Playing With Fire

What! Julianna thought to herself.  What did she get herself into!  It wasn't suppose to turn out this way!  

"Your Highness, Prince Raiden, you must be joking, why would you want this piece of waste as your gift?" Maria cried out. 

"I must agree with my eldest daughter," Harvey interjected, "She is a wasteful trash with no cultivation skills and no fighting skills. She will be a burden to you as she is a burden to the Brooks family."

"This Prince wants this Lady Jemma as his gift, a gift of gold in this Prince's weight, your Prince has promised this Prince, in front of your Prince's people as witnesses. Does your Prince's words once said can be so easily taken back?"

"No! Your Highness,  I only ask that you reconsider your decision." Harvey back tracked.  "She is an embarrassment to the Madewell Nation.  A wasteful trash to be given as a gift to the Redbane Nation will be an insult to you and your nation.  Please, your Highness, I plead for you to reconsider!" Harvey said.

"Are you saying that this Prince does not know what this Prince wants? Are you questioning what this Prince chooses as his gift in gold?"

"No! That is not what--" before Harvey could finish Prince Raiden interrupted him.

"Then this Prince will have Lady Jemma as his gift in gold."

"Even if she is a wasteful trash?  Even if she has been dumped by Prince Ivan? You would still want her? Why would you still want her?" Maria shouted.

"Why this Prince wants and doesn't want does not concern you." Prince Raiden said sternly. 

"Prince Raiden, it is not my place to be able to give you Lady Jemma.  I have no relation to her.  She is General Harvey's daughter and it is his decision."  Prince Ivan pushed the responsibility on to General Harvey. 

Although General Harvey tried his best to persuade Prince Raiden's mind before, he knew that Prince Raiden would not change his mind. Harvey was secretly grateful to get ride of the stain on his family's name, but to give her to a Prince of another nation was too shameful.  She was not good enough for Prince Raiden. 

"I have another daughter, her name is Lindsay.  She is of equal beauty and talent of my eldest daughter Maria."

Prince Raiden no longer responded to Harvey.  He was done talking and his face and demeanor showed his displeasure.  He was set on getting Lady Jemma as his golden gift in weight. 

"Very well," Harvey gave in, not wanting to cause a bigger scene. 

Julianna stood there too shocked to voice her own opinion.  Too shocked to notice that Prince Raiden still held on to her. Even if she did want to interject, she wasn't able to, being that Prince Raiden's hand that held onto her waist squeezed tightly warning her not to talk. 

Before anyone could disagree, Prince Raiden whisked Julianna away.  He jumped  off the balcony with Julianna in his arms and once he was in the air, he used his Eagle Flying Technique to fly away from the palace and bring her to the house that was provided for him for his stay.  Once he landed in the courtyard, he let Julianna go so she took the opportunity to attack. 

Julianna quickly used two fingers and hit two out of the three Dantians on Prince Raiden's body momentarily freezing his body. Facing Raiden, Julianna took a good look at him before telling him off.

"First of all, no one can give me away. I don't belong to anybody but myself. Second, my name is Jewels so don't call me Jemma.  Third, no one make decisions for me, especially when it's my life you're talking about. Fourth, I was just using you to make a point to Harvey. Don't take the kiss we shared to heart and think that you need to claim me so it would not soil my reputation.  I'm not that kind of girl to try to trap you into some kind of relationship with me. I'm pretty sure you already know, but I already don't have a great reputation so you trying to be a gentleman is not needed.  Last, but not least, if I am unable to deter you from this crazy notion that I am your golden gift. I know that since you already know where I live, if you come for me, understand that I come as a package.  I am unwilling to leave some people behind."

Julianna turned around and was about to leave, when she decided to play with fire once again and turned back to Prince Raiden.  Stepping closer into his body, she wraps her arms around his shoulders. Julianna looks into Raiden's dark black eyes and kisses his right temple first, then following his cheek bone she lays butterfly kisses on them and when she finally reached his lips she traces the upper lips slowly with her tongue.  Then she proceeds to nibble on his lower lip before kissing him gently on the lips.

A gentle warmth consumed her body that made her crinkle her brows together.  Before she made herself face what she was feeling she broke away from the kiss.

"A kiss goodnight to Prince Raiden Osamu of Redbane. And by the way, this second kiss was so much better then our first kiss." Julianna teased.  Without another word, Julianna leaves the courtyard by foot and walks home. 

All Prince Raiden could do was stare at her with shock and awe.  Never in his life has anyone ever taken advantage of him before.  She not only took advantage of him three times, but all those three times happened all in a single night.  This girl, who calls herself Jewels, used his body twice by kissing him, and then took advantage of the fact that since she has a low cultivation level, he did not have his guard up when they landed in the courtyard and attacked his dantians, which momentarily paralyzed him for 10 minutes. Not only that, but she lectured him! No one has ever dared to lecture him before, not even his teachers nor his master, not even his father, the King!  The more he thought about it, the more he got angry.  The more angry he got, the more vicious he became and started planning his revenge. If she thought she could get away with using his body with out taking responsibility, Raiden was going to make sure she understood what the consequences are for being so bold.

-------------

Uncle Jude and Pop pop waited anxiously by the door for Julianna. They have heard about the incident at the party and was afraid that they were never going to see her again.  When Julianna walked in as if she went out on a stroll in the garden, both Uncle Jude and Pop pop surround her and talk to her simultaneously.

"What happened?" Uncle Jude asked. "When you did not come back with the others, I knew something bad must have happened.  When I asked Harvey about you, all he said was you were gifted to the Prince of Redford. "

"Where Prince take you?" Pop said.

"Let me change and we can talk afterwards." Julianna lead them inside. "I'll meet you guys in your study Uncle."

Julianna quickly changed her clothes and made her way to the study where not only her Uncle and Pop pop were there, but Zeze and Thomas were sitting down with them.  Once Julianna sat down next to Pop pop, Zeze got up to serve her tea, then sat back down.  Julianna began to tell them the events of the evening, excluding the second kiss that she shared with Prince Raiden. 

"Do you have a plan?" Uncle Jude asks.  "If he comes for you, do you know what you're going to do?"

"I told him I have people that I am unwilling to leave behind. Those people are in this room right now.  If he comes, he knows we come as a package.  Its either all or nothing."

"And if he has a problem with your all or nothing option?"  Zeze asked.

"We'll discuss our options, once we reach that road." Uncle Jude made the decision.

"I can't believe how reckless you have become," Zeze chided her. "Kissing a man to prove a point?! And look at where it lead you! Look at where its going to lead us!"

"Calm down Zeze, its not going to be the down fall of us." Thomas interjected.  "It might be a blessing in disguise."

"What ever the case may be, what happened this evening already happened.  There's no changing that.  What matters now, is what we do going forth."  Uncle Jude said.  "Since there is nothing else to discuss tonight, lets us all go to bed and deal with the aftermath tomorrow."

"There's one more thing," Julianna said. "Before we turn in, for now on, please start calling me Jewels.  I am no longer the naïve Jemma who believed in the fairytale story of happily ever after with Prince Ivan.  And I will no longer live in the shadows, hiding from everyone and everything.  I will no longer hold anything back.  I will start living for myself and those I care about. I will no longer give excuses and forgive those who have wronged me."

"Told you," Zeze said as she held out her hand towards Thomas.  Thomas blushing went into his pocket and pulled out three bills and handed them over to Zeze.

With nothing else to discuss the group of people made their way to their rooms,

"Young Miss, I will help you to your room before I turn in myself." Zeze said while following her up three flights of stairs.

"There's no need.  You may leave."

Zeze ignored her orders and kept on following her to her room.  Julianna did not mind for she already knew what Zeze wanted to ask her. 

When they reached her room, Zeze drew her a bath then started to tidy up the room.  When Julianna changed, she left the beautiful dress and gloves on the floor and the earrings and cuffs on the table.

"So..." Zeze asked her. 

Julianna decided to not answer her and pulled out her night clothes.  When Zeze couldn't take it anymore, she stomped in front of Julianna and blocked her way.

"So....."

"So?" Julianna repeated.

"So how was the kiss with Prince Raiden?"

Julianna grabbed hold of Zeze'z shoulders and moved her away from her path to the bathroom.  When she made it to the door did she finally tells Zeze the truth.

"I had better."  Julianna smiled coldly and closed the door. 

"Wait... what?  When?" Zeze shouted. 

--------

Her room was empty once she finished her bath. Zeze left the window open to let the cool night air fill the room. 

"I know you're there," Julianna said. "Come out!"

From the shadows, Raiden stepped forward.  "How did you know I was here?"

Julianna scoffed at him and sat down on her bed and unwrapped her wet hair to dry. 

"I told you before, you need more practice." Julianna said as she rubbed her hair dry with her towel.

"In kissing or in hiding my presence?" Raiden said as he made his way towards her. 

"Both."

"So you had better?" Raiden questioned.

"Obviously."  Julianna said without thinking. "I wouldn't of said so if it wasn't true."

Suddenly, her towel was taken away from her hands and she felt Raiden take over.  He rubbed pieces of her hair between the towel and made his way from one side to the other.  Julianna got up quickly and walked over to her dresser and pulled out her comb and combed her hair quickly.  Being around him was dangerous for her.  She did not know why, but since the first kiss her guard would drop and he was able to approach her without her defensive instincts taking over.

"So, who else have you kissed." Raiden asked coldly.

"No one you know." Julianna told him.  "Besides, who cares who've I've kissed in the past? The past is the past.  I'm not with them now so it should not matter."

One moment Raiden was by the bed and the next moment he pinned her against the dresser. Her hands were held behind her back with one hand as his other hand lifted her chin up to look at him. His killing force pinned her on the spot.  Unable move or struggle from the situation, Julianna resigned to listen first and attack later. 

"Do not think since you are now this Prince's gift, that you can talk so flippantly towards me. Now that you are this Prince's gift, you now belong to me.  Those who you have kissed in the past will stay there and if I hear you kissing anyone else, those you care about will suffer the consequences."

Before Julianna could give him a piece of her mind, his lips crushed down on hers.  Claiming her completely.  His lips did not tease her lips nor was the kiss soft and slow.  It was deep and passionate.  As if he wanted to imprint his lips into her memory.  Trying to ensure that his kiss could erase the past. Their breath intermingled, while their tongues danced with one another.  Julianna's body slowly relaxed and when he still did no let her go, she moaned loudly and gently tugged her hands.  However, Raiden did not want to give in to her,  he wanted her to submit to him. Their kiss became so consuming that Raiden had to break away so both of them could breathe. Unable to look into her eyes, Raiden pressed her head against his shoulder as they tried to catch their breath. 

Raiden took one step back and let her hands go.  He then quickly hit two of her dantians with two fingers, freezing her body, just like she did to him earlier that night.  Sweeping her off her feet, he brings her to the bed and lays her down and climbs in with her. 

"First, you belong to this Prince now.  Second, if you want to be called Jewels, that's fine with me, along as you are mine, you can change your name and want this Prince to call you whatever you want, this Prince will.  What you choose to call yourself is your prerogative. Third, you can still make decisions about yourself, however this Prince now has a say in those decisions. You belong to this Prince now. Forth, there is nothing you can do to this Prince that this Prince did not want to be done.  This Prince let you use this Prince's body, to make your point to your Father. This Prince will take the kiss to heart, for whoever dare touches this Prince like you have, will have to take responsibility. Your reputation has already been soiled, this Prince has already heard all the rumors about you and has already decided to make you this Prince's gift in gold.  This Prince does not care about rumors and will be the judge of your character. Last but not least, I am willing to take you and your package along with us when it is time for us to leave."

Getting up from the bed, Raiden pulls the covers over her and tucks her in.  He leans over and kisses her temple. 

"Goodnight Jewels. I will come tomorrow to meet your people."

Julianna's temper flared, for all she could do was listen to him. She hated feeling helpless, she especially hated the fact that she couldn't move or talk.  He gave it to her as good as she gave it to him, so all she could do was listen and not take the situation to heart and hold a grudge against him. 

Since announcing herself as Jewels to the family, Julianna has now resigned herself to start living as Jewels.  Because of the past couple of months, she had mainly kept to her routine and  not gone out to society.  She was not use to people calling her Jemma.  Zeze and Thomas would call her Young Miss, while her Uncle would call her niece and Pop pop would tap her shoulder or wave her over.  But when she was at the ball, she noticed that it took a while for her to respond to them when they called her by Jemma.  She was used to Julianna, but the events of tonight made her realize that she could not get her revenge if she kept staying inside.  Since her arrival to this world, she has not level up her cultivation.  Her fighting skills have improved, however it does not hold any power behind the moves.  She needs a way to cultivate faster, to break through to the third level so she can go to Parker Forest to train.  Resolved to go talk to her Master the next day and ask for his help, Jewels finally accepted her new self and continue with the promise she made to herself and Jemma.

*******

So now that Julianna has resigned herself as Jewels,  she will now begin referring herself as Jewels in the future chapters.  I hope this change does not confuse anyone. Also please excuse any grammar mistakes, this book has not been edited.  Sometimes I reread the published chapters and fix them as I go, but that is the only extent that I have gone so far. Thanks for your understanding and support.  -ptd