Fiora woke with a start at the sound of a door being closed. She had fallen asleep upon the cold stone floor where Rafael had left her. Glancing about herself she saw a candle had been lit and was casting eerie shadows . She had run up to this room to try an escape Rafael and now ironically it was to be her prison. Their encounter came rushing back to her all at once with renewed pain and anger. But she had to push those thoughts aside for now and focus on how to get out of this marriage. A growl from her stomach interrupted her thoughts and she promptly peeled herself off of the ground.
“How long have I been asleep?” Fiora asked gripping her aching stomach.
She suddenly noticed next to the flickering candle was a bowl of soup and a small loaf of bread. Wearily she sidled over to it. Dare she eat this? Well...It was nonsense to starve herself. After all, she would need the energy to fight off Rafael. Decided, she greedily spooned the cold liquid into her mouth and tore ravenously at the loaf of bread. In mere moments, the food was gone and a panicking thought struck her. What if this is her only food for days? Should she have rationed it out? It was too late now, and she was too tired to worry anymore. Clamoring over to the the large bed in the center of the room, she collapsed upon it and fell into fitful sleep.
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She looked so beautiful and at the same time broken lying there in a heap upon the floor. Her warm brown chestnut hair cascaded gracefully over her shoulders, it had a slight wave to it and Rafael itched to run his fingers through it. She would hate the contact. Begrudgingly his thoughts brushed up against their small battle earlier that day. Or maybe...not so small.
She seemed so strong and sure of herself, full of power, an impenetrable fortress. But then he could see exactly when her resistance and strength began to crack. The minute her tears began to flow Rafael’s heart squeezed painfully in his chest. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss each tender tear rolling its way down her flushed cheeks. But he had tried the tender approach with no avail. He had to be firm now.
Rafael’s thoughts stopped when Fiora stirred upon the ground, drawing his attention her way once more. He hesitantly strode over then crouched down.
“What is it about this woman that turns me into a soft hearted man?” he growled angrily to himself.
She stirred again at the sound of his voice exposing more of her face through a curtain of hair. Her cheeks, so fair and soft...Rafael reached out a hand tenderly.
“No” Fiora cried out softly in her sleep.
His hand froze a mere inch away from her supple skin, he retracted it bitterly and left the room.
YOU ARE READING
To Kiss a King
RomanceFiora's father was just killed in battle, a battle caused by the selfish king Rafael. Having no way of providing for herself or her mother whose health is waining, she is forced to accept a marriage proposal from the tyrant king.
