Chapter Six

Hours turned into days at the castle. The first week Aidan visited me every day, sometimes several times a day. But the last few days he hasn't stopped by. I assumed it was because we had been arguing about the resistance and his philosophy on how to move forward.

There wasn't much to do locked up in my room all alone besides read and enjoy the balcony. It felt like an eternity truly, the days all blended together. I had been keeping track by making tick marks on the wall – there were 10 ticks and the last 3 were deeper marks. So I had been in the room alone for 3 days – it felt like 3 months.

I went out to the balcony and looked out at the forest. There were trees as far as the eyes could see. Even if I could escape, if that's what I still wanted, I would be traveling on foot for days.

I'm not worried about the walking or even the bandits I'm sure littered the path. But without money or familiarity with the plant life here food would be a problem – I could easily eat something that doesn't agree with me or that's poisonous.

Then there's the men that he would send after me. I would be responsible for whatever they did to find me. They're used to violence to get their way.

I let out a sigh as I took in the beauty before me. It really was beautiful. The air was starting to get thick like before it was about to storm. The rainy season was nearly upon us. I wondered if it would be worse here being farther South. Were we close to the ocean? I went once as a girl and it was one of the best days of my life.

I closed my eyes and lay over the railing. I wasn't tired so much as I was bored. Sleeping was the best way to pass the time but the more I tried to sleep the harder it became.

"What are you doing?" I hear.

I shoot up off the railing and turn around to see Aidan there. I was so deep in thought I didn't even hear him enter the room. "Are you thinking of jumping?" He asked in an angry tone as he marched towards me.

"T-that would be suicide." I said in a fluster.

"And?" He asked through his gritted teeth. He stopped in front of me, put his hands on either side of the balcony railing so I have no where to go and leans in close.

"A-and? I'm not suicidal." I said.

He looks at me intensely for a moment then hangs his head and lets out a sigh. "Why were you leaning over the edge then?" He asked as he rested his head on my shoulder.

"I-I was tired so I laid my head down. It's too nice not to be outside today."

"It is a beautiful view." He said and stood back up tall. He tilts his head to look at the view, smiles as if remembering a happy memory, then looks back to me.

"My grandfather built this place for my father. He scouted dozens of locations but this place had the best view short of an ocean view and my father was scared of water – he nearly drowned as a child."

I looked up at him with a smile. "Br-Britania g-goes to the ocean?" I asked nervously and excited at the same time. My heart began to race and I held my breath until I saw him smile again.

"It does. It has the best ocean front of all seven countries." He said and I couldn't control my smile. "You like the ocean?"

I nodded. "I-I went as a girl once, in the East be-before the war. It was the best day with my family."

"The best day…I will have to take you one day soon."

"R-really?"

He nodded. "Maybe for our honeymoon."

I bit my lower lip. He played with a strand of hair that lay off to the side. He brought some up to his lips and gently kissed it before letting it gently fall back to my chest.

"Would you like that?" He asked and I nodded adamantly.

"Then I will arrange it all."

"W-when?"

He smiled at me then closed the gap between us.

"That will be a surprise."

"B-but no more secrets…" I muttered.

"Surprises are different than secrets. This is a pivotal time in the war but once it's turned it's head…you'll have your honeymoon. But don't be surprised if I won't let you out of the bed…" He said as his finger traced my clavicle.

"Ai-Aidan you can't sa-say stuff like that."

"Why not? There's no one here but us." He smirked.

"Is-isn't that bad?" I asked as I looked around.

"Bad?" He asked and frowned.

"W-we shouldn't be alone…without a chaperone." I say, my face as hot as a roaring fire.

"I don't care what anyone has to say. Anyone who speaks ill of you will have their tongue removed onsite." He said, his tone was serious. He spewed the words as naturally as one would say some minor fact about their life. "You will be my wife. Nothing anyone says or does will change that."

"B-but if you were one day later…"

"Then I'd have a widow in front of me instead of a maiden." He said. I froze. I must've been white as a sheet. "That must seem callous to you but you need to know how serious I am. If you run away I will find you again and bring you back here. If someone dares to claim you as theirs they would meet their demise."

"I-is my happiness not a factor here?" I asked. It was his turn to freeze and go pale.

"Of-of course it is. I want you to be happy here…with me. This is your home now too. Decorate it however you want. Fill it with whatever you want."

"What if I want to go outside?"

He stopped for a moment. "Give me your word you won't try to escape again and we will go for a walk now."

"Again?"

"You tried when you first got here, remember?"

"Yeah because I had been kidnapped. I-I didn't know what they were going to do to me."

"Nothing. They better have done nothing." He snarled.

"They were…fine."

"Did something-"

"No, no one hurt me. They were perfectly lovely kidnappers." I said with a laugh.

"Give me your word Ari and we'll walk the grounds whenever you want."

"I-I promise. I won't try to run away."