To Thine Own Heart Be True (DONE)

[henry]

Henry was unaccustomed to work, but that didn't mean he had forgotten how to do it. So much planning had gone into this day. Preparations had been made, and most of them by his own hand. It wasn't that he didn't trust the servants, but this was one thing he'd wanted to do himself. He'd only had servants do the menial jobs that he absolutely couldn't get to. All this work had accomplished a couple of things as well. Henry hadn't had time to dwell on his situation and his lack of female companionship. One of the downfalls, though, was that he was constantly thinking about Elina as he was preparing this. Grinning to himself, he carefully laid a note down on the kitchen counter next to a rolled up scroll of parchment paper. Next to that, he carefully set down a key.

There were still a couple of things he had to take care of, and it would be a couple hours yet before Elina got back for their "curfew." Hopefully, he could get done and get out of here before she got back. Heading off to the wine pantry, he propped his second clue on the shelf eye level inside the doorway so she wouldn't be able to miss it. Then, he had to get her gift prepared which took a little bit of work. He'd put the gift in the freezer for awhile to make sure it was good and chilled. He propped it up and hung two wine glasses on either side of it. Hopefully she'd like it. Running a hand through his short cropped hair, he wondered if this was going to work. Henry was fairly experienced when it came to seducing women, but as it was in everything else, Elina was different. He just crossed his fingers and hoped his clues made sense.

With a sigh, Henry closed and locked the wine cabinet. The locks were new, and he'd probably have them taken out after this was over, but he thought it added a little something for her to actually have to unlock the door. Moving into the kitchen, he turned the iHome on softly in the background and started preparing his dessert. The bowl was already made, but he added the ice cream, the topping, and placed the covered dish in the freezer next to his third clue. He straightened the note so that it sat better and took a last look around. The room was filled with fragrant candles and the sun was getting ready to make it's decent to the horizon. So far, everything was perfect. He still felt apprehensive, though. What if he'd misunderstood her waiting period? What if all of this was for nothing?

Henry shook his head as he moved into the bedroom. No, it wasn't for nothing. Even if Elina didn't sleep with him tonight, it still wouldn't be for nothing. Everything was changing, and she was at the heart of it. She was bringing out aspects of himself that he didn't even know existed. So no matter what happened tonight, this was a way to thank her for that. He grinned in a self-mocking way as he passed the bed to get to the adjoining bathroom. Who would have thought? Henry doing something seductive and not really considering the benefits to himself... It was more proof that she was changing him. Well, perhaps not changing him, but uncovering who he would have been had his mother never left. Henry blinked at himself. She really must be getting to him if he even let that thought get anywhere near the surface. He stamped on it ruthlessly as he started decorating the hot tub.

Once everything was arranged to his satisfaction, he took one last look at the candlelit bathroom before he backed out and softly closed the door. He was almost done. Almost. Just a few more touches here and there before he could get started on the bedroom itself. Glancing at his phone, he grimaced. He didn't have much time left. Gathering the supplies he had stashed in the closet, he got started. More candles would light the space, but he didn't light those yet. He had work to do first. Servants had been in before to straighten things up, and they had been given special instructions this time. The entire room had gotten a thorough cleaning, and the bed sheets were freshly laundered. Elina's orchids dotted the room and he left those there. It was her personal mark on the space and he found that he liked it. He liked the feeling that she'd claimed him.

Shaking out the large pieces of fabric from the closet, he draped it over the canopy on the bed to hide the area from view. He didn't want her peeking at the bed before she made it to the bathroom, and this would also make the space more cozy for later. Henry sucked in a deep breath at the wave of desire that rolled through him. It was getting bad if all he had to do was think about her. Thoughts flashed through his mind as he remembered the encounter in his office. Oh, how she made his blood burn. He closed his eyes and let himself imagine for a moment. With a soft moan, he clenched his teeth and opened his eyes. Okay, perhaps he wouldn't imagine. He got back to work instead, placing the finishing touches on the bed. He placed another parchment paper on the pillow and walked to the other side of the bed, pulling the curtains closed as he went.

Almost done. There was only one thing left to do. The final clue. He'd taken his time with this one, and he hoped that by the end of this adventure he was taking Elina on, she wouldn't be quite so angry with him. He could tell she'd been upset and frustrated with him when she'd left his office. Hopefully, this evening would make up for that as well. Mentally crossing his fingers, he pinned the last "clue" to the drapes he'd placed around the bed so she'd only see the note when she was coming out of the bathroom. Now that he was mostly done, he walked through the entire suite, lighting candles and turning off artificial lights. As he did so, he got more and more nervous which had been a foreign sensation before he'd met Elina. Now that they were engaged, his nerves were almost a constant companion. That and his desire. If he got shoved into a room with her and no memory, only his feelings to judge by, he'd say he was still a pup who hadn't experienced his first kiss yet. That's how she made him feel.

With a rueful shake of his head, he double and triple checked everything, including the time. If Elina was on time, which she usually was, she'd be there in a little less than fifteen minutes. Nodding to himself, he went to change his clothes, careful not to disturb anything. In his new attire, Henry took a deep breath to survey the room and the work he'd done, feeling like something big was about to change. This night was about more than sex. Somewhere, deep down, he knew that. He had that sensation of standing on a cliff edge again, only this time he didn't know if he wanted to scramble away from the edge, or jump off. He supposed it would depend on if Elina was there to catch him or not. With one last deep breath, Henry turned and left the suite. For awhile anyway, he was going to hide out somewhere nobody would think to look for him... his office.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

Elina was in a rather depressing mood at the moment. Her mother and Gerard went looking for a wedding dress today. They spent most of the day looking around for the perfect dress. They even went up to the mainland and still had no luck. Elina was thoroughly discouraged that she couldn't find the dress. Yes, she found plenty of dresses that looked beautiful and would be perfect for a beach wedding, but none of them were the one. That dress that just spoke to you. It screamed out at you, "here I am! I am the dress you want!" None of the ones they saw today did that.

She sighed as she walked through the halls of the palace, feeling a little down trodden from today's unsuccessful dress. She knew she had more time to find it, but she could only search for so long. She only had a month and a half left. She looked around for a moment as she came up to the doors to her and Henry's suite. She wasn't really in the mood to be in close proximity to Henry right now. Not when she was so down because of one of the most important aspects of all the wedding plans. He wouldn't understand how upset she was, although she was starting to think he understood more than she gave him credit for. She looked down at her watch for a moment before quietly slipping into the suite. She blinked, looking around at all the candles. And there was soft soothing music playing. She frowned softly and looked around for a moment. "Henry?" She looked for him, starting first in the kitchen.

That was when she found the first clue. She looked to the note with a frown on her face. What was this about? She read over the note carefully, rubbing her forehead tiredly. She growled softly as the note prompted her to open the scroll. She reached her hand out to it, mumbling in frustration. "Henry... I'm not in the mood for your childishne......." She stared at the picture in utter surprise. She did not realize that Henry was an artist, much less any good at being an artist. She stared at the sketch of herself, feeling her heart flutter a little at the initials at the bottom. He did this himself, and it was good. She smiled and set the portrait down before looking to the key that sat on the counter.

She studied it thoughtfully. Now he definitely had her interest. It wasn't any ordinary key either. It had a beautiful , ornate, antique style- like a skeleton key- to the part one would grasp. She fingered the key thoughtfully for a moment before she looked to the wine pantry door and tried the key on the door. Sure enough, it worked and she walked into the pantry, looking around for the next clue. She spotted it easily and what she assumed was a gift. She studied the odd bottle for a moment. Was that chocolate on the bottle!? She took the note and read it over carefully. She looked to the bottle and chuckled. She took the bottle and went back into the kitchen, where she poured herself a glass and Henry a glass. She left his sitting in the fridge to chill and scribbled a note, leaving it on the outside of the suite door before going back to finding the next treat. And when she did she could have died and gone to heaven.

Ice cream in a bowl shaped cookie? The man knew how women worked. That was for certain. She took a spoon and sliced into it and found the key and a note with it. She read the note for a moment . She smirked and ate a bite of the ice cream before taking the key and licking some of the ice cream off of it before rinsing it off in the sink. She decided she would save the dessert for later and carefully placed it back into the freezer before going to the bedroom. She unlocked the door and chuckled before she slowly stepped into the room and set the other notes on her vanity along with the sketch.

It just clicked to her. This was why he wanted the parchment paper. To leave his sketch and clues for her. She smiled, studying the sketch once more for a moment before she went to the bathroom. She looked around for a moment, but something caught her eyes. Red in the tub. She looked to the luxurious tub and she smiled, shaking her head. It looked like he had it for the most part set up. She sprinkled in some floral scented bath salts before she started up the warm water and watched as the tub filled, petals floating about on the surface of the water. She slowly began to strip out of her clothes as the tub filled. She turned on the jacuzzi jets once she was stripped down. She slowly eased into the hot, soothing bubbles, watching the rose petals. She picked up the stray rose sitting on the edge and sniffed at the fragrant flower before stroking the fleshy petals along her cheek. She closed her eyes and she just sat there in the tub, relaxing for a very long time. She needed this. She hadn't realized how much she needed it today until now. She was still a little upset that she didn't find the dress, but this helped to cheer her up a little.

She must have dozed off for a bit because she woke to find the water cold and the jets cut off. She smiled and slowly eased herself out of the tub, reaching to her towels. She began toweling herself dry. Once she was cleaned up she made her way to the bedroom. She looked to the bed curtain as she came out of the bathroom wrapped up in a towel, blotting her hair dry on another one. She noticed the note on them then. She slowly walked over to the bed and took the paper, which she quickly realized was her next clue. She read over it for a moment thoughtfully, her finger stroking over the parchment paper. She could almost cry at this. This was so... incredibly romantic, and certainly something a gentleman would do. She smiled weakly and reached up to the top of the curtains and pushed it aside. She smiled weakly and shook her head as she saw the beautiful bedspread and the roses and petals and candles and... She glanced to the pillow and grinned softly. Another sketch. She smiled weakly. Oh, he so knew she was going to sleep with him tonight. In a much more intimate way than they had been the last couple of nights.

She gently set the sketch aside on the night stand with the last clue and slipped off the towel. She went back into the bathroom and retrieved her wine after putting the towel in the clothes hamper. She went back into the bedroom and placed the candles on the bed around the room and gently placing the robe on her chaise lounge that sat in front of a window nearby. She climbed into the bed, taking a handful of the rose petals. She settled herself on the bed once she opened up the curtains and she situated herself, lounging across the bed on her side, facing the bedroom door. She gently laid the pedals along her naked body. Most of them clustering in the dip of her hour glass figure.

And she waited for him, sipping at her wine casually.

[henry]

Henry sat in his office, tapping his fingers against the desk rapidly. About fifteen times now, he'd almost gotten up and gone back to the suite and had to force himself back into his chair. It was everything he could do not to pace like a caged animal, even though he was in a sense. But there was no way Elina would be done yet, and that was assuming she'd been back to the suite shortly after he left. He sighed, but his fingers didn't still. One of the guards, Jason this time, was waiting outside the office. Henry could hear him breathing from under the closed door. It had been rather difficult to convince them to let him leave the suite "after hours" without giving away what he was doing. It had taken a couple cashed in favors along with a couple new promises made to make them look away for awhile. One concession had been for Jason to come along to his office, just to make sure Henry didn't do anything he wasn't supposed to. It was fair, especially considering his past exploits.

"Jason, come in here a minute." The office door cracked open before admitting the tall, somewhat lanky lycan guard. Jason stopped in front of the desk and bowed his head. "Your Grace." Henry stopped drumming his fingers against the polished mahogony and looked up. He kept his voice low as he spoke to the young man. "Could you make a couple of arrangements for me? You don't have to go personally, but pick someone trustworthy and send them to the mainland. I have a special order from a company that needs picked up. Silly humans won't ship it here as if we eat people or something." Henry rolled his eyes at the way some humans behaved toward lycans, but he understood. They had a bad reputation that was going to take them many years yet to overcome. Picking up a pen, he wrote down the address and handed it over. Jason took it with a small bow and turned to leave, but he paused, looking over his shoulder. "Your Grace, about the.. uh.. other arrangement...?" Henry waved a hand. "It'll be taken care of."

Jason nodded and went back to wait outside the door and Henry finally gave in to the urge to pace. How long had it been since he'd left the suite? An hour? Two? He'd stubbornly refused to check the time, knowing that would only make time seem to pass slower. He'd even snuck into Richard's office and snagged some paperwork to ease his boredom and anticipation. He'd left notes in the folders and returned them, but that had probably been a half an hour ago. Unable to stand it any longer, he checked the time. Growling under his breath he flopped back down into his chair. He'd give her another half hour. After that, he doubted he'd be able to remain in this room even if Angel and Dawn both tried to stop him.

Fifteen minutes later, Henry was striding down the hallway, hoping that everything had gone as planned. His mouth was going dry and his pants were already uncomfortably tight. The closer he got to the suite, the harder and faster his heart beat. He knew that once he so much as touched Elina's fingers with is own, that there would be no stopping. Not this time. Even his skin tingled in anticipation. As he neared the door of the suite, he caught Elina's scent along with a trace of the scents inside the room. Roses and chocolate. Clean linen and soap. That combined with Elina's scent nearly made his knees buckle. He'd never wanted anyone the way he wanted her. He shook his head at himself with a small sigh. She wasn't a want. She was a need.

Stopping at the door, Henry pulled down a note that she'd left for him. He half expected it to say something like, "go away" or "stay out, Henry." She'd been giving him the cold shoulder ever since he told her he wouldn't be going with her to meet Gerard about wedding plans. Sadly, that hadn't dampened his desire in the least. More and more, he'd been wanting to make it up to her. He swore then that he'd go with her the next time she was to meet him. Reading the note, he smiled. With a cheerful nod to the guard, Henry stepped inside the room. The effect of the candles now that the sun had set was more than he had expected. The lighting was gorgeous, but he didn't want to burn the place down, either. With a regretful sigh, he blew most of them out while carrying another one with him to the fridge where he found his glass of wine. Parched as he was, he took a sip and sighed in satisfaction. Elina had good taste.

Henry tried to take a calming breath, but it didn't work. It never really had before and he didn't know why he still tried. Perhaps it was to say that he'd at least tried to calm down. Taking the glass of wine with him, he walked to the bedroom and stopped in front of the door. He didn't hear any sounds coming from inside. He took another useless breath before easing the door open and stepping inside. Perhaps taking a breath had been a good idea after all, because at the sight of Elina lying there in his bed covered in rose pedals... Henry forgot how to breathe. His heart raced like he'd run a marathon and he whispered, "Beautiful." Somewhere in the back of his mind, he remembered her telling him that she didn't need a man to tell her she was beautiful, but he couldn't help it. Henry had always called things as he saw them, and the sight in front of him was extraordinary.

He didn't know how long he stood there without breathing, but he eventually gasped in a breath. He shook his head with a smile. He should have known she'd turn the tables on him somehow, and she'd accomplished it with no preparation. Henry stepped forward, his desire growing with each step so that it was nearly out of control. His muscles were tight, his palms sweaty. He licked his lips as he reached the edge of the bed. He'd been planning on saying something, but he couldn't remember what it was. Everything had fled from his mind as soon as he stepped into the room. Maybe they didn't need words. Perhaps that was the whole point. Slowly, Henry reached up and started undoing the buttons of his shirt, never taking his eyes off of the woman in front of him. Elina, his future wife. Now he just needed a dose of self control.

As if to make up for the lack of breathing before, he was nearly panting now with the force of his desire. He had to have her. It was as simple and as complicated as that. He set the wine aside and let his shirt fall to the floor. Reaching down, he grasped her hand and held it to his bare chest, not saying anything. She would know exactly what he meant by the gesture. She would feel his heart racing and know that there was no turning back now. His entire body on fire, he held his eyes to hers, feeling something that he'd never felt before for any woman. The force of that unknown feeling nearly brought tears to his eyes and he swallowed. Perhaps this marriage thing wouldn't be so bad after all.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

She could hear him moving around outside and it drove her insane. She wanted him to come in already! She wanted him to see her in all her naked glory in the candle light. She wanted to see his reaction when he found her laying in the bed naked. Waiting for him. She wish he would get his ass in here already! She took one last swig of wine as the door opened. She smiled up at Henry seductively as he came through the door and then closed it behind him. She said nothing. She just sat there, and she waited for him. Her smile softened as he murmured one word. One word, she had to admit, she enjoyed hearing from his lips. Even if she did not need a man to tell her so. Her eyes locked onto him intensely as he began the long trek from the door to the bed. It seemed as if it would take forever for him to make it to the bed, but he finally did. He finally did and she watched.

She watched him intently as he began to undo his shirt buttons. It took all her control to keep from ripping his shirt off of him. She met his gaze as he took her hand and laid it over his beating heart. It was beating like a jackhammer against her hand. She slowly sat up so that she stood on her knees, petals cascading down from her bare skin. She met him at the edge of the bed, running her fingers up and down his chest softly as her chocolate pools met those ice blue eyes. She murmured his name ever so softly as she brushed a tender kiss over his bare shoulder. Her hands trailed over his chest and downward to his pants. While her hands softly and expertly undid his belt and pants, her lips grazed along his shoulder. He smelled... sensual. She could smell the faint hint of jasmine and lavender on him mixed with a woody scent. Cedar. Yes, definitely cedar. It was so utterly intoxicating.

She murmured his name once more, trailing her kisses along his jaw and nibbling at his ear teasingly. She felt his pants fly give way and she pushed his pants down to the floor before urging him into the bed. There would be no need for teasing and taunting tonight. She wanted him so badly that she was ready for him already, and he was obviously ready for her. She had wanted him since that day in the music hall, but she had to deny him and herself. She would not sleep with a man who slept around. Now, finally... finally, she could give herself to him. She wanted to so badly, but she could not as long as he continued to sleep around. Not only did he vow his fidelity to her, but he kept his word. She hoped he continued to keep his word.

For now though, she was his, and there was nothing either of them could do to stop. There would be no going back tonight.

(fade to black)

She roused from the deep, fitful sleep just before dawn. Truthfully, she did not wish to wake after the night the two of them had. She felt that delicious ache between her legs. It was not the painful sort of ache though. It was that ache you got after you've been thoroughly satisfied multiple times. She let out a soft little grunt and shifted. She did not wish to wake. Not when she was so happily tangled with Henry like she was. She laid her cheek on his chest, listening to the thump of his heart against her ear, soothed by the steady rhythm his heartbeat brought.

Normally she would have loved to get up and out at dawn, but not this morning. No, she just did not wish to disentangle herself from Henry. She yawned sleepily and draped her arm across his abdomen, trying to go back to sleep, enjoying the touch of his skin against hers and the beat of his heart in her ear. That pleasurable ache between her legs. It was all too perfect. Rose petals clinging to her soft skin here and there. As if she were in a dream.

[henry]

Henry's fingers twitched above his head as his mind struggled to wake up. There was a soft, warm female body curled into his side which grunted and shifted, bringing him closer to wakefulness. There was a nagging sensation in the back of his mind, as if he'd thought of something and forgotten it. Somehow, even in that dreamy state between sleep and waking, he knew it had been important. He sighed, unaware of his arm instinctively draping around the woman's waist, unaware if this was dream or reality. Her arm came around his waist as she yawned, pulling Henry even further out of sleep. One eye slowly started to blink open and he smiled a sleepy smile at Elina tucked under his arm. But still, he couldn't recall what had been so important.

The arm that had been thrown up above his head came down. As gently as he could manage, he brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her face. In this moment, sleepy and sated, she was quite possibly the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Last night had definitely been the best of his life. The phrase was overused, but he was completely and totally serious about it. There was nothing else in his experience to compare to it. Henry caught sight of the teeth marks on the back of his hand where he'd bitten himself to keep from waking the entire palace. His grin widened. This silly, infuriating woman really had no idea what she did to him. The forgotten thought was dangerously close to the surface now.

As he continued to wake, he began to remember last night. The things Elina had done to him. The things he'd done to her. And when they were both near exhaustion, they started over from the beginning. It seemed like he'd been waiting his entire life for last night. Henry attempted to roll over, intending to face Elina, but he stopped with a groan. "Oh, ouch." His entire body was stiff as if he'd spent the last week in an intense workout, then curled up in a ball. He guessed that in a sense, he had. None of that dampened the grin on his face. Why couldn't he stop smiling? Giving up, he grinned like a fool and laughed at himself as he stayed in the position he was in. Even early as it was, this was a beautiful day.

The sun hadn't yet risen and the room was bathed in a shallow glow from the moon and the stars. Henry stretched a little, hoping to work the kinks out of his back. Settling back down into the bed, his hand drew lazy circles on Elina's bare hip, but he was still troubled by whatever it was that he'd forgotten. It nagged at him, like a fly on his nose. It was almost as if the thought was too close to see properly. Turning his head and burying his nose in Elina's hair, he gave up trying to remember. It would come to him eventually. This moment was too perfect to mess it up with an abundance of thought.

Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he whispered to her. "Good morning, beautiful." He continued to nuzzle her, feeling more content than he had in years. "I..." That's when it hit him. He remembered that dizzying wave of emotion before she'd pulled him down into the bed. He hadn't understood what it was then, being consumed by desire instead. Oh, but he knew now. Sometime in the night, his mind must have made sense of it. His heart rate picked up and his breathing became shallow as he thought about the repercussions. Even now, even under the nearly blinding fear, he wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her and everyone else he saw. Because he knew without a doubt what that emotion was.

Love.

Henry David Niall, the Prince of the Lycans... was in love.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

Elina roused once more when she felt Henry moving around. She gave a soft little groan of protest as he tried to move. She heard his own pained protest and a weak smirk spread across her lips. He wasn't the only one who was sore. She was pretty sore herself. She had several bruises where he got a little rough (not that she was complaining). She stroked a finger along a scratch on his side that her hand caused just hours ago. Yes, that first time was... rough, but it had been hot and fiery and passionate. They both had several small injuries from that first tumble in the sheets, but hat second one was better. She turned to him in the bed afterwards and he had been tender. Tender and soft and gentle. Soft spoken words and soft touches.

She murmured his name softly, still half asleep as she felt his nose nuzzling into her hair. She turned so that she laid on her belly, her nose nuzzling against his shoulder softly. She tenderly brushed her lips over his skin before pressing close to hi and burying her face between his shoulder and his pillow sleepily. She didn't really want to get out of the bed. She felt so deliciously satiated and yummy. She could just lay in bed all day long after that amazing night the two of them had. As a matter of fact... that was a very delightful prospect. She let out a soft mew of delight and quivered under the soft circles his fingers created against her skin.

Her eyes slowly fluttered open when she felt his lips brushed against her forehead. "Good morning, handsome." The words were mumbled and sleepy, but she was slowly beginning to wake. She closed her eyes once more. She heard him start to say something, but he trailed off. Her sleepy expression grew questioning as she looked over his face. She could tell something was on his mind. Something upsetting apparently. She wasn't sure she liked the expression on his face. "What is it, Henry?" Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up to him, shifting. She untangled her legs from his and slowly stretched from her very tip toes to the tips of her fingers, which stretched up wards.

[henry]

Henry was astounded. For a moment, he let himself examine what he felt. Love was beautiful and terrible at the same time. It filled him up until he thought he'd burst with it and he wanted to run from it at the same time. It was something he never thought he'd feel. He loved his father and his brother, but it wasn't the same. This was completely different, and it scared the living shit out of him. Elina stirred next to him, and asked him what was wrong. Nothing. Everything. What could he tell her? He knew what he wanted to tell her, but he couldn't do it. The words were right there on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't bare himself that way. Not like that. Telling her that he loved her and meaning it... he didn't think there would be any going back from that. He wasn't sure there was any going back now as it was. Still, the words were there, waiting for him to speak them. I love you... It whispered through his mind.

Elina untangled herself from him and he nearly whimpered at the loss of contact. On some level, he wanted to be as far away from her as possible. On another, much deeper level, he didn't want to be parted from her for any reason. She didn't get up though. She merely stretched and he smiled at her, trying to ignore her question. He walked his fingers up her abdomen playfully, trying to stamp down his fear. He had to think of something to say that didn't involve those three little words popping out of his mouth. Had he said it last night? He couldn't remember. Sweet Luna above, what if he had? He vaguely remembered whispering to her multiple times, but he couldn't recall the words. Damn, damn, damn, damn... That would be just like a typical male. Confess his love in the middle of an intimate moment.

Henry didn't want to get up just yet, but he needed food and he wouldn't be against going for a run. He needed some time to think and he needed to be alone to do it. With a regretful groan, he took his hand away from Elina and swung his legs over the side of the bed as he sat up and scrubbed a hand over his face. Everything he had hurt, but it was a good pain. On the outside at least. On the inside, he was in turmoil. Trying as hard as he could to bury it, he looked around the room for his pants before he realized he didn't care where they were. He had bigger problems to deal with. Twisting a kink out of his back, he watched her from over his shoulder. He let some of his concern show, but he tried to put a playful twist to his features. "Um, El... what did I say last night?" He wasn't sure if he wanted to know, but he needed to.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

She looked down to his fingers as they slowly walked up her stomach and abdomen, and she smiled faintly before laying her hand over his gently and looking up to him with a sleepy smile. "I need more rest if your hands intend to roam any further upwards." She murmured sleepily as she closed her eyes and laid her cheek against the cool fabric of her pillow. Her thumb softly stroked over his knuckles

"You said a lot of things last night, Henry." She stated matter of factly as she fingered some of the curtains he draped over the posts of the bed softly. "I remember a few, 'Dear Luna's, a lot of 'Oh Elina's' and about five to ten 'I love you's. Among other, more vulger, yet totally sexy things." She stated as she closed her eyes sleepily and laid a hand over her bare belly. She really thought nothing of the 'i love you's she heard at the time. Just about every man on the face of the earth murmured those words when they were getting a good fuck. That didn't mean they really meant the words. It wouldn't be the first time a man murmured those words to her in the middle of love making. He was one of several who were very vocal about how she made them feel. She certainly didn't expect Henry to actually mean what he said.

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked to him, reaching a hand out to him, she ran her fingers along his spine. "Henry... what's bothering you?" The words were soft and gentle as she turned onto her stomach so she could face him better. She knew it wasn't the sex. There was no way a man could fake it that well. Something else was bothering him. Was it something he said last night while they were making love? Surely not. They were harmless words only meant to show how much he was enjoying himself. She was being realistic. She knew the chances of there being anything other than companionship between them was slim. She didn't expect him to love her. All she expected was fidelity.

[henry]

Henry sat there on the edge of the bed, muscles tensed, awaiting the verdict. He'd never in his hundred and fifty years told a woman that he loved her. He couldn't even remember saying it to his mother. He lied to women and used them for temporary satisfaction, but he never told them he loved them. It was against his rules. He'd tell a woman anything but that. And he knew for certain that he'd never been in love before. He'd gone to great lengths to prevent it from happening. Then along came Elina, turning everything upside down and making him question his own sanity. Henry could almost choke his father for arranging this marriage. Almost.

Then Elina told him what he'd said. Sweet spirits above. He clenched his eyes shut and concentrated on his breathing to keep himself from running from the room. The room? Hell, he wanted to run from the palace, the island, himself, and his love for the woman in his bed. His future wife and mate. To top it all off, she'd said it so plainly as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Either she accepted the fact that he loved her, or she thought it was just something he said in the throes of passion. He was hoping for the second option. Part of him wished he could go back in time and keep his mouth shut. He scoffed to himself. He thought that a lot about things he'd said to her. It said much about her character that she hadn't run screaming from his flapping mouth yet.

Henry heard the bed rustle behind him just before he felt slender fingers trailing down his spine. He wanted to lay back down and curl up to her. He wanted to take her up into his arms and make love to her again until neither of them could so much as walk. He wanted to tell her that he loved her so much it hurt. It was like a vise around his heart, chaining him to her. He couldn't let this happen. He had to find a way out. Fear and love were fighting for dominance within him and it was a brilliant and bloody battle. He had to get away from her for awhile to think, but he didn't know if he could pull himself away from her. Turning, he grasped her hand and pressed kisses to her fingers. He knew that if he stayed in here much longer, he wouldn't leave. "It's not you, I promise you. Last night was beyond perfect." He met her gaze, hoping his absolute terror didn't show. "I just have something I need to work out in my head." He managed a small smile before letting go of her and standing. "I'll be back in time to make breakfast. Get some rest, beautiful."

Since he was going for a run anyway, he didn't bother with clothes at all. Most of the palace doors were left cracked just in case, so he opened the bedroom door and made his way into the outer sitting room. Cracking the outer door, which he'd managed to talk the guards into leaving unlocked, he shifted. A small groan involuntarily left his lips as he felt his bones, muscles, and tendons rearrange themselves under his skin. The process had gotten smoother over the years, but it was still painful. On all fours, Henry shook out his black fur. The only part of him that wasn't black, a small coin-sized patch of white on his chest. He hated it. It was like a target right over his heart. Shaking his head at the direction his thoughts were going, he nosed the door the rest of the way open and nodded to the guards he passed before heading down the hall. He knew they'd follow, but he didn't care. He just needed to find a way to save himself from the woman who'd gotten past his defenses and ensnared him so flawlessly.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

A faint smile spread across her lips as he took her hand and slowly brushed kisses along her fingers. She shivered under the touch of his lips softly, biting her bottom lip softly as she let out a soft noise. She gently rolled back onto her back, studying him worriedly for a moment as he told her to get some rest. "Don't take too long, your highness. " She gave him a knowing grin as she stroked her hand along his as he released it. "I might just be in the mood for a morning treat with breakfast. " She smirked as her dark eyes met his gaze once more. She turned onto her side so that she was facing the nearby window. She pulled the covers up and laid them across her hips and over her chest. She could see the first light of Dawn as the sun began its ascension into the sky.

She watched him in silence for a moment, doe eyes watching him thoughtfully as he stood. She smiled softly, but said nothing. Something was seriously bothering him, but she didn't know what and she didn't want to push him. She only hoped that he would eventually tell her. Once he was gone, she tucked a hand under the pillow her head laid on and she nuzzled her nose into the soft feather down filled pillow to try and sleep.

She couldn't sleep though. She was suddenly restless. She sighed softly and did her best to sleep, but as long as she knew something was up with Henry, she wouldn't be able to sleep. She sighed softly and looked around the room for a moment before she looked to the night stand. She debated for a long time about reading Henry's "little black book." She knew it was there. She found it once before. She rolled till she was flush with the night stand. She looked over her shoulder, afraid he might walk in on her. Perhaps because she felt a little guilty about it. She didn't feel so guilty about reading it that first time. They barely knew each other then and he was still sleeping around at the time. She opened the drawer and picked up the bridal magazine that was in there, and there it was. Leather bound. She studied the book for a moment then looked to her magazine.

If he found out she'd been snooping into his private things, he would be mad with her. She just flipped it open really quick, looking over the names for a moment thoughtfully. She had systematically taken all the women she thought he would go to during their engagement out of the picture. Now she had no reason to worry about it. Or did she? She didn't know that he was being completely faithful with her? What if he promised her fidelity then slept with someone without her knowing?She shook her head softly. "You're worrying over nothing, Elina." She murmured softly before she closed the book and drawer and looked around for a moment. She laid back and opened the catalog. She flipped through pages upon pages of dresses. She was still pretty bummed that she couldn't find the right dress, but she wasn't as upset about it... Or she hadn't been until Henry's sudden mood change.

She sighed and closed her eyes as she once again had no luck at finding the dress. She laid the open magazine over her chest and slowly dozed off for a morning snooze as she awaited her fiance's arrival.

[henry]

Henry ran faster and harder than he ever had before, as if he could leave his feelings behind. Love. Damn it. His muscles bunched under his coat and his paws barely made a sound on the forest floor as he moved. The guards had followed, but they were spread out now, trying to anticipate which direction he would go. It wouldn't take much to lose them, really. They'd track his scent eventually, but Henry wound his path back on itself, tangling his scent to make himself harder to track. There was no particular reason that he did it other than to pit himself against his guards. It might take his mind off of things to outsmart them.

But no matter how hard he tried, Elina was still there in the back of his mind. Love, damn it. How could he love her? He'd tried so hard and done everything he knew how to do to keep himself from this very situation. He loved her, and she held everything in the palm of her hand. Everything. Underneath his fear, he was angry at himself for letting it happen. He should have had more self control. He should have pushed her away harder. He should have done something to keep this from happening. Making a hard left turn, he headed almost back to the palace, passing one of the guards in a blur. Henry caught a disgruntled snarl before the sound was carried away in the breeze. It was sad, but frustrating the guards lifted his spirits a bit.

-----------------------------

After thoroughly confusing the guards repeatedly, Henry slowed down and padded into the pool area, remaining in wolf form since he was too lazy to track down one of the sets of clothes he had stashed in the woods. The servants really hated when anyone went swimming in any form other than human because of the hair issues, but Henry wasn't in the mood to care. He was barely aware of what was going on around him, all of his focus being aimed at internal issues. Elina. Love. The two words were one and the same now. Taking a deep breath, he jumped and dove muzzle first into the water. There was a startled gasp from somewhere ahead of him, but he didn't care about that either. He was the Prince. He could do whatever he damn well pleased.

Coming up for air, he dragged himself out of the water and flopped onto the tiled walkway in a soggy heap, thoroughly miserable with himself. What was he doing? It was a good question, and one to which he had no answer. He closed his eyes and thought about his situation as rationally as he could, trying in vain to push back his panic. Even finding out he was to be married hadn't been this bad. He'd panicked, yes, but not like this. This felt as if his very life was on the line and only Elina could save him. At least the cliff edge was gone now. He'd already leaped, or been pushed perhaps. Now he was just hoping the sudden stop at the end wouldn't kill him.

Henry's eyes snapped open at a soft stroke down his wet back. Looking up a killer set of legs, he growled at the person standing on them. Adrienne. Would she ever cease and leave him alone? He looked around, hoping his guards were still lost and that nobody had seen her stroke him. She didn't even bow or greet him in any formal way. Hell, she didn't greet him at all and he growled again, showing a bit of teeth this time. He wasn't in the mood to deal with her at the moment. He had much, much bigger problems than some skank who thought she was better than she was. "Ah, Henry, you look positively miserable. Why don't you let me cheer you up?" Henry stood and shook water all over her, hoping she would get the message before he stalked off.

He didn't get ten feet from where he'd been before she caught up to him. Maybe if he slept with her, she'd shut up. Henry shook his head at himself and kept walking, doing his best to ignore her in that skimpy bikini. Vaan's interests were moving elsewhere, and Adrienne was desperate, that much was certain. He resisted the urge to snap at her, but he wondered what stopped him. If anyone deserved to get knocked down a peg or two, it was her. He kept walking, Adrienne oddly silent at his side. Henry left the pool area and he wondered if she was going to leave him alone. He didn't leave his suite and the comfort of a warm bed with a wonderful woman in it to get followed around by the likes of her. He needed to think and that didn't include Adrienne.

Henry made his way back to the palace, wondering how lost his guards were. Part of him was anxious to get back to Elina. He wanted to kiss that sweet bottom lip of hers that puckered out when she slept. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair and wake her up with bacon and pancakes. Adrienne pulled him out of his daydream by tugging on his ear. Without a thought, he turned and snapped at her, nearly missing her fingers, but she just smiled at him. Grouchy, are we? Luna, how he wanted to bash her head against a wall. He growled long and low at her before continuing on his way. Once inside the palace doors, he checked the hallway to make sure no one was around. It was unlikely, as this entrance was seldom used. Still, there were certain people he didn't want to see him in all his naked glory.

Turning around to face Adrienne, who'd followed him inside, he shifted back into his human form. He stood before her, staring her down, letting his anger show. Submissives were supposed to look away first, but here she stood, staring back at him like an equal. In one lightning fast movement, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pinned her up against the wall. "Stop. Following. Me. I hope that's clear enough for you." Instead of being cowed, she ground herself against him. "Henry, just this once. Let me please you." More than ever, bashing her head against the wall sounded like a viable plan. Before he could, she buried her face into his neck. He didn't know what came over him, but he didn't push her away.

Henry's thoughts turned to Elina and how she'd done that very thing only hours ago. How could sleeping with her be so different than sleeping with someone like Adrienne? With Elina, it had set his blood on fire. With Adrienne... there was nothing. Not a twitch. How was that even possible? More confused than ever, he stood there and let Adrienne have her way with him, barely aware of what she was doing, but hating himself all the same. This was his last ditch effort to save himself from love. Surely sleeping with Adrienne would be easy. He'd done it enough in the past. What harm was there in finding out?

-----(fade to black)-----

Back in the form of a wolf, Henry dove into the pool once again, glad that it had chlorine in it. He'd rather have a shower, but he needed to get Adrienne's scent off of him, and he needed to do it now. He felt like he'd just been dunked into a rancid swamp. Diving under the water, he opened his jaws and let the water rinse his mouth out. Adrienne had tried her best, he supposed, but it didn't matter what she did. Henry had not been satisfied in the least. Still, that didn't miraculously undo the deed. He'd purposely let her have her way with him and guilt ate at him. He'd sworn to Elina that he wouldn't have sex with anyone else but her, and he'd broken his word. He wanted to howl with frustration.

Instead, he dragged himself from the pool a second time, making a small woofing noise to one of the servants, who would hopefully bring him a towel and a change of clothes. Henry paced while he waited, thinking. Elina just couldn't find out about it, that was it. She knew that he'd slept with Adrienne before, or at least he thought she knew. Then when didn't make a difference, did it? What was he thinking? Of course it made a difference. He'd promised her. He let out a soft growl as he paced next to the pool. The more he thought, the more he hated himself for what he'd just allowed to happen. But he had to know. He had to know if sleeping with someone else was different now that he was in love.

The servant stopped next to him as he turned to make his way the other direction and he took the clothes and towel in his mouth, trying not to drool all over it. He padded toward the palace doors, but stopped. He wasn't going anywhere near that passageway again if he could help it, so he chose a different direction. It would take him longer, but he didn't care. He was almost as angry with Adrienne as he was with himself. Almost. Guilt tipped the scales into his favor. Ducking behind a door, Henry shifted and dressed before making his way back to the suite. The sun was rising now, lighting everything with a soft glow.

Despite his fear of being in love, he should have just stayed in bed with Elina. He should have snuggled with her and dozed off throughout the morning. He should have made her breakfast and watched the sunrise with her. Instead, he'd allowed himself to break his word. He formed a plan as he walked. Elina could just never find out about it. He would keep both his love for her, and his experience with Adrienne a secret. Nodding to himself, he tried for composure. He'd been out for a run, that was all. Then he'd taken a dip in the pool to cool off. Nothing more than that. Surely he could pull that off.

Quietly, Henry opened the door to the suite, not bothering to explain to the remaining guard why he was alone. He'd probably hear about that later. He closed the door with a soft click, not knowing whether Elina was awake or not. As quietly as he knew how, he crept into the bedroom and stripped off the generic clothes before donning something comfortable of his own. Only then did he let himself look at the bed, where Elina had fallen asleep with a magazine splayed across her chest. His heart swelled at the sight of her, as did his guilt. He pushed down on his guilt like he'd never pushed on anything before. If he was going to pull this off, he had to act normal. It was a shame that he didn't know what normal was anymore.

Taking a deep breath, he slid into the bed, trying not to jostle Elina awake. She was so incredibly beautiful when she slept. For awhile, he simply watched her. Her nose gave a small twitch, and he smiled, struggling not to laugh. Luna, he loved this woman. Surely his heart must break from it. Well, his heart wouldn't break as long as she didn't know it was hers to do with as she pleased. Settling down on his side with his head propped on his hand, he carefully lifted the magazine away from her, glancing at it before setting it aside. What he wouldn't give to see her in a dress like that. Unable to stand it, he whispered to her, hoping she was still asleep. "I meant it, you know. I love you."

[Baroness Elina Cali]

When she was in a deep enough sleep she had very dog like tendencies. It didn't matter what the dream was. It could be anything like her chasing a rabbit to her having a night mare. If it was an intense dream her nose and feet would twitch and she would either bark or mumble in her sleep depending on the dream. Right now, her nose was twitching. For some reason she was dreaming about hunting, and right now she was following a trail.

She roused when she felt someone climbing into the bed, but she only drifted back asleep as she vaguely felt the magazine slipping away from her fingers and stomach. She let out a soft little muffled woof before slowly turning onto her stomach. She reached her arms under the pillow and buried her face into the soft pillow, nose still twitching. She heard a very faint, masculine voice in the depths of sleep, but she couldn't make out the words.

She shifted and pressed close to the warm body that now joined her in bed. Her face nuzzled into his chest and she breathed in his scent. It mingled with several other scents and it wasn't the one that he had last night. Chlorine was the strongest scent though, and it certainly roused her from her sleep. "You smell like chlorine" She stated in a mumbled voice as she stretched a little with a soft sigh. Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she looked up to him with a sleepy smile. She was still a little worried about whatever was going with him, even if he did put up the front. She knew Henry was not the talking sort. Especially when it came to feelings. She pushed aside how she was feeling about it and sat up a little, propping herself up on her elbow. "Have a good swim?" She asked faintly, running her free hand along his arm softly.

[henry]

Henry closed his eyes and laid back, trying to suppress his feelings and simply enjoy the moment. As soon as he sat back, Elina snuggled up against him and he instinctively wrapped an arm around her. He had a feeling like this was where he was supposed to be, but he didn't let himself examine that feeling too closely. He preferred to feel it instead of questioning it. "You smell like chlorine." Henry chuckled as she slowly roused herself, stretching against him. He swallowed, already wanting her again. Would he ever stop wanting her? He doubted it.

Elina didn't act like she smelled anything out of the ordinary besides the chlorine, and Henry let himself relax a little. He could do this. He'd been lying to women nearly all his life. He could lie about being in love. He could lie about fidelity. He just didn't know if he could lie to Elina. Well, he was going to try. For the first time since the engagement, he thought he might have a good thing going here. It was terrifying, but good if that made any sense. And now that he loved her, he didn't want to lose her to his stupidity.

Henry growled a little when she sat up since it put more distance between them, but she made up for it by running her slender fingers against his arm. "It was good, but I think the servants will be angry with me for getting hair in their pool." He grinned at her with a mischievous glint in his eye and placed his hand over hers, rubbing her knuckles lightly. Now that she was awake, he propped himself up again and faced her, laying on his side. His smile faded as he looked at her. Reaching up, he cupped her face with his hand. Oh, he wanted so badly to tell her that he loved her. A part of him tried to hell her with the force of his gaze, his eyes boring into hers, willing her to understand, but fearing that she would at the same time. What a situation he was in.

His thumb stroking her cheek softly, he brought his smile back. "Would you like breakfast or dessert first?" His grin widened at the thought of dessert. How could she effect him so strongly? She hadn't even done anything besides touch his arm. That was all it took. "Then maybe a long shower..." He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her collarbone. "Or a bath..." He worked his way up her neck, stopping at her jawbone before pulling back and taking a deep breath. "Or... we could work on wedding plans." He mock frowned at her, but he couldn't keep a smile from tugging at the corners of his mouth. He knew that the best way to get into her good graces and distract her at the same time would be to work on the wedding.

[Baroness Elina Cali]

A sleepy smirk crossed her lips as her fingers fluttered along his upper arm softly. "Why not have both at the same time?" She grinned teasingly as she leaned in and brushed a soft kiss over his lips. She certainly wouldn't mind mixing breakfast with desert. She knew what desert entailed. He wanted her again, and she would happily offer herself to him. She let out a soft moan as his lips trailed along her skin. "A long shower sounds nice." She murmured softly as she tipped her head up, bearing more of her neck to him. She let out a soft whimper as his lips quested over her skin, and her body quivered in answer to these attentions. He made her want more than a shower. She remembered that day when she first moved in. How he actually got into the shower. She could easily remember how she wanted him to take her then and there, under the warm water that cascaded over them. She quivered once more at the memories, a content smile spreading over her lips.

At the mention of wedding plans, however, her demeanor changed totally. The smile on her lips faltered, and she sighed and flopped back down onto her back. "I don't want to think about wedding plans right now, Henry." She said the words softly as she closed her eyes and rubbed one of them gently before she looked up to Henry. She just... didn't want to think about wedding plans. Not after that horrible, failure of a dress search yesterday. She just wanted to rest and relax. She knew she had a few more weeks, but it was going to be stressful until she found the dress she wanted. She jud didn't want to wait till the last minute. It was best to have at least a month between the purchase of the dress and the wedding day. That way you had plenty of time for the dress to be altered if it needed to be, and usually it did.

She sighed and looked back to Henry after a moment, reaching her hand up to stroke over his cheek. Brown eyes studied him intently as her fingers trace along his jaw. "Thank you, Henry.... for last night. It was a very beautiful and fun gesture, and I really needed it." She met his gaze as her hand stilled over his cheek softly.

[henry]

Henry grimaced slightly at Elina's reaction to the mention of wedding plans. Perhaps he should have just continued kissing her rather than to bring it up, but he hadn't expected her to act so forlorn about it. Brides were supposed to be excited about their wedding, but Elina was acting as if she wanted to avoid the whole thing completely. A small pang of hurt lanced through his heart at that thought and his grimace hardened. This was exactly what he'd been trying to avoid, damn it! He loved her and he wanted to marry her, but she was acting like she wanted to forget the wedding even existed. Then there was the fact that she'd practically been begging him get more involved in wedding plans. Now that he was, it seemed that she'd rather avoid the topic completely. Henry thought he might not ever understand this woman.

Henry kissed her bare shoulder, trying not to let his hurt show. He supposed that, all things considered, he deserved it. Especially after what he'd just done. He'd gotten what he wanted, really. He was finally intimate with Elina, he enjoyed her company, she put up with his crap... but he was more confused than ever. There wasn't a doubt left within him that he loved her. It felt like it was going to burn him up inside, and the sight of her laying there, sad about wedding plans, it cut him like a knife. But Henry had no experience with feelings, and he didn't know what to do to make it better. He could tell her that she was beautiful, but that was not only out of context, but it was also too generic for his purposes. There was something else he could tell her that would divert her attention completely, but he refused. He needed something in between the two.

Before he could come up with a good cheer-up plan, Elina reached up and placed her hand on his cheek and thanked him for the previous night. They were simple words accompanied by a simple gesture, but it touched him. A bit of the hurt inside him dissolved. He reached out and ran his fingers through her hair like he'd been dying to do. The silky strands flowed through his fingers like water as he leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to her lips. He wanted to ask her why she'd needed it and what was bothering her about the wedding plans, but he hated to see her so frustrated. "I'm glad you liked it." He rubbed his nose against hers before pulling back just far enough to look her in the eye. "How do you do that to me? How do you make me want you so much?"