He found it difficult to believe that he hadn't found her beautiful when she first arrived. Yes, she had been bedraggled, defiant, smelly, and far too thin, but her spirit had always been there. Her splendid inner glow had always resided within her, and it was one of the most exquisite things he had ever encountered. He had just been too astonished by the sight of her to have noticed it. He couldn't help but see it now, just as he couldn't help but see her desire to be free.
"Would you like to go for a walk in the gardens?"
Hope sprang forth in her eyes, her mouth parted as joy radiated from her. It was such a small thing that he offered her, and yet she reacted as if he had just handed her the world. "Can I?" she inquired eagerly.
He nodded as his gaze darted to the brightly colored world beyond the window. It had been awhile since he had enjoyed a walk in the gardens himself, he found that he was actually looking forward to it. "Yes, I'll take you."
She jumped to her feet, her full lips curved into a bright smile that bewildered him. She rarely smiled, and when she did, it was never such a full blown lovely one as this. "That would be great."
He nodded, trying to gather his scattered thoughts as she continued to beam radiantly at him. "Come along then."
Keegan rose to his feet, yawning as he roused from his nap. Braith rested his hand upon the wolf's head and reassuringly rubbed his fur. Arianna was nearly skipping as she hurried forward. She would not remain so happy, of that he was certain; unfortunately it couldn't be prevented.
"Arianna, you must wear this."
Her head tilted skeptically to the side as he lifted the thin chain before her. It hung between them, dangling to the ground in a four foot long pool of gold. She frowned at it, unable to understand what it was that he held before her. "All blood slaves must wear them in public," he explained, hating the words even as he uttered them.
"What is it?"
He really didn't like doing this to her, he was truly put off by the idea of binding such a free spirit. But it was the rules, and the rules must be obeyed, especially between them. There were already whispers and rumors about the two of them drifting through the palace. Whispers about the first blood slave he had ever kept, whispers about what went on between them, and why he had decided to keep her, of all people. They were whispers that he didn't plan to answer, but he couldn't allow them to grow even more by letting her leave this room without wearing the chain. She couldn't be allowed to walk freely in public. Any feeling, any hint of caring between a master and their blood slave was strictly forbidden. Any hint of caring between a vampire and a human was strictly forbidden. If they even slightly suspected that he might be developing feelings for Arianna they would take her from him, and they would kill her. His role as prince wouldn't matter; it would not stop them.
That was something that he couldn't allow to happen. He may not care for her, but he also didn't plan to see her destroyed in the brutal way that they would do it. It was not fair to her, and he was unwilling to let the illumination she brought into his life go. Not yet anyway, not until he knew what it all meant.
"It's a leash, to keep you bound to me."
She frowned at him, her brow furrowed as she gave a small, confused shake of her head. "I don't understand. Leashes are for…" Her gaze darted to Keegan; understanding filled her eyes before they narrowed sharply. Even Keegan didn't wear a leash. "I see," she grated.
"If you are to go out in public you must wear this, it is our custom."
"I've heard rumors of the blood chain," she muttered. "But I had thought they were just that, rumors."
If her jaw clenched any tighter he was certain she would crack her teeth. Her hands fisted at her sides. Though she radiated antipathy, beneath it all he could sense her unhappiness and feelings of betrayal. She turned toward the window and her shoulders slumped. He hated the crushing sense of defeat that he detected from her, but even if she couldn't see it now this was what was best for her, for both of them.
"Ok." Her voice hitched a little but her need to be outside outweighed her pride. "Ok. I'll wear it."
He wasn't going to remind her that she didn't have a choice, she looked defeated enough at the moment. She eyed the gold chain as if it were a poisonous snake that she was considering cutting the head off of. They were meant to be worn around the neck, or the wrist, depending on what the owner preferred, but looking at her now he knew he couldn't add to her degradation by placing it around her neck.
He took hold of her hand, slipped it around her wrist and tightened it tenderly. He was the only one that could remove it now that he had placed it upon her. He was the one that owned and controlled her; everyone would know that she belonged to him. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that, he didn't like owning her. He did, however, like the fact that everyone would know that she belonged to him, that they couldn't touch her. Ever.
She lifted her head and swallowed heavily as she met his gaze. The upset air about her vanished, she tilted her chin higher. She may be humiliated, and under his control, but she wasn't going to allow herself to be beaten down. For the first time he admitted to himself that he actually admired this wisp of a human before him. He had never thought much of their race (they were beneath him after all), never even given them more than a moment's thought, except for when it came to food and pleasure. But this girl made him question his opinions of the human race, made him speculate if perhaps they were worth a little more. Or at the very least, maybe she was.
He held her hand for a prolonged moment, disliking the feel of the chain against her supple skin. For a second he almost pulled it off of her, but the consequences of such an action would be dire to them both. "Ok then," he murmured regretfully.
He held the chain elegantly in his hand as he grabbed hold of his cane. Arianna followed him out the door, trailing unhurriedly behind as she gazed around the hallway. There wasn't as much awe on her face this time, and he sensed a calculating air behind her troubled eyes. He glanced at her chest, wondering if today might be the day she tried to use the weapon she had tucked away. The leash may very well have been the straw that broke her back.
He had nothing to be concerned about with the stake. She would have no success if she tried to use it against him. He probably should take it from her, but he was curious to see if she would actually try something against him and it seemed to comfort her as she hadn't been as jumpy since she'd acquired it. Though he knew it was a possibility, he found himself hoping that she would grow to trust him enough not to try and harm him. He didn't relish the idea of possibly having to kill her.
The cunning look in her eyes reminded him of the fact that no matter how entranced he was by her, she was a rebel. Someone that would take any chance they had to escape if the opportunity were to present itself. He couldn't allow that to happen.
He took her down the backstairs this time, unwilling to risk running into his relatives again. Two of his bodyguards trailed behind them, their surprise was evident at seeing Arianna emerge again, looking far different than when she had gone in.
He led her down another hallway before arriving at the doors that led out to the gardens. Keegan stopped at the doors before Braith did; he rubbed briefly against his master's legs before sitting down. Braith pat his head lightly, thanking his friend for continuing to aid him, even if it wasn't necessary at the moment. A fact that Braith was almost certain the wolf was aware of, just as he was aware of his master's inclination to keep it hidden. "Leave us," he ordered the two men trailing behind them.
The men stepped back in the hallway as Braith pushed the doors open. Keegan sprang forth, eager to be outside again. Amazement filtered over her features as she gazed over the gardens they stepped into. "It's even more beautiful down here," she breathed.
Braith glanced over the gardens. He had once found them mildly attractive, but that had been a very long time ago. Now he found he enjoyed them far more seeing them through her eyes. "I've never seen anything like this." She moved with subtle grace dow
n the colorful rows of flowers, hedges, and statues.
"You don't have flowers in the woods?" he inquired, hoping to draw her into a conversation about her home as she rarely said anything about it, and seemed almost fearful whenever it was mentioned.
"Oh, of course we have flowers," she replied flippantly, her face aglow with the admiration suffusing her. Love radiated from her at the mention of her home, her eyes sparkled in the light. "But nothing such as these." Her hands trailed over the yellow roses, she bent low, inhaling deeply. "Beautiful."
"They're roses."
"Roses," she repeated, running her fingers nimbly over the petals. "I love them."
He released the gold chain; he didn't think she was aware of that fact as she roamed through the garden. In fact, she was so oblivious to it he was fearful she might trip over it as she walked toward the lilacs. She was captivating and utterly unique in this colorful world of flowers, shrubs, and garden statues. She inhaled the lilacs deeply. Her nose scrunched up as she took a hasty step back, shook her head and wiped her nose.
"Lilacs," he informed her.
"Hmm." She eyed them for a moment longer before she moved away from them, apparently not at all pleased by their odor. He named each flower for her as they continued their tour of the gardens. Though she hadn't liked the lilacs, it didn't stop her from pausing to sniff every other flower along the way. Most of them passed her inspection, some did not.
She froze when they made it to part of the greenhouse area within the gardens. Her eyes widened as another gasp of pleasure escaped her. "Oh," she breathed, her hands flying to her mouth in delight. "Oh, it's wonderful."
Braith studied the large, ornate fountain. It had been years since he'd seen it, but he had never fully appreciated the beauty of the delicate sculpture until seeing it now. The water flowing from it changed colors in the sunlight beating down upon the man and woman staring longingly at each other, but never touching.
Arianna's steps were hesitant as she approached the fountain. She reached out to touch the ornate basin with trembling fingertips. He was not surprised to see tears blooming in her eyes, he knew now that it occurred whenever she was awed by something. It happened every once in awhile when they were reading together, and the story moved her. He didn't think she was even aware of the tears most of the time.
A beautiful smile lit her face as she peered into the fountain; a small laugh escaped her as she spotted the fish swimming around in the shallow pool. It was the first time he had heard her laugh, and he had to admit that it was a beautiful, refreshing sound. One that he found he enjoyed very much.
She sat on the edge of the fountain and held her hair back as she watched the fish darting about. Her fingers trailed just above the water as she traced their movements. He moved closer to her, picked the leash up and placed it on the fountain beside her. He didn't think she would try to escape now, but even if she did, she wouldn't be able to get far with the chain on her wrist. The chain was designed for him and him alone, and he would always be able to find it. No matter how far she got.
"They're beautiful."
He peered into the clear water, momentarily admiring the brilliant colors of the dozens of fish within before turning his attention back to her. He found her much more interesting to watch. Her hair fell about her in dark red waves that glimmered in the rays flowing through the fruit trees surrounding them.
Keegan lifted his head from his paws, his ears perked up as he watched her stand and move away from the fountain. She stopped suddenly, tilting her head back and closing her eyes as she absorbed the rays of the sun. To Braith's utter surprise, and delight, she threw her arms out and began to laugh as she twirled around in circles, breathing in the fresh air and basking in the sunshine.
He couldn't tear his eyes from her, it took everything he had not to grab her and kiss her. He craved so badly to know what that luscious mouth would feel like, what her body would feel like against his, but in no way would he interrupt this moment for her with his own selfish wants. He knew that if he touched her, her joy would vanish. For the first time he understood the fountain statues and the yearning on their faces. He was starting to realize that to always look but never truly be able to touch, was a special kind of torment.
What kind of hell had he gotten himself into with her?
***
Aria stood uncertainly within the doorway, hesitant as to whether she should enter the sitting room or not. The prince was in there having a quiet conversation with another man, their dark heads bent close together. She knew that she should probably retreat to her room, stay away until this stranger left, but she was curious about this other man. Truth be told, she was also lonely and looking for someone to keep her company, and at present time, her choices were severely limited when it came to company.
Plus, she almost enjoyed the prince's company now, or at least being around him had been fairly pleasant earlier today.
However, she didn't feel like now was the right time to make her presence known. She took a step back, intending to retreat into the shadows when Keegan spotted her and came over to greet her. The men's attention was drawn to her by the wolf. The prince rose to his feet instantly, his hand seized hold of his cane as he turned toward her. The other man remained seated for a moment, shock evident on his features. Then, he leisurely rose also.
"I'm sorry," Aria apologized, knowing that she should leave. No matter how well the prince treated her, she was a blood slave, and she should know her place. Her place was not to interrupt him when he was in the middle of what had appeared to be a very important conversation. The prince's mouth compressed into a disapproving line; his knuckles were turning white on his cane. "I didn't mean to… I'm sorry."
She stammered the apology out as she took a few steps back. Instinctively, she knew that she had done something wrong, that her safe position within this household had just been shaken. "Wait." It was not the prince that had spoken, but she froze anyway, her heart raced as the strange vampire studied her keenly. She almost looked to the prince for help, for some sign of reassurance, but she didn't dare let this stranger think that she may trust, or even like, the prince. No, she knew that now was the time to play the role of being docile and beaten. "Come here," the stranger commanded.
Aria's pride pricked, anger shot through her, but she managed to keep her face impassive as she played the role of meek human to the best of her ability. The prince bristled and took a step forward; he placed his cane before him as he folded his hands upon the handle. Aria hesitated, unsure of the situation she had placed herself in, but knowing that she couldn't refuse. Her owner may be a prince, but under blood slave rules she was not allowed to disobey any vampire, unless they asked things of her that only her owner was allowed to take. Such as her blood or her body, and neither of those things were being asked for now.
Swallowing heavily, she folded her hands before her and moved hesitatingly forward. Though she was often defiant, confident and bold with the prince, she instinctively sensed that those three things had no place here. She kept her eyes downcast, knowing not to look the visitor in the eye as she stopped before them.
The stranger approached her, circling her much like she had seen the packs of wild dogs in the woods circle their prey before attacking. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, hoping for strength and patience to help her get through this awful, humiliating, experience. She had to hold her tongue; she had to remain demure if she was to remain safe. She chanced a glance at the prince, but he remained indifferent as he leaned back on his heels. Though he appeared casual, she could see the tension in his shoulders and the tautness of his solid muscles. She didn't know what was really going on here, but she sensed that it was more than met the eye.
"Not bad brother, not bad." Aria couldn't stop her head from snapping up as the stranger stopped before her. His hair was the same dark color as the prince's, his features similar, though his nose was somewhat larger and sharper, and his lips thinner. His eyes, unhindered by dar
k shades, were a deep forest green, and surprisingly beautiful. He was shorter than the prince too, but his shoulders were more imposingly broad as he stepped closer to her. Aria had no choice but to take a step back as he used his height and size to maneuver her. His eyes gleamed with amusement as he pressed closer to her, causing her to retreat another step.
Resentment shot through her, she longed to pull her stake out and drive it straight into his heart. She itched to kill this thing, but revealing her stake now would do nothing for her other than earn her certain death. This was not the time to be reckless, not the time to be foolish. If she was ever going to get a chance at escape she couldn't blow it by losing her temper now. It didn't matter how much she aspired to stand up to this imposing, overbearing, pitiless creature, to do so would only cause problems. Especially since, if his looks and words were any indication, he seemed to be a prince in his own right.
Aria had heard rumors that there were four brothers, and two sisters. She'd also heard that there were three brothers and no sisters, or even five brothers and three sisters. The rumors about the royal family had always swirled outside the palace towns, with the rebel camps knowing even less about them. Aria supposed that was the way the royal family liked it, where no one knew anything about them for certain, and they couldn't be completely pinned down.
She wondered which of the brothers was older, which of them would one day rule the kingdom. She supposed, in her situation, it didn't make much of a difference.
Her prince remained silent, his indifference causing a small twinge in her chest.
Had she imagined the growing bond between them? Had she simply just chosen to believe that perhaps he may actually be starting to like her? What other reason could there be for taking her on a walk today? Why else would he have been teaching her to read? Had she truly been that gullible?