The next day Claudius is in his office early in the morning, reading and writing letters and preparing to send them off. I've just put on my clean maid uniform, after receiving instructions from Margery that Claudius wanted me specifically this morning to bring him tea while he worked.
The whole Red Wing was on high alert with gossip after that order spread round, as his butler Quinn was usually on those duties. So this was a unique affair.
I myself wasn't so shocked though by the request, because I knew my Lord wanted to fuck me dead. And oh boy, after last night, I couldn't wait to fuck him too. I was mad in love with him and his wicked incubus cock that seemed to get hard over and over and over, needing to deprive, oh joy. I was wet already at the thought!
I head straight to Claudius' office, to say good morning first of all. I was excited to see him after last night.
I knock politely, enter and flamboyantly sway toward him, hands behind my back and a small cheeky smile on my lips.
"Good morning, Sir," I whisper the greeting, my tone husky with unresolved desire.
Fontaine is in the middle of working, and he notes my disposition with a small glance but does not acknowledge it directly or pay it any attention. I feel the blood rush up my neck at the thought of him being so composed himself after last night! Damn him!
"You remember last month, yes?" Claudius begins curtly, "After the wedding fell through, you remember that morning, when you destroyed the wine glasses I paid for with your witless hands? Well, I have some news –"
"Mm, yes, but my hands were not witless, damn, what a sentence –"
"Refrain from interrupting me, Alexandra," Claudius Fontaine cuts me off with a harsh reprimand, old fashioned and stern, he also takes immediate delight in how red that makes me blush. He is so in control with me, at home in his time, and now it is not a joke – because I am truly trapped with his true and real authority. He was no longer a ghost I can have my way with, and even now I am finding it hard to get used to him being real, nevertheless, I stay quiet and he continues, "You may have been informed, that wedding day was a rehearsal for the true date, which is tomorrow. I never cancelled the celebration, and all the guests are arriving today."
What an idiot!
"Are you serious? Aelia is gone, and you forgot to cancel the invitations to your own wedding?" now I'm aghast as he lets me respond, but I am shocked at his flippant forgetfulness. To this he just raises a brow, as I add, "How could you forget something so important, Claudius –"
"Sir or Fontaine will do just fine," Claudius reminds me too kindly, with a wicked look in his eye, "How could you forget such simple formality, are you daft? No. Just completely witless and only able to think about sex since you walked in here," my blush brightens but I purse my lips. All that bait and I was not going to fall for it, but ouch, that kinda hurt, but even so, he keeps going, "Are you flustered now," Fontaine waits for me to bite, and is amused that I try to refrain so hard from reacting, "Or are you simply inclined to forget simple things also... brat?"
"Forget what – you're the one who forgot to send out cancellations," I snap back now.
Claudius finishes scribbling a letter and lays down his pen, holding his chin and reading over the letter slowly, making me wait, before his eyes graze over the desk and hop back up to mine, "Where's my tea?"
I had come to say hello and good morning first, but I had not brought the tea in just yet.
I open my mouth, my blush turning from red to pink with embarrassment, "Oh," I quickly turn around and rush out, preparing to get what I was called for.
It's also an excuse to get out of there.
Hurrying into the kitchen, I see Stella boiling the water already for me over the fire, "Good morning, Alix!" she was the head cook and very laid back – I always appreciated her calling me by my preferred name too, so she was one of my favourites, like Quinn, "Oh, I know, I know what you need, I already have it prepared – over there," she winks at me and points to the tray, set with biscuits and tea...um... for two?
I stare at it in complete astonishment and confusion.
Was Claudius expecting a guest? Well, probably, so I better bring the tea to him quickly before the other man arrives.
And yes, despite the degrading position, I was getting quite efficient at this maid business.
"Hold on, there," Stella stops me as she comes up behind me out of nowhere, just as I'm about to grab the tray. Boldly, she grabs the ties at the back of my maid's apron, and pulls the knot out, "Well, we have to take that off," she says.
"Take what off?" I spin to her, gobsmacked by her behaviour.
Now Stella steps back in confusion, her eyebrows furrowed.
"Oh... oh dear, you don't know yet?" Stella puts her fingers to her lips, "I said nothing – take that tea now. Sorry."
What on earth did she mean?
I look at her, still startled at her manhandling my apron, but I don't have time to ask. I turn around again to the tray.
Why was Setlla about to take off the top layer of my uniform for? I can't work it out.
Strange.
Before the tea goes cold, I march back to his office.
I swing open the door with my foot, and peek in – hmm, there is no one but Fontaine himself.
"Where's the guest?" I ask, "And who is he?"
"You mean she," Claudius corrects me, as I'm half way to his desk when I stop midstride.
All at once – the colour drains from my face.
My hands start to tremble.
I put two and two together. He... he didn't cancel a planned wedding tomorrow... and a female guest was due this morning? Oh my god, he was getting married out of duty. He was probably betrothed to someone and didn't fucking tell me.
I'm so mad, I'm so fucking mad, and heart broken, and jealous all at once – !
The tray starts to rattle with my surging emotion, so I quickly approach and drop it off, spilling just a trickle from the pot. I couldn't contain my nervousness.
Fuck.
"Who is she?" I ask under my breath, feeling tears welling up, as I stare at the desk, then I glare at him directly, "I can't do this again, who is she? I love you, I love you, my heart can't take it – I can't do this again, being on – on the side," my voice starts to rise, and I don't care, I'm fucking furious. Especially with his growing smirk. Oh, he enjoys it when I'm in pain, sadistic asshole!
"Sit down," Claudius says those two words, pert and cute and easy.
"No," I clench my fists and just stand there.
"No?" Claudius changes his tone immediately, and stands up to meet my challenge, grabbing my face over the desk, he looks down at me and reminds me, "You're out of line. Do. As. You're. Told. Alexandra. You will obey me. Sit down," my eyes divert from his more powerful gaze and I tremble a bit with that true authority he draws into his tone. With a very difficult choice, I have to pull away and sit down. I cross my arms and my eyes rack over the bookshelves, as I gulp down my rising tears. My anger becomes deflated. I am devastated. He was going to use me as a whore on the side and he was going to enjoy every second of it, "...look at me, Alexandra..."
I turn my face toward him and the tears finally fall out the corners of my eyes, "Go on, then, call me pathetic for crying. A weak pathetic girl."
"You might be weak since you are a female," Claudius Fontaine agrees, "But even so, will you be my bride anyway?"
Come again?
I stare at him, nothing registers.
Until it does.
"W-wh..." my throat has dries up, just like that, "Wha... are you asking me?" now I'm breathless, "You must be joking."
"Will you marry me tomorrow," Fontaine ignores my flustered state and asks me more bluntly.
"No," I answer, blinking fast, "I mean – no. You can't just ask me like that. Where's the romance? The ring? You're not even down on one knee," Claudius looks at me like I'm insane, and is totally unsure how to respond to that, "Seriously," I add in a whisper, "Where is the ring?"
"You are ridiculous," Claudius finally gets out a response, "You really are a whore deep down – why am I shocked – I don't have a ring for you yet, the ring fitter is coming today," Claudius then also admits, "...I did not expect... you to say... no..."
"Well, shove your ring fitter up your ass," I stand up now and turn, storming my way out, "As if I'd be your obedient, quiet, demure wife," I turn to him at the door, before I exit, scoffing, "Huh!" I look him up and down, and then point to my chest, "Me? Submissive?" I shake my head at him, "Nooo. No. No. No," I turn around, step out and slam the door shut behind me.
I relax my shoulders and smile, a little.
I get a shock when Quinn moves beside me, standing in the shadows.
I barely hold in a gasp and spin to him as he raises a brow back at me.
"Didn't go well?" Quinn inquires.
"No, it went splendid actually," I answer too quickly, and walk off, gulping repeatedly at the feelings trying to gush up out of my throat from my beating heart.
Holy.
Shit.
He wanted me to be his wife.
For real, real.
Like, for real, real, real.
I take myself out onto the back porch, where the caretakers of the chickens and geese feed them for the morning, releasing them from their pens.
I sit on the porch to gather myself, looking over the garden and the sprawling estate.
Claudius Fucking Fontaine wanted to marry me.
And it wasn't flirting or weaved into some kind of dirty talk.
It wasn't a dare.
There was no burning to death.
It was a real life, down to earth, offer of marriage.
And he wanted me to marry him tomorrow.
I am so glad I said no.
I sit there, prideful and spiteful – because Claudius, oh Claudius – you had to make much more of an effort than that, you dick.
I had already said yes internally, and he knew my heart – but I was just expecting his response to be fitting.
Truly my intentions were rather dirty. Nasty, even.
I wanted to get fucked into submission, and then I'd say yes a thousand times into my own drool. I blush at the thought of it, my thighs sticky already. I couldn't help being like this, a total brat, because... well... I loved that damn incubus when he was mad.