Battle Of The Wills

Emma~

“Papa, he can’t be serious? Tell me this is some sort of sick joke? I can’t marry a man like this… and this is your home, he can’t hurt you here!” I turn to my family again, not trusting myself to keep it together if forced to face Orion much longer.

“While I do have a sense of humour, a quality you’ll come to love in our marriage, this isn’t a joke… and unless you prefer the title orphan over wife, there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”

“I’d sooner die than marry the likes of you,” I practically spit, and I’m surprised at how naturally this confidence is coming to me. “Are you really that desperate that you have to force a woman to marry you?” I raise my eyebrows in disbelief and watch as the irritation towards my words flickers across his face.

Usually, I’m not one to speak so bluntly when faced with confrontation, but then again I’ve not really been exposed to something like this. I’m proud of myself for standing my ground so far, and hope that I can keep it up.

“Enough of this, I’m not a patient man, Emma… and I didn’t take you for a selfish woman. Are you really willing to give your father’s life in exchange for escaping me?”

It’s at this moment that it really sinks in. The fact that there are only two options, confirmed by my father’s silence as he is honourable enough to try and give me a choice in a situation where there is none. Either I cause the death of my beloved father, or I marry this monster. My heart hurts with knowing that there’s only one route that I can live with, not that there’d be much of a life trapped by Orion’s side.

So I give my opposition one last shot, in the hopes that I can avoid what threatens to shake me to my core.

“We are good people, Mr. Neville. My father is a good and honest man and we do not deserve to be treated like this… I beg you to reconsider.” I’ve never had to beg a day in my life, but for my father I’ll do anything. Even cave in to this painful ultimatum if my plea doesn’t work.

“How unusual,” is all he replies at first, and I let out a heavy sigh of exasperation. “I’ve never met a princess of crime unaware of her title.”

“I think you’re projecting a little too much now,” I answer without thinking, unable to help myself as he tries to paint us in his evil colors.

Rather than take the bait, though, Orion turns to my father in question. “Does she not know of the family business? That you’ve done all that I have only in lesser, weaker quantities?”

“Orion let’s not—” My father starts, and my eyes widen.

He didn’t deny it; my father didn’t deny the accusation, and nobody around the room even looks surprised. Could this villain be telling the truth? Is my father a… Crime Boss, or whatever you call them?

“I think you have your answer, Princess… So what will it be?”

I suddenly find it very hard to swallow all of the saliva building up in my mouth, the world starts to spin, and my stomach flips in on itself over and over. It’s been hours since I last ate, and with a shock like this, I’m at risk of keeling over.

The last thing I want to do is fall on my face and leave myself exposed to such an audience.

I look down at the table for something I can easily grab, fruit, biscottis, anything, only to find that none of my desserts have been eaten yet. The one in front of me hasn’t even been cracked and I can’t help but reach for it along with Orion’s spoon.

Someone might as well enjoy the efforts behind my labor and why not me? Goodness knows I could use the sugar right now. I hear the satisfying crack as the caramel splits in two and I dig my spoon in for a delicious mouthful.

The flavor is slightly sweet but tangy just as I was hoping it would be, paired with a texture that is both rich and smooth. It’s as perfect as I suspected and I forget whose company I’m in for a moment when I let out a quick moan of satisfaction.

My mistake.

“Everybody out. Now!” Orion barks to the room that obeys so quickly, they might as well have been under a spell. It shocks me to see that even my brother has listened, never mind my father.

The idea of being left alone with him panics me and I look up nervously with the ramekin still clutched in my hands. Clearly, he’s taken my dessert break as an act of disrespect rather than an appreciation for my own work. So much for begging for my father’s life, this seems to have pissed him off more than anything else I’ve said.

“You’re going to be my wife,” he snaps but I don’t answer.

Chances are this will bother him more than the petty back and forth he’s gearing up for anyway. So instead, I use this pause to take another spoonful. It’s not like it can get any worse, can it?

I might as well do it thoroughly at this point, because after all, when will I ever get the chance to eat in my own home again? There’s nothing I can do if he won’t take back the looming threat.

Losing his temper, Orion grabs my arm and pulls me closer to him. My body seizes up from the shock and I can’t believe that he would lay a finger on me without my consent. Well actually, I can believe it but I dislike it all the same.

I actually see red from all the fury building up inside of me and I unthinkingly throw my dessert in his face, ramekin and all. The silence that follows is powerful and all we can hear is the clattering on the floor as it smashes apart.

Holding my breath, I wonder if maybe I might have gone too far with that one. If I can throw a dish at him, why can’t he do the same back?

I think I’m about to find out just how evil my future captor really is.