Cloak and Scalpel

ABERLEEN ARC: Tame

Lover?

I stared between Aamon and the captain dressed in scarlet.  She didn't seem at all bothered that she'd managed to arrest the entire tavern's attention.  In fact, she seemed to revel in it.  She chuckled, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Didn't think I'd be seeing your pretty face again," Annalee said with a shrug.  She grinned at him, her emerald eyes scanning him from head to foot.  "Gods above you're taller.  Definitely bulkier, too.  I supposed it's all that training and whatnot.  My, and that scar does become you.  Makes you seem manlier.  Balances out the pretty face nicely."

"Mind your tone," Aamon warned again, his eyes flashing.

"Or what?" The woman smirked at him, rouge red lips curling.  "I seem to recall you liked my sharp tongue.  Especially when it was wrapped around your cock."

Everyone in the room fell silent, as though each person took a collective breath, wondering how the duke would react.  I felt my heart clenching at her words, and I bit my lower lip.

"Dramaaaa," Melissa hollered loudly from their table in the back.

Annalee shrugged her shoulders and glanced behind her, towards Melissa.  "I live for drama, thank you."  She turned back to Aamon.

"Yeah, I can tell," Gusion muttered, eyeing her scarlet clothes and matching scarlet hair.  'That whole getup practically screams 'Look at me, I need attention.'"

Emerald eyes snapped to Gusion at once.  The captain blinked and then she grinned, showing a row of yellow teeth.  "Are you...Oh, gods above, Aamon!  This is your little brother, isn't it?  That scrawny little tagalong boy that kept clinging to you?!"

"Watch it," Gusion snapped.

"My, almost as good-looking as the older brother, eh?" She grinned and shook her head.  "Paxley blood, ladies and gentleman, makes for very attractive men with rather large cocks."

Everyone in the tavern burst into laughter.  On the outside, Aamon appeared calm and collected, but I could see the storm brewing beneath his cold eyes.  His jaw clenched and I subtly reached over to brush my fingers against his hand.

His eyes found mine and, for a moment, the storm inside them faded away.

"And who are you?" Those piercing emerald eyes immediately turned to me, having caught the tiny brush of my fingers against his hand.  Her gaze zeroed in on the engagement ring on my finger, and her smirk grew even wider.

"A little girlfriend?" Annalee tilted her head, her scarlet hair falling over one shoulder.

"She is nothing so evanescent as a lover," Aamon said, before I could reply.  "This woman is Lady Diana, my fiancée.   A woman I cherish above all else."

For a moment, Annalee looked completely taken aback.  The two men with her glanced at each other.  "Ain't that news to me?" Annalee muttered, a little crease appearing between her brows.  "Ah, well!"

To my surprise, she clicked her heels together and gave me a low bow, placing her hand over her heart.  "Captain Annalee Spence, at your service!  I must say, my lady, you look a little tame."

I blinked as she straightened.  "Tame?" I asked.

Those ruby red lips curved into a smirk.  "Tame," she repeated, gaze flickering towards Aamon.  "From what I remember of the duke, he liked his women fiery with an edge to them, you know?" She winked conspiratorially at Aamon before turning her attention back to me.  "You've got such elegant and soft hands.  Bet you've never worked a day in your life, have you?  Always sittin' about in Castle Aberleen probably busy with embroidery and the like?"