Clarissa Beheads The Villainess

[21] Narcissus And The Ring

  
Clarissa's absence from the table felt like ages ago to Peter, but it's only been three days of trying to get back to what was normal.

But she was being unusually timid, with eyes that courted the floor, not those that haunted the rat with her stare. Not even Astaroth who knew her better could figure out what it was that took a toll on her mentally. Clarissa reduced herself to space in the room and it was unnerving to Vixen especially.

He talked to her, tried to bring her back from the depths of her mind which she was falling in between, but her out-of-the-usual self remains.

The duke, being unbothered by the book of issues in his castle right now, has other plans. He disregarded the word of men and women falling ill, some strange sickness that had the clerics with the usefulness of a fawn, the need for new kitchen staff, no. It didn't matter.

His mind is set towards something far more important to him.

He disappears to the center of the Golden Capital with three men. A jewelry shop where only royalty and nobles can afford, Orias requests the drowsy worker to bring out their finest, largest, diamond ring. He spares it a glance, hands over the money that fit multiple briefcases and made his way back to his castle prompt.

Within that trip, the three men raised concerns again.

"Duke, too many are falling ill to this mystery disease. Their skins are rotting with a feathery texture."

"It is not the time for this, Derrik." He could only offer a murderous glare whenever someone spoke of anything to him with expectations.

"But duke!" The second man pleaded. "They are dying!"

"And I am dying to get this ring on my lady's finger! I will deal with that after the important things."

The three men look at each other, the biggest one of them all, Derrik, shares a nod of acknowledgment between the other two. "Duke Orias Viertel, if I am being honest your lack of empathy is making us question our loyalty towards you. The words coming out of your mouth are just as lazy and evil as that of the king we have escaped from to support your liberation from royal shackles."

Orias finally puts down his ego with a tired sigh. "If the best clerics of the kingdom can't do anything, then there is nothing I can do either but to put them out of their misery, or let them wait it out.

This is some new illness that no one knows anything about, I've already requested an observation report that should be done soon. Only after, I will set up a meeting for us to discuss what shall be done. The ill are to be sent to the basement in the meantime in the likelihood the sickness is infectious."

"You make it sound like you don't care sometimes." Derrik's shoulders relax, the duke shrugs.

"I care to listen more when people are singing songs about me."

"Like an old folktale."

The three men chuckle. "The tale of Orias the great, the lewd, and the world that loves him."

"And what would that be about?" Orias inquires.

"The story of Narcissus except it's you, and not Narcissus."

"That's not a very flattering way to put it, but I do love to see me own handsomeness in the mirror."

They share a laugh, and the humor follows all the way back to the castle. The next day, dressed in his best royal blue clothes and nicest cologne, the duke invites Katherine to the garden, guiding her to where their initials are etched on a tree.

The leaves were transitioning into an autumn hue, and Orias plans for a wedding in the coldness of Winter if life spares them the gentleness of what is in store for them.

Word has spread to a few about what was going to happen. Those that knew were there, little eyes popping out from every direction. Clarissa & Astaroth were only passing by chance but stopped to see, wondering why people gathered.

Derrik was shaking in his boots, fingers crossed at what Katherine was going to say.

The two men alongside him wondered what brought the duke's urge to propose so suddenly. It wasn't till only recently they seemed intimately close.

Their guess wasn't entirely wrong. Katherine had never been intimate with Orias till the frenchie at the bench. She had learned from him how to seduce, how to coo in someone's ear words they long for, and the right places to warm.

But he had her pledge that what she learned from him was to be for him only, she didn't even think to say no.

Still, she couldn't quite feel any romance of sorts with him but she accepted her lust.

"Katherine, will you marry me?" Orias' heart raced, so did his mind. Am I mistaking our intimacy for something more than just physical?

Fear flashed in Katherine's eyes for only a second, but she recently practiced acting enough to wipe it away immediately. She holds her breath, wondering if she'd go as far as to say yes. Maybe she'll learn to love him that way? The internal conflict made the ring invisible, it didn't matter.

And a paper ring would've made her feel more at ease. It was all just pressure.

"Katherine?"

"I-i'm at a loss of words Orias." She feigns a cheery look, like a soon-to-be-bride that was in happy tears, finally getting engaged to the love of her life. "Yes! I'll marry you!" Taking that to heart, she responds like one.

The first cheer came from Derrik, and everyone else follows. Only joyful tunes and yells came from the castle, a feast prepared for tonight.

Astaroth and Clarissa looked at each other, and actually pitied Katherine for once.

"An engagement party, here at my castle a week from now! Spread the word all over the kingdom! I'll be sending my invites to king soon." The duke winks, throwing and arm over his now fiancée who looks bluish.

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