Silver could see her hesitance and instantly remembered what it meant to be asking a woman for her hand. It meant commitment and trust, it meant wanting more and he wasn't sure if he was even ready for that. Everything in his life had been hard and many times he had sacrificed what he cared about to be able to rule. When his mother had decided that his brother needed to find him a wife and a queen to run the kingdom, he had automatically thought it would be easy to overlook her and focus on his biddings.
Years had gone, the different women had come and go, humans had died trying to survive the power that overtook their bodies. He had nearly given up until his brother had found another human. One who seemed to be everything to everyone, making him turn a blind eye to the way she smiled and that barely made her falter. She easily took in the lessons, easily caressed the power, and slowly enhanced it. She was everything they thought they needed.
For months, everything had gone well, until she walked out, having left a note saying that she wouldn't return and was not happy. He had searched and searched for her, for weeks and when he had found her. his heart had been crushed, as he noticed the children that she carried and the husband that she kissed ever so lovingly. When she had locked eyes with him, he knew that he had been vulnerable, she could see his true aura. See his thoughts and feel his very emotions. He had witnessed her tear up as he falls apart in front of her.
He had done everything for her but what she had done was the ultimate betrayal. He had never loved again, spat on every woman's innocence, and saw life as nothing more than an animal. Chasing after blood, not caring about what one's intentions were or what it was. It had ruined him so badly that he made them all believe that he loved them when in all honesty, he wanted them to feel the pain he felt.
He wanted them to feel broken as he was.
Yet now here she was, a different person but the same being. One that had blood flowing and had a heart that beat ever so quickly when at times she was around him. He could smell her scent and feel her touch constantly, when his eyes caught her smiling, he would stare and wonder when would she die or fail him also. He wondered when she would also leave and choose to not stay with him.
"Pardon me, I shouldn't have." He said, pulling himself back and building up his façade again, not wanting her to see how he was considering something different with her but also not willing to break his heart again. Because in truth, he wasn't ready to be with her and he was sure, she wasn't ready to be with him. "In fact, do excuse this, I just wanted to direct you to someone."
Aria arched her eyebrow, wondering what she had said that could have made him change his demeanor towards her but this was exactly why she had been hesitant to easily accept him. She never knew what he would do or say, she never knew when he would change and it petrified her because all he did was remind her of her father. She wasn't ready for that kind of pain and it seemed as though that was all he would do to her. Until she was sure that he was ready and she could trust him she wouldn't accept him as her king, much less her husband.
"Alright," she said and followed him as soon as he walked away, not waiting for her to leave the room. Aria kept her feet measured as she followed Silver's hurried steps, she took her moment to evaluate him and to see things that everyone around him could see. She took her time to see how tall he was, noticing the ink that seemed to peek themselves out from his collar and sleeves. Catching anyone's attention easily, a part of her wanted to run her fingers on them and to see where they would go but she knew that wouldn't happen.
"OOF," came the sound from her as she bumped him from behind, having been too deep in her thoughts she hadn't realized that he had stopped walking, and she had bumped into him abruptly. "I am so sorry-" "Has Quin not taught you to pay attention?" he questioned cutting her off whilst pulling back from her as if she burned him. She rolled her eyes at him as she stepped back, placing some distance between them. "It was a mistake, these things do happen, Mr. King Perfect." She huffed as she stared at him.
"You seem to always make a mistake, you might as well be clumsy every day and become a joker for kids while their babies." He snapped at her, making her take a deep breath. Before she could speak the door opened and Sal stared at them, Aria wanted nothing more than to slap the bipolar king but she didn't want another choking incident. So, she huffed and before she could scream at him, pushed pasted Sal, feeling much safer with him.
"Aria…" she heard and turned to see someone she thought she would never see again in her life. "James…" she whispered,