"You what Aurora? You do know that I am the princess right and you are just a whore maid that will never amount to anything, and conned the prince for a title, but that won't last mark my words, when Caspian sees you for what you are, he won't care and I will make sure you remember who I am."
"Why only me?"
"What are you on about?" Nadia snapped.
"Why do you hate me so much?"
"You think I have not noticed how you seduced Caspian, to when you served him at the banquet, to the picnic. Those fake innocent eyes of yours I can see through them."
"So why not every concubine?"
"Because you want to challenge me Aurora, you think we are on the same level in terms of Caspian's affection, you forget you are dirt and from dirt."
"Should one be judged where they are from? I can't control that."
"It does matter where you are from, I am miles away higher than you, I have met Caspian's parents which are essentially mine, has he done that for you? Or is he hiding you away like the trash you are?"
Aurora could not argue with that, she had always admired Nadia and she did not know what she had done so wrong? Caspian was the one who pursued her and did not know she was going to be a concubine.
"Are you now getting it Aurora? I was even told you got lucky that you were selected to be a concubine. It was all last minute and not even planned. You are just bringing disgrace to us all."
Aurora breathed out, "I am tired if that is all, I will excuse myself, My Lady."
"This is far from over." Nadia turned and left.
Aurora was glad that after she had stood her ground, Nadia had decided to leave her, so she could use Caspian as her shield.
She went to her villa, took a bath, and ate some breakfast. After that, she decided to go to the library and learn how to read and write.
She was escorted to the library and she took some books which she did not know what they meant and went to the wooden chair.
She opened the book but could not figure out what the symbols and words meant.
"Aurora."
Aurora opened her eyes and sat upright realizing she had fallen asleep, and saw it was Caspian.
Caspian turned the corner and he could not believe his eyes, it was Aurora and her beauty had accentuated.
Her hair seemed to be redder, her skin looked sun-kissed, and her face looked radiant. How he wanted to run up to her, but he realized that she was walking with Elliot.
It hurt him so much that he had missed her for all these months and felt as if he would die from the pain and he was not the first person she sought out or make it known to him that she was back safely.
Even sending him a letter that she was on her way so that he would make arrangements to meet her, he noticed that she had spotted them as she froze.
Caspian did not know if she was overjoyed or if was she not happy to be back. It stuck out to him that she looked a million times beautiful and that hurt him, was she happier, and had she bloomed when she was away from him?
When she had resumed walking towards them as so did he, it felt as if the steps could not close up fast enough.
When she was in front of him, and she greeted him and everyone, her voice was velvety and he had waited for so long to see her.
He could not help himself but pull her into his embrace, how he had missed her so much. Her scent, the feel of her skin, and most of all that she was finally back in his arms and he did not see himself ever letting her go.
He pulled back and dismissed everyone, he wanted to be alone with her after all this time. He took her hand and headed to the garden where he had planted roses for her return.
They sat down and he did not want any barriers but to just be with them, as lovers. When she told him that she missed him too he was overjoyed.
Yet he remembered that he had professed his love to her before she had left, but she said nothing about it.
He didn't want to push or pressure her as she had come back and she had a look of uncertainty but when she told him he missed her, that uncertainty went away and he could not help himself but pull her in for a kiss.
Her hair was softer and much longer, her lips met him and he felt alive and new. She was really here and he could enjoy all the kisses and company from her.
He hadn't forgotten how she had left, and he would not let anyone touch her ever again. He had lost himself when she had left him and the state she was in made him all the more furious.
He had threatened everyone that upon her return if anyone ever had to lay a hand on her, they would have their hands cut off or even sentenced to death.
He could see that his words had frightened them and as they should, no one was to touch Aurora but him.
During the first encounter, no one wanted to say what happened to her which lead him to believe that it was someone who also had immense power that no one dared to out them.
The days had gone by slowly and at times he would forget what he was doing and all he could see was her eyes and her blushing when he had breached her walls.
How he had loved making love to her, exploring her body, and laying next to her until dawn. His lover was truly gone and had left him empty.
He was forced to carry out the duty of seeing Nadia and the concubines that he had not bothered to learn their names as the only concubine that mattered to him was Aurora.
He wondered at the moment that he was in, was she also thinking about him as he did about her all the time.
He started to doubt that she would come back and wondered if he should go and visit her, but he could not.
She had made this decision and thought it through and if she wanted to come back, she would do it according to her own will.
He wanted her to come back on her own accord, and she wanted to be back, he didn't want to coerce her.
He had an out
When she wanted to see her friends he wanted to refuse her, that she should stay by him the whole time.
He did not want her to feel suffocated, so he let her go. Yet later on during dinner when he saw her at the end, Caspian could not help himself but take her hand, he wanted her beside him all the time.
He made sure that she ate a lot, he was still surprised that she was there, and when night time came he wanted her with him.
The first night of her return he wanted her to be there, he found her outside and grew very worried when he felt her face.
He went with her into his chambers and pulled her into a tight embrace and just lay with her. It had been months since he had a woman in his bed chambers.
He wanted to wait for Aurora to come back so he could share this moment with her, now she was finally in his arms and he was not dreaming.
The next morning he walked her back and when he found Nadia was there, he kissed her and left. She was within his reach finally, he didn't want to separate from her but he had to.
Later on, during the day, he went to her villa to check up on her and when she was not there he panicked,
"Where is she!"
One of the servants came in with their head bowed, "She went to the library, My Lord."
Caspian nodded, and he went there, he smiled when he found her laying on her arms with a book in front of her.
He sat and watched her breathe in and out softly, she really was here. He touched her cheek but still did not wake up.
After some time he decided to wake her up so they could go and have lunch,
"Aurora."
She opened her eyes and found Caspian smiling at her, she sat upright and he wiped the drool on the side of her face.
Aurora blushed, "Did something happen?"
"Have you had lunch yet?"
Her eyes widened, "I slept for that long?"
He laughed at her response, leaned in, and placed a kiss on her cheek. He got up and held out his hand for her to take.
She took his hand, and he led her outside.
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