~CHAPTER 8~
LOVE.
Leon's POV
His efforts to stop thinking about her were completely vain. Even though he did get some sleep, even in his dreams she was all he could dream of. She was like a virus that had spread through his whole being. Not that he would complain. He liked that feeling.
Delilah was not the first woman in Leon's life of course. He might not have been a casanova like Gwaine or at least like Percival but he certainly had his way around ladies. He had flirted with several women over the years, but only two of them had really developed into something more serious. The first woman he had ever fallen in love with was Lady Golda, when he was only of eighteen years. It was more like an infatuation rather than love, but to him it seemed like love then. Golda came from another noble family that lived close to Leon's hometown, Carmelide. Their parents intended to have them wed in order to join forces.
At first, he had his doubts. Influenced by the toxic relationship his own parents had, he had always thought of marrying someone he didn't love as wrong. His father was a bitter and cold-hearted man, who treated his mother horribly and never showed any sign of love to either of his children. His mother wasn't perfect either, she was selfish and shallow, a typical highborn woman who had everything. The only person who truly showed him the affection he needed while growing up was his older sister, Velma. He didn't want a family like that himself. He would rather not marry at all than have such a miserable life. But when he was first introduced to Lady Golda, he fell in love with her immediately. She was particularly tall, reaching up to his nose, skinny, with slightly tanned skin and she was very pretty. Her face was framed by thin strands of pale blond hair, completely straight and without volume. As he looked back to it now, she was not the most beautiful woman he had ever met but at that tender age, she seemed like an angel in his eyes.
And so, he accepted to marry her and their courtship started officially. When they were around other people, she always seemed to be all over him, acting like she was madly in love. He actually believed that and thought that he had found the one. But after several months of courtship, when they were finally allowed to be alone, she revealed to him that she had absolutely no feelings other than pure friendship towards him. She said she just acted that way around others because she didn't want to embarrass her family and disappoint everyone. She even admitted to being in love with one of the gardeners. At that moment, he felt his heart crack. She had asked him to marry her exactly like he would, but she made it clear that even if they lived together, she would see the man she loved as well and they would have no personal attachment to each other. But Leon just couldn't take that. That's not the life he wanted. So he broke off the engagement almost immediately, but he was a gentleman and so never gave away Golda's secret, but instead said that it was his fault and that due to his decision to go to Camelot and be knighted, he could not settle down just yet. And so he did.
The second woman to ever to become a part of his life was Lady Agatha. He was a young knight at that time, twenty three years old and in settled in Camelot for good. Lady Agatha was a part of the court and she was one of the many lady admirers he would get over the years of his serving next to the King. She was a widow but she was still in her thirties and considerably attractive. He never had any feelings for her but he couldn't help but notice the looks she would give him and how freely she would act around him. It was very unusual for a lady of the court. But she had a different air than the others. She seemed to be a rather free spirit, devoid of any typical pretensions such ladies would usually have.
One day, he was walking down the castle corridors and one hand grabbed him out of nowhere and pulled him to a dark corner. Before he could say anything, she forced her lips against his and placed her hands around his waist, pulling him closer. When they parted from their passionate kiss, he was speechless and his eyes were wide in shock.
"…My lady…I…" he stuttered like a young child, having his first kiss.
"Shhh…" she whispered seductively in his ear and placed her finger on his mouth accordingly. "Sir Leon, there's no need for these formalities. We both know what we want here. I'm a lonely woman and you're a very handsome man. That's all."
"My Lady, I'm sorry. Agatha, I don't believe it would be proper…" she stopped him again.
"I believe I can make decisions for myself, Leon. " she replied and kissed him again, more passionately this time. Her eyes were glistening with lust.
And so, their relationship began. It was purely intimacy that they both wanted and there were no strings attached, that they had made clear since the first second. It lasted about five months but then they parted when she made another man and decided to marry him. It never really hurt Leon since he didn't love her, it just made him slightly disappointed that he still hadn't found his soulmate for life.
But now he was convinced. He was no longer a youngster, mistaking his feelings. He knew this time that what he felt for Delilah was love. Pure and unquestionable love. The very thought of her could get his heart racing, her smile lightened his heart and her touch made him shiver with passion. That he had never felt before in his whole life. That was LOVE.
Hi guys! Sorry I didn't upload yesterday! This chapter there was no progress but I just needed to give Leon the backstory he never had, don't you think? Hope you liked it! I don't know if I should continue here or switch finally. Plz let me know what you think. Your opinions mean everything to me. Thanks! Kisses! ~xoxo~
