#changing eras

Rosie never cried harder than she did right now. When Collin placed a hand on her for comfort, she shoved him side and glared at him, spittle on her lips.

"You've done enough!" She yelled, shaking with anger.

"I was only trying to help!" Collin exasperated.

"You've ruined everything and now--and now-- he. Hates. Me." Rosie stuttered, not believing this was happening at all. "He thinks we're together."

"He doesn't think that." Collin waved it off with his hand. "And so what if he does? He treats you like his property. You need someone who will treat you as your equal!"

"And who might that be?" Rosie held the basket in her arms tighter against her side. "You? Of all people, you think you'll be suitable for me?"

"Don't flatter yourself." Collin gritted his teeth. "And what exactly is wrong with me? Am I not noble enough for you?"

"You assaulted me!"

Gripping tightly and quickly so that Collin could not possibly dodge quick enough. Hal took his shoulders and slammed him on the door. A grunt escaped Collin's mouth while his eyes opened up in shock at what Hal had just done. Rosie gasped as she saw Collin wince with pain and how Hal was seething at this point. Spittle ran out of Hal's mouth as he continued breathing deeply. 

"Hal!" Rosie dropped her basket and tried to pull Hal's clutching fingers away from Collin but it was no use. He was far too strong. Too angry even. "Let go of him!" 

"Did he touch you!" Hal barked, his eyes still not even on her but focused directly on his cousin. Collin closed his eyes in fear. 

"What!" Rosie was momentarily stunned. Everything was happening far too fast and she didn't know what to do. 

"Did he touch you!" He repeated himself. His volume never dropping. With every word spoken out of his mouth, he slammed Collin against the wooden door until Rosie was sure the door would fall right off. 

"No! He didn't!" She exclaimed. Her fingers clutching onto Hal's muscular arms. "Please! You're hurting him!" Rosie tried pulling but he wouldn't let go. 

"Then why were you in his room!" Hal demanded, his eyes finally laying on Rosie. She gulped at the sudden attention and blushed furiously at no doubt what Hal thought. 

"He...I..." She stammered. Well, she couldn't really tell Hal that Collin forced her in now could she? It'll only make things worse. Seeing no way out, Rosie swallowed her pride and was sure to make things much worse between her and Hal, she said "I went in...willingly." 

Hal released his grip on Collin's shirt and stepped away. His eyes trained on her face to see if it was true. Shocked and a little bit frightened, Hal couldn't see much else. She looked thinner than before this whole fighting, he noticed. But her beauty was the same. Her cheeks still glowed and were pink from yelling. While some flowers had laced her curly hair. He hadn't see her for the past few days and when he had, she avoided him. It killed him every single time they locked eyes and she would look away. A couple of times in the middle of the night, he got out of bed and walked half towards where she slept only to turn around and walk back because of his pride. Nodding his head like he completely understood the situation, he looked between Rosie and Collin. 

Collin sighed with relief and slumped against the door. Sure, they were equal strength, height and body mass but Hal was a force not to be reckon with. He had seen Hal at his worst days and have seen him destroy anything with his bare hands that got in his way. 

"It's not what you think..." Rosie whispered, braking the unbearable silence. 

"I don't need to know anything that has happened." Hal said quietly. Collin sucked in a breath. Hal being quiet during a heated conversation was always the worst. It was the calm before the storm. "As far as i'm concerned, I have nothing to do with you and your whereabouts. That is all." 

A basket of freshly cleaned and pressed linen settled by her hip, she walked down the hall completely unaware of what was happening until someone grabbed her by the elbow, pulling her into a room. The door shut right behind her. Whoever had grabbed her, pushed her right against the door and clasped a solid hand on her mouth, preventing her from screaming. Her senses driven to the maximum of what was happening, the basket fell to the floor as her eyes grew wide at the man holding her hostage. 

 A smile that would have sent shivers down her spine if she had not spoken to him days earlier was now neutral for her. Although, Rosie still felt unease around the royal, she relaxed when his hand left her mouth. 

"What are you doing?" Rosie demanded from Colin who was grinning at her now. His eyes were a darker shade of blue than Hal's but nonetheless, he looked just as handsome. 

"I thought you might wanted to talk." He walked further into the room, leaving Rosie to study his every move and surroundings. An open terrace ate most of the wall at back. Surely, her screams will be heard by the gardeners or other servants now? "You looked...sad." 

"I am not." Rosie crossed her arms haughtily. "You have no right to shove me inside your room. After what had happened, you of all people should now know some respect!"

"You heard my apology." Colin replied plainly. He clasped his hands together and threw her a wicked smile. "I mean no harm. I only offer you some advice or assistance to reduce the number of thoughts running through your mind." 

"If you wanted to reduce the number of thoughts running through my mind, you should have left me alone in the halls!" Rosie demanded. She bent down to pick up the now dirtied linen. 

"Here, let me help with that." He rushed over and grabbed whatever he could. His hand brushed against Rosie's warm one, causing his stomach to flip from excitement. Get a hold on yourself. Colin thought. "Sorry." He muttered lamely when Rosie withdrew her hand. 

"As much as I want to waste my time talking to you." Rosie tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I have work to do." 

"Wait!" Colin closed the door before she opened it fully. "Please. I only want to help." 

"I don't need your help." Rosie huffed. This man was insufferable! I guess, it must run in the family if Hal is like this too. Stubborn when not given their way. Arrogant, thinking they can solve anything. And awfully good looking when they only want to 'help'. 

"Even as a friend?" He pouted. Rosie studied his face. He did seem genuine in every way. "I know you're upset."

"What are you talking about?" She asked curiously.

"I see you." Collin shrugged like he was talking about the weather. "I see you while serving food and how you avoid all eye contact with Hal." He swallowed a lump in his throat. It always hard talking about Hal but even harder when he was talking about Hal, a man that this beautiful creature fancied. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." Her eyes were fixed on somewhere else. She was scared that just like Hal, Collin can see through her with one glance. But it appears he already did. 

"Something happened between you two." Collin said simply. "And I know you're both suffering from it. You don't even live in the same quarters anymore." 

"We both...needed...space." She said after a pause. 

"Sure." Collin faked laughed. "All I'm just saying is this. If you need someone to talk to. My door is always open for you. I'll listen." 

"Alright." Rosie sighed defiantly. She was too tired. Too stressed for this madness people called love. "I'll make sure to come by if I need too." 

"Good." He gave a small smile before opening the door for her to step out. "I will be looking forward to seeing you." 

His hand trailed from her neck to her supple breasts. Gently brushing against them with his skilled hand and then moved to stop on her stomach. Hal could already feel the growing desire within him beginning to fester deep inside his gut. She was just that beautiful. The hand traveled from her stomach down to the joint that connected her legs. Just before he was about to reach, he trailed back up, teasing her and wanting for her to twist with yearning. The ties around the collar were parted, displaying pale breasts and his lips grew wet from the sight of it. 

Easing onto Rosie, Hal made sure his weight was equally distributing the weight so he would not crush her. 

“Hal…” A soft whisper came through her swollen pink lips.

“Shhhhh…. Darling.” Hal kissed her again. 

“Hal…” Her voice rose. “I don’t…”

Hal paused and looked into the green eyes that stared back at him with worry. 

“I don’t think I’m ready yet.” Rosie finally confessed and bit her lip.

She wasn’t too sure what he was expecting of her. Rosie had only just met him a few days ago and now they were already spending the night in bed together and now they were kissing and cuddling? But what worried Rosie most was how Hal would react. With a snap of his fingers, Hal could send her to the dungeons and leave her there to die for denying him of anything. 

Hal’s mouth made an O shape and then as if something was funny, he laughed. His laugh vibrated the bed and soon, he laughed so hard, Hal had rolled off of Rosie and lied down beside her. Kissing her on the forehead, Hal gathered her hands in his and kissed them each, 

It must have been late morning. The sun had just began to seep through from the old windows, brightening the whole room until it was almost blinding.

“Your majesty?” The woman outside continued. She knocked on the door once as if she was afraid that knocking more than once would be rude.

Frightened, Rosie tried to pull herself away from Hal’s arm but he held on tight. Her hands peeled at his heavy arm but only succeeded in waking the beautiful man up.

“Rosie?” Hal said in his morning voice.

Gruff and manly. The butterflies in her stomach went haywire from the sound of it.

“Someone’s at the door!” Rosie whispered yell and tried to get out of bed.

“Why does it concern you?” Hal yawned loudly and pulled her closer against his chest. She could feel his warmth spread through her and begging her to stay in bed with him.

Her mind thought elsewhere.

“They’re going to think we’re doing something highly inappropriate.” Rosie turned and looked at his face incredulously. For a man who ruled the country and was supposedly good at it, he was quite thick in the head in the morning.

“So?” Hal replied. A smile appeared on his lips.

“Because we’re not? They’ll think I’m this cheap dirty whore?” Rosie said louder. Her face grew hot with anger.

Hal’s eyes searched over Rosie’s face. He sighed deeply and pulled his arm away, releasing so that she could get out of bed. It was a bad decision.

Rosie stepped out of bed and realized that she had worn only Hal’s shirt and nothing else. Her legs were bare and the shirt slid off one shoulder, dangerously close to revealing one of her pale soft breasts.

Her hands fumbled with the shirt but failed to even cover her decently. Hal looked on at her desperation and couldn’t help but giggle.

“It’s not funny.” Rosie pulled her fingers through her hair. “They won’t have any respect for me. Haven’t you heard what they do to women who are assumed to be whores?”

But Hal wasn’t even listening anymore. He was far more interested in the way Rosie’s hair had fallen perfectly over her shoulders. How the shirt had barely covered her smooth legs and how the growing desire to walk over there and grab her into his arms was chewing away at him.

“Your majesty?” The woman said louder.

“Yes.” Hal cleared his voice. His eyes resting on Rosie. “I would like some alone time please for today. Please send any regards to Colin or Harry.”

“Yes. Do you want water for a morning shower? I couldn’t find Rosie this morning but I’ll try to locate her for the water.”

“Don’t bother finding Rosie. I sent her for some errands. As for the water, that would be nice. Make it enough water for two.”

“Yes. Very well.” A shuffling of footsteps followed and then silence.

Rosie stood there like a statue almost like if she decided to make a peep, the woman would return and find her. Slowly getting off the bed, Hal walked over towards Rosie and held her hand. He pulled a little so that Rosie was in his arms.

“Don’t worry about what others think.” Hal leaned into her ear.

“Hal.” Rosie’s voice was barely a whisper.

Her mind was whirling into full speed with thoughts and questions. What the hell was she doing here? Why did he care so much? And the most important part of all was, how was she going to get back?

She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. Her cheek was pressed against his solid chest and her mind wondered about  how her body fit perfectly with his. Rosie sighed deeply and felt safe in his arms. She needed something solid to hold too.

“Hal.” Rosie repeated after a few minutes of peacefulness. “What are we doing?”

“What do you mean” His hand rubbed her back. Hal had noticed how silky her pale shoulders were and the rich smell of strawberries coming from her locks of hair. The growing desire to have her was taking over his mind.

“Why are we sleeping in the same bed and hugging each other?” She chose not to look at him but at the floor.

“Well.” Hal fumbled for a response. “I don’t know.”

Feeling brave, Rosie built up the courage she could muster in her shaken body and asked the question that ran through her mind ever since yesterday night.

“Do you like me?” Her eyes were so wide and round. He could see the her eyes shimmering with the golden flecks sprinkled around the dark iris.

“I…I…” Hal thought about it. Could he say it? Would it be too soon? “I… I do.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?”

“Oh as in oh.” Rosie clarified and laughed.

“Do you like me?” Hal bite his bottom lip.

“Yes! I suppose so.” Rosie giggled. “I mean, I only known you for a day but I think you’re a good-“

Hal cut her off with his lips. He wanted to taste those pink lips ever since he laid eyes on her last morning. His hand held her cheek and the other pulled her waist closer to him. Pressing her curvacious body against his strong one. Their tongues collided and he could taste the sweetness of her mouth. She moaned softly when his kisses grew more urgent.