Rejected

Chapter 23

"Forget it, Cissy," Delilah soothed.

"It must have been a pain to be around the very man that... and I kept encouraging you to give him attention," Cecilia tensed at the sudden realization, "But, but he did not know. His every action was free from this sordid piece of history. That means-"

"I know. But it is too late for regrets," Delilah looked down at her tense fingers while Cecilia felt like her breath had been taken away.

"So you do feel something towards him even if it is regret."

"I am human, Cissy," Delilah whispered softly, "I am not an unfeeling statue of chiselled marble."

"Shouldn't we just turn back? The ball hasn't ended for the Prince's friends and we could just..."

"There is nothing back there for us. There never was..." Delilah's words were so hushed her cousin had to strain to listen.

"He was our friend, maybe he will understand."

"You know him and his wilful personality? You spent as much time with him as I. After tonight he would want us as far away as possible."

Cecilia nodded sadly.

_________________________________________

Damian was never going to rest as long as his mind was racing like a horse driven carriage gone astray. He had the watched the clouds swirl darkly until the birds started to chirp and the sky had lightened. The new day brought forth rays of light that filtered through the cloud cover deceiving the observer into believing the light would remain sweetly subtle when in fact it would turn into a blistering fire. For the first time Damian could look through the sadness Delilah seemed to personify and compare her to the sun. She had been so fleeting in their interactions that he had mistaken her for something fragile but in the end she had managed to burn him.

He desperately didn't want to think of her but her image and her words kept circling in his mind. He hadn't slept the whole night and the fatigue was making his mind more vulnerable. He finally looked away from the sky when the light started to hurt his eyes and sat down on his bed still feeling his heart thump as if squeezed on all sides. He was struggling with his boots when there was knock on the door.

"Who is it? I told you, Jerald, I want to see no one," Damian barked at his personal servant. He kicked his boot off before wrenching off the other one.

"I though so," A soft voice interrupted his internal diatribe. The pale green clad woman entered the room hesitantly. She tilted her head as if trying to visually read how damaged her son was. It was unfortunate for her that she could not see beyond his exterior and look into his heart.

"Mother, what-" Damian stood up with his leather boot hanging limply in his hand. The confusion on his face cleared and contorted into resentment, "You knew!"

"I really believed you did as well," His mother looked at him with an odd mixture of sorrow and sympathy.

"Just one hint, just one word," Damian hissed ignoring the small hand inching towards his face. He didn't want to be comforted when there was so much fury in his chest.

"I did not know how convoluted the situation was," Damian's mother tilted her head with a knowing look on her face; "You really like her."

Damian pressed his lips stonily unwilling to show any sign of weakness, "Mother, you won, isn't that enough. Must you pour salt over my wounds?"

"No, I never won anything. All I wish, I wish- I wished for many things but mostly I want you to be happy," She paused with a soft sigh, "This is not the Damian I know. I didn't think you would consent to marriage to a girl you barely knew. I assumed you knew everything about her including her past with this castle and would not want anything to do with her. I did not see any danger of this attachment happening."