First of all, I am so sorry for not updating for such a very long time. I have been so busy with my final exams and then I was working on four different projects simultaneously. I have just finished all of that a few days ago.


Chapter 9: Love starts with a fight:

It's been two days since Rahl brought Isabella back to the palace. Through that period, he never tried to see her; not because of his previous intentions... no, he wasn't thinking about that anymore. He was just so angry that whenever he was around her lately, he felt that he was losing control over his actions. She was always fighting and he couldn't fight back anymore. That night when he brought here back to the palace was so...different.

"If I have to kill myself...again, I will do it without hesitation. I can still defend myself."

He couldn't respond. For the creator's sake, why didn't he send her back to the mord-siths' temple to be punished for speaking to him like that? Why couldn't he punish her? In other times, he would have really enjoyed that.

"Am I that desperate to find someone who opposes my words?" he thought.

He -desperately- wanted to feel human again, even if that feeling meant that he would change his attitude entirely towards a broken and weak young woman. In other circumstances, his reaction would have been different, but now, things are different; he, somehow, enjoyed having someone around who defied him, who challenged him, especially if it was a young woman who was supposed to be scared to death. She reminded him a little of his mord-siths' power. The mord-siths were the only women who could speak to him without fear, though with respect... although sometimes he can make them tremble by one word.


Another three days passed and Darken couldn't stand it anymore. He wanted to see her. He needed to see her. He longed for her words even if they were offensive. For Lord Rahl, that was a new experiment that he was more than willing to try.

"I promised her that she will be sent home soon. Maybe I should make good use of the time left." he thought.

"Why did I even promise her that?" he said in a low voice, gritting on his teeth.


In the first two days, Isabella spent her time in her chamber, mostly lying in bed. Her wounds hurt a lot that she couldn't move without hissing in pain. Her twisted ankle was the worst, so she had to let Nyla help her walk to the bathroom. Her day was so simple, and so dull; she would, reluctantly, lie in bed reading that book about D'Hara's history, talk to Nyla or just sleep.

In the following days, the pain got less and she could walk around the room by herself. Surprisingly for her, that creamy substance was of so much help in easing the pain of her injuries. Rahl was right after all!

Isabella was anxious to go back home. Although Rahl kept his word and she was untouched, being around him, inside his palace, wasn't comforting at all. She also wanted to go back to her village to check on those young girls who were about to be kidnapped by Heather and her sisters.

Later that night, Isabella was sitting on an armchair near the big window, watching the sparkling stars, and that book lied on her lap. She was trying so hard not to be drifted in her memories; her memories with Daniel. She missed him so much, she knew him for two years before he asked her to marry him. She missed his shiny hazel eyes, his smile, and his short brown hair. She missed touching his skin, she missed his touch. She missed how he looked at her with those lovely wide eyes. She missed sleeping in his arms. She even missed fighting with him. She smiled when she remembered how they first met...it was a fight, and it was on her birthday.


Six years ago:

It's been Isabella's nineteenth birthday. She woke up early as usual, very happy and excited. She walked to her bedchamber's window, watching the sunrise. She always loved watching the sun in the early morning. She stayed by the window for a while before heading to the bathroom to wash her face. She looked at the mirror, smiling to herself. She was so beautiful, and when she smiled she would look much more beautiful. She always smiled, despite that slight look of sadness that her father always said it lied in her eyes.

She headed to her wardrobe and picked that new dress she had it tailored for her birthday. She touched the soft blue fabric, it was made of silk. She hugged the dress tightly and imagined how her party would look like, and then she carefully put the dress back in the wardrobe and picked another dress to wear. She had to work all day in the inn; the party would be later in the evening. Although her father was quite rich and she never had to work, she always enjoyed working in the inn.

She got ready for her new day; she wore an orange long dress with circular white patterns and short sleeves, and she bounded her long hair to a ponytail with a white long strip. She wore her brown boots, and then she left her chamber, walking to the inn.

Isabella's house wasn't far from the inn. The big house had a big garden with fruit trees, flowers and herbs, and it was surrounded by a wooden fence, and the inn was close to the house. It also had a garden, with some tables and chairs, as well as some trees and vegetables, too. It was also surrounded by a wooden fence, too.

Isabella's father, John Knight, was a rich man. He was married to Isabella's mother, Samantha, for twenty years. They have lived in Carden since they got married, and they started that inn business as soon as they moved to the village. Everyone in the village loved this happy couple, especially John, who was a very wise and educated man.

There weren't many people in the inn. It wasn't a busy day. Isabella went to the kitchen to help Uncle Bruce and Sarah. Uncle Bruce was her father's best friend and he has been working in the inn since it was open, and Sarah was his daughter in-law. They were both working in the inn. Bruce was running the inn with John, while Sarah was working in the kitchen. Isabella always helped in the kitchen, and sometimes she would serve food to the customers.

"What are you doing here, Belle? You should take today off. It's your birthday." Sarah said.

Isabella smiled and said, "I have work to do, Sarah, and we will all take tonight off."

Bruce entered the kitchen and said, "Bacon and eggs for table four, extra salt, and some bread and some cold water, too." and then he left.

"I will take it now", Isabella said. Sarah looked at her and smiled, "No, you stay her. I will take it. Make good use of your day, Belle."

Isabella paused for a few moments. She didn't want Sarah to feel overloaded, but she finally said, "Fine, but I will help you if I see you need help." Sarah nodded and went to prepare the meal, and then she took it outside and returned back to the kitchen.

It wasn't long till Sarah and Isabella heard shouts from outside the kitchen. They recognized Bruce's voice and another voice. Isabella went to see what was going on. A young man was shouting at Bruce and some customers were gathered around them. Isabella rushed to Bruce and shouted, "What is happening?". Bruce was about to explain when the young man said, "What happened is that your service is the worst. I never knew that eggs could be that sugary." Isabella narrowed her eyes and said, "Sugary?!" Bruce turned to her and said, "A mistake, Isabella. It seems that Sarah..." but before he could continue, the young man interrupted him and shouted, "I don't care about all of that. I need my meal right now, and if you are not capable of running such a business, then maybe you should...", Isabella shouted, "ENOUGH". He stared at her, and before he could speak, she continued, "Stop shouting in my estate, or leave and we won't ask you for money."

"Your estate? So you are the owner? And what money? You have no right to ask for that. It's your..."

"I said ENOUGH. Behave yourself, mister, or I will kick you out of here, literally."

The shouts were too loud that John heard them and came. He was already on his way to the inn when he heard the shouts, so he rushed in saying, "What is happening here?"

Bruce explained that Sarah made a mistake. She mistook salt for sugar. She never did that before but it could happen, especially that she was worried about her husband, Edward, Bruce's son, who has been away for two weeks. John paused for a few moments, and then said "Well, young man, we are sorry for that. I assure you that it never happened before and you could ask any of the customers."

Isabella stared at her father and said, "But, father, he has been shouting very loudly." John looked at her and said, "It is our mistake, Isabella". Isabella defended, "But he didn't even give us a chance to apologize or serve him another plate. He just kept shouting at Uncle Bruce and he wouldn't..." John interrupted Isabella and said quietly, "That's enough, Isabella." Isabella looked at her father, then at the young man. She stared at him furiously. If looks hurt, the young man would have been dead by now.

Isabella turned around to leave, but then she turned to look at the young man and said, "If you don't respect people, don't you dare expect people to respect you." and she turned to leave. John approached the young man, leaned on his ear and said in a low voice, "Since it is our mistake that your meal was a mess, then we will fix this mistake and we will offer you another meal, a better meal on the house, and since it's your mistake that you kept shouting at a man at the age of your father, then you will eat your meal and leave and never come back again, now have a seat." John turned to Bruce and said, "Follow me, please." The young man watched them till they disappeared in the long corridor that led to the kitchen, then he sat down and cursed himself for behaving like that.


It was night, the time for the big party. The house and the garden were all lighted by small colored candles. All Isabella's friends and her parents' friends were invited. There was a lot of food for the guests, and Samantha baked a big birthday cake for her daughter. It was a chocolate cake. Isabella loved chocolate very much.

Isabella was wearing her new blue dress. It was a long dress with long sleeves. She tied a fouleur of the same color and fabric around her head. She looked gorgeous. She was walking among her guests, greeting them with a wide smile on her face. All the guests were talking, drinking, and singing. They were all happy, but Isabella and her parents were the happiest. Isabella danced with her father happily, and she danced with Uncle Bruce, too. Then she let her father and Bruce dance with her mother and Sarah. She kept watching them, and watching the other people, too. She was so happy that they were happy for her and that they were having a good time because of her birthday party.

Isabella turned around and walked towards the house's main gate. She loved walking under the light of the moon. Her birthday was no exception. No one will notice her absence. She would just walk for a while then come back. She crossed the gate and walked towards the fence of the inn, and she suddenly remembered the quarrel she had with that young man in the morning. She felt so angry again.

How could he talk to her like that? And why did her father talk to him like that? She didn't ask her father later about his behavior towards that young man. Sometimes her father did some things that she wouldn't understand, and whenever she asked him or her mother, they would tell her that some situations should be handled wisely.

"I am so sorry about what happened in the morning." a male voice said from behind.

Isabella jumped. She turned around to find him standing in front of her, the same young man. She frowned and shouted "YOU SCARED ME!"

"I am sorry. I just wanted to..." he said quickly, trying to apologize.

"What are you doing here anyway? I will go get my father." she shouted.

She turned around to go call for her father when he stood in front of her and said, "Please, listen to me. I came here because I want to apologize for what happened earlier. I didn't mean to be rude. I am not a rude person. I am just having a rough time now and I couldn't control myself. I do apologize for any offensive word I said to you or to the old man...Bruce, I guess?"

Isabella looked at him for a moment and said, "Yes, Bruce. That was the old man that you kept shouting at without caring that..."

He interrupted, "I said I am sorry. That is why I came here though your father told me not to come back again. Seriously, I am not a bad person. I never raise my voice in front of older people. I never raise my voice at all. I would also like to meet your father and Mr. Bruce, to apologize to them in person."

"I don't think it's a good idea", she said quietly.

"then...Would you please tell them how sorry I am?" he almost pleaded.

Isabella sighed and said, "Fine, I will, only if you promise me never to come back here, because next time, my father won't be that wise with you."

He smiled and said, "I promise, only if you promise me to tell them that I came back to apologize."

"Fine. Would you leave now?".

He smiled and turned to leave, but then he turned to her and said, "Happy birthday, by the way."

Isabella narrowed her eyes and said, "How did you know?"

"It's not that hard to know. The house is shining like another sun. It must be your house, it's the nearest to your father's inn. People are dancing and drinking, and you are the most beautiful among all of them, then it must be your birthday" he was smiling.

"Oh, and you are smart, too." she smirked.

"Thank you for the compliment." he said, smiling.

They kept looking at each other for a few moments before Isabella cleared her throat and said, "I have to go back, and you have to disappear before my father sees you. Good bye." and she turned to leave.

"My name is Daniel. Daniel Woods." he shouted. She turned to him, smiled, then turned back and ran to the house.

"Till we meet again, Isabella." he said. He watched her till she disappeared behind the trees.


By the time she reached that point, Isabella's face was covered in tears. She missed her husband so much, and considering the situation she was in now, she missed him more than ever. Her memories with him were the only thing that kept him close to her after his death.

"Are you asleep?"

Isabella was taken from her memories by a voice she recognized well. Darken Rahl's voice. She turned her head from the window to the door, only to find him standing be the open door, leaning against it...and he kept the door open. Isabella stared at him for a few moments; she needed to focus.

"Uh...No, I am not asleep." she finally said.

"I knocked many times. I thought you were asleep but the lights were on."

She straightened her back and said in a steady voice, "Is there anything you want from me...now?"

Darken looked at her and said, "I just wanted to make sure you are alright. I already told you that are my guest, and I always check on my guests."

"Well...I am fine, and I am looking forward to going back home." she curtly said.

Darken looked at her sharply. Somehow, he wished she would forget he promised her that. "You will. I promised you." He walked into the chamber till he reached the armchair opposite to hers and he sat down. From that position, he could see her fresh tears. She didn't even bother herself to brush them away.

"You seem to be in pain. Is the cure not working?" he asked, concerned.

"It is working. Actually, it is working very well."

"Then why are you...?"

She knew what he was going to ask about, so she interrupted, saying, "I thank you for checking on me, but I do need to get some rest now. So, if there's no other reason for your visit, then, may I ask you to...wish me good night?" she said.

Darken stared at her. "Wish you good night?"

Apparently, she wasn't ready to talk, so he decided not to push and maybe they could talk tomorrow. He got up and said, "I wish you a good night, Miss Isabella", and he left the room in a hurry, not bothering himself to wait and see if she said anything in return or not.


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