Chapter 13: What are we?

***WARNING: This chapter contains foul language and after-trauma abuse.

***Alright Now Continuation Of Chapter 13...

The orangeish sun was painting the evening sky as it highlighted Aurora's right side and Dorion's left side face giving them both a beautiful golden light.

They sat across each other on a white marble square table white marble chair that had black thick velvet seat cushions as they looked at each other in silence without a word to one another.

Of course alone for now but not for long since they waited for the maids to bring in the refreshments to the indoor glass room.

To be preceded this room was more like an indoor greenhouse style since instead of regular windows that will go regularly in a room where largely connected scares covered the whole wall. It was made out of the pure glass with black marble borders and a small chunk of white marble wall to rest in between.

Finally, Aurora's lips parted to speak at this dead silence.

Not that it was awkward but she rather just speak up now rather than wait to do so when the refreshments came.

"What are we?" (Aurora, asked)

She asked as she looked at him expressionaly, yet her eyes seemed to be studying Dorion for whatever response he would tell.

Dorion's lips had risen up in a side smirk however if you read his expression right it had seemed he was quite bothered.

Maybe he had taken her question to mockery.

"Lady" (Dorion, said)

He paused for a few seconds to finish the small chuckle under his breath before continuing.

"You wanted thirty minutes for such a question?" (Dorion, asked)

Of the bat Aurora had seemed to notice his attitude, it was as if telling her 'You wanted to waste your time in this way'

Even so, that attitude was not a surprise to her, a woman like her who received insults all her life was nothing to her.

Maybe that's why he asked that question why such a tone because he was tired of wasting his time on who he believed were unworthy of it.

Her lips parted again as she spoke again as her expression began to change with firmness and straightness even Dorion himself would have noticed that her expressionelss face had changed.

So he knew what the words of her come out were meant to be serious.

"I married you because I wanted to not because I was forced to do so." (Aurora, said)

"That is the first thing I want to clarify to you." (Aurora, said)

She was determined to state her business first however, it was wise to clarify that she willingly accepted the marriage before he made himself different ideas as he had already probably made.

She continued to speak.

"I asked you what we are because I wanted to know where I stand." (Aurora, said)

" I wanted to know if this marriage would consist of me being continuously ignored or if you were going to fulfill your role as my husband and I as your wife?" (Aurora, asked)

"..." (Dorion)

Dorion said no word only narrowing his ruby eyes down as to studying her now.

'Creak'

Chair noises

He inclined himself a little forward and put his elbows on the marble table and rested his chin on his hands.

"And why would a noble birth lady go so far for a bastard son like me eh?" (Dorion, asked)

He raised his left brow with a mocking tone again.

"I'm sure you must have heard among gossiping Parrot how I love the smell of blood, or how bad I crave it?" (Dorion, asked)

He asked her as he looked at her with a grim face that would scare any small children if present.

"Or how about the furious killing monster like me loves to point swords to anyone who crosses their path?" (Dorion, asked)

"Being a living thing or not I execute it as I please..." (Dorion, said)

Then he included his head a little down that was resting and glared a little harder at Aurora as if to give a murderous atmosphere.

'Guilp' (Aurora)

'I knew he wasn't going to be easy to talk to...still, I don't plan to waste my second life' (Aurora's inner thoughts)

She raised her head a little higher as an arrogant woman and looked at him with the same firm bold eyes.

"Then are you going to pull your sword out now?" (Aurora, asked)

She showed no sign of being afraid which dumbfounded Dorion who was expecting to frighten her a little to distance any intention she had to get close to him.

"What?" (Dorion, asked)

He really asked dumbfounded as he lifted his head away from his resting hands.

However, Aurora was not going to wait till he regain his senses to speak again before her.

"Point it then." (Aurora, said)

She continued arrogantly.

It was as if she was testing death for the second time.

"I must have annoyed you too much then, so why haven't you pulled your sword yet? Show me the man you claim to be." (Aurora, said)

'What is she...is she crazy?!' (Dorion's inner thoughts)

Not only was he shocked by her highly attitude as she raised her chin with confidence but those exact words were as if she challenged him or better yet testing him.

Somehow it didn't quite displease that for the first time in a long time, he could see a facial expression that did not consist of a poker face or an expressionless face.

"Ha, lady I think your forgetting you're the one who asked for thirty minutes wouldn't it be rude to point my sword at you when your thirty minutes haven't gone by yet." (Dorion, said)

Dorion said with a somehow teasing tone and his facial expressions seemed that rather than what may have sounded like mad words were a little bit more ease on her.

Funny enough Aurora followed his same attitude.

"Then after the thirty minutes are you going to point your sword at me? Or was that included in your condition.?" (Aurora, asked)

She had raised her left brow and tilted her head as she put her fingers tapping her chin.

'....' (Dorion's inner thoughts)

It seemed that Dorion had forgotten a little of his main purpose and play along with her as well.

"Then what kind of man do you take me as? Do I look like the kind of man who would point a sword at his wife?" (Dorion, asked)

It was at this moment that Dorion regretted those exact words for the distraction that sat across from him.

"Your words must have admitted that you consider me as your wife then?" (Aurora, asked)

Aurora's eyes seemed to narrow down like a crescent moon. She had yet not smiled in front of him but her eyes had seemed to do the job.

"Lady don't change my words." (Dorion, said)

But now that Dorion was tricked by her the only thing was to revoke and pretend.

"I never changed your words, you said what you said besides didn't you start first?" (Aurora, asked)

Her facial expressions went back to her serious face.

"What?" (Dorion, asked)

He made a confused face again at the changing atmosphere once again.

'He did a good job at scaring me, in the beginning, a little so amplifying the atmosphere was a good choice to do.' (Aurora's inner thoughts)

But she had to stay aware that this man would set foot outside as soon as the thirty minutes would be over not including the ones of whichever request he'd make her do.

Her lips parted again and her eyes and hands changed with a somehow excused look to them.

It was like staring at a person who was tired of life, a person who didn't want to fight, a lonely person.

'Badump, Badump' (Dorion's heartbeat)

As he looked at her his heartbeat seemed to beat, but not in a good way.

It was as if he himself was feeling the pain just looking at that tired expression and expression that he himself knew too much.

The sad exhausted eyes complemented her excused tone.

"Don't you ever get tired?" (Aurora, asked)

She turned to look at the orangeish sun as she asked her next question.

"Don't you get tired of talking like that about yourself?"(Aurora, asked)

She closed her eyes as if she was resting still not turning her face away as the golden light hit her face more.

She truly looked like a resting angel waiting to be taken away to the heavens.

She opened her eyes and turned her face slowly to face Dorion's wide ruby eyes.

"It must have been exhausting to be alone when the world seems against you?" (Aurora, said)

She asked gently with sad eyes as she tucked a fuchsia hair strand behind her ear.

'Badump, Badump' (Dorion)

Now his heartbeat was beating in a good way.

He couldn't even think if it was how she phrased her words, how she tone them, or if it was her beauty that had him in quite a daze state.

Contrary to him Aurora continued to speak.

"Even though we have different circumstances...yet I know how you feel." ( Aurora, said)

She stopped talking, took a breath, and exhaled.

Her whole demeanor had changed once again.

At this point, Dorion was not surprised at how quickly her emotions were changing.

She looked at him with somehow angry eyes, not directed at him but toward others.

It was an infuriating angry eye that reflected like a mirror on his red ruby eyes.

"That is why it infuriates me more the way you talk about yourself like that." (Aurora, said)

There was both anger and pain in her voice.

"Because I used to think everything was my fault.... but I had to learn the hard way that it was alright to be selfish." (Aurora, said)

Dorion continued to stare at her without a word, it was as if he had completely lost his speech.

His face did not seem very good either as he looked like somehow he too was heartbroken hearing her words that seemed to apply to him.

He had always shut himself from other singing a vulnerable him but it was just him and her at this moment.

"In truth, I could care less if your a commoner, a duke, or a prince because, at the end of the day, I'm the daughter of Marquess Elex" (Aurora, said)

"You hear it as well, at least once, about the prophecy." (Aurora, said)

Finally, Dorion's lips parted.

"I'm afraid I have heard of it." (Dorion, said)

He said with a softer pitiful voice, it was a regretful tone to even admit this out loud.

"The what difference is there between us? It's exhausting hearing things like that for both when we didn't have control of it." (Aurora, said)

Usually, in this case, it would have been lovely to have a man to count on and hear pretty words to warm her heart but at this right moment she had to be the man to heal this person's wounds, maybe that way he too could open his heart to her.

"I'm a bad prophesy child as they so call me, an existence that should never be born they said" (Aurora, said)

"However, how is that my fault?" Was being my fault being born it?" (Aurora, asked)

It was a rhetorical question that Dorion had seemed to notice.

He said no word as he continued to let her speak.

"I want you to know that you did nothing wrong just like me." (Aurora, said)

She looked at him with a firm expression.

'How long...how long has it been since I heard I haven't done anything wrong?' (Dorion's inner thoughts)

Dorion had a small memory flash of his mother holding him one last time telling him that he had done nothing wrong just like how that woman looked at him sitting in front of him.

"So please... it hurts" (Aurora, said)

He was concentrating and paying attention to her but his mind was calm just as if he was at peace with himself.

"That you'd call yourself a monster..." (Aurora, said)

She looked at him with warm eyes.

"You are not a monster to me" (Aurora, said)

"You are my husband." (Aurora, said)

"...." (Dorion)

Dorion's lips were about to part when there was a knock on the door.

'Knock'

At the knock, three maids came in with a rolling cart and set two sets of tea cups resting on a wavy plate.

'Tisss'

Tea noise

One maid was organizing the cart while one maid headed to Dorion's side to pour tea and the other maid positioned herself next to Aurora pouring tea.

It was quick and done in a switch and both the maid serving tea finished at the same time turning around with the maid organizing the cart as they gave their backs to both Dorion and Aurora to give them some privacy before they finish packing up.

Unfutrunly, they had overlooked one thing.

An that was...serving lavender tea.

"Haah" (Aurora)

Aurora looked down at the lavender tea with a pale face that was starting to clasp for air.

"Haah" (Aurora)

She was having trouble breathing and began to panic.

At the moment that the maids were going to reach her she had dropped down to her knees.

The same way she had dropped when Adelina had poisoned her only except she was clinging to one of the white marble table legs instead of the table cloth.

"Lady breath" (Dorion, said)

Without hesitation, Dorion had crunched down and reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders as he called her.

"Haah" (Aurora)

However, Aurora did not respond back to him as she continued to heavily breathe.

"Breath" (Dorion, said)

He raised his voice stressed while the maids clasp their hands pale at the scene.

"Haaah" (Aurora)

Aurora continued to breathe heavily.

Even though her dark blue eyes were looking at his ruby red eyes her eyes had to regain focus.

"Haaah" (Aurora)

Dorion continued to hold her by her shoulder with his white-gloved hands as she was turning pale by the moment.

Suddenly...

'Drip, Drip'

Tears running down.

Aurora started crying with her yet unfocused eyes.

'Damit!' (Dorion's inner thoughts)

He greeted his teeth and turn to gaze violently at the maids with their covered mouths.

"Did you put something in the tea?!" (Dorion, asked)

He raised his voice at them furiously.

"N-No master we didn't" (Ernesta, said)

The maid in the middle with short black hair and grey eyes spoke up.

She had seemed sincere as the other two maids who had clearly seemed in shock by the situation.

And in the background.

"Haah" (Aurora)

"Haah" (Aurora)

Dorion turned his face again and looked at her

"Fuck, breath!" (Dorion, said)

He raised his voice but sounded more worried than a man.

"Lady!" (Dorion, said)

His words were useless to Aurora who seemed to have a panic attack.

'Drip, Drip'

Tears

Aurora continued to cry.

"Haaah" (Aurora)

With nothing else nor knowing how to calm her down the only thing he could think was too...

"Shit!" (Dorion, said)

Dorion clicked his sound

"Then you'll have to excuse me" (Dorion, said)

He released his right hand and swiftly placed it under her chin cupping her chin while his long folded arm had almost reached near her left ear.

He had pressed his lips against her lips.

'Chu'

Dorion had kissed Aurora.

His mouth had moved as her mouth remained still till her dark blue eyes began to dilate back to normal at his touch.

She had now once again control of her breath.

"Gashp" (Maids)

At the same time, you could hear the maid's grasp of the unexpected kissing scene.

Dorion had to notice Aurora had come to her senses and detached himself from her as he removed his lips away from her and dropped down his arm.

He looked at her who had seemed both shocked and confused at the situation was at, it was not that she hated it.

It was more like she was still in shock she had a panic attack and was just recovering from it.

"Huh?" (Aurora)

Suddenly she placed her right and left fingers on her lips with a still shocking face taking in now what was the reason her panic attack had stopped.

She looked up at Dorion who did not feel both apologetic rather his face wasn't even embarrassed or apologetic it was more like it was scanning her if she was truly better since he had too not taken into account what he had just done himself.

At the time he had kissed her, his mind was under stress so it was normal he didn't think about what he did until he finally saw Aurora's face gain a red blush around her cheeks and even her nose and that is when he too realized at that moment what he had done.

His eyes widen as he saw her and then his red ruby eyes turned to look to the right with a small red blush on his face.

It was rare that he'd feel flustered but now even the maids were present he couldn't dare to look their way.

After some silence, he turned around and looked at her who was already looking at him with the same expression she was in.

He didn't know if what she really said about the marriage was true but the fact was that he had kissed her without her consent and what about if she was lying to him? What about if she never wanted a kiss from him?

He got himself up and looked down at her and caught awkwardly.

"I hope the lady doesn't get the wrong idea I'm not the type of man to kiss a lady without consent I just didn't know what to do at the moment..." (Dorion, said)

He turned again to look at the orangeish sky and extended his hand to get her up.

'She probably won't accept it-' (Dorion's inner thoughts)

But to his surprise, a gent hand was placed in his hand and when he looked he saw her getting up with his help as she was holding the hem of her yellow dress.

As she was getting up her face naturally turned where she was seated and unconsciously turned to look down and saw lavender tea.

"!" (Aurora)

Her eyes widen again and were about to have another panic attract but before that Dorion noticed the main source of her breathing and with his free hand he grabbed both her and his teacup spilling some lavender tea on the marble table and throwing both tea cups towards the glass squared windows.

'Crash'

Glass breaking.

The glass had indeed broken among the tea cup thrown.

Aurora's eyes went wide like the maids did expect that she screamed at his sudden action.

"Kyaa!" (Maids, screaming)

He turned to look at them with scolding firm eyes.

"Lavender tea is prohibited starting today, so get rid of it all and tell Orland to prohibit the trade of any lavender tea in this empire." (Dorion, said)

"If disobeyed by any merchant you bulldoze those ships and exterminate them." (Dorion, said)

The maids who were pale in fright quickly nodded at his command.

Then he then turned his attention to Aurora who seemed to observe him with curious eyes.

"..." (Aurora)

He didn't know if it was those alluring eyes that made him lose reason once again of the thought of losing her again just like that incident as she lost her life.

'Hug'

Dorion hugged her

"It's gone" (Dorion, said)

His left hand had cupped the back of her head and his right hand wrapped around her back.

"I got rid of it so breathe slowly" (Dorion, said)

Aurora's eyes widen at the unexpected hug but her arms had made their way to wrap on Dorion's back.

She had noticed that she was not the only one who had seemed tense, he sounded worried, scared, and relieve.

A few minutes had passed by as they continued to hug each other ignoring the precedence of the maids that run away to inform Orland.

Finally, Aurora spoke up.

"I-" (Aurora, said)

They both spoke at the same time as they continued to hug each other.

"About that kiss-" (Dorion, said)

Dorion closed his mouth once again and let her speak.

"I hate lavender tea..." (Aurora, said)

They had unwrapped each other from the hug and looked at one another once again.

She looked up at him as he looked down at her from his tall height.

"Thank you" (Aurora, said)

She said sincerely.

"That was...quite unladylike for me to do, so I apologize." (Aurora, said)

She said a little embarrassed.

Dorion nodded as if it was all right and sat back in his seat.

'What is he doing?' (Aurora's inner thoughts)

He caught on to her face.

" It seems there's a conversation to continue" (Dorion, said)

Aurora got the hint and sat down.

But this time it was Dorion's turn to ask the questions here.

And what was best to also be straightforward, after that kiss and that intimate hug did that mean anything to her?

"I won't ask, but I do have a question." (Dorion, said)

That meant he was not going to ask about the Lavender tea's true reason behind it but he had a question himself that he needed to hear from her.

"Yes?" (Aurora, asked)

She replied to him.

"Do you love me?" (Dorion, asked)

Dorion straightforwardly asked without an expressionless face, almost calling him shameless for even asking a question like that to a lady who had just gone through a crisis.

Her eyes went wide at his question.

However, it was a question he expected an answer to.

"No" (Aurora, said)

She said with a straightforward face filled with no regret.

"I don't love you." (Aurora, said)

'Throb' (Dorion)

Dorion's eyes seemed to catch a gloom to them as his heart felt a painful sting.

'I knew it (Dorion's inner thoughts)

He was a fool to even think she'd like him the way she used to when they were young.

For all, he knew she probably didn't remember him as everyone's memories were altered by the fake empress.

It was reasonable to think she would probably be in love with the crown prince Jerek since all the memories that he'd formed with her had been switched for him.

He was in deep thought when Aurora interrupted him.

"However, I want to love you" (Aurora, said)

'Again' (Aurora's inner thoughts)

But Dorion how to hear ached only felt confused.

"I'm sure the lady is not doing a good job at explaining it to me?" (Dorion, asked)

He snickered with a hurt tone.

He probably thought Aurora was playing with his emotion. He didn't want to be a second option but of course, that didn't mean he'd stop loving her and send her to a foreign country.

"I didn't have the opportunity to love...I had gone through a painful time till now so I never had the opportunity to think about love." (Aurora, said)

It was understandable that Aurora had no time to think of love as Dorion because unlike him stuck on a battlefield he had all the time in the world to think.

So for a small child to constantly be abused and never catch a break as she was chased endlessly was understandable to even Dorion to know.

"And now that I am standing here today facing you, I want to be able to give that love, a love I wanted to give you." (Aurora, said)

Dorion's eyes had seemed to widen again.

'It like she was talking about me...not him' (Dorion's inner thoughts)

He couldn't help but raise his lips in a small smile as she continued to speak.

"The thought of constantly belonging alone was so suffocating." (Aurora, said)

"I don't want to...be alone" (Aurora, said)

"I want to be happy and I hope I can make you happy, so please accept me." (Aurora, said)

It was like a pleading child to not be abandoned.

A face so pitiful so tired but a small sparkle shined in her dark blue eyes hoping to not be thrown away.

'That face...those eyes' (Dorion's inner thoughts)

He ruffled his hair in stress.

He knew the moment he step into this room he didn't have to confidence to push her way that's why he resulted in scaring her off but in the end, she was more determined.

That mean she wasn't going to accept going to a foreign country, although the condition still stands he had the power to decide if this conversation convinced him.

But he knew that being selfish again was going to be the end of him if he couldn't protect her...he wanted to be selfish and keep her.

He couldn't let go of the taste of happiness.

His lips parted once again.

"If I said I want us to be a couple, then the lady is saying she's telling me the truth and is considering on fulfilling her role?" (Dorion, asked)

"I am" (Aurora, said)

"Do you know what that role requires? There will be more people than what you have dealt with before" (Dorion, asked)

He asked again as to give her one last warning, one last chance before he made up his mind and keeps her by his side.

"I am no longer alone I am your wife and you are my husband." (Aurora, said)

"And I will defend your name" (Aurora, said)

But she said confidently without no regret.

It had seemed her mind was made up and so was his.

"You better keep those words lady, I don't like people who break those promises." (Dorion, said)

He furrowed his brows as he said.

"That will never happen." (Aurora, said)

"..." (Dorion)

It had seemed he had nothing left to say but she had some more to discuss,

"Also...there something else I wish to discuss.." (Aurora, said)

"And what is that?" (Dorion, asked)

He raised his brow as if waiting on what this mischievous lady will love to talk about next.

"I want to become a saintess." (Aurora, said)

She stared at him with determination.

It was something she was letting him know not asking for permission.

"!!" (Dorion)

***Next Chapter: Ml finds FL's needle marks, and we get a nosebleed by our ml due to our FL's smile. Fl confesses that she only likes him. They are honest about the memories alteration...