Wars of the Heart
Amelia Luna-dynn is a young damsel of unassuming character. However, there is a deadly secret she harbors: that she is the daughter of a forbidden race, a tribe despised by the royals of the Kingdom. She is the sole survivor, discreetly living an unseen life as a commoner. But there are scars on her back that betray her origin, requiring her to cleanse herself in order to stay alive and unrecognised. With such reins attached to her race, it is impossible to find someone who would love her despite the dangers of her origin. But one night, when at the verge of being eaten by beasts, she is saved by a mysterious man from the grasp of death. Curiosity drives the damsel to chase love. Despite being downtrodden, she stumbles upon the opportunity meeting with high society by joining a Book Club run by the beautiful daughter of the Duke, Charlene Walterus. Amelia makes friendships with nobles and soon comes close to a romance with a man she suspects to be her secret rescuer, but is hopeless that his heart is far gone in the arms of the duke’s daughter. Will she win a wedding with the man of her dreams? But most importantly, will her fantasies of a perfect marriage come true? Or will she suffer a strained marital relationship, with unrequited feelings, far from the heart of the one she loves? Excerpt: That night, he was exhilarated to have married the woman of his desires. But Charlene had told him a bothersome fact about the origin of his newly wedded wife that he could not shake off his mind, for he knew she would have told him, had it been true. The tall man stepped into Amelia’s chamber and found her seated at the rim of the bed, blushing. The very sight of her innocent disposition had always brought him the insane urge to sweep her up in his arms and protect her. But before they would make love, there was an important question blaring at the edge of his mind. “Y-you’re here”, her soft voice was almost breathless. She rose to her feet, but rested against the wall, shy and nervous. “Amelia”, he tasted her name, drawing close to her. Tenderly placing a finger under her chin and lifting her face to meet his, he gazed into her eyes and asked, “Is it true that you are of the Celeste Clan?” There was silence in response and fear in her eyes. She did not deny it. A strong feeling of hurt enveloped his chest, when he realised that she was no different. Charlene’s words about her were not simply contemptuous lies of jealousy planted to his attention, but the raw truth. ~ Amelia gasped when he rammed his fist against the wall in the absolute pangs of frustration. It was like it burnt his senses to think that she would deliberately hold something as significant as her origin from him, regardless of all things of his secrets that he had shared with her, while they were yet secret lovers. She knew the fault was hers, but she had been too scared to relay, for she had loved him far too much to lose him. “Why did you hide this from me?” he breathed, voice cold and low and deadly, colored by his unpronounced rage. His face was dangerously close to hers, such that she could hear his very breath, seething. Tears began to pierce her eyes, threatening to fall. She had never meant to deceive him. But in that moment, she was afraid. Heart throbbing loud enough to be heard, her lips were quivering and she shivered. When his gaze swept down at her frightened disposition, there was a flicker of tenderness in his eyes. But it lasted not even as long as a moment’s worth. He was cold. He did not confront her for the secrets she was keeping, but silently withdrew himself. There were many things she wished to say in apology, but she could not find her voice. And by the time she could speak, he had left her chambers. Tears flurried down her face. She could not believe that her fears had ruined the very first day of her marriage. It was the day she had wished to divulge her secret to him, but it seemed like it had already been out.
66. Fair Morning with a Charming Beauty
Fair Morning with a Charming Beauty
~
The Estate of Duke Walterus,
The Town of Crimsonton,
Kingdom of Velicia,
Fair Morning,
The Ninth Day of the Month of November,
Thirty Third Year of the Reign of King Jesse Crestings
Charlene leaned against the railings of the balcony in the chambers of the Reading Association as she felt the gentle breeze of the morning cool her beautiful face. She could not contain the excitement of knowing that Head Knight Erion could not sway from loving her.
The man walked up behind her and took a long strand of her hair, gently tucking it behind her ear. "What's gotten you so beautiful today?" he asked, his voice husky and low.
The damsel shrugged a shoulder in response before turning to look him in the eyes. "Well, I didn't do anything new", she replied.
"And yet you look more breath taking with every passing moment, I don't know what to say", the man chuckled into her ear, before leaning away and resting his arms on the balcony's railing.
"You always find me beautiful", Charlene huffed, as though she did not understand what he was talking about. "And yet, I've never done any efforts to try to adorn myself."
The man clicked his tongue in response. "Well, you are naturally enchanting. So I believe you have no need to become anything apart from yourself to be as intoxicating as you are. I am honoured to be by your side", the knight said, like he was dreamy.
Charlene laughed in response, feeling elated.
"Your lips look so alluring in these dark colours', the man added to what he had said.
"Mhm?" she hummed, pouting her slender lips out before brushing a knuckle over it softly. She knew exactly what intentions he had when he said those words, but she decided to pretend innocent, so he wouldn't make a move and get closer.
There was something about men growing too close to her that she oft hesitated about ever since the break of her engagement. And further, her eyes were on the Prince and so she did not wish to be too closely involved with any other man.
However, when those that showed an interest in her veered away, she could not bear it, for it made her feel like she was not desired. Thus, she loved the attention she was receiving, but never truly wished to be committed to them.
There were a few moments of silence between them, before Knight Erion spoke, as though he was in the depths of his thoughts, "I can never discern you."
The damsel turned to find him looking at her wistfully. "What do you mean?" she laughed, raising a brow.
There was a deep sigh from the man, before he said, "No matter how much I express my love for you, there is never a blush nor a flicker of excitement in you. And yet, you make me feel like I belong with you and like I am wanted. How do you make my heart feel like it is satisfied and yet, like I need to chase a long way to even find you?"
Charlene threw her head back and laughed, before looking at him with an amused expression, "Well, I would blush if I was with my husband maybe, but that is just not the type of person I am. I'm passionate and strong, I would protect my man's heart and go to war, I cannot be contained, and I will never give in to any man unless he is one I will be marrying", she said, eyes moving towards the distant skies.
"You're a fire that's already burning me alive", Knight Erion chuckled.
The damsel flipped her long blond hair off her shoulders with a smile. "Did you burn the letter I sent you last night?" she asked, turning to eye him.
"After taking your beautiful scent in and imbibing every word", the man said, with a dreamy smile. Then, his expressions slowly darkened as though he was recollecting the contents of what she had written. "So it that scoundrel still bothering you?" he asked.
Charlene nodded, feeling elated that he was growing possessive of her and yet accepting the fact that she would not confine to him. "Don't worry, I won't ever give in though", she said.
Erion nodded, his brows furrowed in a concerned and irritable frown. "These type of men will never change. Don't ever go back to an ex-fiancé. They will certainly ruin everything. And he's married to another woman, good grief! Why would he come chasing you?"
"I wonder why he's always like this", the damsel shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself.
"I can understand why a man would relentlessly try to get you. But he had his golden chance and he missed it", Erion huffed.
Charlene let out a sigh, before saying, "I know that he married her solely so he could make a point to me, because I know that he was deeply in love with me even when I broke it off with him. So I wasn't too surprised when he tried to get me again. But how can I indulge when it is a married man?"
The knight looked livid that such things were happening. "I wish I could strangle him", he hissed.
Just as the damsel was feeling the excitements of how jealous he was for her, the fear of his telling other people about the matter came to mind. "It would be scandalous if the news of it came out to other people, for it would cause problems to the family and high society in general", she said.
In truth, Charlene feared solely that it would tarnish her name, for she had heard from her people that Cryspus was enjoying a wonderful family with his newly wedded wife and that would make the Walterus daughter seem like she was the one spreading things bitterly.
"Well…", Erion rubbed the back of his neck, like he was thinking of how to phrase his reply. "I can't quite recollect…"
~