Chapter Three

"I had a blanket laid out under the stars, candles lit all around us." He said as tears started welling up in my eyes and fell down my cheeks. "We made love under the stars and I asked you to marry me. Do you remember?"

"Of course I remember."

"You were my fiancé first. You were mine first." He said and pulled me into an embrace. "I came to meet you the next day just like we promised and that's when I was taken away. I was beaten so badly, tortured all day…I was sure you wouldn't love a broken man."

"Aidan I don't…I wouldn't have cared." I said as I buried my face in his chest.

"I couldn't take that chance Ari. I had to get right before I could find you. I had to get stronger, smarter, more powerful so no one would dare to tear us apart again."

"I was damaged too." I said as tears continued to gush out. "But that doesn't mean no one will love us because of it."

"I'm glad you think that, but I never saw you as damaged. Our days together, our perfect night, the memory of us under the trees – the noises you made, seeing your body under mine, feeling your skin brush against mine, that was all I needed to keep going."

"I-I thought you left…I was so angry and lonely. T-there is so much swirling around in my-my head."

"It's ok." He said and kissed the top of my head. "I-I don't expect anything of you, I just want you here."

He held me until I finished crying and could talk again.

"I heard about the girls that looked like me t-that disappeared…" I couldn't finish my question, did I want to know what happened to them?

"I was looking for you. I've always been looking for you. Once they were brought here and they weren't you we helped them resettle."

"Re-resettle?" I asked and pulled away.

"Most weren't from great families or in great situations in Cordona and choose to stay in Southern Britania where the war hasn't reached. We set them up with temporary lodging and places to work to get them started."

"So you didn't…with them?" I asked and he chuckled.

"Are you worried I slept with them?" He asked. My face lit up red like a tomato.

"N-no!" I said and shook my head.

"I've…had my share of indiscretions over the years Ari, trying not to be lonely, not to miss you so damn much." He cups my cheek and goes in to kiss me. It catches me off guard and I put my arms in between us to push him away.

"Don't push me away…please." He said. He leaned forward and rested his forehead on mine.

"I-I need to learn to trust you again." I say.

"I can understand that…right now I just want to hold you, like this." He said as he tightened his grip on me.

"Ok." I say and tentatively hug him back.

"You smell exactly as I remember…I've dreamt of finding you again, our first night together."

"U-um." I say, my face heating up again.

"N-not that-I mean I don't expect to be intimate right away b-but we will be married…some day. You will be my wife and completely mine."

There was a knock at the door and I heard it open. One of the guards told him that he was needed.

"I have to go but I'll be back. There will be two men guarding your door so you don't have to worry, you're safe here." He kissed the top of my head before he left. Then I was alone again.