12 12. Ball Party

·The pain will come and leave as soon as it comes. Quick flashes of aggression. An act of the baby repulsing against the foreign pheromones in my body and it would go on for half a day or even more until it is purged·

Sir Dominic's voice sounds almost real, ringing in my ear.

'Adian.'

I blink and look up, meeting my eyes with Elian's puzzled eyes. His heavy eyebrows are scrunched and he looks out of sorts, as though he can't figure what exactly is going on.

I look down, and his arm is under my knees. He was quite near, almost too close for comfort and he comes in much closer. He tries to lift me and I press my palms against him instinctively, pushing him away.

'I'm fine. I'm fine.' I mumble, trying even harder to push him off, 'Let me go.'

He stares at me and he moves. His arms slowly falls away and I ease my butt onto the chair again.

I feel the pain slowly ebb away and my senses are now back to whirring, functioning at full capacity. Slowly, I turn my attention to the dinner table, a big orange splotch on top of the white damask tablecloth. The pumpkin soup bowl has been upturned and it is now a big dome on the table. I close my eyes and hope to process everything that just happened.

'I spilled everything.'

Elian stands back up, moving away swiftly. He walks a few steps off and tips his head up the ceiling. He lets out a huge audible sigh, looking up at the serenity of the clean white ceiling. Except it was not white and stretched with flickering shadows all over.

'I apologize.' I lick my upper lip and quickly add, '...again.'

'What in God's name was that?' Elian's voice gradually rises as he continues speaking but not really shouting.

But yeah, what was that?

'Why do you–' He pauses, pressing his hands on his eyes as if trying to calm down,

'I married you. Is that not enough?! I kept you in the house!'

'Look here, I am genuinely wrong here. And yes, I repent. I'll...clean it up, eat medicine or something. I was wrong.'

Damn, right I shouldn't have jumped into bed with a stranger. Right after deciding this guy was just not the sperm shooter. There is no justification for my actions. I was in constant denial and blaming everyone I met. Truthfully, I just didn't want to accept everything at the drop of a hat. I could not do it. It's a revelation when you wake up with your hands so full of things that you were never involved with.

I don't know. I just know some part of me didn't want all this. I didn't want to be married. And I fucked up.

I fucked up something that was already royally fucked up.

Elian is back to being completely silent. He seems to refuse to speak up when he absolutely needs to.

A distant thumping could be heard and it slowly sounds like it is approaching the dining hall.

'Your Lordship? You called...oh' Frank starts loud but then slowly trails away. He doesn't quite look all that surprised at the scene.

I get a feeling that this was quite the normal occurrence around here.

Stone Man and his humping husband.

Who humps everyone except Stone Man.

Without much of a reaction, Frank bows and approaches Elian. He leans over slightly and whispers something that I could not quite catch. Elian glances at me for a split second and then his lips move as well, fingers gesturing as he speaks. This goes on for a few more minutes before Frank nods once and turns around swiftly.

With sure and wide steps, he disappears away from the dining hall. The tall oak door creaks loudly as the wind sweeps it, with a slow creak it shuts close. I see movement and look, Elian is walking towards me,

'Leave it.' He says and his voice is stony,

'What d'ya say?'

He gives me his signature frown and offhandedly gestures to the table,

'Leave it all. We are going to my room.'

'...What?' I gape at him for a moment.

I stand up, my feet slightly still wobbly but Elian starts ahead without waiting for me to get up. I walk to match his wide steps, feeling the strain in trying to keep up.

By the way, isn't this escalating a little too fast? I mean, it was just yesterday when he declared that he doesn't 'sleep with omegas' or something like that. I thought this was a marriage of convenience? And now he's taking me to his room?

That can't be right.

Or rather I was right. And Elian does sleep with Adian, using him for his bodily desire and then throwing him away. And Adian has been tormenting himself in this loveless and selfish marriage. It has gotta be hard living in this era, though I haven't explored much of this whole setting.

Elian's room is on the other end of the hallway, miles away from my own but it looks almost the same as my room. But much more filled with shapes and chaotic filler; a huge mirror with brass frames hanging on the wall, ceiling tiles with paintings, a fireplace on the right side, and a large king-sized bed on the left.

In front of the fireplace is a small sofa set with damask prints all over, even on the cushions. Beside the sofa is a small square coffee table and I can see a ceramic soup covered with a lid on the coffee table,

Okay, now I am starting to realize that this is about bodily matters.

And I should slap myself for thinking that way.

I look at the ceramic bowl and then up at Elian who is walking around, touching and observing things on the fireplace mantel. I can't help but think that it is highly suspicious.

'What's this?'

He glances over at my place quickly and then turns his attention back to the book that he has picked off from God-knows-where.

'Oh. That's porridge.'

'I see. Porridge.'

'Yes. Maria sent it up for you.'

'Yeah, yeah so what do you want?'

He looks back at me and raises his eyebrow.

'Have your supper. I shall get to it.'

I cross my arms in front of me and then raise my eyebrow back at him.

'You said you had something important to discuss?'

'Yes. There is...a ball party in two days' time.'

'Hmm.' I pinch the handle of the lid and lift it to peek at the porridge, 'What's the catch?'

'The catch is, first of all, you should stop talking in that crude manner.'

'What? I'm not crude.'

'Well then, perhaps you haven't heard yourself speak.'

'I can hear myself quite fine.' I retort back and end with a scoff of disbelief.

He completely ignores me and continues on with the same tone,

'It is a public event and you have been asked to make a public appearance. Please prepare yourself, the tailor will visit tomorrow morning.'

Elian announces, sliding the book back on top of the fireplace,

'I trust that you'll behave yourself in public.' His eyes glower at me with warning and I nod hurriedly at the inquisition in his eyes,

'Is...that it?'

'Well…' He stops for a while, contemplating something but he decides not to do it, 'Yes. That is all.'

His eyes travel up and down, and then he turns away from me. His profile is now completely dark in the shadows and his jaw moves,

'Don't forget about your porridge. You must eat.'