#thread 003: ryan & luna.

[alkalinc]

a closed starter for my heart, @devoureden, for ryan & luna.

"i have already told you i cannot eat all of this on my own. it would be in your best interest to sit down and eat while i get ready for the day."

[alkalinc]

as she took another step closer, his eyes trailed down to see the way she busied her hands that were trembling. his own hands balled at his sides for a moment before one hand reached out to brush his fingertips against her own, barely touching her and feeling a spark sent through him at that slightest bit. "no, i am the one who is sorry," he spoke with eyes trailing up to meet her gaze. "you should not have been sent away today." his knuckles brushed against the back of her hand and ryan stepped closer to practically close the distance between them. "she will not get rid of you. i will not allow it. i will make sure it does not happen. i...promise you that." it wasn't something he could promise, not with how today had gone, but ryan knew having her sent away for good would change things for the worse.

"of course i worry about you," she murmured and looked down at her hands once more and they were trembling. she quickly busied them and she glanced up in his direction once more. "yes, you deserve so much happiness, my lord," she said, unknowingly stepping closer to him because she felt passionate about it. she wanted to see him smile because he rarely ever did that anymore, not where is future wife was concerned, not when his parents were making all of these plans for him. "i just don't believe you have a choice and i am so sorry. for both of us, because i know she'll get rid of me when she's finally found her place here. your parents had no problems with sending me away tonight. just to make her happy." she swallowed thickly and her eyes stung with unshed tears. "i must be going before they find me here," she said softly and gave him a sad smile.

[alkalinc]

his head tilted to the side while meeting her gaze as she spoke, then a small smile curved at his lips. "you worry about me," he spoke, pointing out the obvious. there was still far too much space between them, but it wasn't anything near what it had been earlier in the evening and ryan found himself stuck where he stood, as if he was the slightest bit scared to move closer towards her. "i think...i deserve happiness, don't you? if she is not who makes me happy, then perhaps they would understand." even as he spoke, his head shook at his own words. "or perhaps not, but...i still have no plans to marry her. marie is not who i see myself with."

when she met his gaze the moment he explained, she took a deep breath because there was this look in his eye that startled her a little. it wasn't the way anyone else looked at her before. well, not that she'd realised because she was just realising he had been looking at her. she bit into her lower lip and watched him drop his gaze. he stepped closer to her, but she didn't move. there was still too much space. she swallowed thickly, "no." she shook her head. "i don't want to leave," she spoke softly and her cheeks were tinged pink. "things might get more difficult, though, because i don't think your parents will be...alright with you not marrying marie. and they know you watch me...you could get into trouble."

[alkalinc]

"i suppose it had something to do with the way i looked at you," he spoke, honesty slipping out with ease because ryan was certain that was the case. even now, as he looked at her, he had to force himself to look down because he was certain that same look was in his eyes. it shouldn't have been there, but he couldn't seem to stop it. swallowing thickly, he inched a step toward her, still keeping too much space between them. "i do feel i'm the one causing trouble here. if it would be easier for you, you can leave." that was the very last thing he wanted.

she frowned and tipped her head to the side, "then why was i sent away, my lord?" she asked and then he was being adamant that she would not be given to someone else. he promised. she gave him a gentle smile and looked down at her hands. "russell wasn't very happy at all. he kept glowering at me throughout the evening. i was very confused." luna shook her head and bit into her lower lip. they had to have distance between them at all times and she didn't like that...she really didn't like it.

[alkalinc]

his head tilted when she asked what things he was referring to and ryan let a small smile curve at his lips to hold back a bit of laughter. "i think i was the one who did something to offend her." as she went on speaking, his gaze lifted with brows pulled together and his face soon dropped. "you will not be given to someone else. i promise you of that," he spoke with ease, knowing he wouldn't let it come down to that. ryan knew he couldn't let that happen now. "i didn't like you being sent away, either. i am sorry. no one...said anything more to you after that?"

"about...things? what things?" she asked and furrowed her brow once more. "did i do something to offend her? i mean, i know she's probably not happy you have a woman as your servant." she swallowed thickly, desperate not to be given to someone else because marie didn't want her around. she was getting nervous about it and she sighed, "i didn't like being sent away from you tonight," she finally said and bit down on her lower lip. "i shouldn't worry about things like that, but i was. and now i could be given to someone else."

[alkalinc]

the moment he heard her voice, ryan turned to look over his shoulder at her before shifting his body to face her. the one person he hadn't expected to see and the one person he wanted to see. "hello," he spoke softly. the question had his head tilting to the side before she spoke marie's name and his head ducked down with a small smile on his lips. "i have a feeling that marie wasn't very happy about...things." at one point in the evening, he saw the way marie looking at luna, seeing the cold look on the woman's face that resembled a sneer. "i suppose that's my fault. i apologize for that. i can only assume that's why you were sent away."

as the night went on, luna felt ryan's gaze on her and in turn, she felt marie's on her as well. the woman must have mentioned something because she was being sent away for the rest of the night. she knew that was going to happen and she was dreading when the woman actually was brought into the house for good. a sigh escaped her as she made her way into the kitchen until marie departed. she didn't know if they wanted her to help ryan any longer, but she found her way through the hallways to his chambers.

luna took a deep breath and knocked on his door. when he spoke, telling her to enter, she walked in and closed the doors. "hello..." she said softly and blushed deeply when his gaze landed on her. "they didn't tell me not to come to your rooms tonight, so i just...made my way here, anyway." she bit into her lower lip and shrugged. "did i do something to anger your parents tonight?" she asked and tipped her head to the side. "...or marie?" she added and furrowed her brow.

[alkalinc]

ryan remained fairly quiet that evening, even as marie tried holding a conversation with him that he had no interest in. no, his eyes continuously trailing around until he found luna was proof of that. unfortunately, the woman he was to marry took notice to that and made a comment that practically had his parents sending luna away for the remainder of the evening.

as time passed and the evening came to an end, marie went home to her parents and ryan was grateful she hadn't yet moved into their home. that would only make things more difficult and things were already a bit too much. ryan found himself in his room, all on his own with frustration settling in before hearing a knock on the door that had him inhaling a deep breath. "you may come in." at this point, there was only one person he actually wanted to see and he was sure it wasn't her.

when he turned away, she felt her stomach drop. russell had left the room and she didn't want to leave. this was the only room she found solace in, "thank you, my lord," she murmured and curtsied, even if he couldn't see her do it. she took a deep breath and left the room, closing the door behind her. she pressed her back up against it and took a deep breath. he didn't want to marry the woman. she was in trouble.

[alkalinc]

he wanted to tell her he never had a desire for it, not until recently, but not with the woman he was already promised to. however, russell barged in and the air felt too thick in the moment, causing ryan to duck his head down and turn away. "no. i believe i am capable. you are free to go." even when he didn't look at her, he still felt her there.

she took a deep breath and watched him closely. he smiled at her and met her gaze and she felt her heart race in her chest. "i-i...i can understand that, my lord, but...everything is set. the date. the guests. she's to move in here." the door flew open and russell glowered at her, letting them know his wife to be was approaching and luna inhaled sharply. she curtsied at ryan and started pulling out his clothing for him to get dressed in for the woman. russell cleaned off the table and luna turned to him, "do you need my assistance getting ready, my lord?"

[alkalinc]

"you did not mishear me." when she stepped closer, eyes trailed over her and he remained standing where he was before eyes were cast downward. "no, my parents are certain this marriage will happen, but..." with a small smile, he met her gaze. "i have no intention of letting it. i have no desire for it."

she just stared at him as he spoke and then she chuckled, "i beg your pardon? i had to have misheard you, my lord?" she asked and stepped closer to him. "i believe you just said you weren't marrying her. do...do your parents know this?"

[alkalinc]

ryan swallowed thickly because his thoughts were words he didn't dare speak aloud, but he had thought them so many times and given enough of a fit about this arrangement he was trapped in. "i will not marry her."

" -- maybe not, but i was happy you did. even if i acted as if i wasn't." she took a deep breath and bit into her lower lip. "of course you may, my lord. i would never tell a soul." luna smiled gently and folded her hands in front of her.

[alkalinc]

"in that sense, i shouldn't have demanded you sit down." his back remained to her and it didn't make this any easier. "may i tell you something?" finally turning, he met her gaze with a tilt of his head. "so long as it stays between us."

"yes, her. marie." she swallowed thickly and pushed herself away from the table. when he turned away and apologised, she furrowed her brow. "you...you have nothing to apologise for, my lord. i shouldn't have sat down in the first place. that was my fault."

[alkalinc]

"ah, yes. her." as if he had so easily forgotten, but he truly had for a split second. pulling back to stand up straight, giving her a little space. "i do apologize." turning from her, he hoped not looking directly at her would make this feeling go away, but it wouldn't.

he moved closer to her and then he was leaning over and brushing his thumb beneath her lower lip. her blush darkened and she swallowed thickly and quickly wiped her mouth with her napkin. "i need to get going. your...your betrothed will be here very soon."

[alkalinc]

eyes trailed over to see the blush across her cheeks that had a smile pulling at his lips. "i have no doubt you will." as he neared her, ryan leaned down to wipe his thumb beneath her lower lip to brush aside a crumb. "he may even believe you."

she gave him a look and sipped from some juice before placing a napkin in her lap and she put some things on a plate. "if russell comes in and threatens me, i'm blaming you..." she blushed and took a bite of her food.

[alkalinc]

a smile curved at the corner of his lips and he watched as she sat down to take a piece of bread. "i am certain you did not have nearly enough, so eat what you would like and leave the rest."

she deflated a little and sighed, "that's not fair in the least, my lord." she finished up his bed before walking over and taking a seat at the table there. she took a piece of bread and nibbled on it. "i had porridge already early this morning."

[alkalinc]

"you can and you must." his back was turned to her as he finished splashing water on his face before turning to look over his shoulder at her. "i demand it."

she was fixing up his bed when he spoke and she inhaled slowly, "i cannot eat your breakfast with you, my lord."