Ensnared

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances:

If there is any reaction, both are transformed.

—C.G. Jung

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Eva opened her mouth to retort but then closed it shut when she realized she had nothing to say to him. She had heard about many Kings in history who were driven to madness when they lost their wives in a battle or after their death.

"But how can you compromise your Kingdom for a mere woman?"

"How can a King rule when his soul is lost? When his heart, that had started beating after so long, had been stolen from him?" he asked, and Eva stared at him without any fear in her body for the first time.

They silently gazed at each other without any words passing from their mouths but Eva was trying her best to see within those dark eyes. What was hidden behind that veil that covered his eyes? What was his past? She wanted to know so much but her subconscious kept reminding her that her main purpose was to run away.

He was dangerous.

A sin.

He would destruct her soul from within...

It was the right thing to do, it said and Eva wanted to argue back.

Leave him tomorrow. Run away.

Her heart muttered angrily in protest and Eva felt divided and lost, not knowing what to do. Theo gazed at her and stood up, driving Eva's thoughts away.

"Come." he presented his hand and Eva once again noticed the ink markings on his right arm which extended to his fingers.

Theo spotted her curious stare and smirked seeing where she was looking at. With her eyes still locked on his hand, he folded up the sleeves of his white shirt, crinkling the fabric in the process.

Eva's lips twitched when she realized what he was doing and turned away. This was not right, it was all wrong to do... it was wrong to feel anything, her mind chanted on and Eva didn't stop it.

She was too tired both emotionally and mentally to be bothered to control her fluctuating emotions.

"Your Majesty, weren't we about to have a tour?" she asked when she heard the ruffling of fabric end shortly.

"Well, you seem to be distracted so I thought of helping you." she felt his presence near her and his breath roused goosebumps across her neck.

"I am not distracted anymore," she said, speaking the only words that her tongue could utter without stuttering. She didn't want to embarrass herself more than she had already. This King was insufferable!

"Let's go." offering his hand, Eva took it without any hesitation this time, not wanting to hurt him like she previously did.

Whether he was a monster or not, she couldn't bear the thought of causing him any sort of pain. Neither intentionally nor unintentionally.

He led her through several corridors and introduced many new rooms she didn't know of.

The sitting room was scarcely opened due to the lack of guests and the ballroom was still being cleaned by a large number of maids. Eva's eyes traveled from one wall to another and she couldn't help but feed her curiosity even more by approaching things closely and touching them.

The King still hadn't let go of her hand. His grip was firm and secure. Protective.

He hadn't said much throughout the tour except for a few words about the different rooms. Eva did not feel so relaxed as to ask questions without hesitation and she managed to hold her tongue in front of him.

"Your Majesty!"

The pair turned their necks to spot a panting guard a few steps behind them. Theo waited for him to inform him about what happened and kept Eva beside him, not troubling to hide their intertwined hands.

"What is it?" came the King's sharp tone and Eva frowned. A reprimand almost escaped her lips when she reminded herself of the man who was sitting in front of her.

"My King, Advisor Leon has sent me to inform you that a man named Ken Fraden wants to seek an audience with you in court."

Eva's eyes enlarged themselves while the King looked amused and frustrated at the same time.

"Go and tell them that the King will hear what he has to say, whether rubbish or facts." the man bowed and hastily departed to inform the court of the King's words.

"Did you bring him here?" Eva asked as soon as she was sure that the guard was out of hearing.

An evil expression betook his face but Eva held her ground. It did not seem so threatening to her now that she thought about it and wondered why.

"Why don't we see it for ourselves?" his words were mysterious, not giving a straightforward answer as they walked towards the opposite corridor.

"Why did you bring him here?" she knew that something bad would be brewing in his mind. She was not judging, his face showed it clearly enough.

"To talk." came Theo's bland answer and Eva was far from satisfied. "I will not do anything unless he provokes me, Birdie. It saddens me that you are so worried for him though," he added and Eva couldn't resist the urge to raise a brow.

"Why do you call me that?"

"What?" he asked as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

"Birdie." the name came out as a whisper and the halted in his steps to look at her.

Holding a strand of hair that had come to fall on her cheek, he twirled it around his fingers absently while staring at her. "I don't know. Believe me or not but I am as confused as you in some matters Birdie. If it makes you feel better, I don't have a clue about what I feel for you. I do feel something and that is why you can't leave."

Eva saw a glimmer of vulnerability flash through his eyes which vanished as abruptly as it had appeared. Monsters have hearts too, she reminded herself and it did make her feel better that she was not alone in this.

"But then why are you keeping me here?" she was confused and desperately needed answers. He was as puzzled as her but why was he doing so much for her and her family?

"All I know for now is that I can't let you go. Not yet at least," he spoke and instead of feeling happy, he saw the uncontrollable spark in her glare.

"So you use me and then toss me off?" she questioned mockingly and saw him clenching his jaw.

"Is that what you think of me?" he asked, his tone filled with bitterness, apathy, and a touch of darkness.

"You are not letting me in."

"How can I when you keep planning to run away in that pretty head of yours?"

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Moon ❤