Author's note: This particular piece has originated from my roleplay account on Twitter, EnticingMonarch. Unfortunately, I do not own the characters in this story, aside from the OC guard, but I do own the words. Everything else belongs to SM. *snickers* No copyright infringement is intended.
As always, reviews would be greatly appreciated.
Forever. It was quite the phenomenon to coil one's mind around, was it not? You'd think, after spending a millennium by your husband's side, devoting and wishing for nothing more than to please him, he would have learned a thing or two about you. Obviously not, considering the penitentiary I was /forced/ to reside in. An endeavor to protect me, Aro said. Unfortunately for him, I recognized his bluff - and called it quite often. My fiery temper was something Aro had grown accustomed to, yet he was entirely different than I. Whereas my husband maintained a serene countenance, I was a force to be reckoned with, for I bowed to no one, especially not Aro. I admired my sister; not by blood, but of marriage, yet, in a carnage of spewed words and annoyance with Caius, Athenodora cowered, apprehensive of his wicked tendencies. I snickered. As ardent and affectionate as I was, there was a time to draw a line. To an extent, I had tolerated this, but, what is one to do with infinity if she can't earn a bit of leeway? After an agonizing century of listening to me whimper and complain, the barricade of barbwire that Aro and his guard had assembled had fallen, /just/ enough to be gifted with the authorization of roaming the grounds, provided that I was accompanied by the presence of a bodyguard. Caius, on the other hand, was set in his ways, furthermore tightening the rein convoluted around Athenodora's neck. There wasn't a day that had gone by in which I hadn't mourned the absence of my beloved friend, Didyme, but with such an enigma encompassing her death... how did Aro expect to keep me confined within a padded cell for the duration of my existence? If he was fearful of a retaliation on the Romanians' behalf, he'd ought to be distressed over the colossal fit his wife would throw, especially if I didn't get my way. A brat? No, I was not. Fed up, more precisely. There was no difficulty in freedom, only in the reign of authority suspended above your head.
A light drizzle of rain padded against the rooftop, and I took complete ascendancy over the inferior guard positioned before the threshold. The barricades of this tower were overwhelmingly asphyxiating, and after a short while, tiresome. I erected from my position atop the mattress, the frame crafted by the most talented of hands, a work of artistry produced in the Italian Renaissance. I could recall the face of the creator so clearly, as I had just encountered him the evening prior. He was simply scrumptious for dessert. A simper of delight staked its claim across my opulent brims as I sauntered towards the ample egress, my digits, ashen and nimble, curling about the brass handle, coming to face such an expression of uncertainty, I nearly laughed. Given the motivation, the defenders of this palace bent over backwards to meet the requirements of sovereignty, exclusively in the subordinate rank. "Vuoi accompagnarmi in una passeggiata attraverso I giardini? ... Would you accompany me on a stroll through the gardens?" The man before me appeared hesitant, as if he had been given direct orders to decline such an invitation. If that had been the case, I wouldn't be surprised. Not in the least. In an exertion to sway the decision of my escort, I batted adequate lashes, my crimson fissures lidded heavily as I lolled my head to the side, trying to appear as charming as possible. Aro had cautioned me of this before, that there was no flirting with the staff in an enterprise to earn a privilege, but what Aro wasn't aware of couldn't possibly upset him. To my amusement, he was conflicted, but eventually gave in. "Dobbiamo muoverci in fretta, padrona. ... We must move quickly, Mistress." I smirked. There, disguised beneath the veil of contingency, lingered the dismay of being caught. Then again, it /was/ Aro's word against mine. A wise choice, if I do say so myself. "Grazie, cara. ... Thank you, darling." I was beaming, jubilant in my success. Beside me, the guard stiffened, a murmur of criticism surfacing from the depths of his stomach. He was discontented, obviously, and I briefly toyed with notion of requesting Corin's presence to accompany us on this /dangerous/ adventure. I was unable to suppress the giggle that manifested, but, in a failed attempt to muffle the melodious tenor, clamped a hand above my lips. By now, I was certain that if given the opportunity, he would have left me to venture through the gardens on my lonesome; not that I would have minded.
I was a grown woman, and with a thousand years of dwelling upon this earth beneath my belt, I preferred to think that I was /completely/ capable of defending my own. Yet, I was told to sit pretty, for the personnel that occupied these corridors feared that I would damage my manicure. "Puoi lasciarmi ora. Grazie per la vostra assistenza. ... You may leave me now. Thank you for your assistance." Once again, he faltered in his pace, stumbling upon my voiced opinion. He was hesitant, but torn between an obligation, and the request of a Queen. "Che cosa sta succedendo a farmi del male? Uno scoiattolo? ... What is going to harm me? A squirrel?" I snickered, beckoning a dismissive hand in his direction. Reluctantly, he acquiesced, ambling back towards the grounds. At last, I was /free/. To an outsider, it may have not seemed like much. But, to me, a captive in my beloved domicile, this meant the world. For many nights, to the point where I stopped counting, I had fantasized over this, the refreshing breeze of the outdoors as it licked against my ashen, but luminous cheek, murmuring sweet promises of exuberance, but I was no fool. This independence was going to be short-lived. I was well aware of the ambience that surrounded me, that, while I was feared, ultimately, the decision was appointed at the hands of my conniving husband. I expected it, that word of my presence in the gardens, unaccompanied by a guard, would soon travel. For a brusque moment, I was remorseful of the position that I'd put the obscure guard in, but my troubles were soon laundered aside, drowned by the pellets of rain as they kissed my lustrous flesh, and then, a smile that wasn't fraudulent grazed my maroon brims, and at last, I was at peace.
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