It Became A Serious Thing 6

Very Much 6: What has Colette done…?

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'So, what’s your name?’ Eugene asked.

‘…’

‘Even if you keep silent I can still find out.’

There were on their way to Lionel, and the Captain of the White Eagle Knights was interrogating her. His voice was gentle, but with a chilling undercurrent. He badgered Colette. Colette was rather weak,

‘I’m Colette…’

‘Good Colette. I’m Eugene.’ He said with a smile, but his eyes were not smiling. His hawk-like gaze watched Colette, making her frightened. His tone appeared sweet and friendly, but she could sense the venom underneath.

‘I am surprised that Lionel was dallying with a woman that was not his fiancée, the daughter of the Earl Karriss. What do you think would happen if the Lady hears of this? That her fiancé is engaging in an affair with a mere maid before their wedding.’

‘…’

‘The Lady Karriss would go crazy with jealousy and possibly postpone the ceremony. How would Lionel face the King if such a thing happens; it would become a serious thing, wouldn’t it?’  (Zuben: You’re weaving quite a fantasy tale there, Eugene. Hold your celebration till after you win whatever it is you’re trying to win)

He looked absolutely gleeful. There was no reason to tell her such things. Colette bit her lip and remained silent. She tried to let his words wash over her, but they got through and stabbed her heart.

‘So, were you his only partner or where there other women? Do you know, Colette?’

‘…’

She did not know, but she was getting used to his taunts so she kept silent. She knew there was a time limit, and they both had fiancés. Yet, Eugene’s words hurt her. She did not know how things would go, tears of anxiety blurred her eyes and she could not see well.

Eugene continued to talk happily, ‘If I claimed Colette, how do you think Lionel would react?’

‘…’

He did not wait for an answer.

‘Maybe he would answer that he doesn’t know you. Haha, it would be awful but that would be the best answer. If he acknowledges his relationship with you what would the Earl say? Such a trespass before marriage into his family would echo in the couple’s life afterwards.’

Colette remained silent.

‘This union is by His Majesty’s decree. But Colette may be Lionel’s first lover and mistress; this would be unacceptable to the bride to know that Colette is important to him. So she would get married knowing there is someone more important to Lionel than she is. That would also be terrible as well.’

Colette’s tears being to fall. She tripped and fell, but Eugene looked at her with a gleeful smile on his face.

‘For me, Lionel cancelling his engagement and choosing you would be the best outcome. He would be a disappointment to everyone, and it would cause his downfall. If would be a fun development.’ 

He was truly a bad man, making a girl cry on purpose and being happy about it (Zuben: You really don’t know many men). People really aren’t what they appear to be. Compared to Eugene, Lionel was a much better person. While thinking, she moved mechanically. Soon they were at the doors of the Black Dragon Barracks.

They were met by Ethan, ‘Halt! White Eagle Knights, what is your business here? What rights do you have to be here?’ he asked harshly.

‘I have in my possession a brooch that supposedly belongs to Lionel, and this lady. Our reason to be here is to deliver private property. She was lonely and we accompanied her, didn’t we Colette?’

She wanted to shake her head in negative but tears spilled instead.

‘…I will get our Commander. Please wait here.’

‘No need, she will guide us to Lionel.’ Eugene said, gently urging Colette onward. (Zuben: What is Lionel going to do?!)

‘If we stand here too long, you will attract more people and the rumours would get bigger.’

Ethan was at an impasse. He nodded and all the other Knights who had come to see what was happening parted the way. Colette silently went on.

She arrived at Lionel’s room and knocked three times timidly. As usual, ‘Come,’ he called.

Colette opened the door and entered, but before she could speak Eugene spoke loudly,

‘Lionel-kun, I’ve come to deliver an item.’

Lionel rose from his chair as they entered into his office.  He looked at Eugene and then Colette. He raised his hand and pulled Colette to his side,

‘What have you done to Colette?’ Lionel bellowed. It was the first time she’s every heard him speak loudly. The first time she ever saw him angry. She felt her heart breaking because she didn’t want Lionel situation to get worse because of her. But she rested her head on Lionel’s chest and cried. (Zuben: My dear, how is crying going to help?)

Eugene smiled satisfactorily at Lionel’s reaction,

‘It’s because of you that she is crying,’ Eugene replied mockingly, ‘when I told her about your situation she was rather shocked. If someone told me my lover was going to marry another girl, I would cry too.’

That was not true, she wasn’t crying because of that. But she could not say it out loud; her head and heart were off kilter.

‘It is none of your business. Get out.’

‘Not yet,’ Eugene countered waving Colette’s basket in Lionel’s face, ‘she was walking late at night with this expensive jewellery. It was a fool hardy thing to do. How can you make a woman walk alone at night, even if she’s being abandoned? It is a rather careless thing to do, isn’t it?

‘Why you…?’ Lionel said through gritted teeth, like he was holding his rage back. Eugene smiled mockingly at Lionel’s expression of impotent anger and got even more garrulous,

‘This is the first time I’ve ever seen you so desperate and for a commoner maid no less. She must have been easy to get into your bed. Don’t get too excited, I don’t want to see you pull out your sword. This nuisance will leave now.’

Eugene slowly put down the basket and strolled out of the room. The door closed, and only the two of them were left in the room.

‘I’m sorry…It was all my fault. I’m sorry I got you into trouble.’ She cried.

Lionel hugged her but the tears did not stop. Because of her inadequacy, she tarnished Lionel’s honour. (Zuben: Lionel’s honour would most likely be fine)

Lionel led Colette to a sofa in the office and sat her down. He put her head on his sturdy chest. With that feeling of security, Colette burst into tears again.

‘Don’t cry, Colette, please don’t cry. I’m the bad one. As he said, I neglected to pick you up. But I didn’t want to force you to make up your mind to come. I’m sorry,’

His voice was filled with emotion, desperately fighting passion. It seemed that Colette was important to him. With just that, Colette was happy. She was happy to have someone think of her that way. At the same time, it was already good enough.

‘Please don’t apologise, it’s not your fault I cried, it was because he was saying such mean things to me. I couldn’t bear it.’

‘That son of a…’ he cursed as he hugged her even closer. He patted her head and muttered sweet nothings. It was restful and delightful. (Zuben: This is where you should be dear.) He gave her little pecks on her cheeks, her hair her lips. Colette’s tears stopped. After she calmed down, she thought it was the right time to do what she needed to do,

‘I came to say goodbye.’

‘Colette, no.’

‘I cannot do this anymore. I heard that your marriage has been decided by the King,’

‘That is separate from us. I’ve been working to break the engagement for a long time, even before I went to war.’

Colette shook her head to refuse his explanation. There was no reason for him to do such a thing. A marriage between noble houses was not a simple thing. With the foreboding that the cancelling of the engagement would make everyone unhappy…she couldn’t believe in him.

‘It is useless. That is…’

‘Colette, please listen to my side of things,’

Until now, when they spent time together there was the overwhelming need to touch each other they never talked properly, they never talked about their personal lives. Now that the relationship was at an end, it was strange they were talking instead of pleasuring each other one last time. (Zuben: Is that what you wanted, Colette?)

‘Eight years ago, I was betrothed to my fiancée. I was nineteen, she was ten. When we met for the first time, she saw me and she fainted. It seems I scared her terribly.’ (Zuben: Christ on a cracker, that is young)

‘Oh no…’

Certainly, his face was a bit scary and he had the aura of an unsheathed sword, but as she got to know him, she did not feel afraid of him. She's come to find that he was a very thoughtful and kind person.

‘They said that as we get to know each other more it would get better. But it never did. When I meet her, she would get so afraid, she’d run away. I really can’t contemplate marrying someone who is that afraid of me. Even now, I hear she has someone that she likes.’

There was no way such a marriage would be a content one from the start. But the engagement had been set up for a long time, and dissolution would be messy. Lionel had neglected to break the engagement from his side and left it too long. The King got tired of it and forced a wedding date.

‘The best condition to break the engagement is if I have someone else I want to marry, because my fiancée is too timid and her parents don’t want to refuse.’

Tension hummed through Colette. Lionel put a hand under her jaw and raised her face to look at him; he had a sweet expression on his face,

‘Marry me, Colette. I will remove all your insecurity and protect you with all my power. Betting on my all, I swear to make you happy. I want us to be together.’ (Zuben: Kyaaaaa! How sweet, but there’s her fiancé to consider.)

‘…that is impossible.’

‘Colette…’ Lionel said with hurt in his eyes. He looked sad. She knew she hurt him, but it was impossible. Even though she did not have to, she thought it was better if she explained her side,

‘I like being with you Lionel and I think I love you,’ (Zuben: When did this happen, Colette?)

‘That’s great Colette…I like you, I love you.’ (Zuben: Lionel was as obvious as a rhino)

‘But I can’t just be with you. My engagement is also tied to my family’s business; it isn’t just about me and my fiancé.  It is a marriage and a merger between our two families that has been decided for a long time. I am really sorry; I just can’t disappoint my family like this.’

He hugged Colette tightly as though he could not let her go. He felt so lonesome. When she first crashed into the room, she thought he looked pale as well.

‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered again and again as he hugged her and kissed her. He made her so happy, but tonight was the end. She kissed him one last time and rose from the sofa,

‘I want to return to my dormitory now; can you escort me, please?’

‘Of course,’

Lionel took her hand, and they walked out of the barracks together in silence. There was no conversation, but Colette was happy just like this, in their last moments together.

When they got to her dormitory, she slowly let go of his hand. She felt like she was throwing his love back in his face, but her heart didn’t hurt, it was paralysed.

Colette lowered her head and said, ‘For everything until now, thank you. I will never forget you. Please be happy.’

Lionel looked at her silently. (Zuben: This crafty guy is planning something)

Colette turned away and walked into the hall without looking back.

She could not take the dead weight her heart had become, she felt like she was drowning. (Zuben: There there now)

When she had been talking to Rose earlier in the afternoon, she had been so adamant and sure of her feelings. But now…it had been a strange break up. She felt empty.

♙

The next morning at the dining hall, Rose came to sit beside Colette like it was the most natural thing to do, and asked,

‘Good morning, Colette…has there been any progress?’

‘Yes.’

‘You went there last night?’ she asked in a shocked whisper.

Surprisingly, Colette answered in a clear calm voice,

‘Yes,’

‘What happened?’

‘I returned the brooch and told him it was over.’

‘Is that all? He accepted it, just like that?’

For some reason, Colette was irritated. She didn’t want to apologise because there was nothing to apologise for, and if she started apologising both Colette and Rose would get angry with each other.

Instead she changed the subject,

‘I may leave the castle before my term in complete.’

‘Eh! Why?’

She didn’t want to say because she broke up with Lionel and he was getting married soon,

‘To tell you the truth, I ran into the Captain of the White Eagle Knights yesterday. Just so you know, they are patrolling the castle and its grounds at night.’

If Rose had known she would have told her, but Colette may not have been listening properly to that part of the conversation, and then she went out without thinking about it properly.

‘They are. So did they see you with the brooch and think you stole it? But then they wanted to know the owner…it was bad, wasn’t it?’ Rose deduced the situation quickly and understood.

Colette nodded, ‘Yes, I was constantly berated and mocked by the White Eagle Captain. So I was forced to take a stance because of my stupidity.’

‘…just wait a little, I will make sure!’

Rose ran off. She bet it was to go and gather information from around the castle. Well that would keep her busy for today. Colette finished her meal and took care of Rose’s dishes as well.

♘

After cleaning one of the rooms in the castle, Colette walked down the corridor to her next assigned task. A man in a white cloak appeared in front of her. Colette kept her head down, apologised and tried to continue on her way but she was blocked and a firm hand held her jaw and pulled Colette’s face up,

‘Hello Colette. Your eyes don’t seem to be swollen. I was worried that they would be after all that crying yesterday,’

Eugene, the Captain of the White Eagle Knights, seeing his seductive face in daylight only made Colette detest him more. Colette stepped out of his grip,

‘Thank you for your concern,’ she said extremely politely, ‘I am well. If you will pardon me, I need to go to my next assignment.’

‘Don’t take it too badly, let’s have a chat. I think you know something I want to know.’

‘No I do not. Thank you.’

Rules of society dictated that Colette could not leave before he did, so she lowered her head and stood to the side waiting for him to take the hint and leave. But he brought her head forcefully up to meet his gaze again. Colette stepped back, but now she was up against the wall, her only escape route was sideways, but he boxed her in with his arms. Eugene’s eyes were sparking with excitement at this situation, he was enjoying himself. Colette turned away but he firmly turned her back to him. She felt the tears start flowing again, (Zuben: Don’t cry in front of this arse hole!)

‘You’re a bad girl to treat him this way. It’s like you want him to be bullied.’

‘I am sorry but that is not my intention.’

‘Hmmm? You have such a conceited mouth;’

‘Lord Eugene, you seem to have a lot of time on your hands to be bothering a maid in such a place.’  A female voice said behind him. Eugene stepped away from Colette reluctantly. (Zuben: He wants to eat Colette-cake too)

Colette gave a sigh of relief.

‘I was only trying to investigate the situation,’ he said

‘I will take over the ‘investigation’ from now.’ The woman said. She looked to be in her thirties (Zuben: Thirties is not middle age, author!) with a very upright posture, her hair was held back in a tight bun, and she wore a simple navy blue dress (Zuben: Matilda?). She was slender and had a beautiful face. It seemed that the lady may have a higher position than Eugene, maybe she was a high ranking lady in waiting.

 ‘Colette, it is serious! I heard a lot of things…’ Rose cried as she ran up to them, breaking the stand-off.

Colette, the lady and Eugene turned to the new arrival. Rose stopped short and curtseyed to the lady. Seeing that, Colette thought that the lady was definitely a higher rank than Eugene,

‘You’re looking well, Lady of the Court Adan.’

‘Yes, well enough. Please return to your duties. Colette Folk, come with me.’

What? Why? Where? Who is this Lady of the Court? There were many questions running around in Colette’s head, but Rose whispered - shooing her off, ‘Go quickly,’ so Colette obediently went after the lady.

A lower maid like Colette was being guided through the castle to an area she’d never been before. Where is she taking me? Colette wondered.

They came to a luxuriously appointed door; painted white with gilded accents. Lady Adan knocked on the door,

‘We have come,’ she said, and then opened the door. Colette followed the lady through and the door closed behind them. The room was very beautiful, extravagantly decorated but tasteful. A beautiful young lady sat on a sofa before her was a table laden with tea and snacks. She had lovely brown hair and her countenance was something Colette would describe as ephemeral. (Zuben: Fiancée?)

The lady had a fragile quality to her. She had slim shoulders with an even slimmer waist that would not need a corset. When she handled fabrics at her parents shop, she saw very slender dresses being made, and she wondered how which sort of woman could wear such a dress. But she now thought this woman would be comfortable in that kind of dress. Even though the lady was slender, she was not scrawny. (Zuben: Could get carried away in a light breeze)

The beautiful person took a sip of her tea elegantly. She must be a very high ranking nobility for the Lady of the Court who outranked a Knight Captain to be serving her. She began to wonder what she was doing there, when the woman spoke,

‘Miss Colette, please have a seat.’

Her voice was clear and sweet like a bell. Of course, she had been taught elocution as a noble, but her tone was more natural than Rose’s. Colette looked in askance at Lady Adan, who encouraged her to sit with a small nod. So Colette gingerly took a seat in a high back chair and tried to look as elegantly as she could muster.

‘Are you really Lionel’s lover?’ the lady asked.

Perhaps, this person was Lionel’s fiancée. No, Colette had been told she was an Earl’s daughter, so the Lady of the Court would not be serving her in the more private areas of the royal palace.

‘No, it’s over already.’ Colette answered in a small voice.

‘But, Lionel is fighting for your sake, going against his Majesty to cancel the engagement.’ The lady said; her expression full of anguish. Even her sad expressions looked beautiful. Colette did not know what to reply for she was perplexed. The woman continued,

‘I have always envied him. Our husband prefers to spend time with him than with me. Our husband only ever thinks of him first. His most reliable retainer, his best friend…There is no gap that one could slip through between my husband and that person. They are together almost constantly.’ (Zuben: Doesn’t Lionel have his own shit to do? He was away at war for about three months they were not together then.)

Colette did not know who this person was. What on earth was she talking about? Who is her husband? Colette had a puzzled expression on her face, but the noblewoman continued,

‘It may seem like I am crazy but I wanted to meet you, Colette. I want you to tell me the method you used to make that block of wood guy crazy about you. Because no matter what I do, I can’t keep my husband from choosing his friends over me. Please tell me,’ the lady said as a tear rolled down her face, elegantly. (Zuben: Well, Colette doesn’t look like she’ll break if you touch her.)

The lady found a handkerchief and dabbed at the tears, her delicate fingers holding it tightly. Colette felt for her. At that moment, she remembered some of the gossip that Rose was telling her,

“You know the king and queen are newly married. The queen really wants to spend some time with the king but the king would rather go hunting or hanging out in the smoking room with his friends…” Rose had also told her that Lionel was the King’s best friend. This meant that this ephemeral beauty crying prettily in front of her was…the Queen? (Zuben: He probably is afraid that he would break her if he touches you.)

‘Are you the Queen?’ Colette asked in shock

‘Yes, you can call me Eliza, please Colette give me guidance. How can I gain his Majesty’s favour?’

She did not understand this situation. She did not know what to say but the Queen was expecting an answer from Colette. Colette gulped as panic filled her mind…

It has become a serious thing… (Zuben: Hmm…meh)

Thanks for reading. Hope you're well wherever you are.

Index ♙ Chapter 7