The Betrothal (3)

(Elizabeth's POV)

"So, my answer is yes. Young lord Maxamus you do have my blessing to marry my daughter." The marquees said.

When the young lord smiled, Elizabeth's mind started to get overwhelmed. He was supposed to be a horrible disgusting kid who would torture maids in his free time, but here he was asking her father for his blessing.

Lost in her world, Elizabeth didn't notice when the young lord stopped Infront of her and held out his hand.

"Lady Elizabeth…" He began, which brought her out of her world.

"Y… Yes?" She stammered

"I hope you would do me the honor of joining me for a stroll in the garden." He paused and after a glance at his father he continued. "I would like to get to know you a little bit. Before we must do what is required of us." He finished as he showed his kind but sorrowful eyes.

With her mind completely blank, she couldn't do anything except take his hand and be led toward the garden.

Arriving at the door to the garden, she was so surprised when the young lord told his aide to wait there. She didn't notice the slight bloodlust coming from the aide, nor the cold piercing glare the young lord gave to his aide.

After a moment, the young lord turned and open the door allowing Elizabeth to walk into the garden.

What she saw, made her eyes widen in surprise for the millionth time. There was a gazebo near the middle of the garden and a path that led to it, but the biggest surprise was the single lightly colored tulip that lay on the table in the gazebo.

"I hope you don't mind lady Elizabeth." He began as he guided her towards the gazebo. "I wanted us to talk, and to get to know each other."

"What do you want to talk about lord Maxamus?" She asked not taking her eyes off the tulip.

From a distance, it looked white but as she got closer, she could tell that it was a very light shade of purple. Tulips were her favorite kind of flower, and her favorite color was purple. He is very dangerous she thought to herself.

"Please call me Ciaran, if we are to be betrothed to each other then you need not call me by my title." Ciaran smoothly replied as he pulled out her chair.

"If?" She asked as she took the seat offered to her.

"Why of course." He began as he pushed her in. "Our parents forced us into this, but as individuals should we just accept that?" He asked.

"It's for the good of our house." Was her near robotic reply

"Why does it have to be about our houses? Why can't it be about love?" came his reply as he sat down.

"Love?!" she nearly jumped out of her seat, when he said that.

"Yes." He paused as he took a sip of tea. "Love while it is just a simple word, its meaning is so powerful that it can cause wars.

Looking at her cup of tea. Elizabeth was lost in thought, what is love?

"What do you love lord….Ciaran?" She asked as she looked at the young boy.

Watching the young boy think over the question, she couldn't help but feel another flutter in her heart. This boy was not a monster as her friends had told her, he was a nice boy who knew what path he wanted to walk, and in a tiny part of her heart, she hoped that she would be able to walk next to him along that path.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you, for I had never experienced anything close to it." He replied as his eyes held a painful gaze. "But…" he began after a brief pause. "I can say for sure that I do love the way when the light hits your eyes, the purple in them seems to glow." He finished as strength returned to his eyes.

The world grounded to a halt when she heard Ciaran say that. Did he just admit that he loved her eyes? Why would he say something like that? Does he like her eyes that much? Not even Leo said he had liked her eyes.

All these thoughts were popping up in her mind, she couldn't think straight until she heard a slight chuckle coming from Ciaran.

"Sorry." He said as he got himself under control "The face you were making was just too cute" He finished with a straight face, but the slight twinkle in his grey eyes told a different story.

Reaching critical overload, the only thing she could do was stare at her cup of tea hoping she could fade away.

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(Ciaran's POV)

This is too easy I thought to myself, as I watch Elizabeth getting redder in the face and more embarrassed. Using the battle tactic of shock and awe, I destroyed all her defenses and weariness toward me.

I knew of the rumors that had begun to sprout up, that I was torturing maids and doing horrible things. I knew she would feel fear and disgust towards me. So, I just had to break through that tough wall she had built up.

It wasn't hard, I knew she loved romance books, and she wanted a prince charming to sweep her off her feet. The blessing from the father. The gazebo setting was a scene from one of her favorite novels, just had to change the flower to a purple tulip, and voilà the perfect scene from her dreams had been set up.

I will admit the thing about me loving her eyes was not planned…. I hope Cas didn't hear me…. But everything else had worked out perfectly. There was only one more step I had to do.

"Lady Elizabeth. In the future, I plan on becoming an adventurer after the academy for that is the path I want to take." I said and watched as her face morphed from embarrassment to utter shock as she realized the implication of what I had just said.