How could he say that he couldn?t love her. How could he say that through his veins there was not an insatiable fire. There was a hatred, there was a sadness, there was a need to get it off his chest. He yearned for understanding, O how he yearned to understand why the girl he was so entranced by had been given to another. There should have been some unspoken word. Some kind of law, and yet nothing could speak the lord?s heart. No laws prohibited what had happened from happening. No laws would pull Gerhardt from the decision he had made with that Valhallan. Things were sealed, Chrysanthe would come to Seracia, and immediately his mind went to the darkest corners it could have gone. Nothing, no rank, no marriage, no meaning, nor symbol would keep him from her. He would commit acts of infidelity. He would claim her body even if she stood at the side of his Nephew. He cared little. He needed her. He needed her badly.

Obsession would write its letters across his heart. His demanding heart. O how he would burn the bridges and destroy the Earth to right things that had been wronged for him all. Chrysanthe was supposed to be his, and he was supposed to be hers. Except, could he stand, rather pace, across the lands in the method he was when even he had failed to tell her that he was devoting himself to her. When he had failed to tell himself that he was devoting himself to her? He had not been able to make himself only for Chrysanthe, and Chrysanthe alone, and that little truth broke his heart. He yearned for her, to dominate her in a way no other could, but he could not help himself but to think that it was fair she abide by these rules- and not himself.

She would never be okay with his heart in such a place and yet a snarl would erupt from his throat, a hidden call for Maverick. He demanded the heir?s presence. Things would not be simple resolved by him walking around Seracia throwing a fit. Something had to be done. Maverick had already been given a throne that, quite frankly, he should have still been on given the fact he was still plenty capable, and there had never been a site before Seracia like the one unfolding. A serious, scornful, perhaps even vindictive, Gideon James Mathias.

Speech!

The heir had been examining the innards of the machinery shed when the snarl erupted from his uncle's larynx. He hadn't heard from the man since the meeting, and had only scarcely seen him then. Maverick wondered what the Duke had been doing with his time - not that it was any of the nephew's business. A smile would prick on his lips, but quickly fade. Why was Gideon so upset? In a flurry of russet fur, the boy would emerge from the shed, shaking dust and debris from his coat. He turned his head this way and that to pinpoint his uncle's exact location before setting off at a hasty pace. The Duke was not far off - thankfully enough for the Prince - and happened to be standing in the clearing between the forest in the south and the croplands in the northwest. The russet boy spotted him almost immediately, noting his similar appearance to the King - with clear differences. Maverick offered a nod, but no smile. Something wasn't right with the Duke's demeanor, and it was making the boy uneasy. "Everything alright, Gideon?" One could not imagine all the irony that lingered in the boy's words - even ironies that he was not yet aware of. He did not know he was to be wedded to possibly the only woman Gideon might ever have true feelings for, he did not know that he'd been given the only thing Gideon wanted more than anything else as a political gift. "speeeeech"

The kid that appeared before him had no idea how he was trespassing against Gideon, and yet, it made little sense to him. Why would Gerhardt give Maverick the woman that he had already told him he was thinking of taking as a wife. Could he have asked if there were any other heiresses? It wasn?t fair, it wasn't right. It made him want to choke them out. Everything he loved felt like it was burning to ashes. Blue gaze switched towards the sound of the approaching heir and he would fight to retain a growl that burbled in his chest. There was a volatile air about the duke. Something lethal. Something off. Something insane. His nails would click into the dirt and he would face the russet man, raising his head to the stature that a king could only hold, and here, there was a display that was incredibly powerful, something regal and amazing. Something unmatched. He stood like Gerhardt, and yet, he was bigger than his brother, and he was making it known in the stature he took.

?Refuse your marriage. Chrysanthe is mine,? the chords struck out, demanding. need, obsessive. He had to have her .Maverick would not come to the power of such a thing. It was irrefutable that he would simply cast away what he had been commanded. Perhaps his demands were being made in vain, but he would be clear with the man. ?I won?t stop. I don?t care if she is your wife. I?ll make her mine every night to prove it if I have to.. You can?t have her,? His words fell, as if the blame was due to the russet liege. O, but wasn?t it? If Gideon had still been the heir to the throne then chrysanthe would have been given to him making the entire problem at hand unnecessary.

?Besides, doesn?t the future King of Seracia need himself a virgin?? The secret draped out with intent to screw apart the imagery that had been built. He had stolen Chrysanthe?s innocence with sweet words and gentle kisses, and he was not going to let it meander to another. She was his. He had never been more certain of anything.

Speech!

Maverick didn't know the trap he'd stepped into. He had no inkling of the pain that had unknowingly been caused upon his uncle's heart. He'd had no part in this, not a single ounce, so why should he expect Gideon to be upset with him. More than likely - or so the boy suspected - Gideon wanted to gripe about Gerhardt, or some woman who'd refused him. That sounded more plausible than the truth he was about to discover. A command came. Refuse his marriage. If only things were that simple. Chrysanthe was his? A twinge of jealousy flickered in his chest, but the boy ignored it. Gideon had the hots for his wife-to-be. "It's not my place to refuse the marriage, if it were, it would have never been arranged in the first place." Tones were low. Gideon was upset, very upset. His stance was high and mighty, and Maverick wondered just what his intentions were. "I don't want her. I mean, she's great, but I'm not in love with her." Why couldn't anyone believe that he did not want to be married? It seemed everyone expected him to be jolly about it, or they - like Gideon - assumed that he had some kind of control over it. He had no control. He was a puppet, a political icon that his father was using to tie the packs together. He was nothing more than a rope, a chain. A growl threatened to bubble in his chest, but he quieted it as Gideon spoke. What exactly was he insinuating? "I don't understand - why do you even care? Aren't you going to marry my sister in a few seasons?" Maverick should have expected polygamy from Gideon. He should have expected that the flirtatious man would not tie himself down to one lass at a time. But why, why did he have to go and complicate things by lusting after the she-wolf that had been chosen for Maverick? "Did you sleep with her or something?" He almost didn't want to believe that was the case, but if it were.. it would almost certainly throw a wrench in whatever minute semblance of happiness Maverick might have had about Chrysanthe. "speeeeech"

Desperation. It would become the fire that burned in their breaths. It would become the hope they clung to that all of theur problems would come with an understanding, a resolution, and yet they both knew that it would not. They would stand defending what should rightfully be theirs. They would fail to complete anything. ?Tell my brother you want another. Have you ever tried? I?ll fight for her. I swear to God, I?ll fight for her,? regardless of whether or not it meant defying his brother?s words, or fighting Maverick at arms, he would have Chrysanthe. Maverick couldn?t have her. He didn?t have the courage for a woman like her. He even made it clear. He didn?t want her. How could he? He had to know that something would happen. Had to have faith that something would become of what their life was.


?Love has little to do with a betrothal. You think me incompetent? You think me incapable of registering the fact that you chose this? Ah, you?re wrong if you do. I know you had no say, but now you do, now you have the chance to refuse it all, and yet you idly stand without speaking a word,? He knew little about other Valhallans, however, he did know one thing. He had smelt a pretty little Valhallan on the borders not long ago, and it wasn?t Chrysanthe. There was something there, Maverick?s scent had been found. Chrysanthe had spoken of family. Perhaps it was a sister, the scent was too feminine to be any male. A smile would cover his features, ?She has sisters. I could pursue them,? he wanted to say things that would make sense, and yet, even pulling one of Chrysanthe?s own blood sisters beneath him would not quench his thirst, ?But I can?t, I don?t want them,? He needed Chrysanthe.

The questions would come and he would answer them with ease. O yes, Kamala. What was he to do with that situation. He would only shake his head and look to the side, ?I?d trade your sister for Chrys,? His gaze was unwavering and when the final question Maverick had to ask danced forth, Gideon would stare at him with an unmoving gaze. A terrible act had been committed, and he knew it, a lie, ?Twice,?

Speech!

Of course he hadn't tried telling Gerhardt he wanted another girl. How could he be that kind of boy - that kind of man - to demand a different girl? Besides, Gerhardt didn't even know he'd met Chrysanthe, so he'd be saying it under the impression that he didn't like her and hadn't even bothered to give her a glance before asking for another girl. "I haven't tried but I don't think he'd listen. The deal is done, I don't know what I can do about it." He knew it sounded pathetic the minute it came out of his mouth, and instantly he wished he could take it back. Gideon wasn't being sensible at the moment, and Maverick wondered what it was that had him in such an uproar all the sudden. Why should he care about Chrysanthe, unless Maverick's suspicions were correct and he'd slept with her already. It wasn't a strange assumption to make, given Gideon's lifestyle. Gideon went on to chastise him, telling him that he had once had no say, but now he did. But how could he go to Gerhardt and ask for another girl? Even if the monarch did listen, it wasn't as if the King could go requesting a different bride from Collision. Who's to say the Valhallan King wouldn't just end the alliance then and there? Prince's shouldn't be picky. An ear flicked back in alarm as Gideon mentioned Chrysanthe's sisters. Epiphron. A gutteral, husky voice slipped out before he could retract it - not that he would have wanted to. "No." Then more incentive. He would give up his claim on Kamala if Maverick could get Chrysanthe for him. He wanted his sister to have the life she wanted, and he wanted the life he wanted. Perhaps he could try after all. "If you'll release your claim on Kamala, and leave Chrysanthe's sisters be, I'll talk to Gerhardt. I can't promise he'll change his mind, but I'll do all I can to make him." Muzzle wrinkled as Gideon admitted to his sin - two, to be exact - but Maverick knew lust, and knew passion. He understood why Gideon had done what he'd done, but he still couldn't justify it. "What if Gerhardt obliges me, but Collision does not?" It was a logical worry. Maverick thought that he might could pull strings with his father, but was not certain of the Valhallan monarch's willingness to barter. "speeeeech"

He was at a loss for words, there was a clear bar between them, something that needed to be put to rest and yet he knew that neither of them would be able to completely dissatisfied Gerhardt and tell him that what he had done he had done wrong. Clearly, however, the monarch had failed. A low growl would bury itself in his chest, and he would recline to deeper thoughts. Thoughts of Chrysanthe. She had asked him if he could try to give up his life for her. His styles. If he could become a monogamist for her and her alone, and truth be told, now, he knew, he could.

Patience wore thin in the atmosphere and he would listen to the words that drawled from his nephews throat. There was little interest, everything was only half ambitious. He clearly had to do something drastic. He needed to change things and he wouldn?t stop, ?Chrysanthe will bear my youth, don?t be so certain your wedding night would be you two,? And with that the Duke turned on his legs towards the borders of Seracia and began trekking out. He needed to find her. He needed to burn.

Speech!