Erica

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"It does not matter..." Erica whispered as she held onto the King burying her face in his chest.

Aleric was silent. He was not happy with the situation, but he did not want to scare her so instead he held onto her.

After what felt like seconds but was rather a few minutes, Erica began to pull away, but Aleric would not let her. He tightened his hold keeping her trapped in his embrace.

"You can let me go now." Erica's voice was soft and gentle. Aleric could almost hear the small smile that graced her lips.

"What if I do not want to?" He could not help but jokingly tease as his grip made no indication of loosening.

Erica strained her neck to look up at the man, her eyes following over his gorgeous features. She inhaled a sharp breath as she took all of him in. She would never get used to his devilishly handsome looks and charms.

Aleric tried his hardest to resist the smirk that was twitching on his lips. Erica was something truly precious and he vowed that he would never let her go.

Suddenly her eyebrows scrunched, and her eyes dropped in worry and concern. Aleric's heart pounded at the sight of her changed expression.

"What..." Erica bit her lip in nervous hesitation, "What happened to the Countess?"

King Aleric's gaze darkened at the mention of that horrid woman. Erica noticed and immediately regretted even asking.

"She will bother you no more." His words were cold indicating that she should drop the topic.

"What did you do?" Erica did not back down, and she managed to pull herself away from Aleric.

"It does not matter -" King Aleric tried to calm her down but she interrupted him.

"Yes, it does!" She was beginning to raise her voice as she was upset, "What did you do?"

In that very moment, King Aleric did not know what to say knowing his words would upset her more.  His silence gave her the answer she needed.

"You had her executed, didn't you?" Erica's eyes were suddenly filled with disappointment and hurt.

"She hurt you!" Aleric tried to defend.

"And having her executed was the only way to punish her?" Erica stepped back.

"Erica." Aleric warned as he stepped towards her, "That vile woman committed treason. She not only destroyed your life which that alone is enough to warrant her death, but she poisoned me."

Erica's eyes widened. She had momentarily forgotten that fact. Her mind had been too preoccupied with everything else that had been going on.

"I understand..." Erica looked down at her feet in guilt, "But I still wish you had not killed her."

A slender finger lifted her chin up forcing her eyes to meet his own, "It had to be done."

"And Sibyl?" Erica asked.

"Alive." King Aleric slowly traced his thumb over her bottom lip, his gaze now fixated on it.

"What is to come of her?" Erica asked, her voice hopeful.

Aleric paused his movements and met her eyes, "I haven't decided yet."

"Don't hurt her."

Aleric looked deep into her innocent eyes. She was so pure and gentle even to the people who had wronged her.

It frustrated him but he also loved that about her. Her kindness and gentle personality had completely charmed him.

Erica shyly broke eye contact with him but unknown to her, that was all it took for whatever it was holding Aleric back to snap.

She gasped in surprise as his lips came crashing down on her own. His movements were so filled with passion that it felt like she was drowning.

She tried to pull away to catch her breath, but he would not let her. He continued to devour her lips savouring every taste of her.

He was addicted and this addiction had quickly turned into an obsession. He pulled away at the realisation.

He did not want to scare her with these intruding thoughts for they scared him. He could not believe how quickly he had fallen for her.

Did she feel the same?

He gazed down at her now flushed appearance. He was tempted just to kiss her again, but he restrained himself.

"Erica," King Aleric called, his voice breathy from the kiss, "Will you stay with me?"

Erica looked up at him. She knew what he meant and honestly, she had not given it much thought.

She was not oblivious to the fact that Aleric liked her, but she was unaware as to the extent.

"I'm not worthy." She gave him a saddened smile, "You are a King." She reached for his cheek brushing her hand over it. He could not help but close his eyes and lean into her touch.

"I am not the right match for you."

Aleric's eyes opened, his intense gaze engulfed her, "You are, you always have been."

"No." She dropped her hand, but he grabbed it and placed her palm against his chest.

"Do you feel it? My heart beats like this for no one else but you."

Erica's eyes widened. She could feel his heart pounding strongly through his chest like a wild animal trying to break free from its cage.

"Still, I cannot stay -"

"Erica, I do not think you understand but I am in love with you." He interrupted her.

"You can't be." She was still flabbergasted and barely grasping onto the situation.

"I know how I feel Erica, and nothing will change this."

"But you don't deserve to be with someone like me." She tried to defend.

"I can be with whomever I like."

"What will others say?"

"Who cares what they say. I am King. I can do whatever I want. I can choose whoever I wish to be with and if anyone dares to complain, I can silence them." He smiled, "My word is law."

"But-"

"Erica. Stay with me."

"I... I cannot." She dared to look at his expression almost afraid at what she might see.

"Why?" His eyes were beginning to darken.

"I do not even know who I am." She took a deep breath finding strength, "This is the first time I have been free in years. I want to learn about myself and discover who I truly am."

"You can do all that and more at my side."

"No. I cannot." Erica shook her head, "I need to have no chains of responsibility holding me down."

King Aleric did not like where this was going. He wanted to stop her, but he remained silent allowing her to finish what she wanted to say.

"King Aleric, you are a magnificent man." She gave him a warm yet sad smile, "One day you will fall in love with someone and forget about this infatuation that you have with me."

"You are wrong." King Aleric reached for her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, "I already found the one person I wish to spend the rest of my life with."

Erica placed her hands against his chest in a futile attempt to put distance between them, "Your Majesty, you have to let me go."