wanted to get back before they were missed but he knew he couldn't just leave her without her knowing that he definitely wanted her as bad as she wanted him... and just how much he had planned about the moment they finally were able to do what they both desired most. "I love you too Lydia, more than you probably can even imagine. Which is why I refuse to make your first time be fast and hard up against a hard, cold and uncomfortable stone wall. When we finally make love to each other it's going to be in a bed and there will be nothing quick about it." Aiden told her bluntly, but with obvious heat in his voice. His shaft was still uncomfortably hard in his pants.
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Post by Lydia G. Van Helsing on Nov 14, 2015 4:57:32 GMT
"And you make it difficult for a lady to maintain her sense of propriety," she retorted, practically trapped in his embrace. She gripped the front of his shirt and let out a sigh, "It's not fair of you to arouse a woman like you do, only to make her wait to make love with you..." She was half joking with this statement. In all honesty, it didn't take much for him to evoke a sense of arousal in her anyway. Sometimes just the look in his eyes did it for her.
When he tried to reassure her about never having to worry about Marc forcing himself on her, she let her head come to rest on his chest. She believed that he would do everything in his power to prevent his psychotic cousin from marrying her and forcing himself on her. That didn't mean she wasn't still scared though. Anything could go wrong and she feared that, if Aiden ever tried anything, Marc wouldn't hesitate to kill him or have him killed. She knew who the stronger of the two happened to be though and she had faith in him.
"Promise me..." she said to him softly, still hyperaware of his pulsating erection pressed against her. It did little in helping to soothe her throbbing for him. "I want you to promise me that my first time will be with you, just as you said... and not with Marcus on our wedding night." Her face flushed and she pulled back to look at him seriously. "You're the only man I ever want to be with..." Standing on her toes again and pulling him down to her by they front of his shirt, she pressed her lips passionately to his, savoring his taste.
When she broke the kiss, Lydia pulled back a little, managing to free her hand from him and allowing it to wander. "Are you positive you don't want me to take care of this for you before you go back out there?" she asked him, sliding her hand over the large bulge in his pants. Gods was he hard and it made her feel great knowing that it was entirely for her. Her hand ran along the outline of his shaft, admiring everything about it, even through the fabric of his pants. Her green eyes were full of heat and electricity when she looked up at him, her heart and body aching for him. She didn't want to leave the passageway. The last thing she wanted to do was go anywhere near Marc, especially if he wound up in one of his moods. Arching a brow at him, she awaited his response.
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Post by Aiden L. Blackwell on Nov 14, 2015 19:40:14 GMT
Aiden gave a little bit of a laugh "Are you even a Lady then? Cuz I think you left your propriety at the door of this passageway before I even got here." He said to her grinning from ear to ear. Of course he was teasing her. As he held her there he knew that he was doing the right thing, not just by not giving in and taking her virginity right there, but also by not telling her of all of his plans. Plans that, if everything went right, would leave them free and clear to be together once and for all. Aiden loved this woman, more than even his cousin could ever fathom. And that meant that he'd protect her just as fiercely. His cousin had been lucky all these years, using his lackeys to do his dirty work... but Aiden knew what he intended to do with the both of them the night Marcus planned on wedding to Lydia. And he was a sick bastard too. Which was all the more reason he had to die.
"I promise you Lydia, you have my word. Marcus will never succeed in marrying you. Even if I have to cut off his head in mid sentence of saying "I Do", I would do it for you." He said in all seriousness. Lydia knew what kind of man he was, what kinds of things he had done under his cousins orders. There were times that his actions were entirely justified, the men he had killed were just as bad, if not worse than his cousin and needed to be dealt with anyway. Better get it over with then have to worry about it later when he was the one running the kingdom. Aiden shouldn't have allowed her to kiss him again, not with how urgent it was that they not be missed, but he couldn't deny her.
But as her hand broke free and went wandering to caress his shaft he groaned and grabbed her wrist in a firm, though gentle, grip and pulled it back up against his chest. Gods was she going to be the death of him. "Positive, Lydia. You're definitely playing with fire... though I don't think you have the decency to be scared for your own safety. You should have gone back out there minutes ago." He told her, though his voice was obviously effected by what she had done. Damn him but he would really love to tell her yes. To push her to her knees and make her take him in that hot silky mouth of hers, after all it was only rock hard because of her. But he couldn't... not then anyway.
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Post by Lydia G. Van Helsing on Nov 15, 2015 4:09:18 GMT
"Perhaps you're right. I must not be a lady... what sort of lady would be sneaking around with the likes of you?" she teased him back, rolling her eyes at his grin. She believed him when he promised her this, even though she pretty much made him say it. The tone of his voice and the look in his eyes told her everything. She wouldn't be marrying Marcus so long as Aiden Blackwell was around to have anything to say about it. Sometimes she wondered if his determination to protect her at all costs should worry her. She didn't think she could survive losing him. Then again, he had yet to be defeated and they didn't call him the Reaper for nothing. He had a reputation and there was a reason for it, something she had witnessed a few times for herself. Marcus was an idiot if he thought that Aiden was truly under his control. "I'm going to hold you to that promise..." she said to him softly, wanting nothing more than to be free of Marcus so that she could marry Aiden.
She couldn't help but sigh heavily when he grabbed her wrist and pulled it to his chest to keep her from further tormenting him. Lydia leaned her forehead up against his shoulder as he spoke, not bothering to free her hands. "You're right, I don't... you know it's you that I worry about," she admitted, lifting her head back up to look at him seriously. She knew that if she was caught though, he would be caught and that was good enough reason for her to be careful.
She didn't want to let him go and she sure as hell didn't want to go back out there with Marc. "You and I both know that we shouldn't have come in here to begin with, but that didn't stop us..." she said when he told her that she should have already gone back. "We tend to do a lot of things we shouldn't do... but I don't plan on stopping and something tells me you don't either." She started to pull away, untangling herself from his arms as reluctance weighed on her heavily.
She was about to leave him and even turned to do so. However, she turned back around and pulled him to her, her kiss passionate and sweet but oh so fleeting. Pulling away again, she a little more confident and more capable of dealing with whatever was to come. He had this way of giving her strength when she didn't even realize how badly she needed it. "I love you..." she said softly, her eyes gleaming with the truth of this statement as she backed toward the passage entrance.
"Cousin!" Marcus exclaimed as if he were greeting a friend, glancing over as Aiden entered the room. He was not in the ballroom, where the party was taking place, but had instead withdrawn to a more private location: his study. Along with the King's guard, Marcus was accompanied by another man of noble status who stood alongside him, goblet in one hand and a throwing knife in the other. "Join us, won't you? Lord Devon and I were just playing a game. Perhaps you would like to go up against the winner?"
A few yards away, a scrawny boy looking to be around fifteen years old stood against a very large target. His wrists were strapped up against it so that he stood in a "Y" formation and he looked pale as death. "Please, sire, I didn't mean anything by it. It won't happen again!" He was shaking and begging, tears streaming down his still boyish face.
"Hush now, Bryan, Lord Devon needs to concentrate. You wouldn't want him to hit anything vital now, would you?" Marcus laughed, drinking from his goblet. "Has anyone seen my loving fiancé? You there! Go fetch Lady Lydia. I desire her company."
"Right away, your highness," one of his guards said, nodding and leaving the room to do just that.
There was a whooshing sound followed by a very loud thwack as Lord Devon threw the knife toward the boy and it made contact with the target he was strapped to. Bryan had tensed and closed his eyes tightly, but when the knife hit the target, he opened them once more and let out a sigh of relief. Turning his head, his eyes widened when he saw just how close the blade had come to hitting him, mere inches to the right side of his head.
"Fifty points!" Marcus exclaimed, taking a drink from his own goblet. Lord Devon was no better, not showing a sign of sympathy for the boy. There were already a number of other knives sticking out of the target around him.
The doors opened and the guard led a rather flustered Lydia in by the arm. "You sent for me, your highness?" she asked, wrenching her arm free of the guard's grasp and glaring daggers at him as he went back to his post.
"My lady, how nice of you to join us! I was just in need of your company. How's your face. Does it still hurt?" Marcus took his stance before throwing his knife and watching it land an inch to the boy's right. Lydia tried to hide her shock and disgust at the sight of this, but her green eyes widened in horror.
"No, your highness..." she said, approaching him and Aiden, glancing briefly at her lover while Marc's back was turned. She didn't let her eyes linger and looked back to the poor boy strapped to the target.
"I'll have to make note of that and make sure my men hit you harder next time," Marcus said, turning his attention to her. It was always a double edged sword with him. If she had told him that her face still hurt, he probably would have made someone hit her again to build up her tolerance to the pain. "Have you learned your lesson, my pet?"
"Yes, of course-"
"Don't lie. You and I both know that you haven't."
"What are you doing to this boy?" Lydia demanded, watching Lord Devon take his turn.
"We are simply playing a game," Marcus said, snaking an arm around Lydia's waist. She tensed at his touch, her heart pounding as she avoided looking at Aiden. She could still taste their kiss on her lips, though it had been a good half an hour since she'd slipped out of the passageway. "The point of it is to get your knife as close to the boy without actually hitting him. The closer you get, the more points you receive."
"That's barbaric," Lydia said, disgusted. "What did he do to deserve this?"
Marcus wasn't at all surprised by her reaction. As a matter of fact, he'd come to expect it from her and he admired her fire. It always kept him on his toes. "Bryan here thought it would be wise to disrespect his king and he got in the way of my men. So, I told him that if he played a game with us, I would set him free."
"And what exactly did you and your men do?" Lydia asked, looking at the begging boy who was crying now and had turned his pleading toward her, as if she could do anything about his predicament.
"Raped and murdered his mother and sisters during a raid on his family farm," Marc said with a shrug as though it were no big deal. "This crying and begging is getting old, Bryan." Draining the rest of the mead, Marc set down his now empty goblet and threw the next knife. "I win!" There was a scream of agony and Lydia averted her eyes from the dagger now sticking out of the boy's gut. Her fingers tingled with the urge to heal him, but she knew Marcus wouldn't allow that.
The mad king stepped forward and yanked his dagger from the boy's stomach. "Get him out of here. Take him to the dungeons." Two guards stepped forward, unstrapping the boy's wrists and letting him fall to the ground before they hefted him up and started to drag him out. "You said you would let me go!" he cried out. "You said you would let me leave if I played your game!"
Lydia cringed, trying to block out the boy's cries. If she tried to help him now, Marc would only lash out at her or threaten her somehow. If she could find a way to get to him, she would. It wouldn't be the first time that she went and healed a victim of the king's abuse and tyranny.
"Good game, Lord Devon. Perhaps you'll have better luck next time," Marc said to his companion as Lord Devon excused himself and left the room, leaving Aiden and Lydia there alone with the psychopathic king. One of the guards retrieved the knives from the target, setting them back on the nearby desk in two neat rows. They were separated by color, the hilts either blue or red to show which knife belonged to which player.
"Let's play then, shall we?" Marc asked Aiden, signaling for the young squire in the room to pour him some more mead. "Pour some for my dear cousin as well." Using a handkerchief, Marc wiped away the blood on his knife.
"Should I go and fetch you someone else from the dungeons, your grace? Or perhaps someone from the party?" the squire asked, eager to serve his king despite how sickening the man was. The boy was probably just as warped as Marc.
"No, no, that won't be necessary, Petyr. Lydia... why don't you play with us? Games are so much more exciting when there's more at stake. Wouldn't you agree, cousin?"
"What?" Lydia was shocked by this request. She'd been on the receiving ends of Marc's games before, but this was just madness! What king strapped his betrothed to a target and threw knives at her?! Apparently Marcus... "Are you insane?"
"Relax, my pet. The point of the game is to not hit you... If you're too frightened though and don't want to play, I can send for someone else. I'm sure Lena would enjoy playing with us."
Lydia's face paled and she looked to Aiden, having no choice but to oblige, just as he had no choice but to play. If she didn't agree to do this, Marc's men would rouse Lena from her sleep and she would be the one strapped to the target instead. There was no way in hell she would allow that. Turning on her heel, she willingly walked toward the target as a guard stepped up to strap her wrist to it.
"That's the spirit! Don't you just admire her fire, Aiden? Her determination? She's going to make the perfect queen... So try not to hit her anywhere vital. I like her face the way it is and a king needs heirs... Now remember, my pet, hold as still as you possibly can. I have been drinking..."
Lydia may have stepped up willingly to avoid dragging Lena into this, but she was trembling and pale. The guard stepped away from her and the target and her scared green eyes settled on Aiden. She was sure that she could trust him not to hit her... couldn't she? She was more concerned about Marc though. Even if she was his betrothed, she didn't doubt that he would hurt her. Perhaps not kill her though... or would he? The thought that he may have discovered their affair briefly crossed her mind and she wondered if this was his way of making them pay. Gods she hoped not... just like she hoped Aiden wouldn't do anything too rash.
"Why don't you go first?" Marc said to Aiden, smirking.
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Post by Aiden L. Blackwell on Nov 16, 2015 5:17:13 GMT
Aiden watched her go reluctantly, half wishing he had told her yes instead of no. He had a raging hard on and he’d definitely have to take care of it before going back out and rejoining the party. He didn’t even have to look down to know that it was majorly obvious. Aiden sighed as she hidden door shut behind her as she left and reluctantly unbuckled his pants and began to jerk himself off as he imagined what it would feel like when he was finally able to slide himself into that tight heat of hers. He groaned just thinking about it. He braced on hand against the wall, imagining that he had Lydia pinned there like he had only moments earlier, except this time with her dress pulled up around her waist… it didn’t take long until he came on the cool stone wall. He stood there for a moment longer, savoring the bit of relief he felt from the release before tucking his shaft back inside his pants and buckling them again.
Aiden was about to go back into the ballroom until he noticed how much noise was coming from it. People were talking more freely, and loudly, all a healthy indication that his cousin wasn’t in the room. He could have gone in there, avoided his cousin for a bit longer… but if he wanted to learn more about what Marcus had planned he needed to do the unpleasant thing and hang around him until the moment came to kill the bastard. Aiden followed the hallways down to the one place he knew he could count on Marc being when he wasn’t making a public spectacle of himself, and sure enough he heard the sound of his cousin’s drunken ruckus from the end of the hall.
At Marcus’ exclamation, Aiden turned to look at his cousin though he honestly didn’t even bother hiding his displeasure. He had long ago stopped trying to hide his true feelings from Marc, he was never good at faking being enamored with or any of that shit. ”Marcus.” He said dispassionately as he took in the scene. None of it surprised him, Aiden had long ago gotten used to his cousin’s sick sense of humor. Whie Aiden could be one of the most formidable men you ever came across, he wasn’t vile and inhumane about the way he killed people. Well, there might be one exception to that rule… and it happened to be standing in the room with him. ”I see you’ve finally graduated from throwing darts, have you finally grown out of your diapers… your highness?” Aiden asked, not even trying to sound subservient. Marcus wasn’t his king, technically he was no body’s king. He was just a usurping piece of trash in Aiden’s opinion. One he intended to squash like a little bug when the moment arose.
He refused to react as Marc called for Lydia to be brought into the room. Refused to even let himself think of their little moment in their secret passageway. Aiden knew his cousin was likely watching his face, it was even entirely possible that the bastard knew that the two of them were secret lovers… but as long as that was the only thing he knew Aiden figured he could live with it. When Lydia finally entered the room he felt a decisive jump in his groin region when she spoke but he kept an impassive look on his face… even as she glanced briefly at him. Up until that point he had barely even paid attention to the little game his cousin and the lord were playing but with Lydia’s questions he couldn’t help but listen to the answer Marcus gave.
Aiden of course, saw the next move coming as Marc drained his goblet and then threw the knife into the boys gut. He barely even heard the scream the boy made, so desensitized to the sounds as he was. That probably made him look like an awful person, just standing there straight faced as the boy cried out in confusion when he wasn’t let go like he was promised. Death would have been more honorable than making a deal with the devil as he had done by making a deal with Marcus. When his cousin turned to him Aiden shrugged his shoulders. ”Sure, though I’m pretty sure with as much as you’ve drank I bet you’ll pass out during the middle of the game… in which would mean you forfeit the game to me.” He said. He took the mead offered to him and took a sip, knowing that his cousin wouldn’t poison him… that wasn’t his style. What WAS his style was using Lydia as their next target, which even that didn’t surprise him… neither did him offering to use Lena instead. The fact that Marcus threw Lena around as a threat at all meant he had no value of his own life because had the little bastard actually tried to go through with it he would have been dead before he even could call out for help.
Aiden ignored his cousin’s taunts about Lydia’s spirit and how he needed heirs. It was very possible that he had found out one way or another that he and Lydia were a thing but at that moment Aiden wasn’t going to let on that he suspected Marc knew about the two of them in front of Lydia. ”Sure, I’ll go first so you know how good you have to be to beat me.” Aiden said, picking up the blue handled throwing knives and stood a good distance from her. His eyes were the only thing that gave away anything even close to feeling something for her… they were all heat and smoldering love as he took a breath and threw the first knife at her, it hit the target just about an inch above her head. You could even see a few strands of her long brown hair floating to the floor at her feet. He took a step back and made a sweeping motion with his arm as if saying ‘by all means, show me what you’ve got’. Aiden was baiting the snake and he damn well knew it. Luckily he was far stronger than the snake.
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Post by Lydia G. Van Helsing on Nov 16, 2015 17:36:00 GMT
"I suppose passing out would be better than accidentally stabbing my wife-to-be in the throat," Marcus said with a laugh, making Lydia a little apprehensive. Marcus stood by, watching as Aiden rose to the occasion to take the first shot. There was a smirk on his face as he observed the two, but Lydia didn't even notice it. Her eyes were glued to Aiden's.
Her heart was racing and she did her absolute best to hold still. The last thing she needed was to move even the slightest bit and get stabbed or cut as a consequence. The look in Aiden's eyes eased her trembling to the point that, when he actually threw the knife, she didn't even flinch. She could feel how close the knife was to the top of her head, but she didn't dare to look up at it. Instead, she watch as Marcus started to clap.
"Not even a flinch!" he said, delighted by this. Stepping up to take his turn, Marc readied himself as unease settled over Lydia. Aiden she trusted, but Marc was another story. His madness was often unpredictable and while she hoped he wouldn't do anything that could possibly kill her, she knew that it was always a possibility. When Marc threw his knife, she didn't flinch, but she did suck in a breath of air and looked down to see where it had embedded into the target. Though there wasn't so much as a scratch on her, the blade had cut through the fabric of her dress, right at her hip.
"Startled, my love?" Marc asked her, stepping aside for Aiden to take his next turn.
"Not at all," Lydia breathed, looking back up. "But you just ripped my favorite dress."
Marc laughed at this. "Come to my chambers after the party and I'll rip it some more for you," he said, making Lydia flush at his inappropriate comment. To him, she was nothing but a piece of meat to dress up and parade around. She was there to bear his children, to look pretty standing next to him, and to pleasure him sexually. If she truly did wind up marrying this man- No... Aiden wasn't going to allow that to happen.
"I think I'll refrain, your highness."
"Women. You're so old fashioned, Lydia, do you know that? A man should be able to fuck his betrothed any which way he desires. Don't you agree, Aiden? Ahh, you wouldn't know. Has any woman ever even expressed an interest in marrying you?"
"Can we just get on with the game? My arms are getting tired," Lydia said in an attempt to change the subject. She was still blushing and didn't quite appreciate her betrothed speaking to her secret lover about fucking her.
"You should get used to being in such a position. Once we're married, you'll be spending plenty of nights like this."
"Unless one of these knives saves me from a future of being married to a pit viper..."
"Cousin, I think you can manage to get a little closer. My sweet Lydia obviously isn't frightened enough," Marc said instead of directly addressing Lydia's comment. He arched a brow and looked at Aiden expectantly. Was Lydia insane for egging on a man who was throwing knives at her? Probably.
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Post by Aiden L. Blackwell on Nov 17, 2015 4:40:09 GMT
”I don’t think you’ll get anywhere cousin if all that gets you off is ripping up bits of fabric. Maybe you should have become a seamstress if you’re that into that stuff…” Aiden said raising his eyebrows at Marc’s comment. Of course Aiden completely understood the innuendo behind his cousin’s words but he would much rather make his cousin butthurt instead of getting riled up over something he knew would never happen. Marc might like to fantasize about the things he would love to do to Lydia once they were married but that’s all he would even manage doing.
Aiden was moving back up to take his next shot when Marcus said this about women and marriage. He actually stopped for a moment to give his cousin a big smile. ”Well that’s where you’re wrong cousin. I’m just a bit more discreet when it comes to women coming out of the woodwork wanting to marry the king’s cousin, unlike you I don’t kill them or what not when they displease me.” Aiden told him… not exactly lying. He had had his fair share of enjoying the women that fawned over him just because he was ‘close’ to the king. But Aiden had never stayed more than one night with any of them… most of them he hadn’t even stayed that long. Lately he hadn’t been with anyone though, mainly because his mind was thoroughly corrupted by Lydia by now. He refrained from looking at her for a moment as he said this, not exactly wanting to see the look on her face. It wasn’t like he had told her that he’d been with at least half a dozen women in the last couple of years alone…
Marcus went on, especially as Lydia complained about the position making her arms tired. Aiden glanced back at her then as Marc spouted off another of his comments about what he’d be doing to her. Honestly he wondered if any of the women he had done this to actually enjoyed it… scratch that he knew that some of them had to have. Of course Aiden hadn’t actually thought of hitting her with the throwing knife, but at his cousins words he knew that the bastard didn’t actually think he was capable… any other time he probably wouldn’t actually. But Aiden could pick up on bits and pieces from his cousin’s drunken mind and knew the idiot was screwing with them, this game being just that. A game to torture the two of them.
Aiden acted like he hadn’t been paying attention to this last comment as he made a move to throw the knife and made it look like it ‘slipped’ from his grasp before he had fully aimed it. It sailed kind of wonky through the air and grazed her cheek and slicing halfway into the middle part of her ear. He felt a little guilty as the blood started running from the wounds but he made a convincible “oops” face and glanced down at the empty mead goblet in his hand as if he hadn’t realized he had drank it all, and might be more drunk than he was. ”Looks like I might be more drunk than you are cousin.” Aiden said, even as he gave a subtle, but strong, mental push at his cousin’s mind trying to get him to think himself more drunk than he was as well. He’s half to apologize to Lydia later but he doubted she would be happy with him when she learned it wasn’t an accident like he had made it look.
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Post by Lydia G. Van Helsing on Nov 17, 2015 16:39:21 GMT
"I'll have to keep that in mind in case this whole king thing doesn't work out for me," Mark responded, giving Aiden a dark look when he told him he should have become a seamstress.
Lydia watched when Aiden stepped up to take the next shot, her face flushing at his words when he insinuated that he'd been with other women. It wasn't that it came as a shock... Aiden was a handsome man in a powerful position. Of course he would have had women practically throwing themselves at his feet. Did that mean she liked that thought? Not at all. As much as she hated to admit it, she felt jealousy bubbling up inside of her as those vivid green eyes of hers full on glared at Aiden.
"Nonsense! Lydia displeases me all the time and she's still alive," Marcus insisted, taking a drink from his goblet.
"I probably won't be much longer if you keep drinking," Lydia said, shifting her fiery glare from Aiden to Marc who only rolled his eyes at her.
"Lydia, darling, that sounds like a challenge. I could probably drink an entire barrel of mead myself and still not hit you. Shall we try it?"
"I don't think that's necessary, no," Lydia said, watching Aiden again as he went to throw. In that moment, when she saw how the knife slipped and how it sailed through the air, her eyes widened and her heart leapt into her throat as her stomach dropped. Her blood ran cold and the sensation of the blade cutting her shocked her deeply, causing her to flinch. She'd been worried about Marc cutting her this entire time, not Aiden.
Marc stood there for a moment, looking a little shocked, not having expected it either. His brows were raised, his mouth slightly agape. He looked almost impressed, even. "You weren't supposed to hit her..." Marc said, draining his goblet again. "I guess that means I'm the winner! You're right. Perhaps you're the one I should be worried about killing my betrothed. It's just as well, I'm feeling rather drunk myself and I want Lydia to be perfect on our wedding night. Besides, I think I'm satisfied with her level of fear now. You! Don't just stand there! My betrothed is bleeding, get her down!"
At his insistence, one of the guards stepped forward and unstrapped Lydia's wrists from the target, helping to steady her on her feet. Lifting her hand to her cheek and pulling it away, her heart seized at the sight of her own blood. She was still in shock and honestly rather hurt that Aiden had been the one to hit her. She expected that sort of thing from Marcus, not from the man that she loved.
"Cousin, you best lock your chamber door tonight. Lady Lydia looks as though she might try to murder you in your sleep," Marc said, laughing and clapping Aiden on the shoulder. "Someone go find Lady Lydia a healer. I'd rather not have her face scarred from my cousin's little slip."
"I'll find one myself," Lydia said, still shaken from the last throw. She shot both Marcus and Aiden a look and, without giving Marcus a chance to object, she stormed out of the room. She wasn't heading back to the party though. No, she would find a healer as she said to heal her scratched cheek and the knick on her ear, and then she would retire to her chambers, whether Marc wanted her to stick around the party or not. She was done with his cruel games for the night.
Marc watched her leave, a satisfied smile on his face. "She's going to be a handful. I already know it. You know, I had half a mind to just kill her and choose myself a new betrothed at one point, but there's something about her fire that keeps me on my toes. And she's not bad to look at either. Petyr, my goblet is empty. Why is my goblet empty?"
"Sorry, your highness," Petyr said, rushing forward to pour some more mead into Marc's goblet.
"As I was saying, imagine the sons she'll provide me with. I just hope for her sake that she doesn't bear me any daughters. They're useless and I won't want to hear her cry about it when they're wrenched from her arms and fed to the dogs in the kennel. More mead, cousin?"
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Post by Aiden L. Blackwell on Nov 21, 2015 5:41:36 GMT
While Aiden hated that he had had to actually draw blood from her to end the game, he wasn't sorry about doing it. If he hadn't Marc very well would have drawn the damn thing out until one or both of them was ready to just rip his head off right then. The shock on her face just told him that he had done the whole thing convincingly enough and one glance at Marc told him the same thing. Of course he was going to have to tell Lydia the truth, which he wasn't looking forward to doing, but he wasn't going to let her think that he would ever lose control around her. He'd intentionally hurt her, but in a way that would only hurt minimally and get them out of the situation quicker... surely at the end of the day that meant something.
As Marc exclaimed about winning and ordered the guard to get her unstrapped from the awful contraption, Aiden discreetly watched her as she reached up and put her hand to her face then pulled it away and looked at the blood, her face still looking slightly shocked. Then gave them both a look before leaving to find a healer, which he had no doubt she actually would do. "At least it was very minor, no chance of it scarring that face of hers." He said, purposefully making his words sound a little slurred, as if he were actually drunk by now. HIs head though was clear as ever...picking up bits and pieces from Marc's mind and those of his guards. It was amazing what people would forget about someone when they weren't faced with it all the time. Marcus seemed to always forget to guard his mind from Aiden, especially after a couple goblets of mead or so.
Aiden moved to the target board and pulled the different blades out of it and walked over to Marc's desk, a quick slight of hand and only the blue ones were replaced on the table while Marc's red handled on was hiding up Aiden's sleeve. He vaguely listened as Marc tried to further taunt him by telling him how he had thought about killing Lydia but then decided not too, and how she would provide him with sons...and what he would do with her daughters. Honestly he didn't even have anything to say to his sick imagination... feeding newborn babies to the dogs? Yeah sick as fuck. He shook his head as he was offered more mead.
"No, I think it's time for me to go to bed... or go find that red had that was following me in the ballroom earlier." Aiden told him, not exactly lying about the redhead. Gwen was at every party Marcus threw and always followed him around and gave him those 'come hither' eyes... but Aiden had only hooked up with her once a very very long time ago. With a mock salute he fake stumbled into the door frame before walking out the door and down the hall. After he had gone a bit and was positive his cousin hadn't sent anyone to follow him he made a detour and made straight for a secret passageway that went right into her bedchamber... one that not even Marc knew about.
Once inside he made his way carefully down the passageway, lit by the same magical blue torches as in their favorite meeting spot, and finally came to the stone wall that separated him from her. He knocked quietly before pulling the hidden latch and sliding inside her room. "Lydia?" He asked quietly, he didn't know if she had already found a healer and came back to her room, but if she hadn't he was more than ready to wait for her if necessary. He couldn't go to sleep without making sure she was alright after what had happened.
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Post by Lydia G. Van Helsing on Nov 22, 2015 4:27:34 GMT
Lydia had done exactly as she said she would. It wasn't always easy, trying to find a healer in the palace. Healers were rare indeed and Lydia was often the only healer there. It was a shame she couldn't heal herself, though her body healed much more efficiently than anyone else's might. The only time she ever actually scarred was if the wound was magically inflicted. Still, her face and ear were stinging and she didn't want to deal with such discomfort. Not only that, but she was sure that Marc might have something to say to her if she didn't get it healed, like he'd insisted. Knowing him, he would give her more cuts to match until she relented and begged for a healer.
True to the promise she'd made herself, Lydia didn't return to the party. It was the last place she wanted to be and, instead, she'd retired to her bed chambers. Removing her locket, Lydia set it on top of her vanity, not even bothering to stick it inside her jewelry box. She would only wind up sticking it back on first thing in the morning anyway, no matter how frustrated she was with the man who gave it to her. For a moment, her stomach twisted with unease at the thought of the man she loved most. She wasn't an idiot... she was blind to the affection other women showered upon him, but why did it bother her that he'd probably made love to them?
Her heart ached at this realization that he'd made love to other women and yet he wouldn't sleep with her. She knew his reasons, but thinking about his history with other women made her apprehensive. What if there was more of a reason for him not wanting to make love to her? Or what if, when they finally did, he decided that he was done with her?
What bothered her even more about all of this was the fact that these insecurities were popping up at all. She had no rightful claim on Aiden though and that wounded her deeply. She was betrothed to his cousin and he... he was a bachelor... a very eligible one who could be taken from her in a heartbeat. Lydia wanted, more than ever, to stake her claim on him. She wanted to be betrothed to him and she didn't want to sneak around anymore. There were some nights that she had half a mind to beg Aiden to run away with her. They could take Lena and the three of them could go far away, where Lydia and Aiden could marry and Marcus wouldn't be able to find them. She knew he would though. Marc would hunt them down and slaughter them for sure.
His history with women wasn't the only reason she was upset with him. The wound she'd received from him that night cut deeper than the actual blade. It still bothered her that he had been the one who cut her and not Marc. Kicking off her shoes and pulling her long, curly tresses over one shoulder, she walked over to her full length mirror. Standing before it, she turned and twisted before it, trying to untie the strings of her corset, running up her back. Her hand maiden was always tying the knot much too tight, always making it difficult for her to remove her corsets without assistance. Even as she managed to grab the string, no amount of tugging would free her from the blasted thing.
She jumped somewhat at the sound of him entering her chambers, having been so wrapped up in her thoughts that the intrusion had surprised her. "You shouldn't be here," she said to him, obviously still angry with him. Her brows drew together and, tugging at her corset string one last time, to no avail, she spun on her heel to glare at him. "Don't you think it's inappropriate to sneak into the chambers of your cousin's fiancé?" If looks could kill, he would have been dead at first glance.
Her room was dimly lit by the fire in her hearth and a few candles. Approaching him, she set her hands on that hard, muscular chest and applied pressure. He wouldn't budge though, he never did. Aiden was a solid mass of fully grown warrior and muscle. He'd always been stronger than her, even when they were children. He could overpower her with one hand and they both knew it. Instead of this scaring her, however, it was a factor that turned her on. Just not right then, considering she was so upset with him. "I mean it, get out. I'm going to sleep. Don't you have more games to play with Marcus?" She glared up at him, trying to push him back into the passageway through which he'd entered.
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