Dalliance

Chapter Six

As the darkness fell over the land, Holly knew the time was coming to act. Without a weapon, she was left to her own devices and begged he had not changed his routine since their marriage. When he entered the room, it appeared it had failed and she would have to choose her alternate plan, but as he sat on the end of the bed, his mouth came open largely to yawn. For a moment, she felt a small justice as he turned to her, his shirt removed from his body.

"You will be..." He yawned once more. "You will be mine once more." With slow movements, he fell towards her and immediately began snoring as she slid from his presence and to the stables. Again, she found he had been absent, but this time, she heard a rustling near by and followed it. Conducting incredibly quiet steps, she moved towards the noises to find Dawson walking through the woods and away from the land. Following him quietly enough, she was able to get quite a distance before discovering he was heading towards their village but stopped upon hearing her break a twig.

He turned quick and glared at her. "How are you out? I was certain-"

"I asked you to trust me..."

"I do...but I did not think he would allow you to go easily...I would not..."

"That is very kind...but I am not a prisoner, although my circumstances make me appear as such-I can assure you, it is not the case."

"Then let us go."

Her eyes went wide. "And where would we go? His reach is every corner of the world, it would not matter our distance, he would find me..."

"And he would go through me." He paused but spoke swift enough to speak before her. "I cannot keep my promise...I am lit with anger around him-"

"You-"

"I am leaving...he would not miss me, and it would not cause pain for you."

"Do you think my feelings on you are so little?"

"I am speaking of the pain he puts on you due to me...It is too hard a burden-I cannot..."

"Please do not go, avoid him, but do no go-"

"I cannot stay here knowing he gets to be with you."

"What?"

"It is too hard for me...he gets to...to have the privileges he does not deserve. It is no secret of his cruelty and despite how you attempt to hide it, I know your lies...I know you are protecting him-"

"I am protecting you."

He glared in confusion.

"How do you get to that? How does that make sense?"

"Because I heard him speak of his men...dozens upon thousands...he can call upon them in a day and they will be here by night. If he knows of our...true connection...he will have you killed-if you flee, he will hunt you down and kill you-I cannot bare it."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?"

"If it avenges Eleana...if it is a chance to rid him from you...why will you not let me take it."

"I told you, I cannot lose you, Dawson."

"But why? What makes me different then Eleana?"

"Are you questioning if I would mourn you worse?"

"I am asking why you defend me so greatly and didn't think to do so for her..."

"I did not think he was capable of such an evil, and he will get-"

"I cannot sit and wait! I WILL NOT sit and wait. And you asking is worse than anything..." He turned to keep walking before she pulled him back.

"Do not go, please!"

"Why?! Tell me!"

"Because I love you!"

He froze in place, stunned by the words he wanted to hear so many times before.

"I love you, Dawson. Not in a way a married woman should-and I cannot be without you...and I cannot be with you either..."

She paused, seeing the shock on his face before turning towards the home. "I will leave you to go, just please understand my reasons."

She returned to find Nicholas still exhausted upon the bed, snoring and having not moved a single inch. Sliding in the sheets beside him after dressing in nothing but her corset, she adjusted a strap to appear torn as he had done to her the first time before roughing the sheets to convince him they had been together.

Dawson returned to his loft in shock, playing the moment on repeat over and over again in his mind.