A Dance Of Twilight: (A Fae Dark Fantasy Romance Stand-Alone )

Chapter 21

After spending some time in the cottage, I left Morg at the side door. She left me to escape to the stables and meet Vanessa. No doubt she had all the juicy gossip. I didn”t want to head back up to my rooms just yet. I wanted to explore more. To see how far I could wander without Nicholas becoming worried or annoyed with me.

There were many features of the castle to explore. Including a rather large drawbridge that opened out into the city below. The hustle and bustle of the world outside the stone walls was enough to make me want to escape. To see what else went on, but I’d already been ordered to stay within the grounds.

This time, I listened. There was no telling what was outside, maybe more Fae with magic, even creatures that lurked in the shadows.

Pulling up my shawl around my shoulders, I wandered down a dirt path and headed in the direction of where Morg had run off to. Perhaps I would bump into her and her sister. Instead I came to an empty stable house. The only ones there were the horses who grazed on the wide-open field or were set up already in their stalls, ready to rest for the remainder of the day.

“Would you like to be gifted your own horse as part of your wedding presents?”

Nicholas startled me when I ventured into the timber building, not expecting him to be standing there brushing a large black mare. She was almost shoulder to shoulder with him.

“We are gifting each other?” I asked, once my heart settled. “I wouldn’t know what to get you.”

“Oh, I don’t get a gift, my wife is my gift. It’s part of our traditions. Each house of the court is to give the new wife something, it can be jewels, gowns, and other things that ladies like. Other times, I’ve known it to be a piece of land, an estate, or livestock.”

He continued to brush the beautiful creature, taking his time with each stroke. The buttons at the top of his white shirt were left undone. I stared at his exposed chest, my cheeks filling with heat at the black curls that peeked through. My eyes dropped from his chest to the tight black trousers, admiring the way they clung to his hips and buttocks. After a moment, I brought my attention back to his face. He looked tired, despite the sweat beading at his brow.

“I can give you a horse if you’d like, I remember you enjoying riding.”

A small smile hinted at the corner of his lips as he said the last word. I wondered what he meant, as clearly it wasn’t all directed at horse riding. I didn’t respond as I became mesmerised by his movements. I observed his gentleness with his horse, every tender movement did something to me, creating knots in the pit of my stomach.

“Would you care to join me for dinner?” he asked, as a stable hand appeared out of nowhere and took the reins of his horse before directing her into her stall.

After rinsing his hands in a bowl of warm water, he splashed his face. My mouth watered again at the sight of him, his hair dripping. As he dabbed his hands and face with a cloth, he caught me looking at him and a cunning smile appeared on his face.

“I will walk you back, I am afraid though I do smell a bit,” he admitted.

“Do you always tend to your own horse?”

“All of them. It’s something I’ve done since I was young. My father would insist we look after the animals within our home. He said it would teach us responsibilities and prepare us to look after our people.”

“Animals and people aren’t really the same though, are they?”

Walking beside him, I could now see the grass stains and mud that caked his trousers and part of his shirt. He didn’t look like much of a king at that moment and I quite liked it.

“They both run on emotions and instinct. Each will do whatever they can do to survive, so I am afraid my dear, animals and people are very much alike.”

I tried to keep my distance from him, not wanting to stand too close as many of the house servants were out. Gardeners and guards watched our every move, and I was sure I could feel eyes staring down at us from the windows.

“You seem tense, Ornella. Are you not enjoying yourself here?”

“Am I tense?” I asked, looking down at myself and wondering what he could see that I could not. “I hadn’t noticed. I am enjoying my days here, but I do miss my brother and sister. It would be nice to know how they are doing.”

“They are both fine. Norok is still within his sleep, and I believe your sister has escaped to your grandmother’s.”

I sensed there was something else he wasn’t telling me. Nicholas opened and closed his mouth then. Almost as if he was going to say something before changing his mind. With a shake of his head, he opened the door to the side entrance, gesturing for me to walk inside. “I hope Talia is doing ok. My sudden departure must have caused her great distress.”

“It caused many people to become panicked and your mother—I am told—is still in a rage.”

My eyes widened at his words. I knew my parents wouldn’t be happy with my choices, but it was the only path I could take. They left me no other choice. I had to escape the horrid fate they had set for me. I wasn’t about to marry my disgusting, abusive uncle.

“How do you know all this?” I asked curiously.

We set to walking up the main set of stairs, everyone stopping and bowing at Nicholas wherever he went. Some cowered in fear as they bowed, making me wonder what kind of ruler he was. I had only witnessed those few minutes of him shouting at his sister. I wondered if he was like that constantly, or just during court.

“Ornella, your father would often send spies to my court. Do you believe I wouldn’t send any in return?”

“My father wouldn’t do such a thing,” I whispered.

“Of course he would. Every king would do anything to get ahead of his enemy. But, I’m afraid what he didn’t foresee was me coming in and winning.”

Winning? What did he mean by winning? My mind raced with all the possible answers. He came for me. He mentioned that a few times when I saw him in the woods and again when he showed up in my bedroom. It was only when I asked him to take me, that he finally acted.

“What do you mean by winning?” I demanded.

We reached the wing where his bedroom was, along with his study and a number of other rooms. My mind whirled, playing his words over again. Nicholas stopped at a door to his right, opening it in silent invitation and waiting for me to enter.

The bedroom was much like the one I”d been staying in since my arrival. However, the wood was far darker, nearly black in colour. His bed was dressed in what looked to be a black silk comforter. Four bed posts stood easily ten feet tall, draped in wrap around curtains that matched the bedding. I imagined he closed them every evening to keep the sunlight out in the mornings.

I could picture him lying in that bed all alone. Taking up the centre with his tall frame. His hair would melt into the silk, unlike mine. Mine would stand out like a flame in the night, and by the feel of his eyes on me as I examined his bed---that is something that must have already crossed his mind.

“Princess, by you coming with me of your own free will, I succeeded where my family couldn’t.”

Gesturing to the emerald, green chaise placed in front of the fire, he watched me patiently. I crossed the room and sat down, letting his words settle into my skin. Everything he did was thought out---planned to the very last detail.

He slipped out of his dirty shirt, letting it fall to the floor before removing his trousers. He left his clothes in a pile, leaving him in only his undergarments. Heat filled my cheeks, spreading down my neck and chest as he stepped behind a privacy screen to dress. I involuntarily clenched my thighs together, squeezing my eyes shut while I tried to steady my breathing.

“Your father and mine made a deal a long time ago. One about peace and keeping with the treaty. We Shadow Fae were forbidden to venture into your lands, and you into ours. Unless, we were invited in.” He stepped out dressed in a midnight blue shirt and similar trousers as he wore before. “You invited me. You’d been arguing with your brother, Norok, over something small. I was wandering the border of your lands when I heard you crying.”

“I did no such thing!” I hissed defensively.

“I was just a boy back then, as were you just a young girl. I had recently discovered my powers—where I could appear anywhere. I didn’t mean to arrive in your lands, but when no one came to capture me, I stayed and would visit often.”

He rolled up his sleeves, drawing my attention to his strong forearms. The corded muscles flexed as his fingers worked on folding his sleeves into place. My attention stayed fixed on those very muscles even when he moved to a table. He lifted a bottle of wine, pouring two glasses.

He smirked, holding one out for me to take. “You asked if we could be friends. When I explained I could not come into your woodland, you invited me.”

“I don’t remember any of this,” I said, taking the glass from his hand.

“Of course you don’t, I removed these memories from you once I became king to protect myself and my people.”

“What?” I mumbled, in shock.

My mind began to run in circles, unsure of where or when any of this was. I had a distant inkling of fighting with Norok all the time, but it never lasted. We would always make friends a day or two later. I didn’t remember meeting a boy in the woods.

“When your uncle…” he trailed off, a small growl emitting from his throat. “After that, you begged for me to take it all away. You didn’t want to remember anything. I took your bad memories away. However, when I became king, I had to take away those of our time together.”

“H-how long have we…we know each other?” My voice broke as the realisation hit me all at once.

“Since you were six.”

“And how old are you now? How old were you when you became king?”

“I recently celebrated my twenty-eighth birthday,” he confessed, his eyes locking with mine as he sat next to me.

A relieved sigh escaped my lips. I was expecting him to tell me he was over a hundred years old. I was grateful that it was only six years between us.

“Why are you only telling me this now?”

“One thing I will never do, princess, is lie to you. If we are to be married, I don’t think it is fair you are kept in the dark.” Licking his lips, he stared at me with hunger in his eyes. A flicker of shadows ran across them vanquishing his blue grey eyes for a brief moment. “Though, there are some things I won’t be able to tell you.”

He leaned forward, closing the space between us. I retreated briefly, a lump rising in my throat. A low, frustrated rumble from his chest filled the room. I couldn”t decide if I was meant to hate him or fall madly in love with him.

All his confessions resurfaced in my mind, only confusing me more. My father and he had made a deal. One that my father broke? One thing felt certain.

Bringing me here---to his kingdom---it had been plotted.

This was plotted.

“Nicholas,” I said, forcing my voice to remain calm. “Did you really mean it when you said it was an accident when my brother was hurt?”

His blue grey eyes appeared fully, as if the spell over him vanished. Nicholas leaned back, Lowering his eyes from mine. He drank the remainder of his drink, likely contemplating his answer.

“No. It was not an accident,” he admitted, causing a cold feeling to rush through my body and my breath to catch. “I meant to cause him harm, so I could offer you my help.”

“But why? My parents, my father, was planning to give you my hand in marriage. You didn’t have to hurt Norok to get me to come with you.” My voice broke as I held back the urge to cry. “Did you ever stop to think about that? No, of course not. Me being forced into that marriage must have been part of the plan all along.”

His eyes darkened, his hand clenching into a fist shattering the glass in his hand. In a sudden rage he turned towards me with blackened eyes. All the air left my lungs. My fear crippled me, leaving me frozen in place.

“I WOULD NEVER WISH FOR SUCH A THING!” he shouted, the room rumbling beneath my feet.

He forced me back against the chaise, looming over me, so close our noses were nearly touching. I could feel his hot breath against my skin. The nip of my neck was exposed as the shawl around me fell off. It exposed more of my skin, leaving me to feel even more vulnerable. The dresses in this kingdom were nothing like the ones back home. My shoulders were always bare, and the shape of my breasts were put on display.

He dropped his eye line down to my lips, then across my jaw, my neck then down towards my collarbone. I felt the heat rise in me with the way his eyes danced across every inch of exposed flesh. His gaze felt like a caress, but it set fire to my skin.

“I will skin every man alive if they dare try and touch you. I promise you that, Ornella.”

His arm slid behind my lower back, bringing my chest flush with his. His face lowered towards mine. He dipped his chin, until I felt a feather light touch of his lips against my jaw. A small moan escaped my mouth, making another growl run through his chest in response.

“You are and always will be mine, Ornella.”

He kissed me gently on the nip of my neck before moving his mouth back up until he hovered over my lips. Desperation and lust filled the room.

I needed to know more. I wanted to know everything about him. I wanted to know about our past even more. What past his family had with my own. Why did he insist on taking all of my memories? And why make me wait for weeks to figure out who he was? If he was to be my husband, I had to know.

“Nicholas, you hurt my brother. I don’t know if I can believe you will never hurt me,” I admitted, fear creeping up into my chest.

We stared at each other, the tension between us creating a physical barrier. I wanted to lean up just a touch more. To feel those lips against mine again, even if I was frightened to move. It was unbearable being the age I was and unable to know truly what a man’s touch was.

I tried to push back the flashback that fought its way towards me, reminding me that I was impure—filthy. A king deserved better than me.

“I will promise you now, I will never purposely hurt you, Ornella. And your brother will be healed. I apologise for my actions that caused you to come here.”

Did he really mean it though? That voice in the back of my head reminded me to be careful. To not be stupid and trust every word he said to me. He’d already lied once, what’s to say he wouldn’t do it again?

“We should head downstairs for dinner.”

His words broke the tension between us. Letting go of me, he pulled back and put space between us. My face dropped at the sudden change of mood, causing an ache to grow in my stomach. I wasn’t sure if I could walk just yet, already knowing he made me a little weak at the knees.

“Thank you for your apology.”

He smiled a half smile at me, as he finished my glass of wine that I had yet to touch.

“Come along, princess, I am famished.”

He held out his hand to me, something I was slowly getting used to, and tugged me out of the seat towards the bedroom door. Before opening it, his gaze dropped to my bare shoulders. He turned back, plucking up my shawl from the chaise. A small gesture but gentle in itself. He placed the shawl back over my shoulders then wrapped my arm in his.

Perhaps he wasn’t always such a harsh king. Maybe he could show some kindness. Or at least, thats what I would keep telling myself.