Thornback Lover: A Dark Romance

Appearances can be deceiving

Appearances can be deceiving

Aribeth

The evening of the ball has finally arrived. Mother has indeed left be unadorned, again. I am tempted to swipe something of hers to wear it once I am there, but I reframe. I am a lady, we don’t do things like this, even if we want to. I am happier with my dress this time. It has an off-white fabric overlaid with white tulle and large lace flowers dropping from my chest, becoming more sparse down my dress, my shoulders are on full display this evening as they were the last.

She is dressed in a deep green velvet dress with large shelves. I am yet again jealous of her dress. I ignore her jewels, not wanting to think about them, let alone look at them.

Pulling up to the Belmont’s home I am glad to see their house looks to be the same size as ours with decorated gardens. I see they did the same thing with the fae lights as the palace did. When I find Charles, we will take a stroll through them. Chaperoned of course.

The inside is beautiful as well, they have taken tons of white flowers and drapes to decorate. Making the deep browns of the wood accents stand out more. They have two larger doors opened into the gardens. Good, I know where to go, next I must find Charles.

Searching the room quickly I don’t see any of his staple outfits. I hope he is here, before I can open my mouth to ask father, I see him dancing with another woman. Augh! Jealousy rises in my throat and I quickly stomp it down. They are just dancing, that is it. She could be his cousin. Yes, I quickly decide that is his cousin. Looking at him closer I see he is dressed in all black. It looks ridiculous on the King, but on Charles, amazing. He looks like the night! He still has dark patterns sewed into the waistcoat. He is lovely.

“Excuse me” I am startled out of my feast for my eyes. It is some gentlemen asking to dance. I nod and allow myself to be twirled around. We chat as we dance but nothing of importance. This goes on and on until I decide to start having them fill out my card.

“My apologies, I am taking a momentary break.”

“Of course.” Some random gentleman signs his name to my card and I recognize him, we danced at the King’s ball. I don’t look who it is. Truth be told I don’t care. My mother is happy watching me the whole time. I see my father speaking with Charles and I happily head in their direction to join him. Mother joins me from the crowd.

While we walk to them, I can’t help but take in Charles’ fine form. Somehow his ass has gotten better, it looks plumper. His shoulders as well are broader, more rounded. The black is working for him in all the best ways.

“Ah, here she is now.” My father says to him, and I beam of course showing my teeth, ignoring my mother’s hiss of disapproval.

As Charles turns towards me, his hair changing from one of blonde brilliance to inky black. My smile quickly fades into a scowl. It’s the King. My father immediately notices my face and frowns at me from behind the King. I inwardly roll my eyes, placing my lady face on, accented with a polite smile.

Mother and I bow when we reach them. “Good evening your majesty.” My mother squawks, “We are pleased to see you again. My daughter was just telling me how she would love to dance with you.” I did not traitor.

The King’s eyebrows go up. “Ah really, I sadly must decline at the moment. I have to speak with a few others before I can enjoy myself.” I feel a flutter from him in his dark aura. It… it feels like a wink. Is he mentally winking at me? Who does that? What, why didn’t I feel him before he turned around? And I am certain he had blond hair before? Was I just eyeing him?

“My apologies Aribeth.” He says leaving us. Good riddance. Mother and father’s face shows their disappointment.

“Next time we will stay with pure white, no lace flowers.” My mother says thinking of my next dress. This one it seems did not have the outcome she wanted. My father cuts off her rambling.

“I have news. Good news.”

We both hurry towards him, “It seems Mr. Riley cannot handle the load that the King has placed on him, so he invited me to work alongside him. I guess their new trade routes are having issues with negotiating terms. I was told this position will be temporary at first but if the King likes my result, it will be permanent.” I am impressed. He desires this and now he gets to work with Charles again. I am happy to see them working together again. Hopefully, we will see him at our home more.

“That is most wonderful father.” I say kissing him on the cheek, “You deserve it and will excel no doubt.”

My mother is so happy she shows her teeth! How unladylike. She kisses him quickly on the cheek and schools herself once more. My father’s face reddens, and he is eyeing her as if he would like to make me a big sister. Gross.

“Ah Aribeth,” I see Charles approaching us. I keep my ladylike composure this time. I don’t want to be tricked again. But it is him, I notice his shoulders are not as wide and are sharper then… I stop myself, that was not him I saw earlier. I immediately wipe the image from my mind.

“Mr. Riley, it is so nice to see you! Would you like to dance?”

“I would much prefer a stroll in the garden. If that is alright with you Mr. Cree.”

Aribeth

“Oh, you are so naughty tonight.” I hear my mother say to my father a little ways from us. Charles and I are sitting in a gazebo lined with white flowers and fae lights. I don’t know if he heard her or not because his face shows nothing. I hope that was part of her aura’s song, otherwise, him hearing it too would be twice as embarrassing. Taking a deep breath, I rain in my senses as I don’t want to know what they are doing over there.

“You look lovely tonight Aribeth.” I can’t help but blush as he uses my first name. He has before at my house when he is over for business or needs my assistance with a few of his deals, but this time it feels more intimate.

“Thank you, Mr. Riley, you look dashing yourself. What made you wear black this evening. I have never seen you wear it to this extent before.” His eyebrows go up at my observation.

“I see you are quite into fashion as I am.” He sighs, “The King recommended I wear it tonight, but I will admit I am not fond of it.” I feel like the King staged a trick on me earlier, that self-righteous hack.

“You look lovely in it, you do. I think you would look even better with more color though.” I dare say. He nods thoughtfully.

“You are quite right Aribeth.”

“How has working for the King been going?”

“Busy,” he says running a hand through his hair, “very busy. I am still running my side of the company as well as negotiating trade routes and now I am contracting people with the Apate kingdom.” This takes me by surprise, that is the kingdom that tried to invade us.

“How odd, that is the kingdom that attempted to invade us some years ago, is it not?”

“You are correct, we are setting up trade with them once more, even contracting a lot of their people to work in our kingdom, however, they are being difficult.”

“So, a new king is in power?”

“No, the same one still remains.”

“Why would the King want to set up trade with them again? Do they have something we want?”

“They make the most beautiful silks there is.” He says dreamily “but other than that normal stuff we can get anywhere else or already produce.” I can’t help but frown, I am not understanding.

“Then why trade with them?”

“We have something they don’t have. Magic. They will send over workers to work for a period of time and then after their contract is up, they will return home, hopefully with their magic rejuvenated.” I did not know this; our lands have magic. My frown deepens, Charles sees it but presses on. “Some think it is because of our king’s bloodline to the elementals magic that our soil never becomes un-nourished, that the rain seems to be the perfect amount along with our weather. Others think it is because we are on a great magical rift of some kind, that is why there are so many people blessed here.”

“Not everyone is? I thought being pure human was rare?”

“It is here and with newer generations.” I… I am so ignorant to the ways of the world Bridget was right. I sit back in silence. Was she born somewhere else? Is that why she had such a hard time or was it here?

“Are you from here?” I ask cautiously.

“I am. Humans cannot absorb magic from the lands. We are not the only ones with beings such as yourself, there are smaller rifts and people travel. We will only allow those with magical abilities to work in our kingdom.”

I want to know how Charles feels about this, so I cast out my senses to feel his worry and s****l prowess. OH, gross those are my parents. I quickly real it back it. That was an awful mistake. I watch in horror as he turns towards my parents, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline. He only rolls his eyes and turns back towards me.

“Yes, should we get…”

“Your parents, yes we don’t want anyone else to see them.” I watch as Charles clears his throat loudly, my parents jump and quickly straighten their clothes.

“My apologies Mr. Riley.” My father says while my mother is just red in the face. “We should be leaving.” I pout, no dance with Charles then.

“Mr. Cree I can take your daughter home in my carriage while you can take yours, privately.” Father immediately jumps at this idea. “Yes of course! Good thinking.”

Aribeth

The carriage ride back to my home is tense. I am alone with Charles. We have been alone before but not in close quarters such as these.

“Thank you for saving me from my parents.” He smiles.

“Of course, it is the least I can do.” Wait he is staying at the castle.

“You are still living at the castle, correct?”

“I am but it is good to get out of the walls sometimes.” He is going out of his way to take me home. This is much better than a dance! We chat lightly more about the trade with the Apate kingdom and before I know it, we are stopped in front of my home. The footman opens the door allowing Charles to exit first. As he does, he turns back, holding out his hand for mine. I happily take it.

“Good night, Aribeth.” He says sweetly kissing my hand as we stand at my front door.

“Good night.” I crook out, watching him leave.

He has never done that before. Once inside my home, I am swarmed by the housemaids as well as my own. “You have to tell us what happened! He took you home while your parents are out in the carriage still doing anpauens knows what.” I didn’t even notice them, a kind blessing from the universe. I tell them everything, well not everything, I leave out the King’s cruel trick.