'A great fire burns within me, but no one stops to warm themselves at it, and passers-by only see a wisp of smoke.'

-Vincent Van Gogh

~~~

The Palace;

Edward felt his heart swell with adoration as he held his wife in his arms.

His wife!
He had been waiting to call her that ever since the first time he laid eyes upon her. She was his now; his to love and cherish till the end of their lives.

Edward had been stunned the moment he saw her in her bridal attire.

Maya had looked ethereal. He had not thought it possible for her to look more beautiful than she already was; but she had proven him wrong. He had little understanding of his surroundings during the entire ceremony. He was giddy with the knowledge of her being at his side. Whenever someone came to congratulate them, he felt a renewed sense of accomplishment.

And as they stood facing each other afterwards, alone in their chambers, Edward had felt more like a boy smitten with the maiden in front of him than a grown man.
He wanted to assure her that he would never hurt her; that she could trust him. But his words had died in his mouth the second their eyes met.

A part of him was filled with dread the first time he had undressed her.
She looked so delicate- so young. He had never realized just how young she was; his enamored heart had failed to take note of that. But as she sat before him in nothing but the glow of her golden skin and shaded, shy eyes, he had felt an overwhelming need to shield her from any immoral gaze- his included.
However, none of his resolves were strong enough to stand against his need for her, as he found himself unable to resist her when she came to him with so much trust and willingness.

They had made love in the soft glow of the dancing flames of the candles. Their touches were curios- feverish in their explorations. He had reverently memorized each and every curve of her body- establishing it in his memory. They were finally man and wife in the eyes of the Lord.

And now, Edward found himself unable to sleep- tortured by need. He knew he could not ask anything of her tonight, she must be drained.

He winced as he thought of the pain she must have felt. Although she had masked it efficiently- the only indication of it being the slight frown on her face, he had seen it in her eyes and soothed her with loving words.

He would have to wait. They had their entire lives together.

Maya sighed contentedly as she felt the feather-soft touches that Edward's fingers trailed down her body.
Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him.

Edward's gaze upon her was intense. He pressed a soft kiss against her hair and continued his ministrations. Their bodies were covered with a thin sheath of sweat and Maya felt every one of his touch with an increasing fervor.

"What are you doing, Your Highness?"
Maya's voice was no more than a whisper as she shuddered at the sensations that his deft hands were creating.

"Do you not like it, My Princess?" Edward spoke in a hoarse voice, pinning her under his body.

Maya's breaths came out in shallow gasps as she felt his fingers rest at the base of her neck.
He looked at her with smoldering eyes before tracing her torso and smiled in satisfaction when she let out a soft moan, arching her back. His fingers continued moving lower still.
With one hand supporting his weight, he brought the other back up before it had a chance to travel into dangerous territories.

Edward cursed himself for being selfish. He had to think of Maya first. She might not realize it in their state of pleasure but her body must be sore. She was certainly not ready for a repeat.

Maya bit back her protest when she felt his hands leave her body. She suddenly felt empty.

"Edward?"

Edward almost groaned at the torture that her accusing tone was subjecting him to.
She looked at him vulnerably with hesitant eyes.

He willed the Lord to give him enough courage to survive the temptation.

"My love, you are tired. You need to rest."

He spoke in an adoring voice. It broke his heart to see the disappointment on her face. It took everything in him to prevent himself from kissing her soft, delectable lips to wipe it off her exquisite features.

"But-"

Maya did not know what gave her the courage to protest.
Had someone told her earlier that she would be so brash on her wedding night, she would have laughed at their faces.
This was no way a Lady behaved- demanding her husband's touch.

Oh, it was mortifying!
But she could hardly help herself at the moment. Edward had made her feel things that she did not know existed. He had given her immeasurable pleasure. And now she craved his touch...

"Sleep, my love. We have our entire lives together. And do not be mistaken. I would not be this merciful on our next encounter."

Maya felt the blood rise to her face as his face broke out in a devilish smirk.

Edward lifted himself off her and rolled down to his side, bringing her with him. she snuggled against his muscular chest and smiled warmly. He was right, she needed to rest. They had their entire live together.
She felt a warmth spread through her as she thought of their life ahead- of the family they would have.

"What are you thinking? Are you still displeased with me?"

Her smile widened as Edward's hesitant voice reached her.
She stirred in his arms and brought her face in level to his own.

"How can I be displeased at you concern? I was simply thinking of the future- our future."

Maya looked at him with eyes filled with hope and love.

Edward knew he could spend ages staring into the depths of her eyes, and never tire of them.

"And what did this future entail, my love?"

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his touch lingering at her face, as he stroked her cheek softly with a thumb.

"You and me...together.
A family that is bound by love, respect and trust. Am I wishing for a fantasy, Edward?"

Edward grasped the apprehension in her voice.
He fixed her with a solemn gaze.

"If you are, then we would make this fantasy our reality, Maya. Have faith in us."
__________________________________

Hayworth Estate;

Scarlet stared blankly at the canopy of the bed as Zachary rolled off her with a grunt.
A deep loneliness filled her heart. This man was her husband and their union was supposed to be filled with love and adoration yet she was devoid of those feelings.

Night after night, she readied herself for him, hoping beyond reason to find the man she had once loved; but it was all for nothing. She was always presented with the same aloofness in his eyes. The task- for it was all it was reduced to now- was no more than a burden on both of them. She wondered why he insisted on keeping their marriage bed when he evidently found it displeasing and tiresome.

Over the past few days, he had only gotten worse. The one person whose presence seemed to keep him sane, was gone now. Maya's absence had wrested from him the remaining semblance of happiness.
Zachary now had a perpetual bleak look in his eyes and his displeasure with his own marriage had resurfaced in a way that had never been more apparent to Scarlet before.

"Did you ever love me, Zach?"

The question escaped her before she had the chance to stop it. She turned her head towards him, as he adjusted his breaches, and saw his shoulders stiffen. The urge to retract her words was immediate but she had no way of doing that now.
Moreover, it would probably be best if she was aware.

Zachary took his time answering her.
For a moment, Scarlet thought he was going to disregard her question like so many other times.

It was only after he had made his way to the fireplace that his dejected voice murmured her name.

"Scarlet..."

Zachary had dreaded the question for a very long time now.

He knew the way he had been treating her was against the vows that he had taken upon their marriage, but he hardly had a choice. His conscience would not allow him to shower her with adoration, when all he could give to his first wife was humiliation and pain. Treating her with affection felt like a disrespect to Saya's memory. The conflict was palpable. He did not want to destroy another woman's life.

Hence, he had tried to give Scarlet the only thing he was capable of- a marriage bed and the children that were born out of it.
But even that had become insufferable ever since Maya and Brandon began looking at him with disappointment.
He had to witness the hurt in his precious daughter's eyes innumerable times, all because of him. There was no worse punishment for a father.

And now, Scarlet was asking him a question that he dare not to answer.

Did he love her?
He would be damned if he knew the response to that.
It was what he had been asking himself for the last sixteen years but was yet to get a concrete answer.

Had he really loved Scarlet or was it all an illusion- a fantasy that he had tried hard to grasp onto?

The truth being that he was dead scared of acknowledging the fact that they might have made a mistake.
It seemed a cruel fate.
He could not bear to shoulder the responsibility of a mistake so colossal that it had ruined the lives of many.

He was afraid of admitting that in their selfishness, they had been blind to the sufferings of those around them.
For what would it make him, if he were to admit aloud to that? All these years of pain, guilt, regret and disappointment...all for nothing.

No, he could not do that.
So, he chose what had become his only weapon against his fears- silence.

Scarlet felt her head reeling at the lack of response.

She sat up abruptly, arranging her shift around her and cast a heated glare at him.
The muscles of his back were flexed as the flames danced upon his skin.

"For how long do you intend to keep silent? Your actions are enough to answer my question. Oh, what a fool I have been!"

Zachary turned to face his wife. His tortured gaze landed like slap on Scarlet's face.

"What do you expect of me, Scarlet? Shall I speak the truth? Are you certain you are ready to hear it?"

His voice rose as he neared her.

"I think I deserve that much. Your honesty is the least you can give to me at the moment, Lord Hayworth.
For I do not think I can bear another night of feeling like a whore, being used whenever you deem fit. I am your wife!"

Scarlet was standing by the bed, looking him straight in the eyes, her own shining with unshed, angry tears.

Zachary felt a twinge of pity upon hearing her words. She was right...he should not be treating her like this.
She was the mother of his children, after all.
If she wanted to know the truth, it was exactly what he would give to her.

He sighed deeply, rubbing his hands over his face, feeling the coarseness of his stubble. When he directed his eyes back at her, they were filled with a pitiful despondency.

"The truth is, Scarlet...I do not know. I would not say what I felt for you was not love. It was the nearest thing to love that I had ever felt by then.
Do you not understand, Scarlet? I had never once been able to chose what I wanted for myself. Losing my father, then being burdened by the Lordship of the Estate- it had never been my choice.
Marrying Saya had just been another addition in the series of decisions that had been taken on my behalf, with no regard for my wishes.
You had been the first, Scarlet- my first choice.
You allowed me to feel what it was like to live for myself for once.
With you I found a taste of that freedom. If that is love, then yes, I certainly loved you."

Zachary's melancholy gaze pierced Scarlet's heart.
He slowly made his way back to the bed and sat at the edge, hands clutching his hair as he bent his head between his knees,

He continued in a defeated tone, without looking at her,
"But then I am forced to ask myself- is love supposed to be as selfish as ours had been?
Was it alright for us to hurt so many others in our quest to be together?
Our actions and selfishness cost a woman's life, Scarlet...the woman who was my wife!"

Scarlet swallowed the tears that threatened to escape and spoke in a venomous voice,
"Your actions, Zachary!
It was you who caused her death. Do not try to blame me for that!"

Zachary let out a wry chuckle and chose not to reply to that. Her words could not do much damage to an already destroyed heart.
He had little to feel now, except for guilt and regret.
He was not shocked that she had turned her back on him too. Besides, what she said was true. He had been the cause of Saya's death.

If only he had not committed that sin...

Scarlet knew she was being irrational.
Zachary's silence preyed upon her conscience. She was just as guilty as him.
But hearing him speak those hurtful words had made her blind with fury.
She had not given up her entire life to be with a man who could not even speak with conviction whether he loved her or not. However, that was not the only reason for her anger.

His words had struck a nerve. He had voiced the fears that she had been facing all these years- the fear that she had never truly loved this man.
The fear, that just like him, she had also longed for freedom- a freedom that she had the opportunity to seek by being with him. He was her first real choice too- the first choice that she took, undictated by her father.
Being raised under her tyrannical father, she had found in Zachary the chance to a sweet escape; a chance to defy Lord Roentgen and prove that he could not control each and every aspect of her life.
Her choice to stay with him had caused her to feel a sweet sense of defiance- a way of finally answering to all the people who held a prejudice against her.

Here is a man who will take me for who I am and I do not care what you all think!

She had been naïve enough to ignore the consequences of their rendezvous.
It had never mattered to her then.
In her eyes, their supposed love could conquer every hurdle.
And in her selfishness, she had hurt the one woman who had ever considered her as a friend.
Hearing Zachary had made all those doubts to resurface and she tried to find a short escape.

"You are a coward. You say you never had a choice and yet now, when you are given one- you are too afraid to do the right thing. You failed Saya once and now you failed me too..."

Scarlet waited for Zachary to speak something, but he kept sitting in the same position- with his head bent in his hands.
His overwhelming silence and the stifling heat of her own words, caused Scarlet to soon escape the chamber, her robe held tightly around her and the tears rolling down her cheeks.
__________________________________

Seaborne Estate;

Richard sat tapping the table-top as he glared at the man sitting in front of him. His jaw was clenched as he tried to control himself from lashing out.

That was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment. Silas Cavendish was a very sly man and he needed his patience around him- specially to execute his plan.

"I believe I warned you the last time that you were not to set foot in my Estate."

Richard's voice held a barely-concealed hatred. Seeing this man's face and sitting still was turning out to be a tiring task.
He could feel his patience wearing thin and the urge to crack his face was rising every second.

Lord Cavendish's face contorted as he scowled at him.

"And I believe I had told you on our last encounter that you had something of mine, Lord Seaborne.
Let us end this charade here.
You give me what is mine and I will leave this instant."

Richard could tell by the assured tone of his voice that he had already come planned but decided to play along.

"I do not know what you speak of. It is quite a serious accusation that you are laying on me. As I have already said- I have nothing that belongs to you."

The other man was clearly losing his patience and he leaned forward, speaking with a menacing glare,
"Be sensible, Lord Seaborne. Stop acting ignorant.
I have come to take the whore and that bastard of hers back. She worked at my Estate and is a runaway slave. I simply wish to end this unpleasant affair without causing much chaos.
I have the records proving her employment under me.
Her family is ready to stand as a witness is you wish to stretch this matter. I can always go to the council...although it would not be pleasant for you.
Hiding and claiming a slave from another Estate, without its Lord's permission is an embarrassing accusation to shoulder. Surely you do not want to face all that when we already know the judgement.
I am giving you the chance to get rid of that whore the easy way..."

Richard kept quiet as he spoke, fixing him with a cold stare, his face a mask of indifference.

"You can do whatever you want, Lord Cavendish. Although, I am perplexed by your claim. I have no runaway slave under my protection."

Silas Cavendish banged his fists on the table.

"Stop with this nonsense, you wimp! I am talking about that whore- Minerva and her bastard child."

Richard felt his blood boil with indignation.
Keeping calm was proving to be more and more laborious with each passing moment and his words only snapped the last thread of patience that he was holding onto.

To hell with it!

In another instant, he had crossed the table to Lord Cavendish's side and pulled him up by the collar of his cote,
"The next time you take my wife's name to disrespect her, would be the last time you ever speak anything."

Richard saw the other man's eyes widen with fear and shock.

"W-What do you mean by wife?"
Lord Cavendish spoke in an aghast tone, unable to believe what he had heard.

"I mean exactly what I spoke. Lady Minerva Seaborne is my wife and the Lady of this Estate; and Will is my son.
It would bode you well if you take that under consideration before spouting this drivel.

Of you dare to disrespect them one more time, it would be you facing the wrath of the councilmen and not me."

Richard took pleasure in the startled look in Lord Cavendish's eyes as he turned deathly pale.
I

t was a good thing that he had anticipated this and acted in advance.

Richard knew the power that Lord Cavendish held in the court.
Keeping Minerva and Will under his protection would have been impossible when she had clearly been a maid in the Cavendish Estate.
He also knew that the vile man would leave no stone unturned to take them back and he would be damned if he had to surrender them both back to the monster.
Hence, he had done the only thing that he could to keep them safe.

He knew that Minerva would probably not agree to this and therefore, had not yet told her of his decision.
Over the weeks, he had organized for their marriage to be registered and had drawn the decree proclaiming Will as his heir.
There would be no way for Silas Cavendish to lay his filthy hands upon her in any way.

"Lord! You really did that?"
Lord Cavendish let out a disbelieving cackle, his body shaking in Richard's grasp.

"You are ready to accept that woman as your wife? Do you know how many times I have had a taste of that whore?
I have fucked her more times than I could even cou-"

Richard could not stop himself for another second as his fist flew towards the man's face.

The man was thrown against the wall and moaned n pain before throwing a fearful look at Richard.

The blood trickling down his nose filled Richard with an unabated satisfaction.

"I believe I clearly asked you not to disrespect my wife and son. You have evidently overstayed your welcome, Lord Cavendish.
I believe it would be best if you leave and never show your face in my Estate ever again."

Richard's voice was a lot calmer as he spoke, his face turning back to a cold mask of repressed fury.

Silas Cavendish stood on unsteady legs, balancing himself against the wall.

"You are going to regret this, Richard."

He spoke in a spiteful voice, wiping the blood off his face from the back of his hands. Richard however, remained unfazed.

"I would like to see what you can do."
__________________________________

Minerva smiled as she witnessed the sight before her.

Lord Seaborne sat in the courtyard, listening patiently to the ramblings of her son.
Will had taken quiet a liking to him. He was the first male guidance in her son's life and the way he treated him made her feel more grateful than ever.

Over the last few weeks, he had managed to quell her fears and anxiety and she couldn't ask for more.

She waited for another moment before approaching them, patting her son's back lightly.

"Now, Will. Lord Seaborne has matters to attend to."

Will's face filled with disappointment as his gaze fell between her and Lord Seaborne.

"It is alright, young man. I would be hearing all about your latest adventures afterwards. Why don't you go and play in the garden?"

Sending the boy away was the last thing Richard wanted to do, but he figured his absence would make it easier for him to have the talk that he wanted with Minerva.

Will gave a short nod and ran back to the manor.
Richard looked at his retreating figure wistfully. The boy had warmed up to him after a lot of persuasion.
He had to be more affected by all he had to experience at Cavendish manor then he let on; no wonder he had taken so long to talk to Richard without being pensive.
One thing stood, however, that once the boy let go of his shyness and fears, he was surprisingly fierce and energized.
And Richard meant to keep him just that way.

"My Lord, do forgive me. I would make certain that Will does not disrupt your tasks again."

Minerva's hesitant voice disrupted his thoughts.

He looked at her with a frown. She had her eyes cast down and a guarded expression on her face.
That was one thing he was finding trouble with- getting her to lose her guard around him; her wounds were too deep. But he had vowed to unshackle her from her demons, and he had the rest of their lives to do that.

"He is never a disruption, Minerva.
And you may have gathered by now that I am not as busy as it might seem. Will helps me keep my spirits high."

Minerva smiled at his warm tone and raised her eyes to his face. She knew she had to ask him the question that had been nagging her the entire afternoon.

"He again came here today, didn't he?"

Richard hated hearing the tremor in her voice. he simply nodded his head, waiting for her to continue.

"We are being an unnecessary burden on you, my lord.
You have been generous enough, allowing us to keep a roof over our head all these weeks.
But I think it is time for us to leave. I would never be able to forgive myself if your generosity towards us lead you in some trouble.
For, I know what kind of a man he is, my lord.
We would leave the first thing tomorrow morning. Please do not-"

"Are you finished?"

Her words were cut off by the clipped tone of Lord Seaborne and Minerva was baffled to see an intense fierceness in his eyes. She had never seen him so livid. For a second, all she wanted was to run away, but then she reminded herself that this man would never hurt her and stood her ground, looking at him with unsure eyes.

"M-My Lord?"

Richard stood abruptly from the bench and moved closer to her till he stood a breath away from her.

"You are not going anywhere and neither is Will.
You both are to stay here only. This is your home now."

A fool's gibberish would have made more sense to Minerva at that moment.

"But-"

"Silas Cavendish came today- yes. But he is never to set foot here ever again; specially not to get his hands upon what is mine- namely my wife and son."

Richard's voice was determined and his stare burnt in their intensity, yet all Minerva could do was stare at him blankly. Surely, he could not mean that. Yet, his eyes...

"I do not understand."

Her voice was no more than a dull whisper as she forced her legs to stand stiff and not give away under her.

Richard saw the confusion and fear in her eyes and cursed under his breath.
He had come out too strong.
The last thing he wanted was to scare her, but when he heard her talk about the nonsense of going away, he had lost all refrain.

There was something about this woman that reeled him in.
Her wide, innocent stare called out to his heart.
All he wanted was to protect her from any further harm. But he had to remember that she would probably view this differently.

He could be just another man, taking advantage of her and claiming her like a possession.
If there had been any time, he would have discussed the matter with her first.
But the time was short and he had to do something before Lord Cavendish came back.
He sighed deeply and closed his eyes for a moment to rein in his emotions.

"I should have told you but never got the chance.
I had the records prepared for our wedding and for Will to be my son.
I knew Silas would come back for you both and I had no way to stop him. This was the only option Minerva."

Minerva tried to digest the information but her head was heavy and she felt like she would faint any minute.

"Take me for a wife? But you cannot do that, my lord! There had to be another way."

If her frantic tone and wild eyes were any indication, she was deeply displeased with the proposition.

Richard kept his voice as persuasive as he could as he spoke next,
"There was no other way, Minerva."

"But we can go away! We would go far away."

She was flailing her arms wildly, trying to get him to see reason.

Richard eyed her warily.
He knew that he had to take the harsh way to get her to understand their situation.

"And where would you go, pray tell?
How long do you plan to hide? There is no one who could protect you from him. Silas Cavendish is a very resourceful man.
You worked in his Estate. The law demands you to leave only after taking his permission- which you did not.
For once, keep aside your fears and think about your son. He is a young boy who has been robbed of the trivial happiness in life. Why not give him a secure home- one where he has no fear in being seen outside?"

Minerva found his words making sense and yet, there was the looming fear. Could she trust this man enough?

But more potent than that was the fear of asking for too much of him.
He had been so patient with them- so charitable.
How could she ever repay him for what he was willing to do? Could she survive under the weight of that debt?

"But, what about you?
I am just a slave, my lord! I am not fit to be your wife.
No one would ever approve of your decision. You would be turned to a jest. And not to forget- the ch-children...I would never be able to provide you with a child of your own.
Why would you sacrifice your life for us? How could you expect me to be so selfish?"

Richard smiled softly as he took her hands in his own.
He wanted to wipe the tears that were now flowing freely down her face and assure her of her worth.

"I have never been too invested in what others say about me, Minerva.
As for a wife, I am seven and forty. If I wanted a wife, I would have done it a long time ago."

He brushed his thumb over her cheek before continuing,
"I do not need any more children.
Will is to be my son and heir. There is no need for more. I am not the saint you think of me to be, Minerva.
I have committed innumerable sins in my lifetime. You are a means for me to atone for those. I would be in your debt if you provide me with the chance of taking care of you.
I would never force you to give me anything that you do not want to. I just need your trust. Let me keep you both safe."

Minerva felt her heart fill with warmth as she saw the stark sincerity on his face.

This man was willing to offer her a home and a family. She could feel the strength and security in his hands as he held hers.
Would she let her fears get in the way of providing her son with what he deserved?

"Alright, my lord."

Richard's shoulders sagged with relief as he heard her answer. He grinned widely and brought her hands to his lips.
Kissing them reverently, he spoke in a softer voice,
"Now, I have arranged for a small ceremony in the chapel tomorrow. I hope my bride would be ready."

__________________________________

Author's Note-
I know the update has been delayed. I hope it is long enough to keep your complaints at bay😅

Also, I have my exams next month so till then the updates will be slow. Bear with me.

So, what did you think of the chapter?

I hope you liked it.

Stay safe everyone!

Till the next time👋