Agony

As the carriage reached the Snow Kingdom Nicole was still asleep when the carriage door opened to find Jasper looking at the girl intensely seeing she hadn't woken up yet. He sighed as he raked his hair in frustration not wanting to wake her Jasper carried her to a guest room. Placed her on the bed carefully as the maids set her belongings on the table as they walked out of the room closing the door. Leaving their lord in the room alone with the girl he had suddenly brought in. 

He thought it was best to bring her a carriage as his owl Slade relaid to him that she was walking in the snow. Jasper noticed tears falling on her face as if agony struck her deeply in the heart. Like thorns that were tight and painful on her chest, Nicole clenched her chest as she felt a warm hard on her cheek comforting her. What troubled her so much that she cried softly. 

"It's alright, nothing will hurt you here. Rest and let the pain wash away" Jaspers whispered to her as the tears stopped. Nicole put her hands on her stomach she calmed down letting his voice guide her through. Once Nicole calmed down he placed a blanket on her body making sure she was warm enough, Jasper gave her a guest room with a fireplace so it was more convenient for her.

He left the room as she slept softly closing the door behind him he wondered why he did these sorta of things for a human with whom he had little to no connection. It's been at least four years since he last saw her. With the war currently going on it was slowly taking a toll on him as he lost much sleep and barely ate. He furrowed his brows as he walked down the long hallway.

The next day Nicole stood in front of the large window in her room, seeing that she reached the kingdom but was hoping to reside in Ice Peak Village as it was close to the kingdom. All she could do was think of Earl her father, she wanted him to see the beauty of Snow as he would have loved to paint and sketch the scenery. She wanted to know why she was inside Lord Jasper's manor as she was his guest. Not that she didn't dislike the fact that she was a guest but more so that he carried her and whispered to her sweetly.

Nicole clenched the blanket tightly she needed to speak to the chief Odina of Algonquian. She wanted to make sure he was fully in peace, but the Odina stayed far from the mainlands and onto the valley as it was safe for him and his people. Finding him would be hard as she would often see him when she stayed in the forest with her family and tribe. She heard a knock on the door as she turned her head slightly wondering who it was. A maid bowed her head setting down the tray of food on the small circular table. 

Nicole turned her body completely as she shook her not wanting to accept food the maid looked a bit confused as she was handed back the tray of food. Jasper knocked on the open door and he sent the maid a glare causing her to place the food back down as she left in a hurry worried what he would do to her. 

He placed his hands behind his back "Sit down and eat your meal"His patience was slowly running thin wondering why the girl wasn't eating. 

Nicole looked at him with sorrow as she shook her once more and a single tear fell from her cheek" How can I eat knowing that my father is buried at an Inn? What daughter would allow that, it's funny I'm not even his blood. Yet he treated me like a somebody rather than a nobody, as I starved on the brink of death no one saved me! They thought I was a savage of some sort half. I'm a human just like the people who shunned me. I need time to myself-."

Jasper walked up to her and stood inches away from her as she looked up at him seeing his eyes soften at her gaze." You are in my domain furthermore being in this depressive state won't do you any good. You will die if you don't eat your meal."

Nicole looked away from him as his hand extended to her curly hair twisting the strain softly waiting for her response.

"Please lord Jas-"

Jasper interpreted her "Don't argue human it only makes me upset when you do so. Please finish what you were about to say"

Nicole looked away not wanting to argue with him"I will eat…I've gotten your invitation to paint a portrait of you."

He nodded with a charming smile on his lips "Yes I would love for you to do that for me, you'll be the first to paint me. Some don't even know what I look like I should keep it that way. Before I leave this room I need to make sure you eat every drop of food on your plate."

Nicole gulped as he removed his hand from her hair to the chair that was idle at the small table. She sat down in front of the food as it was nothing more than a simple stew mixed with meat and Vegetables.

She couldn't understand why he was acting this way around her, now she had to eat in front of him. As it wasn't bad enough Jasper sat on the edge of the bed watching her. She tensed her shoulders as she grabbed the spoon from the bowl and started to eat. She just wanted to eat so he wouldn't watch her anymore, it was bad enough that she now had to reside here for the time being. After the ball is over she can go back to the mainland where she stayed with her father Earl.

Once she finished she dabbed the cloth on the corner of her lips before setting it down inside the bowl. She turned her head to see Jasper raking his fingers through his hair, uncrossing his legs as he got up from the bed and walked over to her. Nicole looked down as Jasper grabbed the tray from the table.

"That wasn't so hard wasn't it little lamb" His voice was crisp and smooth as butter. It made her shudder slightly as she shook her head only for him to use his index finger to lift her chin as she blushed. " No need to look down at me, I promise I won't harm you for now... If you do the wrong thing then I would have to punish you."

Nicole gasped" Punish me how! Will I be put in a dungeon?"

Jasper smirked before removing his finger from her chin ignoring what she had asked "It seems like you don't have a dress, there are some well-suited parlors you should go to."

"I thought I was just here to paint you, Jasper"

Jasper's lips flattened "You are but you are also invited to the festival ball. Did you read the invitation that was sent to you?"

"I did, well some of it but my father hid the letter from me for quite some time. I didn't know I was invited until two days ago. If you excuse me Lord Jasper I would like some time to myself right now."

Jasper nodded as she bowed her head signaling that she was ready to go for the day. He left the room closing the door behind him leaving her alone in the room. She sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed, as she considered that Lord Jasper was a strange vampire at that.