The Reluctant Queen

Chapter 10

"Just as full as fire as before. You cannot brush me away that easily, I'm afraid." 

I let out a sigh. I had a headache. My mind was all over the place and I was ready to have a moment to process alone. "What would it take then, for you to leave me alone?" 

He gave me a knowing smile. "Well, how about for now the price is you eat your dinner." I raised an eyebrow and he chuckled again. "You have just woken up and are probably very overwhelmed. I won't give you too hard a time tonight." He picked up the plate and began cutting the meat for me before putting it back in my lap. "But you will eat, Sophia. That I will not budge on." 

"Counter offer. If I eat, will you tell me who I am?" 

"You don't want to be overstimulated. Eat and we will discuss everything when you feel better." 

"But-"

"No buts. I will tell you more information, Sophia, I promise you. Just maybe not right now. Now eat."

I rolled my eyes but caved. He was right, I was hungry and the smell of the dinner in front of me was too tempting to ignore any longer. I took a bite of lamb and was instantly transported into another world. It was so good that in just a few moments I had finished the whole plate without enough of a pause for us to talk. I barely noticed that he took his plate of food in his lap and ate beside me, watching me all the while. I put the fork down after having the last bite and looked up at him. He smirked, satisfied, as if he knew that I would enjoy it.  

"There, I ate all of it." 

His smile widened at my cheekiness. No matter what sarcastic thing I said, he always seemed amused instead of annoyed with me. "Yes you did, like a good girl." Excuse me? He took the tray off of my lap and called on the maid. She entered so swiftly that she must have been standing outside of the room, waiting for an order. As quickly as she came in she was gone again, leaving Adrian and I alone once more. 

We sat there, looking at one another. With the food now gone I remembered that I wanted him to leave me here, but he still made no move to do so. Again I felt uncomfortable. Neither of us were speaking. He was simply looking at me with such fascination and curiosity that my face flushed so deep my ears burned. His hand reached out again, as if he couldn't help himself. I flinched as he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. 

He sighed. "So brave, and yet still so scared. Perhaps we should leave it at this tonight." 

I looked up at him, surprised that he caved in so easily. I expected him to push me more. I bit my lip and was shocked as his eyes suddenly fixated on my mouth. But that wasn't the shocking part. His eyes were no longer a light blue, but rather a red so deep it was almost black. He growled. "This is all I can endure tonight." He stood, his long robes moving around him. "You, my dear, are confined to this room until further notice." 

"WHAT?!" I practically shot out of bed, forgetting the odd moment that had just happened. What the heck? Where was this coming from? "You have told me nothing! What about my family-" 

He sniggered. "I do not have to tell you a thing if I do not desire to. You need to recover, and you will not fight me on this. Your head maid will be outside if you need anything." 

"No, I will not be locked in here! I want-" 

He cut me off. Somehow he was suddenly in front of me, his hand gently but firmly around the back of my neck, the other in the middle of my back. He was practically on top of me in bed and I was speechless from the down right fear I felt. "I have been lenient with you because I understand you're condition, but beware, Sophia. You will not be the one giving orders in this relationship. You will eat when I say, sleep when I say and you will be anything I say." His hand was now gently rubbing the back of my neck, again looking at my lips. "Now, before I do something I will regret," He dropped me without warning. I plopped against the bed with a gasp. As quickly as he was on top of me, he was now on the other side of the room by the door. "Goodnight, Sophia. Do not think of disobeying me." The door clicked behind him.