"Eh?!" Eleanor's eyes went wide with disbelief, her face flushing a deep red.
She grasped his wrist with both hands, dug her fingers into his skin, and stared into his warm eyes that were sparkling with mirth. "What are you saying?!"
Ares simply flashed a smile and freed her chin. She released his wrist, her expression deepening with irritation.
"We are not sharing a room!" She snapped, wagging a finger up at his face.
"Why?" He raised an eyebrow, his eyes locking onto the silver ring on her finger as he caught her wrist. "We're technically married, are we not? Or are you having heated thoughts about me?"
"Heated thoughts?" Eleanor's eyes widened, her face flushing an even deeper red.
Ares chuckled, delighted by her embarrassed response.
"W-what are you saying?!" Eleanor quickly snatched her hand, her eyes flashing with annoyance.
"Just stating facts," Ares replied, his smile still playing on his lips. "You need to rest. We have a family breakfast scheduled with my family in a few hours."
Eleanor sighed, rubbing her wrist slowly. "I'm not exactly eager to break bread with bloodthirsty creatures who see me as a potential snack and, to make matters worse, they slaughtered my entire race." Aggression deepened her voice and she forced a tight smile at her betrothed.
Ares nodded slowly. "You are still grieving."
Eleanor's lips quivered. She glared at him in disbelief. "You...! You think I'm not still reeling from the massacre of my race?"
Ares rubbed the back of his neck, his attention drifting to the fireplace. It was best to avoid her. He was starting to feel uneasy, the guilt resurfacing. "I thought you were getting better, especially when you were marveling at the castle's size,"
Eleanor shook her head in disappointment. "What am I even expecting from you? I keep forgetting that I'm just a useful tool to you, a mere pawn in your game."
Her frustration peaked as she rubbed her forehead, her fingers tangling in her hair. "You're clueless about loss and emotions,"
Loss....
Ares' eyes snapped back to hers, his eyes widening slightly as he absorbed her words. He remained silent, his eyes locked on hers, drinking in the disappointment and anguish that swirled in their depths.
"Well, I suppose I should get some rest...not that I have a choice," she grumbled, her displeasure clear as she stormed over to the bed and flung herself onto it with a force that made it creak.
"I'll prepare a bath for you," Ares said, his sleeves rolled up, before striding away towards the bathing room, leaving Eleanor staring at his retreating back in utter disbelief. She remained frozen until he vanished into the room, her mind struggling to process the unexpected gesture.
"He's...preparing my bath?" she whispered in shock, as she slowly sat up. "He is so strange."
She couldn't fathom that a being who inspired such terror in his own kin was now tenderly preparing a bath for her.
Laying back on the plush bed, Eleanor looked up at the dark ceiling, her lower lip caught between her teeth in anticipation of Ares' return.
"Greta..." she whispered, and instantly, the traumatic memories of her parents' deaths came flooding back, like a dark tide rising in her mind.
Her heart raced, her eyes snapped shut, and she pressed a trembling hand to her chest.
"No...!" she breathed heavily.
Just then, Ares' deep, foreboding voice cut through the darkness, soft yet heavy with concern. "Are you okay, Little Bird?" he asked, his soothing voice a soft diversion from the chaos that had engulfed her heart.
Eleanor's eyes fluttered open, and her eyes met Ares' striking features. His silver eyes gleamed with curiosity, and she forced a smile, pushing herself up into a sitting position.
"Are you taking on the role of my personal maid?" she asked, her tone light, deliberately avoiding any questions that might reveal her vulnerability or delve into the emotional turmoil she was trying to keep at bay.
If she was to become his queen, she needed to find her inner strength, not for his sake, but for her own. This was her opportunity to experience the world beyond her wildest dreams, to seek vengeance.
Vengeance for her kind.
"I'd prefer it if no other vampire laid hands on you," Ares said, his tone flat, but his eyes still gleamed with curiosity.
Eleanor stood up, her movements slow. "Were those vampires who attacked our carriage sent by one of your siblings?"
Ares nodded, his expression unreadable. "Obviously, they aimed to delay my arrival to the birthday ball,"
"Why are they so keen on delaying your arrival to the ball?" Eleanor asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
"I've been absent from the castle for three hundred years, and they're eager to keep it that way." Ares replied, his voice low and mysterious.
Eleanor's eyes widened as she processed this revelation. "Three hundred years... Oh my goodness!"
She blinked rapidly, her mind reeling with the gap. She was just eighteen years old. The thought of living for centuries was staggering.
"It didn't seem like they were expecting my presence." she murmured, her fingers drifting to her lips and she began to nibble on her nails anxiously.
"Were they expecting me to be dead, or worse?" she wondered aloud, her eyes clouded with unease.
Ares' lips twitched, suppressing a smile, as he stepped closer to her. He gently grasped her hand, pulling it away from her mouth. "Don't bite your fingers, Little Bird,"
She glared at him.
"I've prepared a hot bath for you. Bathe and sleep. Let the weariness of the day fade away." He went on softly.
Eleanor's lips curled into a defiant snarl. "Are you out of your mind? These are MY fingers, not yours!"
She yanked her hand free, scoffing at him. "And did I say I was tired? This is a kingdom of vampires, where the night is alive and vibrant! I want to experience it, to feel the pulse of the city."
But Ares' response was immediate. "No."
Eleanor's face contorted in frustration, her feet stomping the ground in a childish tantrum. "Whyyyy?!"
"No." Ares repeated, maintaining a completely emotionless demeanor.
Eleanor clenched her teeth. "Seriously?! Do you have any idea what it's like to be trapped your whole life?!"
Ares simply stared at her. While she went on.
"Do you know how suffocating it feels, how sickly?! It's like being a bird with clipped wings, a flower without sunlight!"
She dug her fingers into her hair, shaking her head slowly. Then, with a sudden burst of desperation, she lunged towards Ares, her movement so abrupt that he flinched.
"I finally have a chance to experience life, and I'm not going to let it slip away! I refuse to be held back by ancient feuds, assassination attempts, or dictates like 'you have no choice'!" She threw Ares' own words back at him, her voice dripping with determination.
Ares blinked slowly, a bit shaken by her outburst. "Are you truly not tired?"
Eleanor sighed heavily. "Can't you just grant me this one wish?"
"No." Ares refused again.
Eleanor's frustration boiled over, and she lashed out with a fierce kick, striking his leg with a loud thud.
Ares staggered back, his eyes widening as a small surge of pain erupted in his leg. "Ah! Why must you be so violent?!"
Eleanor's face split into a triumphant smile, her eyes gleaming with pride. She managed to conceal the pain shooting through her foot.
He looked really furious and worked up. She felt a blissful thrill of satisfaction.
"Tell you what! Let's go out in disguise. That way, no one will recognize us, and we can avoid any would-be assassins!" She suggested, her smile growing wider.
Ares stared at her in disbelief. That sneaky smile of hers, which reached her ocean-blue eyes that sparkled with mischief, only added to his growing unease.
He was in trouble. And he couldn't help but wonder. What have I gotten myself into?