oh, how he wished she would talk backâgive him a reason to strike her down, if not by his hand, with his words. such prideful woman, testing whatever control he had of his emotions. her mere presence, stirring a mixture of anger, disgust, jealousy⌠for she was a threat to everything he had fought against, bringing out the childish nature that remained hidden within him. however, he could not act in such a way that would draw attention, not when his intention was to fool the world around him into believing he could be a gentleman regardless of his upbringing. to succumb to his emotions, it would signify defeat.
  ââare you saying that because itâs whatâs expected from you, or do you truly believe so?â how far could her conviction go? he wondered. to keep this charade between the two, as if that kiss wasnât the beginning of a domino effect that led to a fist-fight between two brothers & blood being shed on a stone. neither had spoken about it in the seven years that followed, but that did not mean it was forgotten. her act of insolence still remained present in his memory, but more prevalently, the way he reacted. it brought shame upon him just thinking about it. âwill you stand by those words, even if i go out of my way to make you miserable?â
Nodding her head enthusiastically that even the golden curls on her head would sping about the frame of her face. An almost childish display that brough her no shame, for she knew there was no room for hesitation in that moment, a man like him would take any chance given to prod her with the stakes of someone so used on picking on those weaker than him. âOf course I believe so. An act of kindness could save someoneâs life, it goes beyond the endeavour of modern medicine, my lord. This, at least, is what I believe indeed.â Ereastly, she spoke with the type of idealistic romanticism that of an heroine in a novel, in a play, someone who was meant to exist to inspire the masses, but Erina did not have such ambitions at all, for all she wanted was to live a life walking under the sunlight, an honest life, one she would not regret.
A question such as his brought her to feel something like sadness, not for herself, but for the man. Sometimes it would seem as though his heart was so cold, that her hands would freeze and splinter if she so much tried to touch it, and that fleeting thought truly, deeply pained her --- what is it like? she wondered to herself, to have a heart thatâs never felt the warmth of someone else? Perhaps, in a most cynical point of view, she truly was a foolm before Dio, she wouldâve never though of such.
âI will, would it upset you if I proved to you that I wouldnât hate you?â Not so much a question, instead a reaffirmation to herself. Her voice still, lacked of any ugly feelings, only the strength of a woman unwilling to allow herself to be subjugated, such a rare creature, that Erina. âI apologize, truly. I wish we didnât have to be this way, despite what you may believe of me. But i do wonder...â Train of thought that trailed, her palms together made the rich silk of her gloves rub against eachother. Â âI do wonder, where does this leave us.â