*A/N: Here is a new Roman Reigns story that I wanted to try out. It has been eating at me for the last couple weeks so I had to do it. I hope you enjoy*
ENGLAND 1840
The sun was shining in the sky on a warmer than normal autumn afternoon. Lord Reigns sat on the porch of his home admiring the fields out in the distance of growing corn. It was the time of year that the corn began its peak and was to be picked before it died. He watched out in the fields as a man and a young woman were working in the corn field pulling the corn. More specifically Lord Reigns' attention focused on the young woman that pulled the corn from the stalks. Her hands looked dainty and fragile. She was tiny and fragile. She wore a bonnet on her head made of straw with a pink ribbon tied around it. Her dark muslin skirt falling to the dirt she walked bare foot in, her blouse; a cream color showing off her perfect tiny frame. "Lord Reigns," interrupted his butler taking his attention away from the young maiden pulling corn from the stalks in the cornfield; his viewing pleasure.
"Yes," he answered directing his attention to his butler. "Can I help you with something?"
"I brought you some tea," he said as he laid the tea down onto the table next to Roman on the porch. "And I thought you may be hungry so I brought you some fruit to hold you over until dinner."
"Thank-you, Nathaniel," he said in appreciation. "Nathaniel, who is that young maiden out in the field pulling corn from the stalks?"
"That young woman?" he asked looking out into the fields pointing to the young woman out in the field.
"Yes, that young woman," he responded. "What is her name and who is she? Is she the newly hired help?"
"That is the oldest daughter of Farmer Helmsley and his wife," he answered him. "Helmsley's wife has fallen ill and usually accompanies her husband on these tasks but she was too ill to accompany him today so he brought his eldest daughter. She's a beautiful little thing," he said with a smile. "She's kind-hearted and sweet as well."
"You know her?" Roman asked.
"Not directly, Sir. I have heard of her. Farmer Helmsley speaks highly of all his children but his eldest seems to be the most discussed."
"I see," he said directing his attention back to the young woman in the field. She had stopped to remove her bonnet from her head and wipe the sweat from her brow. Roman imagined her beauty before him. She did not have her father's light brown hair, it was a darker brown much like her mother's. From a distance she seemed to resemble her mother more than her father and if that was the case she would be quite an attractive young woman in his mind.
Once again Roman's thoughts are interrupted by the hand placed onto his shoulder. The grip tightened as he looked out into the field as his next prey the next victim to his womanizing, philandering ways. "Roman, what have I told you before about these young women?"
"What young women, Father?" he asked looking up at his father.
"Young women like the Farmer's Daughter, they are not the women for you. A man of your station will marry a respectable young woman that comes from the same rank as you. Farmer Helmsley's daughter is not the woman for you."
"I never said I was interested in Helmsley's daughter," he responded. "What would give you that idea?"
"You've been watching her for some time Roman. I have been watching you as you watched her. She is our help. She will be around the residence more often now that her mother has taken ill."
"And you allowed this young woman that knows NOTHING about farming to come to our residence to be a farm hand with her father?" he asked.
"Roman, she is very skilled in farming. She grew up a farmer's daughter. I'm sure like you are skilled in your trade. People like us, Roman, don't bring ourselves down to people like them," he explained. "Your mother would never allow it," he said.
"I know, Father," he said as he kept his eyes on the farmer's daughter as she got back to work out in the fields.
"Roman, I am serious, women like that are not the women for a man like you. You deserve better someone more established, more educated, wealthier," he explained. "You're five and twenty," he stated, "it's time for you to find a wife, settle down and create an heir. You're the Lord of Easton. You need to secure your title and our family lineage by producing an heir."
"I understand, Father," he said finally but reluctantly removing his eyes from the young woman in the field. He was planning his ways of seducing her into his bed. He knew that she was below his rank she was nothing but the family help but that meant nothing to him, he could still seduce her, pride himself on bedding her, taking her virtue and marking her as his even if she never truly would be. She would never be more than the woman he took to his bed before he fell into the sanctimony of marriage to some Lady or someone of equal station to him.
"Do you truly understand? Your philandering ways will need to cease until you find a wife to produce you an heir, a respectable wife, a virtuous wife," he said. "Then it is your choice to have a mistress or two."
"What you're telling me is I need to make a virtuous woman my wife, have a child with her but can procure any other woman I wish to procure?"
"If you wish," he said.
"Sounds pleasant," he said before sipping his tea. "I assume Mother has a Lady in mind for me."
"You'll attend the ball of Lady Amelia next evening. She is in the middle of her season and she is searching for a respectable husband. Her parents wish for her to be married to you, Lord Reigns but it is her choosing as to if she will take you as a husband."
"Lady Amelia is very beautiful," he responded. "It will be my pleasure to take this mission. If she chooses me then what will happen?"
"You will marry as soon as possible and you will take residence in Easton," he answered.
"If you wish, Father," he said to please his father. "Anything else?"
"That's all for now but do stop salivating over the Farmer's Daughter," he warned before he entered their residence leaving Lord Reigns to direct his attention back to the field where Helmsley and his daughter we no longer able to be seen. He stood up and followed his father into the residence.
The warm afternoon faded into a cooler early evening, the sun was starting to fade in the sky as it began to set, the servants of Lord Reigns' residence were preparing for dinner as Helmsley and his young daughter were helping providing goods for the dinner they were preparing from their day of harvesting while Roman sat in the parlor with his mother Margret. Lady Tennyson was from a wealthy family much like Roman's father Lord Tennyson. They had married each other young and Roman became their only heir as his mother was never able to produce more children for his father. Lord Tennyson had grown to despise his wife but remained married to her for sanctions but most of his nights were spent with his mistress that had produced three bastards for Roman's father two sons that would never have a title and a daughter that would never be more than a mistress' daughter. Roman focused little on them and spent no time with them. His father housed them and cared for them but never forced his only heir to have a relationship with him. "Have you spoken to your father, Dear?" asked Lady Tennyson.
"Yes, Mother," he said as they sat by the fire. "I am to attend the ball at Lady Amelia's to stake claim to be her husband."
"You two would make such a lovely couple," she said with a smile. "You do remember Amelia from when you were younger don't you, dear?" she asked.
"I could never forget her," he replied thinking of the young girl his parents had always said would be his wife someday. From the time Amelia was born they had been wed by both their parents so it came as no surprise to Roman when his mother and father suggested he attend the ball in Amelia's honor for her to publicly select him as her husband. It was destined to be. He didn't love her, he wasn't in love with her but he tolerated her. She was not unattractive. She was actually a very beautiful woman in his eyes. She had fair skin, a few freckles covering her slightly pointed nose, her eyes were a beautiful hazel color that changed depending on the lighting they would appear brown but other times they would appear green while most of the time they were hazel. Her hair was sun kissed, light brown with blonde streaks running through it and her build was slightly tiny but she had all the right curves without the proper under garments like most women wore. She was fairly educated, her father a man that worked for the Crown agency and highly respected for his loyalty to his country. If Roman was forced or needed to marry any woman it would be Amelia simply because their tastes were similar, she was beautiful and above all she was as wealthy as his family. She would make a good wife he was certain and she would make a good mother to their children but she would never truly hold his heart, no woman would ever be able to make him love them. He was too wild and too free to let his heart guide him anywhere in life, he did everything out of selfish ambition and selfish gain and he openly admitted his philandering lifestyle. "We were tied together in marriage from her birth."
"Yes," said his mother with a smile. "She grew up to be a beautiful young woman hasn't she?"
"Beautiful," he said picking at his nails with his teeth.
"Roman, do not do that. It's highly unattractive from a man of your station. I assume your father has retired to his mistress' residence?" she asked.
"Yes, Mother," he answered. "He has retired to her residence."
"I assumed so," she said, "you and Amelia will have beautiful children."
"I'm sure we will, Mother. She has to choose me as her husband first."
"She will," she promised him, "we offered a fair amount of money for her to choose you as her husband."
"You paid her?" he asked.
"Her father," she answered as they were interrupted by footsteps entering their parlor. They turned their direction toward their visitors. Roman felt a smile come across his lips when he saw the shy farmer's daughter standing behind her father. He stood on his feet and offered his hand to his mother to help her to her feet.
"Lady Tennyson, we apologize for the interruption but as the evening sky has fallen it is time for us to retire to our residence. My wife is ill," he explained. "My daughter will be accompanying me until she is well enough to work for you again. I hope you don't mind, Madam."
"Yes, Helmsley," she said.
"Hello, Helmsley," said Roman making his presence known. The shy farmer's daughter looked up from behind her father's shoulder and her crystal blue eyes met Roman's dark brown eyes. She was more beautiful, more attractive than he had expected.
"Hello, Lord Reigns," he said with a nod. "I'm sure you have not had the pleasure of meeting my daughter."
"No, Helmsley, I have not," he said keeping eye contact with the young girl that couldn't be more than eight and ten. He smiled at the young girl and her light skin turned pink as she gave him a soft smile. "Who is the beautiful young lady?" he asked in his deep tone making the young girl shift on her feet.
"Lord Reigns, this is my daughter Della," he introduced her. "Della, this is Lord Reigns of Easton," he said.
"Hello, My Lord," she said quietly but with the sweetest voice you could ever imagine. It sounded like how a cloud would feel soft and smooth. It made Roman smile as she bowed before him.
"Hello, Della," he said with a soft smile as he took her hand into his. He brought it to his lips with a smile. "It's nice to meet you, Della," he said softly sending goosebumps up her spine. He kissed her hand with his soft lips, her hand felt like velvet, soft and smooth. "I do look forward to seeing you around more often," he smiled as he let go of her hand. She gave him a shy smile as she blushed.
"It has been a pleasure to make your acquaintance, My Lord," she curtsied.
"The pleasure has been ALL mine, Della," he said, her name floating like a cloud. She bit her bottom lip.
"Della, it's time to depart," said her father as he looked at Roman and then at his daughter. "We have overstayed our welcome," he said taking her by the hand. He bid them a farewell before pulling his young daughter of eight and ten from their residence. "You will stay away from that man, Della," he said.
"But father," she protested. "He is a nice man."
"He is an Earl," he said. "You have no concern flirting with an earl. He is not the man for you," he warned.
"But Papa," she protested. "I think he is rather fond of me."
"Rather fond of the idea of you, not of you, Della, that man will destroy you. He is no good for you. You will stay away from him."
"But Papa," she said.
"DELLA, you will stay away from him," he warned, "And that is final!" he snapped.
"Okay," she said as they continued their walk in the cool autumn evening. She looked back at the Earl's residence and smiled before she ran to catch up to her father. Neither of them had an idea they were being followed to their home as they walked through the woods.
*A/N: What did you think? Is it a keeper yes or no? What did you think of Roman's obsession with Della as she worked in the field with her father? What did you think of Roman's father and mother telling him that Amelia will be his wife? Were you surprised that Roman's father had a mistress, will Roman be the same way? What do you think of Roman's thoughts of Amelia vs. his thoughts of Della? What did you think of Della and Roman meeting for the first time? Will either Roman or Della heed to their parents' advice to stay away from one another? What did you think please review and thank-you for reading.