Emily stood next to Duncan at Castle Araluen, a small smile on her face.

She was nervous about standing in this position, the daughter of a dead warlord. She looked around the room, wringing her hands with a nervous energy.

Adonis stood off next to the wall nearby, partly in the shadows. He still had his scarf on, but he was wearing a formal version of his assassin-styled attire. He watched Emily and smiled up at her when their eyes met. He still had trouble standing or moving quickly, but he was getting better - each day he was faster and stronger than the next.

Emily smiled at him gratefully. It was Adonis, she thought, who was keeping her centered on the party and not high with worry. Duncan was talking to a noblewoman, and she tried to tune herself to the conversation, in case she was mentioned by name.

She could tell that the woman had hated the idea of the enemy's daughter gaining a title higher than herself after the war. Emily shrugged mentally. Can't please everyone, she thought to herself.

She snapped out of her thoughts, when the woman said, "She's the daughter of a traitor! She should've been banished!"

Emily felt her eyes widen slightly, without her realizing it. Duncan remained silent, but stared at the woman, one eyebrow raised.

Adonis's attention locked onto the woman and he stepped out from his place in the shadows. "Watch your next words carefully, woman. I don't care who you are, but Emily has earned her right to be here. I can't say the same for you, because I don't know you, and I doubt you've risked your life to save Araluen," Adonis said, his voice cold and eyes blazing with a promise of death or pain to anyone who tried to hurt Emily.

"Adonis..." "Emily said, "she's right. I am the daughter of a traitor. I may have risked my life but...but..." She sighed and looked at Duncan, who was watching her closer. "May I be excused for a moment?"

"Of course," Duncan said. The woman looked cruelly at her. Emily looked at her for a long moment, and stepped down off of where she was standing and went towards the door.

Adonis continued to stare daggers at the woman. "Emily may be forgiving and understanding, but I don't appreciate you hurting her," he growled before he whirled around and followed after Emily. "Wait up!" he called, his voice taking a lighter tone.

Emily turned and looked at him, a frown on her face. She was holding back tears, fighting to keep them in and not let them fall out of her eyes.

"She's right, isn't she?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't deserve this. I...I'm Morgarath's daughter! I'm a bad guy. Why should Duncan trust me?"

Adonis grabbed her arms and looked at her. "Knock it off Emily. You. Are. Not. A. Bad. Guy. Don't believe that woman, she doesn't know what she's talking about. If anyone here is the bad guy, it'd be me. I've killed thousands of people and worked for thousands of corrupt employers, just for money. At least until I met you," he said.

Emily looked at him, and said, "I never thought of you as a bad guy."

"Exactly, which is why you aren't. Your father forced you to follow him, and your brother conspired against Morgarath by getting me out of the way so he could have the power. You are good, Emily. Don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise wise," he said and he gave her a gentle, lingering kiss on her lips.

Emily smiled at him. "I think you're right." She said after a moment. "Thank you, love."

He winked and smiled back. "Anytime, Em," he said.

"Do you...do you want to dance?" Emily asked, quietly. Shyly.

Adonis tipped his head and smiled, taking her hand like a gentleman would. "I would love to," he said and he lead her back into the room for a dance.

Frostbite: I just love the dynamic between these characters. #Ishipit

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