Angelique had spent another sleepless night beside Julian, still stiff-necked and painful in the morning. Julian left quickly and trapped her inside the bedroom with Minnielle once again. They used breadstick crackers to play games and drank special drinks, like peppermint chocolate milk and green melon fizzer.
Meanwhile, Alishe Julian was waiting for Thinsen’s arrival. After what he had heard from Thinsen the previous day, he began to pay a bit more attention to his surroundings. The whispers of the maids, the preparations of the Alishen, and the stiff and flustered look that was always plastered on Angelique’s face the previous night.
His curiosity had been thoroughly piqued. Now, he was finishing his daily paperwork over his northern sector of the kingdom dutifully, awaiting Thinsen to burst through his office doors as usual. Just as he had finished signing off a piece of land, Thinsen opened the door. His usual gusto and bravado were lost, and he instead looked deflated. “What's the matter with you?” Julian asked, standing up.
Thinsen threw the books down on his desk. “I won't ever be able to show my face at the Royal Library ever again, and all thanks to you!” Julian cocked his head to the side. “Surely it's not that bad.” He reached out to pick up one of the large books and Thinsen stopped him. “Work first, study later.” He sighed, turning to sit on Julian's couch.
“I feel great pity for the Alishen, are you aware?.” Thinsen asked, laying down on the couch and draping his arm over his eyes.
“Why feel pity? You don't even know her?” Julian asked, checking the book’s titles.
Thinsen turned to Julian sadly. “You don't understand the difficulty of married life for a member of the nobility. Remember when I announced my son's birth? It was a large scale event for my family. You do realize its importance, yes?”
“Well, of course, it was the birth of your heir.” Julian nodded.
“Yes, but it was also a great relief for my wife. I do care deeply for her, but if she hadn't had gotten pregnant within the first 3 years of marriage, my family may have pushed me to have a mistress.” Thinsen shook his head sadly. “We got lucky, some not so much, as families could push to have a child in the first year.”
Julian cocked an eyebrow. “Why is that important?”
“Have you heard the gossip in the hallways? Something to the tune of, ‘Soon we may have a new little master running about our halls?’”
“Yes, I have, so you mean they expect me to have an heir soon?”
Thinsen shrugged his shoulders. “Yes, that, but they have every reason to since you are so desperately trying to stay with your wife every night, for whatever reason.” he shook his head. “Just, please consider the idea that you continue on like this for any longer and the Alishen does not end up pregnant, talk of her lack of ability will spread. She will be shamed. So, consider her feelings.”
Thinsen stood up and straightened his coat. “I’ll be going now, see you sometime this week. Oh and, please return the books yourself”
Julian watched him leave and shook his head. He knew that Thinsen was right. It is shameful for a wife to not produce an heir. ‘What does it matter to me anyway…’ he thought, picking up a book to read.
…
Angelique had sent Minnielle to the town to complete what she could do without the family stamp. Meanwhile, she was practicing how to convince Julian to return it to her.
“It is my most precious heirloom! And I just can't survive in this small room without this ounce of comfort!” Angelique gagged a bit. “How tacky, disgusting.” She threw herself onto the bed and hit the pillows with her fist. “This is so unfair.”
Angelique stood up from the bed and grabbed her breadsticks from the floor, dropping them on the table. “Now I wish I had the power to make board games appear.” she sighed, flopping back down on the couch.
The creak of the bedroom door didn't bother her. It was simply Julian, going to change his clothes and sleep. “How was your day?” she asked sarcastically. “Mine was quite eventful, as you can see, I am still trapped in this luxurious room prison.”
She peered past her fingers after hearing no response. “Uh, hello?” she asked. She couldn't see him anywhere and glanced around. “How strange.” she sighed, getting up and walking to the bed. The maids had prepared her for bed two hours before, with the same spa treatment, and a different nightgown. But this one had a robe with a long trail. Angelique hopped on the bed and struggled to take it off. “Why even give a dress for sleeping such a long cape!” she whispered to herself. “How impractical, I mean what do they expect? For me to walk down the aisle while I'm sleeping!?”
The creak of the bathroom door alerted her, and she saw Julian standing in its doorway. “Ah, there you are! Are you ready to sleep?” Julian didn't answer, she couldn't even see his eyes. “Um, what's up?” she said again, uncomfortably shifting where she sat. ‘What do I do, I planned to ask him for my stamp today…’
“So! Julian! Uh, I was thinking, since I’m locked up in your room for so long, I’ve been rather upset. Something that would bring me great solace is my family's stamp ring? For the eldest child of the house? Hmmmmm?”
Julian still did not respond, instead of walking forward slowly. “Well, you see, it's such a precious family heirloom! Trust me, I’ll be glad to stay trapped here, as long as I have it!” she smiled, inching back slowly as he stepped forward. “You must be tired, we can pick this up in the morning!?”
Angelique was now up against the wall beside the bed, laughing nervously. “Um...good night?” Julian slid onto the bed in front of her, grabbed her arms, and threw her down. Angelique was so terrified she could barely utter a scream. “I'M SORRY! I WON'T ASK FOR THE STAMP JUST PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!” She shut her eyes tightly turning away from him.
Julian stared at her while she was pinned beneath him. “Kill you?” he asked. “No! Spare me!” Angelique pleaded. Julian sat up and let her go. “I don't want to kill you, I want to act as a proper husband.” Angelique cocked her head. “What do you mean?”
“I must defend your reputation by making you pregnant with a child.”
Angelique choked on her own saliva. “WHAT!” She burst out into tears of laughter. “What are you talking about!” she chuckled, getting cramps from the laughter. “We won't even be husband and wife in two months, this isn't necessary! Just go to sleep.” she rolled over, laughing to herself. Julian coughed into the crook of his arm. “No, I insist. You are my wife for two more months, legally. I must still act as your husband.”
He once again grabbed her was on top of her. This time she was not as frightened. “Do you dare?” she hissed. Julian barely had a moment to respond before she kicked him, harshly, where it hurt the most.
“I was going to be forgiving, but don't poke the tiger,” she said, turning back to go to bed. “If you play that trick again, I will pity your future wife's love life.” Angelique giggled to herself as Julian seethed in his own corner of the bed. He hunched over in pain as she tittered.
“I thought you loved me!” he shouted. “But now all you can speak about is divorce! If this is your trick to seduce me it will only end in your misery!”
Angelique sat back up and held back from spitting at him. “If I hadn't made it clear enough, I do not love you, and my only true love is leaving this place. Get that into your thick skull. And anyway, why would I love you in the first place!” She raised her hand to count. “First, you poison me nearly to death, then you throw me into a wall, and after that, hang me out of a window and even break my wrist!”
Angelique’s face had turned red with anger. ‘I’m usually never this emotional with anyone, but this idiotic man makes me want to punch something.’ Angelique grabbed her pillow and stormed over to the couch, laying down there. “Sleep alone, pervert.” She shouted.
…
The night was dark and sleepless for Julian. His anger had not subsided, but, like an addiction, he craved sleep more than ever, and longed to hold Angelique in his arms. For the first time in so many years he could finally sleep through the night, and finally, be at peace. Now, he had just lost his shining sun of relief. This only fueled his anger more.
Throughout the night, all he did was glare at Angelique, peaceful turning about her couch bed, without a blanket, and still, fast asleep. He listened to her snore and speak as she rested. He watched her fall off the couch and continue to snooze. He was tempted to hang her out the window again and see if she would stay asleep still, but he was reminded of her words earlier. ‘It is true, I have destroyed all the love she had for me.’ His heart felt heavy. ‘This was my goal all along. But...why do I miss her loving me now?’
Julian laid down in his bed, staring at her snoozing on the floor. ‘If I just touch her back, maybe I can sleep for a few minutes.’ He thought, walking towards her. He stopped just in front of her when she rolled over, and Julian laid beside her.
His hand reached out and grabbed hers, and he could feel the warmth and comfort once again. He was slowly getting drowsy, but it wasn't enough. ‘Dangit, now I'm just sleepy, and can never sleep. This is worse!’
He moved closer to her and reached out. Before he could hold her other hand in his, her face shot forward and Julian gasped with surprise.
Angelique was still blissfully asleep when their lips touched, and Julian was now out cold beside her, still holding her hand, his forehead touching her own.
…
The guards were shocked when they saw Julian, in disheveled clothing, dash out from his room. He seemed red in the face and sweating profusely. The guards were so shocked, they had to check the room, for fear that the Alishe was killed, and that the murderer had just run out. Their faces also turned red when they saw the Alishen sprawled out sleepily on the floor, and they quickly shut the door and averted their eyes.
“We saw nothing,” Richard whispered to Thomson. “Yes, nothing at all.” Thomson nodded, covering his face slightly.
….
Angelique woke up to a small ornate ring on her finger. It had a small pattern engraved in reverse. She sat up quickly from the floor to gaze at it in the sun. “Is this my stamp!” She cheered to herself and stood up to jump, only to find her hip in pain. “ACK! Did I fall off the couch!” she groaned, sitting gently back down. Minnielle walked in just a moment later, closing the door behind her and rushing to Angelique.
“I went to town last night, and I found it.” Minnielle grinned. Angelique sat up straight and presented the stamp. “And I just earned myself a beautiful new piece of jewelry!” The two laughed together for a moment, and Angelique prepared breakfast as Minnielle explained her adventure.
“So, you visited the White Swan Guild?” Angelique said.
The White Swan Guild is an underground network of spies hired by noblemen to gather information. They had gotten their name when they single-handedly took down the Swain family and adapted their White Swan symbol as a trophy of their success. Angelique had used it previously to gather info on her victims and bring them to the ground. It turned out, she had her own underground private operative working for her, who mysteriously vanished. Minnielle only discovered this after asking the White Swan Guild for records of the Alishen's involvement.
“What did you find?” she asked. Minnielle pulled out a small notebook bound with leather. “His name was Undertion Slick. He was 30 and went missing after you had married the Alishe. It wasn't your doing though, they suspect it was unrelated.” Minnielle flipped the page.
“The bad news is that it was Angelique’s fault he got into danger in the first place. You had used his wife and child as blackmail so he would loyally do your dirty work.” Angelique stared sadly at the concept sketch of the man. “I promise to find him justice as well. But first, Sumiatra. What information do we have?”
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