I've seen your face before my friend

Prodan bit his lip and he said, "Well, um, those who are married in, they have to get the tattoo as well. Not quite as large and covering the entire back, but on the left shoulder. Just thought I ought to let you know the family tradition." Prodan wondered if she would refuse. Then Asparuh would be very displeased, and nonetheless dispose of the woman. The last thing he wanted was Cecily to be put in the grave over a simple refusal.

Prodan shrugged, "It doesn't hurt that bad. But...kind of refusing to receive it isn't exactly a good option." Prodan closed his silver eyes so if she decided to go off, he wouldn't have to see that adorable ticked off face that he saw that one day when they declared their love for each other.
 
Cecily sat up, clutching the sheet in her fist. Pushing back her now dry hair, she fixed Prodan with narrowed green eyes. "So are you asking me or telling me what I have to do with my body?" If there was anything that got her back up instantly, it was anybody telling her what she had to do.
 
Prodan shook his head and he stammered, "N-no! Of course not!" He sat up as well, and he did not want to have to tell her that if she did not, she would surely die by the hands of Asparuh. Prodan sighed, "If it were up to me, then I wouldn't ask you do anything if you didn't want to. Hopefully, dad won't make you if you are so much against it." He forced a smile, but really, he did not want her mad at him.
 
Cecily tried to dampen her temper. She didn't want to ruin their night nor alienate him. He looked so miserable, she edged closer to him in the bed as he spoke. Reaching out a hand, she started to smooth back his hair when he mentioned his father.

"Asparuh? Make me?" she spat out like an angry cat, flinging the sheet off and getting out of the bed. Shrugging into his much too large robe, she belted it with sharp, angry and efficient movements. Whirling she faced him again.

"So I'm just supposed to let some -some man, brand me? " Thinking of the cold eyed, tall Bulgarian burning that mark into her skin caused her teeth to clench and a shudder to run the length of her body. She fought to suppress it but the memory of Bearse holding her down, cutting her skin, burning her with the clove cigarettes he favored, hit her hard.

"No," she repeated over and over, hugging her arms to her chest.
 
Prodan gulped when she exploded, and he just collapsed against his pillow. His hands went to his temples, and yet he had to wonder, did everyone freak out over this? Prodan murmured, "Cecily..." But the words couldn't come out. What could he say? Prodan was lost. "Forget I brought up this. I just wanted tonight to be special, for the both of us. And I ruined it. I am very sorry Cecily, I didn't mean to make you this upset." He honestly did not know the deeper meaning to why she blew up.
 
Cecily sucked in a breath and clasped her hair with both hands, covering her face from Prodan's view. Pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes, she welcomed the black bursts, tiny specks that wiped away the memory of Bearse's leering face. Stop it. Stop it. She wouldn't ruin tonight, she wouldn't let either of them, nor their ghosts, destroy what should be the most beautiful night of her adult life. She opened her eyes, took in Prodan's prone form. He looked so beaten down, so defeated. Was this what his family's patriarch ways had always done to him? Would she continue to help cause that? She was thirty five, not some damned teenager bent on dramatic displays. Her own moments before shamed her, as much as she knew the emotions had trapped her helplessly.

It had been years since Bearse had died. What had it led to? Her drinking, throwing away the life she had worked hard to build, nearly succeeding in alienating all around her. Until she had found this strong, kind man in front of her. Who had helped pull her from the dark abyss she had drowned herself in. She loved him, yet it wasn't a blind love. She saw his faults but didn't love him despite them. She loved him because of them, because he was who he was. Don't be a damned coward, not now, not when you've finally found him.

Fingers twisting together, head down, she walked back over to the bed. Crawling on it toward him, she sat beside him, knees bent, legs to one side. Her green eyes still swam with frustrated, angry tears but they shone with the love she had for Prodan as she raised them to him. Clearing her throat, she tried to get the words out and had to try again. "I'm sorry. I over reacted." She picked up his hand, kissed it and brought it to cup her cheek. "I haven't told you everything about my past, just as I know you haven't told me," she started, chin trembling slightly, thinking of his earlier episode. "Let's start over?" A single tear fell down her cheek.
 
Prodan sat up just a bit, using one of his arms as a prop. He didn't agree or disagree that she overreacted. He did not know if she did or not, so he said nothing about that. Prodan wondered if her past was horrid like his own. Of course he would not tell her about the harshness of his upbringing. Prodan nodded, but he inquired lightly, "So, would I have to propose again?" He sat up fully and he used his free hand to wipe away the single tear.

Prodan murmured, "The past...well, I don't talk about it because it is what it is. I have a much brighter future now. Cause my future is my love sitting on my bed with me. That is what I look to now." Prodan gave her a small kiss to the forehead. "I can try to be understanding about things I don't know, but actually, I'm not a good actor."
 
Cecily sniffed and laughed a bit watery at his small joke, shaking her head. He didn't have to do it over again, the moment in the hot tub had been perfect, every woman's fantasy. Her cheeks pinkened in memory. His hand was warm and gentle on her face and her green eyes connected with silver as she raised her head. Curiosity stung her but she would never pry where his past was concerned. She would let him know she knew of his condition but she decided then and there she would never ask what had caused him to be that way. Her heart thumped heavily with his loving words and a few more tears fell.

As his lips touched her forehead she knew she had to tell him. He was owed the truth. "You know that I was married before," she began, her voice hushed. She held onto his hand that was on her knee as though needing a physical life line. In a way she did. She told him of her past marriage; the Death Eaters, the arguments, the beatings, the times Bearse forced himself on her. She left nothing out but was not graphic in detail. Everything she said was told simply, even though her hand shook in his during certain parts. The last, she told him of the night Bearse left and that he was responsible for her being barren.

"Now do you understand why the thought of taking a mark would cause me to freak out?" she asked quietly, hanging her head.
 
Prodan stared in wonder at his love. She was strong, so strong. He admired her so much more now, and hated that she went through that. Prodan nodded, "Yes, yes that is a perfectly good reason why you freaked out. I understand much more now." He frowned and he bit his lip. Whether or not he wanted to share his past. However, it was only fair...

Prodan started with his childhood. The constant beatings he and his sister received from Asparuh. He even included when Asparuh caused Tsvetanka to only have one ear. The emotional abuse he and Iulia always received cause they were never as good as Kalif. Constantly being reminded of that almost every day. Prodan included that Asparuh once had psychosis, and deep anger issues. Prodan mentioned how Iulia was always close to him cause she was terrified of Asparuh. He included that he himself developed some rebellion issues when he was in school, and his short trip to Azkaban. Prodan cleverly left out the Death Eater parts, and he went into detail about how Asparuh kept him from Dorothee and Austin, as well as Aleyha.

He had to raise Alessine, and he explained who she was (Kalif's oldest daughter) and that she died not long ago, and when he was finally released to go see her. Turns out, Asparuh was right about her, that she was a just a lustful woman who put Aleyha through hell. Prodan explained how Dorothee treated him, which was more like a toy than anything, inconsiderate of his feelings. Prodan then said that she just abandoned her kids, left him without a single word, cause she got "bored" and didn't want a man who had to take medicine all his life. Prodan wrapped it up with things were getting better after she left, and when Cecily came into his life.

Prodan chuckled, "Dad is over his explosions now... But he still has a huge temper. And because of Dorothee, I went into a dark place, thinking of how worthless I am. Then I met you, and well... You brought life back into my life. I still thank Arnost for tripping me that one night." Prodan smiled a bit more. Though he was still a bit ignorant of how bad his condition could get.
 
Cecily openly cried as Prodan poured out his past to her. He didn't have to tell her, not one single moment of his past belonged to her, she didn't ask him. But he opened up to her, freely, and she felt more close to now than ever. She felt so many emotions as he unloaded, fear for him and his siblings, furious anger at his heavy handed father, jealous fury at the woman who would dare spurn him and his beautiful children. Yet the emotion that flowed through her sharply as he turned that gorgeous smile on her was love, sweet and pure.

Unable to speak, she knelt, sitting back on her heels so she could reach his mouth. She pressed tender kisses on his face, cupping it between her hands. "I love you," she breathed into him. Slowly she traced his skin with her hands until her hands slid around to his bare back. Her fingers splayed wide over his skin, the skin she knew was branded with his family's mark. As her fingers traced along the patterns that flowed along his spine, she whispered, "I'll do it." What mattered a few mere inches of her skin when compared to life with him?
 
Prodan embraced the kisses. Everything was revealed emotionally. He felt so close to her, and he had no fear of being hurt. How could he have been afraid of this in the past? Opening up, it felt so good for someone to really know him, past and present. Prodan knew what his future would hold. His future was Cecily. Prodan murmured, "I love you more than the world..." Prodan had his hands at her sides, and he held her close. How could someone as wonderful as the pair of them go through so much in their past? Though this was a beautiful thing. The hardship was over, and this was just a beautiful beginning.

Prodan shivered when she traced his family's mark upon his back. Prodan then bit his lip when she touched his spine. He murmured, "I'll be with you the entire time..." Prodan chuckled but the feeling of those blessed fingers against his spine was overwhelming. He pulled his love closer and gave her a hungry kiss. He pulled away and he whispered, "Cecily, I know you know what that does... You are so sneaky." He smirked as he pulled Cecily down so that they were laying down once more. Prodan had his body melded with hers, and he chuckled. Prodan had very little self control around Cecily as is, and she was teasing him with what she knew would break his control immediately.

Merlin, I love her.
 
Cecily felt the exact moment his control hovered over the edge then crashed, pouring his passionate nature upon her. She could no more stop the grin that spread across her face as they tumbled to the bed, than she could stop loving him. The ring on her finger caught the light from the small lamp and created a kaleidascope whirl across them. Lips sealed to his, she knew that tonight was just the beginning.
 
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