Extra's POV: My Obsessive Villainous Fiancee Is The Game's Final Boss-Chapter 121: There’s Another Option

Maria paced back and forth in her room, the wooden floorboards creaking softly under her feet. It was said that you never know what you have until you don't have it anymore. That applied to her right now.

She'd been confined in her room for days, courtesy of Bellamy. He hadn't told her father but the threat of it had been pretty sufficient in getting her to do what he wanted.

And now, there was no flying, no wandering, and no secret visits. Just the suffocating quiet of her room and her thoughts. Too many thoughts.

She sat by the window and stared out at the settlement around them. Frem here she couldn't see the walls or the gates, but the thoughts still slipped into her mind.

Was Abram still there? Was he waiting for her at his usual spot? Had he been punished again?

Her hand came up and clutched her heart. With the way she was worrying, the way she felt the ache in her heart at the thought of him, there was no denying it. She was in love with Abram Ross.

Somehow, it had happened and she hadn't even known.

She sighed at the thought of him alone with no one to help him make sense of how the normal world was supposed to be.

Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore. If she couldn't see him, she'd send a letter. What Bellamy doesn't know won't kill him.

She rummaged through her things, digging deep until she found a half-dry inkwell and a quill. But when she searched for parchment, she found nothing.

Parchment was expensive. Too valuable to keep in a young girl's room. And the strip she'd stolen months ago was gone. She'd either used it up or Bellamy had found it and taken it without her knowing.

She gritted her teeth in frustration, turning away. Then her gaze fell on a strip of tanned hide she'd tossed to the side to craft into something later. It would do.

She stretched it over the table and dipped her quill into the ink. Then she began to write.

Hello, Abram.

She grinned as she skipped through her greeting, asking if he'd smiled since she left. She doubted it. He doesn't really smile after all. Well, he did but it was more like a twitch of his lips. Others wouldn't recognize it.

She chuckled at the memory of it, turning back to her letter. There were still things she wanted to tell him.

I've been thinking about the difference between silence and solitude. You seem to think they are the same. They're not. One gives you peace, the other keeps you prisoner.

You told me once that clarity comes from orders. But what if clarity came from compassion? What if purpose could be found not in loyalty, but in love? What would your world look like then?

You say things plainly, but I wonder what your heart sounds like when no one is listening. Do you even know?

I miss our walks. I miss seeing the confusion in your eyes when I say something unexpected. I miss watching your brain struggle to untangle something as simple as kindness.

You are not alone in this world, Abram. Not anymore. Whether you want it or not, someone sees you.

And I hope one day, you see yourself too.

Maria.

She finished the letter and let it dry before rolling it up and tying it with a thin strip of leather. She slipped it into a hollow tube made of wood. All that was left was to find one of the messenger birds. It'll require sneaking out.

A grin appeared on her face. This wouldn't be the first time she'd be sneaking out. All she needed to do was be back before Bellamy noticed.

She went to her window, looking around. Her room was on the upper floor. All she needed to do was climb down. Easy.

She slipped out and a minute of climbing later, hopped the final length to the ground. She made to stand and froze as voices floated to her from a nearby window.

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"The negotiation is going nowhere." Her father said, and she could hear the frustration in his voice.

"Because you're not letting them move." Bellamy said, sounding equally as frustrated. "We're holding out when we should be compromising. This deal could make us rich. Spices, weapons, silks. Everything we asked for."

"Too rich." Ilyan muttered. "Do you not understand what kind of attention being that rich would bring? From the other tribes? From their Druids? Even the Albion lords might start seeing us as threats."

"We've been stagnant for too long, father." Bellamy argued. "Living in the shadows of the stronger tribes, pretending we're still the same barbarians from generations ago. This deal changes that. It lifts us."

"And brings danger to our doorstep." Ilyan snapped. "The moment we start growing beyond our limits, every eye would be on us. The other tribes will notice. They will retaliate on some perceived insult. All to have what belongs to us."

"Then let them. Let them see what we can become. Let them try to stop us."

Maria crept closer. There were a few seconds of silence, then Bellamy added, quieter. "There is another option. One that makes our position stronger than just getting a deal."

Maria leaned in.

"Marriage." Bellamy said.

"What?" Ilyan's voice was sharp.

"Maria." Bellamy said. "Marry her to Lord Ross' son. It binds our tribe and their noble house together. It gives their family a stake in protecting us. And more importantly, it gives them something they can't get anywhere else."

"You mean children who could inherit Druidic magic." Ilyan said slowly.

"Exactly. Imagine it, Father. A future where our bloodline is tied to theirs. Where Albion has no choice but to honor us as equals."

Another long silence followed.

"And what do you think happens to Maria in this?" Ilyan asked finally. "That boy does everything his father says. He hasn't once spoken outside of an order. How do I know Maria won't be handed over like livestock, to be used however the Ross lord pleases?"

"Because she's smarter than that." Bellamy said quietly. "You know your daughter. She'll find a way. And I think... I think that boy's not as far gone as we think. Maybe Maria can reach him."

"You're speaking of my daughter like a political strategy."

"I'm speaking of our future." Bellamy replied. "She's strong. Stronger than you think. And I'm sure she's not averse to the idea. You saw her speaking to him when he came with his father. Why not use that to our advantage?"

Ilyan didn't reply for a long time. Then, he spoke. "I'll think about it."

That was enough eavesdropping for Maria. She stepped back, heart pounding. She didn't know what to think.

Marriage? To Abram? It felt impossible. Unreal. And yet...

And yet, it wasn't unthinkable.

Only time will tell.