A/N: Don't forget to like, comment and share!
I had been sitting at the table for quite some time now. I could barely comprehend how things turned sour so quickly. My mother had to be out of her mind to speak about Juko and his family like that. She couldn't even be one to talk since my grandmother was the one that married our family into money in the first place. If my mother hadn't come from it then I know for a fact my father wouldn't have chosen her to marry. He was as high class and uptight as they come, in his words he wouldn't dare marry someone that came from filth.
And although I knew Juko and his mother had problems of their own he was very protective of Jema. Margie was insane, batshit crazy to even try and utter out what I think she was going to say about her. Jema in just a short month was more of a mother to me than my own mother. She had no room to talk about anyone when she in fact wasn't the best mother herself.
I had been sitting at the table for nearly twenty minutes now. Juko had been in the bathroom ever since and I figured it was to calm down. Still I was growing impatient with waiting for him to come back. My sister and Prince Anthony had already been announced and were finally inside of the ballroom. I was going to go over and speak to them since I knew it was the respectful thing to do but the infamous couple was quickly bombarded by the large crowd of people. So I'd have to wait. It was only a matter of time before she came over to say something to me anyways.
Taking another sip of my wine I tap my foot impatiently against the marble floor still waiting for Juko to pop back up. I wanted to apologize again for my mothers behavior and possibly even have a dance to ease the tension of my mothers wrong doings.
"I hate to see such a beautiful woman like yourself sitting here all alone." Comes a deep voice to the left of me.
I look up meeting a pair of brown eyes, it was a white man that was quite handsome. From the pins he had attached to his suit I quickly came to the conclusion that he was a knight.
I laugh off his comment and shake my head, "I'm not here alone. I came with my husband."
"Oh really?" The handsome stranger says with a broad smile. "I don't see a ring on your finger so I couldn't have guess."
"Oh yeah... I have to get it replaced." I lie smoothly.
"What a shame, I just about to come over here and ask you to marry me right on the spot. It would have been quite the show." He jokes taking the seat Juko previously sat in. "The names Adam Sykes, what's yours?" Adam says while extending a hand out to me.
I shake his hand with a small smile, "Ivy Saigoni, its pleasure to meet you Adam."
"Ahh the pleasure is all mine Ivy, so you're the wife of the infamous War General Juko Saigoni, it's quite a honor to meet you. The General sure is a lucky man to snatch up a woman like you, you're very beautiful." He smiles back.
"Well thank you..." it's awkward for a second and it's only because Adam hasn't stopped smiling and is looking at me like I'll be his last supper. "So you're a knight?" I say clear my throat pointing to his pins.
"Yes ma'am, it's a blessing I even came out of this war alive. Most men like me don't make it out there as long as I have."
"Well I'm sure if you got pins it means you did a fine job fighting in the war."
Adam laughs, "damn straight, war was hell." He shakes his head. "But I fought my ass off to stay alive. I was actually stationed on the same base as your husband. I even fought in the war along side him."
"Oh wow, what was that like?"
"Amazing you should see him in action. That man was born to be a leader, he set the entire camp straight once he stepped foot on that base."
"So I hear." I laugh.
"Where is the man at? I actually wanted to speak to him, it's been some time since I've seen him." Adam says looking around the ballroom curiously.
"Oh, he went to the bathroom he should be back soon."
"You sure? I noticed you've been sitting here by yourself for quite sometime now. That's the only reason why I came over to say something."
"I think so, I would hope my husband wouldn't abandon me at this ball." I joke halfheartedly. Part of me was serious because at this point Juko had been gone for a while.
"I'm guessing by the tone of your voice you aren't a big fan of balls?"
"Not exactly." I chuckle taking a sip of my wine. I could physically feel myself loosening up and a slight buzz coming on. It made me feel mello and relaxed. I needed it after the shit show mother gave the ballroom. By the time she had left there were multiple eyes on us. "I like getting dressed up and the all you can eat buffet but that's about it."
"If you haven't tried the crepes yet I'd suggest you stay away from them." Adam makes a face. "It's horrible."
"Really." I can't help but to laugh. "It's that bad?"
"Very bad." He chuckles as I looked down and noticed no ring on his finger just like Leon.
"So you aren't married?" I ask. At first I thought he was just joking around when he stated he was coming over here to ask for my hand in marriage. No... he was dead serious.
"Nah, fertility issues."
"Oh- I'm sorry to hear that." I say.
"Don't be I didn't plan on having kids anyways."
"I have a friend that's having the same issue I'm guessing the king makes exception for certain knights."
"Yes and that is the only exception other than that a knight is required by law to be married off before entering their first war."
Me and Adam continued to converse for a few more minutes before I looked up and saw Juko. He did come back from the bathroom area. Only he wasn't alone, there was a beautiful woman talking to him, she was tall with legs for days dressed in a beautiful red gown that matched her fiery red hair. She had on matching lipstick and long dangly earrings that brushed against the collar bones of her chest.
I frowned wondering who the woman was, I had never seen her before and I knew right away that she wasn't from Amorite. I would have definitely noticed someone as beautiful as her.
My heartbeat suddenly picks up when she places a dainty hand on his chest and laughs. He looked down at it but doesn't make a move to remove her hand. I was burning with jealousy and confusion as the two conversed across the ballroom in hushed voices. Whatever they were talking about seemed to be serious. I didn't want to jump to conclusions or make any irrational assumptions but my mind just couldn't help it. Who the hell was this girl?
I guess I must have been making a face because Adam stops mid sentence turns around to look over at Juko too. He tenses, turns back to me and takes a large gulp from his wine glass.
Without thinking I speak the first words that come to mind. "Do know who she is?"
"N-no." Adam shakes his head clearly not wanting to get involved in my drama. I didn't care, maybe I shouldn't have been drinking so much or maybe my mind was playing tricks on me but it seemed as though the two were quite cozy with one another.
I quickly blink away the tears forming in the corners of my eyes and swallow the large lump that formed in my throat. "Would you like to dance?" I ask standing to my feet.
"Huh?" Adam makes a face.
"Come on." I grab his hand and without thinking lead his towards the dance floor when a new song starts to play.
Turning gracefully I place my hands on his shoulders and allow his arms to circle around my waist. He was respectful enough to keep his hands above my butt which I was grateful for. Honestly I believed I wanted to dance to get my mind off of Juko and the mysterious red headed woman.
Me and Adam move in synchronization dancing to the beautiful symphony that filled the ballroom. I didn't realize how much I missed dancing until I was cracking lame jokes and laughing with Adam. That was after he finally stopped acting so stiff. A few songs pass and just as me and Adam were setting up for another song a VERY large olive colored hand came down on his shoulder. I look up and see Juko staring directly at me as he spoke. He looked emotionless but the dark storm that was brewing in those gray eyes told a different story.
"Move." Juko's deep raspy voice practically growled. Adam hears the voice, tenses and quickly steps away from me and makes a beeline towards the ice swan on the other side of the room.
Once Adam is out of the way Juko pulls me up flush against his body encircled his hands around my waist and lowers to my ass. Instinctively I stand on the tips of my toes from the major height different and wrap my arms around his neck. I'm so close to Juko that I smell the delicious choice of cologne he chose to wear and it makes the buzz in my body deepen.
Juko chuckles and it sounds anything but welcoming. "Step on my shoes Ivy, you're so goddamn short."
I glare up at him. "Or you're just so goddamn tall you fucking giraffe." I mutter angrily. I did not want to be in his arms but I also didn't want to make a scene so I do as I am told and step on his feet. He takes of my hands off his shoulder and holds it in his own. "Why were you dancing with another man?" He finally asks halfway through the dance.
"Because you were so called gone to the bathroom for half an hour and I was getting bored." I roll my eyes.
"I had some business to take care of over the phone. I didn't mean to take so long."
"Really." I raised a brow unimpressed.
"Yes really." Juko looks down at me and suddenly I feel so small in his arms as he moves us around.
"You sure because what I saw was you walking out of there with some woman hot on your heels. It looked like you two were having quite the conversation by the way she was touching you."
Juko only chuckles and licks his bottom lip clearly amused," are you jealous Ivy?"
I scoff not wanting to play these games with him. I remove myself from his grasp and walk away. Only I take two steps before Juko grabs my hand and spins be back into his arms. I land flush again his rock hard body and gasp.
Looking up I glare at him all over again. "What do you want Juko I'm not doing this with you tonight." I spit.
"To dance with my beautiful wife." He smiles darkly.
"Well I don't want to dance with you, maybe I'll go find Adam and ask him to dance with me again. He doesn't have two left feet unlike you."
"You sure about that?" He spins me around allowing the hem of my dress to create a beautiful white halo.
"I'm sure." I say once I'm back in his arms.
Juko dips me down one hand on my lower back holding me up and the other sliding down the curve of my ass. Squeezing it he moves it lower his hand softly grazing the skin of my leg exposed from the slit of my dress until he reaches the backside of my knee. He holds me in a possessive grip and glares at me, "careful Ivy I told you I'm a very jealous man I don't think you'd like it too much if killed the bastard because of you."
The look in his eyes tells me that he is dead serious and that if I kept going he would openly kill Adam. I huff abruptly being pulled up. The dance we are in takes a fiery turn it's full of anger and deep rooted sexual tension. Each step, spin and dip that we take is quick and done with exact precision.
And maybe it was the wine talking or maybe it was my self conscious but I wanted Juko just as much as I wanted to get away from him.
"Fuck you Juko."
"I would love to fuck you Ivy."
I roll my eyes once more, "you're not the only one that's jealous..."
"So you admit it you were jealous." He muses.
My nose flares, this man was impossible. "Cut the shit Juko who was the woman and what were you two talking about?" I snap quietly making sure not to catch any unwanted attention. I had already gotten enough of that earlier today.
"If I tell you all you're going to do is go back to ignoring me. I'd suggest you forget what you saw."
"Tell me." I say through gritted teeth.
"Are you sure you want to know."
"Are you seeing her?" The words come tumbling out my mouth before I think.
Juko pulls me up against his body once more forcing me to step on his sleek black shoes again. "She was one of my mistresses. After the war she moved to Florin and married one of the knights. She wanted to see me again."
"Oh great one of the women you fucked is here. Lucky me." I say voice full of sarcasm, why did she want to see you again? To fuck?"
"To fuck." He repeats my words. "I told her no and that I'd break her face if she touched me again and that was that."
"You didn't tell her all of that." I scoff resisting the urge to remove my hand from his tight grasp.
"I don't lie Ivy, would you like to go ask her?" His jaw tightens visibly.
I purse my lips, I didn't want to seem like a psycho obsessed wife. I didn't know the girl but the fact that she was so beautiful compared to me made me feel insecure. I couldn't lie, I knew I was pretty but like everyone else I had my days where I felt at my lowest. "No, it's fine..." I was going to put it the whole thing aside for now simply because I wasn't sure how Juko was really feeling after the whole incident with my mother. We would get nowhere both being upset and angry so it was best to let it go.
"Are you sure Ivy, I'm tired of you being angry with me all the time."
"If you didn't make stupid decisions I wouldn't be." I mumble.
"When are you going to start wearing your ring? I don't like seeing you walk around all these men with it off. Regardless of you being my wife they're going to try and..."
"What fuck me, ask for my hand in marriage?" I raise a brow.
"I will be the only man you fuck Ivy, careful with your words."
"I hardly want to stay married to you."
"I don't care." Juko grunts as the music picks up forcing us to move faster to the dance.
"You should, forcing me to stay in the marriage. I have as much as a say as you."
"You do I'm just not divorcing you."
"Why not!" Juko was starting to piss me off.
"Because you're mine Ivy, you're mine whether you like it or not. I'm not going through with this process again, I'm not going to go look for another woman not when I have someone like you."
I swallow trying to control my emotions, tonight was a lot and all I wanted to do was go back to the hotel and start fresh tomorrow. "Then why couldn't you wait for me?" My voice comes out much more softer and sadder than I wanted. I just wanted to know the reason why and I was hoping he'd give it to me.
But he doesn't, he remains quiet and as soon as the song ends I part from him.
Only when I turn around I bump right into my sister, Rose. She was the last person I wanted to see right now, tonight couldn't get any worse.
"Watch where you're going!" Rose snaps angrily. She then looks at me and smiles pulling me into a hug. "Ivy! You look so beautiful! It's about time."
She was just like mother. Ugh!
"Thank you."
"You know if I was queen right now I could've had one of my guards take you to the dungeon." She says and I can't really tell if she was joking or not. I only bumped into her it wasn't that serious and I couldn't lie I was feeling a bit offended.
"Your own sister?"
"I don't know." She says flipping her bone straight her over her shoulder, "it just depends on the day and how I feel. I can't wait to become a Queen!" She laughs excitedly. She was clearly happy even her skin was glowing. At least one someone's marriage was going well. "Anyways how are you? It's been too long since I've seen you little sis."
"Rose you are thirty seconds older than me."
"It still makes me the big sister doesn't it?"
I resist the urge to roll my eyes, "sure. I've been good how have you been?"
"Great! I'm learning so much for my role as future Queen. I'm sure the people will love me, I mean look at me how could they not?"
"They wouldn't if you lock someone up for bumping into you on accident."
"Yeah but like who wants filth touching you? All those poor people walking around. I haven't even gone out too far in town, it's too many rapist and murderers running around."
Ladies and gentlemen I introduce my very ignorant and rude sister. Seriously she deserves a round of applause for her ignorance.
"Rose you do realize you will have to speak to those people, show them that you care so that they don't revolt or try to overthrow you and Prince Anthony."
"I think I'll just hire someone for that role, I'm not really interested in doing that you know?" She says waving off my comment.
I don't even know how to really respond to that and before I can she goes on to say something. "So are you going to introduce me to your husband? I'm curious to meet this infamous dragon slayer everyone's been talking about."
"You're looking at him." A familiar bone rattling voice says. I nearly jump and turn around to see Juko standing directly behind me. I had no idea that he even followed me to begin with.
When Juko says that Rose's jaw drop, "no way Ivy got to marry someone like you... you're- you're hot!"
I smile uncomfortably as she nudges me aside and sways her hips to walk right up to Juko. She holds out a dainty hand for Juko to shake. "Hello there, I'm Rose, Ivy's big sister. You have grown into quite the handsome man." She says seductively.
I resist the urge to rip out the poorly sewn in tracks in her head and grind my teeth. If I decided to act out Rose could still send me to the dungeon only it won't be hers and Prince Anthony's dungeon. It'll be the King of the north and trust me I've heard many horrible things about his dungeon. Especially how the prisoners were treated. I remember hearing all kinds of horrible rumors about that vile stuff that went on down there. To this day I still get scared from just thinking about it.
Juko completely ignores her presences and walks over to me. Placing his hand on the small of my back he pushes me towards the grand staircase. "We're leaving." He grunts.
I only nod because I in fact did want to leave. I was irritated, my feet hurt, my mother made a shit show of herself and forced father to make her leave early. Juko and I's disagreement and now my dearly beloved sister Rose. I just wanted to get away from everyone, go back to Amorite and see my babies. At this point Shyra and Tatsu were the only living beings I cared for.
Once me and Juko are out the castle I don't want for him to open the door for me. I open it myself, hop in and buckle up. Kicking off my shoes I place my elbow against the window and rest my head against my hand. I was done, absolutely worn out by everyone.
I wanted to cry but now Juko is in the car driving off and I don't want him to see me like this. I don't want him thinking my night was ruined because in all honesty it was. I came here with high hopes and left broken. It felt like it was just me against the world. I felt so alone.
The tears start coming and all I can do is let them fall at this point. I felt like a failure like everything was falling apart and it was all my fault. I blamed myself to the point I blinded myself with my own tears. Silent tears, heavy tears flowed down my face like a river. I look out the window hiding how broken I was inside.
"Ivy." Juko sighs after a while of driving.
I don't say anything because what was there left to say? Juko was a closed book and because he was so closed off I felt like I couldn't talk to him about anything. From the time we met up until now it has been nothing but arguments and a whole lot of disappointment. I just wanted to be happy was it too much to ask for?
"I'm sorry I never wrote you back." He says after five minutes of silence. "And that I went outside of our marriage. If I'm being honest I didn't write you back because I didnt want you to get attached to me. I thought that if you got attached and I died you would be devastated and I didn't want you to hurt. I guess in my head I was just trying to protect you from the unnecessary heart break.
I had no idea if I was going to even make it out of that war alive. There had been so many instances where I had been put on my death bed and thought I was going to die and I did." I could hear the sourness in his voice when he laughs. "I was dead for three minutes and thirty three seconds before I was resuscitated. In that moment I was content because I thought I had done the right thing.
That was also the reason why I went outside of our marriage. I know it's a shitty excuse but when I came back and was fully healed I just stopped caring. I started going into heat a lot more often and I let my urges take control. I thought that if I died once it was bound to happen again and that maybe the second time I died I'd stay dead. I went outside of our marriage, started acting reckless without thinking about your feelings. I'm not really good with apologies but I'm sorry I never meant to hurt you."
I don't look over at him, part of me was relieved to hear him opening up. This was all I had been asking for and he was finally doing it. Speaking his truth and owning up to the fact he fucked up. Juko explaining himself made me get a better understanding of why he did what he did. Still I had one more question because I needed to know.
"How many?"
Suddenly air around me cools and goosebumps riddle my skin. I wipe the flowing tears from my face and turn to look at at his profile.
"Five."