Apricity







Maverick took a breath to answer Adelia's first question. It would have been a general, casual response, one that didn't require much thought and as such, may not have been entirely truthful. It was one of those common greetings, much like how are you?. The response was already anticipated before the question was ever asked.

I slept well, thank you.

The answer never came though. Her shift into a question that was much more thought provoking rendered the previous answer nothing more than noise from his mouth.

And why speak when it had no meaning?

His gaze flickered to her, a soft wonder swirling within it as his mind debated whether to be amused or irritated by her inquiry. Should he be so surprised she would ask?

"You're concerned about my health?" Amused, though barely. He wasn't prepared to be addressing that...fiasco...of last evening, but Adelia just proved once more that she will be catching him off guard if he continued to regard her as just another woman. He laughed then, a quiet chuckle escaping him as his attention wandered back to the fountain and shook his head softly at what he had seen upon her face.

Was this genuine concern for his wellbeing or a mask that covered her knack for curiosity?

"I assure you, there is no doctor that can help what ails me." It was a dark statement and far from reassuring, though delivered with a pleasant tone, as if he found the entire thing humorous.

Which he did.

It was funny to be cursed by something so terrible and so incurable that he had to keep it locked away in secrecy. It wasn't at first, of course, but now? He had to laugh lest he go completely insane.

Especially when it was mistaken for...what? A weak heart?

"If I do die, it will come as a surprise," he murmured and perhaps too quiet for her to hear. "Tell me," he suddenly demanded as his focus shifted, eyes sliding to look at her from the corner of his eye. He readjusted his stance, bringing his arms to clasp behind him. "Are you someone I can trust with information so delicate that leaking it could very well put your life in danger?"

He kept his tone casual, as if asking her what her preferred breakfast food was. The chill that entered his words, however, was something he couldn't help.



 
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Adelia Fitrei


Adelia was beginning to wonder if sticking around and seeing herself enter the marriage with the king was a good idea. His mood swings and rather dark comments were starting to become slightly unnerving, it was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Even in other animals. His behaviour almost was animalistic at times: his curiosity, his disdain, his amusement toward her and then his irritation. She really couldn't make head nor tail of it. Sometimes there seemed like a puppy-like interest within him, only for that to then be devoured up by a wolfishness that seemed to want to come for her too.

His answers left her uncertain, not feeling as though she had really had clear response to what she ought to expect. However due to his clear dark humour, Adelia had come to assume that perhaps she oughtn't bother herself with it. That she had been wrong and to leave things as that. So she avoided looking in his direction, hands coming to lie on her lap and fidget there.

She startled at his sudden, abrupt interruption of the silence that had fallen, her head sharply turning to look up at him. His question sent a small spike of fear through her, natural, considering he had just said her life would be at risk. Yet she schooled her expression, assuming this to be another one of his tests.

"We may be married one day... if you can't trust me with such information... who can you trust?"
She replied, briefly holding his gaze until the coolness within his eyes became too much and she lowered her eyes to the grass in front of his feet. A slightly hypocritical answer from herself, considering how she was uncertain as to if she would ever be able to reveal her own secret to him. While of course her secret wouldn't put his life in danger, she still couldn't know for certain just how he would react.

Hastily, Adelia bent over to slip her wedges back onto her feet, "I'm sorry, if my question offended you, Maverick. I was merely concerned, as I think anyone would have been."

Pushing herself to her feet and brushing down the skirt of her dress, she forced an easy smile, "I've kept us from breakfast far too long. I remember how you wolfed everything down last night, I'm sure you're already hungry again. Shall we?"
 
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"May be," he mused quietly, tilting his head at the chosen words. Was Adelia already expressing doubt? Just last night she seemed certain she would be his wife if it meant pleasing her parents. Now, her response was peppered with reconsideration.

How interesting.

He shifted his stance to face her more directly, watching as she slipped her shoes back on. Her apology fell on deaf ears, her tone brushing too closely with ingenuity for his liking. He couldn't take it seriously if she couldn't look at him.

He didn't express his opinion and although she attempted to lighten the mood once more, the smile was off and the thought of her hiding behind something fake and pretending all was well made his skin itch.

Maverick wasn't a difficult person to get along with. He was one of the easiest to, in fact. His smile came easy and as far as the public knew, he didn't have a shred of impatience within him. That, of course, all changed when someone rose to the challenge of possibly having a significant relationship with him.

Getting to know someone meant delving below the surface and looking at all the sharp and ugly things people kept tucked away from the light of day. If Adelia only wished to scratch at the surface, he would be happy to oblige.

Their marriage, if now there would even be a marriage, will certainly be...fascinating…

He imagined they'll stop having meals together within a quarter of a year and cross each other's paths every so often from there. She'd be just another body that made up his staff, her position something of an assistant and whatever spark that caught his dark side's attention would dull in time.

He inclined his head, holding out an arm in a smooth gesture for her to lead them back to their breakfast. The smile that touched his lips was practiced, one he gave to the public every time he was caught within their sight.

So this was to be nothing more than an unenthusiastic dance, was it?

"My appetite is monstrous," he commented lightly. "A man can never have enough meat."

It was meant to be a joke. Sort of.

It barely left his mouth before his nose was assaulted by her scent carried on a puff of the morning breeze twining through the gardens. Maverick's mind shifted and in that split second of loss, his hand reached for her and clasped her shoulder. His consciousness snapped back within a second, but that didn't render his hold on her any less significant.

Luckily, he wasn't gripping her too hard and although he had his mind back, he couldn't bring himself to move just yet, as if worried that doing so would allow another slip.

Not good.

He stared at his hand on her shoulder, relaxing it as best he could, his jaw hardening as he willed his heart to slow and forced his breathing to be even.

"Perhaps it'd be in your best interest that I...take my leave for now, " he managed through a tight jaw.



 
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Adelia Fitrei


And there it was again, that feeling that he was judging her because of what she had said. His whole body language had changed, and she wondered how dizzy a dance it was to keep up with him. Last night it seemed he wasn't keen for the marriage either, hence her uncertainty regarding the future. If he didn't want a wedding, who was she to force such a thing upon a king?

However, if Adelia was to know that his slight irritation toward her was due to him believing she wasn't genuine, then she would take that all day long. That was the preferred option, rather than him digging closer to her own truths.

If she had been certain of everything, such as the marriage laying in wait in the future, she would have easily confessed she would be willing to give their partnership a go. She wasn't vain, nor was she ignorant. She would be happy to make things work between them, whether they be platonic or romantic. The knowledge of her powers would remain a secret, however, she now knew that the king had his own dark secrets.

As she moved past him, mind racing with how to make things better, she was undoubtedly stunned as his hand fell onto her shoulder with no prior warning. Adelia turned partially toward him, gaze rising to his face once more. There was something going on, something she wasn't sure about. It was clear in the tightness of his jaw that he was fighting some sort of inner battle, not to mention the way his eyes seemed slightly unfocused. There was something dangerous lurking beneath the surface, Adelia could feel it; hungry and eager to get out.

However, instead of allowing him to take his leave as he so obviously wished to do, the young woman took a deep breath and raised a hand of hers to remove his from her shoulder. She didn't release it, instead holding it gently and allowing her thumb to massage into the centre of his palm. It went against all her own instincts, which screamed at her to get away.

"Whatever it is that ails you, Maverick... I'm sure I can handle it. I don't... wish for you to leave. I wish for you to stay... relax... have breakfast with me."
She answered, keeping her voice soft and soothing, automatically - and without realising it - switching to how she would behave with one of her more dangerous animal friends. Her eyes remained on him, daring to meet whatever it was that waited in his gaze, "I'd like for us to start again. With the knowledge that we're both... committed to this decision that has been made for us. And doing that means accepting whatever secret it is that you have that can... apparently put my life in danger."

Her thumb continued to work into the pressure point of his palm and her tongue darted out to wet suddenly dry lips, "But if you wish to leave, I understand."
 
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"You can't be serious." It was a thoughtless response. A reactionary murmur as if he struggled to accept what it was he heard...while simultaneously trying to accept what it was he felt.

Adelia had no idea she had him enraptured, did she?

...or did she?

She's caught the beast by its paw and it…

Hells, it was enjoying her touch, unwinding to it as if…

As if her touch was the only thing it has ever wanted.

What picture he thought Adelia made up had suddenly been smeared, as if someone dragged an arm over a wet painting in frustration because what was depicted had been entirely wrong. Maverick, it seemed, was caught between what he thought he knew and what he obviously didn't and he found he couldn't take his eyes from her, even if he had wanted to.

What kind of sorcery...

"Adelia." Her name was a soft rumble from his chest, a sigh from the beast inside. Maverick seemed to be unaware just how he sounded, too preoccupied with fighting to keep the part of his mind that can process things in a logical manner. "You're…" It was the hesitation in his sentence, the momentary droop of his eyes that brought to his attention just how powerful her words, her touch seemed to resonate within him.

Taking no chances, he promptly pulled his hand from hers, though instead of stepping away, he stepped closer as surprisingly gentle fingers cupped her chin. Her skin was warm to the touch, soft against his own and there was a small part of him that enjoyed having the contact. He leveled his gaze however, voicelessly encouraging that she didn't avert her eyes from his.

When he did speak, his voice was soft, though serious. "This is not something to be taken lightly, Adelia, so I hope that you are certain about this commitment you speak of. If I am to trust you with my secret, as you put it, then it would be best…"

He trailed having recognized the subtle snarl that rode beneath his words and working his jaw, he willed himself to soften. He didn't dare to pull in another deep breath. Softening, he broke his gaze and watched his hand brush along her jaw to clasp her shoulder once more. "It would be best you know the details," he murmured, his gaze flickering to hers before drawing himself up and taking a step back.

Stiffly, he held out an arm, gesturing once more for her to lead them back to the breakfast table. He curled the hand she had been rubbing into a loose fist, her touch still a whisper running his blood. "After we eat, let's talk secrets."

The glint in his eye was indicative that he wouldn't be the only to reveal things. He knew now more than ever that Adelia had her own shadows.






 





Adelia Fitrei


At his thoughtless response, the massaging movement of Adelia's thumb halted and she blinked up at him. She certainly hadn't been expecting that retort from him, and she hesitated, unsure as to what to do next. She struggled to comprehend just what he meant by the murmur, uncertain as to if he was questioning if she was serious about what she said about the marriage, wanting to make things work, or something else in general. It almost made her drop his hand, beginning to feel like a fool for even daring to breach the gap that seemed to be growing between them.

Her humiliation only grew as time passed and he didn't elaborate, and she felt as if she were in some kind of stalemate with him. Unable to release his hand but him also not taking it away from her. The longer he looked at her, the more vulnerable she felt, and eventually she was forced to drop her gaze, although her brow was furrowed in clear confusion.

Adelia's shoulders lifted and raised with a silent sigh, head turning slightly at the sound of her name on his lips again. A part of her once more enjoying how it sounded rolling from his tongue so sweetly.

The sensation of his hand pulling out of hers left her feeling cold, yet almost instantly her body warmed as his fingers found their way to her chin. She allowed him to hold her in place, now unable to look anywhere else but him. Despite the gentleness of the contact, she cleared her throat as was habit when she was nervous. Her eyes blinked a few times, struggling in their battle to remain locked onto his despite how he clearly wanted her to look at him, and solely him.

"I'm only as certain as you are... I can't really force you to do anything." She swallowed, still managing to hold his gaze despite the slight growl that had appeared in his voice.

Goosebumps broke out over her skin, despite her best wishes, as the warmth of his fingers brushed along her jawline. Her head turned briefly to look down at where then rested on her shoulder before she hastily looked back to meet his gaze, still feeling compelled to do so despite her usual submissive want to avoid conflict of any kind.

However a chill ran down her spine at his words, and at the gleam to his eye, that seemed to promise he was prepared to dig into the depths of her secrets since she was so obviously about to be treated to his. Adelia wasn't sure how she was going to be able to hide the one truth she wanted to keep buried deep down, but only hoped that in perhaps providing enough about herself in other ways, it would be enough to throw him off the scent.

Smiling, a small but pleasant expression, Adelia moved in the direction of his gesture to walk the short distance to the breakfast table. Once there, she settled herself into one of the seats, taking her napkin to unfold and lay over her lap as an orange juice was poured.

"Perhaps calling them secrets isn't the right thing, since they aren't about to be secrets for much longer." She spoke up again after a heartbeat, anxious at the silence.
 
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Maverick's gaze dragged up from Adelia's lips to her eyes as he lowered himself into his seat across from her. No longer calling them secrets?

He still was trying to understand why it was he decided to let her in on what ailed him, but the beast was now groggy and although groggy, it was still awake. It never wakes. Never unless the moon was full and he still had five days before that.

This was a predicament he hadn't been expecting and if he had even a sliver of concern that a human could stir the beast awake, Maverick would have never allowed Adelia to the castle. He would have never participated in that little game the Council had set up. His servants, his staff, his people were safe from him because he didn't have to see them every day. Marriage, however, was a different relationship and he, in that moment, felt rather foolish for not even pondering the possibility of how his damned curse could be triggered.

He couldn't give her a smile.

He had wanted to, for reassurance if nothing else, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He had a healthy concern now, a heavy burden weighing on him. It would only take just one slip for his claws, his teeth, to claim Adelia's life.

He wasn't so sure she understood the magnitude of the threat and that wasn't entirely her fault. She didn't understand. Not yet.

"Reginald, could you clear my day for me?" He suddenly asked his longtime friend and servant as his eyes finally dropped from the woman to his lap where he placed too much attention to smoothing out the cloth napkin on his thigh.

Reginald was the only other who knew the truth of the king and the man could recognize the tone in his voice, but the pour of the juice remained seamless and the old man regarded the request as nothing more than being asked to refill the drinks. "It will be done, your majesty, though I must remind you of the Golden Rose."

Maverick blinked, then brought his hands up to the table as his gaze swept out over the ocean sparkling in the morning sun. He brushed a thumb over the tips of his fingers in thought, then finally let out a quiet sigh. "Thank you, Reginald. I had forgotten." He sought out Adelia's face and subtly clearing his throat, he reached for his glass for a drink. "Are you of a mind to accompany me? Giving a vessel my blessing before her maiden voyage is a duty I cannot ignore. Afterwards, however, we will have our discussion…"

His voice dropped to a murmur, his eyes right along with it to the plate of food before him. Ham and eggs piled his plate.

He knew he would enjoy none of it.

The beast liked its meat raw and bloodied.







 
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Adelia Fitrei


Despite the tension that lingered in the air, Adelia was getting used to the silence that was beginning to fill the majority of their time together. She wasn't sure what it was that kept sending him into such a thoughtful stupor, however she could only assume it was him attempting to unravel her as he seemed to enjoy doing.

Never would she believe that it was due to him trying to fight back a beast that lived within.

How amusing it must be to the fates that put them together, that they were there clinging onto their secrets while in reality the confession of them would make them realise perhaps how well suited they were for one another.

Adelia didn't flinch as Maverick spoke suddenly, eyes raising to him over her glass as she took a sip of juice while he addressed his servant. She was unable to help the raise of eyebrow at his demand, wondering just exactly what he was thinking that made him want to clear his schedule. However at the sound of one of the responsibilities he really did have to attend, she was mildly surprised he extended the invite to her.

Composing herself, she lowered her glass back onto the table and ignored her own plate of eggs and bacon for the time being. Her hands raised and rested on the table, in line with the cutlery that waited to be used as she allowed her gaze to wander over him.

"Are you sure you want me to be there? I can't... help but feel as though my presence is doing you more harm than good, at times, Maverick. I wouldn't want to be a distraction." She wasn't entirely sure to whom she meant she would be a distraction to. She meant what she said, having picked up on his mixture of responses to her presence and not being certain as to if he liked her or not. But then there was also the added concern of how the people would react to seeing her with him. She knew that there were mixed opinions about her being in the competition, let alone winning it.

"I'll still be here, when you get back, for our discussion. I promise I won't go running." She teased next, attempting to lighten the tension that seemed to thicken with each word from his mouth.
 
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The chuckle that came from the king was dark and humorless. Quiet and he couldn't help but shake his head at her words, a sharp smirk lifting the corner of his mouth.

"Your absence will do us both more harm than good," he informed as he sawed into his ham, blue gaze flicking up at her for a brief moment. "Seeing the Golden Rose off is an innocent enough event that your presence is expected. I, of course, will not force that upon you, but do consider the impact it could have on the public and, worse, the media." He shrugged, shoving a large piece of ham into his mouth, taking no time at all to swallow it down. His curse hovered just beneath the surface and what table etiquette he may have shown as a king had dulled in the beast's wake.

He sure it was a whirlwind for her. It was as much a storm for him. He didn't enjoy staying back forth in emotion and expression. It was exhausting and irritating and there was a small part of him that wished Adelia turned out to be that simple kind of woman who wouldn't so much as turn his head, let alone rile up his spirit.

"I've lived in their scrutiny, as you well know, though I wonder if you, or rather, your family could withstand their scalding criticism." He shook his head once more, his smirk widening as he cut yet another large piece of meat. "Don't even get me started on the kind of rumors it would generate." Stabbing the chunk of pig onto his fork, he held it up to examine, turning it as if inspecting the worth. "Before you know it, you will hear whispers that you had been locked away in my dungeon to be brainwashed into doing my bidding…"

He suddenly grinned, a wolfish look as he snagged the meat from off the fork, gleaming eyes trailing to hers. He chewed thoughtfully, swallowing after a moment. "The creativity of their stories is amazing." His grin slowly faded, however, and he looked away from her, his cut of more meat less enthusiastic than before.

His shoulders seemed to have sagged as a tiredness rarely shown settled upon him. "If you were to stay behind, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if you did run."







 
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Adelia Fitrei


Instantly her body tensed at the mention of the media and her family in the same sentence. Her defences were raised immediately and her eyes snapped up to him since she had settled on starting her breakfast once he began providing her an answer. While an affair, or rather a double affair, wasn't as bad as something like murder... it wasn't exactly the easiest stain to get rid of either.

She knew he would have a field day with the knowledge once he got wind of it. She suspected he already thought poorly of her after she told him she would turn a blind eye to him wanting to be with other women. It was an answer she thought he wanted to hear, based on his wink and smirk, his confident behaviour. So the idea of him knowing she came from a family that enjoyed affairs wasn't something she was eager for. She suspected it would further taint his opinion of her, that he may believe that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. When in reality, all Adelia wanted was a happy, secure marriage. To someone who wanted her and only her.

The taste of egg soured in her mouth, and Adelia slowly lowered the cutlery to lay knife and fork together on her plate. She took a sip of her orange juice to wash it away, only to find that that too now left a bitterness on her tongue.

"I'm fully aware of the rumours and creativity of stories concocted by the media, Maverick."
She replied coolly, leaning back in her seat now her appetite had been lost, with hands settling across her stomach as elbows laid on the arms of the chair.

His last comment had her eyes sharply snapping back to him, her fingers tightening together where they remained clasped. Adelia suddenly sat forward, leaning into the table, "If you want me to run, Maverick, then don't bother dropping subtle hints. Just ask me too. Ask me to leave. This is your home. If this isn't what you want, then say so now. I would much rather deal with the humiliation and the hounding of the press now, than when you leave me stranded at the altar."

Her tone had changed, to something quite tense and terse, but with an underlying hint of confused hurt which had finally seeped in despite her best intentions to keep her own emotions hidden beneath a neutral blanket.

Clearing her throat, and blinking once, as if just realising what she had said and how she had said it, Adelia stood and placed her napkin over her plate. "Excuse me, I think I'll... leave you to your breakfast and change for the Golden Rose event." She murmured, brow furrowing and eyes averted as she stepped out from behind the table.
 
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The shift in Adelia's demeanor had Maverick grow still and attentive, his gaze unwavering and ever watchful. He knew full well he had inadvertently struck a nerve, but wondered why his statement had been particularly tender for her. She clearly was only here for her family's sake, so why did it matter if he told her to leave or not?

He had, after all, already admitted he didn't wish to marry. They've already established that neither of them had a personal interest in their union. Both were being compelled by forces outside themselves. Surely she knew he didn't have the grounds to tell her to leave. If he did, she wouldn't have ever stepped foot inside the castle to begin with.

A small crease appeared between his brow, Adelia's clipped words carrying a weight of more than one emotion. Maverick wasn't a cruel man. He could be harsh, he could be insensitive, but not without remorse. Her sudden loss of appetite and apparent need to leave his presence was felt more deeply than he showed. He wouldn't ever admit it and was quite surprised she had such an effect on him already.

Wasn't she the one that had asked him to stay?

Maverick wasn't at a loss for words, but he doubted the words he did have would improve the matter. He chose to keep them silent, not trusting that the tension between them wouldn't erupt if he gave his response a voice. Though, maybe it would be a strategic move. If he prodded what had been exposed as a hurt, perhaps she'd go and pack her bags instead of dress for the event.

She had to leave on her own. He couldn't ask her to.

It was a thought he shoved aside, not wishing to cause more strife. It was bad enough she was leaving without finishing her meal. He simply nodded his understanding, his gaze falling back to his plate. His grip tightened around his utensils, the line of his jaw hardening with the effort to remain in his seat as she pulled away from the table.

He was going to allow her to go. He was going to give her room to think.

He remained still for a long, contemplative moment as her scent faded from his nose with her departure. His eyes flickered up to her plate when Reginald reached to clear it from the table and it was then Maverick swore under his breath. Shaking his head, he let out a heavy sigh as he focused on swallowing the rest of the meat that had also become tasteless for him.

If he could, he too, would have left the damned table.

As it was, he didn't want to take any chances with the beast and, so, ensured it was fed. It didn't take long to clear his plate, however, and when he was done, he wiped his mouth and threw his napkin down upon it as he stood from the table.

"Have the carriage ready in ten minutes and please inform Miss Fitrei of the time we must leave." His stride long and quick, Maverick took the stairs up from the courtyard two at a time and headed towards his room.

If he wasn't the death of her, then she certainly was going to be the death of him.





 





Adelia Fitrei


It took five of those ten minutes, plus the time she had while he was finishing his breakfast, for Adelia to find her room again. Both because the corridors confused her, but also because she had become so lost in her thoughts that her feet had wandered with no real purpose or direction. So finding his servant knocking at her bedroom door and calling through to her only to have him turn and tell her, albeit slightly concerned, that they were due to leave in ten minutes but that was five minutes ago, only added to Adelia's state. A state which had become befuddled, stressed and anxious.

For her, her leaving what not only bring further downfall to the Fitrei name but also create a field day for the press. Never would it be the King's fault that she left and broke off the prized engagement. She could only imagine that her parents' affairs would be dragged out once again into the spotlight, and a question would be asked on if the Fitrei's could actually remain loyal to those they were engaged or married to. She would be called into question, the image she showed the press poked and prodded at. They would create rumours, whisper stories, and paint an picture of her that was entirely incorrect.

Her hand swept mindlessly through the outfits in her wardrobe, barely able to focus on what she would wear to the event where the vipers and piranhas in question would be laying it wait for her to make a mistake.

It briefly crossed her mind to simply be upfront with Maverick. Surely it was more bearable to deal with whatever he thought of her than the media. But she found herself not wanting to disappoint him. If she were to tell him the truth, he would look at her unfavourably. Even if she told him what she wanted for her own married life, that she was nothing like her parents. Surely that doubt would always linger in the back of his mind.

Eventually she tore a formal dress from the hanger and hurriedly began to change, a glance to the clock on the bedside table behind her informing her that she had used up four of her five remaining minutes.

A knock on the door sounded as she finished applying the last of soft pink lipstick, added a quick puff of perfume, and her fingers quickly fluffed up her hair before she was hurrying toward the door.



It wasn't until they were in the carriage and Adelia had spent ten minutes of the journey struggling with formulating her feelings that she looked at him. Her hands twisted harshly together in her lap and her eyes fixated on him, trying to get a sense to how he was after her abrupt departure.

"My... secret... is not really a... secret at all. The whole kingdom seems to know it but you, although things have died down in recent months." She started speaking, hesitant to begin with but growing stronger once she had looked away and redirected her attention out the window. "The reason why the... Fitrei name has been questioned and dragged down recently is due to... is due to..." She exhaled harshly, as if irritated with herself, "My parents both had affairs. One because he could and the other because she wanted revenge."

Adelia allowed it to linger in the air, a knuckle cracking from how tightly she was wringing her hands together, "I didn't want you to know because I've-- I've felt you judging me this entire time and I didn't-- I don't want to be known for my parents' affairs." A hand raised to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, tongue darting out to nervously wet her lips, "You won't believe me, but I believe in what marriage stands for and I-- I want nothing more than to fulfil that promise to someone. But because of my parents, all anyone is ever going to see is another bad Fitrei seed that will be hungry after a few months for a new lover."

Taking a deep breath, she finally looked over to him, only managing to hold his gaze for a few seconds before having to look back down to her hands, "But that isn't me, I don't want it to be. Hell, I can barely stand to go on one date with one guy, let alone more than that. So-- so take this as you want. Believe me, or don't believe me. I've told you just... how I feel, you know the not-so-secret-secret, so that's that."
 
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Maverick dressed in something of a more nautical nature, a whitish color that he normally wouldn't wear, but would compliment the event. Thoughts buzzed inside his head like angry bees and even if he had given five hours, the entire day, to himself to sort through them all, he'd only get lost in the chaos and they'd still be a massive swarm.

No one would know it, however.

The king knew how to put on a calm facade for the public and although it wasn't entirely fake -- he did like to govern and interact with his people with the semblance of serenity -- it certainly was practiced to the point of flawlessness. A look at him would not reveal that he was being plagued.

He had greeted Adelia with a respectful smile, though once they were both settled inside the carriage, both his gaze and his mind wandered outside the window. It was going to be a beautiful day, perfect to set the Golden Rose to sail. Perhaps that's what they needed. A day out on the water where they could try to unwind.

They.

Funny. Was he already including Adelia in his adventurous musings?

He had his chin resting on the back of his fingers, his posture slacking and rather open, considering how thick the air was with their tension. Maverick, however, wasn't angry or irritated so much as he was overwhelmed, so when Adelia's voice punctured the tension, he grew attentive to her every word.

His gaze was the only thing to move, at first. Drifting from the window to watch her out of the corner of his eye, her obvious inner struggle that abused her hands and fingers tugged at the frayed edges of his heart. He remained quiet, however, and minimized his movement in an effort to give her the space she needed to finish what she was telling him.

By the time she was done, he had his brows drawn in thought, his head turned to face her directly. He regarded her quietly, giving himself a moment to process her words, but all he could truly care about was her nervousness and her admitted worry about his judgement of her character. He shifted, lifting his head from his chin and reached a hand toward hers, his eyes dropping from her face to her hands. His hand hovered a moment, feeling the warmth bloom up from her skin and then he lowered it, fingers tucking around her own to curl one of her hands safely into his.

His gaze drifted back out the window, his chin resting back from whence it came, but his thumb brushed along her knuckles in a slow, rhythmic motion. "Thank you for telling me," he murmured and although the contact was intended to soothe her, he wasn't so sure that it was something done solely for her.

He needed the touch to remind himself that Adelia was fighting her own battles just as much as he was.

Perhaps they weren't so different after all.

He listened to the horse's hooves upon the stone, the clatter of the carriage as they made their way toward the docks. The strokes of his thumb were soft, her skin like satin. He should hold her hand more often. "I've been told I can be intense," he said after a moment. "It wasn't intentional to make you feel as if I were judging you so harshly."

He pulled his gaze from out of the sky, shifting so the temple of his head rested on his fist as he focused his full attention upon her. "I've formulated opinions of you as I'm sure you have of me, but I never suspected you're one to be disloyal nor one who could accept such disloyalty, regardless of what you have claimed before. You're under a large amount of pressure, Adelia, and I've made it no easier." His thumb came to rest, but then he gave a comforting squeeze. "For that, I am sorry."





 
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Adelia Fitrei


His reaction hadn't been what she had expected at all. His hand moving to lay upon hers was something she hadn't anticipated. His kind words were not what she thought she would be hearing after such a confession. However she knew she should have known better, she should have known to to expect the unexpected with Maverick.

Her brow furrowed as she kept her gaze on their entwined hands, watching as his thumb lightly stroked over the back of her knuckles. She wasn't hating the sensation, in fact quite the opposite. It was reassuring, almost soothing. A tender touch that she hadn't personally experienced in a long while.

It was nice.

"I just... know that I said things I thought you wanted to hear rather than what I wanted to really say when it came to... that. When you mentioned other women... I didn't... I didn't think... I wasn't about to keep you in a loveless arrangement." She explained, realising how stupid it sounded now she was saying it for the second time aloud. It had made perfect sense in her mind before.

After a brief hesitation, Adelia gave his hand a light squeeze back, finally looking up to him and offering a small, uncertain smile.

"We're both under a lot of pressure, I think it's safe to say. Perhaps... we should both be easier on each other. We're only human, after all. If... if this is something you're sure you want... we'll have plenty of time to learn from our mistakes together, won't we?"
 






We're only human, after all.

A smile appeared on Maverick's face as an amused, though quiet, scoff escaped him. She didn't recognize the irony, though she wouldn't be left in the dark for much longer. A part of him felt like he'd be shoving her into the deep end of a pool with a hope she could swim, but it wouldn't do to leave her ignorant.

This morning proved how dangerous it could be. If she were wary and knew why to be cautious, then perhaps he wouldn't have to worry about slipping. She would know to keep her distance, especially if his mood was unstable.

Which...seemed to be the case for the last twentysomething hours. It was exhausting, in a way, to have to fight the side of him that had always been asleep with exception of predictable circumstances. The king wasn't expecting and thus, was wholly unprepared, for such a battle.

"We certainly have time," he agreed thoughtfully, though he voiced it more for reassurance than because he believed it. Time had suddenly become a fickle thing. He wasn't sure when next the beast would lunge for control, though now that the king was aware of Adelia's effect on it, he was more attentive and spared more effort to keep it docile.

...which meant he couldn't hold her hand for too long unless he wanted the beast to focus on the beat of her heart. As such, he slipped his hand from hers, draping his arm over his hips. His posture remained relaxed and the smile on his face soft, however.

"Why ever would you tell me something you think I'd want to hear?" A smirk lifted the corner of his lips, his eyes dancing with mirth. "Did you truly believe I was romancing a multitude of women?" Soft laughter bloomed from his chest and turned his gaze then to look back out of the window. "I'm sure one of them would have tried to blackmail me by now," he mused quietly, then cleared his throat and straightened himself when he caught a glimpse of the dock's gates and the beginnings of the crowd of people waiting for his arrival.

"We'll have a long discussion when we're back at the castle. Perhaps when I reveal my secret, you'll reveal the one you're still hiding." He winked, his smile dimpling his cheek. Although difficult for Adelia to discuss, what she revealed wasn't a secret. She had said so herself. It was simply information he was unaware of that the public was already privy to.





 





Adelia Fitrei


"I don't... know why. I just... I guess I wanted you to know I wasn't going to force you to... be in a loveless marriage? I did mean that. If you did ever find someone else, someone you felt like you truly love, I'm not going to stand in the way of that." Adelia finally looked away, gaze turning onto the view outside the window. The hand he had taken hold of, and then released, still resting on her knee, the fingers gently tapping against it. "As for you romancing numerous women... I don't know. I don't know anything about your personal life. Just... because we're in this together doesn't mean I'm willing to make you miserable for it. If... being with multiple women made you happy then... who would I be to stop you?"

That was her train of thought. It made sense to Adelia. While she had pushed potential suitors away and refused the offer of dates, that was her choice. And even if this marriage didn't work out, she wasn't about to go looking for someone who she could end up loving. It was too tiresome, being judged for her family's affairs and also exhausting hiding the truth about her abilities.

So afraid, she was, of opening up and telling someone everything, that it just seemed easier to keep people at an arm's length.

However the King seemed determined, as yet again he hinted toward the secret he seemed to know she still held dear. Her gaze flickered back to him, lips pressed together as the carriage rocked lightly over the cobblestoned road. She didn't say anything, however, knowing better to than to do so. How many more times could she deny any knowledge of what he was talking about? He would keep pressing her and pushing for that secret. And Adelia had a feeling that he would keep doing so until he knew he had squeezed every possible fact out of her.

Instead of responding, the young woman turned her head away from her king, and her future husband, to peer out the window once more.



Just as she had done at the finals of the competition, Adelia pulled herself together and smiled for the media. She had thought things were intense before, when she was attempting to win... she had no idea that things were going to get more intense. It had been a while since she had last attended such an event as a noble, let alone now as the future bride of the king. The moment they stepped out of the carriage, cameras were flashing and their names being called. Adelia was well aware of the cheering and the gushing from the crowd, although she wasn't entirely confident it was for her. She knew the reputation that Maverick had with the people, it was one of the things she actually admired and respected about him.

Adelia waved and smiled as she knew she was expected to, a hand slipping into the crook of Maverick's elbow once they were close enough to walk together. That action, and their closeness afterwards, sent another flurry of flashes their way. While Adelia's smile was relaxed and warm, there was a slight firmness to her grip on his arm that hinted toward her unease.

Security flanked either side of the docks as they walked down toward the Golden Rose, some dog handlers dotted nearby while others sat on horseback. Adelia knew the reason for the security, it would be stupid not to have some level of it with Maverick being king. Even if it did seem a bit obsessive.

The sending off of the Golden Rose was beautiful, that Adelia had to admit. The christening it with a bottle of champagne, the cheers, the celebrations... she briefly forgot about all her worries and concerns for the time being; she allowed herself to simply... enjoy the moment, and engage with the people.

However, as they began to leave the end of the dock, Adelia was extremely aware of how close the security on horseback were getting to them. She recalled what Maverick had said about horses reacting to him, hence his tendency to keep away from him. There was a jangling of tack that she was acutely aware of too and as her head turned, she noticed one horse closest to Maverick kept turning it's head so it could get a proper look at him. It's eyes wide and it unnerved her to see the whites of it's eyes. Partnered with the ears which were flat against the back of the beast's head, and the nervous and jumpy gait, Adelia's stomach tightened in anticipation of what would happen next.

A loud, aggressive roar sounded from the animal within seconds of Adelia noting the anxious, fearful behaviour. Soon it was rearing, front legs barely touching the floor before it was back up again. Instinctively, the young woman moved to put herself between Maverick and the horse, who, in the next moment, had tossed it's rider.

She shrugged off the grabbing hands that attempted to pull her away by her arms, keeping her eyes on the horse as it continued to rear in front of her. She barely heard the shouts to get the rider out of the way, and to get the crowd back. She definitely didn't hear the calls of her own name and the occasional clicks of camera shutters as the pressed worked to get a photo of the stand-off. Adelia was far too focused on the animal before her, the one that was terrified and seemingly young.

Adelia held her arms out and only slightly raised, stumbling sideways a little to get fully in front of the beast as it continued with the guttural roars and shrill whinnies of warning. There would be a point later where Adelia would feel pain in her forearm, unsuspecting to the bruising hit she had taken on it while trying to keep the horse from bolting off into the crowd.

"Woah, woah now. Woah... woaaaah." The young woman cooed, keeping direct eye contact as she murmured and whispered softly to the frantic creature, taking a few small steps toward it as the rearing got less high and less frequent. Her feet had slipped from her heels, once again unbeknown to her, and now made direct contact with the cool dock flooring. "Woah now, easy. You're alright. You're alright." She breathed, hands raised gently as she backed the four-legged creature up and therefore away from the crowd. "Now... now calm. Calm. You calm down now."

Soon the reins were in her hands and a heavy sigh of relief escaped her as she felt the familiar coarseness of leather in the palm of her hand. Her other hand raised to stroke along the horse's neck, another long breath leaving her as the creature's head bowed and pressed it's forehead against her sternum. "There we go. Nothing's going to happen to you. You just got scared, that's all. Happens to the best of us." She whispered to it, forgetting just where she was, and whom she had just done all of that in front of.
 
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Damned horses.

The animals were too close, which meant someone in the police force wasn't following protocol. Maverick was a patient man, but not when policy was blatantly ignored. There was reason for the guidelines established and what had transpired, erupted before his very eyes, was exactly why the practices were set in place!

Why did humans insist on believing they knew better?

It was a question he may have asked, as biting and harsh as it seemed, when the situation was finally under control and Adelia had calmed the blasted, skittish horse, but Maverick had bit his tongue, reminding himself that as king, he needed to show grace.

It was difficult to do when the apparent lapse in judgement by the head of police resulted in injuries. It was difficult to do as himself, but especially challenging to do when the beast was more awake, had risen closer to the surface and wanted nothing but blood. It saw red, clawed into Maverick's mind every reason why the man who made the decision should be torn into fleshy bits.

The horse had been spooked.

The rider had been thrown.

Adelia had been hurt.

She had been hurt, never mind how she got the damned thing to calm.

It was all a blur to the king from the very moment the horse reared to the one where he found himself sitting before Adelia inside his study, her thin arm in a gentle hold as he pressed an ice pack to the swelling. He remembered flashes of things, some words he had said, but he wasn't aware just how he had come to where he now sat nor why it was he who held the pack to her arm.

She was perfectly capable of doing so herself.

Do not speak to me.

Maverick remembered the directive he gave her.

Not one word.

He remembered the heat of his blood coursing through his veins.

He must have spoken with the police, must have allowed Adelia to be examined and cared for by onsite medical personnel. He must have conducted himself in his usual kingly fashion because he didn't have cameras in his face, asking after his demeanor, nor was he surrounded by a screaming, angry mob.

He must have done and said what needed to be, but what he remembered was vastly different.

He told her not to speak. Whether she heeded him, he was unsure, because he turned inward and had given the beast his attention. Fissures had formed, cracks that threatened its release and Maverick needed the time to mend them, to soothe what had been riled.

He never had to do such before, so when he came back to himself, when he allowed his senses to take in his surroundings once more, saying he was peeved was an understatement.

A fiery gaze lifted from her arm to her eyes, the lines about his mouth tight, his jaw rippling. "Are we done with playing this charade?" His voice came from deep within, a rumble that brought forth the fire that heated his blood. "Or shall we continue to pretend like the secrets we keep from each other won't result in something more catastrophic than a bruised arm?" His gaze bore into hers, but then he slipped his hold from her and pressed the pack into her other hand so that she may continue to hold to the swelling if she so wished.

Standing from his chair, he tore his gaze from her and strode toward the door. "Come with me." He would not soften. Not this time. He couldn't afford her brushing this off. "It's time you understood what's at stake."





 
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Adelia Fitrei


Eyes didn't know where to stay once they were back in the castle, sat in his study. His blunt demand from earlier still ringing in Adelia's head and with the way he held himself the moment the cameras and the people were gone, she didn't dare go against what he wanted. As he sat in front of her to keep the pack against the swelling of her forearm, her eyes moved from the injury to him, to one of the bookcases to the view over his shoulder, and then back down to the injury.

The injury, to Adelia anyway, looked worse than it was. Of course it would hurt to do anything with that arm for a handful of days; playing the piano was out of the question during that time, the bruised muscle and bone arguing against any sort of action that would cause even the lightest of strains. But it was not the worse she had had. Dealing with animals always meant she had some probability of being hurt in some way or another. She was just thankful that her gifts made her immune to any natural poisons too, as she was sure she had had plenty of bites from venomous snakes and spiders in her past.

A bruised bone was lucky compared to a broken one.

When Maverick finally moved in front of her, Adelia herself went still as she found herself holding his intense gaze. She could see a flame had been lit within him, but she couldn't understand why. She couldn't see what wrong she had done to make him look at her in such a way.

His words, and the tone in which he spoke them, sent goosebumps rippling across her skin, and quickly caused her to lower her gaze back onto her arm. The submissive behaviour unable to be helped as instincts whispered for her to not engage in her usual way. There seemed to be something close to the surface within Maverick, and if he was eager to keep it under control, she wasn't going to do anything to poke at it.

"I find it highly unlikely that any of our secrets had anything to do with today, Maverick."
She answered tentatively, keeping the ice pressed to her arm, eyes remaining on it. "It was a spooked horse and nothing else... why can't you just leave it at that? I work with animals in my spare time, this is not the worst injury I've had."

She blinked as he strode off, not enjoying the mystery and hardness to his words. The tension in her body would prove as much, as she twisted to look at him from her chair. Adelia wasn't eager to go anywhere else, or have any other surprises, after the events of the day. All she wanted was a warm bath and some good comfort food. However, Maverick seemed determined, and she wasn't about to make matters worse by denying him.

Clearing her throat, she leaned forward to put the cold compress on the table in his study and stood, reluctantly following after him.

"Whatever it is, Maverick... shouldn't we wait until all of this has settled down? It's... it's been a difficult day and you seem..." She struggled to find the right word, anxious about insulting him but then realising there was no way to continue without potentially doing so, "Emotional... right now. Wouldn't it be best for you to just... calm down and then decide if you want to go through with whatever it is you want to show me?" She paused and then hesitantly reached out to take hold of his arm as they walked through the halls in an attempt to get him to focus on her again, "I wouldn't want you to regret showing me whatever it is just because you got... caught up."
 
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A spooked horse…

Maverick's lip lifted into a silent snarl, but dismissed her ignorant words with a harsh scoff, not bothering to even look back at her. He wasn't so sure he could without wanting to shake her.

She didn't know and he couldn't fault her for that, but why must humans be so--

Emotional.

If Maverick wasn't so concerned or if he truly didn't care, he would have laughed. It would have been nice to laugh right then, to chuckle, to smile, anything that would relieve the heated turmoil pressing up within him. This irritation, this anger wasn't normal for him and that alone would have been enough to deal with.

But no. No, Maverick, as luck would have it, also had the excitement of wrestling with his curse, with the beast that was now awake and watching his--and Adelia's--every move.

Emotional was an understatement.

His sharp gaze cut down to her, his face lined with the anger he found a challenge to keep in check. Once sparked, it seemed it was threatening to rage out of control.

"Let me tell you a story, Adelia." His words were stoney and he had to rip his eyes from hers because calming down was out of the question. He shouldn't have allowed her inside his castle without truly knowing her. He should have fought against the Council, should have presented the case as a risk too great to take, a breach in the security he has established for the kingdom.

"Once upon a time--" He grit his teeth, pushing fists deep into his pockets, and made to lean into his stride, only to suddenly draw up short, muscles bunching up through his back into painful tension at the cool and delicate touch of her hand upon his arm.

She was speaking, her voice heard much more clearly than the words she spoke. He couldn't make sense of them beyond the way they sounded, his focus, the beast's focus, zeroing in on the feeling of her hand. It was her touch, and then her sound, and then her scent his attention shifted to and when his eyes trailed to his side to gaze upon her once more, the king couldn't help--was truly bewildered--of the conflicting awe that settled over him.

He only gazed at her a moment as if searching for the source that made his anger cool, made the beast settle back and watch more with a curiosity than a hunger, but being caught off guard didn't allow her calming touch to be effective for long. His frustration surging back up within him, he turned to her and stepped close enough inside her space to have her fall back a step. Leveling his piercing gaze with hers, he loomed above her, his shadow engulfing her smaller frame and was relentless in his pursuit, continuing to step close until she had pressed herself back into the wall.

As if a predator that had cornered his prey, Maverick regarded her a tense, but silent moment, his control barely maintained, allowing the gravity of the situation to sink in.

In all the months they've been interacting with each other, Adelia had never seen the king in such strained distress. She had never seen his gaze darken with such anger and she certainly had never known him to be threatening. Though, in this moment, Maverick exuded the terrifying truth of what lurked in the black depths of his soul and with quiet, careful words, he warned her.

"You should be much more concerned about your wellbeing than about as something as silly as regret."




 
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Adelia Fitrei


The moment Maverick turned on her was the moment Adelia knew that something had switched within the king. He had been rather bipolar from the start of the competition, and it seemed as though he had gotten worse once she had won and arrived to live in his home. It was why she demanded he tell he to leave if he wanted her gone. Because Adelia wasn't sure just how long her patience would last when she was torn from a seemingly rather intimate moment like they had at the piano, to her suddenly being forced to take stumbling steps back because of his irritation.

Her heart had halted abruptly as he began to encroach on her personal space, only to suddenly flare back to life with a dramatic jumpstart to hammer against her ribs as her footsteps continued. The cool wall at her back did nothing to regulate her heartbeat, and she swallowed thickly as she stared up at him.

Now was not the time to be making eye contact, and Adelia wouldn't be, if it weren't for what caught her attention within his gaze. A darkness there, yes. A threat of what could break out and take over should he allow it to. But never would she expect it to be the secret that he was hiding.

Something primal laid in wait, she could see it lingering on the other side of the anger he clearly felt. Although she hadn't determined if that anger was directed at her, or the situation they both found themselves in. Regardless, Adelia could sense a predator there, burning under the surface of his skin, and she had to wonder just how close it was to escaping. How desperate it was to take over.

Yet she held his gaze, and spoke.

"Back. The fuck. Up." She breathed, a slight shake to the words at the start before they strengthened once he did what he was told. Now it was her turn to get in his personal space, taking in a few deep breaths to steady herself.

Her footsteps retraced their way forward, attempting, this time, to be the one forcing him backwards. However, once her back was away from the wall and she had the comfort of (relatively) open hallway at her back, she stopped and raised a hand to sternly point a finger at him, "If you... ever, ever, come into my space like that again, I'll be sure to make it something you'll definitely regret. Do you understand me?" Her own gaze turned intense, once filled with concern and anxiety, now with a heat and irritation all of her own.

Birds, which had been chirping away near the window just at Maverick's back, grew quiet, their songs falling away.

"I-- I have dealt with your mood swings since the moment I arrived for this competition, Maverick. But if this marriage is actually going to happen, don't you dare expect this to be a regular occurrence. I will never, ever, allow anyone to intimidate or belittle me. I thought you would have known that by now."

After a tense moment, she eventually released a heavy breath and took a step back. Her eyes closed, breath sucking in through her mouth before being released in a slow and controlled manner through her nose. As her emotions were pulled back into check, the birds once more - almost hesitantly - picked back up in their song.

Adelia's eyes flickered open, throat being cleared before she continued again: "Now, are you going to continue with your story, or shall I tend to my arm elsewhere? I'm willing to listen, but if you pull that shit with me again, Maverick, then I'll be walking back to my room quicker than one of your mood swings. I promise you."
 
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