Chapter 14 is finally here! The ring flashback is in this chapter, let me know how you like it please! I hope you enjoy it and it gives you all the feels. Leave me lots of love and I may update again tonight. (:
Arianna never left Sebastian's side while he was sleeping. He would wake a few times but never for long enough for him to remember. Every time he would wake, the pain would be too much so Nostradamus would give him a sleeping potion again. Arianna slept in the same chair that Bash did while she was here before. However, she had her books brought down to the seer's chambers and read as he slept. Occasionally she would attempt to talk to Nostradamus but he wasn't very social, leaving little room for discussion. He did share his books with her, though, and she learned some things about healing.
This day, Nostradamus had left her in charge of Bash while he went and joined every one else outside, watching Tomas and Francis compete in a tournament. She however, did not care for this. Not while Bash was in bed, severely injured.
After a little while, Nostradamus came back, followed closely by Lola. As Nostradamus was changing the washcloth on Bash's forehead, Lola was wondering how he was, obviously being the one sent to check on him.
"Queen Mary's anxious to know how Bash is." Lola said.
"The wound is closing, but the disease in his blood is spreading. If the fever doesn't break by tonight…" Nostradamus informed her.
Arianna's head snapped up, away from Bash. "He could die? So soon?"
"You're scaring the poor girls Nostradamus. Where's your chivalry?" Bash asked. Arianna had not even seen him wake up.
"Bash, how do you feel?" Lola asked. Arianna was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she could lose Bash forever.
"Close to death apparently. Which feels more or less how it sounds." Bash replied.
"You need rest, Sebastian." Nostradamus insisted.
"What I need is water. And maybe more of that lovely worried frown." Bash said, turning his attention to Arianna.
"I think I could manage that." Arianna responded, taking his hand in hers. Lola sat across from her, on the other side of Bash, watching their interaction.
"How long have you been here, Aria?" Bash asked, coughing at the end of his question.
"Oh, not long." Arianna lied, taking the water from Nostradamus and helping Bash drink.
"She's being modest. She has not left your side since you've been here." Lola informed him, earning her a look from Arianna.
"So are you going to run back to Mary with the troubling news like her other ladies now that I'm awake, or will you stay and look death in the face?" Bash asked.
"I nursed two of my brothers into the grave, scarlet fever." Lola told them.
"I'm not leaving your side, Bash. I have experienced loss and I'm not scared of death anymore. I'm scared of being alone." Arianna said.
Bash looked over at her with a sad look on his face. "There's a difference?"
Nostradamus spoke up from behind them again. "I'm terribly sorry but this isn't helping him rest."
"Every time I look at them I feel better. Every time I look at you I feel worse. The prescription is clear, don't you think?" Bash spat.
Arianna moved to sit on the ground next to Bash's bed, resting her head next to his hand, feeling very sleepy now that she was able to see that he was doing a little better. Bash reached his hand forward and starting stroking her hair. Lola simply watched their affections in awe, seeing how much the two cared for one another.
"There's a book of Norse mythology over there. If you don't mind reading it? Unless, of course, you want to go back to the tournament." Bash said, still stroking Arianna's hair, feeling her breathing against him slow and become steady.
"Not at all." Lola said, beginning to read the book.
When Lola was sure Arianna was asleep, she stopped reading and looked upon the two in front of her.
"Why'd you stop?" Bash questioned.
"I wanted to ask you of your feelings for Aria." Lola stated.
Bash looked down at the sleeping girl and a small smile appeared on his face. "I'm sure she's told you a little of our relationship or else you wouldn't be asking."
"She's told us a little bit but I want to know of your feelings. I already know hers." Lola explained.
Bash ran his hands through Arianna hair and over her cheek. In her sleep, she nuzzled into Bash's hand, trying to get closer. He smiled down at her and then looked back to Lola.
"I still love her, Lola. She is my everything but she keeps pushing me away. Sometimes, she'll let her guard down and allow me back in but as soon as she realized what she's doing, she pushes me farther away. I don't understand. All I want to do is keep her safe and I can't do that if she won't let me." Bash informed. "I know that she went through something traumatic and I can tell that she hasn't dealt with it completely so maybe that is why she pushes me away. I just want to help her, to show her that I do still care. We were engaged after all."
Lola gasped at this. "You were what?"
"Yes, we were engaged. No one but my mother and father knew of it though. We wanted to ask her parents for permission before making it completely official. We already had my father's blessing and we were sure with the King of France behind us, her parents would give us their blessing. I'm sure you've seen the ring that hangs around her neck?" Lola nodded. "That's the engagement ring I picked out for her. I had asked her before she left." Bash said, remembering the memory.
"Sebastian, my son! Have you done it?" Henry asked eagerly.
"Yes, father. I just picked it up this morning." Bash replied, a huge grin on his face as he showed his father the ring he picked out for her.
"Oh, I'm sure Arianna will love that. Good choice, son. And I don't just mean in the ring." Henry said, placing a hand on Bash's shoulder.
"Thank you. I'm glad I've had your support in all of this." Bash commented.
"Well this will strengthen the alliance with Hungary but I couldn't have picked a better match for you than Arianna." Henry told Bash. "Now go make her yours."
Bash merely nodded and went in search of Arianna. He checked her room, with no luck, and then decided to check outside at their spot by the lake. A spot that was slightly hidden in the trees so no one could see them there. As he got close to the lake, he saw Arianna sitting the grass with a book in her hands. She always had a book in her hands it seemed. Smiling, he walked over to her, putting his hands over her eyes.
"Guess who." Bash said, grinning.
"Hmmm, let me think. The only person brave enough to interrupt me while I'm reading must be…hmmm…" Arianna said feigning not to know whom it was.
"How about I give you a hint?" Bash said, keeping his hands over her eyes but moving to where he could kiss her. Moving his hands from her eyes to her waist, he felt her arms go around his neck. Deepening the kiss, he moved her to lay on the grass with him hovering over her.
Finally pulling apart, he rested his forehead against hers, both of them smiling like idiots.
"Well if it isn't the man I love." Arianna said.
"Hello, love. Still upset I interrupted your book?" Bash asked, seeing the disregarded book in the grass.
"Not at all. Fell free to interrupt me anytime if you do it like that." Arianna smirked. "Now is there a reason you interrupted me or was it just to have my attention?"
"Actually, I wanted to tell you that I have plans for us for dinner tonight." Bash told her.
"Oh? Something special happening tonight?" Arianna inquired.
"Maybe. You'll just have to wait and see. It's a surprise." Bash said, a wicked grin on his face.
"Oh, Bash! You know I don't like surprises! Just tell me now. Please?" Arianna pouted, trying to get her way.
"No pouting now! You'll find out later tonight. I'll see you then?" Bash asked, kissing her once more, making sure no one saw their intimate interaction.
Arianna nodded, sitting back up and retrieving her book.
Bash walked away, allowing her to finish reading while he finished trying to figure out how to make tonight perfect. He got halfway to the castle when some girl came over to him, trying to flirt. This girl had gotten uncomfortably close to him, obviously trying to seduce him. The girl, Sienna, was not taking no for an answer.
"I said no, Sienna. Please leave me be." Bash said, trying to brush her off.
"Oh come now. I know that you are not seeing anyone. So why don't you start seeing me?" Sienna offered, running her hands down Bash's chest.
"Can you not take no for answer? I'm not interested. Leave me be." Bash said, grabbing her hands and removing them from his chest, walking away.
Arianna, watching from the distance, saw the scene completely different. She knew that they were keeping their relationship secret for good reason but that did not stop her from wanting to go over and tear that girls hair from her head. Arianna saw Bash grab her hands, getting very close to her. A pain shot through her heart as she saw this. Could that be the surprise he wanted to tell her? That he wanted someone else? No. It couldn't be. However, seeing this, she started to think that maybe Bash didn't love her as much as he said.
Arianna tried to focus back on her book but she couldn't stop thinking about that other girl with Bash. She knew that he was extremely good looking and that other girls took interest in him but she always thought that he would brush them off. Maybe she was clueless to think this all this time. Getting angry, she stood up, going back to her room. She had passed Bash on the way there and he winked at her but she just turned her head and huffed off. Confused, he chased after her, calling her name. Her room only a few feet away, she kept ignoring his calls. Right before reaching her doors, Bash caught up to her and stopped her.
"Aria, what is wrong?" Bash asked.
"Nothing, Sebastian. I'm fine. Now if you'll excuse me." She said very formally, trying to get around him.
"Oh no. You're not getting away from me. Come on." Bash told her, pulling her into the nearest room, which happened to be the library. "Tell me what is wrong? You were just happy outside not too long ago."
"It is not of importance, Sebastian. Now, please, let me leave." Arianna said, trying not to show how hurt she was.
"No, tell me what happened. What did I do?" Bash pleaded.
Seeing that there was no way around this, Arianna conceded. "I saw you with her. That girl outside after you left."
"Who? Sienna? She means nothing to me. I barely know her." Bash explained. "She came up and started hitting on me. I pushed her away!"
Arianna scoffed, not believing this. "Oh please. I know what I saw. Is that what you were going to tell me tonight? I never thought that I was good enough for you. I guess I was right."
"Arianna, please believe me. She means nothing to me. I pushed her away for you. God, you're so frustrating! You are too good for me. Why can't you see that?" Bash said, starting to get frustrated. This is not how he wanted today to go.
"Oh spare me, Bash! I know how all the women here look at you. Like you're some piece of meat. And I can't do anything but sit by and let them because we're keeping us a secret!" Arianna argued.
"Whose idea was that? Yours! You wanted to wait to tell your parents and I was okay with that! I don't care about any of them! I only care about you." Bash told her.
"How can I be so sure? You can have anyone you want!" Arianna said, losing her anger and only feeling hurt.
Bash sighed, deciding now or never. "How you can you be sure? This is how." Bash got down on one knee, pulling the ring from his pocket.
Arianna gasped. "Bash, what are you doing? Have you thought this through?" She saw the ring. "Oh, you have thought this through."
"This is what I was going to ask you tonight. I was going to ask you to be mine forever. I had a plan but I should know by now that with you, nothing ever goes as planned. I wouldn't want it any other way though. I love everything about you and I love that you still keep me on my toes after this long. I love the way that you're always reading, the way that you always come to me with anything, I love you, completely and unconditionally. So what do you say? Am I going to be yours forever?" Bash asked.
Tears started to form in Arianna's eyes and Bash immediately jumped up, worried he had upset her. "Shh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you."
"Yes." Arianna whispered. "I'm not upset, Bash. I'm happy. So yes. I'm saying yes to forever as long as it's with you."
Bash picked her up and spun her around. When he sat her down, he slid the ring on her finger, finding that it fit perfectly. "I love you, Arianna Kurt."
"And I love you Sebastian de Poitiers." Arianna said, kissing him.
"Bash…" Lola said, when he finished telling her the story. "That sounds lovely."
"It was. She was to go home to her parents in a few weeks after that and she was going to tell them and bring them back with her. However, a few days later, she got word that her father had fallen ill and needed her back immediately. She told me that she'd be back for me as soon as her father gets better. It took a little longer than expected for him to recover but he did get better. I'm not sure why she didn't come back immediately so we could be married. Then I got the letter, the one saying that her and her entire family had been killed in a fire that took place in her home. I was devastated, completely heartbroken. Then she showed up at the castle doors, back from the dead. And you know the rest." Bash concluded, tired from having told this long story.
Arianna moaned in her sleep, twitching a little obviously having a nightmare. Bash, resumed running his hands in her hair and she calmed down, falling back into her quiet slumber.
"She does love you, Bash. She's just scared. Give her time." Lola told Bash, trying to comfort him. Bash just nodded, and Lola continued reading to him until he, too, had fallen asleep.