Tormented (Prologue)

He really was beautiful, like shimmering snow. Blue eyes look down on me, his long white eyelashes catching drifting locks of hair. They shift when he blinks, those eyes cast in opal look at my body, then snap up, his pupils meeting mine. The soft glow of light catching the edge of his irises, and illuminating the edges of his hair. A gentle hand reaches up, his fingers brush my face, moving the hair that was strewn across. His hand lowers holding my cheek in his hand. I open my eyes, he bends his elbow and leans down, closer. His white locks of hair tickle my face defiantly falling out of place.

His breath warms my skin, my eyes shut, eyelashes brushing my cheeks. He gingerly kisses my lips. Fingers playing lightly on my skin like dusting antique porcelain. His lips separate from mine and he softly lays beside me. Before I can turn to face him, he grabs my waist and holds my back to his chest. Breaths escaping from his lips making my hair stand on end. A shiver runs down my body and I shut my eyes tightly.

"Luca, you mustn't continue to torment me so.."

"Torment? How so my dear Roma am I tormenting you?"

His fingers play with the strings of my corset. He seemed to not care about all of this we were doing. He knows all I would do for him, it is no question, but even so I worry for his image while I am along slide him.

"You know I could never push you away my prince."

"I told you, just call me Luca. You're my little bird, and I enjoy the way my bird coos my name."

My fingers tighten, I feel the red tinge settle on my skin. I open my eyes.

"We can't continue to do this my prince, you must marry a noble woman and focus on your responsibilities. I don't understand what it is you wish to get from me. I have nothing to offer but my loyalty, and you already have that."

Tears gather in the corners of my eyes. I blink and the tears glide down my face, one hanging to the edge of my nose. The truth is this, I love the prince. I always have. From the moment he opened my cage and let me free. I have pledged to him my loyalty, for I knew he could never except my love. Now he plays with my heart in such ways, even if he doesn't know my true thoughts.

"You are noble Roma, you are the daughter of a duke. That isn't all you have to offer, you are extremely talented my bird."

"I am the dukes daughter, but not the duchesses. I am no noble, I'm only a bastard, I have no right to anything like that, you know better than anyone that a daughter has no use if she can't be married for gain. All I have to offer is my body and my service."

The youngest princess who was younger than the prince and myself was married off only a few years ago, to a man the age of my father. It was a choice they made to unite the empire.

"Your mother was a loyal and brave knight Roma, she served the Duke like no other, and her aura was strong like yours. Its no wonder why your father fell for her."

"She lost everything because of it, her job, money, stability, her life. I will not let such things continue to happen in my life."

"But she gained something from all that, she gained a little bird from heaven. You were her greatest joy were you not? Then her life was not all in waist if she had you."

"That was the only good time in my own life..."