I shook my head, "No." I gulped, staring at my feet on the floor as I kicked at loose bits of stones on the ground. "I can't buy my way out of marriage, and I can't buy a way to make Alphonse and I love each other."
"Ah, your young champion." Vethari sneered in disdain.
"Yes," I whispered. I jerked away when his hands moved up to brush against my cheek. I could barely feel his fingers as they touched my face, unlike the first time he came to me in my dreams. His powers were draining rapidly.
"And why would such a brave hero strike you here?"
I'd almost forgotten already that he slapped me. I nodded, unable to vocalize what I was feeling. I wasn't sure how Vethari knew. I still loved Alphonse as a friend, but I held hatred for him for touching me in such a way.
"You could be free, you know," Vethari cooed, bringing himself closer to my body as he leaned forward. "You’d see what it's like there, and you wouldn't have to be wed. You'd be free of all your material trappings and experience life as it was intended."
My lips parted, and my breath hitched at how close the proximity was between either of us. His lips followed mine, full as they were, parting just so. He was so tempting and that familiar overwhelming sense of warmth between my legs was cumbersome.
The silver of his eyes seemed to swirl almost, molten with heat that poured into me.
"Do you not wish to choose for yourself, unguided by others? Do unto your heart, you know what you desire."
"Vethari ..." I mumbled, but he shut me up.
With no stalling for time, or taking it slow, his lips crashed onto mine. It was rough, but not violent. My eyes slid shut as my hand crept up his transparent chest to now rest upon his bare torso. Feeling each indentation of muscle he had, even on his thinning frame.
Each of his pointed teeth scraped over my lower lip, and I shuddered at the otherworldly sensation. Every movement of his mouth causing that flame in my core to ignite brighter and stronger.
His tongue lashing at mine causing me to release a moan as my knees pressed together.
If there was any space left, the golden fae moved closer towards me, the only thing blocking his body from moving against mine was his locked hands between us. I needed to keep a bit of space from one another before I did something I would regret.
The force of him attempting to push closer caused me to lean backward with him shifting to place himself over me. The skirts of the massive dress I wore were being tugged upward, and that's all it took to make me hesitate as my heart raced.
No, I was a modest young woman. I'm supposed to be pure and have morals against this. Even though I was craving every touch from him right now.
I forced myself to break the kiss, panting now as I stared into his eyes.
"Why are you doing this?"
His eyes widened at my question, and he leaned away from me as though I had offended him.
"I? What have I done but attempt to satisfy you."
No, he had to be doing more than that.
"You're using your aura to make me want you, again."
His brow arched, the slight frown on his lips upturning into a smirk of a familiar cockiness.
"I am doing nothing of the sort. What you feel, and how you feel, is all you." His gaze turned predatory, "Don't be ashamed you wish to lay with a fae. Many a maiden would desire the same."
I made to move my hands away from him, but he grabbed it with a flash of movement to keep them placed upon him.
"There's nothing wrong with your feelings. You want me. Why not do what you wish instead of forcing yourself to comply with the expectations of your family and the standards your church lay for you?"
Even if he wanted me to give into these wanton cravings, I still couldn't let that part of myself go. Everything I'd been told as a child and as I've grown into a woman, such lessons didn't go away with ease. They wouldn't be brushed to the side when it was all I ever knew. I was a street walker, or a harlot. I couldn't give into such lustful desires.
"I'm tired of how you talk so high and mighty. You're a prisoner, locked in this dark chamber, and unable to escape. How dare you take advantage of me right now."
"Take advantage of you?" His eyes narrowed.
I didn't know what else to say to make him stop.
"Dear human girl, you can try to force yourself to think you're as innocent as the day you were brought into this world. But how you feel right now isn't me forcing it onto you. Don't be repentant now that you want me atop of you."
I flushed, staring at him as the shame only continued to grow. He couldn't lie. And that made it even worse.
"Send me back." I continued to try and wrench myself free, but he held onto me steadfast.
"Don't run away from it, Penelope."
I glared at him, my jaw clenching in frustration as I still pulled back, "I said send me back! Now!"
Vethari bared his teeth, releasing me from his bound hands.
"Fine," he growled. And before I knew it, everything faded from my vision. I awoke in my room, sitting up and drenched in sweat as I panted. The shame was still there, and I was still just as tired as when I first tried to sleep, maybe more so. I looked at the beaded jewelry on my wrist and wrenched it off, instead throwing it across the floor in anger.
I never wanted to see him again.
17
Maria was pulling my hair upwards and into a loose, flowing bun atop my head. She had me sleep in pins that coiled my hair, sending loose spirals hanging in front of my face and next to my ears. I knew she was still frustrated with me, and I with her, with every hard pull she did to get each piece of hair into the correct spot.
I only winced when the pain tugged from my scalp, but I didn't speak a word to her to cease, and only complied with her demands. I felt evil for having to pull that card, before. But the threat to tell the church of her adulterous behavior was all I had left in my favor.
If anyone had discovered something supernatural, there would be nothing I could do from Father Acaba lashing out against me.
Finally, Maria was finished, as she all but slammed the wooden comb she was using onto the counter of my vanity desk.
"There." She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, and staring at her handiwork. I looked at myself in the mirror, surprised to find that it looked rather nice.
"Thank you," I mumbled, scooting away from the vanity, and standing up. That disgusting blue dress had been sent back to the dressmaker, and a new gaudy dress sent.
This one, I somewhat admired, but it was still over-the-top for what was posed to be a simple farewell ball. It was an attention-snatching bright crimson, exposing my arms. It was loose but still clung to the body without moral compromise, dragging across the floor for a foot or two.
The maidservant didn't waste another moment with me, instead opting to turn and gather the cluster of jewelry she had brought up from my father. As she placed them on me, I almost could not recognize myself.
I looked far too opulent, even for my family's status. Father only wanted to show off his little doll to display his accumulation of wealth. I shrugged as she placed a draping circlet of crystals across my brow, clasping it in the back to keep it put.
Then came the ruby earrings that dangled low like a chandelier, and the two rings upon my right fingers. As she knelt to place them onto my digits, she paused, staring hard at the bracelet I had collected from the ground and put back on.
"This doesn't match with the rest of your outfit. Remove it."
She spoke in a rather demanding tone as she slipped the golden rings onto my hand, and I yanked back as soon as she reached for the glass bracelet.
"I intend to keep it on, thank you," I told her, crossing my hands together in front of me, fingers laced together. She rolled her eyes but didn't make a further mention about the jewelry. Only two of the beads remained clear, the other two now a beautiful blood red after using up the magic that had been used to take me to and from Vethari.
"Well, it's time to make way t
o the grand staircase, your court awaits you."
My heart had been beating all too fast with oncoming anxiety, and now I felt like I was to pass out at her words. I was trying my damnedest to keep myself together as I stood and stepped towards the door of my room.
The sound of violins and string instruments were muffled behind the closed doorway.
I counted my breaths, trying to force myself to calm down as my hand grasped onto the handle. I pulled, and once it opened, the sound of the party downstairs grew much louder. Though still drowned out by the dull beating in my ears from each heartbeat and pulse of blood.
I walked down the small passageway, hand gripping the banister. Mother's door was ajar as I passed it, I peeked inside only to see her sleeping away. I sighed. No last words of encouragement or wisdom, I supposed. With great care, I slowly shut her door and continued on.
Each step closer towards the top of the staircase was as though my slippers were made of lead, and it was a struggle to keep moving forward.
Was this going to happen? I was truly going to marry Alphonse, and have the rest of my life decided for me? I'd have children, grow old, and die. That's it. That's where this was leading me.
I kept talking to myself, trying not to focus on the voices I could now hear talking and laughing amongst one another. After what seemed like an hour instead of mere seconds, I reached the top of the staircase. I stared down at the small crowd below the spiraling steps to those that had been waiting for me to make my appearance.
The talking silenced, and instead, a few oos and aahs from those who were admiring the gown father had purchased for me. I forced a smile, trying not to seem so full of angst with the huge frown that was plastered onto my lips.
There was nothing I could do to stop this from happening, so I needed to deal with it like mother did. Like all women do. Like I'm sure mother did, too.
I began my slow descent down the steps, careful not to trip and fall with how shaky I was.
"Penelope Rose! Don't you look fabulous!" A familiar slim face stepped forward once I reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Thank you." I offered the woman a small curtsy, though her eyes darted up and down, taking in every detail of my appearance. She took a moment to flip out her fan, covering the lower half of her face and half-fanning herself.
"My, my, Lord Rose must have spent quite a fortune. I've never once seen you appear so lovely. Sir Alphonse must be so happy."
My tongue stung with pain as I bit into it, keeping myself from saying something snarky back. I was already miserable with my situation, and her words were fueling fire to my anger.
"I'm sure he is, do you know where he's at by any chance?" I fluttered my eyelashes at her as she clasped her fan shut once more in her hands.
It was then a soft hand pressed to my shoulder. I spun around to find the man in question, looking the same as he did last I saw him. Hair pulled back into a ponytail, a short jacket, dress pants, the whole lot.
I tightened my lips as I looked at him.
"Alphonse." I greeted shortly.
His hand slid down my arm, pulling up my hand and pressing a small kiss on the back of my knuckles.
"Penelope, I've been wanting to speak with you," he glanced at the woman behind me, giving her a side eye before focusing on me once more, "Alone, if possible."
I clicked my tongue, thinking whether I wanted to speak with him or smack him across the face. I relinquished and allowed him to drag me off to the side, closer to the small orchestra and away from where most of the others mingled.
"Yes?" I snapped, crossing my arms as I pulled free of his grasp.
"Rosie, I'm sorry for being so cold last we met. I felt it absurd to even attempt to get out of this. We knew our whole lives this day would come."
I tilted my head back, giving him a hard stare.
"Absurd? How is it absurd to try and get out of this? Why don't we both tell our parents we don't want to marry each other? If we both show such disdain of one another, then who is to say they won't consider at least postponing all of this nonsense?"
He shook his head, doing his usual hair flip as he often did when frustrated or in deep thought. "There are rules and traditions, Penelope. We can't break customs because it suits us. You're still my best friend in the entire world. I believe we can make this tolerable."
"You must be joking." I moved to walk away, only for him to snatch my arm again, keeping me there to stay with him as he continued on.
"No. Say we got out of this, we could just remain friends and not marry. What would happen to you?"
"To me?" I blinked, where was he going with this?
"Yes, to you. You would be forced to marry someone else, a total stranger. You are at the age where you should have been married already, had children already. So, would you rather marry a stranger, or would you rather at least be wed to your friend?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but a very large, booming voice echoed over us, even over the orchestra. We both snapped our head to the foyer of the manor, spotting my father with both of his arms raised in the air. His cheeks were dappled red from a few glasses of wine, his eyes looking a tad glassy.
"Welcome, welcome! My friends, and my family! Thank you for coming to our farewell party for our young hero, Alphonse Bordeaux. Please, Alphonse, step forward!"
Alphonse and I exchanged a glance and he let me go. Instead, fixing his jacket by giving it a firm tug and walking through the crowd of people who now parted to let him pass until he stood to the right of my father.
"This young man is leaving to the Temple of Awul, to learn the art of the Templar. We had to give thanks and send him off with a proper farewell as he heads off to protect us from the faerie savages."
The cheers and hollers followed, a loud storm of claps. Alphonse looked embarrassed but waved to the small crowd anyways, offering a shallow bow to them all.
"Thank you, Lord Rose."
Father lowered a hand to silence young Alphonse, before placing both of his hands on his waist, staring right at me.
Oh, no.
"Let us not forget his fiancée, my own beautiful daughter, Penelope Rose. Please, come forth to be celebrated and we congratulate your husband-to-be on his accomplishment."
I swallowed a lump in my throat, sauntering forward through the small pass that Alphonse made through the many people in my home. They clapped for me, although not as loud as for Alphonse the town hero but nodding their heads at such a well put together couple.
"No matter what, may their love keep them united through all these times of separation. And to keep their love, I'd like for his father and my friend to come forth."
Alphonse and I turned to the doorway that led into our dining room. There we spied Enzo Bordeaux and a man in priestly attire walk into the room. My eyes widened, and I realized what was happening.
So soon? We didn't even have time to dance or dine. Father wanted this to happen with no resistance.
He would not wait until the day before Alphonse left, a week from this day, he would have us wed in front of everyone. Right now.
I reached out to snatch Alphonse's hand even though I was still angry with him. He squeezed mine back and refused to let go. He knew as well as I what our fathers were doing. The crowd did as well as they seemed to go silent aside from the few loud gasps that were heard.
"We realize how dangerous life can be when learning to become a Templar. Only the bravest of soldiers get invited to test their mettle, and only the strongest survive the rigorous training. So, while we have the opportunity, in front of our dearest friends, we have decided to officiate the marriage of my son and his beautiful wife."
Lieutenant Bordeaux stood next to my father, the priest behind him flipping down his hood as in his hands a large tome was revealed from its hidden confines beneath his sleeves.
Alphonse was pushed forward, which brought me along with him. Our hands already held together as the priest now moved in front of us. He flipped the large tome open
as his finger traced down the large masses of tiny text, pausing once he found the passage he was looking for.
"We are gathered today, under the light of Awul, Keeper of the Everafter." He began to read, and I caught Alphonse's eyes with my eyes. I shook my head, and he gave me a sympathetic look.
His head tilted towards the crowd of people that were watching our every movement. There was no way we could bolt without humiliating our families. His eyes glistened. He had been holding back tears, and I knew I was doing the same.
Neither of us wanted this, but he believed more than I there was nothing we could do to stop this. He had accepted his fate.
"Forever, in this life, may no fae hex nor curse this union. Between man and woman, the eternal connection that ties their lives to one another."
Was I about to accept my fate as well?
I kept trying to come up with something. Anything. What if I feigned fainting? What if I ran? No, I couldn't run. If I acted as though I passed out, they more than likely would officiate the wedding anyhow as they tended to me.
"From this day forth, may we look upon both families as one, by the binding that Awul has blessed me the privilege to carry out."
I was getting far too desperate.
I mouthed to Alphonse, as tears flooded down my cheeks, 'I'm sorry,' and released his hands.
He gave me a confused stare, but I knew what I had to do.
"With the powers of the heavens invested within me and my priesthood, I pronounce you ..."
Then the flash. The prick of pain and blood dripping from my fingers.
I heard the loud shrieks, gasps, and screams of surprise that erupted from the crowd as I was ripped from that space and transplanted into another.
18
I stumbled somewhat, the long trail of my dress inhibiting me from keeping my balance. I was almost getting the hang of transporting different spaces in an instant, only the landing needed practice. "Ouch!" I winced. My ankle had twisted as I fought to stand straight. I leaned against the wall to support myself.
Taken by Fae (Humans vs Fae Book 1) Page 10