ADELINE

CHAPTER 3: REUNION

There was a knock on my door which awoke me from my slumber,I had been extremely tired this past week and still healing from injury.

"You may enter" I replied to the person at the door and I found my mother with a little smile perched on her face.

"My dear Adeline" she called with saddened eyes rushing to hug me.

I relaxed in her hug I had missed it. It had been months since we had been at war.

"Lord Lavington has returned, it seems your attempt to sway his decision proves futile" she said referring to my outburst and slashing him.

"I do not wish to hear of him please, he would give up sooner or later, that is the worse type of man for me to be married to" I spat.

"He is a good man dear and your not getting any younger. Hardly any man in the city looks in your direction ever since you became a warrior" she said worriedly.

"I care not for what they think. It is their mind they shall think what they please but I will not be changing myself to fit the demands of another" I said feeling a thrombin headache.

"I shall convince your father against the Duke if you promise me you find yourself a suitor this year?" She asked and I smiled.

"Yes mother,.you have my word" I replied and she smiled and hugged me.

"I would be honest with you I never really liked him anyway" she laughed and I returned it.

"I will leave you be for now, make sure you take adequate rest" she said kissing my head causing me to smile.

….

"My lady, the Lady Amara has arrived and wishes to see you" a maid servant informed and I smiled brightly tossing my sword to the floor.

"We shall continue at another time sir Derek, my dear friend seeks my presence" I smiled and he nodded while I ran to the drawing room where I had been informed Lady Amara was.

She was more like a sister to me and I had missed her dearly this few months.

I entered the drawing room finding my friend touching some antiques on the shelf, her cotton like hair in its usual updo.

"Amara?"

"Adeline!" She called and I ran to embrace her making her laugh

"I love you adeline but you reak of sweat and skin" she said and I chuckled.

"Allow me this once" I scoffed making her chuckle and hug me back.

"I had heard you were quite injured and decided to give you sometime before I dumped my prescence on you" she said with a smile and I returned it.

"Thank you for being considerate" I said sarcastically.

"I'm glad you are okay despite your injuries I'm happy you made it back alive" she smiled.

"Well you won't do away with me that easily" I smiled and so did she.

"I bear good news" she declared and I clapped in joy.

"What might that be?" I asked curious.

"I am to be married to the Duke of Venice soon, we have been seeing each other quite a while lately since he asked for my hand a few months back" she informed with a smile and I frowned.

"He is not a good man Amara" I warned frowning.

"Why do you speak such do you know him?"She asked looking cross

"I do not but he also asked for my hand a few months back?" I said and her smile faltered a little.

"Well it is not abnormal for higher authorities to have more than one wife" she shrugged ans I sighed.

"I would say you find a man worthy of you but if yiy don't want to wai msit anymore you can go ahead and marry him but please be careful" I warned.

"Of course I shall heed your warning and if anything should happen I have a trusted warrior friend who would gladly decapitate for me" she smiles and I returned it.

"Of course especially a Lavington"

"I shall try my best to find out more on him before proceeding with the union" she said and I smiled and nodded.

I called one of the maids and asked her to bring refreshments for Amara and I.

"What have you been doing in your castle all these months?" I asked.

"Well not much but I have picked up the skill of embroidery" she informed and I laughed.

"You find it amusing?" She asked.

"Yes it is so like you to learn something like embroidery" I chuckled and she frowned and launched at me making me rise and run to the other side of the room.

"I seem to prefer it to your swords and filthy garments" she smiled and it was my turn to launch at her.

She hurried to the other side and I followed suit.

"It is quite refreshing to see you two act like this, you forget your age and engage yourself with such activities" a voice said a familiar voice and I gulped and turned to find Jerome Amara's brother standing in the doorway.

"Well it's inevitable considering the kind of person she is" Amara said panting a little.

"You can't even run around the room without loosing breathe" I mocked and she tried launching at me again but Jerome came between us.

"That is enough, I wish not to spoil the fun between you both but I need you without scratches and disheveled hair for lunch" he said turning to smile at me and I looked elsewhere.

His smile always seemed to catch me off guard and I fought to hide a blush leaving the room.

I quickly went to fleshing up changing out of my training gear into a decent gown and made my way down the hall to the dinning room.

I found everyone already sitted and unfortunately the space left for me was beside Jerome.

"I haven't seen you all day Adeline " Father said and I smiled a little.

"Hello father, yes I have been training all day in the fields" I said and he gave a small smile as u sat beside Jerome not having a choice.

"I was elated when I heard you had returned from the war, I thought you would be the first to die" he mocked and I glared at him.

"I jest Adeline I'm really glad you came back safe" he said and I grabbed the glass of water in front of me and drank it all in a go causing me to choke.

"Are you okay?" Jerome asked rushing to tap my back to ease the choking.

"I'm fine" I snarled withdrawing from hid touch making him give me a confused look.

"Jerome I heard your sister has a suitor isn't it about time you find yourself a wife before you take over as Marquees?" Father asked.

"I have been searching my lord but it seems fate is not ready to reveal her unto me" Jerome said making father laugh and I clenched my spoon.

Jerome and I had a thing in the past, a thing only the both of us knew about not even Amara.

It had suddenly come and suddenly gone.

He seemed to have change and when I had confronted him about it, he declared that we were young and knew not what we were doing.

But I was all to sure he was aware of his sweet words and hot kisses not to add he was the older one.

Did I like him?

I'm afraid not but yes his touch still lingered on my body because I had never been intimate with another man and I wasn't looking forward to it considering what the one sitting beside me did to mu little heart.

Jerome turned to smile at me.

"Or maybe she has been right in front of me all along" Jerome said with a smile.

"How poetic" father rejoiced with a hearty laugher and I withdrew my eyes from his.

I stuffed the last of my food in my mouth before standing up.

"Forgive me but my horse needs tending too" I lied standing up and leaving the room.

"Very well" father sighed and I stood up to take my leave