Caruso POV
After I escorted Evangelina to tea with my mother I departed for the training yard. I needed to return to my routine of combat training. When I arrived I watched my brother Merek training with our master of arms instructor, Ethan.
"Ah the newly wedded prince has returned and completely smitten. I would be too if my wife was as pretty as Evangelina."
I chuckled, "well we all know I'm the most attractive from the three of us. It should be no surprise that my wife is stunning."
Merek laughed while he swung his sword at his instructor but it was blocked.
"Focus here!" Ethan scolded Merek but he stopped.
"Let me speak with my brother, I'll spar with you in an hour." Ethan shook his head. "This is why Caruso is the better swordsman and commander of the army. He never stops training until I say we're done." Merek laughed, "Caruso WAS a good swordsman because he was single now that he's married he won't have as much spare time as he used to. He probably isn't as willing to die for his kingdom anymore either." Merek winked at me mockingly. I scoffed, "Haven't I always proved you wrong brother? Ethan I will come find you so we can train once he's done with me." Ethan nodded and left leaving Merek and I alone.
"What do you want Merek? I need to spar, I haven't trained since I left to marry."
"Caruso stop complaining and listen to me. Have you thought about my proposal?"
I shook my head, "I think this is a bad idea Merek. I do not think you should kill Alek, he's our brother..."
"Half brother!" Merek corrected through clenched teeth. "If we give him the chance Alek will murder us in our sleep!"
I continued ignoring his statements. "If you kill him you would have to kill Julia as well. What about Sofia? I refuse to lay a hand on her and I could never forgive myself if she ended up loathing me."
Merek rolled his eyes, "Caruso quit being so sensitive like a woman! Sofia is my niece also, I won't kill her, after all she's a girl and not a threat. I honestly do not care what Sofia thinks, we will look after her. I am offering you and your wife safety once I'm king. You have my word, I will keep you both safe and you can go on living as you are now."
I sighed and let my head fall, I did not want to agree to any of this nonsense. My head was already starting to hurt.
"I know what father told you this morning. Do you not see how cruel he is? Alek has always been his favorite, he will give him anything and everything. You know this yet you refuse to listen. Who do you think gave him the idea of giving him your wife, if you cast her aside? We see how beautiful Evangelina is, Alek may have taken a liking to her when we met her yesterday."
I scoffed and thought about what Merek said. 'It couldn't be true. Alek didn't want Evangelina, or did he?' Alek has a reputation of wanting something that doesn't belong to him. Just like my first horse, she was a beautiful reddish mare and Alek wanted it. My father did not hesitate and gave it to him. Later he gifted me an old grey horse and I hated watching my brother ride my red horse. That's the first time all three of us fought and when our rivalry began.
Merek watched me contemplating and smirked slyly. "You and I are stronger than Alek with our abilities. He is weak and his beast has been asleep for years. Ours are still awake and I have control over mine. I know you struggle but it's because yours is far stronger. Caruso, I need you to unleash it, when I kill Alek I am going to unleash mine. We are better and stronger together. Think about it, I'm not quite sure how long we have to finalize my strategy. You're my brother and I love you, I have always looked after you and I always will." Merek grasped my shoulder and squeezed, he put his sword away and departed from the training yard.
I stood there not sure of my decision but if it was true that Alek already lusted after Evangelina then I would not hesitate to kill him.
"Are you ready to train Caruso or are you going to go and retire as Merek has? Ethan asked while he unsheathed his sword. He already knew I wasn't going to depart. I shook all the distractions away from my mind and unsheathed mine. This is the only way I knew how to clear my mind from all the chaos around me.
"I'm always ready Ethan." I took my stance, raised my sword and began my assault.
*****
Evangelina POV
After a lovely tea time with my mother by law I decided to take a walk in the gardens alone. I wanted sometime to myself but that did not last long. Helga was a genuinely sweet woman. She made me laugh and told me stories about Caruso and Merek when they were children. I smiled to myself recalling the stories. While I stood in front of the pink roses taking in their lovely scent I felt a tug on my dress.
"Hello my lady."
I smiled at my new niece princess Sofia. Her hair was piled high in a bun with a blue ribbon tied in a bow. "Hello Sofia, how are you this afternoon?" She grinned, grabbed her dress and spun in a circle. "I'm happy today, look at the new dress my father gifted to me. Isn't it lovely?" I over exaggerated my expression of awe and nodded. "Oh it's absolutely beautiful!" I said while I scanned her pretty white dress. "Just make sure you don't get it dirty because white is very hard to keep clean." She nodded, grabbing my hand and we began to stroll. "You're so pretty. No wonder my Uncle Caruso married you. He always told me we was going to marry a beautiful woman. I can't wait to meet my prince when I grow up. Momma says he will be handsome, she is sure of it."
"I'm sure he will be." I confirmed.
Sofia was a charming child, I could tell she and Caruso had a close bond.
"May I call you 'Auntie Evangelina'? I hate saying my lady." We both giggled together. "I agree it's so boring. How about you call me auntie Evy and I call you Sofie? Would you like that?" Her eyes widened with excitement and clapped, "yes I love it! We have splendid nicknames!"
"Wonderful! So did you have any lessons today?"
"Yes I just finished my music lesson. I like to sing." Sofie said.
"We have so much in common Sofie, so do I!"
"Oh auntie Evy will you sing with me?"
"Sure what would you like to sing?" I asked.
She pondered for a moment while we sat on a bench by the daffodils. "Green sleeves!" She shouted and I laughed, she was precious. "All right you start at the chorus," I said, "then I'll join in." She nodded.
"Green sleeves was all my joy..." she began then I joined in at the second line harmonizing with her and her eyes grew wide at our combined vocals. "Green sleeves was my delight, green sleeves was my heart of gold, and who but my lady green sleeves?"
We both stopped at the sound of clapping.
"Bravo!" Prince Alek cheered and watched us with delight.
I instantly felt uncomfortable with the way he watched me. So I looked down and smiled at Sofie. "Father! Did you hear me and auntie Evy singing so beautifully?" She asked as she ran over to her father. He scooped her up and kissed her cheek. "Yes darling! You both sounded like angels!" Sofie blushed at her father's words. I stood up, "Sofia sings beautiful, you have a very special girl my Lord. Now if you will excuse me, it's best I find my husband. I'm sure he is wondering where I am."
"Caruso is probably training and he doesn't think of anything else while doing so." Prince Alek stated, "he doesn't always appreciate what what he has in front of him. That's a trait he and I do not share, I take very good care of beautiful things." His words made me squirm, I felt myself turn red with embarrassment. "Either way, I must be going, excuse me."
I walked as quickly as my feet could go. "Good bye auntie Evy!" I turned and waved farewell to my niece and noticed Alek ogling my every step. Though I did not know the way to the training grounds, I was adamant on finding my husband.
Once I felt I was a good distance away I slowed my pace and let out a breath of relief. 'Was I over reacting? I probably was, Alek was just being nice.' Just then I saw Princess Lucia and Prince Merek strolling arm in arm along the horse stables. They both looked at me and smiled, I approached them. "Hello Princess Evangelina," Lucia greeted me sweetly. She had a very kind presence about her. "Hello how are you both today?" I returned the friendly greeting, a bit breathless.
"We are well, are you all right, you seem uneasy." Merek asked studying my flustered countenance. I nodded my head, I did not want to confess my over reaction, so I lied.
"Yes I'm fine, I just have a headache from being lost. I'm looking for my husband but I don't know where anything is."
Lucia smiled, "yes I know how that feels almost too well." Merek did not seem to believe my statement but he answered.
"Caruso is training, I left him about an hour ago. He should still be there with Ethan, he trains for a few hours everyday. Would you like us to escort you there?"
I nodded relieved, "yes please, if you don't mind. I'd appreciate that very much, I'm weary of going in circles."
"Come, it's this way." Merek gestured forward with his hand. I walked beside my sister by law and she began asking things about me. It was kind of her to small talk with me.
"How do you like it here in Inferno so far?"
"It's fine, I enjoy the large gardens. I would just like to learn my way around. I detest being lost."
"Do you miss your family in Sylvanio?"
I felt my heart tug at the question.
"Yes I do. I miss my sister very much, we are very close."
Lucia nodded, "I empathize with you Evangelina. I have two sisters and I miss them all the time."
We smiled at each other and Lucia grabbed my shoulder. "Well I'm now your sister too, so if you ever need anything, you may confide in me Evangelina. I know how it is to feel alone in a new place."
"I appreciate your kindness Lucia. If I may, how long have the both of you been married?" Lucia glanced at Merek and he smiled. "Merek and I have been married for four years, we are still trying to conceive but the gods have yet to give us a child." My heart sunk for Lucia, what if Merek gets another wife because she is having trouble? I felt bad but decided to encourage her, she seemed disappointed. "It will happen when the time is right, at least for now you both are able to enjoy one another." Merek nodded, "I constantly tell her that, maybe now she will listen since it is you telling her." Lucia scoffed, "I am just impatient but I know it will happen."
I heard swords clanking in the distance and once we came around all the tree brush I saw Caruso in a sword fight with another man. I assumed it was the master of arms. While I watched in awe as Caruso swiftly moved and struck, Merek spoke.
"He's skilled with that blade, the best really. Caruso always makes fighting look easy but it's not. There's a lot of discipline and technique that comes with being as good as he is. I enjoy it from time to time but that's the difference between he and I. Caruso is an expert swordsman because he doesn't just enjoy it as I do. He lives and breathes it, he is obsessed with perfecting his techniques. Before you came along, it was his whole life. I've seen him in battle many times and he is intimidating, the kind of man you want on your side. That's why our father made him the commander of our army. The men follow him because he fights beside them in every battle. Alek and I don't have that dedication to the military as he does."
We stopped a few feet from the fight and I watched my husband with pride on my face, he was perfect. Caruso kicked his opponent in the chest, making his blade fly from his grasp and swiftly pointed his long sword to his throat. Ethan held up both hands in surrender. Caruso sheathed his sword and gave Ethan his hand to pull him up.
"Well done Caruso, you seem to have caught the eye of a princess." I heard the trainer say before he departed in the opposite direction. Caruso's curly hair was tied behind his head and sweat made him glisten in the sunlight. I admired him in his leather military attire. He was truly a magnificent sight, I felt my heart thump fast in my ears. We locked eyes and he winked at me. I felt my face get hot, I loved when he did that. I shamelessly smiled like a silly adolescent girl. He made his way towards me grinning from ear to ear, he enjoyed when I blushed.
"This is a pleasant surprise. What are you three doing here?"
Caruso bent forward and kissed my cheek then he walked to the large water bucket that was beside me. He cupped his hands together and brought the water to his lips and drank deeply. Then splashed water on his face and neck.
"Evangelina was walking the grounds lost searching for you." Merek stated, giving Caruso a strange glance, as if he was mentally telling him something.
Caruso studied his expression and his brows furrowed questioningly. I watched them confused. He placed his hand around my waist and studied my face.
"Is everything all right Evy?" His face was full of concern. I didn't want to say anything in front of his brother or Lucia so I lied again.
"Yes, I was just curious as to what you did during the day. I obviously wandered and got lost because I have no idea where anything is. I became weary and gave myself a headache."
Caruso brought me close and placed his free hand on my forehead.
"Now that Evangelina is with you, Lucia and I will leave you. Also let us go on a hunt tomorrow Caruso, I'm itching for some game. Don't forget to consider what I proposed earlier."
"Yes I'll think about it and you know I'm always ready for a hunt."
Merek looked pleased, "wonderful!" Is all he said and they departed.
Caruso still smelled amazing, despite the fact that he was very sweaty and full of dirt.
"Evy does your head still hurt?"
I met his gaze, "a little but I shall be fine."
He slid his calloused hand down my jaw and caressed with his thumb. "I missed you, I'm glad you found me." Then he gently kissed my lips and I got lost in his grasp. My heart thumped, I felt the heat rise within me. He pressed me into his body and grasped my hair. I opened my mouth and his tongue met mine. My body quivered and yearned for more but I pulled away trying to catch my breath. "We shouldn't do this here." I whispered.
Caruso groaned, "Yes we can..." and our lips collided once more, this time he was more aggressive. I gave in and returned his passionate kisses. He parted from my lips and kissed down my neck and I let out a small moan. "W-we need to slow down...Caruso...please. We are out in the open." I could barely whisper.
He stop at my cleavage and kissed his way back to my mouth. We kissed for a moment and he sighed. His grey eyes locked with mine and smiled, "Let go bathe together." I nodded excited and nervous, 'would this day be the day I became his completely?' I prayed so because my body yearned for him every time he touched and kissed me.
*****