“Why? Why didn’t you tell me the truth?” was the first thing that popped out of Lianne’s head.
It had always been the question she wanted answered the moment she found out his secret.
Her tears continued to stream down her face. Both of her hands balled up tightly as she banged the portal, trying to vent her frustration on the inanimate object instead of the man who was standing behind the door.
Though her voice was muffled, Ruen could clearly hear the words she spat on the other side due to the intricately carved holes of the mahogany door.
“Please calm down, Lianne,” he requested, genuine concern roped his voice.
The latter unfortunately couldn’t calm down. Flashes of the past and the present clashed; each one like a piece of a difficult puzzle ready to be completed. Her sufferings, the smiles and tears, the hatred, the longing, and her effort to keep her feelings all to herself – everything, kept whirling inside her head. She squeezed her eyes shut, gnashed her teeth, and hauled in as much air as she could into her lungs as she tore her defenses down, willing to bare it all.
Words gradually filled up the unyielding door and all the King could do was to listen.
“For all this time,” Lianne started in an unstable voice. “I was suffering in this place. Everything was limited. Everything felt suffocating. I didn’t have the freedom to make my own choices. I didn’t even have the freedom to walk along the halls without being cautious. I made myself as busy as I could. Tried all there is I could think of just in order to lessen my boredom. I didn’t have the power to live a life I wanted to live. Every move I make was restrained. You possibly can’t imagine how it is like to be locked inside this palace with your most hated captor. You don’t know how much I suffered just thinking of the fact that every day might be my last, every day might be the day Garlow would use me to his advantage. I know I am just a pawn in his wickedness. What else am I here for?”
Lianne paused from talking and pressed her forehead against the wood. She had said so much, spilled too much of her feelings, but still, it wasn’t enough for her. She needed to let him know more. He needed to see her inner soul and so she continued.
“Since I was captured, I am drowned by the loathing and hatred I feel towards that man. You knew what I feel! You knew how much I am in pain! You knew how much I detested you by the single belief that you are Garlow’s son!”
Ruen cringed upon hearing her last sentence. ‘If only she knew,’ he voiced out in his mind.
“Lianne please, open this door,” he requested once again. “Just loathe me! Hate me! Say what caustic words you have to say. Vent all of your anger and your frustrations to me. Just please, open this door.” He was ready to kick the damn wood just to rid of the blasted thing in between them. He was so ready to break the lock, but he stayed painstakingly patient. He wanted to give the princess the freedom. He wanted to give her the choice she so deserved.
“Shut up!” But Lianne, in her current state of mind, shouted. She pounded her fist against the door and envisioned it to be his chest. “Everyone in this damned place has lied to me! Made a mockery out of me! Even Lady Faye who I thought to be my only confidant! How could you all do this to me?!”
He didn’t have any clue as to what she was pertaining to, but play her for a fool as what she had claimed definitely hit the mark.
Had she known then? Had she known his secret? Ruen quickly raised the question to himself. The possibility was so high. She had shown strong signs. And if she truly did, it could definitely turn the tables for both of them.
But he wondered how did she know?
He had kept his secret closely guarded. Told all servants to keep their mouth shut on this apparent truth and even without coercion, the servants themselves opted to be silent for fear of Garlow’s wrath. Everybody heard the late King’s decree of adopting a son. Nobody dared to oppose him and even question Ruen’s lineage.
Lianne, feeling the coarseness of her throat from all the shouting, still continued her outburst.
“You don’t even know the torment I am feeling after that night. I feel that I was betraying myself for letting you touch me, for letting you hold me, for letting myself get carried away. Damn it! RUEN WHY?”
She pounded the wooden door once again as heavily as she could. “You don’t even know how much I was so relieved to know that you are not the real son of Garlow!”
Ruen’s eyes widened upon hearing her words.
‘She did found it out!’ he cried out with his heart leaping in happiness.
But another emotion also seeped inside him and it was of disappointment. He was disappointed with himself for truly hurting her not just by keeping this secret but also acting callous towards her.
Though Ruen wanted to console Lianne right then and there, he continued to listen to her frail voice on the other side of the barrier. He wanted to hear more of her confession, however, the ensuing words she said he had never, in his own sanity, ever expected to hear:
“Don’t I deserve to know the truth? Can’t you see that… that is the only reason why I hated you?! My God! RUEN! It made me almost insane to think that I was the worst of all, believing that I have betrayed my family… believing that I have tainted their precious memory… believing that I have insulted their grave… for… for falling in love with you!”
Ruen slowly traced the cold barrier with the palm of his hands. He could hear the princess sob in misery as if she was without any hope, and he knew, she would be stubborn enough as to not open the door and sulk herself inside the room for days, but he will not settle for that, he wouldn’t let it pass for even just a minute. He was damned determined to embrace her especially now that she had made her feelings known.
“Lianne, I want to embrace you,” he managed to speak; his words so fervent and gentle. Once again, he requested for the door to be opened, “Please open this door, my Love,” but Lianne gave no reply. Now, not even her sobs were heard.
He hissed in impatience, disappointed with his helplessness on the situation.
There was only one option ready and this time, he didn’t hesitate to break the door, but he caught a glimpse of the receiving room’s balcony. The French door was open and he immediately knew that this one was connected to the balcony of her bedroom.
He made long strides towards the French door and out into the balcony where he continued his way into the closed glass door of the bed chamber.
Lianne, determined to be alone in her room, moved away from her bedroom door and into an armoire. She leaned back against it as she allowed herself to be drowned in her own sadness.
Her plan didn’t last long though as she caught a glimpse of a shadowed figure outside of her balcony.
To her surprise, she realized that the figure was none other than the King, who judging from his quick movements, didn’t want to leave her alone.
Her heart heavily pounded against her chest upon seeing him twist the doorknob of the glass door.
In her thoughts, she wished it was locked, but disappointment painted her face as the glass door opened.
Seconds later, Ruen stepped inside and stood regally at the entrance, his eyes sternly fixed at her.
Although with the darkness surrounding them, Lianne could still feel the depth of his gaze. It was making her pulse quicken even more.
Unconsciously, she stepped backward when Ruen came walking hurriedly towards her. She wasn’t ready to face him yet, and she was damned sure to fight him off of her chamber.
“Lianne!” Ruen shouted as he seized her right arm to stop her from running to the bathroom.
She pulled herself back and cried out, “Let me go!”
Ruen shook his head. He instead seized both of her hands and restrained them on each side.
“No, let me go!” Lianne resisted his advances by wriggling her body.
Because of this, Ruen didn’t have a choice. He embraced her tightly, sealing off any chances of her escape. They were so close that her face was pressed up against his shoulder; her mouth mere inches away from his neck.
She clenched her teeth, frustrated by the development, but there was nothing she could do. Many times. So many times, he had proven his superior power of rendering her meek and helpless.
“Lianne, hear me out,” Ruen whispered softly, deep concern was etched on his face.
She shook her head and forcefully inhaled, trying to take in as much oxygen as she could get from a tight space. “No! I’m done! I don’t want to hear anything from you!” She struggled to free herself again, but Ruen stilled her.
“Stop it!” he ordered, now irritated. His eyebrows furrowed and his teeth gnashed. “Damn it, Lianne! Stop it!”
For a long moment, silence fell all over the room.
Ruen pressed his cheek against her temple and grabbed a mass of her hair.
“Surrender to me,” he whispered softly, tenderly, making his point known.
The princess only stared blankly at the ceiling with stream of tears running from her eyes.
“I apologize for not telling you the truth. I have proven your hatred of me countless times, and for that reason, I wanted you to love me as I am even without you finding out of my true birthright,” Ruen explained, but he was unsure if it was enough for her.
Lianne took in a deep breath and cleared her throat before replying; her hands now clinging onto his well-ironed shirt.
“I hated you! I abhorred every moment you look at me, but I can’t seem to forget your face! I am supposed to detest you, but I couldn’t stop myself from yielding from your touch. Wasn’t that night the best time for you to tell me that vital truth that is for me, my very own salvation? Do I have to throw myself in Cain’s arms just so I could know the whole truth?!”
He pulled himself out from their embrace but proceeded to cup her face. Though it was dark, he knew that she was crying. He reached for her cheeks and wiped her eyes dry until there were no more tears left.
“I am deeply sorry, Lianne. I love you so much and I never wanted to see you hurt. Never in my God-forsaken life have I thought that you would yield to me that night. Never. But you were there in my arms. It greatly surprised me. How could I let you go in that precious moment?” He took her left hand and proceeded to raise it to kiss her fingers. “Would it be a sin to tell you that I am insanely happy to know that you are mine alone?” His voice shook. “Would it be a sin to tell you that no man will ever have you, but me alone? Would it make you happy if I will tell you that your most valued freedom I will take away so that you will be chained forever in my side… forever inside the confines of these blasted walls?”
He watched her reaction carefully, wanting to catch any hint of hesitation, but there was none.
“Until I hear you say it,” he continued, “I could never let my hopes up. Have I done enough to make you fall for me? Even with the hatred you feel, have I managed dearly to capture your heart?”
With ease, Ruen brushed the tangled strands of hair that covered Lianne’s shoulders. This woman clearly made a slave out of him. She thoroughly captured his senses that even as a cold-hearted man he was, she still showed him that he deserved to love and be loved.
“As much as I promised myself not to be swayed by your games,” Lianne broke her silence with her voice trembling. “As much as I have tried my hardest to block my growing feelings for you, it never erased the fact that it was painful for me hiding it, denying it, and lying! I felt like a fool but I knew loving you is the one truth I cannot ignore!”
“Lianne, let me heal your pain,” Ruen offered. He lightly caressed her cheeks with the contour of his lips and blew warm air on it.
The princess closed her eyes and relished the feeling.
“Then heal me, Ruen,” she replied, “Heal me.” Placing a palm on his nape, she tiptoed and met the King’s lips without qualms.
Their lips molded passionately as he placed her into a tight embrace. He traced the edge of her face and then pushed her roughly against the armoire stirring the passion she had hidden.
There was no more trace of guilt or uncertainty left inside her heart when she returned his kisses with equal ardor as on that fateful night. She was finally free. Free to express what she truly felt.
They continued on like it was the last night they have, each in rapture, freed by their own personal prisons. Their lips only parted either to breathe anew or to progress his caresses of her neck, filling her with desire her thoughts had been yearning.
Ruen then guided her to bed, unzipping her gown in the process while caressing her shoulders.
Lianne felt a welcoming sensation when he continued his kisses to her neck and down towards her breasts as he laid her slowly in the mattress.
They were touching and feeling each other as their sense of sight had been deprived by the darkness of the room. The only thing that guided them was their hands and the feeling of their skin in contact, sending static current into their bodies.
Once all of her undergarments were out, he leisurely nibbled on her nipples that not too soon became a taut peak.
She arched her back as shivering waves of pleasure began to travel from all over her body, and then gave out a brief moan as Ruen’s tongue traced her flat belly.
He slightly smiled and then sat down on the mattress beside her. His eyes were aflame as they looked at each other and even with only the light from the balcony faintly illuminating a quarter of the room, from that single glance alone, they both knew that their fiery desire was enough to let themselves know that they wanted each other.
He slowly stroke the curves of her breasts and patiently caressed her neck again as Lianne started to unbutton his shirt and exposed his naked chest.
He pinned her down to the mattress then, her breasts touching the bare skin of his chest. He traced her full lips with his fingertips and then said, “You always repulsed my kisses.”
Lianne nodded. “Because it would render me vulnerable to you, Ruen,” she replied with a touch of a smile at the corner of her lips.
“I am dearly sorry about that. I couldn’t keep myself from kissing you then, just like I am now.”
With one swoop, their lips collided again. Ruen’s tongue slid and twisted as he ventured on the depth of her mouth, and there was nothing more Lianne could do but to gasp in bliss.
He tugged his belt and pulled his pants in one fast motion, and then proceeded to lay naked against her body under the bed cover.
He appeared like a God in the shadows of the room, but Lianne couldn’t prevent herself from comparing the two men from each other. Though Lord Cain had a warrior physique and rippling torso, Ruen had just the right lean body and abdominal abs that he can confidently boast, something that she cannot hide from blushing.
Their bodies then moved as one. She let him guide her as what was rightful of the Master of the Mansion and offered her whole self without any hesitation or remorse.
The passion that was ignited between them was burning immensely that even as the fireplace of her bedroom was unlit, uninterrupted warmth filled inside the room.