THE KING
~ Arabella's pov ~
Being in the garden, I seek comfort. It distracted me from the world and its enraged society. The same goes for when I design my dresses, it helps me not to worry so much over my sister and her choices of the gentlemen she seems to chase after.
I was too cooped up in the house, I was beginning to grow mad. With my mind too occupied over my sister's engagement to Sir Kingsley and Oden, I felt as if I would explode soon, I was not one for keeping secrets and I was definitely not the one to have an affair with a gentleman who works for my family.
I could not help but wonder what it would be like to be wedded or the feeling of getting proposed to. The image warms my heart of the man whom I wished for to be the one to get down on one knee.
Of course, I was being delusional at the topic of marriage, I was never the one to like the idea of being held down by a man. Neither am I now, I have found a man that agrees on women's rights in this time of age.
Oden was working in the fields with my father and Bridger, with also many others that worked for my family. Ignoring the desirable thoughts of walking to the fields to simply check on the men as they work, but also take a peek at the man who holds my heart dearly.
I was falling too quickly. One second I am not looking for a man's attention and the next second I am completely at his throne.
My old self would have grown mad at the sight of what I have become.
I did not care though, I think we all deserve a kind of love you wish to fight for. A love that makes your hearts beat quickly and your toes curl from the anticipation of what is next.
"Arabella Houstings, I thought I'd find you near." A voice speaks from the woodworks. A voice that I know all too familiar with, and it does not have my heart aching, it has me wanting to run away at the sight of him.
Sir Kingsley.
I turn my head, giving him a frown. I can feel the hot sun beating down my face and the sweat dripping from my neck to my breasts, flowing down my dress.
I squint my eyes, looking up at the man who is to marry my sister. He smirks as he walks in front of my being, blocking the sun from irritating my sight.
He is infuriating, I can not be in his presence for too long.
"Sir Kingsley," I greet with a nod.
"James," he says and I grow confused. He smiles. "It is my first name. Since we are to be family soon, you should call me James."
I'd rather not.
"My sister is not here at the moment, would you like me to spread a word for you?" I tell him, hoping he'd leave in an instant since his beloved fiancé is not here.
"I know she is not present at this moment," he says, which stirs something in my chest. He smirks. "She's at a fitting, I did not come for her."
"My father is in the fields, once he is finished you may speak with him," I say harshly, hoping he was not referring to his reasoning being here was for me. How dare he?
"I am not here for him either, Bella," he states, shaking his head. The look he gives is not friendly, it is interested in what he is seeing.
"Arabella," I correct. Only Oden calls me Bella.
"Oh?" He's taken aback. "That servant of yours gets to call you that, why can't I?"
"That servant of mine is my friend and I give permission to my friends to call me that name, you, Sir Kingsley, are not my friend." I take a stand, dusting my dress off and crossing my arms to show that I am not affected by him.
He tilts his head in a teasing manner. "Arabella, do not treat me this way. We are dear friends, are we not?"
"No, you are my sister's suitor. The only reason why I am speaking with you is because you are about to wed my sister, nothing about me speaking with you to terms is friendly. I do not wish to speak with you further," I exclaim, my face growing red by the moment I am in his presence. I was angry, of course. How could he be interested in me then my sister just to spite me?
"Are you angry with me because I did not court you?" He asks, bearing close to me, step by step. He then chuckles. "I do regret my decisions on locking your sister down, but I had to do something to keep close to you. You, you are the lady I want."
"You are mad," I grit out. My eyes were filled with nothing but disgust. "I hope my sister realizes what a fool you are."
"Look in the mirror, Bella. You are the fool yourself, you spend your time worrying over your sister's needs than your own, leaving no soul to want you," he says with a smile. With the click of his teeth, he finishes. "Poor girl, if only you had given me the chance to give you the world, I would have."
"You would have given me nothing but a life of dissatisfaction with nowhere to lead me. I could never bear your children, you disgust me too much to do so."
His hand raises to my face, gripping my chin between his fingers as he gazes upon my face. "You are the fierce lady I have known, just give me one taste, that is all I wish for."
"Get your hands off of me," I grit my teeth at him. I push at his chest, wishing for him to leave me at once, but he does not move a step. "I am a lady in distress and you are not helping, leave at once."
"I think you are forgetting who I am, Arabella Houstings. I could own you if I would like." He chuckles at my angry state.
"You will never own me, and you will never own my sister. I will make sure you never wed her, that is a promise to you," I tell him with determination. "That is what I will give you."
His face falls, a snarl shows within his features. "I have had enough of your snarky attitude. You are a lady and I am a gentleman and you must speak to me with respect."
"You first," I snapped.
In a quick flash, I am snatched up by him and his hand is clutching my jaw in a tight force. I was too shocked to feel her pain shooting between my lips as I stared wide eyed at the man who was to wed my sister.
"Comply with a gentleman and you will never have to feel this moment again," he whispers, bringing my face close to his and gazing upon my lips. "Just. One. Taste."
"Let. Go." I am at my breaking point. I have never been forced to do such things with a man, and I was frightened that this was my moment.
I am sorry, Serena.
I close my eyes, preparing for his lips to press against mine, but they do not come. They never do, and I hear Sir Kingsley groan before I am let go.
At this moment, I am breathing so hard I might faint. I open my eyes, shocked by the scene in front of me. Oden is standing over Sir Kingsley, fisting his shirt as blood trickles down his nose, pleading with his eyes to let go of him.
Oden looks murderous. I have never seen him this angry before, the way he is huffing out heavy breaths, the way his eyes are holding a madness to them to show Sir Kingsley he is angry with him.
"Touch her again and I will make sure both of your hands are cut off your body and placed up for the village to see," Oden grits, threatening Sir Kingsley who's eyes grow wide.
"A-Alright," Sir Kingsley stutters in fear.
Oden raises Sir Kingsley from the ground, pushing him to his knees and facing me. Oden bends over, glaring down at the weeping man. "Apologize."
"W-What?" Sir Kingsley is petrified, confused, and embarrassed by himself getting caught.
Oden grips his hair, causing Sir Kingsley to whimper in agony. "Apologize to Miss. Houstings for treating her the way you pleased. She is a lady to be respected."
"I am terribly sorry, Miss Houstings. I do hope you forgive me for the way I touched you," Sir Kingsley pleads with me, and I watch the way his upper lip smears red from the blood.
"I accept your apology." I nod my head at him to which Oden lets go of the man.
"I do not wish for you to be near her again, you may greet her whenever you pass, but nothing less, nothing more. Alright?" Oden orders him.
Sir Kingsley's just as angry, he's wiping the blood from his mouth from the punch Oden had made on him.
"You will pay for this," Kingsley threatens, turning and walking back to the front for his awaiting carriage.
Oden blows out a breath, looking down at his busted knuckles and breaks off a piece of his shirt that is filled with dirt from assisting my father.
"He did not hurt you, did he?" Oden turns to face me, concerned.
I shake my head. "Nothing that I can handle, thank you..."
"Do not thank me, any man should do what I had just done if they are man enough. When I saw him touching you..." He shakes his head, stopping himself when he clenches his jaw in anger. He begins to walk toward me, surrounding me with nowhere to turn. "I went mad, I did not want him touching you, I cannot bear any man laying his hands on you."
"I was frightened." I look down at his bloody hand, bringing it up so I can tie the shirt over his knuckles to stop the bleeding. "I think I was more worried about my sister more than anything."
"Of course you were." He chuckles, but it is forced. I gaze back up at him, fluttering my eyelashes at him and he brings his non injured hand to cup my cheek. "I do not want you frightened of me, ever. I want you to find comfort in me knowing I would protect you from anything."
"I am flattered you worry about me as such." I smile. "I do not think I could ever be frightened of you."
"Nor hate me," he adds, his eyes hiding an emotion I cannot see through. I grow confused, but nod.
"Nor hate you," I repeat. "I could not even if I tried."
"Good," he hums, leaning over me to plant a kiss right upon my lips.