Thornback Lover: A Dark Romance

Swimming thoughts

Swimming thoughts

Aribeth

Live at the palace I think not! But mother and father are all too eager as is my traitor of a maid. I can see her face light up from the entrance to the house. I will be closer to Charles now, so plus and minuses.

“Stop that dear.” My mother whispers low enough so no one notices.

“Stop what mother?”

“Stop covering the tops of your breasts, the King should see them. You will be a Queen in no time.” Reluctantly I pull my hand away only to see the Kings’ eyes fly to them immediately. I can’t help the disgusted face I make, “Ow!” I squeak, bringing all eyes to me.

“Oh, dear it was just a bee, you must look like a lovely flower to them.” Mother says brightly and then in a lower voice, “Fix your face, or I will pinch you again.” I look over toward Charles who has a pitying look etched on his face. Great, now I am being pitied for being whored out to the King by my own mother.

“Aribeth?” The King asks. His voice and aura are full of lust. I want nothing more than to ignore him, but I don’t, mother will surely kill me if I do and I have to think of my father’s and Charles’ business.

“Yes?” I turn back to him with a pleasantly fake smile.

“We were just discussing abilities. Your father says you do not need to be around a person but touch something they put thought in to see, and your work thus far has greatly proven that.”

“Yes, that is correct, that is why my father and Mr. Riley require contracts to be handwritten by the party who is making the deal. If it can’t then I will have to be in the room while they discuss matters.”

“Interesting, can you look at a contract for me then?” Glancing at my father he nods his head.

“Yes, do you have it on you?”

“No, I am afraid not, it is back in my study. I could not allow you to read it, but would you be able to use your abilities still?” I want to ask what the contract is or why he doesn’t seem to want me to read it, but I don’t want to seem interested in his life, so I nod. “You will take a look at it once you are settled in, okay?” Is he asking or demanding? I have no idea.

I smile politely, “Yes, your majesty.” I catch the corner of his mouth twitch up as I turn my attention to better things, food.

As we eat and I do my best to ignore the King and that someone keeps kicking me. At first, I thought it was my mother, but now I don’t think so. “Oh no, I dropped my spoon.” I fain, that I was not using, bending down I see it is Charles’s foot, trying to get my attention. Sitting up forgetting all about the spoon I look towards him. I can’t read the expression on his face, so I extend my aura towards him, and I am only met with the King’s darkness. Annoyed I look at him and keep digging into his.

I have no idea why I am doing this, but I am already here so why not. The King abruptly stops talking and turns to me. I can feel his aura reach for me. I did not realize I was sinking into his soul passed his aura as the black tendrils of his spirit wraps around my own. f**k, he knows I am touching his soul. I violently pull mine back, shivering at the coldness of his. This makes him smirk. “I did not know you could reach into other’s minds.”

Just like that he let the only secrets I have known. Everyone freezes at the table beside the King who just leans back, the hungry expression returned to his face. I can’t do anything with the mind I think but I don’t want them to know. I have not perfected it yet and I am still not sure what I was just doing or how really. I just did it.

“You what?” Mother shrieks? “Did you try to mess with the King’s mind?” Horror fills my father’s face, but Charles looks utterly amused.

“No mother, I was… stretching my spirit and I must have grazed his.”

“Mhm, who would stretch your sprint as you so say.”

“Mother, I was, the King has a large dark aura, and it overwhelms me. That is how I knew he was coming, I felt him.” I catch a glance around the table and father seems relaxed, the King looks full of pride. He is thinking about his big aura probably, men. As my mother opens her mouth the King speaks.

“I do apologize if I am overwhelming you, I had not realized.” His eyes say differently, hunger practically radiating from them.

“Thank you, your majesty. If you don’t mind, I will have to lay down for a bit. I am still overwhelmed.” This is my chance to escape.

“Dear, you just woke up, how-“ my mother cuts herself off. She just admitted that I am pretty much lazy and woke up in the afternoon. The King, however, seems to relish this information as his eyes light up.

“You must be up well into the night if you sleep well into the day.” I don’t answer, I don’t have to justify myself to him. My mother, however, “That is not normal for her I assure you, she –“

“Such a shame then, I tend to do the same.” Mother looks tongue tied now that she backed herself into a corner. She can’t admit she was lying, and I can see that she wants to say that the King and I are similar.

As I stand up to leave Charles stands as well “I will escort her to the house since she is feeling… overwhelmed.” I loop my arm in his thankful to get some distance between me and that man. “You look awful.” He whispers to me, making me redden. When I don’t deny anything, he goes on. “Your mother has poor taste if she made you wear that. The corset is clearly not meant for your body. You need something with more movement.” Oh, he is bashing my mother not me. His words oddly make me feel better.

“Thank you, this is my mothers.” He chuckles.

“I knew it!”

As we enter the house he stops and kisses my hand. This, he has never done before. My heart begins to pound in my chest “Aribeth,” he pauses, looking worried. I let go of the rains of my aura just a bit to feel his and he is worried, always worried but now there is nervousness. “I would ask your father to court you.” What?” I stand there in shocked silence. “I wanted to let you know before I asked him.”

“Do... do you think he will allow you with the King-“ I can’t finish my thought. I hope he does. I have a chance for my dreams to come true, to be with the man I love.

“I would hope so, I plan to wed you.” He has a schoolboy smile on his lovely face, and I melt.

“I hope that as well.”