Masked

The bandit decides to take a chance ans sneak to the royal ball, but what he learn there would break his heart Chapter 3

     Weeks have passed and the poor bandit would do the same thing every morning, standing in the shadow while watching her passing by with her group of maids and high class women. He hated how he was helpless around her, and hated more how he never was strong enough to talk to her or come near her. But on this day he gathered his will and got a red rose like the one he saw on the market and sneaked into the castle to meet her. It was the night of the ball and he thought he might have at least a slight chance to talk with her.

He knocked down a guard and took his clothes from him, he looked more ‘suitable’ for the occasion and walked in between the people. He was giving looked from different people, mostly women, staring and giggling like a couple of toddlers. It made him uncomfortable but that wasn’t going to make him back off from his mission to see her.

As he was looking around a music started playing and people all turned to the direction of the grand stairs. His curiosity made him look, too, wanting to know what is the thing making all those people look. There were stairs, covered with a red carpet and decorated by roses. He was going to look away until he saw it. Or rather say, them. The woman who has been taking his breath away walked down the stairs with a tall, blonde man who was holding her hand. The scene made his heart ache from anger and somehow, betrayal. People clapped and an announcer cleared his throat as they made their way down.

“Presenting, the next heirs to the Akuma family, Lord Noxious Nicholas Akuma and his betrothed Lady Lilian Anita Akuma.”

With that he had lost hope, she is engaged and promised to another man whom is wealthy and powerful. He turned his heals and walked out of the ballroom as people started dancing. He decided to walk around the castle, he was in already so why leave if he could look around. The place was beautiful, the garden was filled with all kinds of roses, the walls covered with the finest colors and designs. He passed a room that seemed to have blue shining from it and walked in, it seemed to be some kind of aquarium. He looked at the water for a long moment, clearing his mind. He got out the red rose he was going to give to her, Lilian, as the announcer said. He had no chance, he would need a miracle to just see her one more time. He threw the rose into the water and walked away as he heard someone walking near, he didn’t want to get into trouble and leave. This is stupid…Why did I even bother to come?

As he was about to jump of the walls of the castle he heard a yelp and a splash coming from the aquarium. He decided to go check what happened before leaving. For his surprise, he was the woman he have grew to like who fell in the water. He ran and jumped into the water to get her out before the water made it to her lungs. Luckily, he was fast enough and got her out of the it before anything happens to her. She gasped for air and held on to him as he got her out, coughing some water as she tried to inhale.

He stared at her for a moment before getting the two of them out of the water and on some dry floor. “Are you alright?” He managed to speak in a very quiet tone that she didn’t hear while catching her breath, moments later as he lat go of her. She stopped coughing and sat on the ground, her gown was wet and her hair was damped.

“T-thank you for saving me, sir…” She looked up at him to see his face and blinked before tilting her head. “You?”

His cheeks turned slightly red and looked away from her. “Is something wrong, your highness?” Unlike his face, his voice was emotionless.

Lilian giggled and caused him to blush more, She tried to fix her hair as she spoke again. “I remember you, from the market street.”

He looked away again and nodded, “yes, I got your bag for you…”

“No, yes…No…Ugh..” She tied her hair up and smiled at him. “Yes, I remember you from then, but I see you everyday on the corner of the street when I walk by.” She stood up and tried to dry her gown, it was soaked in water and becoming a bit see through. It made him blush and keep looking away.

“What are you doing here, anyways? Aren’t you supposed to be with your betrothed. “ The word made him a bit sick and the heartache started again.

She blinked and smiled, “no, he want to stay with his lover for tonight, explaining and stuff…” She then started looking around like a little puppy trying to catch her tail.

“Lover…?” He raised his eyebrow and she nodded.

“Yes, it’s an arranged marriage and he’s, my cousin…We’re doing it for the people’s sake…Now, where did I put the rose…”

“Rose?”

“Yes, I saw someone dropping a rose into the water and I thought it’s a shame to waste a beautiful rose like that…” She smiled until she found it near the water. “There you are!” She walked and almost slipped back into it before he caught her from behind and prevented her from falling again.

He made her fall on him and tried not to blush harder,” Be. Careful. Next time…”

She nodded and moved from the top of him while holding the rose in her hand. “Sorry, I just…” She looked at the rose and blushed. “Never saw a red rose this pretty…”

“…What’s the different between this rose and the once you have in your garden? I’m sure you have hundreds like it…” He said bitterly.

“I…” She blushed and looked at it. “Don’t know…”

The sight of her blushing like this made him blush more as well, he didn’t want to talk and kept looking at her, feeling as if he was in a dream and didn’t want to wake up.

She looked up at him and noticed the mask he was wearing, he had always wore it but it seemed like she finally noticed it. “Umm…Why are you wearing this?” She asked, curiously.

The bandit looked away, he almost forgot about the mask he wore, he could see through it and he doesn't take it off in public. It was always good to hiding his identity with his job. ” I just feel like wearing it…”

Lilian looked at him and reached slowly for the mask, ” can I…take it off?” She felt stupid to ask but she had this tingling feeling that made her want to see his eyes.

"I’m sorry, your highness… I feel more comfortable in it… Besides… My eyes aren’t as beautiful and breath taking as yours…" He spoke without thinking through how cliche and embarrassing, for him at least, it was to say this.

Lilian blushed and looked down, “thank you… but my eyes aren’t what you say…”

He blinked and looked at her before smiling warmly, “but they are…. I’ve never seen eyes so beautiful and so enchanting in my whole life. And I have saw a lot of eyes.”

She blushed more and looked up at him with a expression that the word “adorable” isn’t enough to define. She then reached her hand to his mask and tried to take it off. Lucky for him, he pulled back.

"Your highness...Please…"

She just stared at him and blew air in her cheeks, “no, I want to see them…”

"But…"

She kept the expression, “no excuse, I want to see, and that’s a royal order…” She extended her hand once more and he backed off again. “Don’t let me use violent with you!”

With that he laughed and she blushed, “sorry, your highness, but I doubt you’ll do anything to make me.” Before finishing she stared at him and reached again. “No.”

"Yes." she crossed her arms.

"Your highness, isn’t it childish of you to act like this."

"I know." She kept staring and tried again.

"But…I.." He pulled back.

She blew more air to her cheeks, “I want to see!”

"No." He said stubbornly.

She raised an eyebrow, “no?”

"No…"

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

They kept on the no, yes argument for while with no progress at all from each side. The bandit found it amusing to see her act in such manner, and then thought the same for himself to act casually near a royal, which she didn’t seem to mind at all. After that they heard someone whistle and walk near the aquarium, making them both stop. Lilian’s eyes shot to the entrance then to  the large floor leveled balcony  before looking at the bandit. He looked at her for a moment and followed her gaze before nodding and standing up.

Author's Note

This chapter is ab it longer than the others, still not long enough...

Again, if there's any mistake (mostly in past/present tense) please tell me to edit.

And tell me what you think about the story up until now, any flaw you see or something you like.

You can also read it here http://akuma-drabbles.tumblr.com/post/66696937902/forbidden-lily-and-drake-au-chapter-3

Lilian and Nox are my characters (c): http//:lilian-akuma.tumblr.com

Drake (c): http://izaya-kaede.tumblr.com

Thanks for reading~