Chapter 130

Ava walked to the study room that her mother insisted she come. She just got out of the bath and she was ready to take on with a new thought before she heard some conversation inside the room. And it was about her, none the wiser.
“…I will be in touch then, Lord Randolph,” the familiar voice came from inside the room as the servant opened the door for Ava to enter. It was her mother that spotted her first before she was greeting her.
“Ava, dear, would you like some tea? His Lordship was about to leave as he thought he would not be meeting you,” her mother said with a glistening shine in her eyes that made Ava wanted to know what they were talking about in the first place.
She was aware that it was about her, so might as well get some information about it.
“You waited for me?” Ava asked Marsh as she was locking her eyes with his. He smiled before her mother was fussing over them and they were not the only ones that wanted to be left alone right now.
“Well, it’s getting late and I should get going…”
“Nonsense,” her father said before he was smiling at Marsh. “You will be staying for dinner, my lord if you wish to. We would love to get to know you better. Apparently, my daughter gets to know you much earlier than us, so it’s only fair if we wanted to talk with you,” Lord Randolph said as he was looking at his future son-in-law.
Oh no, no, no, no! Ava thought before she was looking from Marsh to her parents. This has been the least favorite night of my life, she mused before Ava was thinking of other ways to avoid this. But her fate has been sealed and there’s nothing she can do about it.
*****
Marsh was thanking the servants as they were putting the food in front of them. Ava was sitting next to him as her parents wanted them to get acknowledge the meeting and the result of that. Marsh can only smile when he sensed that Ava was not sharing his enthusiasm like he expected her to.
The dinner was good as he was thankful for the invitation for him to stay and eat with them. Lord and Lady Randolph was a happy couple and Marsh can see it in their eyes as they were stealing looks at each other.
“Hmm, mmm,” someone cleared their throat before Marsh realized that Ava was looking at him with her brown eyes. He looked into that eyes and instantly being drawn into the melted chocolates of her orbs.
“You can stop staring at my parents. You’re being creepy, my lord,” Ava whispered to him as he was smiling at her statement. He leaned closer to her as she was trying to make sure that they were at a decent distance but that will not do with Marsh.
“Well, I cannot take my eyes from them. They’re clearly happy with each other and I wish that I would have that as well in the future,” he said before Ava was turning to look at him. Her orbs were holding a thousand meanings in them but she blinked it away before she turned to look at her food.
Marsh cleared his throat before he realized that Lord and Lady Randolph were looking at them both. He smiled before Ava was mumbling something under her breaths but he caught on to it, thanks to his super hearing.
‘This has never been the worst mistake that I ever made,’ she said before Marsh was trying to control the anger that was rising from that words alone.
So, you regret meeting me, Ava? Is this what this all about? Marsh mused to himself before he was dabbing his mouth with a napkin as he turned to look at his hosts before Marsh smiled.
“I should get going. The dawn was almost here,” Marsh said as Lord Randolph was nodding at him.
“Of course, we would not want to inconvenience you to be home after dawn. That would be rude,” Ava’s father said as Marsh was smiling at him.
“It has been a fabulous dinner and I would send Lady Ivashkov to get the measurements for the gown,” Marsh said as he was looking at Lord and Lady Randolph. They shared a secret smile and Marsh felt the burning stare of his bride-to-be that was sitting next to him. He turned to look at her before he smiled.
“I see you soon, my sweet,” Marsh said as he took Ava’s hand and kissed her knuckles. She gasped and before she could protest, he released it and excused himself from the household to go home.
Today was a success and hopefully this marriage as well, Marsh thought as he was climbing into the carriage that was waiting for him as he turned to look at the mansion that was standing still. He smiled before he settled on the chair, wishing the day that would go by faster so that he could hold Ava in his arms and whisked her away to his fortress.
*****
Why do I ever bother with this? Why can’t I just tell my parents that I don’t wish to marry Felix Marshall, the Baron of Fell? Why did I just stay silent when my mother was fussing about the wedding gown and preparations? Ava thought to herself as she was looking at herself in the mirror of her chamber when Lady Ivashkov was fussing over her gown.
The seamstress was the new rising seamstress that used to make the duchess of Belikov, the marchioness of Kain, the countesses of Raine and Stonelockteco for their wedding gown. She cannot believe she will be one of her customers as well.
“Your figure is nice with this style. But the color is wrong for your skin tone,” the seamstress mumbled before Ava turned to look at her. She smiled before she was putting some needles that will help to shape the gown into the fashion that only Lady Ivashkov will know.
“What are you trying to make?” Ava asked her as if she wanted to make some conversation to hide her nervousness. She knew that she has to keep talking before she barfed all over the gown that was still a work in progress.
“Well, I suppose I have to tell you at some point. I wanted to make a wedding gown that will accentuate your hourglass figure. But I don’t think the baron would be happy to know that I was putting you on display for all to see,” Lady Ivashkov was looking at her with concern in her eyes.
Ava took a deep breath. Since when she cared about Marsh’s feelings when he was the one that was lying to her? Even though it was a mutual feeling of lying to each other, Ava thought that he should be blamed for she did it out of concern for her safety. Then, Ava smiled at the seamstress as she had an idea to piss Marsh even more for his lies.
“Then, why don’t you just do it? I’m sure the baron will appreciate it like the men when I was walking down the aisle, don’t you think?” Ava said as the seamstress was looking at her. She hoped that Lady Ivashkov would be on her side as she wanted to get an upper hand on this as well.
“Oh, damnation. I will make the gown as I wanted and not even a baron can stop me. Who stopped me before when I make those gowns to the other brides of the lords of the Higher Court? No one, I say, no one! And one more should not be a problem as well,” Lady Ivashkov said before Ava was smiling at her. One point for me, Ava mused before the seamstress was making the gown as she planned for Ava and the choosing of the fabric that would make Marsh bulge his eyes out.
I will be your reckoning, Felix Marshall, Ava thought as she was staring at her reflection with a smile on her face that promised revenge on her groom on their wedding day later.
*****
“Why do we have to get married in a church? I thought you hate this?” Marsh asked his cousin, Danial Cutler, count of Stonelockteco before he was flustering around like a bride, even though he was the groom.
Dan smirked at him before he shook his head as his cousin was looking around for some air. The Vampyres were considered as devil reincarnations but they did not specify why. And the reason why the wedding must be in the church was that they cannot have the public knows that the gentry was filled with Vampyres and other supernatural beings.
“Relax, will you? It’s not like you were burning too crisp right now,” Danial said as Marsh was glaring at him.
“Easy for you to say. You did this part,” Marsh mumbled before Danial chuckled lowly. The groom turned toward the church as his friends from the Higher Court; Niklaus, Ian, Tom, and his cousin, Danial, have traveled far and wide to come to North Msallste to celebrate his special day together.
Marsh can make out their wives as well when his cousin-in-law, Caroline, was happy to know that her friend, apparently Ava and Caroline have been friends since forever, will be related to her in truth.
“Oh, I just love it when the true love will be together. I can tell that you will be quite a handful later on,” Caroline said last night after dinner that Marsh hosted for his friends that we're staying at his fortress. Marsh has been frowning at her last night but there was some truth in them as well.
“Breathe, cousin, and smile. Your bride is here,” Danial said before Marsh took a deep breath and he turned to look at the swish of ivory skirts, and the fact that his bride was wearing a sensual gown that had drawn men’s attention was making him unease.
“What the hell?” he mumbled under his breath before Ava walked down the aisle to meet him. She was wearing an ivory wedding gown that was accentuating all her curves that were reserved for his eyes only. But no, she had to flaunt it, and right now, Marsh can hardly control his demon that was stirring inside him.
“This should be good,” his cousin mumbled before Ava was sitting in front of him and the priest was taking a deep breath. Marsh counted to ten before the priest spoke up.
“Dearly beloved, we gather here today is to witness two souls to be joined in the sacred matrimony for the rest of their lives…”
Marsh just hoped that he will be alive longer to make sure that Ava will be punished for her defiance on their wedding day.