"Someone Like You"
Ch. 5
+ 1496, June 18 +
+ Andreas Palace: Morning: King's Drawing Room +
"My dearest, you are approaching 18 in a timely manner," the King said as I, his youngest daughter, sat in front of the fire drinking my tea.
"Father, I refused to marry that salacious man. Who, I might add, is need of more redemption than even Jesus could give him," I replied quickly, sitting my tea glass on the table beside me.
King Iaian turned a sharp eye toward me, "Are you just adamant on having me regret NOT having you betrothed?"
I shook my head, ready to plead my case, "Father, I don't ever want you to regret that because Aria isn't happy at all. I just...daddy, I want love."
"Love? You say? What good is love with no country to love in?" King Iaian asked placing his official Quill -- that he used only for legal documents -- on his desk.
"What good is having a country to love in; yet, you have NO obligation to run it until some freak accident happens and the whole family is wiped out?" I struggled not to scream at my father.
"I refuse to have this conversation with a seventeen year old," the King replied sternly looking away from me. "For she knows nothing of what she speaks of."
"How wrong you are father," I replied with a softer tone, the tone my own mother argued with. "I know the only circumstance that matters in this situation."
"And what is that daughter?" he asked raising an eyebrow at my change.
"Love father, love," I replied passionately. "Don't you remember this feeling? Of real love? Not that planted, sowed, and harvested love but the love that makes the world go round. Real love."
King Iaian again lost interest in his papers, "Love? Of course I know of love, it's what I feel for your mother. But what do you know of it?"
"I am in love father," I replied.
King Iaian pulled his spectacles from the tip of his nose, "In love with who darling? You loathe Von Hatten so it could only be the man your mother wishes you attached to. Lord Draco Grandberry is it?"
I looked down quickly, almost embarrassed, "No father."
"Then who Mikaela, if it is still my station to inquire, are you in love with?" he asked with true curiosity, his eyes roamed his daughter's fragile frame as he was reminded of his wife just days before their marriage.
"Lord Draco's brother, Duke of Madison Omari Grandberry," I replied looking up at my father with innocent eyes.
King Iaian raised an eyebrow, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "Does he reciprocate those emotions darling child?"
"Father," I began, making my way behind father's desk to sit beside his legs as I used to. "It seems that he returns them with more passion than I do."
"Daughter," the King began, running his fingers through my hair as he did when we were children. "Are you sure this love is not libidinous?"
"Father," I yelled jumping up. "I promise to you, on the honor of this kingdom, that our love is not based on some salacious moment shared between us. I promise to you, that everything I have said to you is pertinent to our feelings."
My father stared at me for a long time before speaking, "But you wish to risk sounding impertinent? Humph. Well, if you speak the truth darling then you won't have a problem with me speaking to him about the possibility of marriage?"
"Not a problem at all," I replied not so sure in my answer. "But I wish you to be lucid on this subject father, while running the risk of sounding impertinent, I refuse to have a loveless marriage."
"Then, so it goes, I believe that this is the end of the conversation," King Iaian replied, his eyes as stony as his voice, the unalterable edge setting a definite coldness to the room. "You are dismissed from this room."
"Good-day then father," I replied in a voice very similar to my father's, proving to him that I was dead set on my decision also.
+ Andreas Palace: The Queen's Sitting Room +
"Mother, can you believe Father?" I yelled in frustration, I knew that Omari was in 'a meeting' with my father.
"Darling calm yourself," Queen Gwendolyn replied soothingly. "Your father is only acting in your best interests."
"Humph," I rolled my eyes angrily. "You mean the countries best interests."
"Some patriot you are sister," my older sister Liane said, smirking.
"Shut your mouth Liane, " I snapped.
"Both of you stop this!" Mother said, raising her voice slightly. "Now Liane don't bait your sister so and Mikaela you need to calm down. Now."
"But mother he acts as if I can't love him, "I whined throwing myself self into a chair right next to a window.
"Your father is just being careful, for your sake, " she replied rationally, as always, which always seemed to make me angrier.
"Mother," Liane said taking a sip of her tea. "You have to admit it is rather heartless to assume that the Duke of Madison could not love Mikaela truly."
The Queen sighed, her lips settling in a straight line, "I have to agree, your father was wrong to assume that. But you have to forgive your father, he sometimes forget to think like a father instead of a King."
"That is NOT my problem Mother," I replied looking out onto the beautiful grounds. "He assumes that our love was based on some sensual encounter!"
Liane rolled her eyes at her sisters over dramatic words, "I'm sure it was dear sister."
I almost jumped out of my seat, halted only by my mother's hand, "Liane haven't you heard anything I've said?"
"Yes, I've heard it all," Liane replied brushing her hair from her eyes, "but don't all relationships come from some attraction? Aren't all relationships supported by some sexual endeavor for your own pleasure, usually requiring the presence of both man and woman. But I did say usually."
"Do you believe the crap that comes out of your mouth Liane?" I asked in a tone of voice that mother didn't like at all.
That was the last straw for my mother, "Mikaela, quiet, now. Liane why do you wish to upset you sister so? Do not answer for I fear it will only begin another bout of words between you two."
"Bout of words? Humph," I mumbled looking out the window again.
Before Mother could reply Sergio and Stephanos came waltzing in, "Morning all."
I glared at my twin while my brother kissed mother's hand respectively and took a seat beside Liane, "I see my youngest sisters have been at it again."
"No need for you to rub it in," I mumbled as Sergio sat on the arm of my chair and I dared him with my eyes to say something out of line.
It was at that moment that Liane dare speak again, "Your dear twin is discontent in her place as father is interrogating her love."
"Liane," I yelled trying to jump out of my chair.
"Calm down Missy," Sergio laughed pulling me back into my chair.
"My own sister is longing to become a slaving, dependent, consort," Liane laughed, "who knew."
"Mother!" I screamed knowing that any point of trying to get up would be lost.
The Queen moved to scold her but Stephanos decided to speak, "Liane if you don't have anything positive to say please keep your cynical, tactless, misanthropic comments to yourself. If you wish to antagonize someone please go find someone outside of this room. You are not making the emotional undertone any easier for this room or it's occupants."
Liane had lost her edge with my brothers words and Sergio looked down at me, "Last I saw Omari he was heading towards his room, so I believe Father is through with him."
At his words my eyes widened and I looked over my mother who was smiling at me, "Mother?"
"Yes, you are dismissed," she smiled folding her hands neatly in her lap.
At those words I jumped out of that seat, picked up my skirts, and sped out the room. Leaving the hostile environment behind me.
+ Andreas Palace: Omari's Room +
I stepped into the room with a shy smile sitting on my lips and all traces of my prior attitude gone, "Good-day."
Omari's smile blew me away, it seemed grander than usual, "Princess."
"I, um...well, I -- you uh God...you are -- I -- father," I stammered as he closed the door and led me to the sofa in front of his fireplace.
He chuckled softly, laying his hand on mine, "Would you ever marry me Princess?"
Again I opened my mouth to speak but nothing intelligent would come, "I -- Me marry you?"
"Yes," Omari replied in such a voice that I had never experienced from him.
"Oh Lord, yes, yes I would," I almost yelled grinning in a sickeningly sweet way.
"Then marry me Princess," he said pulling me toward him and I forgot about my sisters harsh words.
"I--," I began before I pulled him to me, my lips caressing his, I couldn't contain what I felt inside. It was like a fire and he was like oxygen to me, every time he was around the fire blazed even brighter.
"I love you," Omari whispered running his knuckles over my cheek.
I smiled as his knuckles brushed my lips, "When did you set your foot on this decision? That you loved me so and wanted to marry me?"
"About two weeks ago, give or take a few days," he smiled playing gently with my fingers, "I believe it was when you apologized for interfering with my 'painfully supercilious heart'."
I could feel my face burn as a blushed rushed up my cheeks, "Oh God, Omari I'm so --"
"No, don't apologize. You got my attention now didn't you? If you hadn't said it I would have ended up taking advantage of you again," Omari interrupted kissing my hand playfully.
"That's noble," I said sarcastically.
He chuckled under his breath, "Not really, it's kind of selfish."
"How is it selfish?" I ask knowingly, suppressing an urge to fall into his awaiting arms.
"I just wanted to take advantage of you without the awkward silences afterward," Omari replied in that suave, smooth, accented voice of his.
"There is so much I want to share with you, Omari," I whispered as I turned around and lay back in his arms.
"I want to know so much," he whispered kissing my forehead, wrapping his arms around me.
"But I want you to teach me also. I want to learn everything you know," I whispered running my fingers over his hands that are locked around my stomach. "I want to know every corner of Madison like the back of your hand, I want to see the sunrise through your eyes, I want know your every like and dislike, I want to know your every need."
"I need you Mikaela," Omari whispered in my ear as his hand grabbed mine.
"Then take me," I reply my voice deeper and sultrier than I had ever heard it.
"Are you sure?" he asked sitting me up, carelessly running his fingers over my neck and chest.
"I've never been surer," I reply as he scoops me up into his arms like ice cream and carries me over to his bed. He lays me down and the rest is a blur.
+ Andreas Palace: Later: Omari's Room +
I clutched his arm as we lay cuddled under his mass of sheets. I was still floating on a cloud high above the sky, my first time was as heavenly as the man laying next to me. Omari took me slowly, gently, like learning to walk. He caressed me softly, whispering words of encouragement, and offers to stop. He loved me deeply, through and through, he touched me in places I didn't even know existed.
"Hey," Omari whispered pulling me closer to him.
"Hey," I reply, my eyes fluttering happily.
"You OK?" he asked, kissing my forehead softly.
"OK? I'm on Cloud 999,000," I smile as my nose picks up the faint scent of his long gone cologne.
"That good huh?" Omari asked laughing a little.
I looked up at him with a huge grin plastered on my face, "You are amazing."
"Wow," he laughed running his fingers through my hair, "I've never had that kind of compliment before."
"You never experienced my kind of love before," I smiled quite smugly, it may have been my first time but I did have some fun myself.
"Quite right, quite right," Omari whispered as he captured my lips in another kiss, lips so soft and sweet, pulling every breath from me.
The door opened breaking our kiss and his brother stood in the doorway grinning, "Oh, big brother I see you have taken the situation in your very capable hands!"
I blushed and hid my face in his chest while Omari shooed his brother, "Draco go away, go to bed, shoo shoo! Now!"
"Yes, big brother, I will leave you to your leisure," Draco laughed closing the door quietly.
I didn't look up even when I heard the faint click of the lock, he lifter my face with my finger, "Are you ashamed?"
"No," I replied my apprehension fading quickly, "just a little -- I don't know...."
"Taken back by it all?" he offered now smiling.
"It felt so right Omari, I've never felt anything so right before in my life," I whisper staring intently into his deep velvet eyes.
"It's so crazy ... you walked into the room that day ... just like any other day ... except this time ... my heart skipped a beat...." Omari whispered with a faint smile on his face.
"You mean the first day we met?" I asked surprised, that day he hardly paid me any attention.
"Yes, you were so overwhelmingly beautiful at that reception," he whispered almost dreamily.
"Really? I hated that dress, it was so plain, I looked so plain that night, "I replied my face twisting in distaste.
"Plain? No, you were a Queen in my eyes, the Queen of hearts, one glance from you and all of the men were getting their hearts chopped off," Omari laughed, moving his hands in circles around my torso.
"I love you," I whispered for the first time since I had hit my climax that night.
"I know, I know," he whispered before pulling me on top of him and filling my mouth with a kiss.