Chapter Two.Darius

Time seem to fly especially when you are dreading your fate for that is what happened exactly at Maria's wedding. In no time at all, the ceremony had come to an end and Maria's heart had already fallen to her stomach as she was well aware of what was in store for her right now. And as she followed her husband whom she had not raised her head to look at all this time, she knew she was taking her last few steps out of the palace that had been her home for as long as she knew. She turned around and looked back just for once as her already moistened eyes threatened to let out the tears she was holding in making the man that was currently holding her hand halt in his movements and patiently wait for her. He did not seem to be impatient with her and patiently waited but he didn't seem to want to look at her either,or was it that he was actually scared to meet her gaze. He could feel her hand stiffen at his touch but he didn't complain,he was being very patient with all her manners tonight.

Finally, his new wife's father came out at the double doors and he didn't seem surprised to see that they were still there with his daughter seemingly lost in her own world while the man,her new husband held on to her with no promise of letting go. It could merely be felt that the atmosphere between the two newly Weds was tense as one was staring longingly at her former home while the other was not sparing her a single glance much as he wished he could.

The king then made his way towards where they stood and for just a moment he held his daughter's other hand with something like encouragement and then nodded at her before the princess looked back at him and yanked her hand hard from him that she almost fell but her husband having been holding her other hand was quick to catch her from falling and for the first time since they were pronounced married they looked at each other as their eyes met and held for a moment with each of them lost in their own thoughts. The man was mesmerized by the beauty of the woman in his arms while the girl stared back at him with wide eyes as she didn't even know what to think.

He finally cleared his throat and helped steady her back to her feet while she looked down at her hands embarrassed that she tripped right before her new 'husband' even before they could set foot out of her previous home. Sensing her uneasiness,he cleared his throat once again and showed her the way as he met her gaze for the second time that night and

"Shall we, please?" he said and she nodded before she took the lead and they headed to the carriage that was waiting for them to take them back to his kingdom as the newly Weds.

When they reached the carriage, the man offered her his hand and she took it though slightly hesitant before she climbed up into the carriage and he followed suit after he had managed to support her to get inside first. They sat on opposite sides of the carriage and did not say much for the long journey until they were just about to reach their destination that the girl asked the first question meanwhile the man had been stealing small glances at her every now and then but without a single word. He was glad he didn't get caught in the act though.

"Your highness,.." she called after she had cleared her throat and he looked her way without a word. " how far is your kingdom from my...I mean..Marlize?" she asked hesitantly. It seemed to him it wasn't the very question she had originally wanted to ask but he answered none the less.

"A day's travel" he answered curtly not knowing how to steer the conversation ahead.

"W--what is your name, your highness?" she stammered and he watched her as he answered.

"Darius" he answered simply, still one word! Oh my God,he couldn't believe he was so bad at this!.

"Your highness, do you...?"

"Darius" he cut her off. " You may call me Darius if you like when no body is around" he concluded and for the first time she looked at him but he couldn't read her expression as she watched his face but said no more. He suddenly remembered her angrily yanking her hand from her father and he felt the urgent need to apologise not knowing why. " I...am sorry... I didn't mean to sound like that.." he growled the apology sounding strange on his lips as he wasn't used to giving apologies. He never gave or accepted an apology. There were always consequences for one's actions and there was no absolute room for apology in his kingdom. He didn't even know why he suddenly said it but then again there was no rule about someone nearly shouting at their wives to either be executed or lashed but he didn't want to scare her more than the obvious that she must have already been scared of. But she didn't reply, she just stared at him and didn't even say what she had been planning to ask him just a moment ago. It seemed she had changed her mind and decided to keep it to herself something that troubled him just a bit. What had she been planning ask? He tried to figure it out but he couldn't. He finally gave up and just scolded himself in his mind.

'Stop it Darius. She is a woman and your wife at that. There is no need for you to talk like you are talking to the army or something.' he scolded but it was too late as the woman on the other side of the carriage had gone completely mute and was just silently watching him now and not so long later,he discovered he didn't like her silence at all but there was no one to blame but himself.

Maria stared at the man,her husband. Darius! he had told her his name was Darius. It seemed he didn't like a lot of questions being thrown at him from her and he almost shouted not a long while ago. She wondered what must have irritated him. Could it be that she was really talking too much? She had been just trying to reduce on the uncomfortable silence in the carriage where she now sat in the same situation with him. And what would be the consequences if she even made him angry? She didn't want to think farther about that because it already brought goose flesh upon her skin just at the mere thought of him punishing her.she didn't want to show a lot of fear towards him though,not even for his intimidating looks. She had decided deep within herself not to be too obedient and lower her head to him lest he completely takes control over her every part of body and soul.

She watched his scary face. He had three scars across his face. Maria had never seen anyone so scarred to that extent. One was on his left jaw running a long way down as almost completing his whole cheek while another one ran from his left eye along his nose and down towards his upper lip,yet another one rested right under his lower lip crossing his whole chin. Maria couldn't imagine what must have happened to bruise him that much. Did he encounter a jaguar in one of his battles? Maria had heard about jaguars and their being the most superior animals on Earth,but she hadn't yet heard of the existence of one to current date. Yet considering how hard to fight and how fierce and merciless he was known to be,he as well could have fought one. In Maria's mind, there was completely no one other creature that could hurt such a mighty man of swordsmanship to that extent. Her thoughts were pulled back to where she was at the sound of someone announcing that they had arrived and when she stared at him,he was staring back at her without a word but there was the slightest flicker of something in his eyes. Something she couldn't understand and when she got up from her seat,he went down the carriage first before he offered her his hand to help her down.

The woman finally took his hand and Darius gently guided her off the carriage. He didn't let go of her hand though,he still clung to her even as she was down on the ground and just led her towards the huge gate that led inside his palace. She didn't seem to hesitate in her movements as she had done back at her palace home and that was a relief to him because he wouldn't know how to face the queen mother if he brought along a stiff woman that just looked like she wanted to go back home as soon as possible. He kept holding her hand as he led her through the palace corridors but he couldn't feel her holding back his hand as well. He didn't mind it so much though,no sane person would ever have dreamed of holding his hand like that even in their wildest dreams so it wasn't so shocking to him as he already expected it. But he had to hold her hand and put up a show in front of queen mother and show that there was 'affection' between them lest the old woman sends the girl home away from him and also he never got an answer from her to his earlier apology or even the question she had intended to ask him about, so he decided to just hold her hand. Maybe in the least of hopes that could reassure her that he wasn't that bad as she had got him earlier,not to mention the warm company of her hand in his felt like something he had needed in so long..so he decided to just hold on to her much as she didn't seem to approve of it. Maybe he would apologize later,but he needed this right now.