Timeless

8

"For that you can help me. The blue dress has a thousand little buttons up the back." Ariele doesn't expect more than him doing up the buttons as quickly as possible so his caressing her shocks her.

"Thank you for last night, for helping me get over the worst night of my life." Grey says with great sincerity even as he continues to tease her as he does up the buttons.

"Grey, I will do all that I can, but it takes time to get over something like this." Ariele is finding it hard to breath. "Grey, I don't think you're ready yet."

"And if I was ready? Would you be willing?" Grey asks not sure what answer he wants to hear from her.

"You taught me that I'm special Grey. You and your cousin. I can't go back to being just one of many. I need to be special to someone." Ariele wishes with all her heart that she was special to him, but reminds herself that, that only happens in fairy tales. She walks away as she feels the last button slide into place.

Grey whispers after her "You're special to me." But he knows that she doesn't hear him and doesn't think she would believe him even if she did hear him. It's no secret that he's had many lovers and even many mistresses, but he's never cared for any of them like he does Ariele.

Ariele answers the door at the knock and accepts the note handed to her. She thanks the guard and closes the door. Reading the note she then says, "Your cousin would like for us to join her for breakfast."

As mellow as Grey had been she's not ready for his response. "She can go to hell. We aren't going to have breakfast with her this morning or if I have my way ever again." Grey is bitter and angry and lets it out.

Ariele unprepared takes it personally and starts crying even as she moves back away from him. She doesn't realize that she's gone through the illusory wall until Grey gets up and runs to it. She shrinks against the far wall as she watches Grey pound against the 'wall'.

When Ariele doesn't come out immediately and the guards come running in looking to see where the trouble is Grey calms himself down. He assures the guards and sends them back to their posts. He goes over to the table and sits down and simply holds out his hand in a silent offer.

Shaking at the violence Grey showed Ariele slowly comes forward and takes his hand. Grey frowns at her shaking and holds her close until she stops trembling. "I'm sorry. I'm still working on my anger issue."

"It's okay," Ariele responds in a shaky voice. "After last night you are bound to feel anger."

"Perhaps but there's no reason to take it out on you. You've been nothing but helpful to me." Grey says in a far more lost tone than earlier.

"I'm as much to blame as your cousin. Grey, please, she was just trying to help. She didn't know what it would do to you or make you feel. If you must take out your anger take it out on me." She pleads.

"I will not take it out on a victim innocent of this travesty. Lady Anna is the creator of this mess and deserves to receive the full weight of my hate." Grey lets out his anger with his words.

Ariele can't take it anymore and starts crying. Those two need to work together that's the strength of the castle. If there is a rift than the enemy will win, Ariele knows it with everything in her that, that is truth. She just doesn't know how to make things better. In time things might work themselves out, but they don't have time. A few days that is all.

Now Grey is angry at himself. He knows that Anna and Ariele have become close and his anger would still work against Ariele. "How do I let the anger go? I've never felt such bone deep anger and hatred for anyone before." Grey says in resignation. But still her tears keep falling.