Chapter 25
Cal leaves for a short time, to deal with Theresa. He says he will speak to her privately and then announce calling off the engagement, but I tell him not to announce it just yet. I tell him not to tell Theresa about us either. I don't want drama. I don't want people to know anything, and it is important that we keep a united front, until after this whole Maven situation is cleared up. Not only that, we don't want the kingdom and his reign to look unstable. The world is not ready for Cal and Mare just yet. Silver and red wedding. No way are they ready. He agrees, reluctantly. I also have to go and deal with my family, Cameron, Kilorn, Farley and Shade will want to know about this. I think it is best it comes from me. But after consideration, we decide to not tell them either. We need to keep this between us. That way, when the time comes, we can announce it during a happier time. Hopefully when Maven is dead and everyone is free to live their lives together. When I get Gisa and Clara back.
When Cal returns, he has the biggest smile on his face. "Why are you smiling?" I ask, worried for a second. Cal never smiles. Well recently he has been moody and angry at me.
"Why can't I smile. I just got you to agree to marry me. You Mare. You never agree with me, for anything. Ever" he grabs me by the waist and pushes me onto the bed. I laugh, trying to savour this time together. He is on top of me, and he reaches behind him, into his pocket. He brings out a box. "My father gave this ring to my mother, when he proposed" he opens the box, and a beautiful ring looks back at me. The band is white gold (silver to the untrained eye) and the diamond is pure red. It looks like fire and I can't believe how beautiful a single piece of jewellery can be. The red no doubt for the fact that Cal is made of fire. Strength of the Calore name comes from fire. Royal. "I never gave it to Theresa. It didn't feel right. My father said that when I met the love of my life, just like he met my mother, that I should give her this ring". I smile and he places it on my finger. It sits perfectly. I laugh at him. "Why are you laughing".
"Its red. Just like me. Bet you never thought you would be giving it to a red. Bet that's not what the previous Kings thought" I laugh again, thinking back to how we met. When I tried to steal from him. Doubt he saw his wife in front of him then. He laughs too.
"Shut up Mare. Don't ruin the moment" I poke my tongue out, wanting a reaction from him. Ruining the moment. He grabs my waist and in an instant he picks me up and slings me over his shoulder. I squeal, from the sheer feeling of being upside down. Also the fact that he is so strong, he throws me onto his shoulder like I weigh nothing. He stands and starts walking towards the balcony. I am laughing, in hysterics. I know what he is trying to do. Its hilarious he thinks I would give in so easily. When we get to the balcony he faces me onto the other side, so that I am hanging off the balcony, my legs over his shoulder, but my body dangling "Take it back" he says, and I can tell he is smiling.
"Take what back!" I yell. "I cant hear you" I am still laughing. Only Cal and Mare would do this to each other and call it flirting. Only us.
"Take it back Mare. Or you are going over. Engagement over" again, the smile must be getting wider. I can hear it in his voice. He pretends to dip me over, but I don't scream. I give a fake yawn, like I'm already bored with this game.
"I'm sorry your predecessors made the ring red, just like me" I am laughing hard. Thinking how stupid this game is, and how stupid they are to make the ring red, red like my blood. Why not make it silver. "I'm sorry I am the smart one in this relationship, you bull" he laughs at that, but still doesn't put me down. I reach around his waist, and he flinches.
"What are you doing…" he warns. I grab his belt, and feel around, trying to undo it. If he wants to play this game, ill do one better. "Mare…" he warns again. I laugh, but don't answer. I manage to undo it, and start going for his buttons. He grabs my hand puts me back down, feet first on the ground.
"Naww, give up already" I say as I place my hand on his hair, and mess it up. His dark hair falls on his eyes, and he shakes it once. Its sexy because it falls back into place, messy but sexy. "I guess I'm also the strong one in this relationship" I start walking backwards, not moving my eyes from his face. He reaches down and starts to do up his buttons, laughing to himself and shaking his head. So sexy. Cal always was attractive. My eyes are on the buttons.
"Naww, see something you want" he teases, as he does up his belt. "Sorry, I cant help you" he starts to walk towards me, and I'm still walking back. When I get to the balcony doors, he lunges for me again, and I scream, trying to get out of his grasp. I manage to run onto the other side of the bed but he tackles me back down. I refuse to let him win, so I flip my leg and kick him over. Now im on top. We wrestle for a little while, and he tries to get me to give up, tap out, but I refuse. He kisses my neck and asks if I give up, and as much as I want to, I say no. Never. We wrestle to the point that we fall onto the floor. Cal hits his head on the floor when we fall and I laugh so hard that when I lift my head, I hit it on my bedside. Ouch. He doubles over in laughter, unable to stop. We are at the point where we are both on the floor, im holding my head and crying from laughter, he is on the floor laughing and kissing my head trying to make it better. This is life. This is what I want, for the rest of it. With Cal.
We spend the night wrapped in eachothers arms, kissing, laughing. Planning our future. We don't talk about Maven or what has to happen in 3 days. We only talk about the good stuff. Tomorrow we will talk about the bad. Just for today, we have eachother.
We fall asleep like that, and Cal doesn't remove his arms from around my waist the whole night. He holds me tight, and I swear I have never felt safer.