Villainus || Folkelore

Chapter 6

"I believe there's something you're not telling me about your trips to Scle."

Father called me to his study early this morning. There were no greetings, no missions, just this statement. It put fear in my bones. He always does. There's no telling what he'll do at any given moment, especially when he gets upset.

I told him everything. He sat there stoically staring at his desk. Before finally saying, "You're telling me, the King of Scle proposed to you and you told him no?" I didn't even have to nod for him to continue. "I raised you better than this," he growled. "You are going to go to Scle and accept his proposal. Now."

My heart dropped to my feet. Actually, I don't think I still have a heart. It's disappeared.

Now, I'm approaching the front gates, at war with myself. I can't decide between going straight to Demetrius and telling him immediately, or avoiding him and waiting until he proposes again. Even still, my feet carry me all the way to his study, and the second our eyes meet I run the opposite direction. I can't do this.

I run without much thought about where I'm going. I don't even think about Demetrius calling my name, or his pounding footsteps behind me. I reach the gardens before I stop to think.

Demetrius almost plows right through me when he comes around the corner and finds I've stopped.

"Do you want to explain that?" He pants, pointing towards the castle.

I shake my head, hugging myself. What was I thinking? I can't do this.

Demetrius closes the distance between us and pulls me against him. I don't even have the energy to fight him. Sighing, I lean into him.

"I missed you." The admission surprises me. Even when we were courting, I never said anything of the likes.

When Demetrius responds, I can hear the grin in his voice, "I missed you too." 

For a few moments, we just stand there, wrapped up in each other.

"Why did you run, Vi?" Demetrius finally whispers.

I sigh. I don't want to ruin this, and I'm not ready at all to tell him why I'm here. "My father knows," I mumble.

Demetrius goes still. "Knows what?"

"About the proposals," I groan. "He asked, and I couldn't keep it in. He insists I marry you."

A hoot of excitement rips from his throat, and he throws his arms in the air. I glare at him, folding my arms across my chest.

"This is the best thing I've heard all day!" He exclaims. "I get to marry the love of my life."

He cups my face with his hands, making my resolve crumble a little further.

I shake my head, pulling away from him. "This isn't good, Demetrius. My father thinks he'll be able to control your kingdom through me. It's just another power play."

"But it means I get to have you by my side, every single moment of every single day til the day I die."

He's being thickheaded. "He'll use my power as a Queen to get what he wants. It'll be a disaster."

"Vi. You'll be a Queen. He won't be able to control you like that."

My head whips back and forth, my hair flying around like a crazy woman. "You don't know that. He'd find a way, I know he will. I can't do that to you or to Scle."

Demetrius huffs, crossing his arms. "We can figure it out later. Right now, I'm going to try this again," he drawls, getting down on one knee. I glare, my fiercest glare.