To Love A Duke

Seeing Red

Song Recommendation: I see red by everybody loves an outlaw

A mere tantrum changes nothing mi lady..

“I had the most amazing evening hour grace” she said to him smiling charmingly as they walked into the mansion later that evening “and now I’m famished, are you starving? I know I am” she said taking off her high slippers and tossing them

“Hmmm” he eyed her bare-feet as she walked into the sitting room. He was starving, just not for food. As he walked into the sitting room after her he almost ran into her slight frame. She had stilled few feet from the entrance and he followed her gaze to the men. Ah, the chyros, he had almost forgot that he had sent for some of his well trained and heavily armed men from Greece. Men that followed his orders to the later. The order was to Guard his duchess. They tipped their hats in greeting and took their place at the four corners of the room. She looked shocked at first, then she looked positively mad, he would take her anger any day over her not being safe. Since she had decided to take jaunts and walks without his knowledge this had been the perfect solution. Though she didn’t agree.

She turned to him wide eyed and without saying a word walked back out into the hall. He was beyond belief, how dare he put guards on her heels without consulting for her opinion on her own matter. Tonight had been perfect, they had held hands, laughed together, she had been over the moon with happiness. And all the while he had gone behind plotted guards for her. She ran her hands through her hair, loosing the braid Jules had done in the process. He caught up with her in the hallway just before she could mount the steps.

“You’re unbelievable” she gasped as he stalked her and yanked her hand from his grasp.

“This was extremely necessary” he said wiling her to understand

“You’re unbelievable” she said again, shaking her head “after everything today, just when I thought—” she let the words of what could have been hang limp in the hair

“This changes nothing Artemis. Nothing.” She was still shaking her head, moving away from him when he reached for her

“It changes everything your grace, you have no idea”

“Oh come now, Don’t be like that.. I won’t play with your security” he was trying to make her see reason why she needed four armed hefty men

“I thought I had you for that”

“And you still do, but I need to know, that the next time my head is turned, you won’t go running off into danger” he shrugged “you can’t give me that assurance. I have to know you’re safe whenever and wherever”

“I can’t promise you that I won’t run into danger but, You have to trust that I am not a danger to myself and yes I may fall, but I would get up again” he said nothing to that,simply staring and she groaned out loud, wanting to hurt him the way he had hurt her with his actions tonight.

“You can’t do this to me, i am your wife,not your child” she was furious he could tell but he felt comfort in the fact that he did this for her own good, for her own safety.

“You won’t even notice they’re there. I promise Think of them as immobile pillars” he tries to make her see reason but all she saw was red.

“Pillars that I didn’t ask for thank you very much”

he stepped closer to her

“It is my duty as your husband to seek your needs and provide them, regardless of your requests”

She raised her hands in frustration “I do not need them, I do not need shadows!” She said emphasizing every word like he was a two year old who could not understand simple English.

“Artemis you have to trust me” He came within arms length of her and reached for for her again.

“Don’t f*****g touch me” she side stepped him and eluded his arms, he cringed “ and don’t you dare speak to me about trust” her voice caught and for a second he thought she would weep. Why she was this affected by the thought of body guards he couldn’t understand. He c****d his head to the side, studying her, trying to understand her anger. He hadn’t expected her reaction. Right now he couldn’t figure her out. Before he could speak she preceded him

“This isn’t the freedom I was promised” she said shaking her head. Her eyes glistening

“You’re my father all over again !”

Artemis ran up the steps, hands shaking, eyes watering and he watched her go his fingers itching to draw her back to him and hold her in his embrace like he had this morn. His fingers twitched to wipe her tear stained face. Two things a goddess should never do, cry or beg. And he couldn’t stand her tears. But like the downright bastard he is, he stood and watched her go. And he couldn’t help but feel like he had broken something very new and fragile.

“You are my father all over again” those were her exact words to him and they still jabbed at him days later, her outburst however had not convinced him to stand the guards down, they had followed her every were , not that she went out much, the first two days she had kept to her room. She rang for her meal and pretty much everything she needed. He hadn’t seen her and he didn’t dare go to her room. He suspected he may not leave with all four limbs. Today was different though, today she had come out to the pond, he was headed her way to see her finally. The sight that met him stopped him dead in his tracks.