A/N - Sorry it took so long to get this updated! I've been doing the NaNoWriMo thing and it's taken a lot of my time. Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!
Chapter 13
Leopold opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling above her. She was actually looking at the cloth that hung over her bed to form a canopy that then hung down the bed posts giving a very elegant look. She closed her eyes again because her brain started pounding against her head and caused her much pain. She lay there for several more minutes before opening her eyes again and turning on her side to see her aunt Delilah sitting up in a chair with her head collapsed on her chest, soundly asleep. Leopold would have laughed out loud if her throat didn't hurt so much. Had it been another assassin attack? She really couldn't tell because her thoughts were all jumbled from the night before. All she remembered was having a sword placed at her throat and the pain it had caused when it cut her.
Something was wrong with her. She knew that much. Something about who she was. Otherwise all these men wouldn't be after her. She wouldn't be in so much pain right now if there wasn't something special or different about her. But what? There couldn't be anything special about her! Unless they were referring to the fact that she's the only grand-daughter of a very wealthy duke. But that could hardly be special because she had plenty of cousins that were just the same as her with a few minor details.
Quietly so as not to wake her aunt, Leopold pushed herself up in bed and felt the soft cloth that was wrapped around her neck, probably stopping the blood flow. Although Leopold guessed the healer would have done that already and the cloth was just an extra precaution. Her aunt must have heard her moving around because she muttered some things and raised her head, smiling when she saw Leopold awake.
"How are you," she muttered stretching her arms and yawning whilst standing and walking towards Leopold.
"I'm fine," Leopold croaked her throat dry and scratchy. She wished there was water for her to drink and hoped her aunt would have some sent up.
"That was quite a night you had," her aunt said obviously at a lost for words and saying the first thing that came to her mind. Leopold was wondering why she was acting so nice. Leopold cocked one of her eyebrows at her aunt and waited for more. "Well I see your conscious, so I'll leave you be. There's someone here who would like to talk to you for a minute." her aunt gestured towards the door where a person stood. Leopold hadn't even realized Aaron was there until her aunt said something. Not wanting to make a scene Leopold waited until her aunt had left before saying anything to him.
"Stay where you are!" she hissed pointing a finger at him "Don't come any closer to me! Whenever your around things seem to go from slightly well to worse!"
"Okay, okay!" Aaron said raising his hands in defeat and backing along the wall to stand by the windows. Leopold thought he looked extremely handsome in his loose tunic. He had obviously been outside that day because his skin was more tan than it had been yesterday and he looked tired. Maybe she was hallucinating but she saw his biceps bulge as if he knew she was staring and he was trying to show off. Leopold shook her head, intent on carrying out the fight she had had with herself last night. She was determined to be rid of Aaron and everything that came with him. It seemed that whenever she was around him something bad happened and sooner or later she decided she'd turn up dead, so instead of waiting it out and possibly having her feeling grow stronger for him, she needed to dismiss him from her all together.
"Aaron. You and I barely even know each other. I think it's best if we leave it at that and go our separate ways." remembering that she was in the room with a killer that she barely knew and she was most definitely unprotected, and really wished he didn't have a horrible temper like some boys she knew (Sebastien). Suddenly another thing dawned on her and that was what Eliza had said when they were walking home. No one at the Rogue even knew who he was or where he came from. There was no way she was going to start putting all her trust in this complete stranger and letting her guard down just because he had amazing eyes that she could get lost in for hours. She wanted answers and she wanted them now.
"I'll get to know you," Aaron replied smiling and giving a forced laugh while taking a step towards her. Leopold flinched as if he were about to hit her and he backed off two steps.
"It won't work like that." Leopold replied
"Why won't it?"
"Because you and I are two different people who shouldn't even be having this conversation!" she screamed at him while fighting back tears. "You're of the Rogue and I'm a noble! We have no business mixing."
"But if you'd give me a chance…" Aaron started
"Who are you?" she asked cutting him off. If he wanted a chance to get to know her than she wanted answers.
"What?" he asked with a half smile and laugh as if her question was absurd.
"Who are you? Where do you come from? Who are your parents? Do you have any siblings? How many men have you killed? How many women have you slept with? How much have you stolen in your life time? How many hearts have you broken? Is this what you meant when you wanted to get to know each other? Or is it only I who have to supply the answer? Who are you?" Leopold yelled becoming angry that he couldn't just leave and let her cry in peace. All her heart wanted was for him to stay, but all her mind told her was to get rid of him before she gets hurt further if they were to be caught.
Aaron moved away from the bed and turned towards the windows whilst running his hands through his hair, obviously not intending to answer her questions. Leopold looked down at her sweating hands and it was then that she realized she wore only her under garments. Pulling the sheets up around her she slid from the bed and started walking towards the small closet in hopes of finding something to wear when Aaron started talking again.
"I can't tell you who I am," he whispered.
"Why not?" Leopold sighed starting to become fed up with all the delays. If he wasn't going to answer them then why doesn't he leave?
"That's none of your business!" Aaron replied rather rudely pointing a finger at her and walking forwards, startling Leopold at his raised voice. Leopold backed up against her stand and reached behind her, pulling open the drawer silently and grabbing the hilt of the dagger she had hidden there. She wasn't about to let Aaron harm her if he indeed had a bad temper.
"It is so my business!" Leopold hollered back tripping on the sheet as she moved towards him and grabbing a handful of it in her hand to move it out from under her feet.
"Why is it your business?" Aaron asked placing his hands on his hips and waiting for an answer.
"You say you want to work things out but you cannot have the honesty go both ways. Your nothing but a spoiled thief that's what you are! And a coward at that!"
"A thief eh?"
"What the hell do you think you are! Any noble can see that!"
"Obviously not!"
"Run back to your precious Rogue Aaron and leave me be!"
"That's the best idea you've had since I met you!"
"Fine!" Leopold hissed through clenched teeth fighting back the urge to cry.
"Fine!" Aaron said throwing his hand in the air and stomping towards the door.
Leopold watched as Aaron crossed the room towards the door and opened it forcefully, glaring back one last time before walking out and slamming it behind him as the first tear fell down Leopold's face. She had never had an argument with someone like that before and she didn't like the outcome. She knew that was going to be the last time she was going to see Aaron. There wasn't any other way she could face him without admitting she was wrong. But she wasn't wrong and she knew it. Aaron was keeping secrets from her, from everyone and they would cost him one day. Hopefully she would be far from Corus when they did.
Chapter 13
Leopold opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling above her. She was actually looking at the cloth that hung over her bed to form a canopy that then hung down the bed posts giving a very elegant look. She closed her eyes again because her brain started pounding against her head and caused her much pain. She lay there for several more minutes before opening her eyes again and turning on her side to see her aunt Delilah sitting up in a chair with her head collapsed on her chest, soundly asleep. Leopold would have laughed out loud if her throat didn't hurt so much. Had it been another assassin attack? She really couldn't tell because her thoughts were all jumbled from the night before. All she remembered was having a sword placed at her throat and the pain it had caused when it cut her.
Something was wrong with her. She knew that much. Something about who she was. Otherwise all these men wouldn't be after her. She wouldn't be in so much pain right now if there wasn't something special or different about her. But what? There couldn't be anything special about her! Unless they were referring to the fact that she's the only grand-daughter of a very wealthy duke. But that could hardly be special because she had plenty of cousins that were just the same as her with a few minor details.
Quietly so as not to wake her aunt, Leopold pushed herself up in bed and felt the soft cloth that was wrapped around her neck, probably stopping the blood flow. Although Leopold guessed the healer would have done that already and the cloth was just an extra precaution. Her aunt must have heard her moving around because she muttered some things and raised her head, smiling when she saw Leopold awake.
"How are you," she muttered stretching her arms and yawning whilst standing and walking towards Leopold.
"I'm fine," Leopold croaked her throat dry and scratchy. She wished there was water for her to drink and hoped her aunt would have some sent up.
"That was quite a night you had," her aunt said obviously at a lost for words and saying the first thing that came to her mind. Leopold was wondering why she was acting so nice. Leopold cocked one of her eyebrows at her aunt and waited for more. "Well I see your conscious, so I'll leave you be. There's someone here who would like to talk to you for a minute." her aunt gestured towards the door where a person stood. Leopold hadn't even realized Aaron was there until her aunt said something. Not wanting to make a scene Leopold waited until her aunt had left before saying anything to him.
"Stay where you are!" she hissed pointing a finger at him "Don't come any closer to me! Whenever your around things seem to go from slightly well to worse!"
"Okay, okay!" Aaron said raising his hands in defeat and backing along the wall to stand by the windows. Leopold thought he looked extremely handsome in his loose tunic. He had obviously been outside that day because his skin was more tan than it had been yesterday and he looked tired. Maybe she was hallucinating but she saw his biceps bulge as if he knew she was staring and he was trying to show off. Leopold shook her head, intent on carrying out the fight she had had with herself last night. She was determined to be rid of Aaron and everything that came with him. It seemed that whenever she was around him something bad happened and sooner or later she decided she'd turn up dead, so instead of waiting it out and possibly having her feeling grow stronger for him, she needed to dismiss him from her all together.
"Aaron. You and I barely even know each other. I think it's best if we leave it at that and go our separate ways." remembering that she was in the room with a killer that she barely knew and she was most definitely unprotected, and really wished he didn't have a horrible temper like some boys she knew (Sebastien). Suddenly another thing dawned on her and that was what Eliza had said when they were walking home. No one at the Rogue even knew who he was or where he came from. There was no way she was going to start putting all her trust in this complete stranger and letting her guard down just because he had amazing eyes that she could get lost in for hours. She wanted answers and she wanted them now.
"I'll get to know you," Aaron replied smiling and giving a forced laugh while taking a step towards her. Leopold flinched as if he were about to hit her and he backed off two steps.
"It won't work like that." Leopold replied
"Why won't it?"
"Because you and I are two different people who shouldn't even be having this conversation!" she screamed at him while fighting back tears. "You're of the Rogue and I'm a noble! We have no business mixing."
"But if you'd give me a chance…" Aaron started
"Who are you?" she asked cutting him off. If he wanted a chance to get to know her than she wanted answers.
"What?" he asked with a half smile and laugh as if her question was absurd.
"Who are you? Where do you come from? Who are your parents? Do you have any siblings? How many men have you killed? How many women have you slept with? How much have you stolen in your life time? How many hearts have you broken? Is this what you meant when you wanted to get to know each other? Or is it only I who have to supply the answer? Who are you?" Leopold yelled becoming angry that he couldn't just leave and let her cry in peace. All her heart wanted was for him to stay, but all her mind told her was to get rid of him before she gets hurt further if they were to be caught.
Aaron moved away from the bed and turned towards the windows whilst running his hands through his hair, obviously not intending to answer her questions. Leopold looked down at her sweating hands and it was then that she realized she wore only her under garments. Pulling the sheets up around her she slid from the bed and started walking towards the small closet in hopes of finding something to wear when Aaron started talking again.
"I can't tell you who I am," he whispered.
"Why not?" Leopold sighed starting to become fed up with all the delays. If he wasn't going to answer them then why doesn't he leave?
"That's none of your business!" Aaron replied rather rudely pointing a finger at her and walking forwards, startling Leopold at his raised voice. Leopold backed up against her stand and reached behind her, pulling open the drawer silently and grabbing the hilt of the dagger she had hidden there. She wasn't about to let Aaron harm her if he indeed had a bad temper.
"It is so my business!" Leopold hollered back tripping on the sheet as she moved towards him and grabbing a handful of it in her hand to move it out from under her feet.
"Why is it your business?" Aaron asked placing his hands on his hips and waiting for an answer.
"You say you want to work things out but you cannot have the honesty go both ways. Your nothing but a spoiled thief that's what you are! And a coward at that!"
"A thief eh?"
"What the hell do you think you are! Any noble can see that!"
"Obviously not!"
"Run back to your precious Rogue Aaron and leave me be!"
"That's the best idea you've had since I met you!"
"Fine!" Leopold hissed through clenched teeth fighting back the urge to cry.
"Fine!" Aaron said throwing his hand in the air and stomping towards the door.
Leopold watched as Aaron crossed the room towards the door and opened it forcefully, glaring back one last time before walking out and slamming it behind him as the first tear fell down Leopold's face. She had never had an argument with someone like that before and she didn't like the outcome. She knew that was going to be the last time she was going to see Aaron. There wasn't any other way she could face him without admitting she was wrong. But she wasn't wrong and she knew it. Aaron was keeping secrets from her, from everyone and they would cost him one day. Hopefully she would be far from Corus when they did.