"Which is the true nightmare, the horrific dream that you have in your sleep or the dissatisfied reality that awaits you when you awake?"― Justin Alcala

They were avoiding each other. They were hurting themselves. They were in the arms of others longing to be with each other.

They were planning their future with others while dreaming to live that life together.

Their eyes would fill with tears when they sense another one looking at them. They danced with others while imagining it was them together.

They were always aware of each other's presence and yet could only stand in their place, feet planted firmly on the ground. Their heart will run to each other and yet there was a line they couldn't cross.

It was the torture of the worst kind.

They were preparing for the wedding but their vows would be for someone else.

Every passing day they were more miserable than before. As the day passed, the distance between them grew further but the love in their heart multiplied manifold. 

William buried himself in the work of Parliament to forget the pain in his heart while Kathalina slowly lost her spirit. She mostly stayed in her chambers sleeping or following her mother in her wedding preparation.

They couldn't believe it has been so long that she daringly and foolishly went to his estate demanding him to make him pay for his misdeed. Her wedding date was postponed as her fiance and father were busy wrapping up parliament's second session.

It was one dark winter night, she was lazing in her bed-chamber shuffling through her books when her maid announced Lord Adams was here to meet her. He was waiting for in the study.

She didn't bother to dress up, irritated at him for disturbing her so late at night. She barged into the study where he had made himself comfortable.

Kathalina's anger flared even more when she saw him treating her home like it was his, ordering around her maids and visiting while her parents were away.

"What brings you here, my lord?" She asked arrogantly, clutching her shawl tightly around her.

"Your incompetency," He answered.

Kathalina stared at him unbelievably.

"Do you think you will be let off the hook whenever you wished for it, Kathy?" He said, placing his glass of whiskey on the table.

He walked towards her, his eyes predatory. Kathalina sensed the danger coming her way but all she could do was stay frozen in her place.

"From the time I asked you to continue spying on William Kentshire, you stopped meeting him entirely. Are you getting ideas on your own? Your brain is not to think, it is only to accept my commands and execute them," He spewed, "Don't think I haven't been keeping an eye on you."

"You have been spying on me," She said appalled.

He laughed menacingly, making fear take place in her heart.

"You naive foolish girl," Lord Adam said disgusted, "You think it was an accident your father found out about you and that bastard Kentshire."

He was standing in front of her, his foul breath making her nauseous.

"No, my future wife," He continued, "It was me who orchestrated everything. I knew to spy on you will benefit me but I never imagined it will make me Lord of Liverpool and the Prime Minister of this country."

"You bastard," Kathalina scowled.

He held her face in his hand harshly, his fingers digging into her cheeks. She struggled against him, applying all the force to get him off of her.

"You whore," He spewed," You think anyone would want to marry such a disgusting and ugly woman like you. You can't keep a man by your side even with that opulent dowry, not that you have anything that a man can find desirable. You better be grateful I offered myself to marry you. This Duchy is not enough for anyone to marry the likes of you."

Kathalina's fear and anger mixed in together and the only thing she can think of was to escape from his clutches. Kathalina's mind was running rampant. She ransacked her brain to find something to help her.

She didn't know if it could really help but it was her last resort. She took a deep breath and kicked his groin with her knees making him fall to the ground in excruciating pain. She finally breathed properly, he moved to grab her by the hem of her dress.

She ran before he could reach her. She ran through the hallways to the stable. She knocked at the door of the stable boy and asked him to prepare her carriage at once. Her home wasn't safe for her and she wanted to be far away from here. She wanted to go where he wouldn't catch her.

"My lady," The stable boy said worriedly but didn't dare to ask anything to his lady, "Where to?"

"Lord Warwick estate," She answered clutching her nightgown tightly around her.

The night was cold and wicked. Every turn on the cobbled street, every whisper drifting to her ears, every bump in the road made the fear in her spike.

She looked around hastily before running to his estate door. She banged on his door waking up half of the staff in his place.

His butler opened the door angrily but ushered her inside as soon as he recognized her. She was shaking from head to toe, her hair sticking out from everywhere, in indecent clothing.

She ran to William's chamber as soon as she stepped inside. His butler ran behind her asking her to stop, which only made her steps quicken.

She barged inside his chamber like she always did but this time she was scared and wanted to jump in his arms and cry her heart out. She imagined him sitting on the settee sipping whiskey while studying papers in the light of the hearth.

But the scene in front of her was worse than everything that she went through till now. He was lying naked inside the blankets on his bed while a half-naked woman was standing near the window with a glass of wine in her hand.

Kathalina felt her world crashing. All the whispers, all the taunts, everyone who said she was an imbecile passed through her head. She walked back the steps she came, the image in front of her blurring with the tears in her eyes, William's voice coming to her from far away and she wanted to be far away to never hear it again.

She ran through the corridors as fast as her steps could take her but he was faster. He clutched her in his embrace strongly enough not to let her go but loose enough for her to struggle and to kick him. He held her while she cried and trashed in his arms. He held her till she calm down, her sob subsiding down to hiccups. He held her till she exhausted herself. He held her till she fell asleep in his arms in the corridor.

He carried her to his chamber and placed her in his bed. Her body was still shaking in the sleep. He wanted to hold her to stop her shivering but he knew she will be disgusted by him when she woke up.

Her pleads told him she was having a nightmare and it broke every part of his heart. He was helpless.

He sat beside his bed, holding her hand through her sleep wishing to take away her nightmare and make them his.