Arms of Darkness

By: Haruka-chan

 

Chapter 4: Down with a cold

 

The ride back to the palace was a quite and awkward one. Riho looked everywhere but Shido, while Guni just went on how happy she was that Riho was all right. Shido watched as a sadden look came over Riho's face, but thought it be wise to leave her as she was. Once they were back in the Palace Shido retired and went of towards his room.

 

"What about lunch my Lord?" asked Guni.

"I am not quite hungry yet" he said with a smile and walked of.

"Shall we have lunch Lady Riho?" asked Guni.

Riho smiled also and shook her head. "I do not feel hungry either, thank you,” she said as she made her way up the stairs. Just when Riho was about to make the turn towards her room, she heard footsteps behind her.

"I apologize for anything I have said or done to upset you Lady Riho" came Shido's soft voice.

Riho found her-self breathing a little faster. Riho turned and faced him. "If it is anyone that should apologize is me, I have been very rude, and do wish that you forgive me. It's just back there what you said about you shouldn't have left me alone, I felt as if I couldn't care for myself. I felt weak, and I got angry at you." she said looking down at her feet.

Shido chuckled, Riho saw his feet coming closer until they were right in front of her, and she felt one of his gloved hands on her chin as his face came in to view. "We are all entitled to feel weak, and a bit childish at times, and I must apologize as well for my rude and possessive behavior,” he said.

Riho found herself once again transfixed to his gaze. "I must once again thank you for saving me.”

 

"I am glad that you're safe and well. Lady Riho I must say your short temper is quite enjoyable at times,” said Shido.

Riho blushed and shook her head "I am glad that you do not take my poor manners to the heart."

Shido's hand fell from her chin were it had been until now and he bowed. "Oh but I do" he said and walked towards his own chambers.

Riho let out a small gasp and felt her cheek burn with heat.

 

Shido smiled as he walked towards his chamber. ‘I take all of you to the heart’ he thought.

 

Riho stood frozen at the spot she stood unable to move, her heart beating faster then she thought possible, and the feeling was both enticing and disturbing all at once. "That man is so...arrrgh!" said Riho finally slowly making her way to her chambers. Everything about him made her want to cry out in frustration. He keeps awakening feeling that she can't explain to herself, yet she found them exciting and pleasurable. No man has ever made her feel so strange and enchanted as Lord Shido did. Riho flopped down on her bed and stared at the beautiful painting of the goddess and her fairies and angels. She stared at the ceiling for a moment and thought of how beautiful he painted, and yet again she cursed herself. There wasn't a damn thing that didn't make her think of him.

 

Shido sat in front of the canvas once more, staring at it blankly. Guni came in and placed a tray on the table near the window.

"Out of inspiration?" she asked.

"Quiet the opposite, too full of inspiration but can't seem to have the courage to paint it" he said.

Guni smiled. "Why not?"

Shido looked towards her. "I have never been so tempted to paint as I am right now, yet I can't bring myself to do it,” said Shido.

"Wouldn't she be a prize for the painters in city. All natural" said Guni.

“Take pity upon me I only wish to paint the beautiful angel in my captive.” Riho's once captive's word drifted to Shido's head.

"Those fool wants nothing more then just find pleasure in looking at a woman!" said Shido.

"No need to get excited" said Guni.

"Sorry Guni" said Shido as he once again stared at the empty canvas.

"What are you afraid of?" asked Guni.

"Huh?" he asked as if he was a child.

"Why don't you want to paint what you want to paint?" she asked.

"I don't know, I just don't feel its right to" he said.

"So ask her if you could,” said Guni.

"And she will agree?" asked Shido.

"I know your smart and very gifted and all but sometimes your really stupid,” she said.

Shido laughed.

Guni smiled "I brought you something to eat, and you should just go for it with her, what you got to lose?" asked Guni as she winked and walked out.

‘Go for it?’ he thought. "She drives me mad even when she isn't near me" he said throwing down the brush.

"Who drives you mad?" asked Riho's voice.

Shido smiled his welcome. "I'm glad that you're not angry with me" he said.

Riho smiled. "It's quite hard to be angry with you Lord Shido" she said.

Shido chuckled.

"Are you busy?" asked Riho now that she noticed him sitting in front of a blank canvas.

"No, please sit" said Shido.

Riho nodded and sat down. Shido got up and joined her at the table.

"Lady Riho may I ask you question?" asked Shido.

Riho nodded.

"How would you feel if someone painted your portrait?" asked Shido.

"I am not quite sure Lord Shido. I would feel flattered" she said.

"Would you not feel that the painting does not come close to the beauty of the real thing?" asked Shido.

"How is it that you ask me that, you paint beautiful and unimaginable things. Should it not be the other way around, that your painting will be more beautiful then the real thing?" asked Riho.

Shido laughed "Lady Riho you surprise me every time I speak with you" he said.

Riho smiled.

"I suppose your right, but there is two things that can not come close to the real thing" he said.

"What is that?" asked Riho.

"If I tried to paint a picture of your heart or of god it could never be beautiful enough" said Shido.

"Do you really believe that my heart is that beautiful?" asked Riho looking away.

"It is the heart that reflects one's true beauty and you flourish with beauty" he said.

"Sometime I wonder if that is all I am" said Riho.

"Lady Riho a drop melting in to an ocean, that you can see, but a ocean melting in to a drop, now who sees that?" asked Shido.

"Lord Shido?" asked Riho confused.

"A rose is beautiful, but what you do not notice is the layers that it holds. You are quite the same, you are beautiful in the outside, but others do not see you as you are, your layers. Am I right?" Riho laughed, and Shido gave her a blank look. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked.

 

"No, not all. It is the fact that you can make anything in to beautiful words, one can not grief over you" said Riho.

"Are you sure of that Lady Riho?" he asked.

"Even if they tried, you would change their mind" she said.

"Have I changed your mind?" he asked.

Riho looked at him and once more her face took on the bright red color. "In many ways then you think Lord Shido."

"I hope for the better" he said.

Riho laughed, "Oh yes, but I could not help but think of you differently today in the city."

"How so?" asked Shido.

"Well it seemed that every women you came in contact with praised you, and you took it just like every Lord would" said Riho.

"Did I really?" asked Shido.

Riho laughed "You are a puzzling man Lord Shido."

"Not as puzzling as you Lady Riho" he said.

"Do you praise everything a woman says?" asked Riho.

"No, just everything you say my lady" he said.

"Lord Shido, did you ever court anyone?" asked Riho.

Shido stared at her for a minute before breaking down in laughter. "To be honest with you Lady Riho, yes I did."

Riho thought her heart fell from its place and drop to her stomach. "Why are you not married?"

"She decided she did not love me, but another Lord" said Shido.

"Did you love her?" asked Riho.

"No Lady Riho, I have never loved anyone romantically. Do you wish for me to be married?" asked Shido.

"No-yes, I mean I think you should marry for love" said Riho in a nervous blur.

Shido smiled at her. "I feel the same Lady Riho."

"Would you have married her if she loved you?" asked Riho.

"I don't know Lady Riho. I thought of that myself. The truth is Lady Riho we have duties, and I suppose people see a man's job is to marry a wealthy and beautiful woman and go on about doing what he does, as if feelings and thought are not needed" said Shido.

"How true you are Lord Shido" said Riho.

"I assume you did not love the man you were to marry" he said.

"I did not know the man I was to marry, I felt as if my parents wanted to send me away and lock me up in another cage" said Riho.

"Isn't that the life of a noble woman?" asked Shido.

"Lord Shido?" asked.

"My mother told me of how hard it was for her at first to believe that she had to marry a man she hardly knew, but after a while she started to respect him, soon like him and like grew to love. She told me she loved my father very much, but there was always something inside her that wondered what it would have been like just to fall in love, and experience all the feelings" said Shido.

"Lord Shido if you don't mind me asking where is your mother now?" asked Riho.

"She is now in England" said Shido.

"Does she live there?" asked Riho.

"Yes, she likes it there, and leads quite a life style and I like it here in Italy" said Shido.

"I wish I was as strong as your mother, at least she did not run and took what came her way with courage" said Riho.

"I am glad that you did. Now I hope you find love and happiness with out having to force yourself, or time do it for you" said Shido.

"Are you really glad that you were burden with me?" asked Riho.

"Lady Riho I have already told you I do not feel burden that you are here, instead I feel honored that you are here" said Shido.

"Honored?" asked Riho.

"Very my Lady, for even if I have so many who surround me I am quite alone, the only one who understands my way of thinking is Guni and now you. Guni is more then just a servant to me, she is my friend, and very close one at that. I love her every much" said Shido.

Riho felt strangely hurt by what he had said. ‘He loves Guni? Why would I care? Then what is this feeling of hurt that I feel’ thought Riho.

"But I am glad that I have you to talk to" he said.

"I am glad that I met a Lord such as yourself" whispered Riho.

"Lady Riho, I wanted to ask you if you would accompany me to Lady Yayoi's ball that will be held in a few day" said Shido.

"I would love to" said Riho [AN: So much for not going] trying to forget that he ever said anything. ‘Oh why did I have to bring that stupid question up?’ she thought.

"Lady Riho did you eat?" he asked.

"Oh yes Lord Shido I did thank you" she said.

Shido looked at her with concern.

"Excuse me Lord Shido" she said and walked towards the door.

"Is something the matter?" asked Shido.

"Oh no, I will let you have your lunch in peace and besides I wish to rest a bit, the day events have taken much out of me" said Riho with a small smile.

Shido nodded.

Riho slipped away and towards own chambers.

 

“I love her very much” Shido's feelings towards Guni were killing Riho. ‘Why do I feel this way?’ she thought as she entered her own chambers.

 

Riho found tears tickle down her face, and her hand went to her cheeks. "I am crying? But why?" she asked. The truth was she knew why, she felt hurt by the fact she did not have Shido's favor. In her life there was never a man that did not want her, yet now that she wanted a man's attention he wouldn't give it to her. Why was fate so cruel? Riho found herself silly for thinking this way, after all she didn't care for him 'that' deeply to cry over him loving another did she? Riho cried herself to sleep with so many questions, she was so naive to her own feelings that it consumed her. Dear god did she love him? How was that even possible? She only knew the man for three days! But she couldn't deny the feelings that he aroused in her, the want and need. He gave her freedom, and a strange kind of care that she so lacked from others. The truth was she envied and felt gratitude towards him. He didn't want to trap her, he respected her thought, but then again so did Count Cain. Riho's dreams were filled so much blood and strangeness she didn't quite understand why she was dreaming such things, but it was hard to wake up, so matter what she did she couldn't pull out.

 

****Everything around her was dark, and there was blood every. Riho stood and watched as Shido and Guni smiled at her holding hands, and walking away, she ran after them "No don't leave me" she heard herself. They just kept walking away, they just continued to fade. Riho dropped to her knees as tears came rushing out. "Don't...I wish not to be alone...I want to be with you" she whispered.

"Is that what you want?" asked Shido now standing in front of her. He didn't sound like himself, he sounded ruthless and his eyes where a deep gold instead of this usual mischief/ gentle green blue once.

"Lord Shido?" she asked.

 

 "Are sure you want to be with a man that kills your own kind?" he asked jerking her to a stand.

 

Riho's eye had a frighten look. Shido's eyes where those of a killer yet when she looked at then she saw the hidden gentleness. Riho placed her head on his chest. "Yes...I care for you Lord Shido I want to be at your side...always" she whispered. Both she and Shido gasped at what she had said. Shido looked down at her as if she was crazy. Riho smiled. "This is what I want...I know now this is where I belong, I feel like belong...with you" said Riho looking up at him, she placed her hand on his cheek, as Shido stood frozen in place. "I know you love Guni...but just let me stay at your side a little longer" she said as she held him close****

 

Riho sat up with a jolt, sweat trickled down her face. ‘What a strange dream’ thought Riho. "I can't believe it...did I really mean what I said?" asked Riho.

"What did you say?" asked Guni walking in.

Riho looked up at Guni and smiled. "Nothing, I had a small bad dream."

"Well, I bought you some food, but you told Lord Shido that you ate already. Why did you lie?" asked Guni.

"Huh? I don't know" said Riho as her gaze fell.

"Are you feeling alright?" asked Guni.

"I am fine" said Riho.

Guni looked unsure but smiled. "All right."

"I took a notice that you like the red wine so I brought you some" said Guni.

"Thank you but I am not really hungry" said Riho.

"But you haven't had anything to eat since breakfast" said Guni.

"I am very tired, so I think I will take a little nap" said Riho with a smile. Guni nodded and picked up the tray and walked out. Riho's eyes tear once more. ‘Why am I so selfish!?!’ she thought as she laid down once more. She felt like a child with her knees drawn towards her chest, she felt as if she lost one of her favorite dolls and all she could do was cry and hope she returned. She felt heavy inside. ‘I lost myself in this selfish pursuit to find freedom, yet I found myself surrounded by people I have come to care for in such a short while’ thought Riho.

 

Shido looked as if he was in deep thought as he gazed out the window of his 'studio'. Guni walked in and knocked on the open door.

"Lord Shido?" she asked.

Shido looked towards her.

"Lady Riho she didn't want to eat, and she looked as if she had been crying" said Guni.

"I thought she already ate" said Shido.

"I know I asked her why she told you such, but she seemed quite sad about something" said Guni.

Shido went back to his gazing at nothing out the window. "I think maybe today's events has frightened her."

"Yes, I agree" said Guni feeling guilty.

"Did she seem ill?" asked Shido.

"No but she did seem tired, come to think of it so do you" said Guni.

"Huh?" asked Shido looking at Guni.

"You look pale" she said.

"I am fine" he said.

Guni grinned. "You and Lady Riho are so alike it's frightening" she said as she placed a hand over his head.

Shido chuckled at her comment.

"You have a light fever" said Guni.

"Really? I haven't noticed" said Shido.

"How could you" said Guni.

Shido chuckled once again.

"Now go to bed" she said.

"I am fine Guni really" said Shido.

"I said to go to bed" said Guni with veins popping up on her head.

Shido smiled and walked towards his bedroom. "Do you think Lady Riho is also ill?" asked Shido.

"No she looked fine, but you on the other hand look ill" she said pushing him to bed.

Shido took of his jacket, and vest and sat on his bed. ‘I wonder what is troubling her...she was so frightened when that blood bastard took her’ thought Shido as he remembered the way she held on to him.

 

"Lord Shido?" asked Guni.

Shido smiled and took off his shoe.

"I'll go and make you some soup" said Guni.

Shido nodded and he watched her close the door behind her. He sighed and laid down. His thoughts filled with concern for Riho instead of his own, and soon sleep over took him.

Guni looked troubled as she walked towards the kitchen. ‘Instead of bringing them closer, I am drawing them farther apart and making them ill’ she thought as she let out a sigh. "This is going to be harder then I thought" said Guni as she entered the kitchen. "Alright everyone listen up Lord Shido is ill so-" Guni didn't get finish.

"Oh no master is ill?!?" asked maid one.

"Oh what shall we do?" asked maid two.

Guni turned red from anger. "Listen I am about to tell what to do!!!" yelled Guni.

The maids all silenced down and stared at Guni.

"Start on a soup, add extra herbs and don't put to much spices. Get out the coco and warm that up" said Guni.

The maids all nodded and went to work.

 

Few hours later...

 

Riho sat up on her bed and saw that it was almost dark, she yawned got up from bed and towards her vanity table. When she looked at herself font the mirror she almost jumped, her hair was falling apart and her dress was all wrinkled, and surprisingly it felt great. Back at home the only way she could have stayed in bed and napped was if she was ill and here she would sleep whenever she wanted to, not that she was a huge sleeper. Riho took out a simple cream and lime chiffon gown it had a Basque waist, it was off-shoulder, the neckline was detailed with ivory rosette and ribbon. she fixed her hair in to a bun and stepped out of her room. She saw a maid rushed by.

 

"Lady Riho your up" said Guni holding some blankets.

Riho nodded. "Is something wrong?"

"Lord Shido he suddenly came down with a fever this afternoon" said Guni.

Riho gasped "My goodness it must have been from yesterday when I pushed him in to the lake."

"Could be" said Guni.

"I feel terrible, is there anything I can do?" asked Riho.

Guni smiled an idea popping in to her head. "Yeah you can take these blankets up to his room" she said.

Riho took them and headed towards Shido's room.

 

"Maybe I shouldn't have given up hope so soon" said Guni with a big grin.

Riho was filled with guilt, and worry for Shido as she rushed to his room. When she finally got there she saw him lying with sheets pulled up to his waist. She walked towards his bed and saw his shirt was unbuttoned, she blushed. He was quite pale and he was sleeping. She reached out placed a hand on his cheek.

 

"Your hand is very cool my Lady" he said in a husky voice.

Riho gasp and pulled her hand away. "I am very sorry that I woke you" she said blushing.

"I was already awake my lady" he said.

Riho looked down at his green blue eyes and then a flash of her dream played it's self in her mind. "I apologize this is all my fault" she said.

"Lady Riho how is my being ill your fault?" he asked.

"If I hadn't pushed you in to the lake yesterday this would have never happened" she said.

"So are you saying that you pushed me in on purpose?" he asked.

Riho blushed "No! no not at all" she said. Shido laughed, Riho found herself staring as his chest rose and fell with each in take of air, what a strange man he is laughing even when he is ill.

"I am sorry" she said once more.

"Lady Riho you don't have to feel fault of everything, sometimes things happen and some are for good" he said as he took her hand.

Riho blushed and nodded.

"Your hand is very cool" he said as he brought her hand to his cheek.

"That is because you are burning up my lord" she said. Shido nodded, as he closed his eyes.

"Not anymore" he said in a whisper.

Riho's heart skipped a beat.

Guni saw from the door as he held her hand to his cheek. ‘Another accomplishment!’ she thought as she slowly walked in. "Lord Shido I bought some soup" said Guni.

Shido opened his eyes and he looked towards Guni.

"I am not hungry" he said.

"You should eat your soup it will make you feel better" said Riho.

Shido looked towards Riho.

"I will feel less guilty if you do" she said.

"Very well to put lady Riho out of her guiltiness" he said.

Guni smiled "I will leave you to Lady Riho I have much to do" she said and walked out.

Shido sat up and Riho picked up the bowl and blew softly on the steaming liquid. Shido watched as she did this and smiled.

"Here you go" she said.

Shido opened his mouth and took the warm liquid. "How ironic Lady Riho, you are my guest yet you are burdened with taking care of me" he said.

Riho smiled "It's no burden at all, and it's the least I can do with all the trouble caused my me" she said.

"No trouble at all my Lady" he said.

Riho stared at him, there was something in his voice and eyes that suggested something more. After 10 minutes Shido had finished all the soup. Riho took the napkin and gently dabbed his lips clean. A warm breeze came in through his balcony and Riho smiled.

"It is a lovely night" she said.

"I am sure it is" he said.

"I have never seen such wonderful weather" said Riho.

"Florence is perfect is it not?" asked Riho.

"Now it is perfect" he said.

Riho smiled.

"Lady Riho are you feeling well?" asked Shido.

"Very my lord. why?" she asked.

"It's just you haven't had anything to eat since this morning" he said.

Riho blushed "I am sorry for lying to you, it's just...I can't quite explain it to you" said Riho. ‘Yes because if I did then you would think I was jealous...oh I just did not say that’ thought Riho.

 

"Then you should have something to eat. I do not wish for you to get ill" he said.

Riho nodded "I will later, maybe you should be concern about yourself" she said.

"There isn't anything that concerns me, after all you are here my lady" he said.

Riho blushed. Riho stood and walked towards one of the windows across from his bed. "It seems it is going to rain tonight" she said. [AN: When you have nothing to say talk about weather]

Shido smiled. "Wonderful" he said.

"Wonderful?" she asked.

"I don't know what but I sleep very well when it rains" he said.

Riho smiled "Then it is wonderful you will be sleeping comfortably" she said. She walked back and touched his forehead.

"Your still very warm, maybe you should rest some more. I will leave" she said getting up, but Shido caught her hand.

"Please stay" he said.

Riho nodded as he closed his eyes...still holding her hand. Riho found herself studying his face locking it away in her memory, in her heart.

Guni came back up an hour or so later. "How is he?" she asked.

"Oh his fever is going up, but he is sleeping" said Riho.

Guni nodded "I will bring you a blow of cool water" she said taking the tray of bowls and cups from the nightstand.

Riho nodded.

"I will also bring you something to eat" said Guni and left before she could object.

Riho looked down at Shido's face. He looked so pale and he was sweating. ‘Please just let this be a clod, and nothing more’ she thought.

Guni returned with the bowl of water, and Riho's dinner.

Riho grabbed her washcloth and the bowl of water and cleaned the sweat of his face.

Guni had to smile at the display of care she showed for him. She looked back once more before she slipped out.

Riho placed the washcloth over his forehead. Just then a thunder broke out. Riho jumped and looked towards the balcony. She stood and walked towards the balcony and closed the door before the rain made it inside. She left the windows open and sat back down, she took a small sip from her wine, and ate a little of the meal that Guni had brought her.

She felt strangely restless. "I pray that you will be alright" she whispered as she once aging sat at Shido's side.

 

She sat and listened to the rain hitting the surface of the balcony floor, and glass doors, the trees rustles, and the wind. It was very calming just like Shido had said. She found her eyelid getting heavy. It was late probably around midnight or so she looked once more toward Shido and then she laid her head on the center of his chest, his burning skin against the contact of her cool one, some how made Riho even more tired. She closed her eyes and fell in to a dreamless slumber. Shido woke in middle of the night to find that there was something on top of him, when he looked down he smiled. There was Riho sleeping on top his chest. It felt wonderful to have her this close. The feeling of her skin against his was driving him crazy. He pushed some of her hair out of her face and smiled it would be something waking up next to her. He smiled at the thought. He placed an arm around her and closed his eyes once more. Yes everything was perfect now...

 

Next Morning...

 

"Oh my is Lord Shido all right?" she asked.

"He is fine Lady Yayoi" said Guni.

"I knew he shouldn't have gotten wet so late at night" she said. Guni rolled her eyes.

"Lady Yayoi please calm down, he is fine now I went to check on him a while ago, his fever is down, he should be back to normal by later this afternoon" said Guni.

"I want to see him" said Yayoi. Guni sighed.

"But no one is allowed in this bedroom expect me" she said.

"Why you?" asked Yayoi.

"Because I am the head maid, and someone has to keep his room clean" said Guni.

"I do not care, take me to him" she said.

"Fine, but you will have to explain" said Guni.

Yayoi nodded and followed Guni up the stairs.

Riho woke to find she had her head on top of Shido's chest, and he had an arm around her. She had to smile he looked so peaceful like a sleeping boy. Riho quietly slipped out of his arms and stood. She touched his face and saw that he no longer had a fever.

 

"Thank goodness" she said. She noticed at the room was already clean and figured that Guni must have been here earlier, the thought made her blush. She must have seen them. "I better go and let him rest" she said as she walked out only to be face to face with Yayoi and an annoyed Guni. "Lady Yayoi good morning" said Riho.

 

"Lady Riho what are doing up here?" asked Yayoi.

"I was just checking up on Lord Shido that's all" she said and smiled.

"My lady your bath is ready down stairs" said Guni.

Riho nodded and walked down.

"I thought no one was allowed up here but you" said Yayoi.

"Oh I forgot, Lady Riho is also welcomed by Lord Shido, how ever you are not so if he is angry you will explain like promised" said Guni.

Yayoi snorted and walked inside. "Oh the poor thing" she said as she rushed to Shido's side.

Shido woke to find Yayoi looking at him. "Lady Yayoi?" he asked.

Yayoi smiled with teary eyes. "Oh lord Shido you had me worried" she said.

"Where is Lady Riho?" he asked. Yayoi mentally glared.

"Oh she just went down to take a bath my lord" said Guni.

Shido nodded. "I will have to thank her for taking care of me all night" said Shido.

"Oh so will I" said Yayoi. ‘She was here all night?!?’ she thought. "Lord Shido do you know the cause of your illness?" asked Yayoi.

"No, I believe it could be when I was returning from the Vatican City it was raining very hard" he said.

"Are sure it was not from getting yet from few nights ago?" asked Yayoi.

"Yes, Lady Riho has mentioned that too, and she feels quite guilty about it, but I don't believe so" said Shido.

Yayoi sighed. "I am glad that you are all right. I will see you at the ball tomorrow night won't I?" asked Yayoi.

"Oh yes" said Shido. Shido noticed that she placed a hand on his chest between where his shirt was open.

"I look forward to it just as mother and father" said Yayoi.

"Lady Yayoi why don't we let Lord Shido rest, the sooner he gets well, the better he will look for your ball" said Guni.

"Your right, well Lord Shido I am glad you are feeling well, it's a shame that I was not here to take care of you. I will see you tomorrow night" said Yayoi as she threw a kiss his way and walked out.

Guni glared at her back. "Don't blame me, you know how pushy she is" said Guni.

Shido nodded. "Did she say anything to Lady Riho?" asked Shido.

 

"No, but that's because she didn't see you holding her in your 'embrace' or other wise all hell would have broke out" said Guni

Shido chuckled and got up from bed.

"Do you feel well?" asked Guni.

"Fine" he said as he walked out of his room.

Guni shrugged and went to work on making his bed.

Shido walked towards the room across from Riho's and opened it. He saw some of his maids run to greet him.

"Oh lord Shido are you feeling all right?" asked maid 1.

"Very well thank you" he said.

The maids all smiled but what caught his eyes was a barely dressed Riho holding a towel around her to protect her from.

"Oh Lord Shido I see you are feeling better" said Riho as she turned red from his attention.

Shido's eyes didn't miss not one patch of her skin. Her wet hair falling all around her, the towel hardly covered anything from her thigh down, and the droplet of water sparkled on her through the morning sun.

"We were helping Lady Riho with her bath," said one maid with a smile.

Shido nodded his eyes not leaving Riho's form.

The maids all giggled and walked out of the room.

Riho stood frozen in her place clutching the towel.

Shido smiled as he walked forward. "I wanted to thank you" he whispered.

"For what my lord?" she asked.

"For taking care of me" he said.

Riho blushed even more when he took one of her hands and placed it on his cheek.

"Your hand is very cool my lady" he whispered.

Riho nodded, she couldn't talk from his closeness.

"You are beautiful even in something so plain" he said as he looked down at the towel.

"And you my lord are handsome even when you are ill" she said.

Shido smiled and brought the hand he was still holding to his lips, he pressed his lips to her palm. Riho gasped at the feeling. "I do wish you would join me for breakfast" he said.

"I will as soon as I dress my lord" she said.

"I would prefer if you didn't but then I wouldn't someone taking you for your beauty" he said.

"My aren't we being greedy" she said with new boldness.

"With you my lady greed can not come close to what I feel" he said and walked away.

Riho stood there in utter shock from what he just said. ‘Was he really?’ She thought. She shook her head and walked towards her room to get dressed.

Shido smiled. ‘No greed isn't even close to how much I want her’ he thought.