Chapter 34 - That Wasn't There Before

'*Keep Eleanor Louis happy.'*

That was what Rowan needed to do. So, after learning about their secret, Rowan knew what he had to do. Take her out to towns more and spoil her with pastries. She could quickly turn the entire situation around and cause all of his guildmates to get in trouble. One word from Eleanor and it could all fall apart. He needed to keep her happy.

Every time she asked him a question about the plan, he would give her the vaguest or least important details. There were things in the works that Eleanor could not just know about. But he managed to satiate her curiosity with the answers he gave her.

On a day that he had nowhere to go, he found her in the tea room with a book in her hand. She wore a simple white dress and was draped over the couch as if she were posing for a painting. Her dark curls fell behind her and Rowan faltered for a moment. She really was the picture of beauty. Fair skin, rosy cheeks, a soft look. Unlike him, dressed in simple khakis, with a tunic tucked into them.

He wanted more of her. More than she could possibly be willing to give. Rowan knew that Eleanor felt something that night, but he was sure that it was a spur-of-the-moment feeling. Eleanor had never been with a man before and she was now living with one. She was innocent in that aspect. She knew nothing of the world of pleasure.

Rowan had been with many women in the past, but he never wanted them like he wanted Eleanor. He strived for something more than physical. He wanted to know what it felt like to feel her soft body on his. He wanted her to want him. Need him. More than someone who answered her questions or did things for her.

There was a heavy sense of shame that came with these feelings. Eleanor was nothing more than a mission to him and he was jeopardizing everything because his stomach fluttered every time she was near.

He could not have her. She would not have him.

He needed to get that.

Rowan pulled himself out of his thoughts and went to sit on the couch adjacent to Eleanor's. His back was facing the garden and he was facing Eleanor. Getting the full image.

"So... your... friends... they're a part of this guild with you?" she spoke first, placing the book on her lap.

"Yes, the Goldenshroud guild. Located in Amsey," he answered her.

"Is that like a commoner's thing? To join a guild? Or are you special?"

Rowan smiled softly. Not something he did often. "It's not something a lot of people do. Guilds have a specific purpose and I joined mine because I liked what they stood for."

"Bringing down the monarchy?"

Rowan shook his head. "Not only that. I grew up in Amsey, it's one of the poorest places in the country so of course there was a lot of shady business going on there. My parents... they were harassed for money even though everyone there was struggling to get by. I knew how hard it was for everyone, especially them and I didn't want that type of life to continue. So when I found out that there could be a way to stop it, I was eager to join.

"Of course before that, I became a gladiator. There were several places in Haespia where people fought for money, so I spent my youth in places like those. Getting any scrap of money I could. The guild had certain ideals that didn't align with the way the country was run and aimed to change it. So I joined."

Eleanor's face scrunched up. "That sounds... dirty. I was definitely on the golden side of things when I was a child."

Rowan raised an eyebrow. "Finally, some self-awareness."

Eleanor laughed. "I was always aware of the poorer classes and richer classes. I just imagined you guys as a bunch of grass people who lived off of sweet potatoes and rain."

"Some of us do."

Eleanor took a breath. "And your parents... how did they die."

Rowan hung his head an inch. "Illness. A simple, simple, cold that could have been cured with basic medicine. But we didn't even have enough for that, and I had not gotten far enough in the gladiator world to be able to afford that medicine. I would have had to go to one of the major towns to get it since it was nonexistent back in Amsey. Probably still is. Who knows."

"With the flick of my wrist, I could demand the entire supply of medicine in the country. Every ailment, every tonic. And yet the people who need it, don't have it. You know I've only gotten sick one time in my life. I was a baby and came down with a high fever. My parents stopped at nothing to get me well and made sure I never got sick again."

"I've had to fight some of the toughest viruses throughout the years. And here you are Princess, not even getting sick. I definitely have a stronger immune system than you." Rowan pointed out.

Eleanor scoffed. "That's because you've been exposed to things. My immune system is delicate and well cared for. And as I said, I have all the things I need to keep myself healthy." She sat up on the couch, looking at him fully. "If you are able to go through with your plan, then you should be able to help the people who are going through what you did, right?"

The gladiator smiled again. "We should be."

"Good, because some commoners very obviously need showers and a proper skincare routine. Seriously, if you can fix their hygiene then I'll take back everything I said about you."

Rowan chuckled. "You haven't already? I thought we had gotten close."

Eleanor opened her mouth but slowly closed it back. It was only then that he thought about his sentence. It didn't really imply much, but when thinking about all that had happened with them, it sounded like much more.

"Yeah, we have..." Eleanor cleared her throat.

Though the nature of their conversation had nothing to do with the thoughts plaguing the two of them, Rowan could not ignore that the energy between them had changed. It had become a lot more agile and especially lit up when they were in close proximity; passing each other in the kitchen, or even when they wished the other good night.

The two of them moved on from his comment quite easily and the next time they had the discussion, was the last time they had it.

On one particular stormy morning, they had both started their day slowly. Rowan did not feel like going anywhere in this weather, and Eleanor took her time coming down to the kitchen.

"Hi," she greeted him, as she raked her fingers through her hair. Perfect as ever. Apparently, she slept with some sort of silk cap over it.

"We got a delivery today." He directed her attention to the strawberries on the counter.

She gave him a sleepy smile and reached for one, but before she could, Rowan was already offering one to her. His fingers lifted the fruit to her lips. He did not know what came over him, but here he was in this position.

Eleanor shot him a confused look, but opened her mouth nonetheless and bit it, before taking it from him. The gladiator stared at her lips as she chewed. A question popped into his head, he asked it before he could stop himself.

"Did you really kiss me because you knew my plan?"

Eleanor's hands froze over her fruit arrangement and she turned to him. "What's with the sudden curiosity?"

Especially after he refused to speak to her for a week the last time she asked him a question like that. Rich coming from him.

"I just wondered how you knew. It was sudden after all..."

Eleanor sighed a hint of aggravation in her voice, and then dropped her hands to the counter. "Would you like to kiss me again to find out?"