Here's my next, sort of long chapter. I hope you all enjoy it! Btw, a huge Danke to Hyperia for the information about a certain tattoo...


WICKED GAME

First all I noticed was that charming smile of his and that glint of absolute happiness in his eyes. He sat in a stooped position on his bed, his neck tense with the muscles appearing on the surface. His arms were also taut, giving the impression of being powerful and dominant. However, reaching his hands, they were soft and gentle, fondling a piece of paper carefully in order not to crease it. How I envied that sheet of paper. How I wish I were in its place instead, being gently fondled by Rowan's hands. Suddenly, I felt the intense pleasurable fever rise up, putting that blissful enchantment on me.

"Good morning Monique, my Liebling" Rowan spoke, waking me from my craving fantasy.

"Good morning Rowan" I replied back bashfully, feeling my head clear enough to remember my oath. Oh but how easy it was to fall under his spell. He resembled a God, sitting underneath the golden light from the sun, and I his innocent Priestess staring in awe, waiting for his divine rapture. I intentionally shivered with bliss watching Rowan rise and walk towards me. His pyjama shirt was rolled up at the sleeves with the front slightly open revealing the top of his muscular chest.

"Here, I found this on the floor" he stated, handing over the sheet of paper. I traded it for the breakfast tray, which Rowan carried off and placed on the small table. The paper was firm and had a sketch of a sleeping Rowan on it. I had obviously forgotten all about it during my nightmare. How careless I had been.

"You are really talented Monique" Rowan interrupted me from my thoughts. "Look how trim the lines are and how accurate the shading is. It's as if the sketch is alive"

His index finger traced the dark lines slowly and almost teasingly before deliberately making contact with my yearning skin. The touch sent delightful electricity straight to my inflated heart, forcing an immediate gasp out of my mouth.

"It's a thing of beauty" he spoke. I gazed up into Rowan's eyes, longing to be lost in those pools of blue. His lips ever so softly parted with his breathing equally erratic. How I wanted to fall into his welcoming embrace and touch those lips with my own… Suddenly, the sketch in my grasp faltered, and it wavered to our feet. Quick as a flash the trance broke and I knelt down to pick it up. Immediately I knew it was a sign, a sign to remind me of my promise.

"Well, it was a gift from me" I said as I rose back to face him. A warm grin appeared on his face as I slipped the paper into his hands.

"My very first portrait; done specially by the talented Monique. Danke"

"It was a pleasure" I replied as I watched Rowan stroking the paper once again. I studied his facial expressions as he looked as if he were mulling over something deep in his mind. Pursing his lips briefly his eyes were brought back to mine, holding some sort of unsure disclosure.

"I must confess I have never been an admirer of art before. Then again I have never been interested in artists either… not until now" Rowan stated with a yearning gaze. Such a gaze that I found weaken myself. All of a sudden, Rowans body meant to lean into mine and embrace me in a lovers hold. However, with my loyalty to Sylvie keeping me from indulging in my desire, I turned away swiftly. My body met the small table, which seemed to comfort my longing heart, giving me the thought of conquering all desire. However, it did none of these things. It made me sick and hurt to refuse my very first kiss with Rowan. After all, it had been the one thing I had so desperately craved for. Who would have thought that sacrificing my heart's desire for a favour to a friend would hurt so much; and how it did hurt. Behind me, I could almost hear the smirk on Rowans lips at my sudden desertion. How rejected he must feel. Without another moment of painful silence, I broke it with ease.

"Perhaps you should start eating your breakfast now" I suggested "We don't want it to go cold"

Turning around to meet him, I was surprised to see him close to myself. His head hung slightly low with a thoughtful expression across his face.

"Of course, I am feeling rather famished"

"Alright, well you tuck in and I'll prepare things for your cleanup"

Rowan nodded sitting himself down on the nearby seat, while I was quick to take my leave. The faster I leave the less likely I am to break my promise. And the less likely I was to feel guilty. Entering the attached bathroom, I indeed found all the supplies waiting for me next to the basin. A borrowed straight razor from dear Rémy, a bowl of whipped shaving cream accompanied by a shaving brush and a clean bowl of water. How kind it was of Sylvie to prepare things for me. Now all there was left to do was to draw Rowan a bath. Turning to my right, I leaned forward and stuck the plug into the bath before letting the hot water flow out of the tap. I returned back to the bedroom with half of the shaving equipment I my hands. Of course I had to make two trips, I wasn't going to be foolish and try and take it all at once and most likely cause a raining destruction of objects. Minutes past and on my second return, after ceasing the running of bath water, Rowan again held my sketch. His breakfast dish was completely clean without a trace of a crumb and left in a tidy state. His finger stroked my signature which sprawled across the bottom of the page. Again he wore a soft smile. I placed the bowls down on the table next to him, pushing his breakfast tray aside.

"Danke for the breakfast, it was delicious" Rowan thanked as I nodded.

"Ja, unfortunately I can't take credit for Sylvie's wonderful cooking. But I will pass it on to her"

"Danke Monique" he grinned with his eyes sparkling. I tore myself away from his magical gaze to organize the shaving supplies. I have a hunch about how difficult my emotions will take to this task. Such an intimate task it is too. Just remember Monique. Control your desire; don't fall under his enchantment no matter how alluring it is. Alright, let's do this.

"Now, I guess I better warn you before I begin, but I have never done this before" I confessed with a sheepish grin.

"I'm sure you'll do fine Fräulein Monique. You're lucky you have a professional in your mitts, I have no problem assisting you with direction" Rowan stated, turning around on his seat to face me.

"Okay then, I can call Rémy up to do it if you want"

"Nein, I want you to do it Monique" his stare was sharp and clear. However, not in any way harsh.

"Alright…I'll try my best" I began "You know as a little girl I used to watch my father shave. I was always curious to why men shaved and women didn't. He would give me the same explanation each time, but still it wasn't enough to keep me happy. Of course, after that he would smear the cream over my face and give me a handle from one of his broken razors. I would sit next to him on the basin ledge mimicking his actions…" I trailed off, reminiscing about my dear Papa. Such a sweet, joyful man. Never hurt anyone in his life, on one. And he's been gone for so long… I held back the forth coming tears not allowing myself to cry in front of Rowan again. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I watched Rowans ever present stare which held only sympathy.

"Do you miss your father Monique?" he asked

"Ja, I miss him an awful lot"

"May I ask what happened to him? I have been curious ever since Archie's letter"

I couldn't deny Rowan the answer, and I wouldn't. He deserved to know and I wanted him to know.

"He-he was killed by the enemy soldiers. They blew up his naval ship a few weeks before my sixteenth birthday" I explained, switching my eye contact away from his to avoid that water works from breaking.

"I am deeply sorry, Monique" Rowan expressed compassionately "If there's anything you want or need me to do, don't hesitate to ask"

A sweet gesture on his part with good intentions. There are many things I needed and wanted which would help with the pain. Most of them definitely not within reason. I returned back to Rowan, somehow feeling much stronger in his presence. And more importantly, less tearful.

"Danke Rowan, it's lovely of you" I replied "But, living for the future and now keeps me away from the past"

Except the nightmares of course.

"Ja, a positive outlook" he tender heartedly smiled.

"Ja, positive" I mused, half believing it. Optimism wasn't a common trait of mine, especially in the time of war. However, I wasn't always a pessimist either…knocking the irrelevant thoughts from my head; it was time to carry on with my chores; the most finest chores in the world.

"Right let's begin"

The brush sat in my hand as I whipped up the shaving cream. I held my hand underneath the hovering brush making sure none of the cream dropped, however it was near impossible when it is so stiff. Taking a deep breath in order to eliminate the desire, I quickly yet gently daubed the salve onto Rowans stubble covered cheek. Softly I spread it around his face, taking care around his mouth and nostrils. Throughout this, Rowan kept silent with his eyes gazing at me. This made me slightly nervous and blissful at the same time. Ignore it Monique, just remember your promise, and remember you're… Suddenly as I smeared his face with the salve the brush slipped and placed some on his bottom lip.

"Oh sorry, do you mind?" I asked watching Rowan shake his head with a satisfied smile. Don't think about it, don't look into his eyes, deny your loving feelings for him. Swiftly, my finger stroked his lip removing the cream. Both of us gasped at the touch and I knew myself that I yearned to do it again. However, I refrained from doing so. Carrying on, I placed down the brush and replaced it with the straight razor. Pulling it out, I was surprised at the long length of its blade. The gleam of it was taunting, as nervousness built up within me at the thought of slicing Rowans skin. I gulped, but quickly discarded the thought, gripping the handle firmly with care.

"Um, where do I star first?" I enquired foolishly.

"You start with the neck before moving upwards" Rowan instructed clearly. Nodding, I moved up to him getting another round of anxiety.

"Place your hand on my head for support"

I did as he told me, caressing his thick hair as he leaned back tensing his neck. Its current tensed appearance mocked me as I desperately desired to kiss and taste his skin. But I tried my hardest to remove the craving.

"Like this?"

"Ja" Rowan replied "Now stroke the blade up towards my jaw"

"Okay and I do apologize in advance if I do manage to cut you"

"Monique, you'll do fine. You don't have much confidence in yourself do you" Rowan pointed out.

"I guess not" I mused

"Well it's never too late to build up your self-esteem" he said as I nodded. How completely right he is.

"Alright here goes"

I led the razor towards his tense skin, and like he instructed, stroked up to his jaw removing hair and cream along the way. I got the hang of it quickly with the help of Rowan's guidance of course. Still, I worried and hoped I wouldn't slice and cut his skin. How horrible I would feel if I did hurt him. Finally it was over and Rowan now had a bare face. Handing him the mirror which hung above the mantel piece, I wiped the blade clean using the bowl of water and a small cloth.

"Wunderbar!" I heard Rowan exclaim behind the mirror. "You did an outstanding job"

"Danke" I smiled. How grateful I was for not harming him. Thankfully our next chore wasn't as insecure. Rowan than exposed his newly shaven face, removing the bulky mirror out of his sight. His faint beauty spots were now visible and his skin looked so soft and smooth. How handsome he was, especially when his eyes shone and his lips smiled.

"Danke for assisting me with this Monique"

"It was a pleasure" I replied removing the mirror from his hands and placing it back where it belonged. I only had my back turned for a moment and once I turned back around, I caught Rowans gaze linger about my body, lustfully. My cheeks felt hot, but I couldn't help however feeling flattered at his gesture. Rowan smirked, standing up to near me.

"Forgive me Monique for delaying my comment, but you look absolutely beautiful today"

"Oh-well" I stammered, feeling immensely bashful "Danke, the dress was my mothers and I thought it would be fitting to wear today"

I never found it easy to deal with such lovely comments; I guess it was because I rarely got them; especially from a man. Rowan, still smirking, now stood closely in front of me. His hot breath slightly brushed my face and his tall frame enclosed me.

"It is definitely fitting my Liebling" his tone oh so seductive. I gasped, filling my heart with desire as Rowans hand met my small waist and at the mention of 'Liebling'. The amount of electric bliss that rose up within me was immense. I felt an ardent fever coming on; especially when his thin lips approached mine. A mixture of craving and passion ran through my veins. But before I could release anymore, Sylvie's voice replayed over and over in my head. Quickly, defeating my desire I gently pushed past Rowan, freeing my body.

"We shouldn't begin to dally, the others will be here soon" I stated, pulling the excuse out of thin air. I heard Rowan sigh heavily, before turning to meet me with a nod.

"Ja, of course"

"Alright, well the bath water should be at a moderate warmth now" I said, entering the bathroom with an almost apparent nervousness. How close I had been yet again. Rowan isn't helping one bit, only if you call teasing helping. I leaned over the bath tub, placing my hand into the slightly steaming water. The temperature was at the correct heat to my pleasure. As I rearranged Rowans washing supplies closer to the tub, he now stood in the doorway with an amused grin. At least he didn't look upset once again at my rejection.

"There we go all set" I said, hanging his towel on the railing.

"Danke" Rowan replied.

"Um, will you need help with anything?""Well actually, do you think you could assist me with my shirt?""Of course" I nodded, mentally swearing that if he tried to purposely tease me again, I'd replace myself with Sylvie or Rémy. Approaching him, I began to undo his buttons revealing his toned, muscular torso. Ignore it Monique, I told myself as the desire appeared yet again. I slipped the sleeves off, taking extra care with his wounded arm, which gave him a pained expression. The injury was only small, about the size of a bullet, but was emphasized by the massive purple and red bruises. However, something else caught my eye. On his left upper arm I spotted some kind of black marking.

"Rowan, what's that on your arm?" I asked pointing at it. Rowan, with a bewildered expression, flexed his arm causing his muscles to tense. However, at that moment I wasn't taken by his muscular and handsome appearance. No, suddenly I was only concerned with the marking. I neared Rowans arm, placing my hands gently on his taut skin. The marking was a small tattoo in the shape of a gothic styled A.

"I have no idea" Rowan answered "I can't remember getting a tattoo at all"

Of course he didn't how stupid I was always forgetting that his memory was lost. But, I desperately wanted to know and I knew he did also. What was that symbol for and who gave it to him? Was it something to do with- with the Germans? The thought gave me a fearful shudder. No, we don't know for sure. Maybe it was for an initiation into a Resistance group or something? Note to self, tell Sylvie about this.

"Never mind" I blurted "It's probably nothing"

Panic took me as Rowan held a contemplating gaze. I didn't want him to worry about it and I also didn't want his memory to come back. At least not just yet… we both put the disturbance behind us, however it both lingered in our thoughts. I left Rowan to undress the rest of himself, closing the door after myself. There was much more to do to ready him for today's little introduction. While Rowan bathed, it was my job to find him clothing. My Father's clothing.

"Rowan, I'm just leaving for a moment, but if you need anything just call me!" I shouted at the door, which separated us.

"Okay, my Liebling!" I heard him shout back. Oh what a wicked game he loved to play. Without another moment of mental conflict, I left and headed for my room. Once again I dragged the old, heavy trunk out from under my bed. I could never quite understand why Mama had most of Papa's belongings brought with us. Of course she missed him and wanted his possessions as a memory of him, but she kept such old and damaged stuff. Such as a pair of moth eaten socks and his broken reading glasses. Rummaging through the trunk, it didn't take me long to obtain a suitable outfit for Rowan. It contained one pair of black trousers equipped with a belt and braces, one white shirt, deep blue woollen jerkin and a brown jacket. I also did collect a pair of socks and black shoes. Packing up the trunk, I pushed it back under the bed. I then exited the room with Rowan's clothes tucked under my arms. Once I returned, I set the clothing tidily over the back of a chair, folding them neatly. Doing so, I heard Rowans voice shout out.

"Monique?"

"Ja? Is something wrong? Are you okay?" I asked alarmed by his sudden cry out. It never really occurred to me that he would need help.

"Nein, I'm okay. I just need your assistance; I'm finding it difficult to wash my arm"

"Oh" I uttered, feeling relieved that he was fine, yet I was somewhat nervous about his other concern.

"Do you want me to call up Rémy?"

"Nien, I don't want to be a bother"

"I'm sure he won't mind"

"Nein, it's one arm, I'll just leave it" he stated. I sighed, leaning against the wooden door between us. There was only one solution, and it gave me pleasurable shivers and a guilty mind. However, it had to be done.

"Rowan" I said, knocking on the door "If you don't mind, I'll be willing to help you wash as long as you want me too"

"Of course Monique, it would please me very much if you did" he replied. I could almost hear the smile on his lips.

"Well, alright. I'm coming in"

Taking a deep breath, my hand slowly turned the handle, opening the door slightly. Moving inside I kept my back to him, using my free hand to cover my eyes momentarily. Once the door was closed, I uncovered my sight braving myself to turn about. The idea of Rowan being naked just behind me excited and made me nervous; especially when the room was relatively small. My heart was pumping and it was still full of those two emotions. Alright Monique now! Quickly, I spun around to face Rowan with my hand sheltering his body from afar. I didn't dare look down at him, but instead stared straight at the ceiling. Next, I knelt down close to the bathtub. I would have used a stool, however that would have given me the best view of his body. And that was something I couldn't treat myself to. Suddenly, I felt a wet hand softly turn my head about to face Rowans amused smile. My body didn't have time to take in the sweet feelings as his movement was swift and straight to the point.

"Now I think it's my turn to ask if you're okay." Rowan grinned.

"Ja-ja" I stuttered "I didn't want to invade your privacy that's all"

"It's completely fine; didn't I want you to invade it anyway?"

"Hmm" was all I managed to say as a response. What a cruel, wicked, handsome, kind and delectable man he was; especially cruel and wicked. Let's just get this over with.

"Okay, so which arm is it"

"My good arm" Rowan stated "My other one can't reach it very well. When I bend it, it still causes pain"

He demonstrated his explanation with a painful expression. Of course, how stupid of me. His wound would obviously be still injured and restrain his physical activity.

"Alright, could you please pass me the sponge"

I held out my hand, keeping my gaze on his for the time being. He did as I asked, placing the dripping sponge in my hand.

"Danke" I thanked him as he nodded. Being much more relaxed, I began with the assistance. The water fell softly onto Rowans skin before I gently stroked the sponge along his arm. How intimate this was. Only something like this belonged to a couple. A loving and intimate couple.

"Forgive me Rowan, I forgot about your arm. I am very sorry" I apologized for my stupidity.

"It's alright Monique; I didn't think it would still cause me grief"

"I know, but you have to go easy with it today. We don't want it to get worse"

"Nein, we don't" Rowan replied "And danke for helping me wash it. Perhaps a sponge bath would have been more appropriate"

I paused, suddenly sensing his powerful gaze on me. Letting his words set in, I quickly replied back, feeling most uncomfortable.

"Perhaps"

Rowan then laughed.

"Forgive me Monique, I couldn't resist" he grinned back, with a cheeky grin.

"Of course" I replied back with a smile, continuing to wash his arm. We both then fell silent. All that was heard was the trickle of water escaping the sponge and falling back into the bathtub. Rowan laid back relaxed with a relaxed expression on his face.

"How rude of me" he suddenly spoke "I never asked how well you slept after your nightmare"

"Very well, danke" I said quickly, wanting to avoid the nightmare subject.

"I was worried about you the whole time, especially when I had to let you go"

"Ja, but by then I was calm, and it was all because of you. So danke for the help"

Now I recalled the positive things that came out of my nightly session. He did kiss my cheek…

"Don't thank me Monique, I was just happy I could help" he smiled tenderly. I nodded as he spoke again.

"I hear you screams every night Monique, what do you dream about to make you so fearful?"

"Err- I can't actually remember" I lied "All I know is that I wake up very distressed"

My answer was again quick as I wanted to avoid the whole conversation now. I may find it easier to talk about Papa, but when it came to my Mother, it was the most difficult thing to speak about. Rowan however wasn't the least bit convinced. He did though sense my discomfort and dropped the subject. The first thing I could really thank him for today. I loved how he cared and flattered me, and I wish I could show my appreciation to him the way I know he wants me too. But, it wasn't to be… at least not yet.

"There we go, all clean" I smiled, handing him back the sponge.

"Danke Monique, you've been a wonderful help" he replied with a grin.

"It was all a pleasure"

I then carefully and slowly took my leave, trying my best not to catch sight of his clad figure. I must say, I enjoyed this job. Of course there were a few tense moments and moments to test my loyalty to Sylvie. But, just being with Rowan gave me so much feeling and delight. Even if he is a tease.