The night couldn't go worse... When I was finally ready to face my concerns with Cedric, my worst nightmare of all was coming through the door soon. And for that, I had no solution and no way out.
At least I was not alone in my suffering. I preferred not to suffer, but not facing Gobbie alone gave me a wicked sense of comfort. Barely, though. I am not sure how Miss Junette hadn't seen mine and Emmanuel's face twist, as if death were about to enter the room. Even in a dimly lit place, it was impossible to miss. The terror on his face, however, brought me back into that night. The memory of it was much more terrifying than the anger in Cedric's eyes. My last night at the Mountnero manor had been a horror story for me, even if Emmanuel guaranteed that the last part had just been illusions from the Flor di Aniz.
It didn't matter to me. I could still feel the cold air in my lungs as his blue eyes appeared in my mind. I was not ready to meet him yet.
Through an agitated Junette, we found more details about the Duke's sudden appearance. According to the message written by his aide (or sacrificial lamb...), the duke hadn't slept for three days straight, in order to finish the work the High Priestess had charged him with. Fearing for his health, she allowed him to leave the few missing tasks to one of his aides and gave him two holy horses for the journey to Aerabitina. He barely rested or ate. Instead, his journey was mostly about him racing against time, as if any moment lost meant a catastrophe was about to happen (in his head, maybe it meant that). The Duke would have arrived already, if not for the begging of the aide that came with him.
Typical.
I could already imagine the poor man begging on his knees, crying on his leg. However, I am surprised the duke caved in. That could only mean the trip and all those days of hard work had taken a toll on him and he must have felt exhausted. Not that it mattered much since the devil's spawn, Gobbie, was coming soon, way too soon. There was not much time to prepare for his arrival, and I shivered for me and Emmanuel.
"We need a plan." I said when Junette left our sight. My feet trotted around the room as my head worked on ideas.
"You need to sleep." came Emmanuel's voice, mellow and hypnotic.
"No, I can't. How can you say such? I have no desire to sleep." I replied, piercing him with a befuddled glance.
Idiot! I am trying to help us both, and he is talking about sleep!
My steps sharpened in pace and in noise, while my hands clutched together. I heard him sigh, and I wanted to punch him.
"You will." was the last words he said before my vision darkened at the corner of my eyes. Nooo!
My head became heavy and my arms and legs soggy. I felt being pulled by thousands of fireflies, my feet no longer on the floor. In my dazed state, I reached my hand out to him. "Emmanuel..." I called, and he turned his head, which had that suffering smile of his. Like he was a poor martyr. "You fucking bitch!" those were my last words, before sleep overpowered my will. I should have gone for a punch in the stomach. Or lower.
The next morning I awoke to the shrilling calls of Fanny, who was way too excited for a morning. She dressed me in my best dress and arranged my hair with a golden and simple hairpin, leaving my long hair flowing freely. She was supposed to escort me to our breakfast room, where the duke and Jenni were waiting to have our first meal together since the trip. However, I convinced her I needed some time by myself before I went. In her merry mood, she didn't even question my request and just went by herself to greet her lord.
I watched her go and counted time. Then, when enough had passed, I gathered a blessed pistol and some alchemy bullets and left my room in hurried steps. I needed time to think, space to breathe, and silence to calm my soul. My feet took me outside, to where the Goddess waited and I had passed my days practising the protection. I looked around, trying to find a place a horde of fireflies wouldn't locate me. I almost prayed, but the wind was generous and gave me my answer in the form of fallen leaves.
While I ensured my pistol was carefully secured, I selected the oldest and tallest tree for me to climb. It had robust and wide branches, perfect for a child to sit. The climb was smooth and took only a few minutes (and some sweat). At the top, I looked at the view and allowed myself to breathe, while I clutched the pistol under the heavy layers of my dress. I knew I was a bigger idiot than Emmanuel was. My fears were certainly unfounded, and if they weren't, the pistol wouldn't do well against a crazed duke. But I never was one to go down without an act of rebellion, so the weapon comforted me. I closed my eyes and hugged my knees.
My mind returned to that scene and those eyes. Blue and deadly, in a room that was covered in ice.
I breathed. Don't be an idiot, it is not real.
The pain that plagued my hands, my legs, my lungs, all came back to me.
Not. Real.
"Who are you?" I could hear his voice, pure ice, crawling in my skin.
Birds flew away as a sound roared in the distance. From my place, I couldn't see what it was. However, I knew the duke had found me missing. I took long breaths and stayed put. I was not ready yet.
Not long after, the space below was sparkling in purple, the unmistakable buzz of the fireflies filling my ears. I curved my body and saw them gather around, flying busy as ever. They were raising in numbers and in restlessness. Never quiet or in one place for long. Glancing from afar, they were a pretty sight, even for snitches.
"Where could she be?" said the voice I could never forget, and whose owner was responsible for my stress. The duke.
I heard a pair of faint steps approaching the Goddess statue, noticing someone was following him. "I am sure she is around here. They have caught her presence." It was Emmanuel, the traitor, calm and collected. Not what I had expected from a man about to lose his head. "She is probably hiding somewhere where they cannot see. Don't worry..:"
I ventured a little further on the branch, noticing the usually well kept golden hair of the duke now in waves of chaos and dirt. He passed a hand on his head, leaving it in a more miserable state. The perfect partner to his sad sigh. "Where could... agh... after so much time... and still..." Gobbie made even less sense than usual with his head hanging.
"You should rest." stated Emmanuel, as if he was dealing with a big child (which he was, in a way). He patted Gobbie's back and gave him a shy smile. "It's because of the goddess grace that you don't look like a beggar right now. Your aide, however... I really do feel sorry for the poor man... it looks like he passed a lifetime in the gutter." Emmanuel took his hand from the duke, waiting for him to give a sign of maturity. I almost laughed. Emmanuel may be an old guy, but for sure he was an old fool if he thought mild suggestions worked on such a hardheaded person. Understanding this after a minute, Emmanuel let out a sigh. "Go eat and have some sleep. She would come around soon."
Gobbie took a step back while he turned to the priest, affronted. "I shall eat breakfast with both my daughters. How else could I hear from them about how they passed their days at Aerabitina."
Good without you and your dramatic shit, Gobbie.
Emmanuel pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed loud as if to calm himself. Or at least that was the intention until he opened his eyes and slapped his head. "For the love of... You are insufferable at these times." He walked away from Gobbie, seeking refuge in the goddess's shadow. On his way there, he took notice of the many fireflies standing above her head. I hadn't much time left...
"How are the girls with their studies?" asked the duke, calmer. His eyes were on Emmanuel, who got surprised enough to gasp.
The priest collected himself before replying in serious tones. "You should ask Lady Sargosa." he extended a hand and let the fireflies fly to him.
"But I asked you." said the duke, watching as several fireflies gather around Emmanuel. He waited, but when he was sure of the man's intent to remain silent, he added. "Is she angry?"
Emmanuel saw Goobie approach and replied. "Better ask her that, too."
"I see you are angry." said the duke, ruffling his hair once more.
"You know my position on such, my lord. Carnage, death, suffering, those are all too destructive. Too hurtful."
I couldn't see them very well, as the fireflies were everywhere and covered my vision. But I noticed Emmanuel's posture getting more threatening and deeper in meaning I couldn't understand.
"Ah.. yes. I know." said the duke, gracing his features with a sad smile. He then walked away, turning his back to Emmanuel, letting the sun warm his face. A face that continued to shame anyone who considered themselves a beauty. After basking under the rays, his head tilted to the side, to where Emmanuel stood, watching. "What is the problem? Why are you so tense and worried?" a smidge of cold hid beneath the haughty voice of the duke.
Emmanuel jumped back. "I am not. Why say such things? I am completely fine."
"Are you sure?" the smidge of cold was no longer hidden anymore.
"Of course. You really should rest. When you are tired, you are a terrible company to be around." Emmanuel looked everywhere, except at Gobbie. It would be a challenge to seem more suspicious. Unless you screamed your crimes.
The duke pretended the idiot had said nothing and smiled. The smile cats did when they knew they were going to catch the rat. "So it isn't because you drank two barrels of brandy? My brandy?"
I heard the snap of Emmanuel's neck when he turned to face him. "Two barrels?!" the indignant cry and his bewildered expression were way too funny to stop me from chuckling. Thankfully, the two were too preoccupied in their discussion to notice my transgression over common sense.
"Who said such a thing? Was it the butler? Why?! Why does he hate me so?!"
Because he likes Junette, you idiot! And she has crush you... goddess knows why sometimes.
While Emmanuel paced around, his hands up in frustration, Gobbie watched in silence. The idiot just went on and on with his exasperation. "It was only two bottles, maybe three. Not more than four. And certainly not two barrels!!" I almost slapped my hands against my face. Emmanuel, you fucking fool!
The duke continued to be silent, standing there, arms crossed, in triumph. The lack of reaction made the priest stop in his tracks, his face writhing as understanding dawned on him. Fireflies became agitated and violent. He was pissed.
Pissed enough to reach closer to the duke, with a finger pointing at him. "You... you two! Always messing with me!" he berated.
I thought in his anger he would use the furious fireflies on Gobbie. However, he took a step back, drew a deep breath and with a snap dispersed the snitches. Everything was calm, and a little cold as the duke's smile was out of his lips. "What do you mean by that?"
My body clutched the branch closer as my interest peaked. I understood now why Jenni did this. She loved to watch the drama!
"Lucreatia is an alchemy genius. You should be proud!" said Emmanuel, mimicking the duke's stance.
THAT FOOL! He just blurted out!!! That is why we should have planned! You cannot say things like that to Gobbie. Go with small steps. Small steps!!
"What?!" the once chilly breeze went up in scale to a wild wind. "You let her do such things?"
"Like you didn't?!" accused Emmanuel, making the fireflies fly around the space and warming it with their purple light. While I thought to myself about the oddity of such accusation, Emmanuel decided it was a good idea to proceed with his funeral. "To be honest, I did not intend to let her do it. However, as a true Mountnero, she is very good at subverting things her way."
At least I didn't go around spiling the beans and signing my death sentence!
I grabbed the branch with vigour as I thought of the million ways I would like to punch Emmanuel. The most painful, the best.
"She even used your beloved muskets as alchemy weapons!"
CAN'T YOU SHUT UP... You... ehhrrr... I am getting out of names to curse you with! Seriously...
"You..." began the Duke, at the loss for what to say. Like me, Emmanuel's stupidity surprised him a great deal. The cold air stalled for a moment before returning in a powerful wave. "You are a horrible teacher! When you should have stopped her... No... Knowing you, I am pretty confident you helped her!!" white and crystalline air flew in Emmanuel's direction.
I gasped, but before I could process what was happening, the buzzing of the fireflies increased and an intense purple light dispersed the ice that had formed, heating it up into water. Emmanuel fanned himself, causing Gobbie to become enraged and the air less supportable.
"I have been told that already." said the fool in a nonchalant voice as if his life hadn't been threatened seconds ago and, by all purposes, still was. With a wave of his hand, the fireflies flew around again, calmer, melting away the furious ice that build up on trees, ground and even on the two fools. "But... I understand her will to defend herself."
The wind blew again, taking with it the corpses of the fireflies that had died on the previous attack. They soon disintegrated into purple smoke, leaving the place looking like a coloured marathon. The duke breathed in and grasped his hands on his side. "I will protect her Emmanuel, she is my daughter and I won't have her do such dangerous things." His statement made the old tree vibrate and the ground shake.
He was getting to a dangerous level... Emmanuel just stop, let it go. But he didn't... Actually, he came closer, so close I could barely hear them. "Bianca is right. We may want to protect her, however, life is not that easy. We need to give her tools..." there was a loud growl in response, which seemed to tick Emmanuel off. His voice became confrontational. "If what you wished was possible, then she wouldn't have been poisoned by the Flor di Aniz or betrayed by that maid..."
Maid? What maid?
More fireflies gathered again with added intensity. Not enough, however, to counter the ice that formed on the air, ground and on the trees. Some, to escape their sad demise, ended up flying high enough to share the same space with me. In the split second the fireflies saw me, I knew he had found me. Emmanuel lifted his face from the duke and led his eyes up to me. Crap.
However, because of that, he didn't see the duke's sharp ice flying to his head. In a panic, I called out to Emmanuel, which stopped everything. The ice, the fireflies and the remaining strength the branch had for securing me.
As I went down to my impending crash, I yelled, hoping it would wake both men out of their shock. "GOOOOOBBBBBBIEEEE." If not for my fall and subsequent death, I would have found the duke's completely dumbfounded face extremely funny. I mean, he looked like he had forgotten how to speak. Pity I couldn't bask in the glory of that feat. Instead, I was headed to the dirty ground, soon to meet another pair of less idiotic lilac eyes.
When I was close enough to smell the scent of the grass, Gobbie reacted, and he extended his arms to catch me, forgetting he could do blessings and shit... seriously all of them are useless sometimes. His late reaction meant he would not catch me in time. Desperate, I closed my eyes and braced myself for the pain, only to have myself wrapped in two arms and have a strong buzz clogging my ears. I opened my eyes and saw the fireflies flying around. I turned my head, and I was greeted by steel-blue eyes, whose ice had melted. Upon closer look, I noticed we were floating. All because of a carpet of flying spies that lifted the duke.
"Really, Goddess, give me strength or we may die from your antics." I shot an annoyed glance at Emmanuel, who stood by the side. A movement from his hands and the fireflies landed us on firm ground.
It was then that the duke regained his speech. "My Lulu! I have missed you!!" he hugged me tight, and I felt his tears fall on my back.
"Now you can rest and let the people of the manor catch some breath." added Emmanuel, his arms crossed and his face tired. Not sure if from the effort or from the duke's mood swings. Both, I presumed.
The duke raised his head to meet Emmanuel, defiance in his features. "First, I eat with my daughters."
Emmanuel was about to protest when a voice on our side made us turn. "Maybe papa..." said Jenni, approaching us with a warm smile. Though I saw her throw a sharp stare at me. I wouldn't be able to avoid "a sisters talk". "You should have a bath. It has been prepared." She continued with the same sweetness, looking at Gobbie from up to down. A judging stare, similar to lady Sargosa.
The duke exchanged glances from her to me, and with my nodding, he built shame. "Alright then..." he said like a puppy without his favourite toy. Emmanuel coughed to avoid showing a triumphant smile. Unfortunately, he sucked at it and the duke caught him in the act. "Jennifer, would please ask Franco to start the inspection on the cellar while I go for my bath?" he put me on the ground while Jenni's eyes darted to the priest.
"I have sent him to his well-deserved rest." said Emmanuel, receiving a death stare while the air became a little icy. "The poor man looked like death!"
No, he didn't! Though he probably didn't look good.
The duke took mine and Jenni's hand before turning to Emmanuel. "Very well, but after I take my breakfast we shall talk." he said, preparing to go back to the manor.
"But Gobbie..." Emmanuel's voice rang behind us, making the duke stop in his tracks. Drops of sweat formed on his forehead and his lips thinned into a line. "It has been some time since I heard you being addressed by that name. Would you like to know its origins, Lady Lucreatia?"
Ohhhhhhh yes!!!!! I want very much!
My head turned violently, and my body moved, though I was caught by Gobbie's firm grip. He was shaking, for sure to subdue his anger in front of his adored daughters. Now, more than ever, I was eager to know Emmanuel's story, which could cause such a reaction to the cold-blooded snake of the Empire.
"We will talk at a later date." said Gobbie, shooting a side glance to Emmanuel that screamed "DONT YOU DARE". He then pushed us forth as fast as he could. While we walked, I heard a sneer behind us. Someone had won.
Later, no matter how much I asked or bribed him, Emmanuel never rattled. His reply was always the same "Over my dead body!"
Sneaky bastard.
Hope it was a nice chapter! What did you think?? I hope you had fun reading it. Was the duke's interaction with Emmanuel interesting?
Did you laugh with Lulu's exasperation with Emmanuel? Tell me your thoughts.
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Sorry for the late update, but life has been busy. And because I have been missing some deadlines with you guys I decided until further notice to update only once per week (I feel really bad when I cannot accomplish it). That way I have more time to edit it properly and also to write more chapters in the back. When I have enough then I can restart the twice a week schedule.
Hope you can forgive me, but besides my busy work life, these chapters are getting bigger and I am more demanding on my edits (which I hope is a good thing). Anyway, I am not sure how long one chapter per week will be but I hope it won't be too long.
The schedule will be Fridays.
Sorry again.