Haha...I think maybe when I reach 20 reviews for a chap I'll post a new chapter. XD I've been getting a lot more reviews. Feel free to give feedback and your thoughts. I'll try to keep things interesting because who doesn't like a good story? Anways hope you R&R
Chapter 13: Lovers spat
Misaki stood in the center of her bedchamber. Usui seemed very angry at her. When they got back he sent her off with Honoka and went somewhere.
"The Duke seems very angry..." Honoka observed.
"Indeed," Misaki said.
"Twas a foolish thing you did, Duchess" Honoka continued. "The Duke will descend his wrath upon you."
Misaki squared her shoulders. "I am not afraid" she said evenly.
"Have you ever been beaten before?" Honoka asked.
Misaki shook her head. Her parents never laid a hand on her. They had punished her plenty of times but striking her...never.
"Is he going to beat me?" Misaki asked.
"I do not know, my lady. I have only heard stories of angry husbands"
Misaki nodded. "I accept my punishment then."
Honoka shook her head. "My lady, a man's wrath is not gentle" she exclaimed. "I suggest you beg for forgiveness"
Misaki kept her chin high. "I don't beg to anyone" Misaki would rather take a beating then beg for forgiveness of something she did right. She would gladly save the slave girl again.
Honoka opened her mouth to say something but was cut off when the door opened. Usui stepped in. Honoka bowed and quickly departed. She shut the door leaving Usui and Misaki alone.
Usui looked her over. Misaki still wore her disguise but her hair was loose. Usui's eyes never left her as he threw something on the ground. It was her climber. The rope and hook clattered loudly onto the floorboards. Misaki looked at her invention sprawled out on the floor.
Misaki faced her fate and sank to her knees. She saw Usui raise his hand and cringed away with her eyes tightly shut. She waited for him to hit her. But the blow never came. Misaki slowly opened her eyes and glanced up. Usui stood with his hand held out to her.
"I'm not going to hit you" Usui said. "Even if you do deserve it..."
Misaki stood up in a huff and stalked to the other side of the room. She was secretly relieved that Usui wasn't going to hurt her.
"Misaki" Usui said walking up behind her. "What were you thinking?" he asked. "Those men could have killed you or worse..."
"I was a boy" Misaki reminded him. Usui came up behind her and ran his hands over her. His hands rubbed her chest and Misaki tried to pull away.
"Your disguise is easily revealed" he said in a low voice. Misaki shivered against his touch.
"At first look, I knew you were a woman" Usui continued. "There are plenty of men out there who could too. How would you feel if one of them had taken advantage of you?"
Misaki shook her head. The thought sounded awful.
"I assure you they will not treat you as I do" Usui promised. "Men can be animals sometimes..."
Usui turned Misaki around and ripped open the front of her tunic. Misaki gasped and tried to cover herself.
"U-usui..." she stammered.
"The thought of someone else touching you..." he closed his eyes. "I'd kill them"
"It's not fair!" Misaki exclaimed angrily. "Why must women always fall prey to such things"
"Because they are simply more vulnerable..."
Misaki hated that word. Vulnerable "I refuse to submit to this fate"
"I will protect you from it"
"I do not need protection from a man!"
"Do you not?" Usui asked taking a step forward.
"No" Misaki said firmly.
"You are so innocent" Usui said shaking his head. "Like a doe..." he said reaching out to her.
Misaki slapped his hand away. "No!" she yelled. "If you wanted to treat me well you wouldn't keep me locked up" she blurted out.
"Who said I wanted to treat you well?" Usui asked amused.
Misaki blushed. "Tis nothing!" she snapped.
"Misaki is right though" Usui said, forcing her to sit on the bed. "I do want to treat her well..."
"Is that why you didn't beat me?" Misaki blurted out again. Usui smiled.
"I don't beat women" he said. "Belittles my honor"
Misaki snorted. "I'd rather you beat me then..." she said lifting her chin.
"I can do other things..." Usui said leaning very close to her.
Misaki blushed. "Tis my lord's choice what he does with me" she said refusing to let Usui get to her.
Usui was deeply amused now. "Don't play virgin victim with me," he said. "You take as much pleasure in it as I do..." he released the curtain and slid the open tunic off Misaki's shoulders. He proceeded to toss his clothes aside.
"I feel as though I'm undressing a man..." he said lightly as he slid her pants off. "...a beautiful man with long elegant legs" he added.
Misaki moaned slightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I can stop if you want..." Usui whispered. "If you are so unwilling..."
Misaki shyly shook her head.
"I never forced you..." Usui reminded her. "And I will never, ever, hurt you..." he promised.
It was approaching evening but Usui and Misaki still laid in bed.
Misaki gently held Usui's hand. "I was fine...no one was hurt" she reminded him. "And you saved a life today"
Usui sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I can't stay angry with you" he said shaking his head. "Only at myself..."
"Why?"
"I should not have left you alone for so long" Usui said. "I'm sorry"
Misaki shook her head. "You were busy"
"I promise to always be there for Misaki because I love you"
Misaki looked up at Usui wide eyed. Did Usui really love her?
"You love me?" she asked in disbelief. "But you barely know me"
Usui hugged her body closer to him. "I know you're brave, kind, daring, compassionate, innocent, bold, and slightly arrogant"
Misaki frowned at the last one. "You are too..." she simply said. Usui kissed her jawline.
"I feel warmth when I'm with Misaki" he said. "I love everything about you including your flaws. Your flaws perfect you..."
"You are quite the wooer" Misaki said shyly.
"Only to you, my lady" he said. "My heart belongs only to you"
Misaki felt a smile touch her face. "I'm glad..." she whispered. "I-"
The romantic moment was disrupted my Misaki's stomach. Misaki stared in horror at the sound her stomach just made.
Usui chuckled. "We should probably eat anyways" he said wrapping a cape around Misaki's shoulders and handed her some clothes. Misaki quickly pulled the dress over her head and got up. She picked up Usui's shirt from the ground and handed it to him.
"Thank you" Usui said. Misaki could feel his intense stare as she buttoned up his jacket. Her fingers clumsily fumbled with the buttons and then pinned his cape onto the shoulders.
"Honoka!" Usui called when Misaki finished. The maid stepped in and kneeled.
"My lord" she greeted.
"Bring food up to the bedchamber. The duchess and I will be dining here"
"Yes my lord" Honoka said. She paused for a moment.
"My lord...the slave girl. What should I do with her?"
"Bring her here" Misaki said. Honoka glanced up at Usui.
"Do as the Duchess says" Usui assured her.
Honoka nodded. "Excuse me then..."
Moments later, the girl came into the room. She immediately dropped to her knees with her forehead pressed against the floor.
"Come" Misaki said kneeling beside her. "What is your name?" she asked gently.
The slave didn't dare look up. "Erika, my lady" she said softly.
"Rise" Misaki said helping her up.
"I'd like to offer myself to the duchess" Erika said. "You are my savior"
Misaki smiled. "No need to offer anything" she promised her. "I would have done the same for anyone"
"I'd be happy to die for you, my lady" Erika said. Erika didn't look much older than Misaki. Brown curls cascaded to her shoulders and she had beautiful curves.
"Hardly" Misaki said. "If you so choose to stay you shall be paid wages"
"Can I?" Erika asked.
Misaki nodded. "I've been needing a companion" she said. "Are you willing to be my lady in waiting?"
Erika dropped to her knees. "Tis an honor"
Misaki nodded. She slipped a ring off her finger and hung it off a gold chain. She slipped it over Erika's head. Erika gasped at her new necklace.
"I swear my loyalty to the Usui family" Erika said kissing Misaki's hand and then Usui's.
"Go on with Honoka" Misaki said. "She'll show you everything"
Erika thanked them again and left. A servant came in after her with food and set it on the table.
"I'm famished!" Misaki exclaimed, pulling a strand of grapes off and popping them into her mouth.
"Is this how you make so many friends?" Usui asked.
"What?" Misaki asked, through a mouthful of fruit.
"Everyone is so willing to help you..."
Misaki swallowed. "They are willing to help me just as much as I am willing to help them"
"You don't think of them as servants?" Usui asked, fascinated. Misaki was only making him love her more. He had never met a woman like her.
Misaki snorted. "The only difference between us and them is the womb we dropped from. If today Erika was the one from my mother, she would be the duchess right now and I the slave girl"
"Not the duchess" Usui said shaking his head. "That day...I was planning on rejecting the marriage. I don't fancy noble women. Only when I recognized you...I knew you were the one I wanted to spend forever with."
"Really?" Misaki asked.
Usui nodded. "We should probably eat" he said. "Food is getting cold."
Misaki happily sat down and began eating. As she bit into a slice of bread she couldn't help smiling. Usui really did care for her. He didn't marry her for power nor for wealth.
Her heart was filled with warmth and she felt as though she was in a dream. One misstep and she could wake up...and that could just break her heart. Misaki found herself wanting Usui to pay attention to her and give her that smile he only shared with her. She never felt this way with anyone...not even Hinata. Usui made her feel different but a good different. She no longer felt dread when she remembered she was going to spend of her life by his side.
Was this love? Was Misaki in love with Usui Takumi? ...a man she swore she'd never find happiness with?