The Arrangement (closed)

[Perplexia]

"I suppose I understand how it may be difficult for you to see. But to answer your question.. Yes i would rather live a life of solidarity, then a life that was not mine. I would rather sit alone with myself, then be forced into one more dance where I can be reminded of one more thing I am not. Or be forced for my presence to be endured simply for who I am, or because my father tricked someone into agreeing to be with me."

Tears were beginning to sting her eyes. "your advise was this charade was to assist us in acquiring the dissolution. Do not let your honor impede you from obtaining the goal you wished for yourself. I assure you I am quite capable of taking care of myself and although I appreciate and will always treasure your kindness. Please do not think that i would allow myself to become a burden out of heroic duty."

With that she rose with confusion and exited the sun room. Her feet led her to the door and from the door they ran and ran.

 

[silvertongue217]

Lance watched her go a part of him wanting to run after her. He didnt know what to do in this situation. He could go comfort her but that might put him in a position he didnt want to be in.

One he wasnt prepared for

He felt her sadness and his heart went out to the poor girl who had been unceremoniously dumped into his lap. While it was a tough break for him in the end it really didnt matter. He was far to old, had seen far to many things to let the king bother him.

But of course he wasnt his father

"Ian please serve lunch to Princess Rose and let her know I shall be working in my office if she needs me" Lance said moing towards the library.

"Very good sir" Ian said making the necessary arrangements and leaving lord Preston alone.

 

[Perplexia]

The cool outdoor air caught her lungs as her feet touched down on the ground. She went to the edge of the cliff where she stood looking out. Her temper had flared as he had suggested they just succumb to the wishes despite the fact she knew he didn't want it.

Her fingers went to her stomach as it growled in desire of substance. She looked back over her shoulder at the castle. Then back to the horizon. The day had been so wonderful. She had enjoyed her time with him and the peace of the country.

She still wasn't sure what she was going to do. But right now filling her stomach was priority. Going back inside she made her way quietly to the kitchen. This time she ignored the looks and made herself a quick lunch and disappeared back to her room.

After she ate and placed her plate outside her door. She went about the task of sorting what items she would be taking with her. There was going to only be so much that she could carry when the time came for her to leave.

She wasn't quite sure when that was going to be. Lance was being a kind host. It was obvious that he found living in the castle that was decorated by his wife to be comforting. Although all that she had heard of the woman was good things, she knew that living in ones past was not living. Rose found herself worried about him. That caused her to pause for a moment. Of course she was going to worry, he was a good kind man. His happiness was a concern, but she couldn't make him happy because he had resigned himself to living in the past.

Perhaps that was it. Putting her clothes down she went down the stairs and traveled from room to room until she finally found his office. "I'm sorry that I ran out" she said softly. "I have been doing some thinking on your offer."

Her eyes glanced around the room and back to him before continuing. "If you wish for me to remain at the castle and give the impression of a tamed wife which will impress my father to no end, I have a couple conditions."

 

[silvertongue217]

Lance was halfway through his reports when she came in

It was also worth noting he was halfway through a bottle of wine

"Oh?" He said glancing up from his papers with a raised eyebrow and a small smile "Now why does that not surprise me?" He said laughing slightly.

"Sit" Lance said gesturing at the arm chair across from him as he leaned back to study her.

"If you have conditions go ahead and give them and we shall negotiate it will do you good practice since you plan to live out alone in the mountains" he said his voice humorous as he waited for her to begin.

 

[Perplexia]

Rose scowled slightly at his attempt of humor and took a seat. "You and I do get along quite well. It could be a tolerable arrangement. We have two choices. We can stick to our original discussion which results in this being a temporary arrangement and you will strive to get this marriage dissolved. It will ensure that I only have to tread upon your hospitality for the shortest time. You can then go back into your bottle and mourn your loss for as long as you wish." The last part she tried to put as tenderly as possible.

"The second choice is that we agree to make this a permanent arrangement. I will put on the doting wife show as required in the face of public only. This will be beneficial for you in securing the favor of the king in your business endeavors. For me it will ensure that I have the freedom and solitude I desire, as well as the occasional companionship we all inevitably seek. But in order to stay I have to be comfortable. Your home is a mausoleum to your wife. As much as I understand and empathize with your loss. I can't live in anthers shadow. I've spent enough of my life already doing that. I want the freedom to redecorate without your approval."

She could tell he was a little taken back with her presentation. "I will give you some time to consider the options i've laid before you and create a counter offer if you desire." Smiling softly she rose and headed to the door of his office glancing back at him before heading to the library.

 

[silvertongue217]

For once Lance was speechless

He had to give it to her she was a capable speaker and knew how to say what she wanted. She laid the terms out quite clearly for him and even though she was by all means polite to him. He sensed the firm tone behind her words.

The ones that meant she was by all means not playing

She wanted to stay now? He had to admit he hadnt thought she would even want to. It made sense in a way for the two of them to just stick it out and wait or make it work. Theres was a marriage forged with the kings "blessing" and it would only be broken apart with the kings permission to do so.

Which was never easy to get

Still what she was asking of him....It felt like a betrayal! This was his wives home after all! She had designed and finished it with the utmost love and care.

With a future in mind that had never became

He grabbed his bottle of wine moving to take a large gulp. At the last minute though he simply threw it letting it crash and break against the wall as he instead began to sob uncontrollably.

A FEW HOURS LATER

Ian knocked on the princess's door stating who he was before coming in.

"I was told to tell you in regards to your offer that Lord Preston agrees you may decorate as you see fit every thing but the North Side Tower" He told her nodding his head.

 

[Perplexia]

She listened to Ian and nodded. The North tower was where his room was. That area she never spent anytime so it seemed like a compromise she could live with.

"Please take no offense to what I am about to say." she said softly to Ian. "Please tell my husband that I request that he share his decision with me in person. This does after all concern our future."

She tried to keep her displeasure from her voice. What was he thinking? Something that was so important and he sends a servant to relay his decision. "Actually" she said "I will do it."

Rose pushed past Ian and made her way down the stairs and back to his office. Her eyes took in the scene of the broken glass. She moved to the side of her husband and crouched down beside his chair so she could look up at him in his eyes. "Please tell me your decision and why you made it."

 

[silvertongue217]

Lance was expecting her to come in. He had relayed the message to Ian and thought that would have been enough.

He had been mistaken

She crouched next to him and he turned his head not wanting her to see his red eyes.

"Im a mess and drunk Princess" Lance said rising up and pulling his hankerchief out to dab his eyes "I would prefer we have this conversation when I am more sober and I am not in such an unfit state" He told her going over to the door and opening it for her.

"I will join you shortly okay?" He said eyes looking at her begging her to let him keep some of his dignity and pride.

 

[Perplexia]

"As you wish" she said softly realizing that he needed some time to gather himself. He had made the decision rather quickly. She had thought it would have taken him longer.

He had chosen to step out of the mourning zone he had been in for the past few years since his wife died. She wanted to know what lead him to the decision. But knew better then to press him. He would come to her when he was ready.

She left his office and went to the library where she scoured the shelves for a book. Taking a seat in the over sized chair she curled her body into it and began reading. At some point she drifted to sleep and dreamed of the feeling of his hand in hers.

 

[silvertongue217]

Lance sighed in relief when she left. He needed the time to recover from every thing. So much was now changing with her. There were..... Feelings there, feelings he had never wanted to have again and thought he would have no trouble doing. Even know her scent lingered wrapping around him tempting him as he swallowed past a hard lump.

"I need to face this" He said to himself softly. He steeled himself once more checking to make sure all his tears were gone before he moved out of his office. He went to the library having found out from Ian that she was encamped in their.

"Princess I-" Lance said coming in

She was sleeping

He froze his eyes widening as he took her in. Her bueaty hit him hard and he sucked in a ragged breath as his hand almost on its own accord reached out to touch her.

But then he stopped himself

"What am I doing here" He said shaking his head "Penelope forgive me....."

He moved over to her and finding a throw that was on the couch gently layed it over her. He made sure she was comfortable and then he made his leave closing the door softly so as not to disturb her.

 

[Perplexia]

"Pricess" woke her from her sleep as she opened her eyes to look up at Ian standing before her. "Dinner will be served at half past, I thought perhaps you would like to change before then."

"Yes thank you Ian." She looked down to her lap to notice the blanket looking at it puzzled. "Did you?" she questioned pointing to the blanket. "no miss, that would be the Lord who stopped in earlier i presume."

Piercing her lips she nodded "Ok Thank you." she advised folding up the blanket and laying it across the chair and placing her book on top of it.
It seemed like it would take forever for her to climb the stairs of the South Tower. Her eyes began the task of seeing what she would remove from the walls. There were so many portraits he had done of his wife, that she knew it was time to have them brought down. Though she would leave one, the largest one that looked down over the staircase like an angelic saint.

Rose decided she would do this task gradually. Slow light changes that he would barely notice. She didn't want to take the memory of his wife from him, just the hold she still had on his heart. Rose was finding that she wanted part of his heart for herself.

 

[silvertongue217]

And so Two Weeks passed

They danced around each other a light flirting game seemed to have developed. He rarely ventured into the south side of the estate but he also said nothing to the changes and the things she did to the house. There were some times when he would grimace or some unseen pain would flash in his eyes but he would quickly get over it and they would continue with whatever conversation they were having.

He kept drinking though with her or in her company he seemed to do it less. However nothing more happened nothing unseemly or even becoming of a married couple.

Still he engaged her in conversation proving to be charismatic when he wanted and intelligent. She began to hear bits of his past bits that suggested at one time he had been a strong advisor to her father. It was before her time of course but.... There was some thing there.

Some thing hidden

 

[Perplexia]

"Husband?" she said with a mischievous tone sticking her head into his office on a beautiful afternoon day. "Will you do me the honor of accompanying me on a picnic? It's been so long since our first walk together." She batted her lashes at him as she looked up at him through them.

They had been dancing around each other for a couple of weeks and she was getting dizzy. He never answered the question of why he chose to accept her offer. Was it for her or was there another reason. Whatever it was, she needed to know. That required having him away from his office so he couldn't retreat to it on business.

She wondered if it made him nervous to be around her. It couldn't possibly be more nervous then she was at him realizing her growing attachment to him. He was a wonderful man, who had a brisk sense of humor and a lightness to his heart.

 

[silvertongue217]

Lance was in the middle of paperwork when she popped her head in. Her words and the teasing husband made him shiver despite himself.

She was getting bolder

It had been almost a month since she came and it was both one of the hardest months in the past few years and one of the best. So frequently he found himself at odds with what he was supposed to be feeling. It was becoming harder and harder to ignore his attraction to her. She was young and sweet but with a fire and passion he found so rare. She was the type who knew what she wanted and had the voice to say it as well.

In short every thing he could want in a woman

"A picnic huh" Lance murmured looking up at at the window "It is a nice day"

He got dressed and if he was being honest did so far quicker than he should have. He choose a simple white linen shirt and pants and dressed smartly with a royal blue petticoat. Once he was respectable he joined her as they walked to a picnic spot.

 

[Perplexia]

She watched him carefully as he laid out the blanket for their lunch. She took a seat and watched as he sat opposite of her.
This made her scowl slightly but she remedied by scooching herself next to him so their knees touched.

Ignoring it she opened the basket. "no peeking" she teased and then added. "I made this up myself with much frowning in the kitchen. But I wanted to share with you some of the tastes that I treasure. Do you trust me enough to close your eyes husband..(she let that roll off her tongue softly), and let me feed you? In return i'll allow you the same courtesy if you wish it."

She watched him and waited for his response.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Its not a matter of trust" Lance said clearing his throat and shifting awkwardly on the picnic matt.

"It is perhaps a bit to intimate for me" Lance said glancing out at the water looking troubled "I hate to cast such a pall on our time especially when we have been doing so well together but the thought fills me with just as much worry as it does excitement.

He sighed tipping his head back and looking at the clouds

"I am sorry you seem to have been saddled with a husband who will do you no good" He said glancing back down at her "One who is..... more complicated than any other man in the realm"

 

[Perplexia]

The playful smile that had been upon her face had now dissolved. For weeks they had danced around each other. For every step she got closer to him it seemed that he would pull twenty back.

In her mind it became clear .. the only reasons he seemed to want her to stay was because his honor couldn't turn her away with speculation that she would have certain death if she went out on her own. The other reason is that it had more to do with politics or business.

That actually made the most sense if she thought about it. Why else would he wish to be saddled with such a disappointment and troublesome woman. He certainly had no interest on being intimate in anyway with her. Even their attempted friendship had been strained from the beginning.

"No, i'm sorry." she said softly as she moved back from him being sure they were no longer touching. "I had thought that with time we could be come closer friends. Perhaps even one day form the bond a married couple should have. I saw that possibility in you. As someone I could be not only content with, but happy with. I knew it would take time. But what I didn't think about is you may not wish to have the fellowship that a spouse could bring." A tear rolled down her cheek then she looked up at him again.

"I had wanted to ask you that first day you agreed to my terms why. But I can either think of one or two reasons. The first would be off of my perception of your nobility and gentleman behavior.. actually being afraid for my safety if I were to take off. The next being something more beneficial. Let me guess. " she said as the tears began to fall "get the girl to behave and agree to stay and there will be a favor, riches, or land involved? whatever it was .. you gave up parts of the mausoleum so I hope it was worth it."

Not waiting for a response she rose from the blanket and walked briskly back to the castle. She was not a pawn, and she wasn't going to stay.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Princess wait" He said rising up and calling after her. She however kept walking briskly clearly determined not to talk to him.

"Blast it!" He said growling out and leaving the picnic for now. He was not the kind of man to let a girl go especially if she had perceived some kind of hurt from him.

So he jogged up to her and reached out to grab her arm and yank her back to a stop. He turned her and before she could move away placed both hands on her shoulder.

"Before you run off in a huff with what you perceive to be a situation you might want to let the other party finish their say" He growled out narrowing his eyes "I let you change things around because this is your home now and I would have had no right to let you stay with the memories of another woman I do not know what this is going to become between us I care about you! I care about you far more than I ever have some one in a LONG time but I am also not a well man her grip on me is still very deep"

"If you do not wish to stay or be with me that is your choice for I can not promise you when or even if this will ever fully leave me I do think it is a waste however given how smart you are and how driven to do some thing as simple as go live in a forest of in a mountain this is your home and I wish for you to make it yours"

"Now if you wish to come back and eat with me I would like that" Lance siad nodding at the picnic "If not I shall let you go" He told her removing both his hands and stepping back.

 

[Perplexia]

Rose was angry and confused. The only thing she knew for certain is that she liked his hands on her. The touch of his skin against hers gave her a bit of a jolt. Tears still fell from her eyes as she stepped closer to him.

Softly she spoke "I will stay if you stop avoiding and pushing me away. I will stay if you allow me to be your confident. You move forward, then you quickly step away and hide for two weeks. Other then dinner, if I hadn't suggested the picnic, when would you have asked for a walk with me?"

Looking up in his eyes she spoke again. "I understand that you are grieving, I understand the pain and struggle that you're heart must be going through to the best of my ability. Why on earth would you agree to a marriage if you would rather be left with the memories? she questioned with the need to understand his reasons. "I am staying because of you, but if i'm going to be left alone, then I will be happier on my own."

 

[silvertongue217]

"Im not" Lance said before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I will do my best to make sure you do not feel as if I am avoiding you or not spending time with you" Lance finally said taking another step back and nodding at the picnic "Now can we please go back to our lovely meal?"

He reached out offering her his hand and gesturing at the plate of food "I for one was enjoying it and our time together I would very much like to get back to that if thats okay with you?" He asked raising an eyebrow at her and waiting for her answer.

 

[Perplexia]

Rose was frustrated with him. In that moment she decided that she wanted to believe what he was telling her. The truth was her life could be worse. She could have ended up with a brute of a husband that demanded his rights. Instead she was married to a man that seemed to struggle with even being in her presence.

There had to be more to it that he just wasn't saying. He never denied the accusations she laid before him about the arrangement with her father. Sighing in temporary defeat she placed her hand in his and walked with him back to the picnic.

Sitting down on the blanket she poured herself a glass of wine and sipped it quietly.

 

[silvertongue217]

He brought her back but frowned noting that she didnt seem happy. He watched her sip her wine quite where she had only an hour ago been teasing and flirting.

"How would you like it if I slept in the room with you tonight?" Lance asked her before he truly thought about what he was saying. His eyes widened at his words and he blushed as he cleared his throat.

"I was wondering if I could join you tonight that is" He said reaching out to hold her hand "Its been far to long since I have had the pleasure of being in the same bed with a beautiful girl and I think I would like that very much" He told her being honest and looking at her.

 

[Perplexia]

Rose spat out wine when he asked if she wished him to join her in her room. Then he fumbled over it a couple more times.

"Lord Preston are you asking me if I want you to claim your marriage rights with me? Or are you asking to merely sleep next to me?"

It was a very important distinction. The first was a no. Because he would be offering out of duty and thinking that's what she wanted. The second would be an interesting effort on his part.

 

[silvertongue217]

"For now I am talking about sleeping with one another" Lance said clearing his throat and blushing at her question "I do not know about the other but.... I would like to sleep with you"

He took a sip of the wine to calm his nerves and clear his throat "The choice is up to you but the offer is there regardless I hope you say yes though...." he said as he began eating.

 

[Perplexia]

Although a bit hesitant she had to acknowledge that he was making an attempt to give her some of the companionship she desired. He was making an effort and that's all she could ask.

Waiting until he took a drink she said with a smirk. "I look forward to sharing a bed with you."

She shouldn't pick on him but it was fun watching him try to channel his nervous energy.