Do you really wanna play

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

Chaska had made good work of their little agreement, because when he woke up the next morning, she was gone. Like nothing happened. And when Ezekiel got up, he was welcomed back in the waking world with every muscle complaining to him. He had groaned when he swung his legs over the bed, greeted with the aftermath of last night. Because the room betrayed that not nothing happened. Ezekiel had buried his face in his hands, trying to figure out how he would have to solve this problem.

Very easily, he had thought. He had gone back to avoiding Chaska as if she was the plague. Apart from the scarce moments where they had to be together, and he had been able to hide suspicious very well. He only spoke to her when strictly necessary and gave her a quick smile if family was present to prove something to. But apart from that, he totally distanced himself from every family member.

So the sorcerer had a few days to think, really think everything through. And maybe he just had to bite through the sour apple, committing to his role in this play they were performing. So he felt the pearl necklace burning in the inside pocket of his jacket as he made her way to her room.

He hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door of her chambers. ‘‘Chaska, it's me,’’ he announced himself determinedly. He licked his lips before he sighed softly to himself. He was being an idiot, that was what was happening right know. ‘‘Can I come in?’’

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

A few days had passed since the.. accident happened. Even though she had gotten to know every inch of him during that night, the two of them had been acting like strangers more than ever before. She tried her best to avoid him in each way possible, only having to face him during family obligations. Those were probably the hardest parts of the day. Facing him, looking him in the eye and taking in that occasional smile of his. A smile which often made her hands twitch or her heart skip a beat in reponse.

Annoyance built up within the passing days. She didn't know how to act or feel around the man, and it frustrated her. Especially when it seemed like all of it was as easy as taking a walk in the park for him, like that night hadn't meant anything to him at all. Not that it had meant something to her. She had simply been stupid for letting her guard down when he refused to tell her the truth, praying to Lythrana that nobody would ever find out. Not until the arrangement had been dealt with. Not until her chance at a decent future had been somewhat secured.

The sorceress had been lost in thoughts, absently combing through her white-streaked hair as she stared at her reflection in the mirror as she was startled by a sudden knock on her door. She didn't expect anyone right now. Not even a servant at this time of day. The voice that followed, however, made her freeze in place. Her heartbeat fastened once more, as she remained silent for a few seconds. This hadn't been part of their deal.

"Sure," she responded, keeping her gaze fixed on her reflection as she continued to comb out her hair, waiting for him to enter the guest room by listening to the sound of the door. "So much for avoiding me," she continued. While her voice was fairly neutral, she didn't bother to hide a sharp, sarcastic undertone. That little deal sure of theirs sure didn't last long.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

Get it done and over with, those were his thoughts as he knocked on the door. It was the worst the past few days, after what happened, to just dread the day that was hovering in the future. They didn't know when exactly, but is was a looming shadow, darkening everything he was doing. Every thought was followed by, but soon it would all be different. But he realized everything was different already. And it turned for the worse the moment he had pressed his lips against hers to shut her up. And now his whole body was still healing from the invisible ~~and visible~~ marks she had left on him.

Her voice sounded from the other side of the door. So he pushed through it and closed it behind him, leaning back against the wood as he found her sitting in front of the mirror, not even turning around to greet him. Well, he could not blame her for that one. He kept his distance at the door and it suddenly felt like the start of that night again. But now the roles had turned and he was the one confronting her. Anyways, for how long that was gonna be like, because her words were laced with her usual sharpness.

Ezekiel produces a soft scoff. Maybe he should have kept to their deal, but time was catching up to them eventually. It was time to rip the band-aid of. ‘‘Well, I thought I'd be a bit more like you,’’ he answered dryly, bringing back the night all the times she did not listen to him. He crossed his arms in front of his body, staying put where he was. He only could catch a glimpse of her face through the reflection of her mirror. ‘‘I'm not here to pick a fight,’’ he then calmly continued, trying to hide that he was already being a bit frustrated. He regretted it already.

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

The sound of the shutting door announced his entrance, but the sorceress didn’t bother to turn around. A glimpse of his figure leaning against the wooden frame reflected in the mirror was enough. Even though he didn’t attempt to move closer, she was taunted by her racing heartbeat. While her hair had been successfully detangled minutes ago, the motion of her hands managed to calm her nerves.

Part of her wanted her questions answered as soon as possible. She couldn’t come up with a single reason for him to pay a visit to her chambers. No reason other than an attempt to satisfy himself with her touch once more. The thought alone made her clench her jaw. As much as she wanted to demand an explanation she remained silent. Last time her demands had not exactly.. payed off.

Her muscles tensed when he spoke once more, making her roll her eyes in reply to his remark. “Very funny,” the sorceress replied paired with a frustrated, swift stroke of her comb, accidentally pulling her own hair in the process before putting the item away on top of the drawer.

“Then why are you here,” she snarled as she got up from her seat, finally turning around as she crossed her arms. Her snarl barely sounded like a question. “I assumed we had an agreement.” She didn’t know why she let his presence trigger her the way it did. Neither did she know why part of her was relieved to be spoken to instead of being ignored like she had been nothing but a temporary distraction.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

His eyes were strained on how she was running the comb through her hair. He noticed that she didn't meet a single knot, it was like combing through silk. And he could only remember the way the strands of her two-coloured hair slid between his fingers. The thought alone made him look away and focus at something entirely else. Like the way the stupid pearls felt in his pocket. He should go away, Chaska was definitely not in the mood, as she blatantly demonstrated by calling him "funny".

The stand off continued as she rose from her seat. In respons, Ezekiel stopped leaning backwards against the door, as if he had to brace himself against her. She was mad and he didn't blame her. But he didn't expect her to shoot off at him as soon as they were alone for one second. Maybe staying out of her way had been a better strategy, making the whole engagement a public affair. But he at least felt like he owed her something- that this was one of the few things they could still claim as their own, even if their hands were forced to. He thought she would prefer it that way. But, pfft, how well did he really know her?

‘‘We have,’’ he replied to her. Like nothing happened. ‘‘And I do not intend to change that,’’ he continued. That whole day could be erased from history, as much as he cared. A lot of things happened that day that should not have happened. ‘‘I just- wondered,’’ he started with a small hesitation in his voice. ‘‘If you wanted to go to the surface.’’ His eyes trailed up to the ceiling, as if signalling to what was "up there". The island was much bigger than only this

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

Her eyes narrowed as he stood up straight, his back no longer against the wooden doorframe. The setting seemed awfully familiar, though the roles were now reversed. Last time she had been the one leaning back against the door, closing the distance to tend to his injured lip. Her gaze shifted from his face to lips, which no longer looked as busted as the day she bit down on them like it was the last thing she'd ever taste. The taste of blood had barely bothered her in that moment.

She had to refrain from fidgeting with her hands or clothing by keeping her arms crossed, her gaze focused on his once more as he explained the reason behind this visit. "Good," she replied sharply, though his words were like a dagger through her heart. A confirmation that that night truly hadn't meant anything to him. His next few words, however, made her raise an eyebrow in surprise. The surface? Did he want her to join him beyond the gate of the city? Perhaps her prejudice about the reason behind his visit had been wrong. If he'd wanted to seduce her once more, he wouldn't have offered to take her out of her room. Yet, her suspicion lingered.

"The surface?" She repeated, clearly surprised by the sudden offer. Many questons resided on the tip of her toungue. Why, where and how. Yet some part of her was relieved to be proven wrong, perhaps even willing to give him a chance to make it up to her. Not that she would let him know, though. It was only fair to give him a taste of her feelings. His actions had been inconsiderate. "I guess a breeze of fresh air wouldn't hurt." Though she agreed to his offer, her voice still sounded distant. It was clear that she didn't trust him or his intentions yet, but something inside of her couldn't bear to go back to how they'd spent the past few days. "Ready whenever you are." Luckily she had just finished getting ready, no longer dressed within her nightly attire and ready to leave the castle whenever.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

This whole deal that they made was being signed with only two sentences. A gentleman's agreement, nothing more. And he was determined to keep his promise, even after the events that would happen today. Because he knew it would be even harder to look at her when- whatever, he should not think about it. But is was all he could think about. About how his aunt just with one stroke of a pen could determine his whole future. Like if she checked another box on her to-do list. Another problem fixed. He wondered who was responsible first, Chaska's parents, or the woman who raised him. Seems like they weren't the only ones making deals.

The sorceress across from him still looked very pissed. It was very tempting to adopt her temped, to just sharpen his tone and shove back against her pushes. And when he saw her expression change, he thought she would decline. Because it was weird for him to just show up and ask her to escape the castle with him. Like that time he promised he would make up for her dull night in Silvercrest and they spend the rest of their evening on a small boat. But he was afraid they would not share the same smiles or him taking her hand to guide her down steps in those killing shoes. Because the thought of feeling her hand in his again, bore to much weight now.

Ezekiel nodded when she asked about the surface. He didn't change his expression as he weighted for her to weigh down the pro's and con's in her mind. And when she spoke fresh air would do her well, even if the sound of her voice was not convincing. He decided to ignore that. ‘‘I figured you'd might,’’ he spoke calmly. ‘‘Being underneath the sea for so long, it's feels like you are trapped.’’ He waved the thought away, catching himself that he was talking to much already. ‘‘Because, well- that's how I feel.’’

He didn't know what made him say these things. Probably because he was nervous, or maybe because he thought she was the only person who could understand. People were always marveled by the dome, while for him it was like a pretty prison. ‘‘I'll go grab my sword,’’ he answered as she commented that she was ready. Not that it was that dangerous outside the castle walls, or the dome. But well, you never knew what might hit them.

Once he returned to Chaska's room, ready for their little voyage through the small city, up to the tunnel and then the surface. ‘‘Let's go,’’ he spoke as he nodded his head to the side. He would understand if she had questions. He would have too. He was even asking himself questions why he even bothered to mend this- whatever they had. Maybe because he owed her an apology, but he could never speak those words.

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

It was an undeniable fact that looking him straight in the eye awakened some feelings she thought she had carefully locked away. Feelings she could not quite decipher yet. That whole night they shared had been a whirlwind of feelings and emotions altogether, and no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t forget about the way his breath felt against her skin. About how he smelled and tasted. The memories he’d left on her skin were close to completely faded as of now. Perhaps when she hadn’t face the traces of that night anymore she’d be able to follow in his footsteps, and act like none of it ever happened.

The silver haired sorcerer seemed to be full of surprises today. Her brow furrowed at his response, wondering why he decided to open up to her all of a sudden, though she found reassurance in his words. “This is your home,” she protested, though the sharp and defensive tone of her voice had been left behind. “I can’t imagine ever feeling trapped within the city you call home.” Her words were laced with a certain bitterness, not necessarily towards him. She had been forced to leave her beloved Moonbright behind. Lythrania was a beautiful gift given by their dragon ancestor, but it wasn’t home. Not the way Moonbright had ever been. “But perhaps it’s different when home is a city hidden under the surface of the sea,” she continued, not wanting to invalidate his feelings the moment he started opening up to her a little.

She nodded as he left the room to get his sword, reassured by the idea that he wouldn’t leave her unguarded. Not that she expected the surface beyond the gate to be that dangerous. Still, being part of a well respected family had its downsides. You simply couldn’t let your guard down, which is why the sorceress made sure to never leave home without a dagger strapped to her leg, hidden underneath her dress.

When both of them were ready to leave she finally bridged the distance between them, walking beside him as they headed for the castle’s exit. It was the closest they’d been since the night spent within his room, perhaps both physically and emotionally. This time he didn’t bother to offer her his arm, though, like he did back in Silvercrest. If it wasn’t for her pride and conflicted feelings she would’ve grabbed onto it herself, but she didn’t. Instead she quietly strolled beside him, eventually shooting a brief glance his way. ”I can’t help but wonder what the meaning behind this sudden invitation is,” she spoke after a while of silence. Though she meant what she said, her usual sarcastic tone didn’t hide the fact that she was teasing him a little.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

The tension was palpable in the air, and Ezekiel was very tempted to just give in to frustration and raise his voice as well. But that had turned out for the worse the last time, because it would crescendo in a screaming match until one of them gave in to a way out. So he kept himself together. It helped that he wasn't all raging temper at the moment. No, he felt very indifferent about it all, like it all his peaks of anger were sanded flat. So he kept his arms close to his body as he looked over to her.

He thought he might get on a good page in her book as he gave in to her wishes. They had promised before that they would stop pretending, only to fall back into something ever worse, pretending that there was nothing. There was no way of doing this right anymore. She seemed annoyed at him being here, but also seemed to blame him for not being there more. So when he opened up a bit, thinking he might relate to her, she squished that thought to the ground. He bit the inside of his cheek and looked away to the right. Well, she was one to talk. She might be away from home, but her home wasn't invaded with enemies. But she continued to talk and he gave her a small shrug. ‘‘Yeah,’’ he replied distantly, before leaving the room to get his things.

The awkward silences seemed to become shorter, even though they felt just as awkward, if not more. They had made it very complicated. It had made being together even more difficult. Now they couldn't just blame their parents anymore, the one that made this arrangement possible and hate each other for it. Because he wanted to be mad at his aunt for it, to force her together with some girl. And it was the reason why he didn't want to like her, just out of spite of all of them.

‘‘If I told you, you wouldn't come,’’ he spoke while he looked back at her. A small hint of a cheeky spark in his eyes, but the tone of voice was serious. Because it was probably true. She would turn on her heels and slam the door in his face, he didn't doubt that. ‘‘Why can't you believe that I'm just trying to be nice?’’ He raised his eyebrows as he looked back at her. He wasn't trying to overstep, because why would he be nice. She was right to suspect an ulterior motive.

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

Perhaps she had chosen the wrong set of words, seeing he only granted her a short reply and a shrug. She didn't know whether to feel guilty about shutting him down like that or not, considering their situation. She kept her gaze fixed on him as he left the room to gather his things, watching him step out of the room with mixed feelings.

The sorceress tried her best to match her pace with his, making sure to walk beside him for the entirety of their stroll as she occasionally sought out his gaze. His visit had been so unexpected, she hadn't quite figured out how to feel about it yet. The past few days she had tried so hard to avoid him, only for him to knock on her door and take her out towards the surface like nothing ever happened. She knew that she had just been a mere distraction to him that night, and she couldn't help but to feel incredibly stupid to have fallen right into his trap. And yet she caught herself hoping he'd look her way, making sure she still walked beside him, and she despised herself for it.

She met his gaze as he spoke, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. "That sounds promising," she scoffed, wondering what he could have possibly set his mind to. His behaviour was quite the contrast compared to their previous.. meeting. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or suspicous, though. They had gone from strangers, to acquaintances, to people who explored every inch of one another's skin, only to go back to even less than strangers. Everything aurrounding their arrangement seemed to confuse her more than ever before.

His next words surprised her, almost forced her back into her defensive state of mind. This time, however, she tried to hold back, letting her curiosity towards his behaviour get the better of her pride, as far as she was able to. "Perhaps because we have been avoiding eachother like the plague ever since-" she swallowed the last few words of her sentence, scared of the possibility of an evesdropping guard or servant. Her heartbeat started racing at the thought of that night. "Ever since the last time you decided to 'treat me kindly'." She dropped the defensive tone, but her voice sounded neutral. As if she was just stating facts instead of accusing him of something. "Though I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt today," she continued, a faint, teasing grin on her face as she sought out his gaze once more.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

Well, the die was cast now. They were walking down the halls, their footsteps echoing loudly, but he knew the shortest way to the exit and he was making pace. His hand was loosely resting on the pommel of his sword and he kept his eyes in front of him. He tried to just keep his mind focused on the task, not thinking about what had happened in the past. Although the images of that night kept flooding back in his head at the worst moments possible. So he kept his distance, and he was rudely reminded to just keep his mouth shut about anything. She didn't want to pretend, but now. Well, maybe this was just the crude reality. This was not pretending.

Ezekiel gave a small laugh as she told him it sounded promising. Those were this rare moments that it went the right direction. He just raised his shoulders slightly as he looked back at her. He would better not tell her that he wanted no witnesses of his proposal. Not that it would be something flashy. It had to be practical. Quick and be done with it. This was were he should keep his mind to, not how her fingers felt on his skin, or her lips grazed the back of his neck.

He might get started to get used to not getting what he wanted. He tried to be civilized for a day and he immediately got accusations back in his face. Well, they were kindly laced in the proper words, but it made him glare back at her. She just had to bring it up. ‘‘So much for our agreement,’’ he shot back at her, echoing almost the same words she told him with that sharp edge in her voice. He would refuse to talk about that. And it was her who had asked him in the first place. He rolled his eyes and look forward again, the doors to the outside of his castle already in sight. Maybe he should just stop here, don't even take the effort of going up to the surface, even though he so kindly told him that he deserved the benefit of the doubt. Lucky him. He opened the door for her and gave her a long look. ‘‘Let's keep moving, it's quite a walk.’’

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

The sorceress bit the inside of her cheek at the sight of that damn smile. He hadn't once smiled at her when she gave herself to him, beside from a few lustful smirks perhaps. Her mind was nothing but a conflicting battlefield of emotions. The way he so casually approached her filled her with annoyance, even though acting like nothing happened was exactly what they had agreed to. Still, after days of tiptoeing around the castle, making sure not to run into the man who had left her with nothing but the marks of her bad decisions, she couldn't help but to feel hurt. Especially after realizing the motive behind his actions.

Her hand twitched at his glare, not expecting to strike a nerve with her carefully chosen words. Though she promised herself to grant him another chance, her eyes narrowed at his snarky response. They hadn't even set foot outside the castle and she already regretted her decision to join him. "You asked," she simply snarled back at him, her muscles tense from frustration. The sorceress had to call upon godly forces not to lash out once more, spitting the burden she carried these past days right back in this face. It's not like he would've understood, nor cared. Selfish bastards like him never seemed to care.

Their stroll towards the castle's exit seemed endless. She couldn't help but to feel a glimpse of relief at the sight of the doors. At least the silver haired sorcerer knew his manners. The gesture of opening the door for her came paired with a glare, a glare whichdidn't remain unanswered. She kept her gaze fixed on his for a solid few seconds, before she eventually strolled past him, accidentally bumping into his shoulder in the process. Her heart skipped a beat at the impact, but she remained to continue her way outside like it didn't happen.

Their walk through the city was painfully similiar to those first few moments after her arrival. An awkward, deafening silence between them. The sorceress made sure to keep up with his pace, which was an easier task now that she wasn't being tortured by those god awful shoes. Anger about his remark lingered, bottling up inside of her. "How's Myrddin?" She asked as she glared at him through the corner of her eye, her sharp voice breaking the silence surrounding them, clearly trying to provoke him with the rather personal question. She hadn't forgotten the sight of their cousin when she visited his chambers, like he hadn't forgotten about the fact that Ezekiel was the one who put him there and the length's he'd go not to tell her the whole story of what happened between them that day.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

The two of them were like fire and ice. It was obvious the ones responsible for this match had not taken anything into account but sorcerer's lineages. Why was he even surprised? But good to know who the real Chaska was as soon as the act was dropped and they were no longer in company of more important people. Ezekiel scoffed at her words and looked up at the ceiling, barely believing what she was saying. ‘‘No,’’ he responded rudely. ‘‘Not in the slightest.’’

So why keep walking then? Probably because they were both cut out of the same stubborn part of the Vylasar tree. Turning around would be the same as accepting defeat. And neither of them were about to be the first to step aside and grant the other only a sliver of a triumpant feeling. No, they would rather make each other's days worse. The pearls in his jacket no really felt heavy and he should just throw them at her. That would definitely ruin her day. But pride got in the way of spite, and he moved on, not granting her another look until they were at the castle doors.

Only then he felt the urge to show his annoyance at her, which was responded by her irritating high and mighty look, which riled him up even more. This girl would just not ever work with him, would she? Would it always be like this? Them pushing and shoving against each other, until one of them indefinitely snapped? Was that the game that they would be playing. And when she bumped past him, it just confirmed his thoughts. And he managed to suppress the urge to shove back at her.

Ezekiel followed her now, one step behind her as she took the lead, not uttering a single word. He just steered her on the right path as they went towards the edge of the dome, where the tunnel would be and guards would be waiting for them to let them through. He could see the top of the arches of the tunnel already. But eventually Chaska could just not handle the silence anymore, and she hit him with the lowest blow she could think of.

His gazed snapped back at her. She really wanted to play dirty. Or did she just want to rile him up again, to get her way with him? Even though, she did her very best to just remind him of that night with every word she picked. Left or right, she just had to, didn't she. His lips were a very thin line as his two-colored eyes were focused sharply on her. ‘‘Ask him yourself,’’ he responded with a very sharp edge on his voice. He was not going to have this conversation, where he put a lot of effort to avoid the last time. The sorcerer got a move on to the gate to the tunnel, where guards were waiting for them.

Without looking at his betrothed, he extended his arm to her. They would unfortunately had to put on a show to them, before word would go back to the castle. He didn't think it would have been much of an issue before, but for know, the timing couldn't be worse. ‘‘Grab my arm and look happy,’’ he just grumbled angrily.

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

Even though they traded the guest room for the outside world, the tension between them was suffocating. Perhaps this sudden invitation had been a peacemaking offer, but both of them couldn't help but having a dig at eachother whenever an opportunity presented itself. That one night they shared hadn't succeeded in bringing them closer together. Instead, it remained to be a touchy subject. A touchy subject she didn't mind to bring up whenever it could be used for a stab in the back.

She made sure not to avert her gaze when his eyes pierced through hers, daringly looking him in the eye as it became noticable how her remark effected him. She had to refrain her lips from curling into a faint grin of victory when he hissed back at her. "Oh, I will," she simply replied. Perhaps it sounded a little sad, or desperate even, but the act of visiting her injured cousin, knowing that she would provoke the silver haired sorcerer by doing so, almost felt as an act of rebellion against the whole situation.

Finally the two of them managed to reach the city gate, which she hadn't laid her eyes upon ever since her arrival. She barely left the castle during her stay. The thought of a chilly breeze against her skin sure sounded nice after staying under the sea's surface for a while, though apparantly, another obstacle had to be faced in order for that to happen.

The sorceress snapped back to reality by the sight of her betrothed extending his arm towards her, followed by a grumbled order. She scoffed at his words, but understood where he was coming from. Word about their verbal conflict would soon find its way back to the castle if they weren't careful. Trying to suppress another snarky reply, the sorceress hooked her arm into his, resting the palm of her hand against the fabric of his sleeves. She could feel the muscles of his upper arm, reminding her of how easily he managed to lift her up as she had wrapped her legs around his bare torso and their lips crashing into each other. The thought alone made her cheeks flush as she prayed to Lythrana that he wouldn't notice.

The crimson color on her cheeks only happened to work in their favor as they neared the guards, greeting them with polite smile on her face as they walked past them, softly squeezing her betrothed's arm in suspense. Physically, it had been the closest they'd been ever since that night, reminding her of how her body burned up against his touches once more. She despised the way those feelings constantly forced itself to the surface of her mind, troubling her thoughts at the most unconvenient of times. Even though it surely helped her succeed in putting up a believable act when passing the guards.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

This girl would be the end of him some day. He could manage his temper for now, but if she would be coming for his neck like this every, single, damn day, it would be a problem. Giving the cold shoulder would only work for so long, because she wat so determined to make this... situation work. At least, that had been the last times. Now she was just being insufferable. ‘‘Good for you,’’ he responded sarcastically. Somehow, Myr's annoying face somehow seemed to crawl in every conversation they had. And it was not like he could shut her up like before. She just liked to see him writhe.

So when he had barked her an order, he almost expected her to refuse him, strut out in front of him and gave him the most sour looks he would ever see. But no, she complied, and it felt like a little victory on his side this time. He still kept his eyes in front of her, forcing himself not even addressing her closeness to his side. But every touch of her hands to his body, reminded him of how it felt without the barriers of their clothes on. It was infuriating and he should not think about her that way, all the time, especially when she was being such a bitch.

It was an easy show to walk past the guards. He knew one of them, so they shared a quick look, which he answered with an innocent smile and a wink. He saw the guard trying to force a smile down. Bingo, that had been very easy. Ezekiel looked up as they entered the tunnel, which was an incredible show of magic. The sea creatures swimming past was a sight to see, but he was only distracted with Chaska's increasing pressure on his arm. He looked over his shoulder, to check if they were out of sight, and he quickly unhooked his arm with hers.

The slope began to rise a bit upwards, but the surface was not far now. The silence was very tense at this moment. He wanted nothing more than to scold her for continuing to bring up these subjects. For trying to make him angry or something. And why she seemed so fine and totally not fine with it at the same time. So after a few more steps, he just couldn't stand the tension anymore. ‘‘Do you always want to fight like this?’’ He looked back at her. He said it in her room, he was not looking to pick a fight. But eventually it had reached it's boiling point. After all the passive aggressive comments, he just. By Lythrana, he did not have this kind of patience.

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

It was quite pathetic, the way they acted like petty toddlers instead of facing the duties that came with their coming of age. Ever since their getaway within Silvercrest her trust about the arrangement had increased. He didn't seem like such a jerk back then, treating her with manners expected of a young man who was about to get married. At last, she had been able to witness his true colors at the night of their accident. Instead of treating her like his betrothed, sharing the burden he carried with her like husband and wife were meant to do, he'd only been willing to take the easy way out. A quick solution to take his anger out upon. If the rest of their marriage would turn out like that, she wondered if she'd even be better off being taken care of by a man like him when she could no longer perceive the world around her.

And yet she held on tightly to his arm as they passed the guards, catching herself craving his physical closeness and hating herself for it. It had been the same feeling she felt right after giving herself to him, when he had immediately turned his back against her after relieving himself of his emotional ~~and physical~~ burden. She had craved his comfort back then, though she still barely knew him. And now that he was quick to unhook his arm from hers as soon as he could, that desperate feeling crept up on her once more.

The sorceress remained silent as they neared the end of the tunnel, staring upwards at what could be considered Odiria's most magical landmark, only for her moment of peace to be disturbed by his voice once more. His words caught her off guard as she met his eyes, heartbeat racing as all sorts of outbursts and insults piled up within her mind. Why dared he even asking such questions when she had given up so much for him already. Her home, her purity, perhaps even her sanity. She halted, her gaze fueled with anger before slowly clouding her sight with tears. No, not again. She didn't want him to know how he managed to crawl under her skin. How much of her thoughts had been wasted on him for the past few days. He didn't deserve that power over her.

Clenching her fists in frustration she braced herself for her answer, praying to Lythrana that she could keep her composure in front of him. "Of course not," she protested softly, frustration building up as she heard her voice crack. "But if I had to choose between fighting you for the rest of my life, or ever being used as a mere distraction instead of being treated like your betrothed once more-" she paused, catching her breath and blinking away her tears in hopes of keeping them from streaming down her face. "Our vows would be a declaration of war." Her words came paired with a warning glare, her heartbeat racing. The sorceress had tried to keep her voice down, in case the guards at the entrance of the tunnel decided to eavesdrop, but her tone of voice had been sharp and clear. If this is what marriage meant to him, his aunt had chosen the wrong bride.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

Once he had spoken the words he said, he instantly regretted them. But he just had to get them of his chest, because he could not stand this cold war that had erupted between them any longer. And he hated that it had to come to this, because they had been forced in this situation. Maybe, in an alternate universe, they could have been friends. He could enjoy her snarky and sarcastic comments and laugh about them. He would laugh when they would both topple over each other in a wobbly boat. But no, they were two sides of the same coin, never being able to see eye to eye, and together they were fire and fire, only one spark too many would set a wildfire loose.

Ezekiel saw that he hurt her. He saw the way her eyes changed. But even though he regretted what he said, he needed the answers. So he kept his gaze steady, fueled with the powerlessness and anger he felt about the situation. Yes, he should have never handled it the way he did, but wisdom always came last. So when she spoke, he was surprised as he was not with the outburst he had expected. But she answered him with some icy rage. It reminded him the way the air felt before a storm, heavy and ominous. And her words hit him like a bucket of ice cold water was thrown in his face. ‘‘That's not fair-’’ he tried to interrupt her when she painted him like some predator. Yes, maybe it was true that he had chosen the easy way out. But he had not hear her complain when he kissed her, caressed her, or when she drove him over the edge with the noises that she made.

But she went all in, as far as to declare war to him if he continued like that. Ezekiel shook his head, a tortured look on his face. Well, if that was how she saw it, if that was what she wanted. He did not want to back down, apologize for something when she got it all wrong. He could paint this picture of him all she wanted, he would not try to make it better if it had to be like this. Well, they he just had to armour up. He would crawl into his harness and go to battle if he had to. See who could keep up the act longer. ‘‘Alright then,’’ he agreed bitterly. His hand went into his inside pocket and when he stepped forward to her he showed her the pearl necklace slipping between his fingers. War it was.

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

If she were to be honest with herself, she didn't know what to expect from him after throwing those accusations in his face. She could only wish for him to apologize, to show her that he truly regretted his inconsiderate choice, but during the short time that she got to know the man behind the facade he'd put up during the feast of starlight, she knew that wouldn't going to be the case. Ezekiel seemed like the type of man ready to sacrifice everything if it meant that he could avoid taking responsibility. Stubborness did run deep within their bloodline, after all.

She didn't sweeten her words, not even giving him a chance to interrupt as she fired her shots. Anger flickered in her eyes as she kept her gaze fixed on him, frustration tensing her muscles as the man shook his head, seeimingly denying her accusations. To her surprise, however, he didn't defend himself. He didn't fire back for once. The sorceress didn't know whether it pleased her or only fueled her anger.

Until he walked up to her. Suddenly she seemed frozen in place as he bridged the distance between them. Her glare shifted from his eyes to the hand that suddenly disappeared into inside pocket. The sorceress braced herself, not knowing what to expect. If he were to harm her like he did to their cousin, he could have just drawn his sword and get it over with. She might have left her staff at home, but wouldn't back down from a fight, even if it was just her and the dagger strapped to her thigh.

And he did draw a weapon, but not the kind of weapon that would cut through her skin or poison her with any kind of deadly, dark magic. Her eyes widened at the sight of the necklace. Every young, Lemurian lady knew the meaning behind those pearls. It could either be their dream come true, or the start of their biggest nightmare. At this point she wasn't so sure which of the two would the the case for her. The necklace dangling before her was the key to a secure future. A future which even her illness wouldn't be able to interfere with. Yet, it would be the enf of her freedom. Stuck with a man like him to be used as some kind of expensive, high class whore whenever he pleased and to bear his children while the eyes of his aunt burned themselves into her back, praying to every deity that she'd grant him sorcerers.

She didn't move as her gaze shifted back to his, brows furrowed into an expression of mixed emotions. Why would he show her this right now in the midst of their argument. Could he threatenng her with the future of their arrangement? Perhaps he would drop it in a second, crushing the trinket beneath the sole of his shoe and putting an end to this so called arrangement. Her eyes narrowed at the thought. "What's the meaning of this," she hissed softly. "Is this your way of throwing in the towel?" Her gaze didn't move away from his as her expression shifted from anger, to disbelief, to something in between. If this was his way of threatening her, the man had sunken lower than the city he called home.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

The pearls had that milky-white color with that glossy shine over it. He had seen it on many pretty girls' necks. And he knew the piece of jewelry would one day be one the neck of the woman he had to marry. But he never expected it to be so soon, or he never wanted to think about it. But what he never, ever would have expected, that he would be the first to fall victim to this prison for the nobility, clashed in the shackles of tradition and duty. But here he stood, offering this life-changing object to a girl that had crawled under his skin in a very short period of time. And at this point, he despised her for it. He hated that she made him think about her all the time, because he secretly relished in her determination to make this work. Even if it would be "a declaration of war". She just refused with her endless stubbornness to give up on him.

The look of defiance in his eyes didn't falter as he kept his eyes fixed on her, as he could see the cogs turning in her brain. She was certainly surprised. Ezekiel stood unmoved as she upturned her gaze again, and he saw the disbelief. He tilted his head slightly to the side, challenging her to put weight against her words. She wanted it to be a fight to the end, so he would give her what she wanted. If she wanted to play dirty, she would only learn how far he was willing to go. But she didn't get that. When she spoke, it was his turn to look bewildered. ‘‘What?’’

Where she spoke, he often stayed silent. He let his actions speak, which usually turned out for the worst. As did today, because this girl was impossible to work with. But he better learn quickly, because they were soon bound to each other, for forever. They would share everything, stay by each other's side in every public outing. He would be hers, and she would be his. The future prospect was maddening, because he knew in his aunt's eyes this was no reward. This was just so her house name would prosper. And the kids they would produce, would just be another vessel to carry the sorcerer magic. Maybe Chaska just didn't want to understand it, to face the truth. Maybe marriage was giving up. Somewhere Ezekiel agreed with that sentiment. But today, this was accepting her challenge and accept a future tangled up with struggle and strife. ‘‘This is me accepting your vow,’’ he hissed back bitterly. ‘‘I'm not scared.’’ Of you, and that future you so desperately want to be good, but will never will be.

The silver haired boy was still angry at the words she had said. It made him act in the most irrational ways. But for the first time, he blamed Chaska directly for his anger. Usually he was just mad at the people responsible for putting them in this situation. But today she was just... maddening. ‘‘Take it,’’ he pressed on, extending his hand further towards hers. He narrowed his eyes slightly. ‘‘At least then you have your parents something to show when you return home.’’ By Lythrana, he couldn't wait for her to be gone. At least for a while.

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

Her heart raced in her chest as her gaze shifted between his and the pearls dangling in front of her, wondering if this was the reason of his sudden appearance at her doorstep, the reason why he finally decided to stop avoiding her. For a split second she even regretted her outburst. If she had just managed to play the part for one afternoon they could've gotten it over with. Perhaps the tension between them would even have softened as soon as the die was cast. Instead, the two of them even managed to screw up a moment like this. As if the gods were denying them their union.

Or so she thought. She had expected for him to drop the trinket on the ground and walk away. To avoid this responsibility like how he seemed to avoid everything that would force him into a glimpse of self reflection. Instead, he seemed confused about her assumption before lashing out right back at her, leaving her both angry and confused at his words. Was this supposed to be.. a proposal? If so, it wasn't quite the moment she imagined when she was younger, wondering what kind of man would sweep her off her feet as soon as she came of age.

Flames of anger remained to flicker within her eyes as she stared back at him, though managed to notice a glimpse of relief about him not backing out, and she despised herself for it. She'd rather throw herself off the Golden Chasm than ever letting him know how much she needed this arrangement to work. Her only shot at a decent future had presented itself in the form of an ignorant, selfish jerk with a conveniently handsome face, which somehow managed to crawl under her skin in the span of weeks. And now she was supposed to accept his proposal. To take hold of the necklace presented to her, instead of having it delicately closed around her neck as she'd always imagined it to go.

The sorceress remained silent, piercing her gaze into his as he extended his arm to her further, urging her to free both of them of this lingering burden by accepting his proposal. She had already lifted her hand towards his when the following words pierced through her heart like the dagger strapped to her thigh, leaving her nailed to the ground once more. It took her all the strength in the world not to smack the trinket out his hand and crush it beneath her shoes before turning around and leaving him. The only thing refraining her from doing so was the urge to refrain him from dragging her down to his level.

"If you had taken the time to show even the smallest amount of concern towards me, you would have known that I won't be returning home." Her words were like a freshly sharpened knife, narrowing her eyes as she leaned in just a little. Tears stung her eyes, but she was quick to blink them away. She would never grant him the satisfaction of witnessing her tears once more, and never again would they be caused by him. With those words she swiftly snatched the necklace from his grasp, refraining from breaking eye contact as she did.

With clenched jaw and tensed muscles she extended her arm towards him, presenting the pearls she had just snatched out of his hand. "Now shut up, play the part and put it around my neck," she hissed, her voice grown cold, preparing herself for the cold sensation of the pearls against her skin as she'd return to the castle, the castle she had been forced to call home, to be congratulated on the grave that had just been dug out for her in the form of a necklace.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

The art of romanticizing was complete alien to him. He didn't think he ever saw a truly happy couple in his life. Because every marriage in his close family, had been arranged by some sort. Myrddin and he never had fathers to learn from. The only true happy couples he had seen, where the elderly ones of the common folk, who had been together since the dawn of time and had grown to love one another. But long, lasting marriages were complete foreign to him. Something always happened, often for the worse. So no, he didn't care that the peals in his hand held no meaning. He did not care that it was nothing like the storybooks. He was angry with her and he didn't allow her to have her fairy-tal proposal. Although he did not guess she would have picked him in her fantasies.

All he could think about was this girl, with her two-toned hair, piercing gaze and not-so passive aggressive comments anymore. She had infected his mind and he wanted for it to be cured. He thought that with her being gone, returning to her probably lovely home in Moonbright, where she could see the sea any time she wanted. But not like him, from the bottom of the ocean, but from a cliff side, smelling the salt in the air. He envied that girl, not the one standing in front of him now. But even that was not granted to him, as she snatched the lasts straws he was clutching on from his hands. No, it would be them together, forever, apparently. And the color drained from his face as she told him that she would remain in Lythrania.

Ezekiel raised his empty hand frustrated in the air as he responded to her words with a scoff. ‘‘Well, I am not so obsessed with prying in somebody else's business.’’ Unbeknownst he had started to raise his voice. But it was all he knew, to start to build a wall around himself again and become defensive. She could try to siege his castle, but she would discover his supplies of stubbornness were well-nigh endless. Ezekiel stood his ground as she leaned in and he glared down at her. He could see the angry tears forming in her eyes, but she was being brave about it. And as the poison festered in his mind, all he could think about was the last time they argued and she had backed him into a corner. A quick look at her lips betrayed his treacherous thoughts, but it was quickly interrupted by the burning sensation of her touch as she took the pearls from his hand.

That was it than: deal sealed, war was declared. Time to ready their armies, meet each other in the battle field that would be their wedding. He was ready to turn around and leave her here by her own, not giving a shit about who would see his brand new fiancé unaccompanied. But no, she demanded him to perform the courtesies, like she cared. Again that worry in the back of his mind wondered why she was, even now, still trying. He was not about to comply. She had gotten her damn trinket. It was the proof she needed. But as he flared his nostrils, Ezekiel gave in. ‘‘Fine.’’ He would blame it on being the better man out of the two of them later.

The sorcerer took the necklace back, rolling the pearls between his fingers as he moved away from her. He immediately felt the heavy air as he pushed past her and stood behind her. He looked down at the necklace in his hands and turned around to face her back, breathing out deeply. Then he raised one hand to move her hair aside, making very sure not to graze her skin as he felt the silky strands on his knuckles. He moved forward to move his arm over her shoulder, his other hand going up past her other shoulder and meeting together in front of her collarbones, where he grasped both ends of the necklace. A small tremor went through his hands as he let the peals drape down over her throat and move his hands back, to the back of her neck where the ends would meet again. He looked at the small clamp between his fingers for a very long second. No way back. He knew there wouldn't be as soon as his aunt had agreed. They were doomed anyway. They only made it worse by themselves. Ezekiel held his breath and connected the ends of the necklace together. Suddenly his hands were empty and the girl was... his. He was very glad their eyes couldn't meet in this moment, because it would probably be filled with fear. Ezekiel tentatively brushed his hand forward again and pulled her hair from underneath the necklace and then with both he draped it across her back again, his fingertips lingering at the ends of the two-toned strands.

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

She couldn't help but wonder how her mother must have felt when her father presented those pearls to her. She had not known better than their parents truly loving eachother, even when her father would be gone for weeks on end, exploring the sea as his wife took care of their children. Perhaps her parents living quite separate lives had their perks, especially after their duty of bringing three, healthy sorcerers into this world had been fulfilled. She and Ezekiel wouldn't be granted that freedom. His duties were centered within the city, not beyond the horizon. By clasping those pearls around her neck, he'd truly take away every glimpse of her freedom, and she'd willingly let it happen.

She felt her body flinch as he raised his voice, cursing herself for letting that happen. It was true that she specifically requested for them to stop pretending, but didn't expect that request to turn her betrothed into the inconsiderate, selfish man as which he presented himself right now. Back in Silvercrest he had seemed so different. Mannered and kind, even. That night he hadn't dared to touch her any way, in contrast to the last night they spent together. For a moment he'd made her feel like the most important woman in the world. The way he had feasted upon her skin and caressed each and every curve her body almost felt as if their marriage stood a chance. Perhaps the cold and bitter attitudes which came after had been their punishment for exploring eachother's bodies before they were expected to, disrespecting their patron by disobeying the martial traditions, though she didn't know if praying to her would still be able to fix this mess of an arrangement. To fix what they never were, but she so desperately tried to become.

"Perhaps it may be time for you to grow up, then," She muttered underneath her breath, her voice exhausted from arguing. Exhausted from having to defend herself with each sentence spoken. "I am your business. Just as much as you are mine." Their lives had been forced to intertwine, no matter how much they'd push and pull at eachother. The deal had been sealed, and as much as she tried to argue with the fact, this arrangement was the best possible outcome for her in terms of her future. Once her illness would take away her eyesight, she would be safe and taken care of within the walls of the castle, just as her parents wished for her to be.

She expected another verbal stab in reply to her command, but to her suprise he didn't fight back. He even agreed. Not wholeheartedly, but he agreed. She silent as the took back the necklace and bridged the distance between them, bodies brushing against eachother as he took place behind her. The sorceress bit the inside of her cheek at the sensation, trying to refrain her mind from going back to that night of bodies intertwining once more. A shiver went down her spine as he brushed her hair aside, even when his fingers made sure not to touch the bare nape of her neck. Closing her eyes. she hoped to refrain herself from letting her mind wander, though the feeling of the necklace being draped against her neck made it hard not to think about the way his fingers went perfectly around her throat that time. For a moment she wished for them to graze across her collarbones as he brought his hands together, but was met with a glimpse of defeat when they didn't. Instead they continued towards the nape of her neck, where the necklace would be clasped together, and she would his.

It felt as if she had been holding her breath until her hair was freed from underneath the necklace, back to being draped across her back and shoulders. She had not expected for his touches to be so gentle, so different from their night spent together, almost as if he were afraid to touch her. The sorceress opened her eyes, staring at the ground beneath for a brief moment before taking a deep breath, finding the courage to turn around and meet his odd colored gaze. But she did, their bodies as close to eachother as during those brief moments before he had crashed his lips against hers, giving him a good look at the trinket around her neck as she faced him. As much as she wanted to turn away and return to the safety of her chambers, she refused to shift her gaze away from his. She was his future now, and he better made sure to have a good look at it. Perhaps the sight of his now betrothed would force some manners into him. "Now that I am yours-" she started, halting mid-sentence to keep her composure, hesitating at that last word. "All I ask of you is that you treat me as such." She tried to hide the anger and frustration within her voice, but couldn't help to clench her fists at her own words. She would never beg him for the bare minimum, but she wasn't going to let this marriage devour her. If anything, she'd make sure he knew what kind of bride his aunt had set him up with.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

The man had no idea how the future would look for them. Probably centered around being here in the city, the two of them having to be the perfect couple, family even. And for who? Who was going to look up to them? Nobody, they just had to keep the family honour high. Make the Vylasars like some aristocrat family now the monarchy was gone. Attend parties all around the country to show the world how great it was to be a sorcerer. Well, he hated it. He hated what it made him and what it forced him to do.

And his life would be gravitated towards this girl. She had unwillingly to him entered his life. It was just a simple announcement on a piece of paper: This will be the woman you will share the last of your life with. They had the manners to not close it of with "good luck". But he needed all the luck that he could get, because at this moment in time, he was shared a bad hand. How could he have known that at almost the same day these people entered his life, Myr would provoke him. It was just an accumulation of shit that kept filling his plate and he snapped. And he just kept on being so angry at everybody, but Chaska had gotten the brunt of it all. If it wasn't in his rude words, or avoiding her al together, or his impulsive decision to share the sheets with her.

Chaska did not hold back as she spoke her words. They were soft, in sharp contrast when he had raised his voice. He bristled as he looked back at her. She did not even look that mad, just done. But as she continued to speak, he just didn't want to believe the truth in those words. He didn't care if they had to spend all their time in public together, they could keep their lives separate. He didn't need to know all her secrets. He did not want to know how her mind worked. Because with every second they spend together, it just started to be more complicated. The fights started to get more intense. His remarks would be more directed to hurt her deliberately, instead of them being directed at the ones responsible for putting them here. So while his temper was still raised, he responded maleficent once more. ‘‘No, you are not.’’ Typical, he wanted to just push her away. Because it was not fair that she would be tangled up in all his mess. Even if she wanted to, he would not allow it.

So why was he still moving on with this? Because being intertwined in this prison formed of duty was steering his muscles. It made decisions for him. So he would marry this girl and they would be happy in the face of public. Chaska would wear these pearls with fake pride, and he would grant that smug smile to everybody that would ask him how it was to be engaged now. And they would go back to pretending, at least in public. He feared that it would be even worse behind closed doors now. Because even though every time he looked at her, he could only think about how her skin had felt against his lips, he was still angry with her. So when the pearls were attached to her neck, he didn't feel satisfied at all. He expected to be raging still, because this was what she had wanted. But he just felt defeated. Like he had rolled over and showed his belly to his family. Would they all be glad? The first of the new generation to be married, producing heirs. So when he stood their when her back was still turned towards him, his shoulders slightly drooped.

When she turned around, his hands quickly went to his sides. His eyes were immediately drawn to her neck. It brought him back towards the moment he had knocked on her door, almost expecting to be civil about this proposal. To maybe open a new door, try to fix what he had broken. But it had really turned for the worse. Their bodies were close together again and it would be so easy to fall back into despair and seal the agreement with a kiss instead of this cold war they had going on. It became even harder to look at her when she started to speak. Yours. He clenched his jaws tighter. And then she exposed a bit of.. was it vulnerability. She told him to treat her like a fiancé. Again, that persistent determination to make this agreement work. And he could do that, he could agree to that. It was the least he could do. But he just felt if he gave her a finger, she would take an arm. So he backed away, shaking his head slightly. ‘‘I don't get you, Chaska,’’ he spoke on a softer tone, making sure not to raise his voice again. ‘‘Why do you want-’’ He raised his hands, gesturing between them. ‘‘This.’’ Because she wasn't all that silver-tongued. She provoked him in the same sentence when she told him to treat her like a wife.

NC

she wears strength and
darkness equally well

Perhaps this whole arrangement had been their punishment. For what exactly she didn't know, but she couldn't imagine their patron to bestow such marriage upon her most devoted followers. Maybe if she'd spent more time at the temple or praying to their little shrine at home, the deity of the moon and tides would've granted her a husband who actually wanted to marry her, instead of a man forced to take care of a woman who sooner or later, wouldn't be able to look out for herself. She wondered if he had even been told about her situation, about how he was supposed to take care of her when she could no longer perceive the world around her, though she assumed not. Knowing him, he would've thrown that accusation into her face already if he did.

It didn't matter how hard she'd try, they kept pushing and pulling at each other. The man standing before him was a mere child. Mad at the world for forcing him into the responsibilities each born to their name would one day face. She couldn't blame him. Her anger at the world had manifested itself ever since finding out about her illness, about her fate. Yet, she decided to face it best she could. She wanted to let him in, to give their arrangement a chance, but all he did was taking his anger towards the world, its lessons and its laws out on her. Unlike the touch of his bare hips against hers, mundane facts about him were still unknown to her. Though, she was almost certain for him to born under the gaze of the raven at this point. If that were to be the case, she could at least try to make sense of his childish behaviour.

The heavy atmosphere was undeniable when the sorceress turned around, showing him the necklace he so delicately clasped around her neck just now. Perhaps the sight would wake him up. Make him realize that his soon to be wife stood before him. For the brief second she saw his gaze shift towards her neck her hopes were high, but alas. That hope was soon to vanish into thin air as the man before her shook his head, and she knew that the following words would sting, even before they'd left his lips.

The sorceress bit her lip as he backed away, softening his tone while sharpening the daggers that were his words. Her fingers found their way to the necklace, fidgeting one of the pearls between them as she clenched her jaw. It became clear that he didn't know the true meaning behind this arrangement. At least the meaning her parents had given it. For a split second she hesitated, wanting to spit the truth at him and get the load off her chest, but she know she couldn't. She was supposed to play the beneficial bride; a sorceress which would grant him a famly one day. A family of beast-summoning children, who would one day continue their bloodline such as every generation before. A blind mother wouldn't be able to raise such children, but that knowledge wouldn't reach him until it had become reality. Until he could no longer back out.

"You truly do not understand, do you?" Though the traces of anger had not left her voice, she just sounded tired. Tired of him, tired of the situation, tired of the way he kept making the situation more diffucult than it already was. "I don't want 'this'," she continued, repeating his previous gesture. "I want to honor my- our family's traditions. I want to honor the arrangement my parents bestowed upon me." Remaining stubborn as she was, she took a step forward and bridging the distance between them once more, not allowing him to cower away from her. "Do you truly wish to bring shame upon this family by denying those honors? We're not those kids anymore, Ezekiel. We have duties to fulfill." She could feel her neutral tone turning bitter at each word. The roles were reversed, and now she was taking out her personal problems on him for a change. Perhaps this was one of the reasons for her patron's punishment. She kept throwing these lies at him, knowing that he'd never discover the true intention behind this arrangement once he could no longer back out of it. Once she would be his responsibility.

She took another step forward, looking him and in eye as she took hold of his collar. Firmly, but gentle enough not to come off as agressive just yet. "Grow up, take responsibility, claim your place in this world." The sorceress let go of his collar before continuing. "Just, please, do not ruin this for me," she hissed, though her voice had almost grown desperate. Out of any sorcerer man in the continent, her parents had to choose this one. The one who had her wrapped around his finger without even realising. She truly despised him.

the girl has always been
half goddess half hell

some children are simplyborn with tragedy in their blood

Ezekiel his gaze was drawn back to the pearls around her neck as she started the fiddle with them. Was she already regretting it? Calling herself his? Because it was messed up in every way. It was like they had locked the invisible shackles around their ankles themselves and threw away the key. This silly trinket stood for so much more than just a proposal. It was their lives on the line. He was dreading the moment already when they would return to the castle and everybody would know with just a glance. And nobody would even be surprised, because everybody knew the arrangement. It was just what duty demanded, and every young man and woman in the castle was just happy that this time, it wasn't them.

And as Chaska started to reproach her for not understanding, he just gave her a small shrug. No, he didn't get her. And he noted she had grown tired of him. She had probably grown bored of him digging his heels in the sand at every corner, throwing back punches at everything she threw at him. But he listened as she continued, he just couldn't believe that those were coming out of her mouth. She was talking about honor. Was this the same girl that had let her displeasure of the situation shine through when they were in that small boat on a dark lake, miles away from here? And as she came closer again, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise once more. Honor, tradition, duty? By Lythrana, if only she knew how much he was shaming this family already. He had lost connection with his familiar, he was a liability with way too much power to control, and was like a dormant volcano, not knowing when he would burst next. This union of him with this girl was probably the last hope of him having some kind of future. He would pass on his magic to the next generation, praying that they would have more luck with it. That was probably why his aunt was so happy to sign the papers. She would never have expected him to erupt to soon after it, Chaska being so close to witness the aftermath.

The silver-haired sorcerer wanted nothing more to back away more, to run from that same duty she so desperately wanted to fulfill. Maybe if they had been more on one line, like he had thought that first night spend together in Silvercrest, they could run together, part ways when they were safe in hiding. But that was no option, because their family would come after them as bloodhounds, making sure their names would be erased from history.

He had no good answer ready for her, not that something would satisfy her. So she came closer once more and took him by his collar and reprimanded him like he was a child. Claim your place in the world? He responded that comment with a certain fire in his eyes. What was his place in the world? Next to her, and that was it? He could not offer her anything. He was no heir, he would hold no place at court. He would just be a fancy decoration at dinner parties and balls. Like some kind of placeholder. Because his aunt and cousin would never trust him again. He wanted to scream those thoughts at her, before she surprised him with.. a plead, something that almost sounded so desperate that his whole demeanor changed. Because Ezekiel had thought about nobody but himself all this time, that he had not thought that he would be dragging her down with her. Unbeknownst he probably already did, because she was connected to his name with his every action. And for the first time he had a peak under the strong veil Chaska had wrapped around herself and he feared there was much more behind that façade. He just had not bothered to get a peak of that.

So why had that small word touched him, where all those harsh words and empty threats hadn't. They just made him more defensive. He now realized that if he kept playing the game as he did today.. would he ruin her life? He gave her a long look as he weighed down his options in his head. ‘‘Okay,’’ he gave in after a tense silence. ‘‘But if we are going to do this,’’ he continued when he took a step forward and stared at the pearls again. ‘‘We are are going to do it our way, not theirs.’’ He furrowed his brows slightly and his gaze went up to her eyes once more, because it had grown so complicated. Because at this point in time, he didn't know if he would ever be able to touch her like he did that night. Because in a way, he had ruined her already, and she was still hanging onto this rough thread that was spun between them. ‘‘I don't know what that is yet, but-’’ His words were cut of by a frustrated scoff, while his eyes trailed to the roof of the tunnel. ‘‘I just don't want to be another Vylasar puppet. Like we are nothing more than just a fancy party trick.’’

NC