Villainus || Folkelore

Chapter 5

Despite my pleas for a new mission, Father sends me back to Scle. Long sleeves and a high collar cover the bruises of punishment for my pleading.

"Bradbury's don't beg," Father had growled. And I had knelt in silence as he hit and whipped and whatever else he found pleasure in. It was easier that way.

Demetrius will never know the whole of what I've been put through. It's better that way.

Every time I make to enter the palace, I brace for them to turn me away. Yet, they never do. I'm accepted here as one of their own.

A soldier jostles into me on the way into the Sclian palace, and I wince. Maybe my punishment will be harder to cover than long sleeves and high collars. Oh well, there's no turning back now.

I knock on the door to Demetrius's study with a deep inhale. I don't release it until he calls for me to enter. I step into the small, dark room and my heart wrenches to see his face light up when he recognizes me.

"I wasn't expecting you today, Vi," he began. "What are we doing today?"

I duck my head. "I have no idea. Father didn't give me a mission, just sent me here."

"Ah, perhaps he believes you're here wooing me?" He asks, raising an eyebrow amused.

My cheeks burn. "Not this again," I groan. "If you propose, I'm going to slit your throat." I flick out my dagger, giving him a look that says "try me". 

Demetrius laughs, not at all intimidated by me. I glare at him, and he raises his hands in surrender.

"I won't propose again, but my offer still stands." My glower deepens, and Demetrius laughs again. I huff, and turn to leave. "Wait, Vi, I'll behave, I promise."

I don't move. My whole body tenses when I hear him stand, and every nerve in my body senses him as he nears. My back tingles just before his hand wraps around my shoulder.

"Let's go down to the armory." Without waiting for my answer, he moves past me with a quick squeeze to my shoulder. I stand frozen for a few moments. Demetrius pauses, looking over his shoulder at me with a raised eyebrow. Gathering myself, I step forward to catch him. He doesn't acknowledge me, just keeps walking, and I appreciate it. I couldn't handle small talk with my rattled emotions. Half of me wants to push him into the wall and kiss him, while the other half wants to run away and never look back.

I walk with my head down, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.

"Vi," Demetrius calls out gently. "The armory is right here."

My head snaps up, and I look around. "Right, of course."

Demetrius looks at me like I'm losing it, and maybe I am. I take a few breaths to resettle myself, but they don't do anything. My stomach still drops, and my head still feels like it's going to explode.

Demetrius steps towards me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. "Are you alright, Vi?"

"I'm fine, Demetrius. Can we please just get this over with?" I plead, moving away and wrapping my arms around my stomach.

He grumbles behind me but opens the armory with a flick of his wrist. I gasp in awe as we step into the room where ceiling to floor cases hold every weapon imaginable. Forcing back my wonder, I survey the weapons, carefully cataloging each within my brain. Demetrius was not exaggerating when he said it was well stocked.

Looking over my shoulder at him, I catch him staring at me with a small smirk on his face. I scowl.

"What's that look for?"

His smirk deepens. "If I tell you, you'll slit my throat. And I quite like my throat, so I'll be keeping that to myself."

I roll my eyes, folding my arms across my chest. "How do you know I won't slit your throat for even mentioning it?"

"Because," he murmurs, stepping up in my space. "I think you like me."

"You're delusional," I breathe.

"Oh really?" His hand lifts, toying with a lock of my hair, his eyes following the movement. All the air rushes out of my lungs, and his mouth lifts in a smirk. He knows the effect he has on me. He always has. "Marry me," he whispers, his head dropping against my neck like he needs to be closer.

My stomach drops and I hiss through clenched teeth, "You said you'd behave."

"Ok, so I lied." His breath against my neck makes me shiver. And not at all in a bad way. "I can't bear the thought of living without you, Vi. Be my wife. My Queen. My everything."

My heart rips in half. I want him so badly at this moment. But I need to push him away.

Even as the thought passes through my mind, I wrap my arms around him and pull him closer. He inhales sharply, his arms tightening around my waist.

"Demetrius," the word slips out of me as my hand moves to run my fingers through his hair. I've always loved the feel of his thick wavy locks brushing against my skin. "I'm sorry."

He pulls back before I can continue, his hands flying up to cup my cheeks. "Don't," he utters, and I see a single tear leak from his eye. It brings my own tears to the surface. "Don't give me hope like that and then rip it away."

The waterworks start. Tears run freely down my face, and there is nothing I can do to stop it.

"Stop and think about it, Demetrius. I'm nothing but a puppet to my father now. Why would anything change if I married you? It wouldn't. He'd just have more power to hurt anything and everything." I said too much, and I can see it on Demetrius's face.

"He hurts you?" He snarls. "You're not going back, Vi. I meant what I said about throwing you in the dungeon if I have to, but there is no way I'm letting you return to the monster you call your father."

That does nothing to help my tears. I've never loved him more, but I can't put him in the danger he would be in if I stayed.

"If you locked me in the dungeon, he would start a war. If you marry me, he's going to start a war. Any way you try to protect me is just going to hurt you." Tears run freely down his face now too. I reach up and wipe them away with my thumb. "I can't let him hurt you, Demetrius."

"I'll find a way," he promises in a whisper. "I'll find a way to marry you without him ruining it. There's got to be a way."

I smile up at him miserably. "You don't know my father the way I do."

"I'm not losing you again, Octavia. You'll have to kill me before I let you go."

Resting his forehead against mine, he sighs. Almost as if some part of him can relax because he's close to me. I shove the thought out of my mind, closing my eyes to soak in this moment. The last of its kind, I'm sure of it.