Chapter 2: Lady and a Sister

Iris Saulelux walked into her rooms, carrying her protective vest. Her eyes widened at the flurry of activity in the rooms. Someone had thoughtfully directed the footmen and the movers to unload the trucks and move her belongings to her personal rooms. She found her walk-in wardrobe, a small room connected to the bedroom. It was still empty so she hung her protective vest.

The princess eyed her extravagant white dress distastefully for several moments, wondering if she could locate her trunk and change into a more comfortable dress. As she stood by, watching the ordered chaos, she gave up on the idea and returned to the antechamber.

"Good, you're still here," said Leo Tenebrae, sauntering out of his rooms, his short, black hair stylishly tousled. He ran his hand through his hair, his remarkably blue eyes focusing on the willowy, beautiful woman with a waterfall of purple hair. With the sunlight streaming in through the floor-length arch window and falling on her wavy, purple hair, Princess Iris seemed to glow, looking like a fairy. He unconsciously stopped to admire the silent princess who had married him out of convenience, realising that she was actually quite pretty.

Iris's face contorted with jealousy when she noticed that the newly-appointed general had changed out of his military frock into a more comfortable and casual attire. He wore the white dress shirt opened at the neck, revealing a hint of his well-sculptured body that spoke of countless hours of practising with a sword. His tan breeches stretched across his legs, seeming on the verge of bursting, incapable of containing the sheer power of his muscles.

"You look presentable," observed Leo, nodding to himself. "Follow me." He tilted his head towards the door, the direction they were supposed to go. Without waiting for an answer, Leo marched out of the antechamber, confident that his bride would follow his instructions just like his men. He did not bother to glance backwards to check if Iris was following him.

Iris rolled her eyes openly. "What an arrogant prick. At least, he looks like a decent swordsman." The carefree princess followed him in a more leisurely pace, taking her time to admire the mansion. She loved that the House of Tenebrae was very subtle about their wealth. If she wasn't a master appraiser, she wouldn't have realised that these exquisite artworks decorating the mansion was priceless. She sighed. She wouldn't be able to use them as emergency funds if she had to escape from this place.

Iris's top lip curled upwards, forming a lopsided smile when Leo backpedalled to find her. His handsome face was etched with irritation as he scowled at her. "Woman, can you keep up?" He asked through gritted teeth, gesturing animatedly towards the foyer. "We must present a united front before the staff."

The purple-haired woman shrugged indifferently. "I didn't know."

With supreme effort, Leo restrained his rising temper, realising that there was no point in getting angry with her. He jerked his hand through his messy hair and took a deep, cleansing breath.

The infuriating woman simply stood, looking at him innocently.

Leo suppressed a growl and offered the crook of his arm to her reluctantly. He deliberately looked away from her and remained quiet.

Of course, Leo had to escort her, his beloved bride. She smiled wryly, staring at his offered arm for several heartbeats. She could tell that the general was getting more impatient with every passing minute.

Iris sighed and took his arm grudgingly, standing shoulder to shoulder with the towering man. She braced herself for the upcoming circus, wearing a faint, polite smile. It seemed like Leo also needed the time to project the image of a happily-wedded man since it took a while before he started walking down the stairs.

If anyone had a chance to look at them right now, they would think that they were happily married. They seemed to radiant happiness, their shoulders brushing intimately as they moved. Leo took a right, instead of walking through the hallway into the living room. He guided her out of the mansion to the wide and expansive grounds.

The gods must have truly celebrated the marriage of the troublesome, good-for-nothing princess to the Head of a very distinguished martial house because it was a very gorgeous day. There wasn't a cloud in the vast, blue sky, a rarity in spring. It was usually colder and gloomy. It felt like the perfect day to be outdoors, surrounded by the magnificent vistas, clipped lawns and lavish gardens of the Dark Mansion.

The princess became wide-eyed when they were greeted by the majestic sight of well-dressed staff standing in file, just like a well-organised battalion. She nearly laughed, covering her mouth with a hand, until she remembered that the Tenebrae produced generation after generations of generals. They were probably taught to run the household like an army just for practice.

The army of staff snapped to attention at the arrival of their stoic and talented Lord, and his bride. Leo carried himself with a solemn gravitas befitting the Lord of a prestigious house. He had such powerful presence that he commanded the attention of all. Finally, Iris could see that he was a perfect fit as a commanding officer, not simply a brat just fixated on getting revenge.

Leo nodded to himself, as if he was proud of his staff. Finally, he did not look annoyed. Iris was so used to seeing him in a perpetual state of irritation that she was impressed that he could look at others with faint pride.

A tall, bulky man dressed immaculately in whitetail stepped forward, bringing his fist to his chest in a show of fealty. "My Lord, everyone is here, except for Head Butler Sebas. He extends his apologies for his absence. He is still overseeing the move."

Leo nodded gravelly, acknowledging his report. It was clear that he was the second-in-command, after Head Butler Sebas.

Suddenly, the staff bowed their heads and slammed their fist to their chest.

"The household greets our Lord and Lady," continued the second-in-command.

"We welcome our Lord and Lady," chorused the staff in one voice as the ground trembled from their greeting. It was such a magnificent sight that Iris was getting goosebumps. She had no idea that Leo had such leadership.

"Rise. This is my bride, Princess Iris, your Lady. Serve her as if you're serving me. This is my command to you," announced Leo in a deep voice that echoed in the grounds.

The staff bowed, bringing their fists to their chests. "Yes, my lord."

Iris wondered if she needed to address the staff as the new mistress of the house. She glanced at Leo questioningly and noticed that he was shifting his weight between the balls of his feet impatiently. This irritating man. Would it kill him to inform her that she was expected to address the staff? She stepped forward, her hands clasped before her formally. She glanced at the staff standing before her. "I'm Lady Iris Tenebrae. I look forward to working with you."

Once again, the staff brought their fists to their chests. "Yes, my lady."

Leo nodded at the second-in-command, signalling that it was time to dismiss them. He turned around and swept into the mansion. Iris, who had anticipated his lack of communication, quickened her steps and followed him into the mansion.

"There will be a grand dinner celebrating our nuptials later," intoned Leo when she stepped through the door. He did not bother to turn around and speak to her. "Dress appropriately." Finished with his orders, Leo walked towards the stairs, ready to return to his rooms.

"Wait!" Iris caught his cuff, stopping Leo in his heels. He stiffened visibly. She let her hand fall to her side hurriedly before the dark-haired man shrugged off her hold. She stared at his handsome side profile for several moments, trying to summon the courage to speak.

Before Leo could open his mouth to chide her, Iris gushed. "Thank you, Leo." Her cheeks were in a delicate shade of pink, unused to expressing gratitude to others. She knew that he had chosen to introduce her to the staff formally to ensure that they respected her. It was a kind and thoughtful gesture that she did not expect from this grumpy man who was determined to hate her.

Leo relaxed slightly as he scoffed. "Don't think so highly of yourself, Woman. It's one of the rituals of the Tenebrae." He continued his way upstairs, leaving Iris alone in the foyer, staring at his back.

The princess rolled her eyes again, all the good feeling she had developed for him dissipated. That brat was still as annoying as ever. She brushed her hands absently, wondering what she could do before dinner.

It would be safer if she had secured the perimeter of the estate. However, she wouldn't be able to do so while dressed in such a fine gown. She sighed and headed upstairs to her rooms to check if they had completed moving. She was hoping that her personal maid, Delph, had reached the mansion and was organising her rooms.

Delph was an orphan she had picked up from the streets when she was out in Light, exploring the city. Unlike the other maids she had in Bloom Palace, Delph swore personal loyalty to her. She was the one who made sure that she was safe, ruining all the attempts of poisoning and assassinating her. Delp was the sort who had a very common look, which made her remarkably forgettable.

An imposing middle-aged man dressed immaculately in white tail approached her, inclining his head courteously. He had an air of dignity that might surpassed Leo. His wide back was ramrod straight, his snowy white hair was neatly parted to a side, even his moustache was trimmed so precisely that it looked as if he had measured it with a ruler. There was something about him that struck her as a well-accomplished warrior.

"My Lady," he greeted. "I'm Head Butler Sebas, the head of the household. Welcome to the Dark Mansion."

"Thank you, Butler Sebas. Is that your last name?" The princess asked curiously, studying the proud man openly.

"No, it's my first name, milady. I hailed from the House Twilight. We have been serving the Tenebrae for seven generations," smiled Butler Sebas courteously. "Your rooms are ready for inspection. I've taken the liberty to select a team of maids to assist you." He clapped his hands and five maids stepped forward, bowing deeply. "Introduce yourself to our mistress."

The most senior in rank stepped with a graceful gait that had the princess raised a brow. She was also very pleasant on the eye. She curtsied before her. "Milady, I'm Emilie."

"Emilie, is it?" Iris questioned as she circled around the maid slowly. She nodded to herself, noticed that this maid was a fighter, from the way her slender body was built.

"Yes, milady," answered Emilie, keeping her head bowed.

The four other maids did not catch her attention and she allowed them to take turns introducing themselves: Flora, Ginnie, Holly and Ivy. Her cherry-shaped lips curved to form a lopsided smile when she noticed that their names were in alphabetical order.

"Good, good," remarked Iris, nodding. "Thank you, Bulter Sebas for your thoughtfulness." She waved absently. "Don't let me hold you from your other duties."

"No, it's my honour to serve, Milady," intoned Butler Sebas as he bowed deeply. "A footman will fetch you for dinner later."

The princess dismissed him absently and walked leisurely to her new rooms. She was impressed by the household's efficiency. They had unpacked all her personal items so quickly, even faster than the palace staff.

"Your Highness," greeted Delph at the door, her hand clasped together before her. Her brown hair was tied neatly in a chignon and she wore a Muslim-green dress, clinched on her waist.

"Delph, I'm not exactly a princess any longer," reminded Iris light-heartedly, smiling lopsidedly. There was no need for pretence before her only personal maid.

"His Majesty has permitted that you keep your title, Your Highness," justified Delph, rising to her full height. "It is still correct to address you as such."

Iris walked to the lush leather armchair and sat down, nodding in approval. "I rather just be Lady Tenebrae," explained the princess, admiring the decoration of her rooms. She liked that the upholstery was a deep shade of purple, accentuated with a hint of gold. It was perfect for her taste. There were no expenses spared in decorating these rooms just to maintain the prestige of the Lady of the house.

"Did you assist Butler Sebas, Delph?" Iris remarked when she noticed her favourite crystal scent holder on a side table. Somehow, the household had managed to mix her furniture with the others creating a rather harmonious union.

"Yes, milady. I needed to advice on the decoration of your bedroom," responded Delph honestly.

"Great. I'm exhausted after the ride and the introduction," said Iris. She turned to look at the beautiful maid. "Miss Emilie, Delph is my personal maid," introduced the princess almost casually, lacking the decorum of a noble lady. She propped her head with a hand, lazing on the sofa. "She will remain my personal maid, caring for me personally. You'll take charge of the maids to ensure that everything runs smoothly. You'll find that I'm a rather easy mistress to please if everyone completes their duties well."

"Thank you, Milady," answered Emilie, bowing. "We'll do our utmost to serve you. Does the lady wish to bath now?"

Iris sat up slothfully and nodded. "Please help me prepare a bath." Delph returned with a list and handed it to her. "This the list of items that we brought from the palace. I have already checked to ensure that they are here." She took the list from her and looked through it carefully, nodding to herself. There were only some items that she needed to pay attention. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed that Emilie had absently glance at the list too. It was sufficient for her to tell that she was literate.

"My lady, the bath is ready." One of the maids said as she approached her. Iris thanked her and headed to the connecting bathroom for a much-needed soak. After a nice bath, she was going to throw off her maids and secure the perimeter of the estate.

Three hours later, a rather nondescript maid was wandering around the grounds of the Dark Mansion. She had contacted her subordinates and secured the perimeters of the estate. She brushed an errant lock of lilac hair away from her heart-shaped face as she whistled a cheerful tune.

When Leo had first led her through the majestic, dark gates of the Dark Mansion on horseback, Iris was astounded by the wide and seemingly endlessly stretch of gently-rolling, carefully manicured parkland with towering trees. The house of Tenebrae lived up to their reputation of being one of the richest families in Light, second to the royal family.

She was certain that there were no eyes on her since she was just a plainly-dressed maid strolling around the gardens. She had concealed her highly-recognisable hair under a plain scarf, put on the plain dress that she had hidden among her other outfits and blended into the shadows to explore the mansion.

The only issue she had discovered was the peculiar lack of eyes on this estate. Her instincts were highly-tuned to spot unsavoury characters just to keep herself alive in the palace. Since the royal family had always seen the House of Tenebrae as a threat, it was impossible that they did not have eyes and ears within this household. She touched her chin as she pondered over her future actions.

"Since he's paying me, I should do some work to help the house huh," mused Iris, pinching the bridge of her pert nose. She preferred to be a good-for-nothing princess that could not make sense of her education. The princess snuck back into the imposing three-storey mansion and past its massive kitchen. She stood in the darkness and watched the cooks busied themselves with grand celebratory dinner. Her brows contracted when she noticed everyone was so busy that they had no time to gossip.

Her stomach growled at the appetising scents that wafted from the stoves and ovens. When Iris heard heavy footsteps, she leapt and hid in the ceiling, amazed by the lack of oil and dust. The second-in-command strode into the kitchen in a playful gait, approaching one of the chefs. He stole an apple from the basket, wiped it against his shirt then took a bite.

"Get out of the kitchen, Knave!" The irritated chef scolded. "Don't touch anything with your dirty hands!"

"How could you take that tone with me, Lisa? I'm almost famished. There is just so much to do just because our Lord eloped." He took another bite of the apple, munching it.

"Your father is going to discipline you if he catches you here," continued Lisa as she tasted the sauces to ensure that they were all perfect.

"Father busy," answered Knave, his cheeks puffed like a hamster. He swallowed his food. "Intruders."

Lisa stopped her work, staring at him strangely. "Really? It's been a while. They probably snuck in when they brought the princess's things here."

He finished the rest of the apple swiftly, tossing it to the food waste bin. "We've caught them. We'll need to interrogate them to know if they are working with the princess."

The chef pounded the dough with more strength. "The royal family are just tyrants."

"I don't think the princess is as bad as them," commented Knave thoughtfully. "We've seen her when our Lord introduced her formally. I just don't get a bad feeling from her."

"But she wasn't as brainless as she was rumoured to be too," replied Lisa, cutting the dough and oiling the trays.

Knave shrugged. "I best be off. Don't want Father to catch me. See you later." He waved at her absently as he headed out of the mansion.

Iris considered for several moments if she ought to follow Knave to see where the prisoners were held. If they were sent by dearest Mother and her company, they would probably kill themselves. She stood up effortlessly and ran along the beam until she reached the room right below her rooms.

There was hedge grown to ensure privacy for the occupants within the mansion. She used that to her advantage and returned to her rooms. She smiled when she saw Delp slouching lazily at the desk, reading some reports. At a distance, it was easy to believe that Delp was her sans the purple hair.

"Anything new?" Iris asked as a way of greeting. She washed her hands in the bathroom and began to change out into a shimmering ice-blue gown that flared out around her small hips.

"There is some talk about punishing you to ensure that women prized decorum," answered Delph airily, waiting for the princess to take a seat at the make-up table. "The general sentiment is that you were rewarded for eloping with Lord Tenebrae since the King allowed you to keep your title and promoted Lord Tenebrae as General to lead our armies."

"How ridiculous," laughed Iris, her hazel eyes sparkling with mirth. Her pert nose scrunched cutely as she smiled. Her decorum instructor loathed the way she smiled and called the expression vulgar. She sat at the make-up table and let her personal maid do her magic.

Delph mirrored her smile instinctively, removing her scarf to expose her silky purple hair. She carefully brushed out Iris's luscious, beautiful hair until they glowed and fell in soft waves.

"Beautiful," remarked Delph, running her hand through her purple hair. "Who do you think you inherited from?" She curled them expertly and let them tumble naturally. "It's a rare shade."

"Definitely not from my mother," joked Iris, smiling at Delph. "You would know, wouldn't you?" The personal maid rolled her eyes but continued to work on her hair.

Iris's brows furrowed as she started glancing through the reports. "It's from my ancestors. There was a record of another 'Iris' in the royal family. She is described to have purple hair." She tapped her chin absently. "I think the princesses of the Saulelux are named after flowers based on their hair colour. Princess Lily is named for her fiery orange hair."

Delph did not comment any further, leaving her mistress to finish her reports. For the celebratory dinner, she decided to highlight her mistress's beauty. She curled her fringe and allowed it to curtain her heart-shaped face, emphasising her petite, feminine features. The smoky-black eyeshadow only brought out her honeyed eyes. She chose ruby-red for her lips to give her a sensual air.

"Isn't this interesting," muttered Iris, tapping her long and slender fingers on the surface of the table. "Look at this, Del." She showed her a map of Light where they marked the positions of Angleian spies at dawn. "We avoided their positions when Leo fetch me from the palace," mused the princess, smiling faintly. "Isn't it easier to cut through this street?" She traced a single finger from the palace to the Dark House, intersecting with the positions of the spies.

Delph stared at the map, wide-eyed. "Lord Leo has updated information on them. He must have capable intelligence officers."

She hummed a sound of acknowledgement. "Indeed. Well, I expected him to be quite capable although he is really an idiot. Let's just hope that we don't cross path with them."

The personal maid frowned. "Why? You're on the same side."

"No, we're not. We'll never be. We're just an organisation that trades information. Our neutrality will make us dangerous." She waved her hand dismissively. "You know why we have to be neutral—"

"—Our sisters don't care about that, Your Highness. You know that," interrupted Delph a little impatiently.

"It's only a marriage of convenience, Del. Leo married me so that he could join the war. I married him to escape from the palace and have more freedom to plan our exit. Besides, Leo believes that I had a hand in killing Gracia Miller, his first love." Her gaze became scathing. "I doubt we can ever be friendly."

The personal maid shook her head lightly. "An idiot truly."

"Yes, so don't expect too much from this arrangement. Our goal hasn't change. We'll move our operations elsewhere so that our sisters can live the lives they want."

"Fine," relented Delph grumpily. "Are you certain that you won't fall in love with him? He's a very handsome devil."

Iris rolled her eyes. "No, I'm safe on that front. He's just an irritating brat to me." She deemed that it was the conclusion of their discussion and returned her attention to the reports. Her brows pinched for a moment when she sensed a familiar strand of magic.

A small slip of black paper flickered into existence. A cold sinking sensation filled Iris's stomach as she grasped the paper and read the message. The paper destroyed itself after a few seconds, disappearing from existence.

"What happened?" Delph asked worriedly.

Iris's face was pale although she looked confused. "Our sister was caught by Tenebrae." The message did not make sense to her since the sisters were not involved in any operations that would cross the path of the Tenebraes. She recalled the conversation she overheard about intruders from Knave. It seemed like one of these intruders might be their sister.

"We'll have to rescue her," stated Delph, frowning.

"Do it tonight," decided Iris firmly. "The Tenebrae are throwing a celebratory dinner. You've the opportunity to sneak to the prison and rescue her." It was such poor timing since she had just moved into Dark House today. Everyone would suspect her. "Just be careful."

Delph nodded, wearing a haunted expression. She knew that this operation had very high stakes.