"Where are we going?" Tane asked.
"To buy clothes!" Yuliah exclaimed. She wanted them to look prettier than any other Women out in the Festival tonight. "You can pick out any dress that you want. Money is not an issue today," she held up her bag of coins. The bag seemed lighter now. Hmmmmm. She'll need to sneak back into Ryas' room and get more coins, but how? One more problem to figure out, but she'll worry about it later. Yuliah told herself.
She took the girls into a high-end dress store in Murai, where you could pick out a dress and be the only woman to have that design. Tane went with a one-piece white dress and Vera a blue dress. Yuliah browsed through the racks of dresses until she found one sitting out on display. A silk pleated skirt that flowed out and matching half sleeve top with a plunging neckline. In the color red. Just like that woman with Ryas. She could wear it better, though. Yuliah smiled, "I want this one."
She purchased the dresses and asked if they could get ready in the shop. With the amount of money, Yuliah spent there the Attendant agreed. All three girls helped one another with hair and makeup, then changed into their dresses.
Yuliah stepped out of the changing room last, and both Vera, Tane, and the Attendant sighed. Her black hair and ivory skin stood out against the bright red skirt and mid-drift shirt that hugged to her body so well.
The Attendant picked up a flower hair pin also in the color red. "You need this. The finishing touch," and pinned one side of her hair up.
The Autumn Solstice started an hour ago, and most of the festivities happened in the Townsquare. When the girls arrived, Vera and Tane quickly joined the small crowd of people dancing next to the fountain, while Yuliah watched from the sides. The smell of peaches and music playing through the night air put everyone in a relaxed mood.
"My Lady. Come here and dance," the girls pleaded. "Just a little bit. It won't be fun without you."
"Fine," Yuliah strolled forward and took both of their hands. Vera twirled her around. She didn't want to draw any attention to herself, but Yuliah also didn't want to ruin the girls fun. Taking a glance around, Yuliah could see there were a lot of people to hide among, and none of Ryas' Soldiers.
He's probably too busy wrapped up in that other Woman to even care about her. It hurt to know that he didn't look for her; it must be so easy for Ryas to let go. She swallowed back her tears and continued to dance next to Vera.
"You don't have a Man at all?" Vera danced around Yuliah.
"I did, but he left," Yuliah held onto both girl's hands and began to move as they joined hands with other dancers and formed a larger circle. "I don't want to talk about it. We should dance and enjoy ourselves tonight," Yuliah smiled at Vera. She didn't want to think about what happened. She might cry. That's not what she needed at this moment. Yuliah wanted to forget about him.
More people joined in on the dancing, and the circle grew bigger. The beat of the music picked up, and the laughter and voices increased in pitch, and a crowd formed.
Tables were set up around the outside of the Townsquare in between the vendors. Ryas, Zehan, Lohan, and a handful of Captains arrived. They picked a few tables across from the dance floor.
"Shit! I didn't know there were so many pretty girls in Murai," Lohan smacked his Brother's back. "I can't decide which one I want to go talk to," he grinned at everyone.
"Who said they would all want to talk to you?" Zehan answered mockingly.
"I'm a fucken Prince. I can have any one of them if I choose," Lohan boasted.
Ryas' eyes darted over to Lohan, "What did I tell you?"
Lohan's eyes rolled upward then back at the General, "Yes. I know. I'll be on my best behavior. We're here to celebrate you becoming a human..." Lohan coughed. "I mean your marriage." He noticed that the Captain's eyes were cast out across the crowd as they quietly spoke to one another. "What are you all staring at?"
The Captains sought their General's approval first and waited for Ryas to nod at them before finally answering Lohan. "You see those three girls over there," they pointed towards the peach trees where a crowd gathered. "There's a beautiful woman in a red dress dancing with two other beautiful girls. We want to go, say Hi."
"Where is she at?" Lohan shifted towards the crowd, and his head moved side to side. "I can't make out her face clearly from here, but she's got an amazing body." Lohan squinted his eyes. "Oh, Shit! Look at the curves on that girl and that dress. Yea, go for it!"
The Captains glimpsed at Ryas before they stood up and left.
Curious Zehan also snuck a peek. "That dress," he sighed. "I'm speechless, and I'll envy the Captain if he can get her to talk to him," he laughed.
Ryas glanced at the Men who were all worked up over a woman in a red dress but went back to searching the crowd for Yuliah.
Lohan took a seat, "Let's see how it'll play out for him. You wanna make a wager?" he asked Zehan. "If he gets rejected, you give it a go!"
Zehan smiled, "Our Captain is a good looking Man. I'm going to bet against you. If she talks to him, I get to pick out the next girl for you to approach tonight," he poured them all drinks and then downed his.
"Watch... They're approaching the girls right now," they both watched in anticipation.
Ryas drank the cup of wine Zehan poured since they were out celebrating him getting married. He didn't pay attention to what they were doing; instead, his eyes searched the crowds looking for Yuliah. In a place, this big she could pass right by him, and he might even miss her.
They watched as the three Captains approached the girls and began talking. A moment later, one of the Captains headed back.
Lohan burst out laughing. "He looks disappointed. I bet you she rejected him."
The Captain came back sulking and sat down.
"What happened?" Lohan asked.
"She said no. My pride's gone. She's too pretty and even better up close," The Captain slumped down.
"Did she say why?" Lohan questioned again.
"No, she just hid behind her other two friends."
Lohan cocked his head over to Zehan. "I won the bet, your up!"
Zehan slammed another glass of wine, "I supposed I am." He stood up.
"Seriously?" The Captain held his palms up.
"Hey she may have said no to you, but that doesn't mean my Brother can't give it a try."
Zehan patted the Captain on his back, "Here I go. Wish me luck," and he strolled off.
Ryas' gaze went back to them, "Keep a close eye on your Brother, Lohan."
"Yea.. yea... I want to see Zehan try to talk to that girl in the red. The one that rejected our Captain." Lohan laughed.
"I see that," curious Ryas watched as Zehan made his way toward the crowd. He moved his head sideways and tried to get a better look at the Woman, but more Men gathered and blocked her from his view. "Your Brothers got competition," Ryas smirked. They watched as Zehan made his way over until he got about halfway, paused, and ran back.
Lohan spun around towards Ryas, "What the fuck! Did he just pussy out!"
Ryas let out a low chuckle, "He must have."
When Zehan made it back, he gasped entirely out of breath. "General," he paused. "Get over there now. It's your girl! She's surrounded by a group of Men."
Lohan and the Captains jaw dropped as they stared at Ryas, whose face paled. Then he whipped around to almost snarl at them before he hopped over the table and dashed away.
"Do you think he's pissed at us?" Lohan asked his brother. "How the fuck were we supposed to know it's his future wife."
Zehan nodded his head and sat down. "We'll wait and see what he does to us later."
Across the field, Yuliah smiled politely at the Men who came and stood around asking her for a dance or just trying to chat her up. Vera and Tane strolled off with the two Men that approached them earlier, leaving Yuliah behind to fend for herself. She didn't want to be a third wheel. These Men were too relentless tonight, and she tried to break away but they formed a circle around her.
Ryas could see Yuliah as he approached, from her awkward stance as the Men hoovered around her staring. His jaw clenched at the sight of her dress. Her breasts and so much bare skin were exposed for those bastards to gawk at. He could see her pretending to be oblivious to their advances. He shoved his way through the group of Men - "Move," then picked Yuliah up and threw her over his shoulder. "We're leaving," he carried her away from the Men who gave him angry looks.
"Put me down, Ryas!" Yuliah shouted at him.
Once Ryas and Yuliah were clear of the crowd, he set her back down but held onto her wrist. He backed her up against a peach tree. "Why are you wearing this?" he leaned down to face her. "And where have you been? I've searched the whole city for you. Do you know how worried you made me?"
"Why can't I wear this and I find that hard to believe," she turned her nose up. "Why do I need to tell you where I go?"
"You're my wife. That's why and this," he pointed to her clothes. "You don't feel that it's too much?"
"Nope..." Yuliah straightened her posture. "Since when did I become your wife?" She snapped at him. "When it's convenient for you?"
"Since I lifted the veil. When did I say you weren't?" He questioned her but in a calm voice.
"The other night when you were," she paused to glare at him. "Let me see all over that woman!" Yuliah shoved him. "You didn't act as if you had a wife!"
He laughed and shook his head at her, "Yuliah," Ryas started to explain but she cut him off.
"Did you laugh at me? You think this is funny?" Her eyes watered and she took a deep breath. The pain she went through and tears she cried. To have him laugh it off as if it's not important at all enraged her. "Fuck you Ryas," Yuliah slammed both her arms against his chest, but he didn't even nudge.
From across the other side of the field, Zehan, Lohan, and the Captain scrunched their faces and watched eagerly.
"I don't think it's going well for our General," Lohan commented. "She just shoved him."
Back across the street, Ryas yanked Yuliah into him by her hand and kissed her hard. "I'm sorry. I can explain but in private."
Yuliah could taste the wine on his lips and his scent. She missed him and closed her eyes. Her arms lifted and she almost folded, but the Mark surged up her arm, and she broke away from him. This time only one hand raised and came down across his face hard. "I fucken hate you Ryas," tears burst from her eyes. "You think you can do that to me? Then force yourself onto me, say sorry, and it's all fine now!" She started swatting at his chest and crying.
Back over at the table, Zehan, Lohan, and the Captain cringed.
"Shit. I felt that" Lohan touched his cheek. "I could have told him that it wouldn't work."
On the other side of the field, without her Ethereal Spirit, Yuliah's hits were soft punches onto his body. Ryas pinned her arms behind her back.
"I don't need to force myself on you. I'm Ryas fucken Ib, and I can get any woman I choose too," he growled at her.
His blue eyes glimmered against the lights, and his deep husky voice set off a mixed of emotions for Yuliah. She stopped crying and didn't know whether to laugh, continue to cry, or be turned on by his response.
Yuliah sucked in her cheeks. Ohhhh... He sure is cocky. She sniffed, and one of her nostrils slightly flared. Yuliah wanted to wipe that smug look from his face, but a smile tugged at her lips, and she bent her head sideways. She's folding.
Back on the other side of the field, Lohan, Zehan, and the Captain were still watching with anticipation. "What do you think is going to happen?" Lohan asked.
"Her body moved sideways. She's gonna punch the General," the Captain said. "Just you watch."
Zehan thought he caught a glimpse of a smile when she veered away, "I don't know," he breathed. "I don't see that happening. She'll leave with the General."
"Let's bet! If she punches him you buy us drinks all night, and if she leaves with him we'll do whatever you ask," Lohan tipped his cup at the King.
"Alright, it's a bet then," Zehan lifted his glass, and so did the Captain. They each downed their glasses of wine all at once and went back to watching.
Back across the field, Yuliah's heart pounded deep in her chest when Ryas pressed himself up against her. No, not now. A hot surge of energy shot up from between her legs and then spread over her body. Her knees weakened, and she fell backward, but Ryas caught her in his arms. Why did her body react this way, especially now? She gulped.
A sly smile spread across his face, and Ryas leaned towards her head, but she leaned away until her hair dangled to the ground and exposed her slender neck to him.
"What makes you think you can get any women you want, huh?" Yuliah closed her eyes briefly. She didn't want to see that sexy crooked smile he flashed her.
"Because I'm the greatest, but I only want you," he whispered into her ear then trailed his lips softly down her neck until his mouth rested right above her beating heart. "I know you want me too. I can hear it."
She hated the way he could unravel her. Yuliah froze. Should she surrender to him just for tonight? Her body ached with a need for him, his touch, his lips, and most of all, revenge. She wanted to break the other woman as much as they broke her.
On the other side of the field, the Captain threw his hands up flustered. "The General's going in for the kill," he said. "We're going to lose the bet!"
"No," Lohan's desperate eyes scoured across the field. "It's not over. We still have a chance."
Zehan's head tilted back as he laughed at them. Could this be happening? The day that he'd witness his General show public affection for a Woman without any shame.
Back on the field, Yuliah figured, she'll play his game. She needed an excuse to go back to his room anyways. "Then, who is she?" Yuliah asked. "The woman in red."
"My informant," his mouth rested right above hers. "Is that why you wore red tonight too?" He gazed into her eyes. "You're such a jealous woman."
For a moment, her ears reddened - afraid he figured her out. Yuliah gave him an innocent response, "Why you don't like it?" She lifted her head just enough to tap her lips to Ryas. The smell of his sweet breath engulfed her nose, followed by a strong primal instinct to mate him, and she folded. Yuliah claimed his lips and drowned in the heat that washed up from her stomach as Ryas plunged his tongue into her mouth. "I want you," she moaned.
Across on the other side. Lohan plopped down. "Fuck! It's over. I can't watch this!" he slumped his head down. "I can't believe it!" He grunted.
A bellowing laugh erupted from Zehan's mouth, "You know how hard it is to say no to our General. She didn't stand a chance. You both need to have more confidence in him."
The Men checked back to find Yuliah's arms hooked around Ryas' neck, and their heads pressed together still. "Do you think they'll come up for air soon?" Lohan joked.
Zehan scuffed, "Drink up, gentlemen. I won," and he made sure his words rubbed in their faces.