He wasn't shy, that much she had gained when she had seen the twinkle in his eyes when she had gave herself up in order to protect her family. She knew that look, she'd seen it in many a men's eyes since she'd left the safety of her village.

It was her own fault this time though she had gave him permission. 'Do what you want with me, leave them out of this though.'

Do what you want, whomever came up with that was an idiot, and she was more of an idiot to say those words.

At the least he had put away his perverse looks for a moment and actually considered whether he wanted her or he wanted Miles more. She figured out this much, they were best friends, and no matter how much they wanted to kill each other they actually couldn't.

She was the bridge for him though, since he couldn't kill his 'brother' he could at least make him suffer. Oh how silly of her to not see that Miles actually cared about her, even if it had been fifteen years since he'd known her.

Monroe wanted him to suffer and worry about her, wondering if Monroe had killed her or if she had killed her self would surely make him suffer.

For the most part he left her alone, according to the servants of the Monroe estate he hardly left her mother alone.

Did she forget to mention the part where he'd been kind enough to bestow her – her mother's chambers? Yes he did just that, with a charming smirk as well.

So now three days later since that day she found her mother and brother, and Miles horrible attempt at an assassination she stood.

With only a thin white cotton gown an old wrinkled man with white hair used a measuring tape and forced her to stand straight.

Now she had become Monroe's personal doll. If she were allowed to twitch without being chastised and forced back into position she would.

He'd become tired of her apparel claiming that it wasn't suitable clothing for a young lady as herself. Really they both knew he didn't want her running off and as she looked at some of the designs in the notebook she doubted even Nora could escape in them.

Thankfully Julia was kind enough to join her today so she wouldn't have to suffer alone in this.

Ah yes, she forgot about that part too, well if you hadn't figured it out who Julia was, yes she was talking about Neville's wife and Nate's- Jason's mother.

The woman was the first person that was kind enough to speak to her since she'd joined Monroe. The only militia wife that was kind enough to treat her like an actually human and not a traitor or a outsider as the others called it.

She'd found that the woman wasn't crazy like her husband was, if anything she was sure the woman had stolen her husbands sanity in order to keep her own.

Whatever the case there was she didn't care, she was just glad she wasn't alone in this. While she knew at any moment Monroe could barge in on the accounts of making sure she hadn't killed any one yet. They both knew it was just an excuse, since day one he'd been making excuses just to catch her in the flesh.

So far she'd been lucky, she didn't want to know what he'd do if he'd ever seen her so exposed. While he was a whole lot more sophisticated and charming and just better than that drug dealer she'd met he still gave her that hungry look.

She cursed her parents for making her so pretty in this instance. Everyone knew that if she wasn't so good-looking she'd be in the dungeons being tortured for the fun of it, even if she was a Matheson.

Thankfully Julia was there, it would seem as she'd came to find out that Sebastian Monroe was a completely different man when he was in front of his precious Militia. He didn't care about anything but his power and his weapons in front of them and he definitely wouldn't be bothered by a nearly naked girl.

"Goodness you are so beautiful Charlotte". Julia stated as she watched the man measure her.

"She truly is isn't she?" Another voice commented and she closed her eyes, calming herself. She'd anticipated him, the problem was she wasn't anticipating a comment like that.

"I'm all done here Sir, was there anything more you needed of me?" The tailor asked as he turned his attention to the President of the Monroe Republic.

In the mirror she could see that Monroe never took his attention away from her as he spoke. "No, you can leave us, Julia here will make sure you receive your payment".

Oh that meant they were going to be left alone, that was just great she was really hoping that Julia would stick around a little longer.

"Thank you Sir", the man actually bowed, he bowed at Monroe, really he wasn't a god or a king, just a crazed dictator, there really was no need to bow.

Turning away from the mirror she watched as Julia handed her a robe before smiling reassuringly at her. "I'll talk to you later Charlotte"

She smiled back, while it was not a happy smile it was something. "Of course, thank you for joining me today".

"Of course", she replied before she turned her attention to Monroe. "Sir". She said and he inclined his head.

His attention was on her even as Julia walked out, she was quick to put the robe on, the cotton dress was not enough coverage for her and neither was the robe, but it was something.

She wasn't about to dress in front of him either, she'd be insane to do such a thing. Calming herself down she spoke. "Was there anything you needed General?"

She made it a point to call him by his position, it helped her remember why she was there and who he was.

He walked over to her confidant and smooth, she was his prey and she knew if she didn't tread lightly he'd swallow her whole.

"I just stopped by to make sure you were doing alright", of course he did. He already knew that she was having her measurements taken today, he was the one who had planned for it.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes at him she spoke softly. "I'm doing fine".

Another step and now, they were standing toe to toe, while she wasn't exactly a short girl, he wasn't exactly a short man. She needed to look up in order to speak to him properly and she knew that was his intention the whole time.

"That's good", he said softly his breath was warm and too close for her comfort.

It would be in that moment that a stray piece of hair would fall out of the bun Julia had put her hair in for the tailor. Such luck she had, he went for it and she shuddered at the feel of his warm fingers against her collarbone.

"You truly are a beautiful girl … more than your mother had ever been that's for sure".

She didn't know whether she should be flattered or horrified at that statement. While her father and Maggie had told her on many occasions that she was beautiful, never had someone that wasn't her family actually told her themselves. Let alone told her she was more beautiful than her own mother, her father had always said she was as beautiful as her mother but not more beautiful.

It was a messy compliment that was for sure and she needed to at least thank him for it.

"Thank you", really she didn't know what else to say. What she needed to do was get into proper clothing she felt like a worm waiting for the bird to snatch it up right then.

He'd placed her hair back in the messy bun then and took a step away from her as he spoke. "I will be out for the remainder of the day, if you need anything let the servants know".

Oh she was really hating her memory right now, she'd forgotten today was the day. Well according to rumor at least.

So it would seem to be true though, today was the day that President General Sebastian Monroe of the Monroe Republic would be testing out how far his energy powered weapons could go.

Really had she known what her mother had been doing down there she would have shot the woman herself.

Her mother was so lucky that she loved her and that she was her mother.

"So the rumors are true then, today's the day", she stated softly with a frown on her face.

Monroe smiled charmingly at her as he spoke. "I believe that is the only rumor that is true".

She should not have used the word rumor, since she'd arrived at his estate there were one to many rumors flying around. Thanks to the servants ignorance and not realizing she could hear them she got to hear all of them.

The thought of her being Monroe's newest bed-warmer was just sickening. The marriage rumor nearly gave her a heart-attack and she didn't want to think about the rest of the rumors.

"I'll be back later in the evening though … Perhaps if you'd like, when I get back we could make another rumor become true."

This time she did grimace outwardly. If she were anything like the little girl she used to be before the power went out. She would have said something on the lines of 'Eww'.

Instead she would hold her head up high and say something he would not expect. "I think you should go … I wouldn't want to be the reason you were running late."

There was that smile and she knew he was going to say something positively corny. "For you I'd postpone it for a later time … maybe even another day."

"I'd prefer if you'd abort it", she couldn't stop herself even if she had wanted to.

Obviously he didn't like being turned away, he turned back into President Monroe then as he started walking away from her and towards the door.

"Well then Miss. Matheson I'll be leaving now", he turned his attention back to her then, and this time it was he who bowed at her.

"I wish you a good day".

She wondered if he had been this charming before the power had gone out. Was this Miles best friend? The person he couldn't kill.

Either way, she couldn't allow herself to be sucked into the act he put on for her. She was young, she could admit to that, but she wasn't a fool.

She's seen what his charm and handsome face was capable of, what he was capable of, she'd be a fool to just jump into anything with him.

"General". She replied as she incline her head.

She hoped Miles would be proud of her, while she knew he thought her crazy and rash, she hoped that by turning away Monroe he'd be proud of her.

The door slammed shut on her and she jumped, now in sanctity of her solitary she could relax and not have to continue to sleep with one eye-opened.

Goodness the things she did to protect and care for her family.

'Please I'm begging you not to hurt them you have me, you can hurt me, you can do anything with me'.

She sighed, her family better thank whatever gods were real because everyone knew the only reason he would keep her around was because of her name and her pretty face.