Ch. 3

                Play with the fire

I wait in the hall, my heart pounding with anticipation as I spot Emma across the room. 

Despite knowing she's not my fairy lady. But a strange feeling tells me that I will get my answers from her.

With determined steps and a wide smile on my face, I approach her.
"Emma, my lady," I begin, my voice steady despite the butterflies in my stomach by thinking of my real fairy lady. 

"I heard that your name is Emma Greene and you were at the ball yesterday. Is that true?"
Emma's expression flickers with surprise and suspicion as she meets my gaze. 

"Yes, I am Emma Greene but did we know each other?" Her hazel eyes search my face, curiosity tinged with caution evident in her gaze.
I hold onto the name Ellie provided, my smile unwavering as I respond,
"I though the Lady remembers me?," I reply smoothly, my voice tinged with a hint of charm.

She looks at me briefly. Her gaze is meaningful.
"My lord, you don't know how much I have waited to meet you again. After our Dance last night," she says, her tone laced with a hint of mischief.

"Now that we have already met, I want this afternoon to be a memorable one for both of us."
As I speak, I move closer to her, our proximity charged with anticipation. 

I lock eyes with Emma, my gaze calculated and strategic. 

While she may be interested in me, my own intentions lie elsewhere.
Emma's gaze sharpens, and she studies me intently, as if assessing my intentions. 

  "A handsome, charming, and courageous man like you will fit in my life." With a calculated move, she takes my hand, her touch electric, her eyes daring me to play along.
Though Emma's signals suggest mutual attraction, I know my pursuit of her is driven by a need for information, not genuine interest. Seducing Emma for information may lead me closer to finding her.

Still, I can't deny the allure of the game we're playing, even if my heart isn't fully in it.

I smile gently, my eyes never leaving Emma's.
"Emma... let me take you on a romantic stroll along the river," I suggest, hoping she'll respond positively to my invitation. As I caress her arm softly, I silently gauge her interest.
She looks at me.
"Emma, would you do me the honor of joining me on a walk along the river?" I ask again, my tone warm and inviting as I gently take her wrist. 

"I'd love the opportunity to get to know you better and share moments of happiness together." 

With a gentle squeeze, I guide her outside the house, heading toward the riverbank.
As we walk by the river, our footsteps echoing across the water, the sun casts a soft glow upon us. 

The landscape around us is stunning, and although my intentions are not genuine, I can't help but appreciate the beauty of the moment shared with Emma.
"Emma, I want to tell you... how beautiful you are," I confess softly, meeting her gaze with a smile. 

Emma's reaction surprises me—instead of brushing off the compliment as she usually does i think, she blushes, clearly affected by my words.
"Leon, you are exactly like I imagined the man of my dreams would be..." Emma whispers seductively, her gaze filled with desire as she leans closer to me. 

"Take me to your chambers for a couple of hours and let us create some memories that I will never be able to forget..."
I'm taken aback by Emma's boldness, but I can't ignore the opportunity before me. 

"Emma, I would love to share some time with you. Let us go to my chambers... and let us share some time that we will remember..." I whisper back, my hand caressing her arm as I lean in to kiss her softly.

The room is aglow with candlelight, the flickering flames casting dancing shadows on the walls, their scent perfuming the air. Emma sits on my lap, her presence intoxicating as I caress her back and hair.

"Emma, I'm glad you accepted my invitation," I murmur against her neck, my lips soft against her skin.

"Really?", she asks leaning her Head back.

"I thought you were the most beautiful woman at the ball last night. I wanted to see you again. And you know it already... I want to stay with you..."

My words are punctuated by tender kisses, each one a calculated move in my seduction.

She can't even talk to me now and just enjoys the moment

As we kiss, I skillfully begin to remove her dress, piece by piece, all the while keeping my true intentions hidden beneath the guise of desire.

"You are the woman I need in my life," I whisper between kisses, my words dripping with honeyed charm. 

I watch as Emma blushes deeply, her gaze meeting mine with a mixture of desire and uncertainty.

"Then marry me, soon", she gasps.

Lost in the moment, Emma closes her eyes and continues to kiss me back passionately. 

But as we kiss, I pull away, leaving her with burning red cheeks. 

I lean in to whisper to her, knowing the weight of my words.

Her eyes meet mine, wide with curiosity and apprehension. 

But before she can respond, my smile fades as I deliver the truth.

Emma's reaction is immediate, her world spinning as she processes my revelation.

I can see the embarrassment and apprehension written on her flushed cheeks, confirming that my plan is working.

"I..I dont understand", she says hastily.

"No, Emma... you're not the girl whom I danced with last night. You are her cousin," i reply my words. 

My words hang in the air, laden with a weighty significance that seems to reverberate between us. I watch as Emma's features contort in a mixture of shock and comprehension, her mind undoubtedly racing to grasp the implications of my revelation.

The tension in the room is palpable, a silent exchange of understanding passing between us as we navigate the delicate balance of our shared secret.

"Emma, my dear, listen to me. I know who you really are... but we don't have to tell anyone, do we?" I speak with a calm and soft tone, meeting Emma's gaze with my dark eyes.

Despite the tension in the room, I try to convey a sense of understanding and reassurance.

Emma's eyes widen with a mix of surprise and apprehension, her face flushing red. It's clear that my revelation has caught her off guard, leaving her momentarily speechless again.

After a moment of hesitation, she nods slowly in agreement, her voice barely a whisper. 

"Yes, my lord its true that im not her..."

Emma's eyes widen in surprise again, her gaze flickering with uncertainty as she processes my words. 

For a moment, silence envelops us, punctuated only by the soft crackle of the fireplace. 

Then, slowly, realization dawns on her features, her expression shifting from surprise to a subtle blend of apprehension and curiosity.
 It's a moment fraught with uncertainty, yet beneath the surface, I detect a glimmer of something else—a flicker of intrigue that belies Emma's composed exterior.
As our eyes meet, I offer her a small, reassuring smile, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken bond that now binds us. It's a fleeting moment of connection amidst the chaos of our tangled desires, but in that brief exchange, I sense a newfound understanding blossoming between us—a recognition of the roles we must play in this intricate dance of deception and desire.

Despite her surprise, Emma manages to compose herself and smiles at me with a hint of admiration. 

"My lord... I am sorry but my cousin doesn't want to see you. She refuses to speak with you at all. The only way you might meet her again is if you visit the Faiden estate."

As I reach out to caress her cheek, I can't help but feel a surge of anticipation for what lies ahead. 

"My dear Emma, thank you for your sweet words. For what we will do tonight... and of course, for the visit to the Faiden estate."

I return her smile, the image of a future with Emma by my side never will happend. 

Maybe she's beautiful, alluring, and though she may not be the woman I seek but in the end she is a dangeous woman..

And as I prepare to set my plan in motion, I can't shake the feeling that our destinies are irrevocably intertwined.

I stop for a Moment.