Chapter twenty-eight
Amanita sat in the garden with her arms wrapped around her waist. The sun was shinning brightly, but it's rays didn't cheer her weary soul. Raoul was leaving today. He'd spent all of yesterday searching the castle for Erik but he was not to be found. Only Erik knew how the walls worked and if he was inside, he was never coming out again. They'd hurt him too deeply.
Her father was suspicious and he'd tried to find out what was going on from her but she assured him that everything was all right. but, he was watching her and she knew he wasn't blind to know that something had passed between her, Erik and Raoul.
"Princess Amanita." The formal tone in Raoul's voice caused the tears in her eyes to form. "I was informed that I would find you here."
Amanita stood up and glanced around, fortunately the garden was deserted. She looked at Raoul, his stance was stiff, but his eyes told her everything she needed to know.
"Princess Amanita?" She asked walking up to him. "So formal…for a goodbye that will undoubtedly be our last."
Raoul flinched. "Amanita, it is not right. I…do not wish to add more pain to this than necessary."
She walked forward and rested her hand on Raoul's heart. "I know."
He blinked. "We…seem to spend our time say goodbye. But this one…shall be forever. I would…love to kiss and hold you once more, but we can't…let's not add more to what we've done."
She closed her eyes and began to sing softly. Cannot touch, cannot hold, cannot be together. Cannot love, cannot kiss, cannot have each other. Must be strong, and we must let go. Cannot say what our hearts must know. She leaned her head into Raoul's chest, biding him with her mind to wrap his arms around her. How can I not love you? what do I tell my heart? When do I not want you here in my arms? How does one waltz away from all of the memories? How do I not miss you when you are gone?
"You can't." He said. "I know…I shall not forget you. ever."
Cannot dream, cannot share sweet and tender moments. Cannot feel how we feel, must pretend it's over. Raoul's arms went around her waist and Amanita tightly gripped onto Raoul. Must be brave and we must go on. Must not say what we've known all along. How can I not love you? what do I tell my heart? When do I not want you here in my arms? How does one waltz away from all of the memories? How do I not miss you when you are gone? How can I not love you?
Raoul tilted her face up and gently stroked her chin. "I cannot ask you to understand why I won't marry you even now."
"I don't ask you to ask me to understand because I do." She brushed a strand of his hair away from his face. "I do understand and I know why. Because I know you, I love you. I know you and your whole soul. I shall love you forever."
Raoul exhaled as he rubbed his face against hers. "As do I, this shall be that I shall say this. I love you, very deeply."
Raoul pulled her close and she tilted her face upwards, parting her lips slightly. Raoul kissed her tenderly, but a mere brush of his lips ignited a fire inside her. Raoul let out a groan as he worked his mouth against hers. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders tightly and pressed herself up against him, memorizing the mold of his body against hers.
"I must say brother," Raoul and Amanita pulled apart and spun around to see Erik leaning against a tree with an odd expression on his face. "you certainly are a fool."
Raoul stepped away from her, his face straight. "I was bidding her farewell. She is yours now."
Erik's face twisted. "Are you sure that's wise? I do intend to punish her for her unfaithfulness."
Raoul's face stiffened and he spoke calmly through his teeth. "Do not lay a hand on her."
"Why should you care? After all…you are entrusting her to me."
"On the grounds that you treat her with respect."
"Respect?" Erik laughed. "Why should I? I gave her everything my heart had to offer and she spit on it."
"Erik." She had to reason with him. "I know you're-"
"Silence you!" Erik crossed his arms across his chest. "Believe me, once we are man and wife, I tell you," his voice came across so dark that it sent a shiver down her spine. "every night, when I am done with you, you'll be praying for death."
Amanita felt the blood drain away from her face and she shakily sank down to the ground. "Erik…I beg you."
"Your tears and pleas will do you no good. If I even suspect you're thinking of him, I will beat you so senseless you won't even remember what he looks like!"
"Enough of this!" Raoul shouted angrily. "What has come over you?"
"Don't shout at me!" Erik shouted back.
"I'll do as I please!" Amanita looked up at Raoul, fire and determination in his blue eyes. He walked over to her, his strong arms went around her waist and he pulled her up from the ground. Raoul drew her close to him, his arms tight around her waist as she buried her face against his chest.
"God knows I've tried to right my wrongs, but this I cannot allow!" Raoul straightened and stared straight at Erik without flinching, gauging his reaction for the following words. "Amanita, get your things…we're leaving here."
Stunned, joy and tears filled her. "What? But Raoul-"
"Oh?" Erik laughed. "You'll take the whore off my hands? After all, she wouldn't dare to cheat on me. but you? ha! You're a joke!"
"How dare you say he's a joke!" She said. "Raoul is twice the man you'll ever be! He's had to bear his heart being broken three times because of this situation between us."
"Ha!"
"I was willing to give her up." Raoul said. "even after you knew because I hoped that you could forgive her. I cannot ask you to forgive me, even now, because I do not deserve it. but I love Amanita more than I've loved anything in my life. Every drop of blood in me worships her, she is my heart, she is my life, the only life worth living is with her beside me."
"Raoul." Tears flowed down her cheeks. "Oh Raoul."
"I'd rather be damned to all eternity in hell than allow you to lay one hand on her in anger when it should be laid upon me! You cannot take what belongs to another. If she had truly belonged to you, then she wouldn't have sold her heart and soul to me. she is mine, I am hers, and even if you had forced her to marry you, we'd still belong to each other." Raoul pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Come Amanita, let us go."
"Now wait a minute!" Erik thundered.
"You shut up!"
"Raoul…where are we-"
"I'm going to marry you." He said firmly.
She gasped as joy filled her. "Raoul! Oh Raoul!"
"You wouldn't dare!" Erik said.
"Just watch me! Oh just you watch me!" Raoul said with Erik's authority ringing in his voice. "Just try to keep me away from her! I bowed to your 'winning' of her hand, after we make love, I give her up, even thought our love is true so you can be happy. I end up back here and I am imprisoned in her room with her. Then to add to our troubles, you find out about us. Even after that, because I wanted to right what I'd done to you, I gave her up. But no more!" He shouted as he turned to Amanita. "God forgive me, but I should have done so a long time ago and you are not getting away from me again!"
"Well it's about time!" Erik shouted. Amanita and Raoul stared at Erik as he began laughing at the two of them. "About time you told her!" Erik was laughing so hard he sank to his knees on the ground. "Sierra!" He choked out the woman's name. "Come….here!"
That red headed woman came out from behind the tree shaking her head at Erik who was lying on his back laughing. Sierra knelt beside Erik and shook her head. "You are so cruel at times."
Erik laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her down ontop of him. "Oh…I'm sorry! But…I couldn't resist it!" Erik kissed Sierra on the lips and Amanita stared at him.
"Erik stop it!" Sierra pushed herself off Erik, her face turning pink as she brushed her clothes off.
Raoul's grip around her loosened as Erik and Sierra's actions slowly began to dawn on them. "What are you two-"
"This is my wife." Erik stated. "Sierra…my soul mate."
Amanita felt the blood drain away from her face at his proclamation. Raoul stared at Erik in shock before lunging at Erik with a roar! Erik stood up to be sent flat on his back from a punch from Raoul!
Both women screamed and each went for the man that they loved. Sierra flung herself across Erik as Amanita grabbed Raoul's arm. "This was all a game?!" Raoul shouted. "And you dared to insult her!"
"I had to make it believable!" Erik rubbed his jaw. "And it was a game…until you hit me."
"Oh Erik," Sierra said. "You'd have done the same thing if you were in his place. A small price to pay for such unfair teasing."
"I was just helping make up his mind." Erik said as he pulled Sierra into his arms. "If he was as in love with her as I am with you, he would have carried her off long ago!"
"Well you're not around every minute of my life Erik!" Amanita said. "How dare you-"
"Will you two shut up and finally realize that you two are free to marry?"
Erik's words settled over them. Amanita turned to Raoul as tears poured down her cheeks. Raoul approached her slowly, his blue eyes boring straight through her soul. Raoul brushed her tears away from her face before capturing her in a tight embrace that she'd dreamed of for so long. Her feet left the ground as Raoul pulled her so close she could barely breathe.
Erik's applause caused them to break apart and turn around. She blushed in embarrassment and rested her head against Raoul's chest.
"That," Raoul murmured against her hair. "was a dirty trick."
Erik shrugged. "I thought it was funny."
"Are you truly happy Erik?" She asked. "Honestly?"
"Come on. In your eyes I cannot compare to Raoul and in my eyes you cannot compare to Sierra." Erik wrapped his arms around Sierra's waist. "I have no doubt that I would have fallen for Sierra and spent my days lusting for her. so, go ahead, take Amanita, marry her and then take her up to your bed where I'm sure you've spent many nights fantasizing about taking her."
Sierra elbowed Erik in the ribs. He let out a grunt and Sierra rubbed her hands. "I apologize."
"Don't." Raoul said wrapping his arms around her. "He speaks the truth…even if it was not wished to be known."
Erik kissed Sierra's cheek. "Then I suggest you hurry up brother. I have a personal desire to make a bet on the first one who makes his wife pregnant."
"Erik!" Both women shrieked in embarrassment.
"Such things aren't to spoken of!" Amanita said. "Really!"
Raoul rubbed his chin as if he were actually considering it. "What are the terms?"
"Raoul!" Amanita said growing a crimson red.
"Erik!" Sierra said. "Stop it!"
"Magpie," he kissed her cheek before turning back to Raoul. "if Sierra is expecting first, you have to name your child after me. if Amanita is expecting first, then I name my child after you."
"Done!" Raoul said. "I agree to the terms."
"What if it's a girl?" Sierra asked. "After all, you fools, there are two genders!"
"So, we'll simply call them," Erik shrugged. "Erika and….Roule."
The girls made a face. "Roule?" Sierra said. "Where'd you get that one?"
"Australian if my memory serves me right." Erik nodded. "I know not much of a name…but who in their right mind would pick a name like Raoul?"
More fluff coming I promise. But I almost forgot to thank the guest for mentioning that Maroon 5 group, I've never heard of them before. I got curious and I listened to some of their music. I liked 'she will be loved.'
