One Shots

The Royal Dahlia II

Honestly, I like the first part more. What do you guys think ? Let me know. x

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Pariah sighed at the image in the mirror. The frilly white gown felt like a trap, but her father approved and her maidens gushed about how beautiful she looked. She stood there silently, her thoughts only angry and sad, as the seamstresses altered the dress for hours to hug her body perfectly, only occasionally glancing in the mirror at the guard by the door. He always met her gaze.

Finally, the dress was tailored perfectly. It would probably take ten minutes and three maidens just to help Pariah get into the dress for the ceremony, but it was finished. When her father entered to look at the final result, he stood in shock as he looked at his daughter.

After a few long, silent moments, Pariah snapped, "Well? What about it?"

It took the king a moment to speak. "Persephone, I think you look beautiful in that dress."

Her breath felt caught for a moment. For the first time she could remember, her father had paid her a sincere compliment. He'd even looked her in the eye and used her name. Maybe he was softening in his old age.

Still, she despised him for this arranged marriage and the absolutely absurd dress. "I think I look like a balloon," she complained.

"It doesn't matter what you think you look like, it only matters that Prince Oliver approves. Which he will." The king was back to speaking sternly, and Pariah wished it shocked her. Instead, she sighed to herself as she fumbled with the material around her. Her father slipped out of the room then, nodding at the guard newly assigned to his daughter. Andrew returned the nod, swallowing hard as the monarch left. Rumors of their romance had made it to certain lower circles of the castle, but apparently he was still safe with the higher-ups.

Sighing again, Pariah pulled at the sleeves and corset of her dress. She could hardly breathe and she felt sore already. "What an awful garment," she groaned, "just to look like a frilly ghost bride."

"I think you look lovely," Andrew said from behind her, unable to stop himself.

She and her maidens turned to look at him, the servants all exchanging looks. The lovers' eyes met and Pariah had to choke back a sudden sob. With a wave, Pariah bid, "Leave me alone for a moment. I'd like to come to terms with my fate in solitude." She didn't have the gall to cry in front of Andrew, even if she knew she loved him.

Immediately, the maidens and seamstresses stood and left, giving Andrew looks of "well, come on." One even gave him a flirtatious glance, which almost made Pariah's blood boil until she noticed Andrew's eyes on her, not even giving the servants his peripheral sight. When he didn't move, the maids left the door open a crack but departed.

"Andrew, please leave me," Pariah mumbled. "I don't want you seeing me in this."

Glancing at the doorway, Andrew took a few steps forward until he was just behind her. Pariah watched him lean down to kiss her shoulder in the mirror. "As you wish," he replied. Then he departed too.

Pariah felt a familiar wave of sorrow overwhelm her as the door clicked shut. She could no longer hold back her tears and she collapsed to her knees, holding her face as she sobbed.

Each day, Pariah's anxiety grew as much as her love for Andrew did. He'd spent every night with her in her chambers since the first night of his assignment, some nights just to hold her until she fell asleep, some nights to share his stories of the outside world. They hadn't done anything like what they had the first night, but their touches still weren't completely innocent. Andrew had been trying to discreetly prevent their copulation, as he worried about the consequences she would face. She knew why he didn't push as far as the first night, but she didn't try to provoke him either for the same fear of his consequences. She knew he was as in love with her as she was with him, and the knowledge pained her heart enough that it manifested physically and made her chest seize and ache.