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She blushed lightly and pulled her hand back into her side. “Nothing… you looked peaceful…” she murmured softly, sitting down on the floor in front of the couch. “Why didn’t you take the bed?” She asked sternly, looking him up and down, an annoyed expression on her face.
She couldn’t fall for him. She wouldn’t. He was the one who agreed to take her to wife, the one who took her captive in a marriage she didn’t want.
He slowly got up, slightly wincing when he did. "You were sleeping so peacefully. I didn't want to wake you." He massaged his shoulder.
He got up and looked down at her. "Did you want to eat?"
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She avoided eye contact with him but nodded gently. “I do… I am hungry and you’re a good cook.” She murmured, hugging herself. “I’m going to shower real quick.” She told him gently as she grabbed a pair of clean clothes and entered the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She sighed as she stared at herself in the mirror.
“Peaceful…? Yeah right… he probably just doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.” She said quietly to herself, sighing sadly. She longed for love, for her soulmate to come and save her but she knew those were only stories and she couldn’t escape this. It was her ‘duty’ after all.
Arabella was in and out of the shower quickly, dressed and drying her hair with her towel. “What’s for breakfast?” She asked him coldly, moving to sit at the table.
Mal grinned and handed her a rather large plate with bacon, pancakes, syrup, strawberries, and the rest of the common breakfast items. "Eat that." He commanded her. She looked too skinny, and he wanted to help with that.
He walked over to the bathroom, taking his clothes with him inside. She better eat all of that. I made it especially for her.
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She thanked him softly, looking down at the food softly. It was a lot but she would try and eat it all. Especially because she was starving.
She sat down and placed a strawberry in her mouth, humming at the sweet taste of the fruit. She mentally thanked him again.
Mal finished his shower in a matter of 10 minutes (to be exact.) He walked out, fully clothed and saw that she was still eating.
"Is it good?" He went behind the counter to find something that he could eat.
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Arabella had a mouthful of pancake when he exited. She blushed lightly and swallowed quickly. “It’s good…” she murmured, looking up at him with slightly narrowed eyes. “What do we have planned for today?” She asked him in a business tone.
“This is our honeymoon…” she fell silent, finishing up her plate with a soft - and very sad - sigh. “We should at least try and enjoy ourselves, yes?”
He grabbed a PopTart and started to nibble on it. "Is there anything you'd like to do?" He leaned on the table with his elbows.
Mal glanced out the window and smiled. "It is quite lovely outside."
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Yeah, divorce you… Arabella refrained from saying what she really wanted to say and instead took a look out the window and sighing. “I’d love to take a walk outside… the gardens are beautiful and I really just want some fresh air.”
She played with her wedding ring, staring down at it. It was rather beautiful, whoever had picked it out had good taste. “Or we could go to the hot springs or whatever they have and just go for a swim.”
"We could always do both," he gave her a toothy smile and looked outside again. "Though it might not be nice tomorrow, so I say we go for a walk here pretty soon."
He threw away the crumbs of his breakfast and started to wash her plate. He enjoyed cleaning. It was instantly gratifying. And it not only does it help relieve stress, but it also gets stuff clean.
When he finished, he turned to her and asked, "You ready?"
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She stared out at the sky, listening to the sound of the water hit the dish as he cleaned. The female was wondering how hard it would be to find a job with long hours. Of course they didn’t need money, he was rich after all, but she didn’t want to be home with Mal. She’d rather not spend every waking hour with him.
Her head turned to him as he spoke but her eyes never left the scenery. “Yes, I’m ready… let me just slide some shoes on.” She murmured, scuffling over to their shoes and sliding her flats on.
Mal put on his shoes and opened the door, holding it open for her. "After you milady," he grinned and did a slight bow.
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Arabella scoffed at his words and rolled her eyes, sliding on a small jacket. When she passed him she smiled slightly, amused by his words and actions. He was playfully cute sometimes, she had to admit that. “Oh hush, your royal highness…” she returned, putting a bit of poison behind her words.
Once again her eyes fell to her wedding ring. She sighed loudly at it and bit her lip. It was a symbol of her chains, of the metaphorical prison she was stuck in. At least it was pretty and he wasn’t a complete asshole.
(Sorry that took so long! I've been getting way too behind with my rp's)
Mal heard her sigh. Closing the door behind him, he asked, "Something bothering you?" He opened the door leading to the park (or wherever) for her again.
He felt kind of bad. She clearly doesn't want to be in this marriage. Was it fair for him to just marry her like that? He is helping out her family, and he is a great husband. But she seemed so unhappy, it made his heart ache. He wished that there was a way to make her like him.
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(Youre ok!!)
“No, I'll be Alright… I just… I didn’t think I’d be married so young.” She replied simply, looking at him with a sad light in her eyes. “I really shouldn’t be so rude or so bothered by it… you’re helping my family.” She murmured, pulling her jacket more around herself for comfort.
“I am sorry I am so cold towards you… but, I just can’t love you, Mal. You are a wonderful man, a kind one with a lot of skills, but you aren’t someone I can fall for.”
Mal winced internally. Ouch. He didn't let his slight faltering show though. He smiled at her and tried to lighten the mood by changing the subject, "I'm wonderful, eh?," he chuckled. "I already knew that, dear."
He was wondering if maybe he should divorce her. He didn't want to let her go. But that was being selfish, a trait he hated with a burning passion. Besides, it was too early in the marriage to divorce her right off the bat. That would be weird, and it would damage both of their reputations, hers more so. Maybe, later on, I could let her see other people. Like an open relationship… He shuddered at the thought of sharing a human person. We'll see.
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She flashed him a small smile, laughing softly. “Yes, I can’t hate you. You’re a good man.” Arabella stared up at his handsome face, wishing she could have met him under different circumstances. In all truth, he was someone she could have fallen for. It’s just the way she was forced into his hands that she didn’t like.
Arabella shook her thoughts away, hugging herself once again as she looked around. “It’s pretty…”
(whaT i thought i replied to this-)
"It's alright," he commented. Mal didn't actually care about their surroundings. He didn't tend to enjoy scenery like others would. To him, it was just more land. Who cares if it was pretty or not?
He looked at Arabella and tilted his head. "So, what do you like to do for fun?"
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(It’s okkkeeyy I’m back home early from vacation already btw. Our car had troubles.)
She glanced at him when he spoke up, her eyes wide and questioning. “For fun…?” She asked, blushing lightly when she processed his question.
“Oh, well, I like painting… a lot. I have a few pieces hanging at my family’s house. I also really enjoy fantasy novels. And walking alone, or at least in a place like this. I don’t mind some company. I never really had real friends.”
(Oh welcome back!)
He grinned at her. "You could become a painter if you wish." He frowned when she said 'real friends'. He knew exactly what that felt like. "Those 'friends' of yours probably weren't even worthy." he said, seemingly bitter.
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(Thanks!)
Arabella’s head shot up. She looked to him in bewilderment and maybe even just a little bit of admiration. “I could? You wouldn’t care? You don’t think it’s silly?” She asked him, her eyes wide and happy.
Her expression fell at his bitter tone. She nodded softly and slid a little closer to him. She didn’t love him but she still wanted a bit of attention and love.
“My father seemed to think so. He hired all of my friends and drove off those I made for myself. I just turned out lonely.”
He smiled at her reaction. "Of course you can paint. Why would that be silly? It's not like I'm going to tell you what to do and what not to do."
He sighed. I feel like I should hug her… She probably wouldn't like that. "I'm sorry about that. At least you don't have to worry about that anymore, eh?" He chuckled and instinctively gently ruffled her hair a bit. That was a weird habit of his, no matter who it was, he would always pat their head to show his affection.
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She felt her eyes prickle with tears threatening to fall. She bit her lip to keep from crying and slipped her hand into his. “Thank you… you don’t know how much that means to me.” She murmured softly, avoiding his gaze.
When he ruffled her hair she giggled softly, raising her eyes to look at his handsome face. “I won’t have to worry about it. I hope we can become at least friends. I don’t want to hate you.”
Mal was slightly confused by her reaction to him allowing her to paint. She probably wasn't allowed to do much.. he silently assumed. That's definitely going to change
Mal grinned at her. "Of course we can become friends." It's not exactly what he wanted, but he guessed it would have to do. He couldn't force anyone to love him.
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Her grip tightened on his hand, a small and genuine smile making its way to her eyes. She sighed softly, glad to have the burden of being married to someone she hated off her chest. Of course she still slightly disliked him for agreeing to this arrangement. But she knew her emotions towards him wouldn’t change with just a few words.
Her eyes wandered the scenery, a soft sigh leaving her lips as she took her hand back. “You know Mal, you’re a lot less strict than my parents… you’ve let me do so much already and it’s only our honeymoon.” She murmured softly, blushing lightly and feeling a little sick at the idea of what normal couples did on their honeymoon. She didn’t want to bed with him.
"That's because I'm treating you like a human being, rather than a doll that I show off to everyone," he sighed. In truth, Mal knew how she was treated. Part of the reason why he agreed to marry her was so he could save her from that unhealthy lifestyle. But he wasn't about to go and admit that anytime soon.
He gave her a comforting smile and told her, "Feel free to do anything you wish. Except for getting a pet spider. That's the only thing I forbid." He chuckled softly.
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Arabella looked away at his words and nodded. “Thank you… I don’t want to be a trophy wife…” she murmured softly, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
He was so kind… she felt like she didn’t deserve this. “I won’t get a spider. I hate them.” She said with a soft laugh. “But I wouldn’t mind a cat or dog.”
Mal internally sighed with relief. If she did get a pet spider, he would have to live in a completely different house than her. The only time he liked spiders was when they were dead or out of sight. "It's your decision." He wanted to make her feel happy and protected. And most importantly, free.
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“I’m kidding, we don’t have to get a pet.” She said with a bright, fake smile, her hand itching to take his again.
She didn’t love him but he provided attention and touch.
"If that is your wish," he smiled at her once more and glanced up at the sky. "What kind of things do you like to paint?"
