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Realistic or Modern Night’s Embrace | Private |

Addison waved a dismissive hand at Rose, grunting, "Bah! If anything I'd wish you'd visit less!" But, a smile had managed to worm its way upon the man's wrinkled face, dark eyes gleaming with amusement as crow's feet wrinkled around his sun tanned skin. This smile had faded in regards to her talking about planning on assisting him if no one else had stepped up to help, a huff of breath leaving past his lips as he shook his head at her immediately, "Not on my watch, ye wouldn't. Don't need ye underfoot. It's enough I got one fool to keep an eye on, don't need 'nother." In other words, in his own way he was trying to say he'd rather not overwork her. After all, he appreciated her efforts in the estate and was well aware of her efforts to clean the old training grounds; considering it went into disuse after Emory had cracked down on the amount of soldiers and guards he had in his employ, now only having his... what was it.. sentries? Yes, sentries. The old man snorted at the thought, he never liked the idea of sneaking around, but that was why he'd been a soldier, to face the enemy head on rather than through subterfuge and assassination.

As Rose chattered on, the old man's raised an eyebrow as she claimed that she had a list of things to accomplish, and commenting about the weather. A grunt left his lips in response, acknowledging her words, but not finding it worthy for a verbal response just yet as she went into detail about heading into the town to get supplies. "Hm? I see. Don't burn yerself out, if ye need some help, I'm more than willing to give you this boy to assist," He pointed at Viola's son, his expression turning annoyed as the boy was trying his best at ripping out weeds, "He's clumsy, but at least he won't risk hurtin' himself with paint." A grunt left the gardener's lips as he turned to face Rose again, but with the offer of picking up supplies the gardener frowned, clearly considering it.

"...More shovels would be welcome, clippers too. Many of our supplies haven't been used in so long, they're as dull as spoons. Other than that, nothin'." Turning away, the old soldier began to set to work once more, only to pause and add, "Ye've done a fine job so far, Barclay. Keep it up." A rare sort of encouragement from the old man, but he didn't elaborate. Perhaps it was a bit of gratitude in regards to Rose, but the man's secret opinion of her was completely positive at this point. It was good to have another lady of the house again, to once more organize everything and keep the estate in order, and she was doing a fine job at it... for a royal family member that was.
 
Rose’s eyes gleamed at the teasing nature of his words, truly appreciating the change in his demeanor. She still recalled the way he acted towards her when they first met. Anything was an improvement from the grumpiness he had expressed then. The longer that she spent around the people here, the more she was beginning to appreciate them. She hadn’t been given the chance when she was younger to go out and spend time with the citizens back in the kingdom. She had always wanted to, but was never able to. This was a new opportunity for her and she didn’t want to waste it. “I won’t allow myself to be burnt out, but I do appreciate the offer. He might be better out here helping you though. I don’t mind doing most of the painting myself.” She assured. She was used to painting over canvases, working on projects that kept her busy for days at a time. Painting walls would be an easy task for her to accomplish.

She fell silent while listening to the supplies that they needed, nodding her head quickly in confirmation. “Of course. I will make sure I come back with them for you.” She promised. She might need a basket to carry everything she hoped to get, but it was something she would worry about once she got to the market. There was plenty now on her mind as she tried to keep track of all she would need to get. Her expression softened some at his kind words, lips twitching back into a smile. “Thank you Addison.” Her own words were genuine. A gentle breath left her as she began to move towards the path leading to the village. “I will see you upon my return!” She raised a hand in a wave before beginning her back. The air, despite the heat in it, was rather comforting. A gentle breeze swirled along with her as she walked. It rustled the leaves of the trees and the grass beside her. The sounds made her feel less alone.

The walk to the town wasn’t any different than it normally was, though she was sweating by the time she got there. She made a mental note to begin to wear her summer outfits starting tomorrow. The temperatures would only begin to increase. She wiped some sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. She glanced around at the bustling of the people around her before she made her way back towards the market. She could easily recall the steps to it. She made sure that she looked through everything once she got there. She managed to find plenty of shovels and clippers that would work well for the gardens. She had someone tie them up for her in order to carry them easier. She even managed to find the paints that she needed. A light frown crossed her face as she realized the extent she would have to go through to carry it all back, but it was worth it.

She was about to leave when a beautiful necklace caught the corner of her eyes. She stepped towards it, slowly picking it up. It was a symbol she hadn’t seen before, though she assumed it had something to do with Azeya. There were some gemstones surrounding the symbol. The necklace would be perfect for Viola. A large smile replaced the somewhat regretful look for all she had gotten that day. She managed to barter it down to where she didn’t feel as though she was throwing out too much money. She even managed to find a bracelet for Emory to include in the cost. Feeling rather satisfied, she walked to the bakery that she had passed earlier in the day. An assortment of pastries was plenty for the men that were working. She had a few set aside in another container specifically for Emory. She balanced as much as she could in the basket she had gotten, it primarily carrying the paints, pastries, and jewelry she had gotten. The shovels and clippers were being carried in both of her arms.

By the time she got back to the mansion, she absolutely regretted the amount she had bought. It would’ve been much easier to ask for someone to come along and help her lug everything back. She was hot, tired, and beginning to grow hungry once more. She glanced towards the sun in the sky, knowing that she spent the entire morning shopping. She dropped the supplies off with Addison, as well as the pastries with a large smile on her face, and then moved inside. The shade in the shade was a wonderful reprieve from the sun. She used her free hand to fan her face as she walked to the dining hall. She set the pastry box out for Emory later on and pulled the two boxes that held the jewelry in them out. She set the basket that still held the paint off to the side.
 
The estate was relatively quiet by the time Rose got back, with Addison being quite grateful for the supplies she had brought back, granted he did give her a surprised glance when she had arrived with pastries and tools he'd actually requested. Not that the old man would complain at the unexpected gift of pastries though he did grumble something along the lines of her doing unnecessary things, but with her arrival it seemed as if they were to take a break, much to the relief of the other men who were there. After all, Addison did make sure he would get every single coin's worth of time and effort from all of them, working them until he felt satisfied enough. Within the mansion, Viola was elsewhere doing her daily dusting, the faint sounds of her humming ringing in through the hallways as she was setting to her work, certainly a peaceful day and a lighter atmosphere to go with it.

Emory, however was still within his bed. Although, at the most the man had slept for an hour or two, due to the nature of the drug he'd taken to sleep, it was diluted and not quite as reliable as he'd hoped it would be this time. A pounding sensation filled his head, one that didn't leave him, but instead grew with intensity as the minutes passed by into hours. He knew full well that he should have been awake by now, performing his duties as the lord of the estate and actually attending to much needed tasks, but his body refused to move, nor did he have the willpower to force himself to his feet or push off the sheets that covered him, feeling far more heavier than they should. It was all a trick of his mind, he knew that well, and yet... he remained, staring blankly at the slow progress of the sun's rays slowly moving across the wooden floorboards, the bright sun causing his eyes to squint as his headache intensified. But, he figured that it would probably get worse the longer he remained within his bed, for the longer he allowed himself to remain in one spot, the greater the risk he would begin thinking, and with thinking came remembrance of things he had wanted to forget.

Allowing that to be his motivation to get out of bed, Emory forced his stiff body to move, his limbs feeling heavy with the pain in his head beginning to intensify. The sensation alone made the man put his hands to his head, as if that would help ease the pain, his face contorting with brief pain before he forced himself from his bed and slowly made his way toward the door. The sound of his footsteps could be heard as he made his way toward the nearby bathroom, going through his usual routine of getting himself ready for the day, although usually it wouldn't take him too long as he liked efficiency. However, this time with the way his drifting mind kept tormenting him, it took him far longer, with his unsteady gait and lack of true sleep, it was a miracle on its own that he didn't wind up accidentally hurting himself. But, the longer he forced himself through his usual movements, the easier it would become, although his limbs truly felt like lead. Eventually, the man would dress himself appropriately for the day, this task too taking longer than he'd hoped, but he would get through that too, taking his first steps out to finally greet the new day... even if he felt like hell.

At this point, his gaze had turned toward the sound of the front door opening and closing, though he had heard footsteps, judging by the lightness of the steps he could only assume it was Rose. After all, she had woken up far earlier than he had, though he did hear the sound of objects being placed upon a table, prompting the man to begin his descent down the stairway, only once he got down the stairs had he spotted Rose, his eyes shifting automatically to the unknown items that he'd yet to identify, curiosity managing to take hold of him. "..I see you've been busy." His tone was subdued, heavier than it usually would be, and even if curiosity was within his eyes, there was no denying that Emory didn't look... right. In fact he looked as if he'd not slept a single second, the redness of his eyes although not as intense as they had been earlier was still there, and his skin seemed a tiny bit paler as well. Nonetheless, the young lord would not complain, tending to avoid tending to his ailments until they grew too great to ignore.

Slowly, Emory had approached, to perhaps get a better look at what in the world Rose had bought, spotting the boxes that he wasn't sure was inside, and the basket filled with... paint? It was then that he finally looked directly at Rose, and alarm flowed through him at how tired she looked. A disapproving frown immediately crossed his face, "You didn't bring this all back by yourself, did you?" Granted, Emory had no clue about the gardening supplies she'd also carried back on her own, certainly that would bring about a lecture on how she shouldn't be trying to do everything on her own without help, and to ask for it if she needed it... not that he was one to talk anyways considering he always did things on his own to begin with, but it all was from a place of concern for Rose, not desiring for her to get ill.
 
Rose’s mind had been occupied with handling all of the items she lugged inside to hear Emory’s footsteps. Her arms had gone sore by that pointing, aching with each little movement she made. It wasn’t the paints or the pastries that had given her the issue. It was the shovels and the clippers. She wanted to make sure the numbers would be adequate to the amount of workers there were. It would only make their job easier and that was one of her main goals. She hated for anyone to be inconvenienced when there was no reason for them to be. She still had plenty of money that she kept stashed away before marrying Blaine and then coming to Emory’s estate. Her father had always warmed her of the need to do so. Money was one of the only ways communication could be made these days. Since then, she always planned on having enough set aside for whatever she might need.

She stretched her arms out to the side once everything was placed down on the table, shaking them slightly. While they still ached, she was grateful the pain wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been when she had gotten back to the mansion. She believed it would only be something to help her once she learned how to use a sword. It would certainly cause her more pain than something as simple as carrying items back by herself. She jumped slightly once she heard the familiar voice of Emory, though it sounded… different. She turned to face him, offering the same smile that she normally did. “I indeed have been. I was going to invite you along to the market with me, but you were asleep when I woke this morning. I didn’t want to wake you as I know you need the sleep as much as I do.” She confessed. Her eyes looked him over slowly. The redness of his eyes filled her with a worry that she didn’t like.

She stepped towards him, a frown quickly replacing the smile that lit her lips. “Unless you were only pretending to sleep. I mean no offense, but you truly look terrible.” She spoke truthfully. She hadn’t seen him in such shape that she could recall. “You constantly scold me for not taking care of myself when you should be taking your own advice. Your health is just as important as mine, if not more important than mine.” She added. She reached her hand out to gently grab his. She squeezed it a few times in an attempt to reassure him. She let go of it to turn back to everything she just set down on the table. “I actually did. It wasn’t too terrible though. It helped that a very nice man tied the shovels and clippers together for me to balance in my arms. The paints fit perfectly in the basket as well which was wonderful.” She rambled slightly.

She looked through the small boxes, pulling the one out that held the bracelet she had gotten him. It was a simple, thin chain. She believed it would be perfect for him. The other male didn’t seem to type for anything too elaborate. “I brought the Addison and his workers some pastries as a treat for the wonderful work they have been doing. I brought a few back just for you as well. I didn’t know what you preferred, so I got a variety.” She informed, gesturing to the box holding them with her free hand. She turned back to face him with the smile returning to her lips. “I wanted to find some paints to brighten up the walls. I believe everything will come together once I do. I also bought Viola a necklace and I got you a surprise.” She quickly moved back to his side and opened the jewelry box that held the bracelet. “It was simple and reminded me of something you might like. I know you told me not to buy you anything, but I wanted to.”
 
So she did go by herself. Of course she would. A tiny bit of disappointment settled within him... granted he was startled by the emotion, though it only occurred when Rose had said that she would have invited him along with her. Embarrassment settled immediately after the disappointment, avoiding her gaze as he was quite puzzled over the emotion. It wasn't as if he should follow her around like a lost puppy, after all he didn't need to follow her absolutely everywhere. Perhaps he was becoming a bit too soft after all? Maybe he needed to show some more restraint, there was no need for him to become overbearing... and then he noticed the frown that crossed her face which made him sigh as he already knew that she had every right to turn his words against him immediately. "It's not as if I don't want to sleep. I just-" He stopped himself from finishing the sentence as she had grabbed hold of his hand, the gentle squeezes being a welcome distraction from the painful headache he was suffering. There was no need for him to try to explain himself further, he knew quite well that she was right. But, how could he sleep when the past haunted him? Even Rose's presence wasn't enough to keep it fully at bay, as much as he wished that it had. Just leave it alone for now.

As per usual, Emory would fall silent as Rose began to ramble, though his expression did become slightly frigid that she had brought shovels and clippers on top of the items that were displayed before him, further becoming more unhappy when she stated that she had even more items with her prior to him waking up. That certainly was more than she should have been carrying on her own, if only he'd gotten up sooner then she wouldn't have to suffer the inconvenience. Though, at this point there was no use in complaining about it further, though he did make a mental note to tell his sentries to assist her if she needed to go out on her own and he could not accompany her. A bit overprotective, certainly, but he was trying his best if only for her sake. She deserved a happier life now, without the burden of fear or illness. If he could only push himself a bit more to ensure that...

Just as he was beginning to become absorbed within his own thoughts, the mention of pastries had made the man's pale face seem to have a bit of color return, although he looked embarrassed as he shook his head at her, "You really didn't have to do that." Not that he was complaining though, but it was embarrassing to have someone offer him sweets. But, even if he refrained from taking any at the moment... he certainly would be back later when no one was watching. After all, Emory was quite the secretive type when it came to subjects he certainly wanted to keep hidden, and even if this one was rather minor, it still made the man a little bit flustered. Besides, it was something that Rose bought, who would he be to refuse it? Maybe I'll come back for it during the night? No one is usually awake then...

Then the conversation turned to the other boxes that Rose had bought, the man's head nodding in approval in regards to her buying something for Viola, after all the maid would perhaps be over the moon that Rose would buy anything for her, and Emory certainly found nothing wrong with it. But, his expression turned hesitant immediately as Rose said she got him a surprise as well. Soon, a jewelry box was put before him and as soon as it opened, revealing a bracelet. Although, Emory didn't wear any sort of jewelry or accessories, finding that such items were oftentimes too gaudy or flashy for his liking, or got in the way of when he had to kill for a client... his heart had felt like it was being squeezed as his expression was frozen into one of surprise. It was simple in design, something that wouldn't stand out in the attire Emory usually was fond of wearing, but the fact that she'd bought anything for him... he didn't know what to do.

"Rose, you really... didn't have to.." The man hesitated for a few seconds, seemingly awkward in his movements as he took the bracelet from the jewelry box, almost as if he didn't actually believe that it was real. The cool metal however in his grasp told him otherwise, that indeed this was real. It wasn't a joke at his expense, she actually had bought him something.

His first gift.

A genuine smile managed to touch Emory's face, easing away some of the exhaustion that had laid claim to it just moments before. No one had ever gifted the young lord anything before, after all why should they? He was always used and tossed away to be forgotten, he'd never even had a birthday celebrated before, or even any friends. The thought of a gift being given to him at all was out of the question, but now someone actually cared enough about him to give him something... even if he didn't ask for it, or even expected it, the gesture was certainly very much appreciated, even if he could not put it properly into words. It was enough to see in the warmth within his face, and the slight shock that remained in his eyes that Rose truly had given him something that he would cherish dearly. "Thank you." The warmth in his tone was certainly rare, and the vulnerability in his expression also was just as fleeting, but she had perhaps unknowingly plucked a cord within him, seeing a rare side of innocent happiness within him.

Of course, the man didn't hesitate to put the bracelet on, slipping the cool metal chain around his left wrist. The man certainly had no intentions of allowing it to get lost, or broken. He probably never would allow the bracelet to leave his wrist for as long as he lived; after all it just had become so essential and important to him in a single second that it was difficult for him to fully process it. Sentimentality got him nowhere, he knew that and yet... he would never be able to allow himself to part with it. However, realizing his tender expression, embarrassment was quick to follow as redness flooded across his face, staining his cheeks a darker shade of crimson as he coughed, attempting to regain his composure, "I-I really appreciate it. Thank you."
 
The worry that Rose felt about the other male didn’t leave her, even as their conversation shifted to everything she bought that day. She understood he was a private person, but she didn’t like him trying to hide things like that from her. She believed that there wasn’t any reason to with how open she had been with her own feelings. She only wanted for him to be alright. He held so much within him that she felt like the slightest thing might make him break. She recalled the way he acted the night prior when she mentioned his siblings. She meant the question in a gentle way, but it led to him crumbling. She hoped that he would realize that she only wanted to help, that she wanted to listen to all of his problems. She would do anything she could to help him. Emory deserved to have someone in his life who did so. She was determined to be that person.

A gentle laugh broke through her lips as he tried to assure her that she hadn’t needed to get him the sweets. “You say that about every single thing I do for you.” She teased with a slight shake of her head. She always adored buying people things. Giving gifts truly was one of her love languages. She could understand why someone might not want for the gifts to be given as much as she did though. She just had a terrible habit of buying whatever reminded her of someone she cared for in order to give it to them. “I would feel terrible if I bought the gardeners a treat and not you. I might’ve stollen something made from apples that was delicious, but there should still be plenty to last you for a few days.” She glanced to the box that was filled with pastries for him. She was going that they were all to his satisfaction.

She fell silent as she held the box out to him, waiting patiently for his reaction. She hadn’t a clue as to how he might react to what she had gotten him. He seemed rather intent on her not buying him anything when she mentioned it the day before as her own show of gratitude instead of constantly telling him. She bit her bottom lip gently, nerves beginning to build in her stomach. What if he didn’t like it? It wasn’t like it would be hard to return, but she had hoped for him to take it from her. Her mind was edged on by those negative thoughts the longer that she waited for his response. His first words weren’t anything to ease her mind, though she was grateful that he spoke to her. The silence was almost becoming unbearable.

“I wanted to. I know you told me not to get you anything, but I couldn’t help myself. I hadn’t seen it at first, but it caught my eye and reminded me of you.” She explained. Her eyes had shifted to look at the chain then. The thin bracelet truly was truly perfect for him. She was grateful that she did find it. “It is simple and not flashy. I figured it would go well with your normal attire as well. After all, I didn’t take you for the type to want something that would catch everyone’s eye.” She added. His fingers carefully reached out to take it. She chewed on the inside of her lip while he did so. She slowly lifted her gaze to look back at him.

Then the smile slowly spread on his lips. It was unlike any that she had seen on his face before. It was warmer, brighter. It lit up his golden eyes, crinkling lines that she had never seen before by his eyes. It caused her own smile to form. It was one of the brightest that she had in days, her own genuine smile. Her happiness was almost giddy, one that she couldn’t shake. He truly did seem to like what she had gotten for him. It meant the world to her that he did. “You are very welcome Emory, truly. You don’t need to thank me for it.” She tried to reassure. She knew that there was no use though. He would probably be thanking her for a decent time to come. Her head tilted slightly as his cheeks flushed red. She didn’t comment on it for once, deciding it wasn’t the best moment to do so.
 
Emory shook his head at her, forcing his facial expression to get under control, "It would be rude if I didn't thank you for it." At this moment however, Emory still couldn't look her directly in the eyes, as he admitted in a quieter tone, "Besides, how could I not? This is... the first time anyone has given me a gift." It wasn't as if this was an everyday occurrence for the man, but even if he thought that she truly didn't have to even give him everything, that her being at his side was enough, he couldn't explain the happiness he felt over something so utterly minor that it simply just didn't make sense in his own mind. This situation was certainly out of his comfort zone, clearly not knowing how exactly to graciously accept something with ease, as not so long ago he would have probably viewed this as a suspicious action and probably would have ignored the offer, or even outright refuse. Things were different now, and his relationship with Rose was putting him into situations that he never had been put in before. It was as if he were a fish out of water in these situations, floundering almost and attempting to find the right words to properly express the emotions swelling in his chest.

Forcing his face to cool from the flush of red that had overtaken him, he quickly tried to suppress the wave of happiness he was feeling. It wouldn't do if he lost his composure further, but now he needed to gift her something in return, did he not? It would only be proper... the wheels were beginning to turn in his mind as he considered over his options, granted he could wait until... yes, that's what he'll do. Satisfied with his final decision, although certainly not allowing such satisfaction to cross his face. Right now, steering the conversation away from the sweet action Rose had taken would be best. Better to think about what to do for the day, now the morning hours had passed. He would have offered to begin her training today, but as his eyes shifted to the amount of items that she'd carried in, excluding the tools she'd gotten for the gardeners, it wouldn't be wise to throw her into rigorous physical activity, especially when he wasn't feeling too great himself.

Finally, his gaze settled on the paint that she'd brought. Considering that he'd missed out on some time with her that day, and especially the long days prior with him being away from her side from quite some time, maybe helping her with redecorating the mansion would be best? Although, it wasn't enough to repay her for the consideration she'd spared him in regards to the gift, at least making some progress in something would be good today, and perhaps it would set his mind at ease? "If you're planning on beginning to paint the walls today, I can help you." A rare offer from Emory, but the tender atmosphere and attitude he'd been displaying was quite embarrassing enough as it is, focusing on mundane tasks would make it easier for him to slip into his usual attitude. Though he certainly wouldn't neglect his other duties, knowing full well that he would be able to easily catch up on any letters at a later hour, or even requests if they came in. It would be nice, quality time to spend with Rose with doing something productive, and less bloody, or time sensitive.
 
Shock was evident on her expression Oma’s Rose gazed at the other male. Her eyes widened softly, forcing herself to blink a few times in attempt to make it seem as though she wasn’t gawking at him. She knew that it shouldn’t surprise her that he hadn’t been given a gift before. From all she knew, his family never really cared for him in the way they should’ve. Everyone else grew to fear him or hate him as he grew older and took over his father’s estate. Of course no one would feel the need to get him such a simple little gift. It ached to hear such a thing though. She wanted to keep that in mind. She would do anything she could to help him feel some of the normalcy that he missed out on all those years. He deserved to have those experiences that had been ripped away from him. It would be a worthy endeavor indeed.

“I am glad that your first gift is from me, though I wish others had been kind enough in your past to get you a gift before,” She mused, shifting her gaze to look at the bracelet resting on his wrist. It almost blended in which his clothing. When the light hit it properly, it gleamed brightly. It truly was a wonderful addition to his usual wear. Her satisfaction was growing the longer she spent gazing at it. She forced herself to look back towards his expression once more. Despite him trying his hardest to shove down the happiness he felt, it was still evident on his expression. She took another step forward, leaning up to press a gentle kiss to his cheek. After seeing his reaction to the gift, she couldn’t wait to give Viola hers later that evening. She planned on catching her before she went home for the night. She believed it would be the perfect time for it.

She didn’t realize how her mind had wandered until Emory mentioned helping her paint. A rather bewildered look crossed her face, though she was quickly able to tame it. “I never thought I would ever hear you offer to help me decorate, let alone paint.” Her words were a light tease. It was clear that she would absolutely love to spend the day painting with him by the gleam that was in her eyes. “I would greatly appreciate that though. I already have an idea as to how I want to coordinate some of the colors” she informed. She wanted to keep the atmosphere in the mansion as light and airy as she could. All of the colors were lighter shades due to it. One of her favorites by far was the green she had chosen. She wanted to paint her room such a color. She planned on starting with the entryway that day, settling on a beautiful soft blue. “I eventually want to get back into painting canvases again as well. I believe painting the mansion will be the first main task I focus on before that.” She commented as she moved to grab the blue paint. She grabbed a few brushes from her basket before beginning to lead the way to the entryway.
 
Emory knew well enough from the slight widening of Rose's eyes that she probably was a bit surprised that he'd never received a gift before, though he didn't comment on the changes in her expression. After all, it would be unnecessary for him to do so, and even as she expressed that she was gladdened that his first gift was from her, the following comment on wishing others would have been kind enough to gift him anything made him shake his head. No need to lament over something so utterly minor, besides he probably would have treated such items with suspicion, knowing how he'd been prior to interacting and beginning to trust Rose. Such items would have been outright refused or tossed, as he constantly had kept his guard up around people to begin with, finding them unpredictable and untrustworthy; the exception being those that he had working under him, but even then he still kept a wary eye upon the people that served him. The slightest bit of suspicious activity resulted in immediate retaliation from Emory, for life had only given him bad hands, and he had to make do with it. It only seemed as if his life was taking a good turn with Rose's arrival, a break if one would see it as such.

Her gentle kiss on his cheek tingled pleasantly once more, prompting the man to relax further though her bewildered expression made one of his own cross his face just mere seconds after. Did I say something wrong? This worry was quickly quashed at Rose's lightly teasing tone, causing the man's eyes to roll immediately, a huff leaving his lips as he crossed his arms, "Well, someone needs to help you. You shouldn't do it all on your own." Obviously, he was probably being stubborn on her behalf, to prevent her from exhausting herself too much for the day. Such a protective nature wouldn't be going away anytime soon, and he knew quite well that she would have tried doing everything on her own if he didn't offer his assistance. She already had made decent progress so far, even if the man hadn't really spent too much time observing the changes in the once empty halls, perhaps he would investigate further when the mansion reached completion. After all, the estate was hers just as much as it was his, and if he was gone then she would inherit it. He cared not what she did with it, but as long as she was happy, he would be quite content.

Though, he suppose his offer was unexpected. With him being such a closed off and icy individual, one would perhaps think it odd for him to offer his services for such a mundane task... Viola probably would look at him as if he grew an extra head if she spotted him. But, he was only doing this for Rose's sake, and it seemed his offer was well received from the gleam in her eyes. Good. That he had achieved seeing her happy, considering her exhausted state when he had returned, it put his heart at ease. The man approached her as she began to explain, his attention settling upon the entryway of which was still as dull as the day he'd... I can almost remember seeing... That was right, the entryway had been splattered with blood at one point. The painstaking task of cleaning copious amounts of dried blood off from the wall wasn't easy, and painted over such a dull color as it was the cheapest paint that he could afford at that point in time. The mansion's fortune had been severely depleted, and with Emory being on his own with only a rather shell shocked Viola for assistance, the most unpopular shade of gray had been the only thing he could get a lot of in such a short span of time. The merchant that sold it to him, he remembered was quite relieved to get the paint off of his hands considering it wasn't selling at all.

The thought process caused his eyes to shift down to the lighter shade of blue that Rose currently was carrying, then turned to look at the dull gray that covered pretty much all the walls. Perhaps it would be a very nice change from such an ugly color, even if he didn't care much about it before. No doubt, if he had some of his usual clients come, they probably would be surprised at all the more lively changes to the mansion. Realizing his thought process was teetering on remembering the darker details of when he had taken over the mansion, his attention turned fully to Rose, catching that she wanted to paint canvases again, recalling that she'd mentioned before about the hobby. Nodding his head, Emory had reached out for a brush that Rose was holding, "I see. Do you have any idea what you'll paint for the canvases?" There was a multitude of pleasant sights around the estate and within the reaches of his territory, places that he wouldn't mind showing to her if she desired for it. After all, it wasn't as if he was holding her prisoner in his estate any more, as she was free to come and go whenever she pleased... except for the dangerous areas of course. Even if Emory's lands were relatively safe, places like Freycrest were one of the rare examples of a dangerous location.
 
Rose’s eyes glinted with amusement as she heard his words, shaking her head lightly. “It is your belief that someone needs to help me, though I think we both know I can handle it on my own.” Her words were still very much teasing the other male, unable to help herself. She always enjoyed the light banter that the two of them would have. It kept both of their minds off of the darkness that lingered behind them, threatening to drag them both down at any second. She found herself moving farther away from it while Emory seemed to be one step from falling into it. A soft hum left her lips as she offered him a rather bright smile. “I do appreciate your help though. I just never pictured you being the type to paint.” She explained. She was sure that he was only offering to help her due to how much she had brought back from the marketplace by herself, but she wouldn’t turn him away due to it.

She looked to the grey entryway as they approached it. She had always hated the color. It was much too dated and not applied the best, though she didn’t exactly know why. “I never liked this grey. It makes the mansion feel rather cramped when you walk in.” She noted as she placed the paint down onto the ground. She gladly handed Emory one of the paint brushes. “I am thinking of doing the main foyer this blue as well and the connecting the rooms by color. I want it to seemingly flow with a person’s footsteps.” She explained, though her vision was probably not the easiest to imagine. It was almost as if she was modeling it after the natural scenery outside. The paints she had chosen all reflected the beautiful colors of the nature that surrounded them. “I did not know if you would like me to paint in your study or your room, but I did have some ideas for there as well.” She added, glancing towards him as she spoke. She wouldn’t force him to do anything that he didn’t want her to. She respected his boundaries enough.

She kneeled down beside the paint canister, fingers carefully working to open it. She managed to get it unstuck and then carefully pulled the lid off. She scraped the paint that was on the lid into the canister itself before placing the lid on the floor beside it. She then dipped her paintbrush in and moved to carefully begin painting. She made sure her strokes were gentle, though she knew it might take a few layers to cover the grey completely. “I have a few. There have been many places I have seen around the estate that I would love to paint.” She commented, her eyes focusing on the wall and her brushstrokes. “I might take your horse for a ride and see what else I can find. I do not think I have had the chance to explore too much of your territory yet.” She added after a moment. She paused what she was doing in order to look over at him for a few moments. “Your territory is some of the most beautiful I have seen.”

Her father had taken her traveling a decent amount as a child due to the constant need to having to handle disputes on his kingdom. She witnessed snow covered mountain caps, rugged shorelines, and flowing hills. All were beautiful, but none seemed to match where she was currently living. The lands seemed to have most of what she enjoyed. She had noticed the mountains in the distance, framed by beautiful never ending fields. There were crystal clear lakes and forests that stretched beyond what an eyes could see. It truly was remarkable. It gave her plenty to paint and plenty that could be mounted on the walls of the mansion once she finished.
 
"Fair enough." He chuckled, though his expression had become unreadable for a few seconds at her following comment. Not until I needed to hide the... stop. Don't think. The headache thrummed, painful and irritating within his own mind, but he cast it aside, allowing his expression to relax as he shrugged, "I'm quite capable of painting... granted, now that I look at the walls I suppose I'd not done the best job." After all, he had been in a hurry, in a manic state, spiraling deep and reeling from what he'd done. And he'd not felt the tiniest bit of regret for it that day. To the scared boy, pushed to the very edge of his sanity, he had reasoned that it was justified, that their lives needed to come to an abrupt end. It didn't matter if there were innocent people he'd butchered, that got caught up in his retribution, they would have been witnesses. They would have tried to come back to make him answer for his blood shed, and he didn't like leaving loose ends. Considering he'd lost most of his humanity that day, the hasty nature of the paint strokes upon the walls reminded him of the blur of activity he'd gone through, despite his body being pushed to the brink, exhausted and bleeding from injuries he'd sustained from his victims, he had painted over the atrocities he'd committed that day, to eventually forget... but they never let him rest, now did they?

A chill went down his spine as he shook his head. Forcing himself to match Rose's upbeat attitude, the man had chuckled in response, "I suppose it really is an ugly gray, isn't it? I really hadn't noticed it before." His hand grabbed hold of the brush that Rose had handed over to him, eyes turning to the blue she had chosen to repaint the entryway with. As she begun to recount her vision of how she planned to repaint the walls, Emory had tilted his head as he tried to imagine it. It was a bit difficult for him to, since he'd been living with such ugly gray walls for quite some time, he tried to picture what it had been before. The mansion had been a lot more bright and colorful prior to Emory taking over, after all the former Lord May had taken pride and care with his estate, until Maridel had darkened his door. Even when Emory had taken over, the colorful paint had been chipping and faded due to his mother never allocating funds to the upkeep of the estate, combined with the blood that stained the walls... it would be inevitable that the walls would need to be repainted and actually taken care of, something that he had neglected to do himself as his golden eyes peered at the ugly gray, the color having begun to fade a bit in some spots, though not enough to reveal any of the coloration underneath. After all, it had been a rather hasty paint job, and it wasn't as if he was as tall as he was now, having been neglected earlier in his childhood, when he had been eighteen, he was still relatively underweight and thin-framed, and only had truly reached his full height around his twentieth year, and had sufficiently bulked up by his twenty-third year. This could be easily blamed on him not receiving proper nutrition and being constantly under stress which impacted the frequency of him eating as well as impacting his fragile mental state.

With his wandering thoughts, the man had taken to dipping the brush he had in the paint, setting to work on a section of wall, even with old memories pulling relentlessly at his mind, almost able to hear the screams... his grip tightened around the brush, forcing himself to calm down as he forced instead on the sound of Rose's voice. "Feel free to do whatever you'd like, I don't mind. This estate will be yours eventually, don't hesitate to make changes where you see fit." Referring to her inquiry about his room and his study. He didn't care if she decided to repaint the walls there, though he made a mental note to remove anything that might hinder her ahead of time, "Just let me know when you're about to, I can move everything out of your way beforehand." There was no need to make Rose go through the effort of moving heavy furniture out of the way, he could handle that on his own.

At the mention of his rather spirited horse, Emory had nodded his head, "I'm sure he would like that, I really haven't had the time to take him out recently. Just, be careful when you are handling him, he has a bit too much energy sometimes." His golden eyes turned to meet Rose's, feeling her gaze upon him as she had spoken then about his territory, causing a thoughtful expression to cross his face as he tilted his head, "Really? I've never noticed." Despite visiting different locations, and his occasional visits outside of his territory, Emory never had appreciated his surroundings. The world always seemed like an unfriendly and terrifying place for him, so not once had he considered the world around him beautiful; the only exception being when he had went to the nearby lake with Rose, but that was the only time he'd bothered to admire his surroundings before. "Well, I'm glad you think so." His attention turned to the wall before him, carefully applying the brushstrokes, taking his time to cover the hastily made strokes from long ago. I really had been sloppy when I did this the first time. It's messy, I can still see a... ah. Making sure he kept his movements calm, Emory had applied a brushstroke over a patch of faint red that had mingled within the sloppy paint job of gray. Granted it was so miniscule that it could easily be overlooked if one wasn't looking closely, but he didn't want to take that risk, not when Rose was right beside him.
 
Rose allowed herself to raise an eyebrow at his statement, glancing to the coloration on the walls surrounding them. The more that she gazed at the grey, the more she absolutely despised it. She would be more than happy to rid the mansion of the color, even if it took her most of the summer to do so. “It is well enough for you while living here. I mean, no one truly was going to come and inspect your walls and you do enjoy your solitude.” She reminded. The paint was clearly beginning to chip off, a signal that the quality hadn’t exactly been the best. She had taken her time in gathering paints that were a bit pricier, but most likely would last longer. The man at the marketplace had assured her that these were as good as the ones she could get in the kingdom. She believed his word on it. She only hoped that it would indeed be enough to cover the sorry state of the walls then.

She offered him a rather cheeky grin at his words. “That, my dear, is why you need the touch of a woman to decorate.” She commented with a soft laugh. She was aware of the fact that he never allowed for Viola to do such a thing before she came. It always seemed to bother the maid that she couldn’t do anything to liven up the estate. She supposed she should be rather grateful that Emory trusted her enough to improve the state of the mansion. She hoped by this time next year, it would be as if it always looked this way. The prospect of decorating for the winter was one that she was rather excited for. Her family always made an effort to celebrate the winter solstice. She hadn’t a clue if Emory did the same, but would ask him about it once the time grew closer. She glanced towards the front door then, her curiosity about how the estate would look covered in snow pulling at her mind. She was sure it would be just as gorgeous as it was now.

She paused her movements when she heard him repeat that familiar phrase. “You know, every time you say it in that way it makes me think you are either planning on leaving me here to find a new adventure or are thinking you will die sooner rather than later.” Again she teased, though there was a twinge of worry behind her tone. The thoughts were ones she didn’t wish to have, not after she had grown to care for the other male as much as she did. The prospect of losing him someday was far too much to handle. Yet, she was pleased to know that he didn’t mind her painting in those two places. She would most certainly get his opinion on what colors he might prefer to paint them before moving to do so. After all, they were his spaces.

She nodded her head quickly in regards to his warning about his horse. “Of course. I might take him out tomorrow then. The air is much warmer today and I am sure it will only continue to get worse. It will be nice to feel the breeze.” She mused. She kneeled down to dip her paintbrush back into the paint before she moved to continue to carefully cover the grey. The blue was much thicker than she anticipated, but it would make their work easier. She had only paused to gauge his reaction about his territory. “I will just have to take you out and show you then. We could make a few day trips out of it, if you are able to leave your work behind for a little.” A smirk tugged at her lips at the comment. “We could even have a few picnics. I am sure there are gorgeous flower fields closer to the mountains.” It was only after she spoke that she turned to continue to paint. Thankfully her eyes hadn’t noticed the red he painted over. She was focused enough on the area she was currently working on.
 
"Hm. I suppose so." She was right in regards to no one daring to inspect his walls, especially in his presence. In fact, any rare visitors he would have would be far more preoccupied with the terrifying man before them than looking at mere paint. A chuckle eventually left him at her tease, "I should count myself lucky that you're here then, shouldn't I?" An easy tease back in response to her lighthearted words. Though, he had prevented Viola from making any changes primarily due to the fact that Emory despised clutter. It made him feel an uneasy sense of claustrophobia every time a place was crowded, or had far too many items blocking any exits or entryways. Though, this could be blamed on his rather unfortunate situations prior to the mansion, feeling as if he couldn't escape was a feeling he dreaded, and even if he never really had major reactions to this particular phobia of his, it was enough to set the man on edge. Besides, on rare occasions if his client wasn't happy, he'd much rather prevent the rare chance of retaliation, such as items being thrown at him. Not that it would probably hurt him, but getting blood on decorative items was such a waste, and getting the blood out would be far more difficult.

Emory too had paused when she had, though her response had made him turn his head to look at her. The worry that she had expressed, even if she was covering it up in a teasing tone was enough to make the man frown. I hadn't meant it that way, but I suppose I really should have word it better... Turning his head back to the wall, he sighed making sure his tone was playful as he responded, "Did you forget I have no intentions of dying on you anytime soon? And I wouldn't dare leave you behind if some new 'adventure' just so happens to call to me, after all," He hesitated, feeling a tinge of embarrassment settling within him, breaking his thoughts away from the darkness that remained a constant presence at the back of his mind, "..I am courting you, am I not? I have every intentions of m-marrying you one day, so this estate is as much yours as it is mine." His sentence was heated with his embarrassment, granted he'd never really had expressed the idea of marrying her, knowing full well that would be the inevitable destination for the two. He'd just never really said it out loud, though saying it made it feel suddenly a whole lot more real... which in of itself was bizarre to him, had he ever really thought of settling down? The thought was so preposterous and laughable considering the type of man he was, but his heart was already set on Rose, despite a part of him reminding him of what he was.

Do you honestly think she'll be happy with you? A murderer? The tinge of red that had claimed his face had faded, leaving his expression oddly empty despite having appeared embarrassed just mere moments before. If she knew the extent of his crimes, knew the twisted nature that he was capable of... would she still remain at his side? Even though she had reassured him before, when he'd admitted that he enjoyed inflicting pain upon other people, she seemed to have accepted him... but what if that was a lie? He closed his eyes, forcing the feelings of anguish that was beginning to flare in his chest. I don't want to hurt her. That much was true, he never wanted her to be hurt at his hands, but the thought of her green eyes looking upon him with disgust, or even fear just like his family members had... that alone was something he desired to prevent.

Forcing himself to refocus on painting, he tried his best to ignore the pain flaring in his head, the headache feeling a tad bit worse than it had been previously, his attitude shifting to attempt to match the more lighthearted mood in regards to the following day. "I see, well I'll just have to clear my schedule then. It would be nice to relax for a little while." He certainly could use a change of scenery eventually, after all the more his mind lingered on the past, the more he could remember too much. Going to places he hadn't visited in years would be a nice change, or discovering new areas would be pleasant as well... though the only thing that would make such trips pleasant would be having Rose at his side.
 
The smile that Rose had on her face then was the exact one she had before all of the occurrences these past few days. It seemed as if her mind had finally drifted away from everything and was focusing on what was happening in the current moment in time. The way in which Emory continued their banter only helped for her to relax even more. She doubted the young lord knew the effect that he had on her. “Indeed you should.” She agreed as she continued to paint. “I truly think everyone is starting to like me. Addison even managed to break out of his grumpiness to compliment the work I have been doing. I thought he was ill when he said it.” She added after a few seconds had passed. She always preferred for those who surrounded her to enjoy her company. She had been well liked by the people back in the kingdom, despite her being the youngest of five siblings. She wanted to keep that appearance up no matter where she went.

She bit the inside of her cheek, nibbling on it some as she awaited his response. His words were a huge reassurance, even if the worry was still lingering at the back of her mind. It was an irrational thought, especially since she knew the other male had no plans of leaving her. He made it abundantly clear as of late, especially with the reminder that he was courting her. She stayed silent as she worked to figure out her response. She turned to face him once she did, a lazy grin spread on her lips. “Would you hate me if I said that I just wanted to see if you would admit you wanted to marry me?” She inquired, batting her eyes at him. She tried to keep her composure, but it quickly broke and she let out a gentle laugh. She touched the end of the paintbrush with her free index finger, the blue paint covering it. She then reached forward to press a small dot on the tip of his nose. “That would be a site to see, wouldn’t it? Our wedding.” She mused after she allowed her hand to drop back to her side.

The end result of courting always led to marriage, but the side of her mind ruled by the anxiety she hid always worried that Emory might not be the one to marry. She assumed that the two might end up without the ceremony, though still living together and loving one another. It was a rare occurrence, but it did happen. She wouldn’t have minded that. She truly would do anything to keep the other male comfortable and happy. Besides, they both loved each other dearly. They didn’t need a large ceremony to prove it. “I can only imagine the look my father will be giving you as I walk the aisle towards you.” She murmured, the thought itself amusing enough. She hoped that the two might be able to put aside any of their differences that might remain after the ball for that day, whenever it did happen. She forced herself to move the thought aside knowing it would probably be quite a long time before something like that would occur.

She moved to return to the painting she had been doing before. She was hoping to finish the entryway by the time the day was over, factoring in when they would be stopping for dinner that night. It seemed to be an easy enough task. “I cannot wait. It will be wonderful, truly.” She confessed, eyes still gleaming while she worked. She always appreciated the efforts that Emory made to spend time with her. She realized the extent of his work while he had been away and didn’t know how he did it sometimes. She made a mental note to extend the offer of helping him with it even while he was still home. She wanted to make his life as easy as she possibly could. He had already been through enough and didn’t deserve to have to work through everything else alone.
 
Emory raised an eyebrow at the mention of Addison actually complimenting Rose. His golden eyes shifted over to her, a bit of surprise filtering in through his expression, "Addison giving compliments? He might have one foot in the grave then." The old man, being Emory's old instructor in swordplay after the former Lord May had begun to grow crazed, was always quite grumpy. Even when he was Emory's mentor, not once did the man give compliments easily, nor was he ever particularly warm or friendly to other people. It was always barbed comment, after sharp tongued insult with the old man, but hearing that his disposition changed in the slightest for a mere second was hard for Emory to believe. "But, its good that he's warmed up to you, he always was an insufferable curmudgeon." However, Emory did hold some respect in the skill that Addison once had, the old soldier still remaining as loyal as ever if not to Emory, then to the land that he was born in. Even if Addison perhaps wasn't too fond of the changes Emory has made, there was a silent respect between the two that had only been forged rather tentatively in the tense years after Emory had taken over the estate.

After he'd spoken regarding him courting her, when she had spoken, Emory's facial expression turned more embarrassed, red fully coming to his cheeks as he shook his head in exasperation at her. Her laughter, followed by the dot of paint being put on his nose eventually had made the rather embarrassed man begin to laugh himself, wiping away the paint from the tip of his nose as he responded in an embarrassed tone, "You really are cruel sometimes, aren't you? Putting stress on my poor heart." The sentence broke off into a bit of laughter himself, obviously joking as the light hearted mood had eased some of the tension in his limbs as he fell silent, though his expression becoming calm as he nodded his head, focusing back on painting the wall before him, "Hmm.. yes, it certainly would be." At the most, it probably would be a small ceremony, certainly not on the scale that most dukes or lords would hold, and definitely far smaller than Blaine's wedding to Rose. After all, Emory was a very private person, and due to this he didn't trust outsiders easily due to his reputation, nor would he feel the need to flaunt his wealth unlike a certain irritating rat. If anything, Emory would want to appeal more to what Rose would want, not desiring to spoil such a special moment for her. Her happiness far prioritized anything else for him, though it truly made him marvel at the changes in his attitude. Before, he certainly would never allow himself such meaningless pleasantries, finding it a waste of time, that everyone was his enemy, that he couldn't take any risks in trusting other people. Now that Rose entered his life, his reactions were slowly becoming more softer, and far more considerate. It was odd.

A chuckle finally left his lips again at her words, "Ah, yes. Though I fear he'd sooner want to run a blade through me than just stare me down the whole time." The thought was unpleasant, certainly... but Emory couldn't blame the man. "...However, I don't blame him. He has good enough reason to absolutely loathe the idea of me trying to marry you." He didn't need to elaborate further, there probably would be a lot of talking to do and verification of Emory's intent. Considering Rose's failed marriage to Blaine, the king was certain to not want to put his daughter in the hands of someone who would hurt her or put her at risk again, and with Emory's not so great reputation stained with murder and other less than noble acts, it certainly would be a mountain to climb. Blaine in contrast had a spotless reputation on the outside, with a prestigious family that had been loyal to the king's lineage for decades, training underneath the best tutors that the capitol had to offer, and not a single person knew of the rat's true colors just yet. Truly, the deck was stacked against him. A sigh left his lips as he grumbled, "Though, I suppose I have to thank a certain rat for making everything far more difficult for me." Not that he minded, if it was for Rose's sake, he would willingly put himself underneath the king's close scrutiny, and even bite his tongue if he had to.

More moments of silence had passed with only the sound of brushes against the walls, with the conversation turning to the idea of Emory accompanying her, the man had snuck a peek over to Rose to see her eyes bright and happy. Satisfaction flared in his chest as he leaned over and planted a soft kiss upon her cheek, "Good. I'm looking forward to it too." Leaning away, Emory had settled back on the task of painting, having covered a decent section of the wall as it seemed his expression had relaxed, even if his eyes remained still heavy, he did seem to be in a relatively good mood.
 
Rose quickly nodded her head at his questioning about Addison giving her a compliment. “I was as shocked as you were. Though he did almost rip one of Viola’s sons’ head off right before, so I do not think he has changed that much.” She commented with a soft chuckle. She let out a thoughtful hum before speaking again. “I guess I just have that way with people though. Everyone believed you didn’t have a kind bone in your body and now look at you. I have you entirely wrapped around my finger.” She jested, knowing it wasn’t entirely true. If it had been, Blaine would have turned around like everyone else had. She supposed it only worked with those who actually believed they had good within them. Her cast a glance towards Emory at the thought. Despite all he believed about himself, the young lord had so much good tucked beneath his hard exterior. It just took some coaxing to come out. “Hmm, remind you of anyone?” Another joke. She preferred to keep the banter between them as if kept the air light.

The embarrassment that shone from Emory in more ways than one brought an immense amount of joy to her chest. She somehow managed to get him to blush no matter the context. “It is my job to keep you on your toes. You will never have a day of peace with me around.” She knew her words weren’t entirely true, but she really had worked hard to break Emory down to the kind man he was becoming. The caring nature he exposed in regards to her was everything that she had wished for, everything she dreamed of. She could only imagine how he would change as they continued to spend their lives together. He might be almost unrecognizable in a few years. At the mentioned of the wedding, she paused for a moment. “I wouldn’t anything fancy, not after what I experienced the first time. There is no reason to have a ceremony that large. I truly would prefer something private for us. We could invite the townspeople and my family. Nothing spectacular, but simply perfect.” She allowed her thoughts to flow freely from her lips.

The idea of such a simple wedding was something that she craved. Blaine had insisted that they use her father’s money to throw the most extravagant wedding the kingdom had seen since her parents were wed. She had been young and naive at the time, not knowing any better. But after all she had experienced, she just wanted something simple for the two of them. “Well it is a good thing that he does not have a say in who I marry this time. He wasn’t the best with his choices before and I trust my own judgement far more than him in this case.” She informed. She didn’t care if her father wished to disown her for such a thing, though she doubted he would after all she had been through. If she insisted that she loved Emory in the way she positively did, her father would cave. “You will gain an upper hand once he learns how well you have taken care of me. Not slaughtering his daughter is really a wonderful bargaining strategy.” She reminded with a slight shrug. As silence fell upon them, she focused fully on painting. The air was comfortable and al heaviness from before had gone.

The gentle kiss to her cheek pulled her away from where she was painting, a soft smile slowly spreading upon her lips. Her cheeks were beginning to ache from how much she had smiled today, but she didn’t mind. It was a familiar thing she was grateful to return to. She turned her head to watch Emory for a few moments, eyes admiring him even in his tired state. She hoped she might be able to do something to help ease him into sleep that evening. The reminder of what she planned the evening before but didn’t execute popped into her mind. It took everything in her to not allow her smile to grow into a grin. “You are doing much better with your painting this time. You could make a living out of it if you weren’t a lord.” She commented with a gentle click of her tongue. Her movements had stopped completely once more, infatuated with him.
 
Emory had to roll his eyes at her comebacks to his responses, the light banter between them doing wonders to push away more of the darkness within his mind, allowing the man some reprieve from the years of blood he had on his hands. A sigh eventually left his lips as he shrugged, "I do suppose you have a point." Even if part of me wonders if this is the right choice for her. By all means, Emory was elated that Rose loved him, although it was shocking when she had confessed her feelings to him, anyone loving him was a wonder on its own. But, as his mind began to worry, was she safe with him? Would he one day hurt her? Would she ever glimpse the other side of him, the disgusting, twisted side? I don't want her to see that. It was enough that he felt disgusted with himself that one time, he would not permit himself to linger on his negative thoughts for much longer, less she would become worried over him and speaking on the matter wasn't something he was comfortable with; not yet. "Oh quite, sparing your life was all in the plan." A mere joke of course, as Emory had no idea this was the way things would turn out. Falling in love with the person he was supposed to kill, my word... quite an interesting love life he'd started.

At first, Emory hadn't realized that Rose was staring at him, the man now absorbed in the task before him. After all, the swift kiss he'd given her was a brief one, and he did say he would be helping her. However, as the seconds passed by, the man had paused in the midst of a brushstroke, now noticing eyes upon him as he cautiously looked toward Rose, an almost confused light coming to his tired eyes, though her comment had made the confusion fade and be replaced with amusement as he chuckled, "Me a painter? I fear that's one thing that I cannot do." He turned his attention back to the blue, looking startlingly bright against the chipped, gray background, "Besides, I was far shorter when I painted these walls the first time, in all honesty I think I was quite a bit shorter than you. And it wasn't as if I had the liberty at the time to get the best paint." He didn't speak on the matter further, allowing his sentence to end there. If he spoke more, he would remember more vividly the events of the day, and that would sour his time with Rose. Plus, she didn't need to see him as a monster, as long as he was as gentle and soft with her as possible, to become the perfect man for her... then she would never have to leave his side.

"Besides, I'm sure no one would want me painting anything for them. My reputation is quite horrid, you know? If anything people would sooner expect me to put a blade at their neck." Another joke, though one at his expense as he shrugged his shoulders, shifting his position so that he could reach a bit higher with the paint, finding the task far easier now than it had been before. He paused for a few seconds, moving closer to Rose as he lightly tapped her forehead, giving her a playful wink, "Now, as flattered as I am with you staring at me, we still have a lot of wall to cover, and I'm sure you want to make some progress, do you?" After all, considering the good mood the man was in, he would of course be a lot more open to gently teasing Rose if he caught her staring at him, not that he hadn't stared at her either. Of course, Emory had completely forgotten about Rose's plan to supposedly make the man cave, as his mind was far more preoccupied in assisting Rose and spending some much needed time with her.
 
Rose offered him a quick wink. “I find it rare that I do not have a point. I am most often right about everything.” A surge of her ego coming through, she supposed. It wasn’t often she would allow herself to say such a thing. She felt comfortable enough in his presence to allow that side of her to come through. Her stubbornness was one thing, but that combined with the ego she did somewhat have? It was a terrifying combination. She decided to let herself feel that way more lately. It would only help in boosting her confidence which had dwindled more than it should’ve. She raised both of her eyebrows at his statement, a loud hum leaving her. “Oh really? You are much more of a mastermind than I thought you were. I knew you were hiding away from me because you found me far too attractive.” She leaned her head back in a joking swoon, her attempt to demonstrate how he might’ve been even though she knew very well he wasn’t.

Her smile faded slightly as her eyes stayed locked in Emory. Despite the tiredness within his eyes and the new paleness to them, the gold gleamed like honey in the sunlight. The sharp lines of both his cheekbones and his jaw complimented his face perfectly. People had described him a brutally handsome, focusing more on the brutally portion of it. His reputation proceeded him. She would forever be grateful to have this side to him though. She blinked once as he finally caught on to her staring. “You are truly doing a great job. Look at how much you have already covered! At this pace, we will finish the entryway well before dinner.” She stated. She wouldn’t push them to do anything else besides that for the time being. She could always come back to paint another day. Now that the temperatures were getting warmer, she would probably spend most of her afternoons inside from the heat. “You should allow yourself to learn things like that now. You are older and it isn’t like you don’t have help for your tasks now. I can always step in to send letters out or to read through things. You deserve to enjoy the small things in life such as this.” Her tone was genuine. She would love for him to gain some new hobbies.

“Maybe you could combine the two and do paintings of knives or other weaponry.” She offered the suggestion with a laugh. She still couldn’t pull her gaze off of him. She hadn’t a clue if it was her mind just reassuring her that he was still there and still alive or if it was something else. She was figuring it was the former. After everything they experienced as of late, she would need every reassurance to know that he was alright. The image of him laying on the bed with the bloody bandages was etched in her mind. She never wanted to see something like that with him again. “I would buy a painting from you. I am sure that after a few lessons from me, you would make fine work.” She broke the silence that she hadn’t realized had fallen due to her own mind drifting away from their current conversation. She blinked at the gentle tap to her forehead. She let out a joking grumble before moving to begin painting once more. “Indeed I do. I apologize, but it is hard to focus on painting when I have the most handsome man I have laid eyes on beside me. You truly take my breath away every time.” The compliment wasn’t a jest and she clearly meant it.
 
Emory snorted, a bit of laughter leaving him at her overconfidence. He found it cute, even if it probably was a horrifying combination with her stubbornness and getting an ego. However, he'd much preferred her lively than being withdrawn and hesitant, or even exhausted. Most others would consider his preference for her attitude as being quite odd, but considering Rose was happiest when she was able to be herself, he would not put any limits on her, merely allow himself to be fascinated with her every reaction to even just the most mundane of things. Never before had he been so invested and curious in another individual, it was quite odd. But, his blossoming feelings for the woman beside him certainly could be the reason for his changes in attitude, at least when it came in regards to her. This laughter halted for a few seconds, only for it to return as a hearty laugh left his lips this time, "Hah! As if the reason was quite so simple!" He shook his head at her, struggling to keep himself from laughing further, "If anything you threw me off the whole time, I wasn't sure what to do with you."

"After all, most people wouldn't want to become even remotely friendly with me, much less insist on eating with me." Recounting the breakfasts and dinners the two shared had left the man more curious about her. "I suppose you just eventually appealed to my curiosity, as much as I now regret that since you're getting too much of an ego, dear princess." Another joke, punctuated by a smirk in her direction, comfortable and content with her companionship as he continued painting with now a smile having found a permanent place upon his usually cold features. At her praise, the man responded with a simple, "Well, I did say I would help you. And this isn't really difficult." Emory was used to more demanding physical labor, if anything this task was quite easy for him, but it was a nice change of pace. Something slow, something relaxing. Yet, the man's eyebrow raised at Rose as she had spoken on the matter of getting hobbies. Ah, she had brought that up before, hadn't she? The man tilted his head as he considered it for a few seconds. As relaxing as this was, it only had put him at ease due to Rose being at his side, her chatter being a constant distraction to the heaviness within his mind. Otherwise, Emory probably wouldn't have been enjoying himself too much, due to being stuck in the confines of a mansion that demanded him to never forget what he'd done.

Just as his mood had begun to slip, his thoughts leading him back down the dark road they had nearly slipped into, Rose's laugh had brought him back to focus on her alone, causing Emory to chuckle, "As tempting as that is, I fear it'll be difficult for me to find much time. Even if you help with letters, there are personal duties that I still have to attend to that require my presence... but maybe one day if my services aren't so high in demand, I'll take you up on your offer." A half-promise, although Emory knew not when or if such a day would come. His duty would always eventually drag him from the mansion, more commonly during the darkness of night. Perhaps he could make some time in the day, after all it would be some quality time with Rose and-

Color flooded his face immediately at her words, causing the man to stop yet again in his painting. Although, Emory had received compliments based on his appearance before... even if they were rather lewd comments from individuals whose faces he could no longer remember, or even passing remarks from minor noblewomen who he had ignored or outright insulted in his rare appearances in public... somehow Rose's compliment felt a bit more embarrassing than it should. He could not detect a joking tone in her voice either, which made the man's face turn a darker shade of red as he struggled to compose himself and respond, eventually settling on, "You never cease to catch me off guard, do you?" To know that she found him attractive was oddly quite the confidence booster, even if at the same time it did make him very much embarrassed. A huff of exasperation left his lips as he grumbled, "You really don't play fair..." At this point, the red had died down a little upon his face, though it still remained stubbornly across his cheeks and upon his ears. The young lord never thought himself capable of turning such bright shades of red before, but with Rose it seemed as if she could draw such reactions out of him quite easily. He was quite the blusher, despite how cold he tried to present himself.
 
The soft laughter that left Emory’s lips was music to Rose’s ears. It wasn’t often that she was able to pull out this side of Emory. It was the most relaxed that she had seen the other male in quite some time, though she wasn’t going to take it for granted. She would savor every single second she had with him in this manner. She much preferred his lighthearted happiness over how he got when his memories became too much. It was another reason as to why she hoped he might eventually ease up and tell her all that was bothering him. She only wanted to help him. She raised her paintbrush to wag it at him slightly at his words. A bright grin had made its way to her lips once more. It seemed as though she couldn’t keep her smiles away that day. “That was my goal! If I always kept you on your toes, you would never expect what was to come from me next and you wouldn’t want to murder me. At least I know my plan worked.” She exclaimed with another laugh soon following. The sound of Emory’s laughter only spurred more from her.

“It is truly a shame for such a thing. You are wonderful company if anyone would take the time to get to know you, or if you would allow someone to get to know you. I consider myself very lucky on that matter.” Her words were genuine once more, the teasing tone having completely slipped away. She supposed it would’ve been rather hard for Emory to let anyone get to know him in the past. Everything she had heard of him painting this cold image, one that she should’ve stayed away from. Maybe it spiked her own curiosity. After all, she now found herself infatuated with him and she couldn’t get enough of his company. “Ah, you see, I have always had this much of an ego. I assumed that no one would ever fall for someone with as much confidence as I. It forced me to hide it away until now. You are in far too deep now.” She joked, casting a glance towards him with another wink. She kneeled to get more paint on her brush before moving onto a different section of the wall. The bright blue was already doing an incredible job replacing the dull grey that had been there before. She almost couldn’t wait to see what Viola thought of it. The thought popped into her mind as well as a reminder to give her the necklace she had gotten before she left for the day.

“It does require better skill than what you had before, though I will blame that on your very short height back then.” She commented with a slightly shrug. She always found painting to be a rather relaxing activity along with reading. Each one helped drift her mind away from anything she was worried or stressed about. She glanced to him once more with a slightly raised eyebrow. “You do need to learn to set boundaries with your work. You would probably be much happier if you took the time out of your day to do something that might relax you.” She reminded. It wasn’t the first time that she had told him something along those lines, though saying it again was a clear reminder of the concern she felt for him at times. She was sure Viola felt similarly as well as a few of his sentries. The words of Leofstan were burned into her mind. He didn’t take breaks until you came along…

While her eyes were still directed at him, she was able to witness the bright coloration of red on his face. He had blushed before, that much was known and she had seen how it could be, but there wasn’t a time before where he was this darkly red. It was almost as if he had laid out in the sun all day and had gotten severely sunburnt. “It is my job to keep you on your toes, as I have mentioned before.” She mused with a soft smile on her lips. She would always find herself admiring his looks even when she knew she wasn’t supposed to. That and his air of mystery were one of the first things to draw her in. She wanted to know more about him, know why he was the way he was. She just hadn’t expected to fall in love with him along the way. She paused moving to step closer to him. She leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek, though allowed for her lips to linger by his ear for a moment. “You look like a very adorable tomato when you blush.” She whispered the teasing comment before pulling back and returning to painting as if nothing had happened.
 
A flustered grumble was the only thing she would receive in response from Emory at first, particularly at her saying it's her job to keep him on his toes. Indeed, she never ceased to draw out such embarrassing reactions from him with such ease... he really was becoming far too soft for his own good. As he focused on finishing painting the section of wall he'd been dutifully trying to paint over the gray, he felt Rose's presence come close to him, her lips upon his cheek only served to once more cause his skin to tingle, a sensation he was slowly beginning to become accustomed to, though her whisper had made him give her a glare, shivers going down his spine from the feeling of her breath against his ear. Honestly, this woman... The fact that she felt comfortable enough to tease him was baffling to the man, not that he minded it much to begin with. But, how long would he be able to take this teasing at his expense? No, he wouldn't let it slide this time.

Placing the brush he had to rest within the paint for just a moment, the man had stepped behind Rose only for his arms to wrap around her middle, drawing her close to him. His head dipped down, lips coming close to her ear as he spoke, his deep voice low, almost quiet, "You really are getting too bold for your own good." His teeth gently nibbled on her ear, the warmth of his breath passing over her skin, soft and slow kisses soon following down the side of her cheek, slowly drifting down her neck. It was only when he had reached the edge of where the fabric of her clothes covered her shoulder, he had stopped, one hand lifting from where it was resting, a finger lightly hooking upon the fabric, slightly shifting it out of the way so that he could have access to slightly more of her skin, placing his lips gently upon the exposed skin, a gentle kiss was placed before his teeth gently pressed against it, sucking upon the skin he had in the grasp of his teeth, though the moment only lasted mere seconds, he could feel his blood beginning to quicken in his veins, though he was restraining himself. No more than this. The warning rang out in the back of his mind, only then had the man released her from his hold, lips parting from her shoulder only for his tongue to gently brush against the small love bite he'd left behind.

"Be careful not to tease me too much, even I have my limits." He murmured those words quietly, a playful warning wrapped up in soft purr as he moved the fabric of her clothes back, his presence soon leaving her side as he stepped back to the paint, taking hold of the brush and began setting back to work on the wall, though it seemed in that moment of retaliation, the man's face had sufficiently cooled back to the regular pale coloration. His facial expression was controlled, and calm, though a bit surprising considering usually some spark of desire would flare in the man's eyes, and it wasn't as if he hadn't felt a tinge of desire to do more... but he refrained. Besides, Rose had teased him enough and making his face quite a dark crimson, this was simply fair in return. Emory settled upon acting as if nothing had just happened, akin to how Rose had done just a few moments before, though the man now was beginning to finish his portion of the wall, a rather smug feeling beginning to linger in his chest. It wasn't often that he would do such things, in all honesty he should have just let it slide. After all, he wasn't a child, now was he?
 
Rose truly hadn’t expected for him to do anything in return, especially since he normally just allowed his face today adorn even more. Her eyes had turned to focus back fully on what she was painting, wanting to make sure that she wasn’t missing any spots of grey behind. She was rather motivated in that moment. She believed they could at least finish this portion that day. It was the one goal her mind was actually set on. At least, it was set on that until Emory slowly stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. It was obvious she didn’t expect anything of it, though she appreciated the comfort of his arms being wrapped around her. His touches were always welcome. But then she heard the whisper in her ear, a soft purr accompanying it. The gentle nibble at her earlobe was enough for her to relax even more.

Her heart quickened in her chest as she felt the gentle kisses being placed on her cheek, slowly drifting down her neck. She didn’t fight against them, her enjoyment for the situation clearly showing in that moment. It wasn’t often that he teased her in such a way. The only other time had been while they were in his office the day prior. But each time that he allowed himself to do such a thing was one that she would never fight against. She leaned back into him slightly as his hand came up to adjust the fabric covering her shoulder. The soft touch caused for goosebumps to flare on her skin, a shiver going down her spine. His lips were soon to follow. Her breath hitched in her throat, a soft gasp leaving her lips. She forced herself to regain as much of her composure as she could within that moment. “There has been a reason to my teasing. Did you forget that I said I wanted to break you?” She inquired in no more than a whisper as his tongue grazed the spot where his teeth were just a moment before.

But as he stepped away and returned to painting as if nothing occurred, she turned her head to look at him. Some surprise was clear on her expression, mouth parted slightly. Her mind was running through everything that just occurred, though her heart was still pounding in her chest. I don’t know how much more of this I can take… “Emory, if you do not take me soon, I will make you wait until well after our marriage.” Her first response slipped from her lips without a second though. Her body was beginning to gain that nagging feeling. She wanted his body against her own, his hands roaming her body while his lips peppered gentle kisses down her neck. A strong sense of desire lingered in her stomach. “Though, I am sure you will have a hard time fighting against it tonight. If I do not break you with what I have planned, I have no clue what will.” She managed to gain a bit of her composure back in that moment, though it wasn’t much. She slowly moved to begin painting again. Her mind was wandering far more than she would’ve liked.
 
(Sorry if this is a bit rushed, on mobile plus trying to fit it in my 15 minute breaks is rough x.x)

A tilt of his head and an all too knowing, smug smile had slowly begun to cross Emory's face, the man pausing in the middle of a brushstroke as he looked at her when she had spoken her bold, first sentence. "Oh? Is that supposed to be a threat? Rose, I fear you may be showing your desperation too much." Although he was well aware how maddening it could become, especially considering mere teasing would not be enough to fulfill the itch. But, to him, the end results would be certainly worth the excruciating wait.

However, her next words caused the man's eyes to gleam, a tinge of excitement rising in his chest although he tried to compose himself just as quickly. The man had completely forgotten all about her supposedly trying to break him, though part of him was certainly tempted to be stubborn regardless of whether he'd break or not, if only to tease her further. But, that would be a bit too cruel of me, wouldn't it? Considering Rose was at the point of openly expressing the desire of wanting him, Emory couldn't help but be quite smug as he chuckled, "I certainly do enjoy seeing you like this, it's quite cute." Turning her words that she had stated before as he clearly seemed to not be inclined to further physically tease her, as tempting as it was. No, instead the man merely kept painting, though he had looked at her a few seconds, seeing her barely able to hold onto her composure was something that filled him with satisfaction.

Nonetheless, the man had hummed, "Well, I suppose we'll see what will happen tonight, with that threat hanging over my head and all." He spoke in a playful tone, covering up whether he was being serious or not. After all, even despite him teasing her in this moment, he also was wearing down his own patience slowly but surely.
 
no you are totally fine!!! no worries at all c: ))

Rose’s jaw clenched slightly as he continued to tease her, her hand tightening its grip on the paintbrush. She couldn’t help but show her desperation in that moment. She didn’t think she had ever wanted anything more than she wanted this from him at that current moment in time. Her body was growing warmer just at the thought. She glanced towards the front door, trying to gauge the time by the sun streaming it. She knew they had quite a while before it was to be night. “At least most of my teasing is innocent.” She grumbled with a slight shake of her head. The other male knew the perfect way to get beneath her skin each time, though it seemed as if she matched him more than she would admit. “You always tease me for my cruelness when you are the worst of all.” She added, that same grumpiness still rather present in her tone. She knew there wasn’t a reason to hide her. He had won this round, but she knew she would topple him when she showed him just what she had planned that evening.

Despite that, it wasn’t hard for her to see the smugness that he was acting with how. The air almost reeked of it. An idea slowly blossomed in her mind and it was one that she intended to play well. “I will hand you one thing. No one has ever been able to get underneath my skin in the way that you do.” She confessed, knowing it would grow his ego more. If she could just boost his confidence more, get him to the point where he believed he would have complete control over her, she could break him that evening. It would be a hard task to accomplish, but it would be worth the effort. It took everything in her to not allow the smirk that was desperately wanting out onto her lips. She kept that grumpy exterior, her brushstrokes a bit faster than they had been before. She shot him a soft glare when he turned the phrase she commonly spoke to him back onto herself. “Very cruel indeed.” She reminded, sticking her tongue out at him in response.

She debated her next words very carefully, not wanting to give too much away. A spoiled surprise wouldn’t have the effect she desperately needed it to have. Her mind truly did mean it when she thought she couldn’t take much longer without anything of the sort between them. It was getting harder and harder for her to push her desire back. She had noticed it with Emory yesterday as well. If only she could pick the ring strings to pull… “I will offer you a little hint as I am a kind person. If you believed the dress I am wearing to the ball was satisfactory, you will not be able to keep your hands off of me tonight.” A bit of the confidence she had before managed to come back into her tone. She didn’t allow too much of it to show itself, knowing she still needed to be careful. She leaned down to get more paint on her brush, not looking at him for the time being. Her eyes were beginning to gleam again as her mind formulated what she would do. She already had the perfect undergarment in mind.
 
Emory was quick to counter her first sentence with a smug reply, "You can't just expect me to silently bear the brunt of your teasing most of the time." He paused as he added in a more confident smirk, "I never said my teasing would be innocent, Rose. You should know the type of person I am at least a little bit better by now." After all, Emory's experiences had warped him to be certainly quite naughty in regards to when he eventually would tease Rose back, knowing full well that what he would consider rather minor teasing would indeed light desire within her. He never was an innocent man, despite the fierce blushes Rose would ignite upon his skin. Though, perhaps he was merely poking the bear when he really shouldn't but the man couldn't help the little snickers that left him at the rather grumpy responses he was getting from her. Cruel certainly, but he was more than confident in his ability to hold himself back, having formed plenty of patience in regards to such - albeit such a skill he never truly desired to have, but at the very least it was useful to him so far in toying with Rose exactly how a cat typically toys with prey... even if he knew he might have hell to pay later on.

Her words certainly seemed to be making his ego inflate a little bit more, the man unaware of just what in the world she was planning later. Though, in the midst of painting he did raise an eyebrow at her as she stuck her tongue out at him, playfully rolling his eyes at her in response. Even if Emory wasn't taking this too seriously, part of him probably warned that he maybe should, if only a little bit. But, some part of him really wanted to see her frustrated, a certainly sadistic part indeed, but Emory wouldn't push her too much. The woman might just jump on him if he did - granted he wouldn't mind that - but it certainly would be quite the compromising position considering where they were in this moment. Far too open with chances of getting caught being too high. Just mere words would be enough for now, at least he hoped.

At her hint, Emory had paused to consider. The dress certainly was quite appealing, though now knowing Rose had undergarments that probably were a lot more effective in regards to his eyes had caused a flutter of more excitement to settle in his chest. I want to see. Such a simple urge, though he pushed the thought aside for now. Even if the thought was indeed exciting, he had plenty of confidence in his patience, perhaps he should give her a little help to push him over the edge? "As wonderful as that is," He began, his tone calm as he allowed a brief silence to settle, considering his words with care, "It's one thing to show me, but a whole other to actually act." A tiny bit of a hint, for his resistance was quite high in regards to merely looking at women in quite seductive or scandalous clothing, after all considering who his biological father was and the Black Market being how it is in regards to its pleasure ward, Emory had seen just about everything under the sun. Granted, the women in question he had seen were people he had no attraction to, which was perhaps Rose was getting so much of a reaction from him in the first place; he actually desired her. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to get a single tinge of red if he wasn't personally interested in her.

With his hint being given, Emory had given her a wink, as he spoke in a soft purr, "Take that as you will." Helping bring about his own demise certainly, but he was curious how far she would go. This truly was like a little game for him that he anticipated her every reaction, finding her reactions to be quite interesting and funny. Now, with his hint spoken, the man had focused his attention on the wall. Their little game would have to wait for later, they did have a task before them, and it wouldn't do if it wasn't done before nightfall.
 
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