✔ Mrs Mandray

32. Help me

Isabella

"You know he's already planning a house for you."

Isabella huffed, her breath clouding before her in the evening air. "Cassian or Azriel?"

"Why not both?" Rhys countered, tugging off his jacket to wrap her up. She accepted gratefully, sinking into the warmth it offered. She tried not to inhale too deeply, but there was something so alluring about the scent clinging to Rhys jacket. "I think Cas may have been planning it the longest though."

"Hmmm." She answered noncommittally and Rhys sighed, clearly exasperated by her question dodging.

"Come on now Isabella Darling." He tutted, turning to face her. "I confessed all my confused feelings about your dear sister. It's only fair I get the details on my brother."

"Well, in that case then your lack of romantic feelings for my sister only confirms that there's nothing to say." She grumbled but even she could hear the lie in her voice.

"Nothing to say? Except after 5 years you've suddenly seen the light and understand what a healthy romantic relationship should look like?"

"Rhys-"

"Or I don't know... this whole dinner that suspiciously mimicked a human courting introduction between families?"

"Oh what do you want me to say?" She hissed at him and tried not to bristle at the triumph flaring in his violet eyes. "I am married, I have a son, not to mention that I am human-"

"But your son is half fae."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well for starters you can't play the 'he's fae and I'm human' card." He gripes, "And don't try to argue that the wings make it more 'real' or 'obvious' when we both know that's just a bonus turn on for you."

Her face bloomed a furious red and she felt herself reel back. Embarrassment and shame were quickly curling in her stomach. Isabella cleared her throat, arms banding protectively around her stomach as she took a slight shuffled step away from Rhys.

The male before her sighed, clearly apologetic but she found herself hesitant to look at him.

"Sorry. I forgot that humans don't really discuss these things." he waves ambiguous into the air and Isabella found herself mutely nodding. "Fae are much more open about relationships. There's no real limitations on gender, age or partners."

She felt her face scrunch up in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Rhys blinked at her owlishly. For a moment a blush bloomed on the sharp line of his cheek bones. That is until a cackling burst from his lips. The High Lord doubled over, clearly speechless from his own hilarity.

Isabella found herself stepping back in surprise. It was strange seeing him so open and at ease even if he was clearly laughing at her expense. She stepped forward, cautiously placing a hand on Rhys' shoulder. He managed to clamp down his laughter but his body was still shaking with the force of it.

Slowly he straightened back and the brightens in his expression had her own humiliation faltering.

"Sorry- sorry." He spluttered, lips uncontrollable twitching into a smile. "I just- oh I don't really know how to explain all of that. We're not really-"

"Let's stick to nice intellectual conversations and i'll just ask Azriel to drop off a few books on fae culture that cover... whatever this is." Isabella bristled slightly, fully aware that he was laughing about having to explain something sexual to her that she was missing. It was hard not to be annoyed when she was clearly less educated in that particular area. It was a mild comfort to remind herself that Rhys had no doubt been alive for a billion years and seen and done a lot of things. "Just... will you help me? Leave him I mean?"