7 Chapter 7: By Relation

"You're clever. By relation, once you marry me they become my family as well is that what you're thinking as well? A sound idea." Florian scoffed sarcastically.

"And by relation, you are then able to pardon them." Ambra continued. 

"Are you so benevolent and self-sacrificial that you'd be willing to be my wife? Or are you just mental?" A sarcastic tone left his lips as he spoke.

"If that would save them? In a heartbeat- who wouldn't?" She reasoned scrunching her eyebrows in a fit, utterly bewildered by his tone. He was a rather beautiful man she couldn't fathom why anyone wouldn't want to be his wife.

"I surely wouldn't. They are well aware of their misgivings. And what makes you strike me as a man to be toyed with by such - willingness?" He crouched forward, moving in a way to stand up properly.

"Toying? With you? I'd rather be caught dead. And I would like to be courtship." She shook her head innocently.

"Are you negotiating demands of a bargain that isn't in your favor now?" A slight chuckle left his slips, a Cheshire smile finding its way through the corners of his mouth. His hands interlocked behind his back, he now stood right before her - his scarlet eyes staring down at her face.

"I do apologize if I am imposing - I just would like to have it feel normal, and not forced." Instinctively her voice grew small with the proximity of the distance between them almost vanishing in front of her made her nervous, she and she looked away from his

"This is of your own accord, I simply made a proposition- you accepted. Although I have thought irrationally through with my lower parts than I should've with my mind - I do not see my benefit coming from this."

"No, you're correct. I, on my own will, am accepting this. And in this way, perhaps your image within the town will be altered. And the children won't be so afraid of you."

"I could worry myself less of what the next person imagines of me, I've lived half of my life hearing far worse profanities- surely this wouldn't be a matter, however - eloping with the towns 'beloved,' would drag me through the dung stricken stalls of horses rather than uplift me- tell me again what benefit would this bring of me?"

"To be quite frank with you, Count Romani, I'm not sure- I'm not sure if you jested when you spoke of betrothal, I beg of you, if this works, then please accept it as is and I will do my best to compensate for the mess the children made."

A little silence befell them. For a moment he raised his hand and waved softly only for Sevas to leave the room with the boys immediately causing Ambra to be in alarm.

"I will warn you, I will not be easy with you. I will have you every night. You will not be allowed in the free domain for a time being, and you will not be permitted to travel without the guard."

Her eyes lit up, a calmness filling her as she realized his actions. "Does this mean you will mercy them?"

He made a sharp turn towards the throne and she followed him like a lost puppy until he outstretched his and indicated for her to stop, "Their fate is in your hands and you've dealt them well. Speak not of today's affair until I have finalized everything. Gather your people inform them that they've been mercied and have them leave quickly before I have a change of heart."

From there she could see another set of doors open up from behind the throne.

"When will you seek me?" She wanted to prepare herself for the day she would have to say goodbye to her old life.

"I will send for you..." He spoke much softly, stepping further away from her until he crossed over to the other side of the door. And right there he stopped in his tracks his back facing her, a slight whisper leaving his lips.

"My Countess." And with those last words, she saw his crimson eyes from the side of his face until the doors behind the throne closed and she was left in the empty hall walking back towards the certain only to be shortly rejoined by two boys running for their lives.

They had tears streaming down their faces, as red as tomatoes both of them.

"Ambra- thank you for saving us. Thank you..." their words were incoherent with their sobs, shortly the grand doors were opened by Ruin and Brü once again, who seemed to be more docile.

Ambra believed that man had more to him than he let on - to be so easily able to accept such terms while brunting the grunt of the disaster the two boys made with the other region.

However, she was certain of one thing.

Florian, Florian Romani of House Romani was indeed someone they couldn't trust to the townsfolk and she wasn't sure how she was going to convince them otherwise.