Betrothed

Ariana, with her eyes full of tears gazed at Aidan in shocked.

"I'm your fiancee?" she asked in astonishment.

"That's absurd," she then uttered, as she shook her head in denial.

"We were betrothed when you were a child." Aidan further declared in his cold and deep voice.

'He's deceiving me,' Ariana told herself.

There's in no way, she is his fiancee, when they are literally world's apart.

Aidan saw the distrust in her eyes on him and at that instance he undoubtedly wish he was able to hear her thoughts.

He then immediately turned around to walked toward the bed and wear his clothes, while Ariana looked around everywhere, but him.

At that moment, she realised, he'd been speaking with her half naked. However, she was frantic of being woke up next to him unclothed, therefore she was unable to perceived their current state.

After a while, Aidan walked back steadily to her in his emotionless face and stretch out his hand towards Ariana.

Ariana then saw a piece of an old paper in the palm of his hand, while she gazed at the paper in his hand in confusion, nonetheless she still extend her hand to take it.

She slowly unfold the paper in her hand and went through it, as she steadily went through the content her eyes shook slightly in surprised.

The letter says that she and the duke are betrothed to each other since she was a child by their families.

Aidan's grandfather Aslan, while wandering through the town of Devon got his left legs injured by his enemy. Therefore, in searching for healers to heal his legs, he encountered the young Ariana who was still oblivious to the fact that she possess a unique ability.

After Aslan who possess ability to foresee the mages ability saw her and he instantly realised she possess the ability to heal, which was a rare ability anyone ever possess. Thus, he quickly went to her house and met her parents and promised them a marriage in exchange for Ariana to heal his legs, to which he still abide in his promised since Asher came to find her, just like his grandfather had promised her parents. In the letter, there were her parents signature and Asher's grandfather signature.

"Your Grace, my parents are dead. So, this letter mean nothing to me." Ariana voice out, as she folded the paper and gazed into his green eyes with confidence.

So what if they were betrothed, she'll never accept it.

She's certain he would never force her to accept their betrothment.

Her conception of marriage is just like her parents, they married with love. Thus, she want to marry someone who's from the same society as her not some distinguished duke.

Ariana saw him completely still, as his eyes peered into her eyes azure blue eyes without any emotions in his face.

He then steadily lean closer toward her, while Ariana steps back as he slowly approach her and in his aloof voice, he finally ask, "Why did you kissed me?"

Ariana thought back to the scene last night and instantly flushed red, as she recalled she indeed kiss him on her own initiative and he even said something to her to which she barely able to catch, since she was in her drowsy state.

All of a sudden, Ariana came back to her sense, when he place his hand on her waist and instantly brought her closer toward his body, "The moment you kissed me and our naked body touch against each other's. You completely belong to me."

He further added, "It doesn't matter if you didn't want to accept the engagement at the moment."

Thereafter, Aidan instantly released her, to which she hurriedly step back in fears.

He continues to speak in his indifference voice, "However, you and your brother are certainly unsafe at the moment. There are people's out there who desire your abilities."

Ariana recalled the person he killed yesterday, and instantly realised that she would've been in danger, if he hadn't came in time to saved her.

"And particularly, I'm the only person who could protect you both from endanger." Aidan further voice out.

Ariana finally grasped his intentions to coerce her to accept his protection. He's going to protect them both, however she ought to approve their betrothment. She could comprehend his purposed, even though he spoke implicitly.

How completely mistaken she was, she had initially thought he was never going to force her to accept their betrothment.

Nevertheless, he's quite accurate in his phrase. She indeed require his protection, particularly her brother, since she herself possess healings ability to protect herself from any danger.

But, she herself is unwilling to accept this betrothment.

However, he knows how disincline she's with this engagement, therefore he's pressuring her for her brother protection.