Second Thoughts in Marriage

"Ah, she's very persistent, I have to give it to her." He said, patting her on the back.

Lord Eros pinned her down with his stare and he ruffled her hair and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, "Silly girl, I just don't need some human wife. You just revived me, and know I'm 1000 years old."

A gasp escaped her lips and he laughed at that, "Since you're persistent, Since you're the only one who attempted to come to me, then you have a reservation. Come find me when you're older. When you're ready."

He then clapped his hand and before she knew it, she found herself back in her room in the palace sitting on her bed.

She looked down to see that she was still in her dress from earlier. This means the night banquet is going to start at eight in the evening. Has she only been gone for an hour? But it felt long though…

The door opened and Vita, her maid, showed up.

"Your highness, where have you been? I was looking for you everywhere!" She heard her maid asking.

She blinked, her mind still hungover from the recent mini-adventure from the cave that she almost forgot about what is happening in the palace.

"Oh, just around…" she trailed off.

"Well, we need to hurry and prepare for the welcoming banquet to your suitors! You're going to be late now!" She panicky said, then noticed her dirty dress and smelled her.

She looked at her up and down then scrunched her face in disgust, "Did you…bath yourself with a dog's poo? No way can we go to the hall like this. Let's get you cleaned up first, shall we?"

LORD EROS POV

Throw me to the wolves and I'll come back leading the pack.

It has been such a curse to live in such a world. Everywhere I looked it was status, status. People looked up at others in envy and down on others in scorn. Nobles would get their heads high up in the sky and take advantage of their power. When I was younger, I told myself I would never be like them. But as I grew older, the person I feared most was the one I saw in the mirror every day.

Weak mean created strong men strong men create vulnerable men

They say people make their own choices, Ironically, I never got that chance. I always knew one day I'd be stabbed in the back, but I had no idea I'd be the one holding the dagger.

And after sleeping for 1000 years and being revived by a lady who shares the same face as my past woman, I felt something inside me awakened.

I looked at my hand and produced my elemental power, fire. I smirked, missing how I once was the greatest dark mage last millennium.

"I promise, you'll need her soon enough." Spoke up to my twin Anteros who was smirking, "I didn't expect that she would be that interesting."

I glared at him, "Quit with that, brother. If you like her, then marry her yourself."

"But it's you that she wants." He said, "and I like to see you getting riled up like this. No woman could make you this way except Roslyn-"

I stared at him deadpan, "Don't. Mention. Her. Name."

He raised his hands up in surrender, "Alright, alright. Sleeping for a thousand years might have really taken a toll on you."

I scoffed, "What took you so long to revive me?"

He sighed, patting me on the back to console me, "I tried hard brother, but in every decade, I couldn't find the rare type of power, a spirit one, you once were seeking."

Yes...that lady…I sensed it too. Like what Anteros is saying, her power is overflowing.

What bothers me the most is how could the rare type of elemental magic, the spirit one, is owned by a delicate young lady like her?

That power would just be a waste if she won't use it well.

Then I remembered my past…how my spell backfired and instead of Turning back time, I failed because of how that spirit magic wasn't mine…

I thought about my woman. Roslyn…

"If only I could have her power in the past, then I could have turned back time and maybe my Roslyn was alive."

Anteros sighed, "Cheer up brother. You're in the future. And you're alive again, that's what's important. You just have to do what you want now."

I looked at him, asking the question that bothered me "How did you manage to be alive all these years, Anteros?"

He smiled smugly, "Hehe, of course, I had some spells here and there. I'm not your twin for nothing! If you're the greatest mage, then I should be too." He said, "Well, you missed a lot while you were sleeping, it's time for you to roam around the kingdom."

I nodded, "I need to look around and see what I have missed. I'll also plan my revenge on King Augustus."

He looked at me, "Let me remind you brother, I know your anger is still buried inside you, but how can you get your revenge when he's already dead?"

I smirked, "It's easy of course. I'll seek it to his descendants."

"Okay, now what are you waiting for, let's travel to Nighthelm." He offered, "I tried to maintain that place and paid an earl. It is still under our name."

I patted his back, "Good. I know I can trust you." Seeing my brother remain alive despite all these centuries made me feel better. I know I can trust my life to him.

As soon as we walk, I felt like my heart was being trapped in a cell, with no key to open it. The cell was slowly reducing, entrapping me and restraining my ability to breathe.

Anteros noticed my discomfort and asked, "What happened brother?"

"My heart…" I managed to croak out, feeling like I was slowly dying.

Anteros shook his head "I knew it. That must be the side effect you'll have to pay. You need to be with Princess Asteria or else your heart will stop."

I looked at him angrily, "Why didn't you tell me so?"

He shrugged and showed the Book of Ardis to me, "That was one of the conditions in the book. I read it carefully and since Prince Asteria stole it herself, she mustn't have read this part too…none of you don't know this."

I cursed under my breath, "So I'm entrapped like this forever?

"Yes, until you go to her."

I heaved a sigh and gritted my teeth. Really? With that my nemesis's descendant, I'm tied with her like this?

What's the use of living again f I have to meet all the conditions like a dog on a leash? I'm Lord Eros, I make the rules. I tell whether or not something happens. And this following these rules bothers me so much that I feel like exploding.

I instantly grabbed the book of Ardis from Anteros, made a fire, and burned the whole page.

Anteros gasped, "Oh no! Brother! You need that!"

"Not anymore. I don't need someone telling me what to do. I don't need this stupid book."

He looked at me with a disappointed expression, "You'll regret that I promise. Now keep being stubborn and let yourself endure all the pain, brother." He said, teasing me.

I just disregarded his talks and started to leave the cave. "Let's go.."