*tick-tock* *tick-tock*
Only the sound of the ticking clock was heard as men continued staring at each other without uttering a word.
"Well... you can't expect us to do everything for you" Elliot shrugged.
"That's unfair, cousin" said Tristan, cleaning his glasses with a piece of cloth.
"Yeah, totally"
Clive leaned on the top cushion and pressed his hands on his eyes. Everything was a mess. Within a few weeks, Ashford County went through natural disasters day and night, so often that they eventually lost track.
If it was calm during the day then there would be a storm at night.
And if it was tranquil at night, then a sinkhole would appear in the busiest shopping district in the middle of the day.
"Haaah" He sighed.
"If we're going to do this. Then let's do it the right way"
Clive straightened his back and observed their expressions.
While Elliot looked curious, Tristan was skeptical. The Howard twins had the same face but portrayed different expressions.
"Let's ask An-An. She'll understand if we explain it to her"
"Pffft" Elliot tried to control his laughter.
"Are you serious?" There was a deep frown on Tritan's face.
"We're talking about the same person right?" asked Elliot, wiping the tears in the corner of his eyes.
"The same Angelica who threw a snake at a seven-year-old for having a crush on her?... pfft...!! now that's going to be one helluva show"
"Do tell us when you are about to ask her. We would like to spectate from a safer distance" said Tristan, in a calm voice. The corners of his lips curled into a smirk.
"Then..." Clive raised his eyebrow in question.
"What's the plan?"
Tristan and Elliot looked at each other and smiled like five-year-olds with candy.
'I'm going to hell for this'
Clive was pacing back and forth in his office, half panicking and half scared. He felt restless after confirming that his letter had been delivered.
Because today was the day his sister, Angelica would be coming home after a long time.
The negotiations are over, the transactions are done and the preparations are in the final stages.
Everything they had worked for the past few months all came down to this.
'I can't believe I'm really doing this'
"I feel like sh*t" Clive muttered looking at the documents in his hand. He walked over and placed them in his drawer.
"We all are" Elliot commented, grinning from ear to ear. He was sitting on the sofa with his arms spread to its length.
"You don't need to look too down cousin" said Tristan, his face focused on the papers in his hands. It was the transportation permit approved by the capital warp point.
"We are planning a wedding" He handed the papers to Clive.
"Not a funeral"
"Tristan's right... Cheer up will ya" Elliot tried to calm up the tensed Clive.
"It will be if we slip even the slightest" lamented Clive, in an ominous voice.
The place turned eerily quiet.
" Ahem... It is your job to make sure that doesn't happen Clive"
Tristan turned to his brother.
"Let's go, Elliot. It's about time she returns"
"We'll be in the other room. All the best Clive" Elliot thumbs upped, before following after his brother.
The duo left the room, leaving behind a depressed Clive.
Just then the butler came in and delivered the last remnant of their preparations.
'It's here'
"Looks like there's no other way" He muttered as he leaned on the chair.
"No other way for what?"
Angelica startled him from behind.
Flustered, Clive hugged her and tried his best to control his facial expressions.
"So... Why'd you call me?"
They started catching up on the days they missed.
When Angelica brought up their parents, Clive started spouting lies.
"Mother and Father are visiting Uncle Howard"
Having anticipated the questions the trio had prepared stories, flawless enough to convince her.
It was rather the half-truth.
When the time came Clive casually brought up the topic of the greenhouse. With his heart beating like it was about to burst at any second, he watched her sign the documents he gave her.
At first glance, it was a contract for the greenhouse, but embedded between the pages were the marriage documents from the Frost Duchy notarized by the imperial palace. It was arranged unambiguously so as not to catch the eye of the reader.
"Don't bother" said Angelica and started signing the papers.
Clive felt his heart sting as she flipped through the pages without reading their contents. At the same time, he was relieved for not being caught.
"Haah" Clive heaved a silent sign.
"Would you like some tea?" He took a seat opposite her and called in a maid for refreshments.
The maid arranged the tea and returned. In fact, she was one of the Howard Knights who had disguised herself.
Only a handful of people, including Ashford's butler knew of the plan.
The knight was sent with the sedative-induced teacups. There was a coating of a concentrated dose of Xalian flowers which are commonly used to make anesthetics on Angelica's teacup.
It was strong enough to take down an elephant and safe enough to keep her unconscious for at least three or four days. For it will be just like taking a nap after a stressful day.
And since the wolf was away tormenting the apprentice knights, there was no way that he would be discovered.
Clive evaded the questions Angelica asked again and brought up the rumor surrounding the Finnel mountain to distract her.
He watched her take a sip of the tea without any doubt as they continued chatting.
It was time the sedative started taking effect.
"Why are you spinning?" Angelica asked with unfocused eyes.
Just as she was about to fall to the side, Clive jumped up from his seat and caught her head.
"I hope you forgive me" Clive kneeled down and gently laid her down on the sofa. He apologized for the sin he was about to commit for the welfare of the people.
Clive stood up and observed Angelica's steady breathing. After confirming that she was asleep, he rang the bell he used to call the maid.
"Wow. It worked" Elliot came bursting out the door.
"Of course it did. What do you take my skills for?" said Tristan standing beside Clive.
"There's no going back now" Clive clenched his fists and looked at his sister's face.
"Why don't you talk now huh..." said Elliot, poking Angelica's cheek. He took out his pen and brought it near her face.
"This is going to be hilarious... hehe" He grinned wickedly.
"You know what's going to be hilarious? It is Angelica opening her eyes at this moment" Tristan whacked his brother's head.
"Don't draw on her face. The Frost knights will arrive soon and..." He continued, seizing the pen from his hands.
"Don't worry. We'll get a chance in the future"
A few hours later, Sir Luther, one of the head Frost knights arrived at the Ashford residence with an army of knights. After exchanging the marriage documents with the official seal of both the families, an unconscious Angelica was escorted to the capital.
Since Clive was the person with the highest authority in the house at present, there were no issues regarding matters of transition.
"She took a sedative to avoid warp sickness" lied Tristan to one of the Frost knights, as he watched Angelica being carried to the carriage.
"Warp sickness..?" The knight asked confused.
"Just be sure to check the belts again so she doesn't roll down off the bed" said Elliot putting an arm around his brother.
'So that the beast won't go loose' He grinned, swallowing the words he was about to say.
Meanwhile, Clive was talking to Luther regarding the safety of the transport. He watched as the carriage moved out of the gates with his heart full of guilt.
'Dear goddess. Please keep her safe' He silently prayed, hoping for the future to be bright.
*thunder*
Clive looked out the window. The outside was pitch black and only the sound of rain could be heard.
"I won't believe it unless I see it with my eyes" He clenched his fists tightly.
There was a storm the day Angelica's carriage was attacked. Logically, even if she fell into the water, there were fewer possibilities of her surviving considering the strong current of waves and not to mention the sharp rocks beneath the mountain.
Still.
"I won't believe it...." Clive muttered with red eyes.
He returned to his desk and started organizing the scattered papers. He was leaving for the capital in a few hours.
Just then...
*bang*
The window opened from behind him.
A dark hooded figure jumped in and threw Clive towards his desk.
The figure stood on top of his desk with one foot on his chest pressing him down.
Startled, Clive fell from the sudden ambush from behind. But instead of reaching for the dagger hidden beneath the desk. He stared at the figure, his eyes as wide as a football pool.
"You look like you've seen a ghost"
Clive heard a familiar voice. It was the one he had never expected.
*thunder*
The flash from the lightning illuminated the face hidden behind the hood.
"Brother...." Angelica said in a taunting voice grinning like a maniac.
"An....An...Angeli...ca" Clive stuttered, his face pale from realizing who it was that attacked him.
*thunder*
"Miss me?"