Chapter 94

TOM was looking at the village as they were getting out of the carriage. He breathed a deep breath as it has been a long time since he was in the civilization, even though it has only been one night and two days that he was stuck, one particular black-headed Lady.
He turned to look at his friend’s wife before they were going inside an inn. Tom followed Ian inside as well before the ladies were going to their rooms. They were chatting before Tom was looking at Ian who was amused by his stare.
“What?” He asked his friend before the marquis was patting his shoulder.
“Have you told her?” He asked Tom as Tom was looking at Ian.
“What do you mean?”
“Oh you know, the fact that you’re a lord and needed a wife as well as a source to anchor your demons. You know, the usual stuff,” Ian asked as Tom was scowling at him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tom said before he was making his way to his bedroom as well. Ian chuckled before Tom was getting up the stairs to his bedroom.
“I think you've already done it,” he said as Tom was turning to look at his friend. He shook his head at Ian.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about and I will not play into the young queen’s game. I know that she would shove someone under my nose these days,” he said as Ian smirked.
“And how you know when she will do that?” The marquis was staring at Tom. His amber orbs were shining with mischief before he smiled wickedly.
“I mean, you did meet a lady and she was your traveling companion. If anything, you’re already being shoved by the young queen and you’re falling for her,” Ian said that made Tom stopped in his track. Then, he was making his way to his room to stay there and to think what was Ian saying just now.
Was he being played already by the young queen? He thought as he was staring at the young woman who was undressing in front of him. She turned and before he knows it, she was screaming.

JESSIE was looking at the chamber that she will be alone here. It has been a long time since she was washing her hair. The black powder in her hair was making her scalp itchy right now and she could use a shower.
“I will be downstairs if you need anything. We can get some lunch afterward,” Emily said before Jessie nodded before she was alone in the chamber. She was looking at her clothes before she remembered that she was not having her suitcase with her. Then, she went to call after Emily again.
“Emily, can I ask you something?” Jessie said as she was popping her head from the chamber. Emily was about to enter her own room before she was smiling at her.
“What about?”
“Well, I am lack clothing,” Jessie said before Emily was looking at her. Then, Emily smiled.
“Don’t worry, I just have the perfect color for you,” she said before Emily went inside the room, and then she was coming back with a gown that was in red. Jessie thanked her before she was back inside her room.
She was sighing before the maids were filling the bathtub, courtesy of Emily for ordering them, and Jessie was removing her peasant’s disguise. Then, she was removing her bodice as well as her garters before rolling her stockings off her feet.
She was removing her corset as she was putting it on the bed before she was left in her chemise. She was about to remove the chemise before the door was opened and when she turned to look at who was it, it was Tom.
She panicked as Tom was looking at her with his violet eyes. She did not know what to do in that situation unless it was one thing and one thing only.
She screamed.
Tom was closing his ears before Emily was coming inside the room as Tom was falling to the ground. Emily took the blanket to cover herself before everyone was gathering in their room. Tom was falling in front of her feet as he was gripping her feet to sit up.
“Oh my, the man was touching the maiden and they were not married. They should be ashamed of themselves,” someone said as she was looking at the crowd. Tom was looking at the crowd before they locked their eyes.
“Get rid of her,”
“She’s a wench,”
“She’s a whore!”
Jessie never felt humiliated as she was right now when she was underdressed in front of all people that were cursing at her. She wanted to cry as she felt like this meeting with a stranger named Tom was nothing but a nightmare to her.
“No, she’s not. She’s my fiancée and we’re engaged to be married tomorrow,” Tom said as she was looking at her savior again and again until Tom was standing in front of her, covering her state from the prying eyes of the crowd.
“You are?” The marquis said as she was looking at the marquis and Emily. Tom nodded as Jessie was looking at him.
“Yes, I am. I did propose to her when we first met, didn’t I, love?” Tom asked her as Jessie was staring into his violet eyes.
The eyes that have taken her breath away from the first time she saw them.
Then, Jessie felt that her head was nodding at Tom. He smiled before he was taking her left hand and she felt something on her fingers. She looked at it and it was an amethyst engagement ring.
“It was my mother’s, given by my grandmother and her mother. It has been in my possession forever and now that I have found you, it is yours to keep Jessie,” Tom said as Jessie turned to look at his eyes. It was holding something at bay there before Jessie was smiling at him.
“Tom, I—“
“And now that we’re officially engaged, did I hear witnesses?” Tom said before the crowd rumored among them.
“I witnessed,” It was the marquess.
“I witnessed as well,” Emily replied as Jessie was closing her eyes. Great, just great, I am officially engaged to the man that I wanted to discover his secret more, Jessie mused before she was hearing the chant that the crowd was chanting.
“Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss the bride,” they said before Tom was arching his eyebrow at her. Jessie shrugged before Tom was smirking.
“I guess,” he said as he was leaning closer to Jessie, “We have to give what they wanted if we want to keep the room,” Tom said before he was leaning closer and their lips touched.
It was…sweet and tender. Nothing like Jessie ever felt before. Not that she has anyone to compare to as this was her first kiss. This kiss that she shared with Tom, was intimate and something that she would never experience again.
Tom broke the kiss before the crowd was cheering. Jessie felt his eyes lingered on her lips before she licked the lower lips. Tom growled.
“You will pay for that,” he whispered before Tom was moving away from her as he was covering her body from the crowd.
“Alright, the show’s over. Get back to work,” Tom barked before the crowd dispersed as the marquis and Emily were smiling at them.
“Well, I think the church will be full tomorrow,” he said as Tom was walking toward him before they were talking to each other. Emily came at her before she was being hugged by the marchioness. Good lord, she mused before Emily was beaming at her.
“Now, for your wedding dress,” she said as Jessie blinked at her.
“What?”
“Your wedding tomorrow. It has been planned as the young queen will be expecting this and Lady Ivashkov was waiting for you at the estate. Come, we will go there now,” Emily said as Jessie was looking at herself.
“But the bath—“
“Right, we will go after your bath then,” Emily said before Jessie sighed relief and she was left alone by Emily as well as the heaviness of the engagement ring on her left hand.
Well, she did get what she wanted and much more, she will be getting married to Tom, a stranger that she met on the carriage to the coastal city. Then, Jessie realized that she only knew Tom was a Vampyre and a lord but who he really was, now that’s another question left unanswered by her.

ARABELLA was smiling as she was reading the dismissal from her new spy amongst the lords. But of course, they never knew who they were as Arabella kept a strict shortlist on them. They never thought it was them anyway.
“Why do I felt like I was walking into a trap right now?” The prince consort, Aiden was walking into the royal bedchamber before Arabella was walking toward her from behind her desk. She gave Aiden the letter before he read it. Then, he shook his head.
“You really know how to make people dance to your tune, love,”
“I know, I am good that way and I can make sure that the lords of the Higher Court will have the wife that they deserved,” Arabella said before the butler was coming inside the chamber.
“Your Majesties, another letter from Baron of Fell,” he stated before Arabella was taking the letter before the butler disappeared. She opened the letter before she was reading the content. Then, she frowned.
“Oh no, what now?” Aiden asked her before Arabella was giving him the dismissive that gave her a headache after the joyful union of the earl of Raine with a certain Lady of her choice.
Lady Jessica Cole and Lord Thomas Rambova, were a match in heaven.
“This is getting out of hands. I think we have to consider their demand, love,” Aiden said as he was looking at his wife. Arabella sighed before she was looking at the night sky. Then, the young queen regarded his husband.
“Do you think it’s wise? I mean, our secret has been a secret for so long, and now, they wanted to come forward, to be exposed to the world. I don’t think the peasants would like it,” she said as she was pinching her nose bridge. Then, Aiden was hugging her. He kissed her forehead before he whispered to her.
“Maybe you can meet with their leaders and talk with them about the benefits of having their secrets hidden. Who knows, they will see it our way?” He said as Arabella nodded. Then, she went to the desk before taking a piece of paper and a quill to write. She dipped into the ink before she was staring at her husband.
Aiden smiled before he went to her side and helped the young queen to write telegrams to all the leaders of the supernatural creatures that available on the island.
It is time for some actions among them.