Dalliance

Chapter Twenty Seven

"Tell me what is the truth." Holly insisted.

"We do not have time, my love-"

"Do not speak that to me, and tell me of truth! I demand it."

He pulled her away from the chaos before pulling her back up to the loft.

"He heard of my skill set and asked to meet with me. I realized there was a possibility. Something we have always been without. I thought if we were able to get under a good name, that we could be something-"

"So it is about a title-"

"It was always about you. I did not intend for you to marry him. But I saw your excitement and allowed it-realizing he would give you a far better life than I ever could. And I never desired anything more than your happiness. He visited by messenger and spoke of a new plan-to make you feel comfortable. Before you had even gone to him, we discussed me living there."

"So everything else was a charade?"

He nodded. "So you would not discover the truth."

She went to leave as he pulled her arm back.

"When we lived here, I did not expect to fall for you...more than I did. I have always loved you, Holly. Not a day went by that it passed or wavered...not even those days of loss or anger. I always loved you-I always will...But when things between us grew more romantic...I went to him and told him of it. He then told me that as long as you were happy...you would stay...and if you would stay...I would rise in authority...maybe even fight along the King..."

"It is similar to wanting a title..."

"I am not finished..." He looked outside, hearing the stomping of the soldiers, before turning back to her. "I am reckless when it comes to you, and when he raised his hand to you, I changed the deal-I told him I would only stay if you were to be untouched...I then told him of my feelings for you...that I could not hide them and again, he told me if you were here then it meant you were happy."

"But you begged me to run..."

"I could not handle knowing you were with him...the poison he was telling you."

"When Eleana died...it was as if someone you knew killed her-that is why you carried so much guilt...but what of the jousting?"

"He discovered my second plan...When I was imprisoned ten leagues over...I became friends with the daughter of the highness...I realized my chance and seized it. They have wanted Seralake for decades...and I fed them what they wanted..."

"But you returned so...so broken-nearly dead."

"The men who did that were Nicholas's...I could not go against him, for I would then have to tell you everything."

"What was the arrangement between the two of you? You and the highness?"

"I was a man who knew the logic of Nicholas...of his family-something nobody could obtain...and I did right from underneath him. Very quickly, I realized it would be tricky...but I was able to be with you.."

"What did you get out of it?"

"His army...to take the Auvere house...so we could escape...be together..."

"I cannot trust you, Dawson...You could have told me of it all."

"If I would have, you would never have agreed-and you cannot counter that fact..."

She paused, realizing he was right.

"But we have a chance now....just the two of us...to run and never look back."

"If we go, we must take Amelia."

"No! It is too dangerous! She is one of his wives!"

"She is honest...and I trust her far more than you at this moment."

"Fine, but we must make haste....I will meet you by the river in a handful of minutes. I beg if you cannot get to her, that you still leave...it will be in flames within minutes...promise me."

She turned without the promise as he pulled her back. "Promise me."

"You are in no position to make demands of me, Dawson."

"You are right...but I am in the position to save your life."

"This time, you cannot do that." And she ran with the army, searching for Amelia.

Smoke filled the residence as she tried to avoid Nicholas while looking for Amelia. Making her way down the servants quarters, she then saw her, waiting to die as she was trapped under a fallen beam due to the smoke damage.

"It is no use, mistress." Their eyes met as Dawson paced back and forth by the river. Seeing the smoke raise he decided to chase after her, greeting several soldiers before following Holly's path. By the time he found her, her face was covered in ash to see. He brought his fingers to her neck as he held her body in his arm.

"Holly! Holly!" He gritted his teeth as he felt her body in his arms. "HOLLY!" Tears filled his eyes as he pulled her against his chest. "You cannot do this! I am so sorry!" Feeling her lifeless body in his arms, he tried to gain one last kiss, but could not bring himself to do so. With her cold skin, he attempted to carry her, but found she had been trapped.

"It is no use..."

"Amelia?"

"She gave her life for me." She spoke as she showed her beat up leg. Due to the smoke, Amelia held a small cloth over herself and her voice became hoarse and rather deep, as she tried to ease Dawson.

"I will not allow Nicholas to get away with this...to live on while she could not."

"She would want you to live your life..."

"I understand this...but you must go, before it is too late..."

"What if it is not her?"

"Is she not wearing the same clothes?"

He nodded. Rolling up her sleeve he saw the birthmark on her body before pulling away.

"She deserved better than this..."

"Then get it by surviving long enough to gain revenge...but it is not what she would want."

"Do not speak to me of what she would want! I know her better than anyone...it is a shame her last thoughts were thinking she did not know me..."