Chapter Sixteen

Everybody eats heartily. Everybody but me.

I can barely swallow a single morsel, what with Damon ironically being the one to serve Emmanuel and I our food. It seems like hours until the wedding banquet is finally over and night begins to descend upon the garden, the trees throwing out elongating shadows like fishing rods reaching to grab us as though the grass is the ocean and we are the helpless fish. 

I sit back in my chair, smiling as much as I can as the final guests filter out from my home. 

Emmanuel turns to look at me, "Are you tired, Eloise?"

I nod silently, refusing to meet his gaze, knowing that there, I will find triumph and taunting.

I would rather not face that right now.

"Why don't you go on up to the bedroom? I shall be there in a while. I'll call Mary to escort you up there." Emmanuel says, beckoning to Mary with a wave of his hand as though she is nothing more than a guide.

"Emmanuel, please!!" I snap angrily, "Mary is my nurse. Treat her with some respect, she's like a second mother to me."

"Second mother or not, she is still a servant." Emmanuel replies, daring me to argue back. 

I hold his gaze for a second and then as Mary approaches, choose to look at her graceful face instead.

"Eloise is..." Emmanuel begins but I quickly cut in.

"I am feeling a little run down. Will you accompany me to Emmanuel's room?"

"Our room." Emmanuel corrects.

I sigh, rolling my eyes and look to Mary for an answer.

"Of course, Miss Eloise."

"Um, it's Mrs Colleton, Mary. She's married now." Emmanuel reminds her.

Fuming, I retort, "Mary can call me whatever she wants. Whether that is Eloise or Mrs Colleton. You... do not... order her around."

"Go to our room, Eloise." Emmanuel mutters with a steely gaze to match mine.

I stand up, my stomach lightened by the prospect of annoying Emmanuel. Even if it was just a little, knowing that I am not going to make this relationship easy for him gives me a sense of immense satisfaction. I remind myself to tuck this little nugget of information away for future reference. If I can spoil his mood by provoking him just a little, then I will do everything in my power to make sure he can feel even a drop of all the twisting, dark emotions that he has made me feel these past five weeks. 

Mary smiles at me, "Come, Miss Eloise."

I walk alongside her and ask under my breath, making sure no one is eavesdropping on us, "Will you be able to take me to Damon?"

"I have locked him in Emmanuel's room. You get to see him for one last time before you and your husband retire for the night." Mary relays effortlessly, her gaze firmly on the ground. 

My heart lifts and I walk a little faster, eager to get to Emmanuel's quarters. If I can see him one last time, maybe everything will not seem as though the end of the world is coming. I just need his arms around me and then I can face the world. Just a little bit of confidence and reassurance, maybe then I will be ready to face the monster that is Emmanuel. 

How can two men, from the same species, be so different? I ask myself as we walk.

Damon is the sun, while Emmanuel is the raincloud that drives it away. Damon is laughter ringing in your ears, while Emmanuel is the shattering scream that pierces your sleep. Damon is one end of the spectrum and Emmanuel isn't even on the spectrum. How do I compare my angel Damon to that devil? He is dark, twisted, evil. He is no match for my love. He never will be.

When we enter the room, Damon sits by the desk, staring out at the beauty of the setting sun, his figure wondrously silheoutted by the rays of light filtering through the window. At the sound of the door opening and closing, Damon turns around and his dark eyes lighten, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

"Call me in when you're ready to leave, Damon. Remember, you do not have long. Emmanuel will want to come up in a while." Mary warns and then leaves the room with a soft click.

I turn back to Damon and he takes my hand in his, kissing my knuckles one by one. "You look breath-taking today, Eloise." 

I smile, blushing and fight to keep the tears away. Damon catches sight of them all-too-quickly.

"Don't cry - not tonight, Eloise. You cannot fill your eyes with tears on our last meeting." Damon chides me softly, "I know I danced with you before, but we didn't get to finish. Do you mind?" 

He holds his hand out for mine. I shake my head slowly, reaching out for him. Damon pulls me closer, humming a slow tune and rocking us slowly from side to side. I lean my head against Damon's shoulder, closing my eyes, letting his lulling voice sail us away in an ocean of tranquility, letting the feel of his hand in mine reassure me like a mothers' arms soothes a baby's crying. I feel utterly at home here, in his arms. I just wish that the world would stop turning right now, I wish that the clocks would stop. Just so that I could remain here for good.

Damon hums for a while and then pulls back slightly, his eyes meeting mine as he utters, "Now for the finale."

He closes his eyes and leans in at an excruciatingly slow pace. Almost swooning, I reach up and bring Damon's face crashing down to mine, my lips melding against his in a union of ecstacy. Damon's arms tighten around my waist, scooping me against his body, his hands pressing hard on my sides, clutching me to him as though afraid to let me go.

We pull back to gasp for breath, still entangled in each other's embrace. 

Damon nudges his nose against mine and says roughly, "I have to go now. Be brave for me and remember - I will not give up on you. I will come for you."

I nod silently, cupping his face in my hands. I rise on my toes and gently press my lips against his forehead, "I will wait for you."

"Thank you." Damon whispers and then releases his hold on me, going over to the door and leaving without another glance.

Mary strides in and sits me down in front of the mirror, "Now, we have five minutes until Emmanuel comes up. He thinks I am getting you ready for bed. He requested that you still be in your wedding dress. So, all I am required to do is take your hair out."

"That's great, Mary." I nod, "These pins are really starting to gnaw into my brain."

Mary chuckles to herself, "Get used to it. Now you're a married woman, you will be expected to attend many labourious events."

I groan at the thought of it. Mary begins removing the pins holding my hair in place one by one; a tedious task, no doubt. 

I bite my lip anxiously and ask, "Mary? Will tomorrow be the last time I will be seeing you, too?"

Mary's gentle rhythm stops and she swallows, "For a long time, yes."

Without answering, I resume watching her pull pins out of my hair. I cannot believe this is happening to me. For this past month, everything I fought against is nearing me and everything I fought for is diminishing into the horizon just like the setting sun had a few moments ago. Everything I have ever known does not count anymore; this is a whole new game, with Emmanuel at the reins. In public, I am his mule. In private, I will try my ultimate best to reverse that role. I may be his wife, but I will never let him have the one thing he wants the most. I will never let him have me. I belong with Damon, not with Emmanuel. My heart beats for Damon, every drop of blood in my veins has Damon's name scrawled across it. Whenever I blink, the insides of my eyelids have Damon's face etched into them. Whenever I speak, Damon's name (as blessed as it is) longs to be uttered from my mouth.

How can I not be with him? How can I commit myself to another man? It can never happen and it will never happen. Emmanuel cannot touch me, no matter what happens.

There's a knock at the door, causing me to jump and the pin Mary was removing stabs into my scalp.

I wince and rub my scalp, causing Mary to exclaim, "Oh, I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you, Miss Eloise? Oh, forgive me!!"

"Mary!" I giggle. "It's okay. I'm fine. Should I go see who it is?"

"It is most likely your husband, Miss Eloise." Mary says, going over to the door and opening to reveal, indeed, my 'husband'.

I shake my hair out and then stand up as Emmanuel approaches.

"Thank you, Mary." He says matter-of-factly. "You may leave now. I appreciate your service."

"It is my duty to take care of Eloise. You have no need to appreciate it."

I can't help but grin at Mary as she leaves. 

Emmanuel clears his throat, waiting for my attention. I turn to him, still smiling, an eyebrow raised in question. 

"I have something for you." Emmanuel says. 

He holds a box up for me to see. 

"What is this?" I ask, my eyebrows drawing together in confusion and - I must admit - curiosity. 

"Open it and see." Emmanuel answers.

I take the box from him and go over to the bed, sitting down. I take off the lid and pink tissue conceals what is underneath. I pull the tissue away and gasp. There is some kind of black jeweled dress with straps for sleeves and it has pale pink lace rimming the bodice. I pick it up by the sleeves and my slackened jaw drops even more.

It is not a dress.

The only thing I can describe it as is a corset.

It is heavily embroidered with gems and stones that twinkle in the light. Opening from the mid-chest and flaring out to the hem of the corset-like item in an upside-down 'V', there is nothing but a sheer panel of the same pink lace rimming the rest of the corset. Swirls of pale pink thread smother the material where there is no gems present and silver sequins are dotted along the neck-line and waist-line of the item. I look back into the box and there is a matching black pair of women's underwear waiting for me there.

I look back at Emmanuel, choking on embarrassment, "What is this for?"

"You." Emmanuel grins sadistically. "You will wear this for me, tonight. I am looking most forward to seeing you in it, Eloise." 

Emmanuel takes the corset from me and puts it back in the box, picking it up and shoving it into my hands.

"Go and put it on."

"Are you serious?!" I exclaim. "I am not cheap, Emmanuel! These items of clothing are not for somebody like me. I suggest you return them immediately!"

Emmanuel grabs me by my hair, "You listen to me!! You have no right to go against what I say. I am your husband now, your king, your boss. You do not oppose my orders! If you ever dare to make that mistake again, you will live to regret it! Now get in the restroom and do not come back until you wearing that."

Emmanuel shoves me into the restroom and slams the door shut behind me.

Don't come back out? I think I can do that.

I sling the box into a corner and slowly slide the bolt home, sliding down to the floor and dragging my knees up to my chest. If I have to stay here all night to escape the clutches of that fiend, then I will do so with pleasure...

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