Adonis POV

Revenge. An amazing thing for fools to relish. Subduing yourself to emptiness and crime for one goal. For one short-lived satisfaction. What next though after it? I don’t know nor care. If I am a fool then so be it, satisfaction can be a powerful thing.

I woke up with the sun beaming at my face, its orange haze sending flickers of light to my dark room. It reminded me of my mother, her golden hair always being the light of my younger days. Or maybe, my equally rotting father, whose jokes sent you spiralling down a pit of joyful hysterics. My sister could be a candidate too, her mere presence sending a constant unrivalled warmth down my belly. 

The sun reminded me of them, everything reminded me of them these days. Over the years, they mixed up into just one longing for revenge and a hole of regret for the vengeance to hopefully fill. Hopefully. All just a reminder that I was a lonely duke with wealth to buy a thousand men yet not enough to rid me of that haunting feeling. 

I put on an old silk robe, old, yes, but still worth much. It had a mound of carefully hidden pockets, in which I could place a hundred little trinkets of mine. And most importantly, a dagger. Forged from the best smith within a thousand miles. It was sharper than a razor, brighter than the sun’s glare, swift and sturdy as any animal, and gnarled, embroidered, and sturdy as ginger roots.

I ate and called for a note to be sent to the elf. Then I waited longer than I ought to for Adonis to come for a visit. She was interesting. Her ears were carefully hidden behind her  light emerald green which reminded me of nature. She was pale and quite skinny. But she was young, very young, too young for what her mind was so cemented on. But I was not here to contradict her decisions, God knows I would be the wrong man for that job. Nonetheless, it still sent an air of wiseness to her that piqued my interest ever since I first set my wandering eyes on her. 

She walked into the room like a princess, as if she owned the place and I was a mere subject. Her clothes though made her fall quite short of the intended outcome. She wore a flurry of colours on her dress. Her dress was a fiery orange which reminded me of the sunset… Her shoes were of a pink shade which sharply contrasted the dress. Patches were hanging on for dear life, as they were tattered onto the dress clumsily and sewn with a fool’s hands. Her hair was a tangled mess that sprouted outward like a tree trunk and had loose pieces of sticks hanging out helter-skelter.

All the colours of her outfit were muddled together, quite a rare sight.

“Our lady of the day! Please sit.” I boomed, with fake excitement. As I gestured her over to the chair in front of me.

She did sit, without a word and a very solemn face. Riona was gaunt and had refused to eat for quite a while since she came.

“Sign these papers,” I ordered while waiting as she skimmed through reading the contract.

"I haven't agreed to get engaged with you," Riona said, deadpan. as she stared at me.

"It's part of the revenge, my sweet fiance," I told her as I added that the 'sweet fiance' was just to tease her.

"How so?" She questioned me

"Well we'll need to gather strength and intel," I told her.

"It‘s not necessary for me to act as your fiance," she complained as she crossed her arms looking around the room, obviously uninterested.

"Don't you want our plan to succeed?" I questioned.

Our first part of our revenge was very simple 'throw the kingdom into chaos' however it is much easier said than done. In order to succeed, we'll need to seek intel and warm ourselves into the high society. 

"Rumour has it that the kingdom is seeking a treaty with a neighbouring kingdom," I told her as her head turned quickly as it must have piqued her interest.

"In order to throw the kingdom into chaos' we shall stop the treaty and turn the two kingdoms against each other," I explained as I had her full attention, but maybe I was wrong or did I see some sort of blood lust in her eyes….

"So my lovely fiance, you'll sneak yourself into high society," I sang while adding the 'lovely fiance' part once again to tease her, also making her role clear.

She opened her mouth about to say something then suddenly something rumbled and her pale face quickly turned bright red.

“You look quite hungry. Gera-” 

“No need for that. I’m not hungry.” 

“Everyone’s hungry. And your cheeks are so pale and gaunt, they need to be nourished right away. And I wouldn’t want a hungry fiance, would I? No, no, no. I will not allow it! Gerald!” I shouted, gesturing for my most trusted servant.

Gerald, who was in his butler’s attire, and spectacles hung tight on his crooked nose, came rushing in. He had tight-knitted black hair and pointed shoes. Gerald had served me since I was a kid and he was loyal as a dog. 

“Yes, Young master!”

“Could you get us some tea and snacks, please? Be quick too, I’m quite weary and we know what happened the last time…”

“Of course, Young master!” Gerald gave a salute, and a short bow, before scurrying off out of the room as fast as he had come. 

Riona glared at me as if she was going to strangle me, then relaxed into herself and waited in a pensive mood for the tea to come. 

No words were spoken until the tea and snacks came, only a creeping silence that strung at my patience. 

We ate, again in silence. 

“And how do you propose we hide my identity?” she asked as she curled her hair around her finger which obviously the biggest give away, elves had such bright and colourful hair just a glismpe of her hair by any human and the next thing you would know she would be hanging by a rope.

“We can use powder and dye to darken your hair,” I replied.

“What about my previous buyers,”

“I’ve dealt with anyone that has a connection with you,” I assured her

“By what? Bribing them?” She scoffed still not convinced

“They are all dead along with their families and friends,” I told her as placed my teacup on the table. Those were the only way to ensure the safety of Riona. 

For a moment her lips perked up almost into a smirk, “I’m your slave…but instead your here asking me to sign this contract and play wife even though you could order me about?” She laughed 

She wasn’t wrong but that wasn’t the route I wanted to take.

“I want you to be my partner in this plan and for that to happen I shall treat you humanly”

“You mean treat me with pity, while I play house with you,”

There was another brief shortly after that statement. It is not that I was speechless but I doubt my words would have an effect on her.

She sighed breaking the silence and giving me a slight glare.

“Anyways, I'll sign it," Riona said while drinking her tea and looking away. 

"Great after you sign it, quickly get dressed."

“For what?” she asked

 “Simple, just want to take my wife out for a little fun,” I replied with a broad grin.  

The first part of being my wife was to dress so taking her out wouldn't be a big deal.

“Fun?” she questioned.

“You know, the thing people have to relax, entertain, that kind of stuff,” I said, chucking another slice of bread into my mouth. It sent a silent chuckle through me, that soured Riona’s face. A joke only I could laugh at was the best kind. 

“Make sure to wear the best dress you have,” I told her. This was our very first outing in public so of course we needed to dress to impress.

“What makes you think I have any good clothes?” she asked coldly, placing down her tea cup elegantly. 

She wasn’t wrong. For a while now she has just been a slave…

“Gerald, find Riona a seamstress and etiquette teacher!” I ordered as I examined her. Now that I think about it she really needed a teacher, I mean who wears yellow, green, and pink together?

Shortly after, Gerald came alongside with a rather short woman with elegant clothing, it seemed like she was from the South.

"Greeting your grace," they both said while bowing.

"Rise," I commanded.

"My grace, I bought Madame Noelle the seamstress," he said while he excused himself quietly.

"Riona my love, Madame Noelle will be your personal seamstress as well as your etiquette teacher so you can settle in like a normal human," I explained while I noticed her mumble something while groaning.

"Do I really need an etiquette teacher?" she questions me while folding her arms and glaring at me… She is quite bold to dare glare at a duke who is willing to help her. It seems she'll be quite an amusing person.

"Must I remind you that you are living under my roof so you must follow my order?"  I asked her 

 I moved closely towards her causing our faces to only be barely inches away.

She had a strong scent that was rather pleasant.

Riona was clearly flustered as her face turned red like a tomato. Perhaps I shall humour her…

"Oh dear, is my fiance sick?" I asked, adding a sarcastic tone to it while I continued to move forward.

"N-o of course not," she mumbled still clearly flustered.

"Then you'll be in great condition to come and have fun at a gathering with me in a few weeks time," I exclaimed, giving her a sarcastic smile.

Then suddenly I heard a cough and turned to Madame Noelle. 

"Your grace if you can please excuse me," she requested while bowing. 

It seemed I forgot about her while I was having fun teasing my 'dear fiance'.

"Yes whatever you're dismissed," I mumbled while my eyes were still focused on Riona.

She'll be a key pawn in my plan…

"I have no clothes to wear for the gathering," she said, trying to back away.

"That's okay, Madame Noelle shall make you some clothes and when you first arrived I told the maids to get rid of some of your ragged clothes and belongings, did you not notice.”

"Did you also dispose of a dark crimson ribbon!" She snapped loudly looking while pushing me back, making me sit down while pulling my silk robe.

She seemed quite agitated. It seemed I pushed the wrong buttons.

"Relax, I told them to dispose of ragged clothes and leave any accessories including the ribbon," I explained, trying to calm her down.

"I may be acting as your wife, but let me be clear, do not meddle with my personal life!" She warned me as she stormed out.

Just like that a week passed, and we haven't talked since then. Whenever we saw each other in the hallway she would glare for a couple of minutes at me then walk away. Despite all the invitations I sent for dinner she would ignore them and eat in her chamber.

I wonder what was so important about that red ribbon.