A full week has passed, and with each passing day, Cao Xue was falling more and more in love with Ma Dai. To the point, she knew she couldn't live without him. He was nothing but sweet to her, and treated her like they were going to be together forever already. He was such an honest guy that she didn't see that changing.
With a smile as she ran her fingers through her hair as she let her braid out, she closed her eyes. Even remembering how terrified she was of Ma Chao couldn't make her turn away from him now. She did hope that with them being actual blood cousins that would help them to mend it. And that in time she could show him that she wasn't who she thought that he was. That it didn't matter who her father was, she was nothing like him.
"Hello there. You going to answer me?"
Blinking as she shook her head and looked in the mirror to see Ma Dai standing behind her with his hands on his hips she laughed. "I am sorry. I didn't even hear you come in."
Reaching out with a sigh, Ma Dai finished freeing her hair as he smiled. "I figured that one. What were you so deep in thought about anyway? You have gotten like that the last couple of days."
Taking a deep sigh Cao Xue let her eyes flutter closed as he kept running his hands through her hair. She loved that feeling. "Just about how drastically life has changed for me in the last couple of weeks. I went from being beat and yelled at daily. To having a very abusive crash course from Zhen Ji on how to be a 'lady' as she said. Then I am married." Feeling him stop his hands, she stood as she took another nervous breath. Keeping her head down, she folded her hands before her. "And it has been almost everything that has happened since the day that we married that I have actually felt like someone cared."
Taking a step closer to her, Ma Dai reached out and made her look up at him. His heart going out to her when he saw her beautiful eyes full of tears. "I told you too that day. Do not treat me like I am someone you have to be proper with. I am your husband at the moment. Not your tyrant. You never have to look down when you are talking to me Xue."
With a smile as she took another deep breath, Cao Xue kept her eyes in his. "All of that leads me to something I want to tell you Ma Dai." Wringing her hands, she sighed as she turned her head from him and took a few steps away from him. "Just, I ask that you let me say this in a way that I can. Please?"
Feeling his heart race, Ma Dai thought for sure the way she was acting was that she was going to tell him that she didn't want to stay with him. Once they got to this castle, he knew instantly that he was in love with her. He wanted her to want to stay with him and has tried his best to get her to fall in love with the way that he was going to be as her husband. "Okay. What is it?"
Taking fast and deep breaths, Cao Xue closed her eyes as she dropped her head. "When everything is done. And Cao Cao's alliance is done. You told me that if we don't want to stay together then, that you would let me go, but not make me go back to him right?"
His eyes half closing, no convinced that is exactly what she was going to do, Mai Dai visibly flinched as he nodded with a sigh and rubbed his neck. "Yes and I still stand by that."
A few more breaths, and Cao Xue hugged herself. She was terrified to tell him this now that the time has come. But she also knew that he wasn't going to let this go if she decided not to tell him after all. "But if I wanted to stay. If I wanted to keep being your wife. Would you really be alright with that?"
His eyes going wide, Ma Dai just looked at her. Was he reading this whole situation wrong? Had she actually fallen in love with him over the last week? Moving to stand behind her, Ma Dai wrapped his arms around her arms over her stomach making her flinch. "I would be more than alright with that Xue. And not because of the alliance."
"Then what would the reason be?" She knew she had tears streaming out of her eyes, but at the same time, Cao Xue felt safe and secure now that he had his arms around her. Like she could do anything.
Turning her in his arms, keeping her closer with his arm around her waist, Ma Dai reached up and cupped her face, but didn't make her look up at him as he let out a sigh with a warm smile. "Because I can say that I love you and mean it. I wasn't going to tell you until you told me how you felt. But if you want to stay, that would make me the happiest man in the world. If you want to go, I will smile with a broken heart and let you go to be happy. What is this coming up for again?"
One hand on his chest, one hand now over her mouth, Cao Xue as shaking like crazy. He did love her. Fisting her hand in his clothes, she chocked back a sob as she leaned her head into his chest. "I want to stay with you."
Taking a deep breath as he tilted her head up to look at him, Ma Dai had a serious face. "If it is because you know I love you tell me. Otherwise, tell me how you feel about me Xue."
Both hands now fisted in his clothes, Cao Xue let the tears gush from her eyes as she looked into his heavenly brown ones. "I love you Ma Dai. The last week, letting all walls down finally. It didn't take long for my heart to belong to you." She then gasped as he dipped his head and seared his mouth with hers. His lips holding an urgency that she had not felt up to this point. But the power behind this kiss was making her dizzy. And she had to assume it was because they had both said that they love each other at the same time before it.
When he finally pulled his lips from hers, she could feel the blush rise in her cheeks as she opened dazed eyes to see the same haze over his own. "Ma Dai that….."
Touching her lips with his finger as he swallowed hard and took a deep breath, Ma Dai shook his head. "I just want to hear you say it again. Just one time. Tell me how you feela bout me Xue."
Smiling as she started to drop her head but let her eyes flutter open when he wouldn't let her and found his eyes still on hers, she took a few deep breaths. "I love you Ma Dai." Then she gasped before melting into his arms when he moved in and once again seared her mouth with his own. Her hands holding his clothes over his chest with a death grip, fearing if she let go she might fade away.
When he felt her start to shake, Ma Dai took a deep breath and slowly pulled his lips back from hers. "I am sorry. We will work our way up to doing that if you….." But then he gasped as she tip toed and kissed him. After a second he pushed her away from him slightly and took a deep breath. "Xue are you sure? I don't want you to think you have to rush into that because you told me you loved me."
Nodding her head as she shook and blushed, Cao Xue dropped her head but then looked back up at him before he could make her do it. "I am sure Ma Dai. I can't say that I won't be scared. I can't say that I won't shake the whole time. But it would be like that right now in this moment. Or ten years from now because it is my first time." Stepping closer to him as he dropped his hands and rested them on her hips, she took a timid breath as she forced her eyes to stay on his. "I know with you, everything will be fine."
Jerking her fully against him, Ma Dai smiled into her eyes as he dropped his forehead down to rest on hers. "I can't promise there will be no pain. But I can promise that it won't last for long. I can promise that by the time we are through, you are going to fly into the heavens with me."
With a giggle as she twined her arms around his neck, Cao Xue let out a sigh. "I cannot wait."
Searing her mouth again, Ma Dai effortlessly lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed, following her down on it without breaking the kiss. He knew that she was going to hurt some. But he would do all he knew how to do to make sure that it didn't last long for her at all. She would enjoy this as much as he was going to.