That night Arthur and Amelia sat cuddled up together in front of the fireplace. They had finished lugging everything they brought with them from England into the house. Most of the boxes were just placed in the grand living room and were agreed upon that they would be sorted and put away the next day.

Amelia sighed and snuggled closer into her boyfriend's chest as she watched the small flames. Her arms ached from all the heavy lifting even though Arthur supposedly said she was carrying the lighter boxes. When she realized she had actually been carrying the heavier ones and that he tricked her, Amelia secretly put a bunch rocks into one of his boxes when he wasn't looking. She had to bite her tongue from laughter when his eyes nearly shot out of his head when he tried lifting it. She waited until he was inside and wouldn't hear her when she broke out in hysterical laughter. The box now was actually somewhere stacked with the others. She couldn't wait to see his face when he opened it and discovered all the rocks.

She giggled softly at the thought.

"What are you laughing at?" She heard him murmur quietly into her ear. His lips brushed her skin and caused her to giggle even more.

"I can't tell you yet." She just said simply and felt his lips turn downwards. "It's going to be a surprise." She finished.

"Oh? Is it a surprise for me?" He smiled again and his arms around her middle grew tighter, pressing her more securely against his chest.

She grinned and clasped her hands over his that were around her. "Hmm is just might be."

"Is that so?" He inquired playfully and started pressing his fingers into Amelia's sides. Her eyes got wide once she realized what he was about to do. She started squirming to get away but his hold on her was too strong.

"Tell me please?" He held her tighter when she tried to escape him. She knew what he was about to do and he wasn't about to let her get away so easily.

"I-I can't." She bit back a smile when his fingers started to move in place. "I-it's going to be a surprise!"

Arthur chuckled and pressed his face against the side of hers. "If you aren't going to tell me willingly then you leave me no choice."

Amelia gasped when Arthur's tickle assault at last began. She tried desperately to grab his hands and pull them away but she couldn't keep ahold of them as he racked them across her sides and stomach. The sensation had her laughing uncontrollably and unable to process any coherent sentences.

"S-stop!" She begged and laughed at the same time, also hearing Arthur behind her laughing along.

"Will you tell me of the surprise if I do?" He fingers paused in their assault and Amelia took that time to breathe.

She desperately wished she had said nothing at all when he asked. It wouldn't have gotten her into this mess to begin with and she really didn't want to tell him his surprise was a bunch of rocks. The thought made her laugh again and Arthur seemed to catch it.

"Is that a yes?"

Amelia giggled but bit her lips afterward to hide her amusement from him. He was seriously going to be so disappointed.

She just shook her head in response. If she told him the truth it would kill the mood and she was enjoying this playful side to him at the moment.

"Prefer to be stubborn do you?" Arthur quickly grabbed her waist firmly and heard her squeak in response. "Then I hope you're prepared for the consequences!"

Before Amelia could try and get away, Arthur flipped their positions and was now hovering over her, her wrist pinned above her head.

Arthur enjoyed the look of surprise in his girlfriend's eyes once she realized what had just happened. He smirked playfully at her and watched her expression closely as he straddled her hips. Her already surprised eyes got wider once she felt what he wanted her to. A blush spread across her lovely tan cheeks and Arthur had so resist leaning down and kissing them.

"Those aren't by chance your c-car keys are they?" Her voice wavered like it always did when embarrassed. After all the things they've done in the years they've been together, he'd think she would no longer be bashful, but Arthur didn't mind. He loved that about his beautiful American.

Instead of answering, Arthur just ground his hips atop hers, watching her eyes in the process. "What does it feel like to you?"

She looked away and shrugged like she didn't know but Arthur felt the way she moved her hips secretly under his.

No matter how many times her and Arthur had done it, Amelia never really got used to it. He was a lot more demanding in the region than she was and at times it was hard to keep up. But that didn't mean she didn't like it. She was 21 years old and despite her childish adventures and jargon, she very much thought of herself as a woman. But when it came to sex, something didn't completely feel right and she didn't know how to discuss it with Arthur without making him feel bad.

Arthur had confessed that he'd been with many of women before they met and that meant he was well experienced in the field while Amelia was not. She had been saving herself for that one special guy and that ended up being Arthur. He was her first and she wanted him to be her last, but that didn't mean she still did not wonder what it was like with other men. Maybe that feeling she got with Arthur was what it felt like for all people. Maybe it was normal.

But how would she ever know?

"Amelia." He said in a husky tone that made her look back up at him. His green eyes were filled with arousal and desire and were glued onto her. She watched them trial to her neck and a bit lower then back to her face. She swallowed nervously and waited for what he would do next. She was never too good at taking the lead.

"How about we break in this old couch, hm?" He hummed and ground his hips harder onto hers then leaned down and started trailing wet kisses on the side of her neck.

Amelia's fingers flexed under his grip as she felt his lips massage her skin. Her neck was a sensitive spot and he knew it and would always start there first. As he kissed her neck she waited for that tingling sensation she would feel in his lower abdomen, but it never came. She could feel heart racing but not for the reason that it should be.

She squirmed underneath him and tried removing her wrist from his grasp. Something didn't feel right.

Arthur felt her move under him and took it in a way that she wanted more contact. He removed one of his hands that he used to secure her wrist and rested it on her hipbone. She stopped moving then but he didn't notice and slid his hand under her shirt.

When Amelia felt his fingers touch the soft skin of her exposed hip then trail his hand upwards under her shirt, she couldn't help but to shiver. His touch was no longer warm like it used to be. Now it just felt...cold.

Amelia tried to relax and told herself it was just because she was in a new home and it was freezing outside. The weather and location were just as keen players as the two participants.

She looked past the strands of her boyfriend's blonde hair and gazed at the wall across from them, though she found herself immediately regretting it. Staring right back at her were the lifeless eyes of all the old creepy portraits. It felt like they had an audience even though they were just mere drawings.

When Arthur's hand cupped one of her breast her eyes shot back to the on looking painted faces and felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her.

They're just paintings. She repeated in her head to calm herself down. Nobody can see what we're doing. We're completely alone...right?

"Arthur?" She mumbled into his ear and he groaned in response.

He started to nip her neck and she twitched at the odd feeling. "I'm actually kinda tired and change my mind." She felt him pause and thought he was listening to what she asked until the hand on her breast tightened.

"Then how about I wake you up? I'm sure I can think of a few ways." He purred against her then latched his mouth into her neck and started sucking.

"W-Wait, Arthur!" She was slightly startled by the action and tried yanking her hands free so she could push him away.

She looked back to their audience that hung from the wall as they watched on with stern expressions.

Amelia again tried to wiggle herself out from under him but he was too heavy and his legs securely straddled her. With her hands clasped together and her waist forced down, she felt completely vulnerable and the eyes from above only continued to watch.

"Arthur, please! I said I was tired now get off!" Her impatientness was evident in her voice and she hoped that Arthur would hear and get the message.

He was too distracted in what he was doing that he didn't heed and Amelia felt her uneasiness rising, feeling more and more uncomfortable and exposed.

"I said stop!" She demanded loud enough for him to hear but that wasn't what got him off of her.

Right after she shouted at him the flames in the fireplace erupted furiously, the carved stone barely able to contain the flames. The roaring sound of it bursting to life caused Arthur to fling straight up in alarm. Before he could even get a grasp of the situation the couch rattled under him and he lost balance by being on his knees and went crashing to the floor. He tumbled some distance away as if the floorboards were rolling him further off.

Amelia laid there in shock as the heat from the wild flames licked at her side. Having his weight off her made her feel relieved and like she could breathe again. The pressure from the eyes on the wall seemed to fade away too and Amelia felt her inner confidence rebuilding.

Somewhere on the floor she could hear Arthur rolling around but she didn't bother and look. Her heart rate was still calming down and she didn't want to look at him just yet.

She lifted her head to look at her clothes before adjusting her shirt and pulling the end neatly back down. She laid her head back onto the cushion and let out a soft breath, trying to figure out what had come over her to react in such a way. Never had she pushed Arthur away or resisted his caresses. His touches were always good-natured and she enjoyed them but something about his hands being on her now and in this house just felt weird. Like it wasn't right in some strange way.

Amelia heard Arthur groan and she sprang upwards, almost forgetting that he had tumbled to the floor. When she looked for him she noticed the flames had died back down but left a comfortable warmness in the air.

"Arthur?" She whispered.

He groaned again and Amelia spotted him slowly rising to his hands and knees about six feet away from her. He had even managed to roll under the coffee table and past that.

"You okay?" She felt bad as she watched him sit up.

"The bloody hell was that?" He sounded winded and started rubbing the side of his head. "The fire just went ballistic for no apparent reason." As if remembering he spun around and checked on it.

"It's uh, actually done that before." She smiled uneasily and he shot her a disoriented look.

"You've seen the fire explode?" He questioned skeptically and raised an eyebrow.

Amelia thought back to earlier that day when she had been resting on the couch. "Yeah, like, right before you and the real estate lady walked in this afternoon while I was relaxing."

"And you didn't think to tell me about this sooner?" It sounded like he was getting irritated for no good reason and Amelia wasn't about to put up with that.

"I didn't think it would be a reoccurring thing! If it happens again then I'll be sure to tell you!" She snapped then got up off the couch and started walking away. Almost instantly though she heard Arthur scramble to get off the floor and come after her.

"Amelia," he reached out and gently grabbed at her wrist. She stopped and turned around to look at him, seeing his brows knitted down in worry.

"I'm not blaming you for anything. I'm sorry if it came off that way. It's just I'm still a little shaken from what happened and," he swallowed and Amelia saw regret fill his eyes. "And for what I did to you. I should've backed off when you first said so. I'm sorry."

Amelia sighed and stepped closer to him and grabbed both his hands. She held them in between them and stared at their connected fingers. "I shouldn't have freaked out like that. If I was uncomfortable then I should've said so sooner." She smiled and looked at him. "I forgive you."

Arthur let out a sigh of relief and leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "From now on let's be straight forward and listen to each other, ok? I don't think I could stand having you angry with me over my own foolishness."

Amelia snickered at that. "Foolishness is right! I mean did you even hear yourself? 'Let's break this old couch in'." She put on a corny deep English accent as she mocked Arthur's words from earlier. "You really know how to set the mood don't ya?"

"You do realize that it's you who makes me utter those absurd things?" He joked and she shrugged.

"I have that affect on people. What can I say?"

Arthur stared at her for a moment before cracking a grin. "Well you can start by apologizing and-" he started laughing when his girlfriend yanked her hands from his and started beating on him. He put up his arms for defense against the swipes.

"You jerk! Forget this I'm going up stairs." She spun around and started making her way towards the hall but stopped right before entering. She turned to look back at Arthur with a guilty expression.

"Um, don't suppose you wanna tag along?"

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her as he started making his way towards his girlfriend. "Scared are we?"

"Am not! It's dark and I don't know where our room is and I may trip up the stairs or something!" In her defense it was really dark because they didn't have power yet in the house. An electrician was coming the next day to work on the lighting, heating, and apparently pluming. The guy did all three.

Arthur grabbed her hand and started pulling her along down the hall that had a few candles lit along the way. "Don't worry love, your shining knight will lead the way."

"Oh my hero.." She grumbled and heard Arthur snort a laugh.

When they reached the staircase Amelia couldn't help but to gasp at how large and grand it was. It started out extensive then curved in the middle before expanding out again. At the top of the steps you had the option of going right, left, or straight down the middle. When she and Arthur reached the top he pulled her with him to the left and began down a long corridor that was dimly lit.

"What's down here?" She asked and watched as they passed several doors on their right side. The left side of the wall had paintings hung and a few candles and old light fixtures.

"I was told that this was the guest wing. Apparently the previous owners had many guest so they kept extra rooms on hand and always in good condition. We'll be staying in the finest room that I could find when I was touring with Mrs. Yabe. I think you'll like it." He turned to smile at her but she was too focused on all the tiny details of the hall. From the dark ruby colored rug with diamond like designs, or the pale gold walls and that hung many landscape paintings. She especially loved the paintings.

They suddenly stopped at one of the doors near the end of the hall and Amelia watched Arthur give the worn knob a few jerks before it finally opened.

He stood out of the way and extended an arm out towards the room. "Welcome to our new room."

Amelia walked past him and into the bedroom, her eyes darting to every little thing that caught her attention. "It's beautiful." She breathed and grinned as she spun around to take it all in.

The floor was a dark oak like the rest of the house but wasn't as worn and cracked. She also noted how they didn't squeak when she walked over the old boards. In the middle of the room was a large rug made up of all different blues and gold's. The patterns were obviously of native design to the country and she found that fascinating.

"I had a feeling you'd like this room. It's the bluest of them all." And Arthur was most certainly right by that. The walls were a deep sapphire color as well as the blue and white bed sheets. When Amelia's eyes fell on the large bed she couldn't believe how big it was. It had a large hand carved wooden bedpost and four pillars on each corner of the bed.

"It looks fit for a king." She gawked at the expansive bed.

Arthur walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle and pulled her close. The action made Amelia slightly cringe.

"More like a queen." He kissed the side of her head and leaned his chin on her shoulder.

"Um.." Amelia cleared her throat to come up with something to make sure their conversation didn't sway in another suggestive direction.

"Soo why are we staying in the guest room and not the master?" She heard Arthur sigh and then pull away. She looked back to see him frowning and apparently thinking something over in his head that was troubling him.

"The master bedroom will be needing a lot of work done before we will ever be able to stay in there."

"Why's that?" She asked curiously.

"Mrs. Yabe at first didn't wish to show me the room but after I continuously insisted she finally gave in. The room was locked and for a very good reason because it's a bloody hazard. It appeared that the previous owner went mad and demolished the room completely. Every piece of fabric is torn and wood smashed." He sighed and moved towards a chair in the corner of the room and sat down. Amelia followed him and sat in the chair opposite of his.

As soon as she heard that the old owner went crazy and destroyed the room, Amelia couldn't help but to feel saddened by the tale. It unnerved her that someone was so angered that they would do such a thing. It almost pained her to ask Arthur why.

"What happened to them to make them do that? It must've been pretty horrible..."

Arthur stared at her for a long while from his chair. It looked as though he was thinking something over but didn't want to say it aloud.

"Amelia, love," he called gently. "You did hear the story of what happened from Mrs. Yabe yesterday, correct?"

Amelia remembered all the little snips she was able to get and put them together to her understanding. "Yeah that a married couple used to live here like a hundred or so years ago but something happened and they separated. Right?" But something in her was saying that she was wrong and a part of her knew that. The words didn't feel right when she said them and wished she hadn't said anything at all. Almost as if she disrespected the true story.

Arthur grinned kindly at her. "Well in a way you aren't completely wrong."

"What do you mean by that? So the couple didn't separate?"

"In a way, I suppose. Just not in the way that you may be thinking."

Amelia opened her mouth to ask what he meant but stopped when she felt something warm and heavy rest on her shoulder. Without turning her head she just glanced from the corner of her eye.

But nothing was there.

The pressure on her right shoulder felt reassuring and Amelia let any more questions go about the past owners. Of course she was still curious but she also had a terrible feeling that the truth would affect her in a great way.

Later on after they both prepared themselves for bed, Amelia laid awake on her side of the large bed all snuggled up with the blankets. Arthur was already fast asleep on his side of bed. It was normal for him to sleep alone on his side of the bed. He wasn't a big cuddlier and preferred to have his space while trying to sleep. Some nights Amelia would have to beg him to cuddle with her after making love. She didn't know how he could be so intimate with one act but completely distant with another.

She gazed at the backside of his messy blond hair before rotating and facing the window. The blinds were drawn shut but she imagined that the night sky beyond that was clear and the stars were out. Maybe there was even a full moon.

She continued to imagine the night sky until her eyelids grew heavy and she found herself struggling to stay awake.

The last thing she remembered before drifting off was a soothing warmth brushing the side of her head. It was that heat that made her slip away and quickly fall into a glamorous dream. A dream of women in colorful dresses and men in fancy attire that would sway their dates to charming music.

AN: It's your reviews that get these suckers out, so help a sista out! Thanks for reading.