Rites

 "My lady, my lady, please wait, do not run along. You could fall over…" Maria said to me, running after me, but I didn't want to stop. By now, I had wandered into an orchard surrounded by aisles.

I sat on the nearest chair designed with irises. 

I tried to catch my breath as tears crammed the corners of my eyes. I could not sustain it any further. I felt like ripping my heart out of my body at that point. 

I was shaking and restless. I tossed the pocket watch away as Maria quickly picked it up and placed it back in my hand. 

 "It is but a curse," I defiantly stated behind gritted teeth.

 "I lack ways to comfort you, my lady," Maria said and sighed. Ava, I saw it all. He was… handsome—"

 "But he was disgusted by me," I interrupted with a snap. 

 "Did he know you or you, him?" she asked, almost leaning forward. 

 "No." I lied. I was not ready to explain things all over again, or maybe I was scared to admit the truth. Besides, it was shameful. 

 "It will pass. It is your reveal party, those guests have to see you—"

 "They have come to congratulate their duke and to whisper between themselves, the fool of a bride that he is bound to. One that he could not dance with, he was embarrassed." I interposed before she could finish her statement. 

 "I may not understand your grief, but you have to be strong," she said, taking my hands. 

 "I do not know what it is, but this baby in you deserves your love and affection. Make tonight all about you. Showing Willem the fearless woman that you have always been. You may be from Western, but it is not your home anymore. This, the City of Vy, is your home. Own it," she advised firmly. I wiped my tears with the back of her hand and we both rose and shared a lighthearted hug. 

Mrs. Lenore and two other maids scurried in our direction. I braved up, putting up a stern countenance. Maybe it was best to hide my fears and insecurity. 

 "My lady, the dowager duchess, and the grand council do wish for your presence. Unfailingly," she said. 

 "After you, Mrs. Lenore," I said, and she flashed a small smile. 

Soon, other guards came to fetch me. 

I braced up, laying down my anxieties as we marched back into the heart of the hall. 

The Duke of Vy was awaiting my return to the dancefloor. I bottled up a bunch of questions. Sooner or later I will have to find out why he acted the way he did. 

The Duke extended a hand and I gently placed mine into his. He placed a gentle kiss on my knuckles. I felt it. I felt the chill in my spine that he had imprinted on me many weeks ago. 

I gave a small smile and he gave none. He was just cold. 

The slow rendition played on as we both did the waltz dance, gracefully. 

The looks in people's eyes were satisfying, they loved us together. The whispers scattered into the air very quickly. 

 "Tis good to meet you, Lady Ava Rosette," he deftly began but calmly. 

 "The pleasure is mine… your grace." I did not want to bombard him with questions just yet. 

 "Lord Fletcher has done well, do you not think?"

 "Your observation would speak better, your grace." I calmly and sternly said. 

 "I see," he said. "You are… very pretty, and you are well composed. Such alacrity that I had foreseen," he said. I almost could not believe that it was the same man that I had met in the pub for over a month now. Did he truly forget me? I wondered. 

 "Thank you, your grace. You are every woman's choice. I mean, you are quite handsome," I said. "Well-informed, and I am not being sarcastic, your grace," I added. He gave a half-smile. 

 "I see," he spun me around, and then our eyes locked again. His strong hand wrapped around my waistline and my arm was gently and lightly placed on my shoulder. 

He didn't utter a word to me until the dance was over. As soon as the music stopped, I bent while he bowed. 

 "Lovely to make your acquaintance, my lady," he sternly said, and gave a little smile. 

 "Your grace."

I walked off and he did the same. What are we now, total strangers? The more I thought about it, the more I failed to do the pieces. 

Mrs. Lenore walked over to me when I reached for some lemonade. I have had lots of women tell me that I looked stunning in my dress and in person. 

 "My lady," she began, and Maria approached as well. Lenore did not like the fact Maria came to me, but I could not send Maria away. I did not trust anyone, nor did Maria. 

 "Is it alright if I speak with you somewhere privately?" 

 "Please, Maria is a sister to me," I clarified as the aged woman put on a forceful smile. 

 "The dowager duchess wants you to meet the rest of the grand council. Now," she said. 

 "Did she not want to see me instead?" I asked.

 "My lady?" Lenore's brows squeezed. 

 "I mean, I do wish to meet her first as my new mother, before meeting the grand council…". I explained and she smiled. 

 "I get it. The dowager duchess isn't one to mingle with anyone, she is always apart and closer to her son, Duke Alaric," she explained, and I nodded. At least, I was starting to understand the family. 

 "I shall… Take you there. They do not like to be kept waiting, and so we should make haste."

 "Mrs. Lenore, I will not sprint off. That is what you are indirectly asking. I will keep a majestic pace." I snapped. The woman was a bit confused. 

…

We got to the large heavy double door that was at least twelve feet above our heads after we had strutted three different aisles. We were rather going down, as if in search of an underground. 

A castle with an underground for a duke still baffles me. 

 "Mrs. Lenore? What is this place?" Maria asked in concern. 

 "No one knows," she said, and my lids flickered in chaos. How?

Before I could utter a word, Maria was taken away by two guards—held arm in arm. Her voice became distant while she called for my help, but the men were deft and speedy. 

I attempted to go after Maria, but the woman caught my wrist harshly. 

 "Lady Ava, you are chosen. She is not." Her eyes were turning all black and her voice was raspy. Instant fear engulfed me. 

 "I want to go back. I do not understand or like this place. Take me back, Lenore!" I instructed with a shaky voice, but my voice bounced back to me instead. 

 "You are chosen. She is not. No one is. No one was." the strange raspy voice of the woman echoed. 

Within a split of a second, the doors were flung open. As if being snatched by a magnet from a whirlpool, I was standing in the middle of the enormous hall that had red, black, and golden carvings. 

I was kneeling. My dress was suddenly covered in blood and so were my hands. I shut my eyes and opened them again to wake up from my dream, but it wasn't a dream. Things were still the same and eery. 

I was still in my golden dress, adorned and extravagant, but this time, I wasn't stained or whatsoever. Then, what did I just see? Was that an illusion that my mind had created? I asked myself. 

Meanwhile, a group of weird people with. Golden hair, dressed in black attire, had been watching me. 

The watch in my glove began to glimmer over the fabric. 

There was no way that I could hide its glistening golden beams. I was scared that I might get caught or yelled at. 

Everyone paused to stare at me. It seemed like a feast, but there was no food or meat or anything, but golden chalices neatly arranged on the large king's table. 

The elegant dowager duchess's eyes found mine. She gave a very bright smile as she walked over to me.

She was beautiful, with golden hair like that of her son, Alaric.

Her eloquence was not a secret, she was like a queen mother. Or was she not?

I instantly bent as she chuckled dryly. Her gaze was pensive and demeaning. She halted the music, holding up a hand almost swiftly. There was impenetrable silence at once. All eyes were on us. 

 "Your grace, I am pleased to meet you in person," I said as I bent. 

 "I am not interested in your fake kind words. Everyone says that to earn my trust and favor," she bluntly said. 

 "I am not everyone, your grace, nor am I in any way trying to deceive her grace," I said.

Truly, if I were to understand these strange people, I would have to carefully observe them. It wasn't Western, I reminded myself. 

 "I will be the judge of that, let me. I am drawn by something I find… quite disturbing." she scanned my hands and furthered with a question. 

 "Take it off, your gloves," she instructed, and I did without resisting. The watch was in my hand now and it kept glistening. She took it up and inspected it.

She scowled.

 "The family's heirloom. The Lost Watch, the ancient watch, has been brought back. The thief has been found…" the dowager said out loud and there was angry murmuring. 

My heart skipped a beat. 

 "I did not steal it, your grace—"

 "Explain to the grand council how it got into your possession. Because I thought that Lord Fletcher had found a wife with prestige for the Duke, rather than he'd found a thief," she stated angrily. 

 "I did not, your grace, I did not steal." I defensively stated. She squeezed her fingers with a frown and I felt my chest tightening the more she squeezed them. Was it all a dream or coincidence or some dot of dark magic? I wondered, yet in pain. 

She was furious, and I was whimpering, holding my chest. Alaric appeared before I could blink my eyes. 

 "Mother," he called out firmly. "If I am to perform the marital rites, then I want her unharmed," he ordered as my chest loosened immediately she released her fingers. 

How did this happen? I asked myself.