Cassian felt a warm hand on his so he slowly opened his eyes, "Cassian?" the person said and he saw her; short black curly hair that he always loved to play with, bluish-green eyes that he always imagined their children having. She smiled and he closed his eyes and opened them again.
This time, he saw long curly black hair and brown eyes staring at him with worry, "Cassian, are you okay?" Zemira asked and he almost released a sigh of disappointment.
Gertrude came and bowed, "My lord, you are better!" she said and he sat up, "How did you warm me up?" he asked Gertrude who quickly looked away and bowed then she left.
"Did she use a fire?" Cassian asked Zemira who licked her lips, "No...she did not". "Then what did she use? And why am I naked?" he asked quite alarmed. "I warmed you up" she said and he looked at her.
"Warmed me up?" "I shared my body heat with you" "Elaborate more" he said as he leaned closer to her. She took a deep breath, "I laid naked beside you and warmed you up since you are scared of fires" she said and he ran his fingers down his hair to his face.
"Cassian?" Zemira said but he did not answer her and he still kept his hand on his face. "Cassian?" she said again as she shook him. No response. "Cassian, what is wro---" he got up, "You are wrong! This whole marriage is wrong!"
Zemira's eyes flicked down then she looked at Cassian in the eyes. Her brain wanted to keep the picture of what she had seen but she felt that it was inappropriate. Cassian was standing before her...naked. Fully naked.
"What?!" she said as she stood up, trying her very best not to look down. "Just because you are married to me does not make you my wife and it does not give you the leverage to lay next to me naked!" he yelled.
Zemira could not believe her ears. Was he yelling at her when he should be thanking her for saving his life? "Do you think I wanted to lay down next to you, naked? I would rather lay next to Gerta naked!" she said and he out his hands on his hips, "Your body was hot and you were shivering. Gertrude was worried, so she told me to warm you up. I asked for a fire but she said that you are scared of fires".
She scoffed, "What kind of retired general is scared of fire?" Cassian clenched his fists. She knew he was angry but that did not give him the right to shout at her for helping him.
"If I had not laid down next to you, you would have died!" she said. "Then you would have let me die! At least I would have died and gone to meet Nola! But now I am stuck here with you and with the guilt that I have betrayed her. Now I am stuck here with someone as disgusting as you!" he yelled and she gasped.
Guilt? Betray? Nola was dead! Could he not focus on the living and forget about the dead? Zemira hated herself for thinking that way of a woman she had never met. Cassian had made her feel like a prostitute. He had called her disgusting.
She blinked back the tears threatening to fall and saw his dagger on his dresser, from her peripheral vision. "If you want to die so much..." she said as she walked to his dresser and picked up the dagger then she walked up to him.
Before he could even realize what was going on, she drove the knife into his abdomen, "...then die!" she spat out bitterly. Blood dripped out from the wound and Cassian stared at her in shock as he held the knife.
"I hate you so much!" she said and spun on her heel and ran out of the room.
Cassian bit on his lip then he pulled out the dagger from his abdomen. He winced slightly and looked at the wound that was still bleeding. Luckily, she had missed his vital organs. He looked at the dagger and realized that it was the dagger Nola had given him as a birthday present.
He had shed so much blood on that dagger but this was the first time his blood was on it. And it was all because of Zemira.
He burst into fits of chuckles then he laughed. A mere woman had stabbed him. He had really gone soft and pathetic. He looked down and realized that he was fully naked and that it was erect. Had he really gotten aroused by their "little" argument?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
Glasses clinked together as music was played softly from a corner of the room. Zelia took another glass of champagne and gulped it down. "That is your fourth glass, my lady" came a sweet voice and Zelia turned and saw a fair dame in a purple dress. She had blonde locks but that was not what caught Zelia's attention. It was her light eyes.
"Were you watching me?" Zelia asked as she walked towards the lady in purple. "You do not look like nobility, whose escort are you?" Zelia asked as she took another glass of champagne, "I came with the duke of Leorda's first son" the lady said and Zelia rolled her eyes, "Oh! That bastard!"
Zelia was once betrothed to Stern but he had called off the engagement because he was "in love" with Zemira. Zelia had laughed aloud when she found out that Zemira was getting married to her brother.
"Do you know him?" the lady asked and Zelia leaned closer to her, "Almost married him. Was sad at first but now I am happy that I did not marry that son of a gun. Anyways, let us forget about him, what is your name?" Zelia asked as she gently raised the lady's face.
"Peony...my name is Peony, my lady" "Well Peony, it is a pleasure to meet you" Zelia said and kissed her hand.
"What an odd behaviour! A lady liking another lady" a woman said as she fanned herself with her bluish-green fan which matched her eyes. "Everything about her family is odd. She is the sister of the mad viscount" another woman said and the women gasped, "What a mad family!" another said then they spotted Zemira walking to her mother, "And there goes the new member of the mad family" they chuckled.
"Zemy! You are looking so beautiful!" Verona said as she hugged her. Altair cleared his throat and Zemira bowed, "Father" she said and he opened his arms. Zemira was surprised. "Go on!" Verona urged and she went to Altair and he embraced her, "You are looking very beautiful".
"I knew marriage and this pregnancy would give you a sense of responsibility. You are glowing!" Xylia said and Ivar nodded, "But I am going to miss the little wild girl" he sniffled and Zemira giggled. "Where is Cassian?" Verona asked and they all turned and saw Cassian with Soteria.
"Lovely ball, your majesty" Cassian and Soteria looked at him with all seriousness, "I order you to call me Sotty throughout tonight's ball otherwise, I will banish you!" he said imitating a deep voice. Cassian just stared at him then he burst into laughter. Soteria joined him in the laughter.
Everyone stared at them. Some hmphed and continued their chatting, others like Zemira and Noelle looked at Cassian with love. "I can not remember the last time he laughed so much" Noelle smiled. He has a lovely laughter, Zemira thought.
"Alright Sotty!" Cassian bit back a smile and Soteria grinned, "Yes Cassie?" They burt's into laughter again. "Okay! We are not in the war front. I am a king and we are at a ball!" "Indeed we are, we have to act noble" Cassian rolled his eyes as he adjusted black bowtie.
"I want to meet your wife!" Soteria said and beckoned on Noelle to come. She slid her arm into the crook of his elbow, "Do you not want to meet his wife, my love?" Soteria asked her and she nodded, "Of course I do. I want to see who can keep up with his grumpiness as much as Nola did" Noelle smiled and Cassian cleared his throat, "Very well then" he said and led them to where Zemira stood with her family.
"Good evening, everyone" Soteria greeted the Cobain's and they bowed, "Your majesties". "Please, do not act so formal. We are all equal at a nobles' ball. Afterall, we are all nobles!" he said and they laughed.
"Very funny joke, your majesty" Ivar said as he sipped his wine nervously. "This is my wife, your majes---Sotty" Cassian said as he held Zemira's hand. Soteria took her hand and kissed it, "May I know your name?" he asked "Zemira" she said.
"Joyous melody" Soteria smiled and Zemira smiled back. "This is my love and queen, Noelle" he said and Zemira curtsied, "Everyone knows the queen, your majesty. But might I add, she looks even more beautiful than her paintings" Zemira smiled and Noelle scoffed. Of course she was more beautiful in person. Soteria told her that every morning. Zemira was probably just brown-nosing.
Noelle's eyes caught Zemira's swollen belly, "You are pregnant?" she asked "A month's pregnant, your majesty" Zemira said and Noelle's eyes widened in surprise, "But how..." Soteria slapped Cassian on the back, "You naughty boy! You were fast!" he laughed and Cassian looked at Noelle. She stared back at him before she slipped her arm out of Soteria's, "I need a drink" she said and walked away.
Xylia looked at her mother, "What happened?" she asked and Verona shrugged. "Perhaps she has a bad headache. She was feeling a little bit under the weather, this morning" Soteria said and Altair smiled, "There is no problem, your majesty. I wish the queen a safe recovery" he bowed and Soteria nodded then he ran after Noelle.
"Enjoy the evening!" Ivar said and walked away to find his wife. Xylia smiled and went to find her husband while Verona and Altair went to discuss with people they know.
"Was the queen your former lover?" Zemira asked and Cassian looked at her, "Why do you ask?" "She seemed jealous of me" she said and smoothened her hair. Cassian sighed, "We were once betrothed but then I fell in love with Nola". "Is she still in love with you?" "Who? Nola?" "Of course! Because that is the only thing you think about. You do not think about me or our baby. It is always that dead woman!" Zemira yelled and Cassian grabbed her arm.
"Do not talk about Nola that way!" he seethed and she punched him where she had stabbed him. He winced in pain and let go of her. She spun on her heel and walked away.
Cassian held his shoulder in pain then he looked up and saw Noelle on the stairs. She turned and continued her walk upstairs. He followed her.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
Noelle cleaned the wound and dropped the towel into the bloody water. Cassian was about wrapping the bandage himself but she took it from him and wrapped it around his abdomen.
"Noelle, you do not have to do this, I can do it myself" he said and she smiled, "And I want to do it myself...just like old times". "Those times are gone Noelle! You are married to the king and my friend and I am married to Zemira. I can not betray Soteria. Also you have a son!" he said and got up.
"Was she pregnant before you married her?" Noelle asked and Cassian looked at her, "That is the reason I married her" he sighed. "Why did you not just get rid of the baby?" "Nola and I almost had a baby but it died...alongside with her" he looked away.
"I could not just let her get rid of the baby. Am I not entitled to have some happiness in my life?" he said and she got up, "I did not say that, Cassian". "You only care about yourself, Soteria and Sorin and your prissy little life as queen!" "Cassian!" she said as she hugged his back, "I did not say that. Please, stop putting words in my mouth" she sobbed.
She looked at him then she turned him around and held his face, "Of course you deserve happiness. You deserve so much happiness in your life...but that woman can not give that to you" she said and he removed her hands from his face, "And how do you know that?"
Noelle's eyes travelled to the wound on his belly, "Well, for starters, she stabbed you" she said and he released her hands. "I made her angry" "And she stabbed you? What a ruthless woman!" she joked and he smiled.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
Zemira was bored and her feet were sore. The doctor had told her that her ankles may start swelling anytime soon. She just hoped it was not now. She heard laughing and turned and saw Zelia chatting with Peony.
The two women she hated right now. "My former betrothed meets my escort, this should be interesting" someone said behind her. She turned and saw Stern in black trousers, white shirt and a turquoise tail-coat.
"You were betrothed to a prostitute?" Zemira asked and he laughed, "Zelia is not a prostitute. She is a noble lady. I had called off our marriage because I had fallen in love with you" he said and held her face.
Zemira looked around, there were too many people, to create a scandal. She jammed eyes with Cassian coming down the stairs with Noelle. She scoffed internally and Stern held her hand. Cassian's eyes darkened. "Come on!" Stern said and dragged her away.
"Cassian, if you are trying to find happiness in that woman, you will not find it" Noelle said and Cassian continued walking down, "The happiness lies in my baby...not her" he said.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Stern studied Zemira again; her arms were fatter, her cheeks were chubby, she looked bigger and her breasts had gotten more full. If only she was not married to him, I would have taken her here and now, he thought as his eyes moved to her swollen belly. And that cursed thing in her womb, he cursed.
"What is it?" she asked and she looked at her arms, "I have gotten bigger, haven't I?" she chuckled and he sat closer to her, "Yes, but you are still beautiful" he said and she scoffed, "You should see when I am eating. It is quite a sight!" "I would love to see that" he smiled and leaned closer to her.
Zemira shifted slightly away from him and he groaned, "We were closer than this, Zemy! One time, you practically sat on my lap. What happened?" he asked and she looked down, "I got married" she said softly.
"Yeah! To a mad man!" Stern scoffed and she looked at him, "I am not in his home. We are at a ball. You do not have to defend him" he said as he held her face and moves closer to her.
Her mind immediately went to the nasty look in Cassian's eyes when he saw Stern holding her hand. Could he be jealous? she thought and turned away, "Stern, I am with child" she said and he let go of her face.
"That was why you got married to him, right?" he asked and she looked at him, "How did you---" "Was suspicious about the sudden marriage so I paid one of the servants at your father's manor and she told me the full story. Cassian got you pregnant on the night of Peony's birthday and you got married to him because you could not face the shame of having a child out of wedlock" he said and she stood up.
"Your silence just tells me that I am right" he said as he stood up and held her shoulders. She shrugged his hands off, "No! You are wrong! I love Cassian and he loves me!" Stern held her shoulders and turned her to face him, "You do not have to lie to me. I know you still love me" he said and bent his head to kiss her but she moved back, her hands on her belly.
"Have a little shame! I am with someone else's child!" she said and he laughed bitterly, "Of course, Cassian's spawn is still inside of you" he said and walked closer to her then he held her shoulders, "We can get rid of it!" he grinned.
Zemira held her belly tight as she stared at the man she thought was normal. Yes she had thought of getting rid of the baby several times...but sometimes, she wanted to protect it. Sometimes, she just found herself protecting it. Like now.
"I know a doctor. We can get rid of it, elope and live just the way we always did. Carefree!" he gave a cheshire grin which frightened Zemira. She closed her eyes as she wished for Stern to disappear. She always did that whenever she was scared.
Stern looked at her hands on her belly and raised a brow, "Don't tell me..." he scoffed as he staggered back and she opened her eyes. "...you want to keep this baby" she looked at her hands then at him. He rushed to her and grabbed her shoulders, "Keeping this baby means staying with Cassian. It means staying with that mad man! You hear me?" he shook her, "It means staying with that man!"
"Arrgghh!" she screamed and kicked his shin and he staggered back and held his white stocking-clad shin. "I know it means staying with Cassian. I know it means letting go of my former life and having a new responsibility!" she shouted and took short breaths.
"But perhaps, it is time to grow up. It is time to grow up Stern! We will not be like this forever. One day, you will have a child and that is a huge responsibility" she said and he looked at her.
"I will keep this baby because it is the only things that binds me to Cassian! It is the only thing that is keeping me in his house. It is the only thing that makes him look at me without contempt. I may not be the woman in the painting above the hearth...but I hold a special place in Cassian's heart, as the mother of his heir" she said and panted then she licked her lips, "I will not throw that away and elope with someone as childish and foolish as you!" she turned to walk away.
"Why you whore!" Stern shouted as he got up and turned her. "Stern?" she gasped and he made a fist, "How dare you betray me?!" he roared and drove his fist towards her belly.
"No!" she screamed as she closed her eyes. When she did not feel any pain, she opened her eyes and saw Cassian holding Stern's hand, with his dagger at his throat.
"Cassian" she breathed a sigh of relief and Cassian glanced at her then at Stern, "The fact that you were about to kill the heir of the mad viscount, is just so funny to me. You call me a mad man...but you are not scared of me. You should be scared of mad people, they are dangerous" Cassian said and made a small cut below Stern's chin.
Stern's eyes widened when he saw his blood on Cassian's dagger. "Blood!" he screamed, "Blood!" he fell on the ground and two guards fell on him, holding him down to the ground.
"He is mad! He is a lunatic!" Stern ranted "Take him away!" Soteria said and the guards dragged Stern up and led him away.
Cassian turned to Zemira who was gazing at him, "Are you alri---" she hugged him. He was stunned but he put his arms around her, "I am sorry, for not being here on time" he said as he buried his head in her neck.
How did he not notice that she smelt like sandalwood? He had never hugged her before. He felt a heavy weight on him and he looked at her, "Zemira?" she had fainted in his arms.
"Zemira!" he shouted and Verona fainted when she saw that Zemira had fainted.
Cassian carried her in his arms and ran, "Get out of the way!" he screamed to the people in his way. Noelle just watched him run. The reason why she wanted Cassian to leave Zemira was because she was so sure that he was going to fall in love with her.
And she did not want to lose him to another woman. Never again, she thought as she shook her head.