Life was a funny thing. An interesting thing.

"Flower." I had called her. I didn't even know her name, yet in that moment, Flower seemed right. She reminded me of the flowers that my mother used to grow behind the house when we grew up. The flowers that my sister Tara and my mother would tend to with such love, care and magic. The flowers that my brothers and I would get in trouble for because we messed with them. Those flowers that until the fight between us and our father; El Diavolul had always screamed home. And I don't know why I pictured that now but this beautifully exquisite woman that I knew nothing about reminded me of those flowers.

She reminded me of home and magic.

I could sense it around her. I could almost taste it. It was so strong, so raw, so...untapped. So much untapped potential. It made me wonder, did she even know she had it? I should have been distracted, hell even intrigued by her magic and yet I was instead drawn in by her. Everything her. Her. I suddenly felt my heart constrict as if I was nostalgic for something I never had. What was this...feeling?

I took a step forward again and she stiffened. I paused. She sent out a pink tongue and wet her slightly dry lips. I followed the movement with rap attention, an urge growing within me.

"Don't...Don't come closer. Who...who are you?" She croaked out, clearing her throat in the middle of her statement as if something had been lodged in it before she finished the statement. I cocked my head to the side, studying her. Her surprise had so quickly been replaced by guarded eyes. Her guards were oh so high, it intrigued me. Well, if we were being logical, she was in a library, alone with a strange man...

Strange.... she asked who I was? Did she not know who I was? Everyone knew who I was. She seemed new here too. Out of place. Almost too perfect for this place and yet a primitive part of me felt like she fit right in. Like she was all this place had ever needed. The thought scared me. Terrified me even. Who was she?

She had magic. Had she been sent by Duncan to stop me from finding out the secrets he was hiding? Had he found out about my plan? No. That was impossible. But why was her magic so great and yet...felt like it was lacking something? Was it a cloaking spell of some sort? Was she going to attack me? Would I have to kill her? That would be a shame, I thought with a strange pang in my chest. I did not like the idea of having to kill her. But before that, I had to find who she was and what she wanted.

She straightened herself, holding her ground with a strength that both surprised and excited me. A fire burnt in her eyes, a strong, wild raging fire. I had the sudden urge to drown myself in that fire.

Get a grip Kyryaan. I chided myself. This was unlike me. I never reacted to anyone or anything like this.

"I asked you Sir. Who are you?" She asked even more firmly this time. I knew I had to play this tactfully. I didn't know who she was and just the fact that she didn't know who I was.... heavens she didn't know who I was. I could be anyone to her. I could literally choose any identity and she would go with it. But till when? A part of me wanted her to choose her own side of me that she wanted. I didn't want her to see me as a Lord so I spoke before I had thought long enough to change my mind.

"Kyle. My name is Kyle." I spoke, my voice and name sounded foreign even to me. When last had that name even been used? When I was a boy? Many people didn't even know that I was called Kyle. But I didn't lie to her. It felt like it would be the most heinous of crimes; lying to her. My names were Kyryaan Kyle von Lukeberg and somehow, for some reason, it felt right that I wanted her to know me as Kyle rather than Kyryaan. It almost felt like something between only the two of us. It felt so.... right.

Some of her guard went down even though she was still very guarded. Her shoulders relaxed a little but they were still stiffened. She was still wary of me. It made me want to smile but I didn't. I couldn't only imagine how that would look like to her. I took another tentative step forward, swallowed then paused. I was so close to her now. If I could just extend my hand now I would be touching her. I wondered how my body would react to touching her. I fisted my hands at my sides. No...I was not ready to. If I could react like this only from the sight of her, I only wondered what touching her would elicit in me.

"Kyle...." She tasted it on her tongue, the word coming out as a wispy breathy sound...I physically held myself from shuddering. Why was I reacting like this? Had I been spelled? She looked at me deep in the eyes. It pleased me greatly. Very few people looked me in the eyes. It was refreshing. I wondered if she would stop if she found out who I was. I hated the possibility of her stopping.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" She asked defiantly." This time I actually smiled. A rare, genuine smile. When last had I even had one of those?

"Tsk tsk tsk." I tsked at her, cocking my smile, letting my smile drop to a roguish smirk. I felt myself easing well into her presence. Which was both exciting and foolish as if she had indeed been sent by Duncan, I would be in trouble. Big trouble.

"I doesn't work that way Flower. If you are to get me to answer any questions, you will have to answer one in return as well. I believe that arrangement should work quite well." I said confidently even though deep down I was hoping, praying she would agree. Of course I could always find out everything about her or even make her tell me but a selfish part of me, a strange part wanted to find out from her. I wanted Her to tell me everything there was to know about her. I wanted her to tell me her secrets. I wanted to get it from her.

She looked confused so much so that she sputtered for a while. I don't think anyone had ever said that to her. If I was even being so bold in my assumption, I would even say not many people had stood long enough to want to know her. It saddened me that many people didn't see her. But I was secretly happy that maybe I was the first? I confused even myself.

"Fine." She ceded in a small voice, looking at me as if she was wondering what I wanted. I didn't blame her. Rather that dallying lest she changed her mind, I leaned on the side of the bookshelf, crossed my hands in front of my chest and gave her all my attention.

"What is your name Flower?" I asked quietly. Genuinely interested. She looked me deep in the eyes as if she was looking right at my soul. I held back a shudder.

"My name is Gale." She finally said.

"Gale.... Gale...Gale..." I rolled the name on my tongue, tasted it, noting how it sounded, enjoying the sound of it.

"I like it. It suits you." I said when I was done with my analysis. She averted her gaze as if she was shy. It did things to me. Heavens, the innocence in that simple move did things to me. I had to restrain my thoughts. Dear heavens. I had not even meant to say it out loud but the compliment had slipped out. Was this how it was going to be? Was she going to reduce me into a fumbling fool sooner than later? She was admittedly dangerous. Not because she may be sent to do something to me, but because of how everything in me reacted to her.

"Thank you Sir.... Kyle." She added as an afterthought. I rather liked her calling me Kyle. Should I even like it this much.

"Who are you?" She asked. I smiled.

"I believe I just told you Gale if my memory does serve me right." I smiled cheekily. She looked affronted. I almost laughed. Heavens. I had not had this much anything in like forever. I feared it. I knew what she meant but I didn't feel like ruining this. Not yet. She might not be this free once she found out who I was.

"My turn. What are you doing here?" I asked.

"One would think it would be quite obvious wouldn't it?" She teased, looking pointedly at the book in her hand and then back to me. This time I actually laughed. A choked, surprising sound that erupted from my lips before I even knew what it was. She had some wit. I wondered what else went on in her head. My laughter was short-lived, but it was laughter nonetheless.

"Touché Flower. Touché." I kept calling her flower even though I knew her name but I preferred Flower.

She was smirking now, her lips pulled up in mirth. It gave me ideas. But I chided myself. I just met her and I still didn't know what she was doing in my mansion.

I was about to ask her another question when she looked back at the window and a panicked look then straightened. I leaned away from the stand in alert.

"I'm sorry. I have to go. I need to get this back soon." She rushed, almost apologetically and that's when I knew...she was a slave. I wanted to ask whose slave she was but she had already rushed away before I could recognize the slave band on her hand. I should have run after her as her skirts swished past me while running away. I should have held her as her scent hit me straight in the face leaving me dizzy. I should have told her to stay, I was Lord, I could make her master or mistress wait. But I didn't. I didn't stop her as she left, along with the first piece of something akin to happiness that I had felt in a long time.

She was a slave. She was a slave.

Damn it!