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.
84. Rejection and Sensibility
Rejection and Sensibility
Amelia felt like a large stone had crushed her heart and pierced it through. It was difficult to tear her eyes away from the two, like she was memorising her heartache. She tried to swallow slowly, but felt her tears returning to the back of her eyes.
As she watched, the damsel felt someone's gaze upon her and looked up at her new hooded companion staring at her. "Is that your friend?" he asked, voice low.
The damsel sniffed, her chest inflating with air, before she exhaled slowly and smiled a bitter smile, saying, "No, no, this isn't him." she didn't want to be embarrassed. He stared at her for a moment longer, with a distant unsaid gaze, before turning his attention away.
Amelia looked down at her lap, feeling tears of hurt feelings spill down to her hands that were clutching folds of her skirt tight. She was grateful for her long and abundant hair falling about her and shielding her crying from the eyes of the people around.
Then, wiping her nose and eyes thoroughly, she looked up to see that Erion and Charlene remained the same, the knight's eyes drunk on love and fascination for the lady before him. Amelia slowly reached her hand to the cloak of the stranger who had helped has and tugged softly.
He looked over with an arched brow and she said, "I wish to go home. Thank you for helping me today."
The tall man pushed his weight off the counter and helped her down the tall seat. "I shall accompany you", he offered.
"No, no, it is quite alright, thank you. Please, I wouldn't want to trouble you any further", she said, before her mind tugged her with the thought of the eerie feeling of being watched. She didn't want to end up getting kidnapped on her way home.
"No, I insist", the man said, leading her protectively to the door. –whats your name, lance, what do u do, merchant, jasper where? Some men are standing about the corners of the streets, hooded, with weapons, he makes eye contact with them, shady. He leaves once she's near home.
While leaving her: "I am sorry your friend couldn't escort you home."
"No, it is quite fine; it isn't like he owes me anything."
There was a brow quirked.
"I-", Amelia hesitated to say the words, "He is nothing more than just a friend. We do not owe to protect each other, nor meant to."
The tall companion took a long hard gaze at her before nodding slow. His voice was husky as he spoke, "Will you be alright by yourself for the night?"
When the damsel opened her mouth to answer, her lips quivered and she did not speak, but simple nodded.
The man quietly opened his arms and she fell into his embrace, tears spilling onto his garments again. It was that old sensation where you could hold your emotions inside for as long as you stay strong, but once your fort is broken down by a friend, the tears wouldn't stop coming. "It was him", she mumbled against his chest.
The man did not say anything in response, but simply ran his hands through her soft hair.
Then, a glance shot across the street to one of the mysterious men loitering in the dark, and he took a swift step back and bowed, "I hope to meet you soon another time, m'dear." (my Queen)
Amelia felt heat spread over her neck and cheeks before she smiled and nodded, holding her skirts in a curtsy. His manners were regal and princely, making her wonder if he truly was a common merchant. Perhaps he was a distinguished gentleman from some distant kingdom, where protecting women was common culture?
~
During the festival of dances, when there was an array of many foreign merchants seeping into the land, knights and army were heavily involved in the duty of keeping any suspicious persons who seem like spies or any threats of potential attacks or war at bay.
The Princes are also about, with their own protection. Erion was posted to serve Prince Rayzenn. At the time, all the women of the kingdom danced, in order to gain the Prince's attention. But Amelia does not, because she is running her own little stall and then serving Hildeth's clothes in the meantime.
She bumps into him by accident, when he is hooded, and stumbles away, and apologises, "I am so terribly sorry", bending down to collect all the things she had dropped.
"No, I'm sorry, Princess", he smiles, bending down to take her stuff. Then, he tastes her food and is absolutely taken.
~
After the break of her engagement, when she is bathing in the river of Pristin,
The men that save her from the wolves have come yet again while she is still in the water. She claims that she is sick and needs to bathe there once a while during the full presence or absence of the moon.
While she is yet bathing and her marks are still there, she hears the wolves. She screams holding herself down in the water as a dagger flies across the air and nails its target at the neck of a wolf. The wolf's blood taints the water and while the man fight the beasts, she stays under the water, near the edge and slowly takes her towel and wraps herself.
Once the fighting is done, the other men leave and she is left to thank the head of the vigilantes, Lance.
Her feet were wet and bare, with thistles prinking her soles. The man gently took her hands and asked her to place her soles on his booted feet. She refused, hesitating greatly, before confessing, "I am far too heavy for the average woman of society."
In man in response quirked a brow, "I lifted you up in my arms effortlessly when you first encountered the wolves, princess. You're finely shaped, should that ever concern you."