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Realistic or Modern Night’s Embrace | Private |

(It is fun writing a more vulnerable side to him, makes him more cute!)

Emory looked up to Rose as she had spoken, breaking temporarily through the guilt that had settled within his chest, though that caused him to narrow his eyes ever so slightly at her in response, granted it wasn't as if he was offended of course. Her tease was enough to cause a sigh to leave his lips as he turned his attention back to the crying woman currently clinging to him like a lifeline, awkwardly beginning to ruffle the hair atop her head where his calloused hand was resting. Am I... doing this right? He wasn't sure if his touch would bring much comfort to her, though he'd observed in his early childhood years; the former Lord May would do such an action to his half-siblings when they were upset. It was a distant, foggy memory but it seemed to only cause Viola to hold him tighter in response, making the young lord wince slightly. He certainly wasn't used to being held so tightly, tingles of discomfort flowing through him as he breathed, "A... bit too tight." After all, baby steps. He wasn't comfortable too yet with just anyone holding him or touching him, and as soon as those words were spoken, Viola had abruptly released him from her bear hug, allowing Emory some relief from the crawling discomfort that was making his skin prickle with unease.

He looked down at the maid who was hastily trying to brush away the tear streaks down her face, sniffling pitifully like a lost child. Through hiccupping breaths, her sentences were becoming more coherent thankfully, "I apologize, Lord May, b-but... at the very least don't disappear so suddenly. I was worried sick!" Her brown eyes, red from her tears had finally looked up at the young man, relief fully reflected in the depths of the warm brown, her hands clasping before her as if to restrain herself from embracing the man again, it was enough to make Emory's expression thaw slightly, even if his expression seemed rather uneasy as he wasn't sure what to say. What could he possibly say to her? That he was "sorry"? That he wouldn't do that again? His golden eyes shifted toward the kitchen, seeing Rose just as she had entered the dining hall with fresh tea. That was right, he couldn't promise anything to either of them. Guilt settled deeper within his chest, a sickening feeling that made his expression darken slightly, the change not going unnoticed by Viola in which the maid's face grew concerned once more, "Lord May?"

Emory turned his attention fully toward her again, forcing his expression to relax once more. More lies to tell it seemed. "I'm sorry, I'll make sure I'll stay in contact when I can." If it was to put the woman before him at ease, he would do so, and the guilt had subsided slightly as Viola had relaxed, a sigh leaving her lips as her shoulders sagged, like a great weight had fallen away. "I'll keep you to that promise, my lord. But, how are you doing? From what I last heard you were.." She trailed off, looking over him for any changes, as if he was fit to collapse at any second which made Emory shake his head at her, feeling a bit uncomfortable under her close scrutiny, "I assure you, I'm quite alright. There's nothing for you to worry about." A half-truth, but it would have to do for now. After all, he wasn't sure how he could go about breaking the news of his unusual new ability just yet; not until he understood just what was going on with himself.

This seemed to placate the maid further, a faint smile once more touching her face, though she would not pry, he knew her well enough by now that she would not push him for more answers than necessary, instead contenting herself that he was safe and sound. A flicker of alarm soon would cross her face however, the maid appearing to realize that she'd not prepared breakfast yet in which case she bowed hastily to a rather bewildered Emory, "E-excuse me, Lord May." Before he could get in a word, the woman was already speeding off toward the kitchen, leaving Emory to hear the hasty sound of clattering pots from within the kitchen itself. A sigh left past his lips as he turned on his heel toward the dining hall, only once he was near Rose had he spoken, "That... went somewhat better than I thought it would." He wasn't actually sure what he was expecting, but he certainly wasn't expecting that.
 
he honestly is adorable at the current moment in time lol))

Rose removed the teacups from the tray that she carried into the dining hall after she placed it down onto the table. Her movements were slow and it seemed as though the expression she wore while Emory had been away returning once again. The light that worked on returning to her eyes once more faded from the exhaustion she was feeling again. Her skin was still tinted pale in the bright light streaming in through the large windows located on the walls surrounding them. She wished that she could get this weight from her shoulders, but it was something she couldn’t break from. Her mind was telling her that she would have to get more rest to feel better, but the worry about nightmares would only return at the idea of getting any extra sleep. Then came along her physical exhaustion. She did her best to keep her movements slow to help calm the shakiness that she had to her actions. She needed to gather her strength once more. It seemed time would only help her.

She set out to make two cups of tea, one for Emory and one for herself. She knew the way the young lord liked his. She assumed it would be a nice thing for him to return to once Viola stopped holding onto him as though he would disappear from thin air. One corner of her lips tugged upward at the site. She focused her attention fully onto the tea once again. She set his cup in front of the usual spot in which he sat before. She then prepared her own. She soon settled into her own seat, bringing the cup to her lips. She sipped at the hot liquid. It burned her throat as it went down, but was oddly soothing at the same time. She only lifted her gaze when she heard the familiar footsteps of Emory approaching her. She placed her cup down as she watched him.

“She truly was terrified for you. She was frantic the first day I was back. I believe that she thought I might’ve been dead as well. I didn’t receive as much of a scolding as you did, but I know she truly cares for you Emory. You have more of a support system than you think you do.” Her words were gentle. It was clear that her fatigue overtook the happiness she had been feeling before. She was still trying her hardest to keep that front, but the way in which she leaned back against her chair with her eyes partly closed betrayed her. “It might take her a little to prepare breakfast. I haven’t been eating it as consistently as I should these past few days. I normally just wake, grab tea, and begin to work.” She slowly explained. She figured she would break the news of her bad habits one at a time to the other male in an effort to not worry him any.

“I looked through the library for any books on magic and Avrune. There wasn’t much, but I did keep notes of everything that I could find. Most of it didn’t make sense. I can bring them to you later if you wish to look them over.” She offered, immediately working to change the subject away from herself back to the important matter at hand. She had lost track of the hours she spent in the library; eyes glazed over as she skimmed through the books. The young lord had been her driving motivation. She originally looked for anything that might tell her how to help him. When she found nothing on the matter, she broadened her search to anything about magic. Much of what she found were local lore, but there had been some information on Avrune. Everything she found was very interesting. The people generally seemed to be kind and nothing like the mage. She only hoped they would respond to the letter she sent with a willingness to help.
 
As he stepped into the dining hall, it was not lost on him the way Rose was moving. Slow, methodical and almost careful movements, not akin to when she was energetic and lively. The skin around his eyes tightened as his eyes narrowed in the beginnings of frowning, a dark cloud coming immediately over him. Had she worked herself to exhaustion in his absence? Was she about to be ill again? His teeth clenched, nicking the side of his mouth, drawing blood, a painful sensation although he paid no heed to it as his attention was forced to drift to the tea she had placed upon the dining room table, freshly made. Why hadn't he noticed it sooner? Well, it wasn't like he had ignored it, she wasn't in the best shape prior to when he sent her away to the mansion, but perhaps he'd put too much on her. Was he driving her to exhaustion? The surge of guilt that had been within his chest had threatened to rise up in his chest, choking him. He should be far more capable, far more stronger. He wasn't good enough yet. But when had he ever been "good enough"? The pale gold of his eyes dimmed slightly, but his expression gave little away from what thoughts were brewing behind his now icy exterior.

Her words only got a faint response from the man, although his previous mood would have made him a lot more receptive, perhaps would have agreed that perhaps he'd overlooked the people that did care about him... as few in number as they were. As he sat across from her, he scanned over her features, exhaustion as plain as day to him despite her attempting to hide it. Why are you trying to hide it from me? If anything, hiding it made the guilt and worry strengthen, though his expression grew more serious and grave as she begun to explain her bad habits she was beginning to form, in response Emory had leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms across his chest; clearly not pleased. How could he be anything else but concerned and slightly angry? Both of them knew how susceptible she was to illness. What if she had fallen ill by the time he came back? What if it had taken him longer to get home and she'd... He didn't want to finish that thought. Even entertaining the thought of a world without her; regardless on if he were at her side or not... it made his heart feel like it was tearing apart. An uneasy silence now had settled from him as he stared at her, though the message was clear enough that he wasn't happy with what he was hearing; nonetheless it didn't seem he was angry enough to yell at her again... at least not yet.

His silence persisted as she had went on to explain that she'd tried researching about his condition, though he knew well enough she probably wouldn't have found much. It wasn't as if Erista had much if any books on Avrune as the other continent had closed itself off from foreigners for many, many centuries. Any books on the subject would be folklore, or sketchy documentation, and even as impressive as the library was in its information, any documentation on Avrune wouldn't be readily available to be helpful. No, if anything the only answers they could receive would be from the people themselves, and that was something Emory wasn't even sure they could even get their hands on. "There's no need, I can look over them myself." His posture had thawed slightly, gaze now settled upon the steaming cup of tea before him as he was lost in thought. Eventually, this silence would be broken by him inevitably scolding her himself.

"But, that aside, you should have been taking better care of yourself in my absence," The pale gold of his eyes were stern as he looked at Rose, eyebrows furrowing in the familiar signs of displeasure, "Driving yourself to the point of exhaustion is something you cannot afford to do, especially considering how easy you can become ill. I expect you to rest after this, I'm not taking 'no' for an answer." There was no negotiation, no allowing her to twist him around her finger to allow her to push herself more. It all came from a place of genuine concern, of affection for her... even if he probably would become overbearing, he didn't want to go through fearing if she was dying on him again, as he was sure she felt the same about him. His facial expression had relaxed slightly, the fierce edge of anger had faded as he closed his eyes, shaking his head at her, "Though, I do appreciate you researching further on my behalf. Thank you." He needed to at least show his appreciation for her, he certainly wasn't ungrateful. Any information at all would benefit him, and he knew she had his best interests at heart.
 
The shift in the mood surrounding them was easy for anyone to see, especially Rose. She immediately scolded herself for allowing how she was feeling to be so readily known. She knew she had done well at hiding it so far and it had been easing Emory’s mind. How could she be so careless to allow it to slip? She kept her gaze focused on the cup of tea sitting in front of her then, hoping that he might let it go, that he might just trust her to deal with it herself. It wasn’t as if she was completely helpless. She managed to survive long enough in the terrible conditions she had while being wed to Blaine. This was nothing compared to that. She drew her hands back to rest carefully in her laps, fingers intertwining with one another. The silence from the other male confirmed just how upset he currently was with what he had heard.

She bit her bottom lip gently then, eyebrows furrowing slightly. She felt terrible for having upset him in the way she did. She truly wanted for them to begin to move forward from everything that happened, even if it plagued her every step. It was almost as though she was being haunted by her actions. She had raked through them in her mind, going over each moment multiple times. There was so much that she could’ve done different. If she had, Emory would’ve never had to fight the mage and Ludovic might not be dead. Everything that had happened was her own fault. She had been in the mindset of pushing herself to make it better, to make up for what she had done. While Emory didn’t seem to let it be known, she was sure the other male understood that she was to blame for a decent portion of what had occurred.

Her own guilt was enough to crush her. It was a dark, swirling pit that sat deep in her chest. It grew day by day, nightmare by nightmare. No matter how hard she tried to shove it off and act as though it didn’t bother her, she truly couldn’t. A flash of pain came to her face, though it was short-lived as she forced herself to look up to Emory when he inevitably began to scold her. “I have tried Emory, truly. I have tried to rest, to get myself back to strength. Yet no matter how hard I try, I can’t.” Her words were quieter. The trip her fingers had on one another tightened even more. The slight pain from it was an odd comfort. “Every time that I close my eyes I see what I did. I see the consequences from my own actions.” She couldn’t elaborate more on it, shaking her head lightly with a soft frown. She allowed for her hands to separate. She brought her right one up to grab the cup of tea. She took a few sips from it before placing it back down.

“I want to sleep. It isn’t as though I have been avoiding it. The only reason I am struggling with it is due to the nightmares. Emory, I would never avoid caring for myself. But I will rest, if it eases your mind more. I am sorry for not taking proper care of myself in your absence.” She confessed. There was no reason to fight back against what he was saying. He only did it because he was worried for her, which was more than she could say about anyone else. “You are welcome. I do not know if it will be of any help, but I wanted to at least have something. I hate being underprepared and the situation with Freycrest showed me just how little control I actually have.” She mused, forcing a weak smile to her lips. She met his gaze for the first time since he scolded her.
 
As Rose began to speak, Emory was silent and listened to her trying to explain herself. However, his expression had darkened further as she had explained she was having nightmares. He was such a fool; who wouldn't have nightmares if one wasn't accustomed to seeing death? Of course, he felt the urge to rip into her for even going to Freycrest in the first place, knowing full well that this was to be the result. He'd never want her to view death and blood, things that he was used to, things that he struggled to separate himself from... but probably never would. She had been sheltered for most of her life, born in a position where she would never be exposed to gruesome and horrid sights; things that he'd experienced on a daily basis, things that still haunted him even now. But, he had already scolded her, and he knew that she was well aware of his feelings on the matter. A heavy sigh left his lips in response, lowering his gaze to settle on the cup of tea before him.

She should have never sought me out. But, there was nothing to be done. She was already here, he could not go back in time and prevent her from going to Freycrest, to see him in the state he had been. And it wasn't as if he would have ever prevented Blaine for sending her to him; but it made him wonder... was being around him doing her more harm than good? No, he would not entertain that thought. Not right now. For now, he needed to solve a problem, but he wasn't even sure how to address her nightmares. He sure as hell wasn't going to give her his unused medicine from the Black Market, that wasn't a healthy alternative. So, how? How could he fix this? Clearly, the man was lost in thought, for he'd not noticed her gaze upon him for quite awhile, the silence stretching between them was once again heavy.

"There is no point in blaming yourself now, as difficult as that maybe. What is done, is done." He finally broke the silence, speaking of course on his own experiences of course. Emory was no stranger to guilt, to blaming himself, nor was he a stranger to nightmares. Ludovic would never come back, and his twin... Emory's expression darkened further. That was right, Leofstan wouldn't be back either. But, did the man feel guilty over that? No. He didn't, but he wouldn't allow Rose to know. It was enough that she saw such a horrid side to him already, Leofstan had enabled Rose to be put in danger, and furthermore his lies had nearly as a result killed her as well as kill his brother. If anything, the death was well deserved, no matter if Leofstan's heart had been in the right place; though he recalled quite well that the sentry did not beg for his life, merely being resigned to his fate. Probably, the man thought he was atoning for his blunder - the fool. Remembering the moment put a sour taste in Emory's mouth, shaking his head as if the movements could possibly make him shake away the new death he was responsible for.

"...Would me sleeping with you help?" The question, poorly worded had left Emory's lips before he could truly consider it. After all, disregarding the deaths of Leofstan and Ludovic, he was recalling that Rose being at his side prior to her leaving Freycrest had put him at ease, and if she truly didn't mind his presence, then perhaps that would be a comfort to her. Of course, only a few seconds after he'd spoken, a tinge of pink had settled across his cheeks as he swiftly tried to explain himself, "I-If I'm at your side, would that put you at ease? Of course n-not like-" He stumbled over his words, embarrassment surging in him. Ah, he was making a fool of himself in front of her. His eyes settled upon the cup before him again, suddenly a lot more interested in drinking from it as he could no longer look at her directly again. How embarrassing indeed, but the offer was certainly from a place of desiring to help, and certainly not expected from the young lord. He wasn't sure what else he could do to set her at ease, and considering how he was trying to get used to touch again, it certainly seemed like a sudden leap. But, then again, it showed that he trusted her; and he wasn't too upset at her at the moment. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made the offer in the first place.
 
Rose never liked silence. It had been something bothered her even as a child. There was always a heavy sense to it as well as an awkwardness she couldn’t place. Her feelings on it stood firm, especially in this moment. It reminded her all too much of the quiet air between them when she had finally awoken after her journey to Freycrest the week prior. Her fingers curled into her palms at the thought, nails digging into the delicate skin. She didn’t notice the pain from it, nor would she have cared. Small things such as that were a welcome relief from the thoughts swirling in her mind. Her eyes studied him for any reaction to her words, any hint at to what he might be thinking at the current moment in time. The only thing she noticed was the darkening of his expression, which worried her more than she would like to admit. She wouldn’t be surprised if he began to scold her once more for everything she had done.

Yet, another round of scolding didn’t come. Instead he offered a reassuring phrase. She blinked, surprise flashing across her expression. She quickly realized such and forced herself to soften it once more. She turned her head away from a moment to glance around the room. There was still sounds of movement coming from within the kitchen, though she was sure Viola would be listening in on their conversation. She didn’t mind it one but. The maid was already aware of the issues plaguing her at the current moment in time. She looked back at him then, her own sigh escaping her lips. “I know.” She confessed in the same soft tone she preferred to use. She wished it were as easy as he made it appear to be. She would do anything to get rid of what she had seen, though she would’ve still wanted to do what she had to help Emory.

“It is just hard to push the images from my mind, especially what occurred in Freycrest. If I hadn’t been captivated by the mage and that damned mask, the creature wouldn’t have been released. We probably would’ve been able to make it back to the hideaway in one piece.” She confessed. She needed to talk through it. She couldn’t stay silent any longer. Despite his reassurance, the blame still fell on her. “It is stupid for me to continuously be blaming myself for it, but I do not know if I will ever truly forgive myself.” She added, shaking her head as she leaned forward in her chair. She rested her elbows carefully on the table in front of her, seeming very interested in the cup of tea that sat partly empty now. “But I will work on not letting it affect me as much. I believe the small steps will help me resolve it.”

She reached forward to grab the cup once more, bringing it to her lips. She shifted her gaze back towards the young lord who sat across from her. She raised an eyebrow slightly as he began to speak, keeping the cup at her lips. The way in which he fumbled over his words and the original offer she made caused a smile to slowly creep onto her face. She placed the cup back on the table before tilting her head. “I understood what you meant with your first comment,” She assured, pausing to consider the idea. She knew that Emory’s presence always helped her relax. It was displayed earlier when the two of them were together in the office, bodies pressed against one another. Her mind had been completely off of what she experienced and was focused solely on the other male. “I believe that would help. Thank you Emory, truly.” Her expression softened once again, the ghost of a smile still on her face.
 
Emory's pink-tinged face had faded as he forced his mind to fixate instead on her words, though knowing full well how she felt. But, at the very least, her last words in her working on it not affecting her as much had made him relax only slightly. At least she had the right idea moving forward, even if he himself couldn't give her advice. No, he couldn't help her at all, not when he was still drowning in his own past still. However, being as truthful with her as possible would perhaps at least be good for her, even if it revealed some more darkness within his own heart. "...You probably never will be able to forgive yourself for it," Honest words, blunt and to the point, as Emory wasn't the "comforting" or "sugar-coating" type. The darkness to his eyes had settled in once more, "But, at least you have the right idea about moving forward from here. It'll be difficult, but I believe you can overcome it eventually." Besides, it wasn't as if he was holding it against her, he could not foster a grudge against Rose... right? The thought was a foreign one, one that he wouldn't allow himself to hold onto. Of course he would never be able to hold a grudge against her. Plus, Rose was not like him, no. She was far different from him, far more pure than one such as he. She had the strength that he did not, while he... no, no more thinking.

Her reassurance regarding his offer had made the man visibly relax, interrupting the turmoil within his mind as his relief filtered through his expression for the fraction of a few seconds. A smile had once more been reclaimed upon her face, even if it was very faint. Good, she needed to remain happy, for what use was he if he couldn't keep a smile on her face? Not that he was the most cheerful or optimistic person out there... it truly did make him wonder what in the world she saw in him? Even if Rose had expressed why she would remain at his side before, he still didn't completely believe her. Not that at this moment it mattered, there was no need for him to linger on his thoughts and no need for her to view more sides of him at this moment in time. As long as she was happy, he was happy, that was all that mattered to him.

He shook his head at her quickly, avoiding her gaze although being slightly flustered still, "There is no need to thank me." After all, what else could he do? This was all he could do for her, he wasn't the most... emotional person, and perhaps his attempts at putting her mind at ease were rough and a bit callous, but he was trying his best. Of course, Emory wasn't thinking about how difficult it would be for him to relax if he were to lay next to her, though he would have to deal with that later... Ah, but before that he should probably explain his current condition, shouldn't he? After all, it would not do if he kept her in the dark for much longer, and perhaps more caution needed to be put in place before-

Emory's spinning thoughts ceased as the clattering from the kitchen had came to a halt and the smell of fresh food wafted on the air, drawing his attention to Viola as the maid had hurried in with their finished breakfast, placing the silver platters before Emory and Rose and performing a swift curtsey as she as usual was swift to exit, without a doubt going to tidy up the kitchen as well as the other empty rooms within the mansion. Emory's eyes shifted to the platter of food before him, although it certainly smelled good... his stomach wasn't twisting in hunger like it probably should be, after all he'd not eaten much in his pursuit of the mage, so his stomach had been empty. Now that he thought about it, he didn't really taste the tea he was sipping on, nor had he felt any sensation of heat either despite it being quite hot. Mutations, I suppose... The mage's term for it ringing in his mind as he brushed the thought aside just as quickly, experimentally beginning to eat... though much to his alarm and disappointment there was no flavor. It felt as if he were eating nothing, unusual indeed considering Viola's food was always delicious, but... there was not much that could be done about that, now could it? Without flavor, it felt as if there was nothing but mush in his mouth, tasteless and as he swallowed, his stomach felt.. empty, as if he'd not eaten it at all. Strange.

Emory's expression had turned blank as he stared down at the platter of food before him, obviously thinking once more, his eyebrows beginning to furrow, though realizing his expression had changed, the man quickly regained his composure and continued to eat, though again feeling like nothing was being consumed at all. "Rose," He finally spoke after a few moments of silence, his expression hesitant almost as he looked up at her, a tinge of unease in his expression, "About the mage, I.." Where would he begin? How was he to explain properly, should he just show her? But, that in itself could be dangerous. A frown settled upon his face then, his fingers tapping against the table top in a nervous beat.
 
Rose knew his words to be true, even if they did sting slightly to hear. Emory had more experience in this matter than she ever would. He had been through incredible terrible things and had done some horrible things in return. His advice in this situation was needed and appreciated. “I hope that I will be able to. The distractions these past few days helped, but I know I cannot push it off forever.” She explained. Burying herself in Emory’s usual work had done wonders at keeping her mind off of what she experienced. She understood why he would force himself to work continuously then. She could recall Leofstan telling her that it had been rare for Emory to take a break before she came along. She now knew why. It brought forth even more sympathy for the man that she loved so dearly now. She bit the inside of her cheek, thinking of how to approach her next statement.

“You deserve to move past what you have experienced as well. I know you do not speak much on the matter and I cannot fathom what you have been through. All I know is you have experienced tremendous pain Emory. Please try to work on overcoming it.” Her words dripped with care for the young lord. She slowly reached a hand across the table like she had done before, pinky finger extended. “I propose we make a promise to each other to try and heal. I do not mind if you wish to do so alone. You do not have to speak to me about it. Just know that I will always be here for you if you wish to talk through it.” She assured. There was a faint glimmer in her eyes at that moment. The longer she spent around him again, the more there were glimpses of how she had been before. She supposed it would just take time for her to be able to return to how she had been. She was more than willing to wait it out.

She slowly withdrew her hand as Viola stepped out from the kitchen with the platters of food for them, her mouth open to respond to his words about her thanking him. She shut it as The familiar scent drifted to her nose, causing her stomach to grumble quietly. She hadn’t realized just how hungry she had been until she smelt the food. Despite her stomach still not used to consuming normal amounts, she would force herself to eat more. It was a small step in beginning to return to how she had been before. Each step was a welcome one in progress. “I thought you would be used to my gratitude by now. I have lost count of how many times I have thanked you for everything you have done for me. Yet each time you tell me there is no need to.” She clicked her tongue gently, the familiar teasing tone hinting with her words. She reached a hand to grab her fork before she slowly began to eat. Everything tasted just as wonderful as it normally would.

After swallowing what was in her mouth, she cleared her throat gently. “I know this is probably a terrible time to mention it, but I was wondering if you would still be willing to help me learn how to use a sword. I did tidy up the old armory and training grounds when you were away before. I am sure you are still healing, but even just some direction would be helpful. I believe learning how to protect myself is rather important now.” She confessed, her words rambling on in the way they used to. Her experience with the mage only proved how unskilled she was in those types of situations. Despite knowing how to shoot a bow, she would be useless when it came to hand-to-hand combat. Determination was flaring in her stomach at the idea of being able to protect herself in such a way.

She took another forkful of food as she waited his response, though the air between them shifted once again. She blinked in some concern as she gazed at him. There was a nervous energy to him; that much was evident with the thumping of his fingers on the table. She recognized that habit. “What about the mage?” She inquired. She had completely forgotten to ask about how the fight had gone. She assumed the man might’ve been killed since Emory was here alive. The words of the mage echoed in her mind though. Enlightened one… Would the mage have spread Emory due to the fact that supposedly magic now flowed through his veins?
 
Prickles of uneasiness settled deep in Emory's heart as Rose referred to his past, his jaw clenching slightly. Work through the pain? Overcoming it? He may be strong in body, but in mind... Of course, he would never express this out loud, having already shared more than he'd wanted with Rose before regarding his tainted childhood. Rose had more of a chance than he in regards to healing, he could probably never get over it. No, he was certain, the more he bloodied his hands, the longer he would be forced to drown in his burdens until death would claim him sooner or later; or his mind broke. But, for now he was stable, for now he could take it. Pain he was not a stranger to, so he would silently carry his burden and not allow Rose further entry into his disgusting world, if only to protect her from what he was. Perhaps he was deceiving her even now? A perfect gentleman... how funny. He was the furthest thing from a gentleman and yet he clung to Rose as if his life depended on it. Her outheld pinky finger would go unlinked this time. He... couldn't promise her that; for he knew that would be a promise he would break over and over again for as long as he may live.

These dark thoughts would temper and fade as he allowed Rose to continue to speak, his silence being uneasy regarding her first words; the darkness in his eyes evident that he probably wouldn't touch the matter unless he had no other choice. Of course, it had faded as she begun to speak on other matters, touching upon the gratitude she felt toward him in which once more his face had tinged with red as he shook his head at her, "Because there truly is no need for you to show gratitude." He wasn't used to being expressed any sort of gratefulness, still used to others treating him either as dirt beneath one's heel, or looked upon with fear and disgust. Emory couldn't help himself from responding in being slightly flustered as a result, even if it did indeed feel nice to be thanked... he still couldn't bring himself to be used to such a thing.

And then, what followed caused Emory to nearly sigh. Of course, she would want to learn how to use a sword, he'd nearly forgotten about the request. His eyebrows furrowed as a deep frown crossed his face as he gazed at her, reluctance in his posture being quite obvious. But, he supposed she had a point, considering the mage had fled there was no telling when or where he would show up again, and Emory would not always be at Rose's side. It would be better to prepare for the absolute worst scenario before allowing Rose to continue to go around without knowing proper defense, but truly what good would teaching her the sword be against magic? His frown deepened as he recalled his all too brief battle with the mage; with as confident as he was in his own swordplay, the mage was skilled, he was being toyed with the whole time, granted he wasn't in the best shape, nor was he aware of his strange ability until it had saved him at the last possible second. A headache began to throb at the base of Emory's skull as he released a heavy sigh, "I did say I would before. But, we'll only start after you get some rest first." An incentive he supposed, for he wouldn't dare to teach her if she wasn't alert.

Now, that left him with her inquiry about the mage, making Emory look away from her, his expression grim. "...He escaped." A reluctant admittance of failure, "That was the sole reason it had taken me longer to come back, I was trying to track him down again, but I failed. Not only that..." His hands clenched into frustrated fists, though he released his grip, holding his left hand out, the darkened skin clearer for Rose to see as he released a quiet breath, attempting to reach for the heated feeling he'd experienced before, although at first nothing happened, but soon a single tiny flame began to grow to life upon the man's hand, the tiny bit of conjured fire dancing upon his palm, reacting to the slightest twitch of his fingers as if being pulled by an invisible thread. Of course, Emory was being as careful as he possibly could, having also experimented with his newfound abilities prior to coming to the mansion as a precaution so that he wouldn't burn anything accidentally. "...Apparently this was his 'gift', though it was the only thing that managed to save me during my fight with him, before he grew bored." His hand clenched into a tight fist around the fire in his palm, extinguishing the magical flame as he felt uncomfortable with the fire lingering for too long in the open, discomfort clear on his face as he gazed at his clenched palm. It certainly was a gift that he never asked for, a dangerous one indeed.
 
Rose couldn’t hide the disappointment that came to her expression when the other male refused to take her pinky like he had before. She truly believed that Emory could overcome the obstacles of his past. While she didn’t know the extent of what truly happened in his childhood, she did know the young lord was a rather strong man. She thought that he could handle any obstacle that he came across. After all, he managed to best the mage. His reputation did proceed him as well. She just didn’t know how terrible it was and how much it affected him mentally. She cleared her throat lightly as she brought her hand back to herself, using it to grab the teacup then. She took another sip of her tea, avoiding his gaze completely for a few moments. She didn’t want him to know the slight embarrassment that she felt in that moment, though the tips of her ears were tinted red due to it.

She forced herself to finally look back towards him when he insisted there still was no need for her to show him any sort of gratitude. She let out a soft huff with a shake of her head. “The more you say such things, the more that I will continue to thank you.” She warned. It was a habit that she gained from her lessons growing up. She doubted that she would ever break it, though she would prefer to continue to be as kind as possible for as long as possible. “There are plenty of reasons for me to express my gratitude to you. You may be a stubborn man Emory, but you haven’t seen me at my own peak stubbornness. Now, would you prefer for me to list them off or would you allow me to just kindly thank you whenever I feel the need to?” She inquired, her head tilted somewhat as she did so. Her hair fell partly into her face and a smirk was beginning to form on her lips.

It faded as she noticed the reluctant posture the other male held. She was worried that he would tell her no, that it was far too dangerous for her to learn how to use a sword now. His words were a welcome relief. “I believe that is a fair deal.” She agreed. There was no reason for her to argue against what he wanted. It was clear he was looking out for her and she truly appreciated that. At his insistence that she rest, she supposed it wouldn’t hurt to attempt to take a nap later in the day if she could. Emory most certainly would insist on working on the responses to the letters alone. It wouldn’t leave her with much to do, other than to read or continue to decorate the mansion. She leaned back slightly in her seat once again, swirling her fork around on her plate. She was glad with the amount she had eaten that morning already and her stomach felt like it was stuffed.

She placed her fork down as the air grew serious between them. She focused solely on the young lord. Her expression became unreadable for a few moments, eyes watching the flame dance on his palm. The only reaction she gave was the slight widening of her eyes. The flame brought a sense of the burnt flesh back to her mind. Her breath hitched in her throat at the though. “He mentioned to me something about enlightening our people. He believed us to be savages that weren’t worth saving, unless they were given the gift of magic.” She recalled in a quiet tone. She took in a deep breath to keep her mind as calm and clear as she could. “He asked me about you as well. He must’ve been thrilled to see you gained his gift,” She paused, fingers curling into her palm once more. “I am glad it was able to save you. At least one good thing came from it.”
 
Emory's mood only seemed to grow slightly more downcast as Rose had begun to explain the mage's motivations. It only further cemented in his mind that the mage was a madman, his lips turning down in a deep frown as he withdrew his hand closer to himself, "Thrilled? Thrilled isn't enough to describe how he reacted." Of course, at the moment in time due to him not being in the best shape, he'd not truly processed what had been said to him. Now that he was able to think clearly, the motives of the crazed madman was becoming all too alarming. Considering what he'd found in Freycrest, and not to mention Rose's own discoveries, it seemed as if the mage would probably experiment with different elements on unsuspecting people, though the results certainly wouldn't be in the tortured soul's favor. It was a miracle on its own that Emory had been able to recover just enough to his current state, even if the changes in his body was slightly minor at most; keeping an eye on the progression of "mutation" would probably be best for now. Regardless, Rose was right. The fire he'd been gifted had saved him, but was he grateful for it? Not even close.

"Even if this had saved me... I'm not particularly thrilled with this gift." His tone was cautious as his eyes fixated upon the rest of the untouched food before him, his plate being unusually full considering he would always finish his plate, not being a picky eater nor desiring to waste precious food, "If anything it's a hinderance, mildly useful at best and dangerous at worst." He heaved a sigh, annoyance causing his expression to pinch with displeasure, "I'd rather not be constantly fearing that I might set anything accidentally ablaze." Not to mention public appearances. That was right... public events wouldn't simply be canceled even with this mage running about, even if there was no telling where the man was now in Erista. Granted, it wasn't as if Emory was one to be approached anyways due to him souring any relationship with other nobles long ago; but the risk of him accidentally setting things on fire was still a risk. And if he did; well it certainly wouldn't be good, considering the general public didn't much like him anyways. His monstrous reputation would probably paint him as a demon of some sort, and considering how many would be quick to jump on the chance to slaughter Emory if they could; it just made his already precarious standing even more unsteady.

Not desiring to linger on the topic much longer, as he already felt somewhat uneasy with the way Rose had stared at the conjured flame to begin with, his attention had reverted instead to more pleasant topics. After all, lingering on all the doom and gloom wouldn't be good for either of them, Emory would simply have to deal with it later on his own time when Rose hopefully would be resting. "That aside, I'd rather not subject myself to you listing off reasons to be grateful to me; you don't need me getting an inflated ego now do you?" I'd rather not be embarrassed either. He did avoid praise like the plague, as he'd never been raised with praise in mind. No, being praised or shown any gratitude was foreign to him, so playing it off like he'd just get insufferable would be reason enough to dodge getting flustered. Yet, his mind drifted once more, settling on a more pleasant topic, one that was connected to their main objective together in the first place.

"Oh, now that I think about it, had you received those dresses from Parnell yet?" Although it certainly felt like an eon ago due to all of the sudden stress and unexpected events, the spring ball's date was looming ever closer on the horizon, as well as various other events the kingdom would be holding soon enough. To say he desired to see her in all of the dresses she'd ordered was a bit of an understatement, perhaps he was looking forward to it a bit too much. After all, he found Rose to be quite the lovely woman, and he certainly did want to see her in different dresses of her own choosing of course... even if he would never admit it to her aloud. It was a polite inquiry, considering she'd probably been busy in his absence with all of his other unattended duties.
 
Rose bit her bottom lip gently as Emory discussed his newfound abilities. She wished she could be surprised at the mage’s reaction, but she knew the crazed man would be even more motivated to try to convert any other citizens into ‘enlightened beings.’ The reminder of his prior attempts with the poor soldiers in Freycrest were enough to turn her stomach even more. She pushed her plate of food away from her some as a result. Her eyes fell to Emory’s plate then, some concern replacing the unreadable mask she wore prior. It was an odd thing. She couldn’t recall a time where the young lord refused to eat his fill at breakfast. She hoped that it was just the conversation they were having that led for his appetite to be ruined and nothing more. It wasn’t as if she would be able to find more out due to the private nature which Emory conducted himself will. She felt lucky enough to get what she could from him. She wouldn’t push it.

The change in topic was welcome as she obviously didn’t want to linger on the matters that brought her a great deal of pain. Returning back to the matter of her gratitude towards him caused her expression to lighten once again. She realized in that moment that she had been frowning much more than she normally would due to the events surrounding them. Normally her cheeks would hurt from the smiles she would share, but so much had changed in such a short period of time. She planned on enjoying what little she could. Each moment would be one for her to savor, especially now that she was around Emory once more. She would never take his presence for granted again. She raised an eyebrow slightly at his comment. “You and I both know that I have dealt with men that have much more inflated egos than you. Your ego could never get to match that of others.” She assured with as the familiar small smile worked its way back to her lips. No matter how many times it reappeared, it never fully reached her eyes.

“Do not act as though you hate the sound of my voice either. I know you missed my nagging while we were apart.” She allowed the joke to slip through her lips without another thought to it. She preferred to keep the mood lighter again. The darkness that had surrounded them earlier had been too much of a damper on their current situation. The mention of the dresses caused for her to perk up, back straightening. Her eyes widened slightly and she quickly nodded. “I received them just a day ago. I had completely forgotten to tell you about them.” She confessed. While she wouldn’t directly say it, she truly was looking forward to the spring ball. She would finally allow it to be known that she was still alive and under Emory’s care. She would be reunited with her father and her sisters. Her heart soared at the prospect of it. It would be a welcome change from the stress they recently experienced. “They turned out lovelier than I could’ve imagined. The dress for the hall is perfect for the revenge Blaine deserves.” She didn’t elaborate on it more. The maroon fabric had been exactly what she had been looking forward. It showed more skin than she predicted it to, but it hugged her figure in every spot it needed to. She looked absolutely stunning and she truly couldn’t wait for the young lord to see her in it.
 
"Fair enough point." Emory conceded, a lopsided grin crossing his face, though it didn't go unnoticed how dim Rose's smiles were. He could not fix that, and as much as it frustrated him to know of his uselessness, at the very least a tiny smile, no matter how brief would have to be enough. He couldn't expect her to recover immediately, that was not possible. Months, perhaps even years could pass until the fear would ebb and become nothing more than a dull ache, something to ignore, something to push away until it became natural - akin to breathing. Something he knew well, something that he excelled at more than anything else; avoiding the pain for as long as he could.

Regardless, he did suppose Rose's former husband had far worse of an ego than he ever would accomplish in his lifetime. An insufferable little rat that had escaped Emory's mind, which made him ponder how did the man react to Demelza's current state. After all that Emory had done to put the woman in her place, he wondered if Blaine had been horrified... but then again, if Demelza couldn't speak; perhaps the little affair the two had wouldn't ever reach the light of day. A disgusting pair, the both of them. Thinking of the two had put a bad taste in his mouth, but he almost would be in a good mood remembering Demelza, certainly her fate made him take some form of sick amusement in it; even if he would never explicitly tell Rose any of the gruesome details. No need to make the woman he was in love with begin to fear him; she'd already seen enough, and he'd already admitted enough to her. But, he still was well aware the fallout of the situation was something to brace himself for, even if he would perhaps enjoy seeing Blaine's topple from glory, granted he wasn't sure how Eunice would react... thinking of the woman put a bad taste in his mouth immediately and a chill down his spine. The fact there was only silence, even from all of the letters he'd look through earlier had unnerved him. He'd expected at least some reaction, anything at all. But, there was none.

Pushing the matter aside within his own mind, he focused instead on the conversation again, rolling his eyes at Rose's joke, "Quite. The sound of your voice is music to my ears... though the nagging I could live without." A mere jest of course, he didn't mind too much after all. Knowing quite well that she cared for him was something that he still was getting used to, unfamiliar with the affection she displayed toward him. Rekindled interest sparked in the man's eyes, though he quickly reigned himself in. No need to get too excited when he'd not even seen Rose in the selection of dresses she'd had, "Well, I certainly can't wait to see you in them. I would ask to see now, but... I have a feeling you want to keep me in suspense." He chuckled, his facial expression relaxing, a boyish grin fully taking claim to his features, feeling quite smug, "Such a shame that Blaine didn't appreciate you when he still had you at his side," The man had then stood up from his chair, circling the table until he was behind Rose and gently placed a soft kiss on her cheek, "But, at least I have you all to myself~"

His hand gently grasped one of her own as he peppered kisses upon her face, his tone still light and playful to keep the mood from darkening again, "Truly, Blaine must be a fool, if only I'd known sooner," He paused, grinning broadly a wicked glint coming to his eyes as he then scooped her up in his arms, holding her with ease as his warm golden eyes peered with nothing but affection at the woman in his arms, "I would have personally stolen you away from him at the wedding." After all, Emory had not been interested in anyone or anything other than his duty as well as the Black Market, and he hadn't even attended Rose's wedding to Blaine, merely sending a gift as to be polite; but evidently showing disinterest. He had been invited personally by Blaine as well, but had responded with the excuse of being far too busy, and wishing "many years of happiness" in the most plain and expected response for the two. Such a fool he was indeed. But, the idea of Emory being a wedding crasher was certainly an amusing one indeed, and of course Emory was attempting to make Rose's mood lighten up, every little moment counted with her.
 
Rose truly appreciated the grin that managed to cross Emory’s expression. She knew it was an irrational worry, but she didn’t know if she would be lucky enough to see one from him for a while. With everything that happened, she hadn’t a clue how it might truly affect him. She wanted to keep it on his lips, to help him feel as relaxed as he allowed her to be. It was the least that she could do after everything he had done for her. He could’ve killed her the moment that she arrived at the mansion, saving himself an incredible amount of trouble. Despite wanting to use her as a pawn to advance both of their own wishes, she was grateful that he never acted on Blaine’s wishes. She would’ve never been lucky enough to find the love that she yearned for her entire life if he had. She was sure that Emory was grateful as well, though she would never ask him such.

A playful gasp broke her lips at is response, sticking her tongue out at him for a few moments. “At least I nag to help keep you in line. I do recall hearing you refused to take breaks before I came along, which is terrible for your health.” She commented, clicking her tongue once more after she finished speaking. The lighter change in conversation truly was welcomed and it seemed that Emory was working to keep it that way. She didn’t mind one bit, especially since it was beginning to shift her mind from everything that occurred. There was a slight slimmer in her green irises, more than there had been all day. “I might feel inclined to show you today, but I have yet to decide if I want to make you wait longer. It might be hard for me to continue to keep the dress a secret though,” She confessed, letting a small hum out. “I suppose I will just have to show you it today then. I believe you deserve to see it after all you have been through as of late.” She concluded.

She would’ve loved to hide the dress until the ball, which she knew was approaching rapidly. There were still some preparations to be made for the day. She already enlisted Viola to help her with her hair and she planned on doing whatever makeup she wanted to herself. She didn’t want her look to be over-the-top. Instead, she planned on keeping it simple but still rather stunning. Ideas of what she could do for such had been circling her mind for a while. She couldn’t wait for the day and wished it was already here. Showing Emory the dress now would just keep them both excited for it. Besides, she was itching to show it to him anyways. Each dress Parnell crafted for her was perfect and fit her such. She was grateful to have such a wonderful seamstress close by.

She tilted her head to watch as Emory moved towards her. “Such a shame indeed. I suppose I am rather grateful the man is as terrible of a monster as he is. Otherwise I would have never met you.” She mused, blinking in contentment as he pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. She closed her eyes partly as he then proceeded to pepper her face with kisses. A soft giggle escape her lips in response, clearly enjoying his actions. A tinge of guilt was in her chest, knowing the other male was doing whatever he could to help her feel better. Her mind drifted from it as he gathered her up into his arms. Surprise was quick to come to her expression as she rested both hands gently on his chest. The surprise was replaced by unbridled joy. A loud laugh broke from her, head leaning back as she did so. It took her longer than she would like to admit to compose herself, a grin spread on her face then. “I would have loved to see you strolling down the isle, deciding to take me as your own.” She admitted with laughter still in her tone. “I do not think anyone would have stopped you. They all would be terrified to even try.”
 
Ah, there it is. The joy he'd managed to spark within her had made him certainly feel quite satisfied. Chuckling at her response, he shook his head at her, "Oh really? I'd think you'd sooner be terrified of me suddenly whisking you away to who knows where, after all I do quite remember you were a bit fearful of me when you first arrived here." Not that he could blame her, in all honesty Emory was still surprised that Rose wasn't afraid of him even now. And even if the made up scenario was an amusing one, he'd certainly would have expected her to be quite against going anywhere with a man with his terrifying reputation. Besides, it wasn't as if he was openly expressive of his emotions, not until recently of course. A stone-faced murderer of a man suddenly appearing and snatching away a lovely bride; a princess no less would have certainly put him in the crosshairs of the king then, if not the whole kingdom.

A hum left his lips as he began to walk out of the dining room, though his mood was still quite playful, "I don't know if anyone would just standby and watch me just take you; I imagine it probably would have been difficult to get away. Besides, you are a princess, it wouldn't be easy... but it would've been worth it." If only to spare you from him. He would not say those words aloud, not wanting to spoil the already light mood between them. Emory recalled too well how Rose appeared on her first day in the mansion, an abused woman that had been tossed away to die. Although he still knew not the full extent of the abuse due to never pushing Rose for details, it was enough to make anger coil deep within him, even if his facial expression remained quite pleasant at the moment, the sudden urge to stick a sword through Blaine's foul heart was a very tempting thing to act on. Control yourself. The warning rung out in his mind as he looked to Rose in his arms, his expression softening as he gazed at her. Although, he had certainly grown used to her touch, trusted her closeness, there was a tiny fear within him that perhaps one day she would look upon him in disgust as well. What would he do then? It probably would be for her own good... would it?

Tossing the negative swirl of thoughts aside, the man had begun walking up the stairs, easily supporting Rose in his arms as he approached her room, only then would he allow her to leave his arms, a smirk upon his face as he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, casting the conversation back to the dresses she had made for her, a tinge of excitement filling his chest although he quickly tried to suppress it. He should have enough self-control to restrain himself, though he was a bit embarrassed at the rather immature tendencies that was beginning to shine through the more carefree he would conduct himself. "If you do plan to show the dresses you received, I would certainly appreciate it," Another kiss was placed on her forehead this time, adding in a playful warning, "But, be careful to not reward me too much, I'll become quite difficult to 'keep in line'." A mere jest it seemed to her words earlier, but the man was trying his best to be on his best behavior, whether he was serious or not, that remained to be determined.
 
Rose raised her eyebrows slightly at his words, shrugging her shoulders along with it. “Truly I was a bit scared of you, but that was only due to your reputation. If I am to be honest right now, you are nothing more than a terrifying teddy bear. I suppose I am grateful to be seeing this side to you. After all, you are the only man who has ever made me feel this type of happiness before.” She confessed. Despite knowing Emory in the way she did now, she probably would’ve been terrified if he crashed her wedding and stole her away. It would’ve caused a frenzy in the kingdom and her father would hate the man more than he already did. “You would’ve saved me from a great deal of pain though if you had.” She murmured. She didn’t dare elaborate more on what she meant. The abuse was one thing she did her best to shove from her mind. While she still felt some physical effects of it, she did well in forgetting about Blaine. Instead those memories were replaced with the ones she was creating with Emory.

“You would’ve had my father’s entire army chasing after you. It would’ve been a site to see.” She agreed, the smile still clear on her lips at the thought of it. She probably would’ve been kicking and screaming as he brought her away with Blaine chasing after him, cursing up a storm. Another giggle left her lips, fingers curling into his tunic once more. She didn’t dwell on how she would’ve acted though, knowing it was far more important to enjoy the current moment that they were in. She needed to learn how to live in the present. If she did, she wouldn’t worry about anything she experienced before and that was exactly what she needed to move past all of the pain in her life. She leaned up to press her lips gently against his cheek as he carried her from the dining hall. She felt safe in his arms, something she had never been able to say before. She hoped she would forever feel this way with him.

She rested her head gently against his shoulder while he made his way up the stairs and back to her room. She carefully moved to stand once more, though she gratefully returned the kiss. “I will only show you the dress for the ball then. It would be a shame for me to expose all of the surprises I have at once. Besides, I am sure this will save us from delaying our appearance the evening of the ball,” She paused at the kiss on her forehead. She knew that he might be able to control himself once he saw her in what she was about to show him. “I will go change. Stay here and do not dare try to peak.” She gently pinched his arm before moving into her room. She shut the door behind her, steps quietly making their way to her wardrobe. She pulled the maroon gown out with a soft smile on her face. It didn’t take her long to change into it, the material much tighter than the dress she had been wearing for the day. She checked her appearance in the vanity mirror before taking a breath. Each curve of her body could be seen through the dress. The bodice she wore beneath it supported her in the best way possible. She made her way to the door before opening it. A gentle smirk was on her lips. “Is this satisfactory?” She inquired.
 
Emory nodded obediently, though chuckling at the gentle pinch on his arm, "Yes, ma'am." The temptation was difficult to resist now that she'd put it in his mind... but he had turned his back to the door, his mind rolling over instead of their playful banter earlier. Maybe I am becoming a bit soft. Terrifying teddy bear indeed... He sighed, his arms crossing his chest as he glanced toward the closed door to Rose's room, hearing muffled footsteps and the shifting of fabric. It was getting more and more difficult for him to not peak, the temptation growing a bit stronger although he stubbornly remained in his spot. Patience was key, and he wasn't an immature boy either, instead the man had closed his eyes and forced himself to distract himself by thinking of other things - primarily how he was going to respond to some of the letters he'd not gotten to yet, and how he was going to go about training Rose with a sword... the second issue causing a tinge of anxiety to settle in his chest. If only she wasn't so stubborn. But, he knew well enough that he was a pushover when it came to her desires, more so considering the affections he had for the woman, the strong desire to please her even if it was from a source of not wanting her to fear him; that alone was enough to drive most of his motivations toward her.

A faint frown had crossed his face then, mulling over how he could make it as easy as possible on her without pushing her too much when the click of the door had caused Emory to turn his head, a bit startled out of his thoughts as his attention had been grabbed by Rose, though his expression was difficult to read at first, his mind attempting to catch up to what his eyes were seeing. Emory had admired her figure before, though he'd never expressed having done so before due to their relationship not at all being as it was now, and even if he had a deep fear of women, his eyes were still attracted to the female form, and due to his less than clean childhood and a forced profession that he'd never asked for during those childhood years, the female body was something he was all too intimately familiar with. From what fabrics or patterns would draw a man's eye, to remembering all too well the dresses his mother frequently had made for not only herself, but the unwanted clients Emory had to please, these things as a result wouldn't normally draw much of a reaction from him, perhaps at the most a brief lingering glance before he would distance himself. But, Emory's face this time had ignited a brilliant red.

Was it satisfactory? More than satisfactory; for Parnell had certainly outdone herself yet again. The way the dress hugged her curves, the contrast of color against her skin... ah, he needed to keep his eyes from lingering too much on how the bodice supported her almost far too well. If he didn't know better, he would assume that Parnell had purposefully made the dress to torment him, ticking all the boxes for what his secret appreciations were... and was the dress tighter than the one she had before? These whirling thoughts went from one to the next as he certainly took his time in admiring the dress, granted his face was still quite the shade of crimson as a result. Eventually, the man had closed his eyes and heaved a sigh, "If I didn't know any better, I would've thought you designed this on purpose to torture me." He grumbled the sentence, his tone almost trembling a bit. It really was quite the dress, and this was when she hadn't applied makeup or had her hair done for the ball, what would she look like then? Azeya, please give me strength. If it had such a strong effect on him now, one would wonder how he would react later, and this made him apprehensive to how her other dresses would look, almost wondering if he could even take holding himself back then. It already was difficult for him to not give into impulse now.

Struggling to hold onto his slipping composure, Emory had gently grabbed hold of her hand and placed a gentle kiss upon it, "You look absolutely breathtaking." Certainly a polite compliment to leave him, although he was trying his best to be on his best behavior. The redness to his face had faded, only remaining clinging stubbornly to the tips of his ears, still being rather flustered.
 
Any worry that Rose had about the other male not liking the dress went out the window when she watched the way his eyes scanned her multiple times. She noticed how they stayed on areas longer than other, though she didn’t mind that one bit. She had a feeling he might admire the way her body was shaped through the dress. She immediately was grateful that she decided to show it to him before the ball. Not only would he have something more to look forward to, this also was a pleasant surprise for him now. After all the other male had been through as of late, he deserved any ounce of joy she might be able to give him. A rather amused look crossed her face as the red began to spread on his face once more. She never would’ve believed that she could’ve gotten him to blush nearly as much as she did.

“I wanted to ensure that if anyone wasn’t talking about what will be occurring at the ball, they will at least be gossiping about how incredible the dress is.” She informed. She already planned on stopping by Parnell’s shop after the ball to let her know how it went. She also hoped that she might be able to stir up some more business for the woman. She absolutely deserved it after preparing each dress to be exactly what she had been hoping for. She even was planning to purchase a few more when she did go to visit. It was the very least she could do. A bright smile spread across her face at his words. “I believe that might be Parnell’s doing. I simply chose the fabric and she did the rest,” She paused, glancing down at the dress herself. “The maroon isn’t traditional for spring balls, but I did want to make a statement.” She added with a gentle shrug of her shoulders. Each passing moment only made her more excited to ruin Blaine’s life. It wasn’t often she wished death on anyone, but she did on him.

Her eyes softened as he grabbed her hand and carefully placed a kiss to the back of it. “Thank you Emory. That is very kind of you to say.” She spoke truthfully. She was a bit surprised that he managed to keep himself as composed as he had. With the way he acted before in the office and the suggestive remarks he made in the dining hall, she was rather impressed with him. “If you would like a preview for the other dresses, many are similar to this. There are just different fabrics and slight adjustments to each.” She explained. She stepped closer to him, unable to help herself as the idea of teasing him more was one she couldn’t ignore. She let out a gentle hum, tilting her head. “I am almost disappointed. I expected you to be itching to get this dress off of me by now. I suppose you truly are the perfect gentleman.” She mused. The words were sure to get under his skin, it being the main reason she spoke them. That playful glint twinkled in her eyes as she looked to him.
 
As Emory listened attentively to Rose's reasons for the dress, he did agree that the dress alone would be quite the topic of interest for the days following after. Even if with spring came slightly more exposed skin and more flattering dresses, they more commonly would be lighter in shade with more pastel colorations. Darker colors typically never would be worn, unless a woman wanted to be the center of attention. Considering Rose was believed to be dead, her eventual return would not only keep her in the spotlight for the kingdom, but he knew quite well that there would be many trying to get in her good graces... and others Emory certainly wanted to avoid. After all, there was a reason the young lord had always refused to go to public events in the kingdom, and his public appearances were extremely rare, only being able to be spotted in his own territory. It'll certainly be interesting. Even if Rose was the main motivator for him going this time; if she wasn't to be at his side, he would have refused as he usually would do.

"Well, Parnell always was... enthusiastic about pushing boundaries with her dresses, and as usual she has outdone herself." Emory was well aware that Parnell had grown quite adept at making dresses to draw one's attention, his mother being the primary influence for her expertise. But, thinking about the woman who failed to be even a mother to him had caused bile to rise in his throat, so he was all too swift to push the topic away before his mind could dredge up any foul memories. Just focus on Rose. That was right, his mother was dead and could no longer give him any sort of harm. Rose was here before him, and she posed no threat to him, so why think of that devil of a woman? No, instead he would enjoy this peaceful moment with her, a tinge of satisfaction flowing through him at her response to his polite compliment, allowing her hand to fall away from his own as he straightened his posture, clasping his hands behind his back as she offered to show him the other dresses she had made for herself.

Ah, I really want to see. The man's face appeared slightly conflicted, only for a tinge of red to return to his cheeks as she had said that they were similar to the one she wore now. Similar?! He took in a breath and exhaled, forcing his pulse to slow as he shook his head at her, "As appealing as that is, I think it'd be better to leave it a surprise." If only for my sanity... not that I mind too much- This train of thought was abruptly halted as she had stepped closer, caution flaring to life in his chest as he peered down at her with apprehension. Of course, she was only teasing him further, something he should have expected, but her words only served for to man to clench his hands tighter behind his back, physically restraining himself. The playful glint in her eye at his expense was almost too much for him to bear, the invitation causing his blood to feel hotter in his veins. Desire surged in his chest, his eyes closing as he shook his head at her again. As much as he truly wanted to take her, as much as she was pushing his patience to the borderline... he would not act on it. If only for her safety, for her benefit, he needed to keep himself in control especially considering he knew not how out of control he would be able to get if he simply allowed himself to slip for a single second. She doesn't need to see that side of you. Embarrassing...

"Nice try," He finally responded, his expression settling into one of amusement as he leaned closer to her, a teasing grin upon his face, "But, I don't think you can handle me just yet, princess." Emory raised a hand, gently touching the side of her face only to lightly pinch her cheek, "You're going to have to try a lot harder to try and break me. It won't be that easy." Though, the teasing is good~ No, restrain yourself Emory. Releasing her cheek from his fingers, he crossed his arms across his chest, raising an eyebrow at her, "Now, as much as I enjoy seeing you in this dress, resting should be your next priority, should it not?" Quickly diverting the topic elsewhere, perhaps to distract himself as well was the only thing he could do in this situation, though his fingers itched to take the dress off of her himself... he'd rather not push his patience too much.
 
Rose normally did her best to shy away from any spotlight. Her older sisters normally received most of the attention from the people within the kingdom, especially as she was growing up. But one by one, her sisters married off. The numbers dwindled and she was forced forward into a place she hadn’t wanted to be at the time. No one seemed to care for her after her wedding to Blaine. It was as if she had never existed in that way. The people had moved onto the next thing. But now that everyone would find out she was actually alive, she wanted to look deathly stunning. She yearned to have everyone’s eyes on her, the hear the whispers of shock as she walked through the crowds. Having Emory accompanying her would just be the pièce de résistance. She knew he would announce his courtship of her as well. For the first time in her life, she was excited for the fear that people would look at them with. It was an intimidation she couldn’t wait for.

She kept her gaze on the young lord standing in front of her. The admiration was still rather clear on his expression. She was itching to show the other dresses to him, just in hopes of getting under his skin even more. His restraint, while appreciated, was something that she wished she could break. It was rather uncommon for anything such as what her mind was hoping for to happen when people were unwed. At the very least, many would consider it to be ‘improper.’ She didn’t care of that, especially when she would be rebuilding her reputation from the ground up. For the first time in her life, she was allowed to choose just how she wanted the public to view her. She had a few ideas as to how she wanted to be known, this dress being one of them. The makeup she planned to wear with it would only add to it.

“Indeed she has. She truly is an incredible woman. She mentioned how she misses you in the shop when I was there.” It was something that she had forgotten to tell him about earlier. Other events had taken them away from the conversation surrounding that day. “I am planning on visiting her after the ball if you wish to accompany me. I might be able to sneak you some of those candies again.” She offered. Now that she was aware of that guilty pleasure the other male had, she would use every opportunity she could to treat him with something sweet as the candies. She might even attempt to bake something for him. It wasn’t like it could be too hard, especially with Viola helping her. A quick frown could be seen on her face as he informed the urge to be surprised by the dresses. “As you wish.” Her voice had dropped in a murmur then, their proximity enough for her breath to be felt on his face.

She allowed a loud huff to escape her as he continued to hold out on his restraint. She stepped back once he removed his hand from punching her cheek. She raised a finger to point it at him, though it was clear everything she was doing at the moment was just banter. “One of these days, Lord May. One of these days I will get you to break.” She warned, shaking her head lightly. Her mind had shifted completely off of what she had been worried about moments before in the dining hall. She was already thinking of what she could do to get him to step slightly over the edge. “Maybe I will give Viola a day off and come down with just a corset and a skirt on.” She mused with a slight shrug of her shoulders. The mention of rest was something she had completely forgotten about. “I suppose it should be. Are you sure you do not wish to help me change?” She inquired as she turned to step back into her room, glancing over her shoulder at him.
 
Embarrassment flowed through Emory at the mention of the candies, clearing his throat as he looked away. I really wish she hadn't told you that. Although such a guilty pleasure was something that he kept quite close to his heart, but considering the hard exterior he always stuck to, one would be quite surprised about his love for sweets of any sort. It was a weak point of his, something that he prevented himself from enjoying since it simply didn't match up with how he presented himself. "T-there's really no need for you to do that." Though, he did certainly enjoy the piece of candy Rose had given him prior to his unfortunate accident in Freycrest. Perhaps visiting Parnell after so very long was something he needed to do; granted he didn't think she would be too enthusiastic even if she had claimed she missed him. In all honesty, it was hard for him to believe that anyone would miss him, considering the only times he had visited her shop in person was when he had been far younger, his adolescent years in which he never if ever spoke. I don't see what she misses at all. The thought was tinged with some amusement, but he pushed it aside from now as he saw a swift frown settle upon Rose's features to his response, causing curiosity to surge in him.

His curiosity was halted with him being startled as she pointed a finger at him, her bold proclamation making the man's expression seem quite surprised... only for his lips to twitch up in a smile as he couldn't help but laugh, a genuine rare bit of laughter indeed. The pale gold of his eyes brightened with his mirth, though he was no stranger to women desiring him, not once had a woman so boldly proclaimed such words with confidence to his own face. The whole situation was so surreal, so surprising that he couldn't help but laugh. Attempting to catch his breath after his laughing stupor, he chuckled at her words, "How cute." Of course, it wasn't as if he was taking her too seriously at the moment, leaning forward as he placed a swift kiss on her cheek, "But, I know you're bluffing. Even if you're not, that won't be enough." The thought of her doing such a bold action seemed so utterly outlandish that he clearly wasn't taking her too seriously... even though part of him was indeed curious to see how far she would go to try and test his limits, convinced that she was merely bluffing. Not that he minded of course, the man was enjoying seeing different sides to Rose, and with how expressive she was, it made him find her more so adorable than anything else, temporarily breaking the tension that had been building within him.

Teasing, however was something that he found he enjoyed, even if it was at his own expense, the man could be quite stubborn in his own right. As Rose had turned to step back into her room, he smirked at her, tiling his head as he said, "I'm quite sure you're capable of changing yourself, Lady Barclay." Switching back to her honorific, though clearly keeping up with the playful banter between the two, "It's not as if you're ill, are you?" He turned his back to the door then, even if part himself was protesting, wanting nothing more than to enter the room and... no, he needed to stay calm. After all, she had challenged him, had she not? "Besides, I did say you need to rest. Tempting me further won't allow you to do that, now will it?" Emory was certainly enjoying this, even if he was frustrating himself, he did desire to see how stubborn Rose could possibly be, considering her quite cute in her swift responses to his own, the man couldn't help but chuckle a little bit. She certainly added a lot more color to his dull life so far, filling him with emotions he'd thought he never would feel.
 
The flustered reactions that Rose continuously was able to get out of Emory brought her a great amount of joy. It was something she hadn’t realized she would appreciate until the other male consistently flushed in response to her words. It was one of the many things that she had grown to truly cherish about Emory. Despite the young lord not believing he was worth her affection and attention, she would always consider him with the highest regards. Not only had he saved her life, he had shown her time and time again that there were other ways that someone could live. She didn’t care that his reputation was terrible. She didn’t care that he had done terrible things. He had proven to her that he was capable of so much more, that he was capable of true good. That meant the absolute world to her. She would hold onto that with every ounce of her being, knowing that he was much kinder of a man than he let on.

Her eyes narrowed as the smile spread on his lips, laughter soon following it. If one thing was to motivate her, the belief that she couldn’t do something was it. Her stubborn nature completely controlled her in situations like these. “You must forget that I have mostly lived out of spite for these last years. You have no clue the extent I will go in order to prove myself right.” She remarked, her motivation clear on her expression. Her nostrils had flared slightly. Her mind was racing through the different possibilities as to how she could make him break the composure he worked so hard to keep up. The reminder of the shared moments in his office came back to the forefront of her mind. “Fine. If you truly do not believe that will be enough, I suppose I will just have to surprise you in your chambers tonight. You had promised to allow me to accompany you in order to help me rest. I believe I will just come in my undergarments and see your reaction then.” She stated in a lighter tone.

She couldn’t stop the rolling of her eyes when she heard his comment about her being able to undress herself. This would be a long game for the both of them, though she supposed it would be even more satisfying once they got to the end. “You can be a spoil-sport, my lord.” It was the only phrase she spoke before turning her head back and stepping fully into her room. She closed the door partly, leaving enough of a gap for Emory to see in if he were to turn. It was just another way for her to get under his skin. Normally she might’ve never thought of something like this, but the moment was far too good to pass up. She soon began to undress herself, undoing the bodice that she wore with her dress. She stepped around her bed to grab the gown she had been wearing that day. If she were to rest, she wouldn’t bother pulling on another corset. It would be far too much of a strain on her while sleeping. She pulled the gown on slowly, running her fingers through her hair after she did. She slowly made her way back to the door. She still planned on making her way to the library to read some before she attempted to doze off.
 
Living out of spite? The words she used certainly made the man exhale sharply in another bit of laughter. Was he perhaps riling her up a bit too much? But, her words spoken so lightly had made his face feel a bit warm, golden eyes turning toward the door briefly as he thought, I... I'm sure you wouldn't. After all, it was just so outlandish that surely Rose wouldn't even consider doing it. Showing up to his bedchambers in nothing but her undergarments, all for the sake of breaking him. Doubt flooded his chest, but then again considering the expression on Rose's face, was she actually serious? You've lived in a brothel for ten years, Emory. This is nothing. Reassuring himself was the first step after all, and he had no intentions of allowing her to win so easily. He shook his head as he confidently responded, "Oh? Well, at the very least you'll be comfortable enough to sleep." Confidence was key after all, no need to allow her to see any weaknesses in his responses. Perhaps, he was turning this into a tiny game between them, but he did need some lightheartedness to break up the stress that had been piling up earlier. It was a welcome distraction, something to enjoy.

As Rose had closed the door behind him, he only then glanced over his shoulder toward the slightly open door. She's actually serious, is she? He almost wished to laugh again, especially considering her last words before she had left him to himself. The more rational part himself was telling him to just close the door and walk away, leave her to her privacy and perhaps set to work, or look over the information Rose had obtained on Avrune. But, his less than rational side, having been taunted and drawn out had won over his usual restraint. One peek wouldn't hurt... would it? It felt wrong to do such a thing, after he'd vowed he would be the perfect gentleman, to provide her a better experience, a better life than Blaine had ever given her, but... it wouldn't hurt just to look. The man had hesitantly turned to peer closer, his heart hammering in his chest as he peered just in time to see Rose beginning to undress herself. Color flooded his face almost immediately, having only once seen Rose undressed due to her being ill, this situation in of it's own was torturous for the man. But, it was a sweet torture indeed.

Guilt however, with a tinge of shame was quick to flood through him immediately as he abruptly pulled himself away from looking much further for the few seconds he had peered inside. What was he doing? Pervert. The accusatory thought flooded him from head to toe as he shook his head, forcing himself to walk away from the door despite every urge telling him to go back. If he had any intentions of making sure he remained composed at all times, he didn't need to push himself much further for now. Give himself a few hours to cool off and he would certainly be alright again... though these thoughts were nothing but empty reassurances to disguise the lust building inside of him, feelings that he tried his best to shove away before he got too excited. That would be difficult to explain away, much less hide. Why do I do this to myself? Exasperated with his behavior, the man shook his head in dismay and stepped into his study. Being alone to calm his racing thoughts would be best, and he had a lot of work to catch up on, enough to take him the rest of the day to attend to. There was quite a stack of papers he needed to get into, and there was no telling when Avrune would respond as well. Despite him wanting to perhaps spend the rest of the day at Rose's side, he had work to do, for the duties of a lord certainly didn't wait.
...A few hours later...​
For the rest of the day, Emory had been absorbed in tackling the pile of unattended letters he had to sort through. By the time he'd finished, the sun was already beginning to sink into the sky, leaving him in the darkness of the now dark study, skipping over dinner due to the demand of his duties. His eyes closed as a sigh left past his lips, feeling mentally exhausted as he stood to his feet, his footsteps echoing in the now quiet mansion as he retreated toward his room, only once inside had he begun to unbutton his tunic, his eyes shifting to the untouched vial upon the small desk near his bedside. Hesitation flooded through him for a few seconds as he briefly considered tossing it. After all, he'd not had to rely upon the medication for quite awhile, as sleep had been slightly easier to obtain... then again, perhaps he shouldn't. There was no telling when his mind would torment him again for all the things he'd done over the years.

A frown finally settled upon the man's face as he crossed the space toward the vial, picking it up as he gazed upon the clear liquid inside, lost in thought. I'll hold onto it... for now. Unwilling to part it seemed with dependency on the Black Market, perhaps he'd never be free of their influence. A bitter feeling settled in his chest as he opened the desk's drawer, dropping the vial inside and firmly closing it. At the very least, it would be out of sight for now, to at least put his mind at ease for some time. Shrugging off his tunic fully, the man grimaced at the faint pain that settled upon his torso, although it was merely darker marks upon his skin due to having mostly healed, occasionally some movements would cause him inevitable phantom pain, certainly not on the same level of agony he had been, but enough to cause him momentary discomfort. Settling the discarded tunic aside, the man had then sat upon his bed, soon laying down to make himself slightly more comfortable as he stared absentmindedly at the ceiling above him. Being used to not resting much, it would perhaps be hours before he would get himself much needed sleep again.

An arm draped over his eyes, slowing his breathing so that he could attempt to make himself relax a bit more. Of course, he had forgotten in the midst of his work about the rather playful banter he had with Rose earlier, not that he would've taken it very seriously regardless as the man was a bit overconfident in himself. After a few moments however, a thought managed to settle upon the back of his mind, had he not promised Rose that he would be at her side to try and help her sleep? Sitting upright immediately, Emory's eyes shifted to his discarded tunic, I should hurry to put it back on. After all, even if he wasn't indecent right now, it wasn't as if he'd allowed her to see him without any form of shirt on before, aside from when his injuries were fresh after Freycrest, but as of now his muscular torso was for the most part normal. No visible tears or rips in his skin, only replaced by darkened skin on his left side, the only thing that could still be viewed was a variety of old scars upon his torso and back, from not only brief battles over his career defending his territory, but also his Black Market dealings and his early childhood. A grunt left his lips as he stood to his feet, the bed underneath him creaking briefly underneath his shifting weight.
 
Rose allowed for her disappointment to shine clearly on her face when she returned to find Emory had left. She was aware of the duties that awaited him that day, but hoped she might have just been able to win him over. She shook her head slightly, knowing better than to continue to try to tease him for the time being. There were far more important things that needed to be addressed. She found herself beginning to step towards the study in the way that she had for the past few days out of habit. She stopped before she was halfway there though. She brought a hand up to rub gently at her eyes. Now that she was left to her own wits, her mind began to wander back to the places that she had dearly hoped she might not think of again.

There was a gentle pounding on her temples which caused for her to frown deeply. She didn’t get headaches often, though she was deciding to blame it on the exhaustion that was creeping up in her as though she was prey and it a predator. She allowed for her hand to return to her side, shifting directions in order to head down the stairs. The light sound of her footsteps could be heard echoing throughout the halls as she walked towards the library. The door was still open in the exact manner she left it the last time. Reorganizing and sorting the books was the next thing on her list. There were many that were old and covered in dust. She wanted to breath new life into them. In turn, she believed it would only brighten the mansion even more.

She made her way over to one of the shelves, pausing in front of it while her eyes began to scan over the titles. It would probably be best for her to read something for the pleasure of doing so instead of researching in this moment. She decided on something that sounded vaguely interesting, reaching to pull it carefully from the shelf. She opened the cover and skimmed through a few pages. Once she decided that it was satisfactory, she moved to lounge on the loveseat located near one of the windows. She pulled her legs up beside her with her knees bent somewhat in order to fit. The warmth from the sunlight was comforting enough and provided plenty of light for her to read without any issues. She highly doubted anyone would bother her in there that day. She opened the book, focusing solely on it then.

She didn’t recall the exact moment that she dozed off. She only woke when the last of the sun’s rays were dipping below the horizon. The book had fallen off into the floor. Her legs ached from the position she had them in, her neck feeling somewhat stiff as well. She reached a hand down to grab the book and placed it on the table beside her. She sat up fully then. Her mind had been surprisingly blank during her nap, though she wasn’t complaining about it. She preferred nothing compared to the nightmares that haunted her sleep normally. She glanced around the now dark library, realizing that she must’ve missed lunch and dinner that day. Her stomach twisted at the idea of food, but she knew it was far too late to get anything prepared.

She carefully made her way out of the library and back up the stairs. Despite the length of her sleep that day, her eyes were fighting in order to stay open still. She wouldn’t be surprised if she dozed off within moments that night. It was only in that moment that she remembered Emory’s offer to her. She glanced towards his room, wondering if he had already gone to bed. She decided to change into a thin nightgown before slowly making her way to the door. She stood outside, biting gently down on her bottom lip before knocking and opening the door. She was a bit surprised to see the young lord still awake; but she didn’t comment on it. She paused as she noticed the movements he made to reach for his tunic. “There is no need for you to wear one if you are more comfortable without it. I truly am not finicky with those things.” She assured him, her tone laced with the exhaustion she still felt. She hadn’t forgotten about her promise to arrive in just her undergarments. She was holding off on that until tomorrow. She was far too tired to worry about it now and the element of surprise would be on her side then. She closed the door carefully behind her before making her way towards the bed.
 
The sound of the door opening had made Emory turn his head, a bit startled at first only to relax once he realized Rose was there. However, it was not lost on him with how exhausted her tone was, which prompted the man's expression to soften, although considering she was decently clothed, his mind had completely disregarded her earlier claim. At her reassurance, the man had nodded his head, granted now his eyes were tracking her progress through the room with slight concern. If she did have any nightmares, how would he be able to soothe her? Would he even be able to? Shaking his head, he would dismiss the thoughts immediately. There was no need fretting over something that had yet to happen, though he knew he was sorely lacking in being the type to comfort or soothe. Would his presence be enough? Or would even that would be lacking? Calm. The reminder had made the man force himself to calm down, stepping toward her only to gently push aside the sheets of the bed for her, allowing her to get comfortable first.

His bed, if anything wasn't commonly used. Even if the man would lay upon it, it wasn't as if it were for long. Duty constantly had demanded his attention both day and night, and when he did sleep it would have only been when he was commuting from one place to the next, and prior to Rose's arrival in his life, nightmares would force him from sleeping. The pillows were still in good condition as well as the mattress, although part of him wondered if it would be comfortable enough for her. It was only when she had laid down had the man taken hold of the sheets and pulled it over her with care, making sure she was as comfortable as possible even if his movements were a bit awkward, but the concern in his gaze was evident as he soon settled beside her, though sitting upon the edge, keeping watch over her. He wasn't tired enough to sleep, and his concern for her was demanding most of his attention regardless. But, after a few moments he would soon lay down beside her, his hand hesitantly and carefully reaching out to grab hold of hers, applying gentle pressure so that she would be aware he was still there.

I hope this would be enough. Is it enough? Am I doing something wrong? Worried thoughts one after another had filtered through the man's mind as his thumb ran gentle circles over the back of her hand, careful and methodical, although trembling slightly as if he were almost afraid of hurting her. It wasn't as if he was used to sharing his bed with another, and the only time he'd been this close to her was when he had been injured, and now he was remaining vigilant for her own sake. After a few moments of anxious thinking, deciding that thinking too much wasn't helping him relax and by extension her either, he merely decided on just watching over her. That was the only thing he could do, his own sleep be damned. After all, she was his only priority, protecting her, keeping her happy was all he cared about.
 
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