Chapter 26
"How are we to keep this secret?" I asked Velkan quietly, looking into his blue eyes. I saw them soften with tenderness as he pulled me close to him, wrapping his arms around me. I could feel the gentle beating of his heart against mine, comforting my rattled senses. "I refuse to allow the Count the satisfaction of knowing he was right…" I murmured quietly to myself.
The quiet laugh of Velkan interrupted my chain of thought as he kissed me gently on the forehead. "This was inevitable, Christine." He said simply. I did not make eye contact with him as he said this, because I knew that all he would find reflected in my gaze was fear, confusion, and perhaps even a little guilt. "I cannot help the way I feel." he continued, his voice trailing off. I felt him pull away from me and reach to lift my face to his. He held his hand gently underneath my chin. "The question is, can you?" he asked.
"If I could help myself, then would we be in the situation we are now in?" I asked him. "Would I be here trying to figure out if we can keep this secret?" He slowly shook his head. I smiled. "There is your answer, prince of gypsies." I finished, smiling mockingly. I noticed his smirk as he reached for me once again, playfully this time. I merely laughed and rose from were I sat, walking quickly towards a window. I heard him rise after me.
"The Count…" I said quietly to myself, shivering slightly from the cold. His words were the words that had haunted me all these years. He knew what was to come, and he knew what he would do. We didn't have that luxury. We had to make wise decisions. "He knew this would happen, Velkan. He knew what was going to happen before it occurred. He knows about us, and he is going to kill us." The final words I spoke seemed like the final nail in our coffin. I felt that, with our kiss, we had sealed our fate.
"The Count," Velkan said suddenly, breaking my chain of thought. "Is not master nor king over us. We shall do what we think is best for us." I heard his steps approaching me once again, but I kept my gaze on the window. The howls from the wolves had grown more distant as time had passed. Now, all I could hear was nothing.
Suddenly, I felt Velkan's hands slink their way around my waist. I shuttered despite myself. Velkan only continued his litany. "We are not his children, and he will not treat us as such." I tried to draw away from him, but I felt his grip tighten on my waist. He pulled me gently towards him, until I felt my body lightly touching his.
"I am sick of sacrificing every small happiness in my life because of him." He said, slowing his words. I felt him lean down, whispering into my ear. "Please, do not let me loose this as well. You and Anna are the only things I value." He turned me to face him. "Would you really do that to a man? Would you forsake him? Would you forsake me?" he asked. I looked down, not wanting to answer his question. It was minutes before I would answer him.
"I would never willingly abandon you," I said quietly, refusing to look at him. I did not want to see his hurt expression. "How can I throw caution to the wind when I know all our lives are at stake. Look at William, look at Anna and my uncle, they are merely pawns in all of this." I finished.
"They will not be pawns for much longer." Velkan replied. He let go of me, and took off his coat. "Not for much longer." He said, handing it over to me. I took it quietly, and began to put it on. It was too big. I heard Velkan's quiet laugh. I smiled despite the situation.
"Christine," he said suddenly. "Have you made your decision? Will you go back with your uncle and cousin?" my heart beat slowly quickened, and I looked away. I couldn't leave him, not after all he had confessed to me.
I approached him quietly, reaching up to touch his cheeks. They warmed my cold hands. Velkan's worried look slowly became a smile. "I would never forsake you, prince of gypsies." I replied. My hands left his cheeks as I slowly wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. "You are the only happiness left to me. I will not sacrifice you on the whims of a Count."
"So you have made your decision then?" he asked. I felt his hot breath at my neck as he spoke. "Will you stay with me?" I felt his hands slowly pull me away from him. His gaze was what met me: a serious look of defiance and happiness.
"You will be mine, and I will be yours." I replied simply. "That is all I will say for now."
"Then that will be answer enough for me." Velkan replied. "Come here." His was a look of a man in the throws of happiness. I approached him. His hand slowly took mine as he reached up with his other to caress my cheek. In moments, he had leaned down and captured my lips in a sweet kiss. I slowly felt it growing more insistent, as he held me to him tighter and tighter. I pulled away after a moment.
"We are in a church!" I said admonishingly. I saw Velkan's childish smile form on his face. "This is wrong." I finished. Everything about this was wrong, I thought to myself.
"Alright." Velkan replied after a moment. "We must sleep anyhow. Tomorrow we w ill find Anna and your uncle."