Chapter 219 TEIGEN XLIII
ELARA
"It does not matter" Elara dismisses, continuing her packing and ignoring Philippa.
"Elara, you cannot just pack up and leave so out of the blue. It is much too sudden, your quick exit will raise many rumors and suspicions" her tone spikes condescendingly, the words flowing so easily from her lips irritated Elara, spiking the anger she had swallowed.
Did Philippa not care about her own feelings? Did her dislike for Lord Sawyer and her discomfort with his presence mean nothing to noone? Did it only matter that she not spread rumors? Was that all she was to them?
"I do not care Philippa! We have stayed here for a week and that is enough, tomorrow we are leaving and that is final" Elara snaps
Philippa gasps, stepping back.
She states at Elara with fear and shock, "Elara-"
She peers over her shoulder and says with finality, "I suggest you and the ladies go pack"
Quietly Philippa leaves and soon the sound of the door to her chambers closing behind her ladies reach her ears. Elara sighs, planting her back to the wall she slowly slides down landing on her butt unceremoniously. If Augustine saw her now she would scowl at her and have a million and one things to say about being more 'lady-like'.
A bitter laugh left my lips at the irony of my life. How had I gotten here? This place was beautiful but only superficially, it suffocated me being here for a second but I could not get the coach so soon. I had to wait, stay in the same house as Lord Sawyer. I am certain Augustine would be on her way to try to talk me out of leaving but my mind had been made.
Maybe if I had made it up sooner and stood my ground to stay away from Lord Sawyer then none of this would have happened. How unfortunate of me. She did not know when, maybe somewhere between crying at her helplessness and complete lack of true genuine company or folding her dresses but Elara had managed to fall asleep in the most uncomfortable position known to wereman.
Violet eyes ogled her features, drinking them in, worshiping them. How hauntingly beautiful, her freckles against her pale skin, red fiery cascade of hair poured across her cheek, soft plum lips slightly parted, air passing through as she quietly snored-no doubt from the weird position her neck was in. Ryker was shocked she hadn't snapped her neck already. He held back a chuckle, observing the messy room she had insisted on packing or at least trying to, epic fail as far as he was concerned and to every other person with eyes and the littlest sense of tidiness.
Someone had surely offended her, he noticed.
Her brows were furrowed, her eyes squeezed in anger? annoyance maybe. Well, whoever it was in her dreams must have really pissed her of to make her end up like this. Smiling to himself Ryker takes his thumb and pointer finger to gently soothe out her wrinkled brows.
Hm, what a cute angry little Rosebud she was, he thought amusingly to himself. From her brows his fingers traced the curve of her face, going to her hair. With soft movements he picks a lock into his hand, playing leisurely with it.
He loved how the action felt so....normal, so familiar, so intimate it warmed his heart. She shakes her head, mumbling under her breath harshly.
She was waking up.
Without warning Elara jolts awake, groaning soon after. "Ow, ow, ow, ow" she hisses, pushing herself into a sitting position. She palms the side of her neck, massaging it.
Ryker felt bad, but he could not bring himself to wake her. She pouts in annoyance, still not noticing him through her slightly swollen eyes.
"Hello, little rosebud" he greets softly, watching her endearingly as she twists and turns her neck.
She stops, finally raising her eyes to see him.
"Mmm. Hi" she responds groggily, rubbing at her eyes. She assesses her surroundings, groaning once she recalls her meager attempt to multitask.
The only thing she had managed to do was createa big mess that one of her ladies would have to clean up. Trying to pack her life together while it was falling apart in tears was not a very smart idea, falling asleep in such a horrible position was the worst of all.
"What a mess" she mutters exhausted, raking her hands through her disheveled hair. Ryker watches quietly, admiring his view with no complaints. She peers over at him, curious she asks, "how did you?"
He chuckles, "I had not seen you all day, so I came to find you rosebud"
Weird name, she thought but said nothing of it and was glad her face was too puffy to show how much she liked it.
"Has dinner been served?"
Ryker stands to his feet, towering over her "Not yet. But in any moment now"
Elara groans into her palm.
"May i?"
She looks up at him, "what?"
He leans down and scoops her up into his arms. She yelps, wrapping her hands tightly around his neck.
"W-what are you doing!?" Her panicked voice and frantic expression made Ryker chuckle, ever eager to tease her.
"Just to your bed, my lady. You cannot go to dinner with a soar neck" he says as if that answered her question.
He walks them over to her bed and sits down with her still in his arms. He sets her on her feet, between his legs, his head the same level as hers even as he sat down. Her cheeks bleach as she peeks at him.
"Body oil, my lady" she blinks at him for a moment, completely dazed and deaf to his words.
Ryker shakes his head, grinning boyishly, "Rosebud" he calls out to her, taking hold of her hand.
He kisses her knuckles, satisfied as her eyes drift down to where his lips touched. His heart swells with emotions.
"Y-yes?" she stares, doe eyed.
"I need your body oil to massage your neck, if you will let me?" Her eyes light up as she finally hears him.
"Oh, okay" she turns around and scurries off to her dressing table. After rummaging through her drawers she emerged with a scented bottle of oil.
Placing it in Ryker's hand she watches him in confusion."If you do not mind rosebud, could you sit?"
If he calls me by that name and looks at me in such a manner, could I ever really refuse? She asks herself.
"Sit where?"
Ryker taps the space between his legs, spreading them to create room. Heat crawls beneath her skin and she snatches her eyes away.
The thought alone, her back to his front, his hand on her, alone in her room. It brought heat to her belly. Elara nods meekly, turning around and settling in front of Ryker. She adjusts back, pressing against him. He jerks, placing his palms on her hips to stop her movements.
"You're okay" his voice, deep, soothing pours smoothly into her ear, his breath against her skin.