An Invitation To Love

Chapter 17

Two days before the masquerade ball

"I hate you" Lily was sitting on the sofa in Ciel's office.
He hummed in agreement "I see, what have I done to earn your ire this time, my queen?"
She groaned and stood up walking to Ciel who was concentrating on the paper before him.

"You invited Davian to the ball!" she stood beside him holding his shoulder trying to sit on his lap.
He arched a brow and his lips twitched in amusement as he noted her pout. He held her waist to support her.
Ciel leaned back and pushed a string of her hair behind her ear, giving her his full attention.
"I told you not to do that" she vocalized her annoyance.
"I just told him Allora was here" Lily rolled her eyes and Ciel laughed.

"Allora is actually getting better here but if he takes her back, I'm not sure she will do fine" Lily noted worriedly.

"Davian will never cause harm to her Lily, you know that."
"No Ciel, I don't know that. The way she looked when she came here didn't seem like he cared about her" she remarked.

"Lily, I think you should hear his part of the story too. He wrote me countless letters begging me to find Allora, since he was sure she will come to you. Lily, he missed his girl. But I think this is our last concern" he touched her belly and smiled.
"Ciel, I swear, can you just take that a little more serious" she wined.
"How can I when you are sitting on my lap and moving those delicious lips" she ran the tip of her tongue over his lips, him following every move with his eyes.
"Why are you resisting then?" Lily said and Ciel just leaned in tasting her.
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"Did you pick a dress for the party?" Allora asked Lily who was lying on the bed.
"No" She was lost in her thoughts.
"Lily, everything alright?" Allora asked worriedly.
"Allora, since you came here, you never talked about, what happened in Sanctus" Lily stated and Allora's eyes widened.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Allora, just tell me."
"You will hate me if I tell you" Allora turned her head the other way not wanting to look in Lilys judgmental eyes.
"Allora, I would never" she walked up to her sister wrapping her arms around her.
"How could I hate you?"
"I am a homewrecker" Allora said her voice hoarse.
The room fell silent until Lily spoke "I do not believe you, tell me what happened."
Allora started telling Lily the whole story.
"He has a wife and a son Lily. How could I even think it was right to be with him?" Allora started sobbing.
"Did you talk to him about your concerns?"
"No" judging from the look in Lilys eyes Allora knew she was absolutely wrong.
Lily didn't say anything, she just hugged her sister tightly.
"It's okay Allora."
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The day of the masquerade ball

A lot of carriages were in front of the castle, which was normal since the whole noble community was invited. The hall was filled with marquises, dukes, viscounts, counts, earls and some barons with their wives.
Lily looked stunning with her royal blue dress that was decorated with gemstones and the gold mask.
Ciel next to her looked as manly as usual with his black suite, that showed his fit build and long legs.
"My king, my queen, thank you for inviting us" some random middle-aged man came up to Ciel and Lily.
One look at Lily's face and Ciel knew she didn't know him.
"He is the earl of Vinhard" he whispered into her ears.
"Oh, earl of Vinhard, nice to see you again" Lily greeted him smiling exaggeratingly.
Ciel just couldn't suppress his laughter.
"The one coming now is the viscount of Balderburg, he helped us out during the rebellion."
Lily hummed.
The night was going smoothly untill the arrival of Davian.
A guard ran up to Ciel "your majesty, king Davian Alastair arrived."

Ciel dragged Lily with him to the carriage.
Davian got out of the carriage and his appearance made both Ciel and Lily shocked.
He was much thinner than when Lily met him the last time. His hair was a mess and the circles around his eyes were dark.
"You should immediately go to the room prepared for you" Ciel ordered to which Davian chuckled.
"Nikolai is with me, he insisted to come the moment he heard Allora was here" his eyes looked sad "where is she, doesn't she want to greet me too?"
Lily felt bad for him.
"She doesn't know you are here. It was unexpected" she remarked quickly.
"Unexpected but not unwelcoming, I hope" Davian sounded smug again.
"Davian, you are always welcomed" Ciel answered firmly.
"Let the servants take care of Nikolai, you can go inside, she is the one with the dark-green dress and a black mask" Lily informed.
"I can recognize her blind" Davian stated bitterness laced in his voice, "thank you."
He wanted to walk in when Ciel held his shoulder "you cannot go inside without a mask" he said and gave him his mask.
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Davian walked to the hall, his eyes scanning the room looking for a specific person.
With six feet three inches he was able to have the perfect view of the entire hall.
Bingo, he found her.
She was standing alone at the corner of the room holding a glass of wine, looking like a painting.
He noticed how healthy she looked, she definitely gained some wight, which made her shine.
Her hair bounced freely around her waist.
He slowly walked to Allora and stood in front of her.
She glanced at him, and the realization hit her.
Allora's eyes widened. "Good evening, love."
Hearing his voice brought Allora out of her shock. Her breathing got uneven, and she sucked in mouthfuls of air trying to get enough oxygen in her lungs to speak.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" His voice had taken on a panicked edge. "Are you hurt? Talk to me."
"Davian" her lips moved but no sound came out.
He held her cheeks leaning in, making their noses touch each other.
"Love, I think we need a quiet place so we can talk" he stated and held her wrist, pulling her outside the hall.
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Davian's father the former king was a man of principles. He was honorable and ethical.
That is what his folk would say about him, but not his family.
The royal family would rather describe him as controlling, somebody who wanted to overpower.
His orders should not be questioned but followed. Davian, his rebellious son never did that, which made him even more greedy to control him.
He was ready to put a leash on this beast.

"You're not attacking anyone in this palace, you have no authority over anyone or anything. You lost that right when you refused to have Vivian as your wife and be the next king" the former king thundered.

"Have a wife? You call becoming a puppet of the kingdom and pretending like I care about everyone, and everything will make me a king, I don't want the damn throne. Just forget that I ever existed and let me go" the nineteen-years-old Davian granted.
The intensity of their argument left everyone silent.

The king knew how to force his son to marry Vivian.
He treated him like a prisoner. Everywhere Davian would go, which was not that much, since he was only allowed to move freely inside the castle, he would get watched.
His father even held his friend captive until Davian changed his mind.
Davian indeed had no choice.

Now that he finally found someone he wanted, she didn't want to be with him.
The thought that she didn't really realize how much she meant to him destroyed him, ripped him into pieces.

He kept walking until he reached the library. The second they went inside he closed the door and pinned her to it.

His eyes full of dominance as he towered over her caging her between his arms. His eyes were dark and heavy, she gulped.
"You ran away" that was not a question.
"I'm sorry" she whispered.
"Allora, I need you. Why did you do that to me?" his voice was low.
Allora extended her hands to hold his cheeks, which he avoided showing his irritation.
"Davian I am sorry, I really needed time away from ..." she waited for a little her eyes looking everywhere but him "your castle."
"Why didn't you speak to me then?" he sounded hurt.
"Did you even consider trusting me?"
Davian let go of Allora and turned his back to her.
"I want to let you go too Allora, but I can't" he looked so broken Allora wanted to cry.
"Davian, please I really didn't want to hurt you in any way, I thought if I left the castle, you, Vivian and Nikolai will have a normal family again" Allora explained in her shaking voice.
"What do you mean normal family? You know that I love you. I never had a romantic relationship with Vivian" Davian started getting loud as he turned to gaze at her, his eyes red.
"I am really sorry, no matter what I say it will not sound like a proper reason, but Davian I swear I didn't mean any harm. It was just too much for me" Allora wanted to justify herself.
"To be seen as a perpetrator, I couldn't deal with it anymore, Davian you maybe didn't see anything, but they hate me and since they think I was the reason behind Vivian's breakdown, everybody treated me..." she didn't continue.
Davian's eyes went wide, and he clenched his jaw, Allora could see how his body stiffened.
"Who are they?"
"No, I don't want you to do anything" she shook your head.
"Are you planning on not coming back with me?" His eyes were burning with worry and fear.
If she ever desires not to go back, he would abdicate and come here to live with her.
The thought of not being able to be with her made him feel anxious and uncertainty.

"Allora, I beg you let's go back. If you want me to empty the castle I will, let's go back" he sounded so desperate as Allora walked up to him.
"Oh my god Davian no I will, I absolutely will go back with you, but I just need a little bit more time" she stood before him with her doe eyes. The size difference between them was huge. Davian held Allora's petite waist to lift her a little and leaned in pecking her lips kissing her gently. He softly hummed against her, expressing his enjoyment.
"Promise me" it sounded more like a pleading.
"I promise" she stretched her body to kiss him again and he smiled letting go of her.
She looked at him seductively, her eyes tear-glazed and half open. He couldn't resist the desire.
Davian held her by the waist again lifting her up and she wrapped her legs around his hips.
Davian's lips traveled from her mouth to her jawline and landed of her neck painting red marks.
He bared his teeth at the taut skin on her collar bone getting a loud moan from her half-opened mouth. The blond man reached behind her back trying to open the strap but stopped himself.
"Davian, please" she begged.
"Already begging" he hummed into her neck sending waves of pleasure across the skin.
"Sorry love but it is inappropriate to do it in the library."