I Fell Apart

I was silent for a moment.

"Love?" I asked incredulously. "Love?" I asked again a little louder. I took my hand away, putting it to my side. I blinked my suddenly teary eyes. "You clearly know nothing about love. I've been in love," I said pointing to myself angrily. "I was in love and it's gone now. How can you talk of love when this is the first time we have ever met?" I backed my chair away from him and stood up. "Who are you to talk of love?" I said a little quieter. "This is all too strange. Everything about you scares me." He looked up at me quickly, his eyes sad, but still a bright gold color.

"I'm sorry. I've been too forward. I'm not used to.... Back home things work a little differently for me." He stood up, looking deep into my eyes. "I know that you haven't known me long, but I promise you that these feelings I have... they are very real. It may scare you... It does scare you, but it's the truth. This is my truth. You remember you wanted me to be honest, don't you?" he said with a smile. I swallowed nervously, not looking away from his eyes. I felt such a strange connection with him. I didn't like it. I felt so confused.

"But, this.... None of this makes any sense." He lifted a hand, brushing some hair out of my face, keeping eye contact. He held his hand on the side of my face. I took in a deep breath.

"I feel different around you, Rose. Like... things are going to be okay. You're peace and quiet and beauty. It's quite a change from what I've come from," he said sadly, trailing off.

"You mean your brother?" He looked away briefly, down to the floor, then met my eyes again.

"Mostly. Sort of. It's complicated." He brought his other hand up to my face, brushing his thumb across my cheek bone once or twice to get rid of a few trails of tears. His face got closer to mine.

"Who are you?" He smiled lightly.

"That's sort of complicated too." I searched his eyes.

"Well, with this whole honesty thing, we're going to have to start somewhere." He held his smile.

"I suppose you're right." He pressed his lips to mine. I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of honey- sweet and heavy. I felt my heartbeat quicken. He deepened the kiss and I didn't stop it. I put one of my hands in his hair, pushing his lips closer to me. I had never felt like this before... I've been in love, and I've felt lust, but this was... different.

Who the fuck is he?

-*-

Jared wasn't sure whether he should be angry or happy.

He got to touch her, smell her. He almost got to taste her.

But, Shannon just had to get in the way. Again.

Jared saw her first, and had staked his claim long ago. Rose was none of Shannon's business.

And, so what if Jared had crossed Shannon's so called "boundaries"? Shannon had crossed his by stealing what was rightfully his. Jared couldn't give a shit about Shannon's title or his crown. This was a matter of territory. Jared's rightful territory. Shannon owed him at least that much...

Shannon was born for the crown. Raised to become their parents rightful heir. And, Jared knew that since birth. The only reason Jared had been born was just in case. Just in case Shannon was killed or just in case he... chose wrong. Jared learned everything that Shannon learned because he was his parents' back up plan. He always took the back seat to his wonderful brother.

And, they'd always gotten along fine when they were kids. In fact, Jared really loved his brother, and Shannon loved him back. But, as Jared grew older and became more and more resentful of Shannon's luck, they grew further and further apart. Jared was the first to leave their home in Romania, a couple days after their father finally died and Shannon took his place as King. Jared left to find a following further West, in France. And, that's when the war started. The war for the crown between two brothers who thought that they both deserved it more than the other. Shannon was fueled by betrayal and Jared was fueled by hated. They were both strong and worthy opponents, and they were both at a stalemate. And, without the other knowing, they eventually went to America to find more followers.

And, they found Rose.

And, that's how their war escalated and started to end. One hundred years is a long time to fight. There had to be some sort of breaking point for them, right? Of course. But, who would have ever guessed their breaking point would have come in the form of a woman? A doctor? A human? But, she was just so beautiful...

And, Jared saw her first! Which is why he had to kill the boy, of course. Once that boy was out of the way, Jared thought that she would be free for him. Unfortunately, Rose took his death a little harder than he'd imagined. But, it had to be done.

But, then Shannon got in the way! So, Jared would have to take care of Shannon, just like he took care of the boy. He would end this war, become King, and make Rose his Queen. Or he would die trying.