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Rain Crystal: It’s back! I promised that I would re-write this story and I am a woman of my word. It may not be completely different but what it will be is better written. I was about 16-17 when I originally started this story and I feel I’ve improved since then if only a little.
I’d like to thank everyone who has supported this story before it’s removal. There’s too many of you to list but you know who you are. Thank you so, so much!
Enough of my rambling and on with the story…
“Robert Levaeux,” he replied, using his alias.
“Levaeux… Levaeux…” murmured the doorman as he scanned the guest list, “Aha! Please come inside.”
“Thank you,” Raphael muttered as he tried to hide his disgust.
“Have a good time!” exclaimed the over-enthusiastic doorman at ‘Robert Levaeux’s retreating back.
Raphael scanned the room with a disapproving eye. The place was filled with nobles who seemed so concerned with overly indulging themselves to even notice anyone else around them. Children were dying of illness while people of rank did nothing to help. Some even tormented the needy for their sick, twisted entertainment. In fact, it was a soldier serving the House of Riviére who had brutally murdered Amy’s biological parents, leaving her to fend for herself at a young age. It took a great deal of self-restraint to prevent Raphael from searching out the duke and slitting his throat at his own ball.
Why have I bothered to attend that cur’s pathetic little party? he wondered in disgust.
Just as he’d made the decision to leave his eye caught sight of a young woman being harassed by a noble. She was a slender woman with long, wavy brown hair and troubled violet eyes. The man she was with was noticeably intoxicated and acting in an inappropriate manner.
How disgusting! Riviére’s associates have no class whatsoever!
Without thinking, Raphael made his way over to where they stood and grabbed the young woman by the arm. Though she was afraid she allowed him to lead her to the dance floor to dance. The movements seemed so fluid to the two of them as though they had been born to dance with one another. Neither spoke until the song was finished and Raphael was the first.
“You’re an excellent dancer.”
“Thank you, my lord,” the woman replied with a curtsy, “I’m afraid I’m not good at much else.”
Before Raphael could inquire about her last statement he noticed the noble from earlier approaching quickly. The brunette’s eyes grew wide with fear noticing the murderous intent in his eyes as he focused on Raphael.
“Please forgive him, Alexander! He meant you no harm,” she pled desperately, “All he wanted was one dance, that’s all!”
“Look you cur, if you want to dance that’s your business. However you will have to find another partner,” the angry noble said, looking directly into Raphael’s eyes as he spoke.
“Let me get this straight, it’s alright for you to harass this young lady but a gentleman cannot request of her a single dance?” questioned Raphael in a disgusted tone.
“Please don’t provoke Alexander further, my lord. Allow me to-”
Before the woman could complete her plea Alexander pulled a knife and slashed Raphael’s upper arm. Immediately she clasped her hands over her mouth to quiet the shrill sound of her screaming.
Looking to the frightened woman Raphael spoke, “You should flee from this place before you get hurt.”
The woman nodded before running out of the room and out of the manor. She didn’t stop until she reached the incredibly large garden behind the gaudy building. There she dropped to her knees in remorse.
I should not have fled. That man could get seriously hurt because of me…
After what seemed like an eternity she could hear the sound of footsteps approaching. Looking in the direction from which the sound came she saw Raphael and immediately noticed the gash he’d received was still bleeding. Thinking quickly she tore off a piece of her gown and ran to Raphael to bandage his wound.
“My lord I’m so sorry! This is all my fault…” her voice trailed off as heavy tears fell from her eyes.
“My lady I assure you that you are not to blame for anything,” assured Raphael before explaining, “You were not aware of the heartless brutality and complete lack of tact of the House of Riviére.”
“Would it be out of line to ask why you decided to help me?” the woman asked tentatively.
“That swine had no right to violate you in such a manner. I knew that no one else was going to do a thing to help you so it was up to me,” replied Raphael sounding slightly disgusted by the evening’s events.
“I’m certain if you had known my name you wouldn’t have wanted to help me,” she said sadly.
“What is your name now that you’ve mentioned it?” asked Raphael, now slightly puzzled.
"Blanche Riviére," she replied when she managed the courage to speak. Her voice trembled with each syllable and she looked ashamedly at her feet, “Alexander is one of my suitors. My father plans to marry me off to a rich, well-respected family. It would better his name. To be honest, I don't think he
cares about me."
Normally Raphael would've reacted harshly toward her but the pain that Blanche showed made him act with more kindness. Surely she wouldn't have supported the actions of her father's soldiers, he apparently didn't show her the slightest bit of compassion either. Raphael really hated Duke Riviére now. How could he hurt his own daughter? Raphael would never treat Amy in such a cruel way and it disturbed him that any man could be cold to his own daughter.
"My lord, if it be your will I shall willingly pay the price for my family's deeds, whatever they may be," Blanche's voice interrupted his thoughts.
The young woman’s offer startled Raphael to say the least. Firstly he was surprised because she was a noble and nobles only care for themselves. Secondly she had just said that her father didn’t care for her and yet she was volunteering her life for as the price for his sins.
"No," he said as he put his hand on her face causing her to look sorrowfully into his eyes, "Not you. You're different somehow, more compassionate."
"Why do you say that? Riviére blood runs through my veins. Perhaps I am the reason you hate our name…” Blanche replied in a weakened voice.
"No, your tears tell me differently. Your choice to care for my injury is enough to tell me that you could never be responsible for the atrocities of your father’s house."
"Who are you, my lord?” asked a puzzled and very worried Blanche, “To whom-"
"Raphael Sorel."
Raphael couldn’t figure out why he had said that. He should have said ‘Robert Levaeux but instead he chose the truth. She could turn him in to his enemies now that she knew who he was but somehow he knew she wouldn’t. He could feel her tears falling down her face and took his hand away. He was her enemy but something had caused him to speak the truth to Blanche of the House of Riviére.
"I wish I were as brave as you are, Raphael. I wish I could hide from this life as you have. Your family has recently become one of my father's allies. If you hadn't become, in your family's eyes, a burden and threat to their lives, you too, would have been my suitor." She gently touched his face, then slowly taking her hand back and said, "I think I would have liked you."
The pain in her eyes and the tears falling from them cut Raphael deeper than Alexander's blade ever could. Before he knew it, he had taken her into his arms. What was he doing? What could he possibly be thinking? This wasn't normal for him, not at all. What next? He might find himself...
Kissing her. Blanche wasn't sure what was happening or why it was. She was kissing a man she hardly knew and to top it all off he was her father's enemy. She wasn't sure why but she knew she needed him. The passion in his kiss had caused her tears to stop falling and allowed her to feel something she'd never felt before. This feeling, it allowed her to feel something other than loneliness and despair...
She had stopped crying. Actually her pain was overtaken by a passion he could feel in her kiss. He was glad, for some unknown reason he couldn't bear to see her hurt. Raphael deepened the kiss as he longed to take her away from here to live with himself and Amy.
Amy… Blanche was Duke Riviére's daughter, an enemy to Amy. He could never have Blanche... Raphael broke the kiss but he couldn't let her go. She was in danger as long as she was with him, he’d have to let go. There was no other choice.
Blanche was horrified by what she'd done. She'd seduced a man who surely hated her for her lineage. He'd never love a woman who'd put him in danger... Not to mentioned whatever it was that her father and his men had done in the past.
"What have I done?” she exclaimed in horror, “I've seduced a man who views me as an enemy! Surely you'll never forgive me-"
"You're not the one to blame, Blanche,” assured Raphael, “However you're in great danger if anyone sees you with me. I must take my leave of you now."
"Will I ever see you again, Raphael?" asked Blanche as she began to cry again.
"For your sake, I hope not. Your life is burdensome enough as it is, you don't need me to worsen the situation."
"If that is what you wish," Blanche said in dismay. She fell to her knees, burying her head in her hands as Raphael turned to leave.
Raphael turned to look at her one last time. There was nothing sweet about the sorrow of departure, not when she cried like that. She appeared to feel something for him, and he felt sympathy for her, but to stay there with her was too dangerous- he was her enemy and he would only put her in danger. Her father appeared to be callous to her and probably wouldn't protect her if his enemies found his daughter with him. This wasn't fair to him, Blanche was not his enemy.
He was gone, Blanche was all alone. She knew that feeling something for another was foolishness. It didn't matter if she loved him or any other man, her father was going to marry her off to some nobleman with a good name. Not a man who was good to her or the people around him but good to his reputation instead. Raphael was the first to show her a sliver of compassion and he was the first to act unselfishly in front of the more corrupt nobles of her father's kind. It was never meant to be, Raphael was her father's enemy and her father and his soldiers his enemies. He could never love her as long as she was a Riviére. This wasn't right, Raphael wasn't her enemy and yet he was…
Also for those who are interested in the story but do not have an account at ffn I offer email notifications. If you’d like to know when I’ve updated without the trouble of checking my profile all the time I will send you a notice via email. See my profile for details.
That’s all for now. I hope to have the second chapter re-written soon but I can’t say when I’ll have it ready. In the meantime feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time!
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