Emalia wandered back from her mother's house at the rise of night. The trees whispered in the cool breeze, but there was no hint of danger. Aside from the lightly chattering leaves, there were no noises save the chirping crickets and hoot of the occasional owl. In typical fashion, her mind was occupied by the disturbing news of her mother and Sir Throm being involved. It seemed to solidify the fact that her father and mother were never going to be together again, and it bothered her. Her father, Thasmudyan, had been staying with her. He was just as in reach as her mother, but it wasn't to be - she couldn't mend anything. She could not put together her family.
This train of thought, so short here, took her the remainder of her walk home. No sooner had she walked through the door, than Colin greeted her and ushered her into the dining room. Candles donned the table and Emalia sighed deeply.
'Why. Why do all this?' she thought. 'If he wants to get under my robes, he should just do it. It's all he's after anyway.'
Emalia's mind went cross, dwelling upon the fact that her interactions with Colin had actually been giving him life. He had eaten for the first time, drank for the first time, and even slept for the first time. It seemed now as if she was merely a fountain for him to drink from - as much as he desired her.
Emalia sat with a sigh, her mind now preoccupied by two issues. The steaming plates of salmon weren't enough to draw her mind from them, and when Colin set a glass of wine in front of her, she decided enough was enough. "You don't have to do all of this. I can probably just figure out how to bottle my lifeforce and you won't have to wade through all of this trouble."
"What are you talking about? All this trouble?"
"Just... this... dinner, candles, wine... I just feel like... I don't know... that you're just here so you can get... you know."
"No no no... I mean, of course I do like that. But I was around well before that. I'm here because of you. I just love being with you."
Colin again began to proclaim how enamored he was as Emalia looked down. It wasn't that she didn't believe him, but she just couldn't bring herself to say the same. When he placed the small box in her hands, she nearly dropped it. Her mouth hung open as she stared at the ring, her heart beat wildly.
These things weren't on the count of excitement, rather, they were on the count that it was not what she wanted. Though, what could she say? He did love her, he was absolutely devoted to her, he was caring, he was everything that any woman may have killed to have. Emalia wanted to tell him no, she needed more time, but the thought crossed her mind, 'Perhaps, he will grow on me as he has slowly. He does love me after all.'
Emalia nodded her head and suddenly had the breath squeezed from her in Colin's enormous embrace. He set her back down, realizing she hadn't put the ring on her finger yet. As he requested her to put it on, as she slid it into place, all her apprehensions grew to proportions beyond her imaginings. She could do nothing but cry. Her only hope was that Colin would not presume they were tears of anything other than joy.
