Denise woke up to the sounds of birds, the smell of breakfast on the lounge table next to her bed and the curtains in her room were open, but none of the maids had woken her up. Odd. She sat up, it was a cold yet wonderful morning. A autumn morning. Lovely. Everything felt so...

She paused and put her hand over her mouth before she screamed. The General was sipping his tea, slowly, in her bedroom lounge as two maids stood by the door. Silence.

He turned and stared at her. Disapproval, that was what she assume the look was. She gulped and her previous actions came crashing down. He came for some early morning blood. Who else but his wife was the best sacrifice?

"Come. Sit"

Orders. She practically ran to the table. The maids pulled a chair for her and she sat. He did not look pleased. Who would be?

"Leave"

The maids were quick to leave, giving her glances of...pity. She didn't blame them. She had brought this upon herself.

The general continued sipping his tea.

"Lady Viler" he said putting the cup down. She couldn't pick up her own cup. She was afraid her fear would show if she picked up anything. Better to die with your pride intact.That was foolish, put down your pride and live.

"I am truly sorry my lord. I wasn't in the right frame of mind last night. I was scared at the impending onslaught...at what was to be done and my heart was racing from seeing your beautiful form in the light after the party, which was quite draining. I am not complaining. That is my duty as your wife, which I fully wish to comply with. I was simply terrified of yo... of disappointing you in any way, shape or form. I realize that that is part of my duty however, I was unable to fulfill it and that should not warrant a beheading my lord. It is not a blood shedding type of reason" she was burning with passion now, foolish passion, she stood up, "I believe I was within my marital rights to politely decline one night due to the overall fatigue brought upon by various events: My accident, the death of my beloved maid, my marriage to a tyrant who heroically saved our country from the clutches of the barbarian countries time and time again. A hero that is beloved by this country and that is you my lord. My...husband."

She smiled and sat down. She was sweating.

"I assume that you are finished?" She wanted to die in that moment.

"I am still living my life wonderfully, my lord."

"Lady Viler, do you know why I married you?"

Colette's beauty was commendable in several states but she didn't want to seem so shallow.

"My beauty transcends the very essence of this world, time and space. It has caused a small amount of civil unrest in some countries."

She did want to appear shallow, maybe then he'd divorce her....amicably. She wept, absurd.

"Fortunately, I will take that as humor on your part." He pointed at some papers by his saucer.

"Do you know what this is?" he handed her the papers.

Denise took them and froze. She was really scared now. Complete trepidation.

Once upon a time there was a lowly servant girl from the Hildebrand house. She had a met a desperate young man on the Caramel Bridge of his Majesty the Emperor, in the capital, about to throw himself over the edge, therefore ending his scholarly life, for he was wearing the attire from the Richmond School of Business. She asked him why he wanted to kick the bucket, he stated that the entrance exam to the school was worth dying for, because no one could pass. No one had been enrolled and it would only last a week. She asked what the exam was about and he stipulated that the theme was 'A Theorized Innovative Idea into the Current Economy'.

The girl, moved by his plight offered to help him and the two of them, in the span of a week, wrote a paper titled 'The Theorized Mines of the Northern Gates and Their Inventions'. The young man was able to enroll into that school and the young girl and the young man remained friends for a long time. However, during the submission, the name of a servant would never be allowed on a submission paper to the Richmond School of Business and so she lied, Colette Hildebrand, she wrote and the matter was surely forgotten.

The very paper was in Denise's hands, her handwriting as bright as day stood out. The drawings she had theorized about and the strategies the young man had come up with were in her hands. She didn't know she was crying before the general handed her a napkin. She wiped it away. Vulnerability was not welcome in this situation. But she did miss him, Stuart.

"I was among the committee that read this paper and invited Lord Stuart Goodwin to the school and you were instrumental in his current employment. Currently, he is in my employ. The vice head of my current business venture."

The Viler house was getting into business? That would be breaking news. A military family switching gears. It would be a phenomenal scandal, of the century.

"I want you to lead that venture, wife."

"What?" she almost choked on her saliva.

"I married you so that you can run my business. I am not knowledgeable in the arts of business. But your birth ensures that you are not only a formidable opponent but also, a worthy adversary. I want you to lead this venture and ensure its success. As your husband, of course I will be your main support and investor."

"My Lord, what is the venture?"

He smiled, "Why, the very Mines of the Northern Gates. They exist. Your paper was eerily correct,to some degree."

Denise was in shock. She almost died to this man, earlier in life.

"But before that, we must be husband and wife..."

"But we are..."

Ah. They hadn't consummated the marriage.

"Eat." he ushered.

She took a biscuit, he shook his head and a maid came in with something heavier.

"You'll need your energy. We start after breakfast."

Breakfast.

Damn you breakfast.