Daughter of the Night [A Twisted Wonderland Fanfic]

Chapter 10

"Ma-"

A warm finger was pressed to her lips as Malleus silenced her protests. He stared at her for a moment, his lips trailing around the edge of her lip, pulling it down before releasing it. Her mouth remained parted as she gazed up at the prince, her hand moving of its own accord to cup his cheek.

"Why, Y/N," he asked in a soft voice, now cupping her hand against his cheek. "Why won't you fight for us?"

Y/N sighed and lowered her gaze. Malleus instinctively reached out and cupped her chin, not raising it, but simply holding it and savouring the warmth of her skin. 

"I... I can't..."

"What do you mean you can't?" 

"I can't say."

"Why not? Why won't you tell me?! Y/N please! I can't lose you! I can't afford to lose you at all, and certainly not like this!" 

He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Y/N's, their breath mingling as they inhaled each others scents. Y/N smelled like candles and warm tea. Like the world after a fresh rainstorm and cinnamon. Like old books and clean fabrics. Malleus smelled like the fire in the hearth and old castles. He smelled like everything wonderful about a calming afternoon seated in a quiet nook in a library. 

"I love you, Y/N, and I want to fight for your love. You know that I love you. I've loved you for ages. And I know you love me to, but I don't understand why you won't allow yourself to love me." Malleus felt as though his heart was breaking in two. "Am I that bad? Do I frighten you that much?"

"No," Y/N said, laughing and smiling despite the tears streaming down her face. "No, no, no, my dear Malleus." She hadn't even realised she had called him what she once had. Her dear. Her dearest. Her love. Her darling. Her one and only. "You don't frighten me at all, Malleus. You're not bad." She pulled away and stared up into his emerald eyes, smiling through the pain of a shattered heart. "You are too good for this world."

Malleus suddenly pulled away and dropped down onto one knee, taking Y/N's hand in his. Now they were both crying. Even as he knelt before her, ready to ask the question he should have asked years before, he knew she wouldn't accept him. 

"Lady Y/N of House Umbra. I kneel before you not as a prince, not as an heir to the throne. I kneel before you as one who has loved you for ages, and who will continue to love you until the world has come to an end. I would run away from everything that we know and love if it meant that I would have you in my arms. I would give it all up if it meant seeing you happy, with what you truly desire. I love you more than words can express, and so, I kneel before you as a simple fae in love, and ask..." he inhaled, knowing that this question would destroy him, "will you marry me and become my wife?"

Y/N tore her hand from Malleus' and ran from the room, tears streaming down her cheeks.

⚔⚜⚔

"Y/N."

"Aloren."

Y/N nearly threw herself into her fiance's arms, thrilled to be away from everything that had been happening at the manor. She was only too happy when her mother had written, summoning her home to plan her own wedding. Not that the thought of being married was a particularly pleasant idea, but it was better than having to hide behind her fan every time she saw Malleus coming her way, or searching for Alette, Tein, or Lady Fayetta to engage them in conversation. At least here, she was away from all of the stress. And she wasn't even in Briar Valley.

"Come," Aloren said, holding out his arm for Y/N. "Allow me to show you our, er... my..."

"Manor," Y/N finished, wrapping her arm around Aloren's. This would be her home in just under two weeks. There was no use in denying that. She would no longer live in Briar Valley. She would live on the island of Flora just off the coast, where she would live with her husband. She would become the wife of a governor, and though she would not love Aloren as she should, she would be the dutiful wife and love her husband as much as she was able.

Aloren sighed and turned to Y/N. "I'm sorry, Y/N."

"There is nothing to be sorry for, Aloren. We shall be married in less than two weeks. It is about time we started acting like a proper couple about to be wed."

Aloren forced a small smile onto his face. He was happy he was marrying someone like Y/N, but he couldn't be entirely happy. Not when he knew that she didn't want the marriage. "Still, I feel bad that you are being forced into this. I know this isn't what you-"

Y/N pressed her finger to Aloren's lips, smiling gently at him. "It's okay, Aloren. I know that I will be happy as your wife." She lowered her hand, her thumb gently stroking his cheek. "You are a wonderful man, and you love me even though I cannot love you as I should." Taking a deep breath, Y/N raised herself up and pressed a kiss to Aloren's cheek. "Now, shall we go and see how our wedding preparations are coming along?"

"Yes. That sounds like a wonderful idea, my dear."