Rosie's Games

"This place is… a little frightening," Rosalind said. She does not believe in ghosts but the red hue that was cast by the lanterns was making her think of something else. It was making her shiver, sending chills down her spine.

He only laughed in response.

"Do you not like the food?"

"Oh… A goose, right?" she looked at the food on her plate. The fragrance coming from the sauce made her smile. "This is my first time eating something so fancy." A goose wasn't exactly fancy, however, a demonic goose is something very rare.

Earlier, she was informed that this restaurant served demonic meat that they raised themselves. Apparently, this was a delicacy— something that she never had the chance to taste even in her previous life.

He reached out and started cutting the meat on her plate.

"I heard that the Duke already married someone in the past. Do you bring all those women to a place like this?" she could not help but ask, unable to stop herself.

First and foremost, she heard that he married a few women who died before the formal marriage in the North. This meant that he had married them in their kingdom. Didn't that make him someone who was already married?

He lifted an eyebrow but he did not look at her.

"Those women died because they wanted to die," he said as if she could read her thoughts.

"Pardon?"

"They were warned."

"Warned?"

"A useless political marriage is not something that I need. If they did not want to die then… why pursue a marriage knowing it would get them killed?"

Rosalind swallowed. There was no emotion in Lucas's voice as he lifted his gaze away from the meat and stared at her. Did that mean that he killed them because they were useless to him?

"Do you think a useless union will be something that would benefit me?" he asked.

"Benefit?" she asked. However, she knew that the question was something that she should have asked herself when she married Jeames in the past. Ah, that's right. She never thought of the benefits, she just wanted to be with him.

Wasn't it supposed to be like that?

"A marriage is a risk, Rosalind. A risk I would have to take. You cannot blame me for thinking about benefits, right?"

"A risk," she mumbled. Again, she started thinking about her past life.

"You are supposed to stay with your spouse until the day you die." He started moving the wine glass in front of him, swirling the red liquid in front of him as he continued. "That is a long time, isn't it?"

She said nothing. Naturally, she knew everything about marriage. After all, she had been married in the past.

"Imagine losing control of that marriage after a few years. Emotions change like the weather. No one can predict what would happen a few years after you marry each other. Marriage is a risk. You cannot predict it and so… isn't it better to think carefully before committing to something that involves the rest of your life?"

"You agreed to my proposition the first time we met," she reminded him.

"And I am not going to regret that."

"You just said—"

"Benefits."

She nodded. Right. The benefits.

"It far outweighs everything."

Again, she nodded.

"Although, I should be the one asking you about your proposition. Proposing marriage and even bravely showing what you were hiding in front of me was very bold. Aren't you going to regret that?"

"Regret…" she snorted. Who knows? She did it to survive. She did it to live.

He was the only one who dared to face those people. He was her only choice.

Suddenly, he got up and stood next to her.

"Dance with me." He held a hand towards her.

She stared at his hand before looking at his face.

"There is no music."

He looked around and as if on cue, a piece of soft music started. She looked around, trying to find its source but there was nothing else inside the room.

"Will you dance with me?"

She scoffed. The change in his tone was rather entertaining. Slowly, she put her hand on top of his palm. Then she got up and stood firmly in front of him. She lifted her gaze, her eyes straight into his.

Then he started moving toward the middle of the room.

"Marriage is a risk," he repeated just as he placed his other hand on her lower back, pulling her closer to his body. In response, she rested her left hand on his shoulder. Again, she met his gaze and did not miss the fire in his eyes.

"Marrying someone like me isn't just a risk, Lucas. It is something more than that." She knew this was going to happen. Eventually, the world would know about her. "Both of us are aware of the things that could happen."

"Aren't you going to regret it?" he asked for the second time.

"There will be things that I will feel but I am certain that regret is not one of them."

For a moment he said nothing. Instead, his hand on her waist got tighter as they swayed and dance to the music.

"You just sold your soul to the devil, Lady Rosalind. I hope you know that."

She smiled at that. "If the devil is someone that would burn the world just to keep me safe, then I do not mind selling my soul to that devil."

"To the devil that would not hesitate to bathe in the blood of his enemies?"

"As long as it is not my blood, then the devil can swim in it."

There was a flash of surprise in his eyes before he started to chuckle.

"You are surprisingly very good with your words," he said.

"Just like how you are very good at dancing," she praised. For someone who never had a woman in his life, this man could actually dance— and a very good one at that.

For a few seconds, the two of them danced in the dimly lit room each drowning in their own thoughts. Although, one thing was certain, both of them were lost in their curiosity. One was curious about what the future held, and the other was curious about the past.

....

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