A Grim Destiny Part 7
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8
GN!Reader is a witch with a birth defect: They were born without a bile sac, rendering them helpless when it came to magic. Because of this, certain people tend to bully and ridicule them. They are currently trying to find their place in life and it’s not going well.
From here on, I'm going to tag this series as NSFW for various reasons. (And so I don't forget).
Philip meets some people at a legendary tavern who seem to be seeking out Titan's Blood and he makes a rash decision to pursue it, not realizing too late that it was a trap.
This is a slow-burn Yandere fic and it will get darker as time goes on. Fair warning.
Read it on Ao3
I’ve only seen this tavern mentioned in old adventurer’s journals so I was quite excited when Philip and I came across it. The Wyvern-Leg Inn is far off the beaten path away from any of the cities where many young adventurers got their start! It is an ancient, three-story structure made entirely of elder wood that houses a museum containing a collection of items donated by daring adventurers as they trekked across the Wilds of the Boiling Isles.
When I told Philip about what kind of place it was rumored to be, he perked up. He wouldn’t tell me what he intended to do but said it would be a good place to stop and rest as it was out of the way of any of the caves. I was honestly surprised at how eager he was to get a room there. I am looking forward to relaxing on something soft for once since we have agreed to stay for a couple of days as a small vacation of sorts. I somewhat hope that this becomes an opportunity to see how Philip really sees the two of us considering everything we've been through.
As I was getting settled in, Philip, after deciding that he didn’t want to sleep in separate beds and pushed the two together, headed downstairs “for a drink” at the bar. I just hope he behaves himself this time. -
Philip has been gone for far too long. The bar should be closed by now. I’m going to go look for him. He better not have started a fight or he’s in big trouble!
—- I met someone interesting at the bar the night before when I left Angel in the safety of our room, a demon named Warthrope. He apparently saw Angel and I enter the tavern and found us to be a strange pairing. I thought he had motioned to me as I apparently stick out like a sore thumb among witches but it seemed he was referring to Angel, commenting on how they looked to be a “pedigree” and not built for adventuring. When I met the rest of his team, I could see why he may have believed it. They were hardy, well-traveled adventurers. Angel was born with a silver spoon in their mouth and looked as if they hadn’t gotten their hands dirty once. Thank God they don’t act like it.
Accompanying Warthrope was four others but their names escape me. There were two female demons, a male demon, and a male witch. I am unsure of what any of their roles were within the group but I cannot say that I’m entirely interested in finding out. I was, however, interested in the topic I overheard his group talking about. Upon hearing “Titan’s Blood”, I tried to get as much information as I could out of them only to be stonewalled.
Warthrope refused to discuss it with me willingly. I did, however, notice he and his companions had a weakness for alcohol, and for that, I proposed a wager in the form of a drinking contest. First, one to drink the other under the table will give up the information needed. I wanted to know about Titan’s Blood, Warthrope wanted to know why Angel chose me as a traveling companion, implying that there were much better adventurers that would suit their needs. I ignored this, mainly because the contest was over before it began. I did not build a tolerance for alcohol back home for nothing. I am only thankful that the stuff is about the same here and I can stomach half of the offerings.
Granted, Angel was not happy to find me sloshed on the staircase but I prevailed and obtained the information I needed. Upon hearing about the arrangement I have made, we had a bit of a row and they are not speaking to me at the moment. I was aware that they wanted to use this time to rest and I did tell them that Titan’s Blood was the last thing I wanted to find so I am not surprised by this.
I was tempted to leave them at the tavern but Warthrope had instilled the idea of Angel meeting someone else in the tavern while I was away so I decided it was best to bring them with me. The last thing I needed was some muscle-headed cad trying to convince them to leave with him. My only concern now is where Titan’s Blood is located. Our journey will take us close to Angel’s hometown so I will have to be careful and make sure they stay out of sight and out of harm’s way.
I assured Angel that I would make it up to them but they were not in a good mood at the time.
—
Part of me regrets introducing Angel to these rogues. I don’t like how the Warthrope’s men look at them. Some of the comments are borderline inappropriate but I let them slide. I need Titan’s Blood and if they’re willing to help, I can’t risk them walking off. The women seem very interested in Angel upon finding out they could not do magic on their own.
The site Warthrope mentioned is an old mining site that was abandoned some years ago. If I remember correctly, it was posted on one of Angel’s maps. Imagine my surprise that the very substance I needed was in the same area where I found my companion all that time ago. Angel must be my lucky charm.
Angel is still cross with me. First, they were upset with me over making these arrangements, now they’re furious that I will not let them into the mine. They argued with me when I told them that they will not be entering with me or the group but I am sure they will understand why later. I may have said a few things along the lines of what Warthrope had said about them, being inexperienced and all that I will need to apologize for later. I am fairly certain I came off harsher than I intended with how Angel reacted. Their downhearted expression felt like a dagger to the chest.
Thankfully, the ladies volunteered to stay behind with them so Warthrope, his men, and I could go forward with the task at hand. I was not fond of Warthorpe’s comment “lover’s spat” as we entered the mine. In my haste and anger, I regrettably denied it. I was halfway through the cave when one of the men informed me of the look on Angel’s face when we left which assured me that they had heard what I said. I will definitely have to make sure they know I did not mean it.
-----------------------------------------
The pounding in your head was nearly unbearable as your eyes opened, your vision blurry at first and you forced yourself up from a soft surface. You had the strangest dream. You and Philip had arrived at a legendary tavern in the middle of nowhere in the Boiling Isles and he drank someone under the table to get them to help him find something in an area near your hometown. The group he “hired” was composed of five people, three men and two women who were seasoned adventurers, and you were left with the women at the sight while he had gone on with the men into an old abandoned mine. It infuriated you since you didn’t want to be separated from him as well as be left with people you didn’t know. Philip assured you that he would make it up to you, believing you were angry you didn’t get to go.
However, while you were waiting with the ladies, they began to ask about you and Philip. It was playful and a bit suggestive which made you begin to wonder what you and Philip were. After him denying that the two of you had a “lover’s spat”, it made you curious as to what he saw you as. He pushed your beds together at the tavern as he had done with your sleep rolls, he had kissed you a handful of times, used pet names, and the list just went on from there. Even the little things made you wonder what he saw the two of you as. They had asked you if you and Philip had been intimate which you immediately turned down but the way they laughed made you think your face had gone bright red.
But then you remembered something that made you reconsider calling it a dream. One of the ladies poured you a drink, claiming that it was a “specially brewed tea” that she learned how to make. You remembered that it had a floral scent but a fruity taste and it was bright purple. It was… sparkling in a way but you didn’t think anything of it. It made you feel fuzzy after drinking it and the next thing you remembered was this, waking up with this massive headache.
“What was in that drink…?” you groaned, rubbing your temples gingerly.
“Sleeping nettles,” a familiar voice answered, causing you to freeze. “I told those idiots not to overdo it but what did I expect? They’re sellswords, not apothecaries. Nor are they bards or I would have had them resort to a lullaby.” When your eyes adjusted to the dark, you saw a figure with its back to you standing over a table where a yellow glow emitted. You immediately recognized the outline.
“... Alder?”
“You’ve got quite the talent for disappearing, don’t you? It took me months to find you. Then again, it wasn’t entirely your doing, hm?” Alder turned with a cocked brow and an amused smile. “No matter. You’re home safe.”
“Home?” you muttered, glancing around. You certainly didn’t recognize the room you were in and your own bed was not as big as the one you sat on. Nowhere near as cushy either. “But this isn’t my-”
“You’re at my family’s vacation home right outside of your hometown. You know they’re originally from Bonesborough,” Alder stirred a finger as he approached the bed and the lights grew bright. You had to shield your eyes to allow them to adjust and once they did, you noticed a glass of clear liquid in his hand. “Your home is still locked up since the day that human kidnapped you.”
You furrowed your brow hard.
“Philip did not kidnap me-!”
“Look, I know you are going to defend him tooth and nail and try to make it sound as if he has your best interest at hand but the fact of the matter is, he manipulated you,” the witch sighed as he set the glass beside your bed.
“He convinced you to not meet with me the day you were supposed to leave on top of leaving earlier than you said. It’s no wonder your father had me put out wanted posters for Mr. Wittebane..”
“Wait, you involved my family?!” you looked from the glass to him.
“What else could I do? You were under the influence of a madman. I couldn’t just let that go.”
“You know how they overreact with everything I do! Why would you-!?”
“Of course, they’re overprotective of you, Y/N. You’re the only child that cannot do magic and then they hear some human man came along and just whisked you away into the wilds?”
“I said “overreact”!”
Alder scoffed but it didn’t seem to pertain to you. He began pacing the floor, speaking in a more grandiose tone.
“Perish the thought! Your father was terrified of what that monster would do to you!”
“Philip is not a monster-!”
“Naturally, I knew what had to be done and set up a trap with one of the most legendary ingredients known on the Boiling Isles. I was certain that scoundrel would make a move for it sooner or later! Only those who have dark intentions seek it out!”
“He’s not doing anything nefarious with it! He’s trying to get home-!”
“The fact alone that he sought it out is proof enough that he is up to no good! It did take me a while to find you to put my ingenious plan into motion!”
You let out a hard sigh, setting your head in your hands as he went on and on about how he did it. There was no way you were going to get a word in edgewise. He was too far gone with his monologue. At some point in his speech, he noticed your demeanor and smiled, his voice now holding a sympathetic tone.
“Well now, he won’t be bothering you any longer. He’s been taken into custody and will be transported to Bonesborough to face charges of kidnapping,” Alder sighed, sitting on the bed near your legs. You lifted your head, staring at him in horror. “He will be put away for a while, considering who your family is. It’s for the best, I’m afraid.”
“What?! No! They can’t-!”
“Now, now, sit back and relax. You’re safe. Here,” he reached past you and picked up the glass again, this time offering it to you. “It’s best if you just forget about the whole ordeal, Y/N.”
You stared at the glass before pushing yourself off of the bed.
“Are you out of your mind?! Who the hell do you think you are?!” You swiped the glass out of his hand and once the clear liquid hit the floor, it sparkled before dissipating. “I’m powerless, not stupid! You have no clue what you’re talking about and have no business sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong!”
Alder stared up at you in shock for a moment as if he hadn’t expected you to stand up for yourself. He soon became bored and sighed, interrupting you.
“I should have known that bastard would turn you against me.”
“Turn me against you-?! You did that on your own after years of bullying! How do you not see that?!”
The witch pushed himself up from the bed with his hands on his hips, his head bowed and his eyes closed in a solemn expression. He tutted and shook his head.
“Absolutely atrocious. Wittebane has poisoned you against your own kind.”
“WHAT?!”
“I have a good mind to tell your father that prison isn’t good enough for him. I thought he was being a bit lenient when it came to this. I will have to reiterate my original suggestion to him once more. Surely seeing you act like this will make him see reason.”
“Original-? What are you talking about?!”
“It’s nothing for you to worry about. You just settle back in and pretend the last six months never happened. The sooner you do that, the sooner we can return to some form of normalcy,” Alder suggested as he went to the door. You immediately followed him when it was apparent he was going to try to lock you in.
“Where’s Philip!? What have you done to him!?”
“As I said, he’s being carted off the Bonesborough. The rest is not your concern. It’s quite apparent that you are unfit to be brought in as a witness and will only vouch for him so do as I say and relax. After I call your father and handle some business, I’ll be back and we can have dinner together.”
When Alder tried closing the door behind him, you immediately snatched it and slammed it open.
“I don’t know why the hell you think you can do this to me but you are NOT going to treat me like this, Alder Blight!” you bared your teeth at him. “I am not a plaything that you can fight over on the blasted playground! I’m not something that can be owned or a prize to be won! If I want to be with Philip, then I will damn well be with him!”
The witch paused in shock before a dark look fell across his face.
“Well then, it will be hard to be with a dead man once he’s executed for this,” Alder growled, storming back into the room which forced you to stumble backward into the bedpost. "Maybe I should tell them you revealed some devastating incidents, incriminating Wittebane in some of the most heinous crimes. Maybe it wasn’t as innocent as you say and are convinced that it was all consensual-”
Realizing what he was alluding to, your face reddened and you pushed back.
“None of that is true! Philip has never laid a hand on me like that! Why are you doing this?!”
Alder pulled away slightly, his eyes darting down to your hips for only a moment then cleared his throat and stood straight with his arms folded behind his back.
“Oh. Good. Well, at least that part has been established. Regardless, it might be best to say otherwise. You’re only truly going to be safe with him dead.”
You shook your head, absolutely appalled by what you were hearing.
“You’re a monster…”
“You can call me whatever you wish. In time, you’ll understand,” he sighed before heading back toward the door. With one final glance, he scoffed softly. “You should thank me for protecting you.”
You stormed toward the door once more but this time it shut completely. Letting out an enraged scream, you beat your fists on the wood and tried the handle, unsurprisingly finding it locked.
“YOU ASSHOLE! Don’t you dare lay a hand on him!”
Once that was out of your system, you listened for a moment then pulled a piece of paper out of your pocket. You quickly drew the fire glyph on it and slapped it against the door knob.
“You should thank me for saving you.” you mimicked him as the metal of the doorknob melted away due to the heat. “Thank this!”
Listening out for any sound to indicate someone was near, you quickly made your way down the hall. The vacation home was a two-story house with several rooms so you knew you were at least on the second floor.
“Thank you, but no, I will have to skip tea for now. I have some urgent business I need to attend to. I shall be back soon,” you heard Alder’s voice answer an elderly servant’s call to tea as you headed for the stairway. You ducked back behind the wall when you realized you nearly stepped out into full view of the door downstairs just in time to watch Alder grab his coat and hat and head out. Upon hearing “urgent business”, your eyes widened.
“I have to get to Philip before anything happens to him…” you murmured. Once the front door was closed and the ground floor fell silent, you carefully and quietly headed down. Each noise you made seemed amplified and echoed through the vacant area which only made you more nervous. Someone was sure to hear you. Once on the ground floor, just feet away from the door, you heard someone start talking and a door from a room down the hall behind you opened. Startled, you quickly dove into what looked to be a parlor and closed the door behind you. Whoever it was was speaking on a crow phone, sounding distressed as they tried to calm down a woman who was screaming on the other end.
“Yes, I am aware that he did that. I am so sorry, madam. No, I’m sure he had his reasons for breaking it off. I understand. Yes. I’m sorry. No, he’s not here, he had urgent business to attend to. I will let him know you called. Of course. Good day.”
A sigh followed.
“That man is going to need to get his priorities straight, I swear…”
You listened to the footsteps wander toward the back of the house before giving a relieved exhale. That was close. You decided to wait a minute or two to make sure you weren’t caught and glancing back into the room, you found it filled with considerably rare and priceless items that one would find traversing the Isles. Some items you had only heard about through the journals you’ve read through. Pulling yourself away from the door, you found yourself wanting a closer look at the collection. Your mind started to mentally catalog everything you saw, mainly wanting to learn more about them later. It wasn’t until your eyes fell on a display of glowing blue stones laid out on the mantle that it dawned on you what you were looking at. One of the ingredients on the list Philip had given you. Galderstones.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Those bastards! They attacked me and purposely caused a cave-in to try to kill me! This was a setup from the beginning! I should have known something was wrong when they started talking vulgarly about Angel as if they were trying to get me to admit to something! When I asked them to stop and that I was not that way with Angel, they decided to reveal their ruse! Of course, Blight’s name came up before they tried to attack me! By some miracle, I was able to get away but I was apprehended outside of the cave after it collapsed.
Damn the allure of Titan’s Blood! The signs were there and I ignored them. I should have realized something was amiss with the location of the said item and when they wanted to split Angel and me up. I foolishly believed it was because Angel was “inexperienced” and “not built for adventuring” and had allowed it. They referred to Angel as a “blue blood” and a “pedigree”, a rarity to see out in the wilds of the Boiling Isles back at the tavern. Looking back, it seems as if they were trying to say that I didn’t belong in Angel’s presence due to how they were raised and who their family was. I know what Angel is and I will be damned if someone tells me I’m not good enough for them. I will definitely be eating crow once I see Angel again… if I see them again…
As I write this, I have been taken captive by the local guards who were waiting outside of the mine. I had to bear witness to Angel being taken, unconscious, by the people I left them with. It was then I realized Angel had been their true target. That bastard Alder was standing beside the carriage Angel was put in and that smug smirk on his face made my blood boil. Fighting was all for naught. No matter how hard I struggled, I couldn’t get free before they shackled me. If only I could have called on that damn curse, this wouldn’t be happening.
I hope Blight finds all this worth it. He lost three men due to this stunt.
I can’t escape just yet. I need to know where these monsters have taken Angel. I doubt they would bring them back to their home. I need to save them from this hell.
The man they brought into the station was not the same man they arrested. The one who went into the paddy wagon was feral, swinging and kicking at anyone in his immediate vicinity while screaming at the top of his lungs for you. The one who came out was composed and soft-spoken with eloquence while compromising with what was asked of him. The guards who had handled him could not believe the change as he was placed in a holding cell. Philip, once he had calmed down, made banter with the guards. He had made them comfortable, and relaxed with his demeanor. Why, before anyone knew it, the guards felt as if they knew him all their life.
Then it happened. Someone made a comment about the witch who put all of this together. Alder Blight. It was about his obsession with something and how distracted he’s been. From there, rumors were circulated that perked Philip’s ears.
“Did you hear that Blight left his betrothed?” “No, what?!” “Yes. Seems like he’s lost interest entirely.” “He’s taken up a new interest that seems to have gone on for months now.” “You think there’s someone new?” “Why would he leave a prominent figure like her though?”
‘Why, indeed,’ Philip fought the urge to roll his eyes. Your name never came up, however. A shame, as it would have had to save doing it himself. He began to wonder if these guards even knew why he had been arrested. It would make sense if Alder didn’t spread around his business or someone would approach you for answers and find out any lies he had told. After all, these guards, from what he understood, were only following orders handed down by their captain. Before he could open his mouth, one of the guards gave him what he needed.
“I heard Alder has been holing himself up in his family’s vacation home.” “The one outside of town? Why there? What’s wrong with his own home?” “Maybe he was trying to avoid her before finally breaking it off?”
Thank God for bored people in small towns and their gossip. Philip knew exactly where you would have been taken and he had a pretty good idea of which place this was. He remembered wandering past an uninteresting two-story mansion nestled in the woods when he first came to the town.
It wasn’t long before he was told the carriage taking him to Bonesborough had arrived, something that had blindsided him. Philip wasn’t aware that they would be doing this in another town. This meant he had to escape as soon as possible. He could only guess Alder wanted him as far away from there as possible to keep him from getting to you when he escaped.
“The prisoner is situated. Let’s get this over with. Bonesborough is still a ways away,” you heard one of the guards grumble after slamming the back of the paddy wagon shut. You stood not far from them in an alleyway, your hood up as you watched the scene. You were just shy of arriving in time to see them place Philip in the back of the wagon. “Why we can’t use a flying carriage is beyond me.”
“Last time we did that, the perp jumped off the side and disappeared into the woods, remember?” another chimed in. “We can get some coffee and snacks for the road and then head out.”
When the two wandered off and the coast was clear, you made your way to the doors where a chain was wrapped around the handles. Just as you were about to place an ice picto-glyph on the lock, you heard a frozen sound followed by something metallic shattering, and something told you to get away from the doors. Not a moment after you moved, the doors were slammed open by a massive spike of ice, followed by a blast of fire that melted it enough to create a way out. Philip leapt out of the wagon and glanced back toward the precinct as he fixed his hair and clothes before turning to continue his escape. The two of you froze upon meeting each other’s gaze. Conflicting feelings of relief and anger washed over you upon seeing that he was okay.
“Philip?!”
“Angel!” Philip breathed, immediately grabbing your jaw with both hands and pulling you into a kiss. You didn’t fight it, but the moment he pulled away, you struck him across the face with an open palm. “You’re-”
“That’s for getting us into this mess!” you hissed softly. “None of this would have happened if we just stayed at the tavern as we had planned! You HAD to go drinking and make plans to get something we weren’t even ready to get yet without even consulting me! You just expected me to go along with it! I can’t believe you-!”
Philip held his stinging cheek in shock as you chided him and his gaze softened.
“Yes, I know Angel. I should have never put you in that position, to begin with,” he murmured, taking the hand that struck him and kissing its palm. “It will not happen again…”
“It better not! Alder has lost his damn mind and wanted to have you executed for “kidnapping” me on top of several non-existent charges!”
His face fell when you explained what Alder had said, what he had alluded Philip to have done to you which boiled his blood. The sound of several guards nearby interrupted the conversation, causing Philip to grab your hand and the two of you fled town. Seeing as they couldn’t go back to the tavern to get your things right away, you told him that the two of you would go back to the first cave he took you to until everything had died down. The angry expression you gave him when he tried to protest silenced him and he nodded in agreement.
The walk back was tense and both parties had their own reasons for being angry, you for what Philip had put you through, and Philip for finding out that he was being painted as a rapist and kidnapper. The only noise that cut through the silence was a rumble of thunder.
“Oh bloody hell, not now!” Philip scoffed and ushered you under a protruding rock along the path with enough room for both of you to stand and sit. Moments later, boiling rain fell in a thick curtain. You curled your legs to you and rested your arms on your knees with a hard sigh as you glared out at the rain. Philip’s anger subsided some and he leaned back against the rocky outcrop, watching the rain as well since there was nothing else to do besides hash out what had happened.
“I should have known better than to think Titan’s Blood would be that easy to find.”
“Hm.”
“All that and nothing to show for it…”
Hearing this, you gave a thoughtful look before reaching down to the heavy satchel you were carrying and flipping its flap back to reveal the Galderstones you had found at Alder’s place. Their blue glow got Philip’s attention and you watched him shift in surprise upon realizing what they were.
“A-Are those-?! Angel?!”
“Figured Alder owed me for putting me through this and years of torment so I took them from his parlor.”
Philip picked several up in awe.
“These are the third rarest items on the list! And there’s so many of them!”
“He won’t miss them.”
The man gushed about the stones for a moment or two before suddenly embracing you in a tight hug.
“Angel, you’re amazing-!”
You quickly shoved him away by the face with a sneer.
“Don’t touch me! I’m still angry with you!”
Philip immediately withdrew with a mixed expression of hurt and sorrow. A few moments passed before he wet his lips and opened his mouth.
“Angel, I truly am sorry for all of this. I let a stranger’s thoughts dictate my own and I got carried away with the promise of one of the rarest substances in the Boiling Isles,” he paused then moved from his knees to sit properly beside you. “I guess… I guess I thought if we could get it early, we could go home sooner.”
This struck a chord with you. “We”. He actually said, “we”. After a short silence, you spoke.
“Philip…”
“Hm?”
“What are we?”
“What are we? What do you mean?”
Philip flinched when you gave him a side-glare and he remembered back to the “lover’s spat” comment.
“O-Oh, yes… We’re traveling companions. We forged a strong bond of fellowship and… and…”
He watched your hand tighten on the fabric over your knee as he spoke and you turned your head away from him to glare elsewhere. It was clear this wasn’t what you wanted to hear. Philip’s heart leapt at this but the sensation only lasted so long when he was presented with a challenge. He had never had to confess to anyone before and, while he was good with words, he was never great at expressing his emotions. If he had any. With a deep inhale, he tried his best. “No… that’s not true. It’s not like what I’ve done for you that I’ve done for others who I’ve considered traveling companions. You are… different… for me.”
He flinched when you snapped your head in his direction and he averted his gaze. His face suddenly felt very uncharacteristically warm and he swallowed hard.
“I’ve been very affectionate toward you over our adventures, haven’t I? I’ve kept you close, awake and in sleep, kissed you several times at least, among other things… Well, there is a reason for that…” It killed him when you didn’t say anything. He could feel your eyes on him, searing his skin. He deserved this for letting it go on for far too long. With a deep inhale, he ran a hand over his head as he struggled to find the words to continue.
“I admit… that I… may… have… become quite… smitten. With you. During our travels. And… I… did not want to ruin. Anything… by…”
Your heart skipped a beat hearing this and your anger receded at his confession.
“... telling me you liked me?”
Philip’s eyes darted in your direction and he cleared his throat. At least you said something.
“T-That’s one way to put it, yes.”
“I doubt you would have ruined anything by telling me that. I believe the feeling is mutual.”
Philip felt you slip your arm around his and your hand into his gloved one as you leaned against his shoulder. Glancing at you, he found your expression was semi-content but still held a tinge of anger. His stare relaxed before turning his attention back to the rain. It felt as if his own heart was doing backflips. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out the next part.
“If it is, then how badly do you wish to anger Alder for what he’s done?”
You stared forward blankly, the side of your mouth twitching before glaring at the rain.
“Very. He had no right endangering your life or making unfounded accusations against you or for kidnapping me,” you tightened your grip on his hand. “He acts as if he has a say in my life and it sickens me.”
This answer steeled Philip’s nerves and his confidence returned trifold.
“Hm. Well, we could commit to one another,” he sighed. “If you’ll have me, of course.”
Your brows flashed and your head snapped in his direction to meet his gaze. You slowly sat up as what he said sank in.
“What…?”
“It’s only a thought,” Philip shrugged. “Though, it’s not as romantic as I would have liked and I don’t appreciate that foppish gobermouch forcing my hand so soon. I haven’t the chance to speak to your father…”
Your gaze was that of a deer caught in headlights. Any anger you held onto was now gone as your head spun while trying to process the fact that he had just asked you to marry him. The shock of the idea someone actually wanted to…
“You want to…?”
Philip chuckled some with a slight smirk.
“It would twist his knickers to know I laid claim to you and you willingly accepted, but it would… give you a better title for what we are,” he sighed. “I would be your intended, or fiance. Your future husband.”
When you remained silent, he continued.
“I would like to believe I would be a decent husband to someone, though there wasn’t really anyone back home who I was remotely invested in… like this…” he cleared his throat and looked away. “Considering… everything, that someone might as well be you… if you are willing to marry… outside of your… race… You already know I will take care of you and protect you with my life…”
Emotion welled in your chest as he spoke. He sounded so sincere and soft as he rambled.
“But it’s not like we would need to get married soon, either. It can be a long engagement. However, my religion does not use rings for engagements forward but if you would prefer one, I’m sure we can find one… Perhaps, once my journey is completed here, we could wed in my world and I can give you a proper life-”
Without warning, you threw your arms around him and embraced him tightly, hiding your face in his shoulder. Philip gasped from the sudden movement and caught himself from falling over as his free arm wrapped around you, keeping you close.
“I want that…” you murmured. “I want all of that. I don’t care if Alder gets upset… In fact, I don’t even want to do it for him!”
You felt both arms around you now, steadily tightening. Philip stared past you at the rain.
“So be it… However… there… are some things you should know about before-”
“I-In time, Flip… I’ll deal with all of it in stride…” you pulled away to look at him, your hand settling on his cheek. You hadn’t realized the tears swelling in your eyes until one streaked down your face. “I don’t care what it is. And I don’t want you to go to my family. They’re just as bad as Alder.”
“I really think that I should tell you-” the man began but then paused. “Wait, what?!”
Philip’s eye twitched when you reiterated what Alder had told you, including the part about going to your father to get his permission to retrieve you. The more he listened, the tighter his hold on you became and his eyes relaxed once more. You were too excited to notice the tone shift to a much darker one after he kissed your cheek.
“Don’t worry, Angel. I will never let anyone take you away from me again…”