Playing With Fire

His Endearing Words

Hey guys. Don't forget about the whole question & answer thing. If I get enough questions, it comes along with a bonus chapter. Anyways, in this chapter, you will find some twists and turns. Expect the unexpected is the theme of the story. Totally ditched my hmwk to write this. What am I suppose to do when inspiration comes unexpectedly. This chapter and next few ones will be on their past.

On the side is the dress Rosalyth wore.

Edited.

A.J.T ~' 10/11/2014

CHAPTER 24

"Hecate, what's wrong love?" Nikolaii questioned his beloved, alarmingly as she sobbed silently to his side.

"Oh, Nikolaii. I-It's my father. He w-wants me to marry a man that I've never even met before." Hecate said in tears.

"Marry? What? Why now?" Nikolaii sat up from their cozy nest and wiped away her tears.

"It's his fortune. He's carrying a large debt after attacking Lythin. He wants me to bring him the Resquine fortune by holding matrimony with his highness, Heyden." Hecate rose from her position to talk with her lover.

"Fortune? He's willing to let one of his precious daughters that he had protected so closely, to marry for money?" He exclaimed in outrage. "Love, your father has finally gone mad."

"Nikolaii, what shall I do? I do not want to marry another man. He will be vexed if he finds out that-" She paused her words abruptly with a gasp.

"Find out what, Hecate? About us? I doubt that he doesn't know about our affair, considering all the guards patrolling the kingdom lately."

"Not that, Nik. I mean that I- I'm with a child." Hecate voiced with silent words.

"A-a what?" Nikolaii questioned with utter astonishment.

"A child, Nikolaii. Have you gone deaf?" Hecate snapped. Her mood swings had been getting worse lately. She was afraid of lashing out to her father, whom she had tried to shy away from, not letting her anger get the best of her.

"A child." He repeated with a loss of words. "T-That's great. No, it's amazing." He finally regained his ability to function and burst into joyful laughter from the good news. His beloved angel was expecting a child. His child, nonetheless.

"Mmm. It is." Hecate murmured as she fell into his embrace. He accepted her embrace into his own and wrapped his dark wings around to protect his angel. And a child of his own blood.

*Back in the palace of Arelian*

"Father, why have you summoned me?" Asked the young Rosalyth from her intimidatingly tall father. Her father had summoned her early in the morning through her personal maid, requesting she would be dressed appropriately. 

She had donned on her favorite dress that was a cream tulle decorated with silver details around the edges. Her unbeatable red hair was braided and a crown of cream colored hellebore's took place on top, representing she was to be met with one of royal blood. Her bangs covered her shy green eyes, which she had inherited from her mother.

Though she had worn a dress of her mother's several creations, her father as usually had a grim expression, meaning he was disappointed. 

During the few years she had been with her father, she had learned and studied his expressions and features. He was no longer the amicable, understanding, humorous man he used to be before her mother's tragic death. 

"Rosalyth. My daughter. I want you to meet someone rather important to me. I must warn you. Do not disappoint me." Her father's loud voice boomed as he clutched at the soft flesh of her hand, digging his nails in to warn her of the consequences of betraying him. With his other hand, he opened the rather large doubled doors of the palace, revealing a young man with startling blue eyes standing in the throne room, analyzing every movement of theirs.

"Your highness, Heyden, meet my second eldest daughter, Rosalyth." He placed on his rather fake smiles. 

"Rosalyth? You promised me your eldest daughter, Hecate." The young man, presumably named Heyden scowled in anger.

"I understand I had done so, but I assure you that Rosalyth is almost good as her eldest sister." Her father ran his hand through his red hair, exasperatedly. His words stabbed at her vulnerable heart. 

Almost good as her sister? Is that what he thought of her? She knew her eldest sister is the most beautiful with her long flowing brown hair and sparkling green eyes she had inherited from her mother. More of the reason for her father to love her the most. The thought of never living up to her father's standards haunted her everyday, from day to night.

"She might be a misbehaved and a little loose in the head but you can do what ever you wish with her." Her eyes dampened and poured at his words. Unable to take anymore insults from her father, she gathered the corner of her dress and ran out of the suffocating room, into her favorite comforting place of all, her mother's well tended garden. She pummeled down between a red rose bush and cried out to her heart's content.

Heyden could not believe his ears. Sure the rumors had traveled to his kingdom of the old king's outrageous behavior but he had not expected this to be even worse. He had watched the old coon verbally abuse his daughter, Rosalyth and had angrily watched the young girl abruptly run out of the crown room with precious tears in her emerald green eyes. Heyden had no choice but to run after the young princess, leaving behind a smugly smiling man.

"Rosa- Rosalyth? Princess Rosalyth? Princess? Please come out." Heyden called out to the miserable young princess, who was obviously hiding from her embarrassment. He came upon a vast flower garden. It was breathtaking, but not as much compared to the familiar red haired girl longingly staring away at the garden. He watched in awe as silent tears poured out of her eyes and soft whimpers escaped her lips.

Not knowing what to do, he uncomfortably cleared his throat. With a stifled gasp, Rosalyth turned to spy the young excellency behind her, watching her with eyes filled with concern. 

"Y-Your majesty, what are you doing here?" She asked with a nervous clearing of her throat. 

Heyden was mesmerized by the stunning female specimen in front of him. She was absolutely breathtaking. He involuntarily approached her and let the back of his hand caressed the warmth of her cheek to wipe away the painful tears. She also habitually leaned in to his touch. "You shouldn't cry, you know. Even though you do look beautiful with those tears, it saddens me."

Rosalyth burst into giggles at his remark. "You are one cheesy character."

"Well, You are the first crying girl I comforted." He said with a dazzling princely smile.

Heyden took the crown of flowers from her hair and tossed it into the ground. He took her braid and loosened the red curls. Rosalyth observed curiously at his actions. She was about to protest when he picked a red rose from one of her personally tended bushes, but he interrupted her by placing the small flower into her hair and tucking her bangs behind her ears.

"There. Perfect." He acknowledged as he stepped back to look at his creation. She no longer looked as the shy young girl, but a truly beautiful, confident woman. Rosalyth turned red at his comment.

"These roses remind me of you, Rosalyth." He stepped ever closer to her with every word. "It's alluring quality, the softness of the petals, the sweet smelling fragrance, and that rosy blush that overtake your face when you're embarrassed."

"But remember, that every rose has thorns protecting those fragile qualities, the rain reviving it from its thirsted state, the sun embracing the rose with sunlight." Heyden said with a soft smile. "I want to protect you, love you, and embrace you within these hands of mine. Rosalyth, won't you let me be your thorns, rain, and your sun?" He asked while kneeling beneath her small frame, her hand in his.

She released a breath she never knew she held as she voiced her approval, "Yes."