Elijah POV
I awoke early, before the beautiful sleeping girl who lay beside me. Her head lay on my chest, hair spilling out over the pillow. I softly pecked her forehead, I had to leave before her parents woke up. She awoke almost immediately, unlike her family she was a light sleeper. Her face was lit up with a sleepy smile, "Morning." She mumbled, leaning in for another kiss. We kissed almost as passionately as last night. Ah, last night... I remembered everything. It seemed Roza did too, because her cheeks went a beautiful shade of pink. "Did we?" She said doe eyes wide and a smile forming on her lips, I nodded. "I love you, Elijah." She breathed against my face. I kissed her in response, her legs wrapped around my waist. "I love you to, Roza." I said. After we stopped kissing, she got out of the bed. She was naked and the sight of her stretching in front of me made me remember last night again. Her whimper and groan broke me out of my fantasies. "Are you hurt?" I asked pulling on my pants and rushing over to her. "Not really, I just feel a little sore, but not too unpleasant." She said, I wrapped my arm around her and held her to me, and I kissed her. "Do you regret it?" I asked her feeling rather awkward, if she did it would ruin our friendship forever. "Of course not! And you?" She said suspiciously. "Not at all, Roza." I said kissing her finger. She looked satisfied with that answer; she gracefully walked to the windows. Sunlight streamed through the room as she pulled across the curtains. It hit her face and highlighted the fact that she was glowing. Roza then pulled on her robe and sauntered over to me like a stalking cat, she smiled impishly. "That is good, because personally I would love to do it more." She said cheekily. She was so happy, it made me rejoice inside, I had thought she would never come to love me- and now this. I scooped her up bridal-style she kicked and giggled "Elijah!" She exclaimed and giggled more. I silenced her with a long deep kiss, immediately she tightened her grip and then did something she had not done before, she ran her tongue over my canines. For some strange reason they started to ache and I became increasingly thirsty. The passion was intensifying, and Roza's hands tangled in my hair, I was still holding her bridal-style. I gently threw her to the bed. She gasped as I joined her kissing her everywhere. "Elijah... Elijah... We cannot... My... Mama... My...Bashta..." She gasped. Rationality washed back over me. "Sorry, Roza. I could not restrain myself." I apologised, she smiled and stroked my face.
"I do not mind. Later..." She said suggestively, I nodded and laughed as she smiled deviously.
"Your place... Around midnight." She said, I agreed and then we said our goodbyes.
Rositsa POV
The rest of the day had continued, everyone and everything seemed normal. Except for me. I am no longer a virgin! I wanted to scream it to everyone, let the world know of my love for Elijah. But I could not until we were married. That may take a while considering I was practically betrothed to my pompous cousin Dmitri. Until then we must keep our love secret, no one can discover what we have been doing. It would shame both families, though mainly mine . I ate breakfast with my family in a jovial mood, I tried to disguise the fact that most of the strawberries had gone by picking our neighbours this morning and I helped my Mama with her new embroidery. I was in my family's good books. "You seem in a pleasant mood, my daughter." Mama said as I swept the floor whilst humming. "'Tis a beautiful day, I suppose it is making me happy." I answered. Mama laughed, it was nice to have time for just the two of us. Though I would prefer to spend it with Elijah... I giggled at the memory of Elijah, last night was amazing... Tonight would be a great repeat- I hoped. "Rositsa! You are bubbling with so much energy! Go! Go do whatever you want for the afternoon." Mama said, "Are you sure Mama?" I asked already placing the broom away and dusting off the dirt from my robe. "Yes... Yes... Go! Before I change my mind." She said, I thanked her and ran towards Elijah's house.
His house was the largest house in the village-apart from his parents' house, it was designed in the Roman style with many rooms. I knocked on the door three times. Please... Please let Elijah be home, I begged silently. 'Twas not to be. "Niklaus." I said with a disappointed edge to my tone. Niklaus beckoned me in. He kissed my hand with too much gusto for my liking. "What can I do for you, lovely Rositsa?" He said, he smelt like wine. Typical, he always drunk too much.
"Your brother. Is he home?" I asked, tugging my hair out of its braid.
"No... He's at the markets, can I be of help?" He said flirtatiously.
"Niklaus give it a rest. I am not interested in you. If you must know, I like your brother. So please, stop the flirty comments and the hand kissing." I said annoyed. He smiled at me.
"It is possible to be attracted to two people, my dear." Niklaus said. "And please, have I not told you before? Call me Klaus." He said. I shook my head.
"I am only attracted to Elijah. If he is not here then I do not need to be here. If you will excuse me." I said trying to walk past him. He grabbed my arm tightly. "Do not be like that, Rositsa. Most women find it difficult to resist my charm, I can tell you are finding it hard as well." Klaus said leaning his face into mine. "No... Niklaus..." I mumbled as he started to kiss me. I kicked his shins but he didn't move away, he didn't even flinch. "Please..." I gasped as he moved his lips to my neck, his kisses trailed further to my breast. "No!" I screamed, "No! Please... No! Niklaus! No!" I screeched.
"What on earth is going on?" Said another male voice, Elijah. I tugged away from Niklaus as he loosened his grip in shock of being discovered. I ran to Elijah and embraced him. He held me tightly and hushed my tears. "Get out of my house Niklaus." He said harshly.
"'Tis mine too brother." He argued back. Gently Elijah pried me off him and made me sit on a chair. I gasped for air as the tears flowed. "No. I used my money to buy it. You said you would pay me back. You have not given me a cent back brother. So get out." He said. "Do not make me make you leave." Elijah threatened, I gasped as I saw a side to Elijah I hadn't seen before. He grabbed Niklaus by the throat and pushed him towards the door. Niklaus threw a punch it hit Elijah in the face, he groaned and threw Niklaus to the ground. Niklaus jumped back up and threw Elijah back to the ground and he slid across the room. "No! Elijah!" I screamed, I hurried over to him, he was not unconscious which was good. He was only further angered. Niklaus grabbed me and tugged me back to the other side of the room. "One wrong move brother, and I slit her throat." Niklaus threatened, I realised there was a blade at my neck, I gasped against Niklaus' firm grip around my waist. "She's coming with me for a while. Aren't you my lovely?" He asked.
"Go to hell!" I said as he dragged me outside. "Elijah!" I screamed as he pulled me towards the door. Elijah got up and threw a glass at Niklaus I knew to duck, Niklaus didn't, He got hit full in the face. "Go into my room Roza!" Elijah ordered, I trembled and ran to his room.
What seemed like hours later was only a few minutes, Elijah came back in with a cut above his eye and a bruised face. "What happened?" I gasped as I saw the cut drip onto the floor.
"He tried to get my eye." He said, I was disgusted. "He missed, so it is alright. Do not worry love, he is gone. The door is locked, he is not going to get back in." Elijah reassured me, I felt weak at my knees. "Come." I commanded taking his hand, he followed me into the bathroom. I washed his cut with water and some herbal mixture I knew helped heal wounds. I covered his face in kisses and helped him change into a clean robe. "I thought we agreed on midnight?" He asked me jokingly when we both lay on his bed. "I finished all my tasks earlier than I expected." I murmured against his chest. "We should get married." I whispered. He held me up to gaze into my face.
"Definitely, I want to love you forever." He said, I smiled at that and kissed his lips, he welcomed the kiss and deepened it immediately. "I want to do it properly." I breathed, he stopped kissing my neck and looked up at me. "Properly?" He asked. I nodded.
"I want our families to know. I do not want them to discover we have eloped, I believe we should tell them. I am sure they only want our happiness." I said to him, he nodded then sighed.
"Your parents may not agree, krasiva. Are you not supposed to get married to your cousin Dmitri? To continue your noble bloodline." He said.
"Though marrying you would be almost as good for the Petrova's, your family is wealthy and noble in a foreign sense." I muttered. "Let's do it tonight." I said abruptly. "Invite your family over for dinner, and I will invite mine. We shall have a meal and then you could ask my Bashta for my hand." I said eagerly. Elijah laughed, "If it is what you wish my krasiva. We could be married sometime next week." I smiled up at him and felt the tears coming to my eyes,
"Oh I do wish it Elijah. I want to be your wife more than anything." I said and we locked eyes and the locked lips for minutes. "To think... We could be married next week. Have a child in a year. Our future looks so bright." Elijah said against my lips.
"You want children?" I asked curiously.
"I want everything with you. Do you want children?" He asked me looking a little worried.
"Of course, I have always wanted a baby. With you I want one ten times more." I said. He kissed me again. "We have to cook!" I said. "And invite families... I shall start cooking. You go invite your parents and mine." I ordered, Elijah laughed as I pushed him off the bed. "Go! If you want to marry me go! Invite our families... Tell them to be here at six." I said, giving him one goodbye kiss. "Oh, and good luck with my Bashta!" I called as he left the room.
Elijah POV
The Petrova's lived on the other side of the village, but it was a small village and it did not take me far to walk from my parents' house to Roza's parents. It helped that I knew the way to Roza's like the back of my hand. My parents had happily agreed to a meal at my house tonight with my five other siblings- needless to say Niklaus is not invited. I knocked on their wooden door twice until her Mama came to the door, she peered through at first then upon seeing who it was opened the door wide with a smile. "Master Elijah, what can I do for you?" She asked me after hustling me inside.
"I would like to speak with your husband, Master Petrov, if he is available." I said, she smiled a toothy smile that was as sweet as Roza's. "I shall see if he is free to see you, please take a seat." She said gesturing to the couch, I obliged and sat on the couch admiring the Petrov's cosy living area. Ana Petrova came back down the stairs in a few minutes, "He is in his study." She said in encouragement, I walked up Roza's stairs and as I passed her door I smiled as I remembered last night. "Master Elijah, to what is this pleasure?" Ivan Petrov asked me. I sat on the chair he had gestured for me to sit on. "Master Petrov, I have come to discuss your daughter." I started, Ivan narrowed his eyes, he was protective of his young beauty. "I have come to ask you for your daughters hand in marriage. I love Rositsa, she is very dear to me, and I believe that we could have a happy future together." I said, Master Petrov sighed, "I know that she is virtually betrothed to Dmitri Petrov, though she would never be happy with her cousin, I can protect her and provide her with everything she would ever need." I said, Ivan smiled at me.
"Dear boy, I have known you since you were twenty- still a lad. I know you would do anything for my girl. Ana and I have discussed this before, it is clear that she cares for you to. You can most definitely have my daughters hand in marriage." He said, I was shocked and ecstatic.
"Thank you, Master Petrov. Would you and your family care to join mine tonight for a celebratory meal?" I asked him.
"Why of course, Master Elijah. We shall see you around six." He answered. I rejoiced as I left the house with a grin.
Roza was cooking with haste in my kitchen, it was a beautiful sight. Her in my house, humming and cooking acting as if it were her own. Soon enough it would be both our house. I wrapped my arms around her waist making her jump. She turned and embraced me, "How did it go?" She whispered, I put on a sad mad face. Roza let out a small cry and covered her face with her hands. Then I pulled her face up to mine and kissed her. "We have your Bashta's permission and blessing." I whispered. She hit me with a cloth, "Oh! Do not trick me like that Elijah!" She squealed, but she could not stay mad, she threw herself into my arms and we kissed as if the only thing keeping us alive was that kiss. Afterwards she was crying, "We are going to be married! We are engaged!" She sang, I caught her in her bubbling excitement. "I do have a cook you know." I murmured into her ear, wondering where my cook went. "Oh, I know. But I dismissed her, I wish to do the cooking- and when we are married. It would make me happy to cook our food." She said, I raised my eyebrows at her, she threw the cloth at me again. "Do not look at me like that, spoilt rich boy." She laughed, I feigned hurt. "Oh, get out! How am I ever going to cook when you're in here distracting me!" She giggled, I laughed with her. "Go get the wine... Wash... I will join you once I have finished here." She said devilishly that gave me the motive to get going.