A Powerful Little Love

Chapter 61

"Oh don't be so coy Amorette!" Claude cried.  "You can feign your innocence all you like but after all we have all seen Athos!  I imagine he's quite brutish in bed actually."

Amorette's mind had jarred.  She felt incredibly nauseous all of  sudden as the vision of her father with his hand around her throat swam before her eyes.  She tried to shake it off as her airways constricted but the image became distorted, with her face turning into her mother's.  She gasped for breath and clutched the arm rest of the couch as she tried to pull herself back into the room towards the manic laughter of her three friends.  The distorted vison eventually began to fade and Amorette felt her lungs expand again.  Claude was still chattering animatedly with the Queen, Amorette's discomfort entirely unnoticed by her but Constance gave Amorette a wary glance.  Amorette gave her a single nod to let her know that she was alright.

"Personally I can't think of anything worse," Amorette mused as the conversation still carried on around her.

"Everyone has different tastes though Amorette," supplied Constance.  "Just because Claude likes it doesn't mean you should."

"You didn't agree or disagree with me Amorette," added Claude with a wink.  "Is he a brute or not?"

Amorette sighed heavily, still trying to recover from the revelation that something that struck fear and terror into her heart was something that Claude found appealing within the confines of a sexual relationship.  "I don't know about a brute if I'm honest.  I suppose Fabien was very gentle and careful.  It was almost as if he knew that he was schooling me for want of a better word.  It's rather different with Athos.  He's gentle of course when he wants to be, but I don't think we ever have much time for carefulness.  I suppose perhaps you would think him a brute, Claude.  Athos doesn't waste much time in taking what he wants.  I suppose I rather like that having been alone for so long.  We danced around each other for such a silly amount of time so it seems senseless to waste more time now.  I've got no complaints though."

Amorette finally felt the panic of the moments before begin to fade as she recalled the events of that very morning with Athos.  Her cheeks began to heat as she offered a small smile to her friends.

"I always had the notion Athos might have been quite authoritative," mumbled Claude.

Amorette shook her head bemusedly.  "We don't usually have much time for talking when we are that way inclined.  I think perhaps he's been a little worried about how I would react to it in the past.  This morning though, I think authoritative would definitely describe him.  I think I'm still coming to terms with it really but he was upset that I seem to still be holding back when it comes to trusting him entirely."

"Well he did marry your sister," Constance said stiffly.  "I think men perhaps forget sometimes just how self-conscious women are when it comes to things like that.  He did love Milady very much, so in your mind you are always comparing yourself to her.  You shouldn't Amorette, as I can't imagine you being similar to her in any which way, but it's just in the nature of a woman to worry about such things."

"He needs to remember that you are also a little younger than him!" said the Queen.  "You've gone through much heartbreak with the death of your husband and had to adapt very quickly.  Athos should take into account that you've always had rather a lot on your mind Amorette.  Of course you both need to be open with each other and talk everything over properly."

Amorette rolled her eyes in irritation.  "I think  nothing would make Athos happier than talking everything through.  I'm not naturally the talking type though.  There's still a lot I suppose we should discuss but I just don't know how to make sense of it all and put it into words."