Behind the Mask of Good and Evil

“No matter how many times you flee, this evil heart will be mine.”

    Cracks.

    His thumbs press too tightly against the mask.

    Eager to touch him, I reach out my hand, running my fingertips down the mask of the duke. Slowly, as if I could feel the warm skin underneath.

    I must say, the sight of him covering his face with a mere carnival, colourful mask, made me question many things. Does he really think such a thin barrier would hide him from my eyes? Sometimes Luphor has such innocent moments. Truth be told, I wasn’t expecting this from a villain feared throughout the whole kingdom of Emphrellaig.

    Endearing.

    As I let my fingers fall down from the mask, back to my side, my smile drops ever so slightly.

“Unless you really do dislike me. If you believe you’d be happier without me by your side, who am I to enforce my company on you?” I pause for a while, but mere silence answers me. “I wish you’d tell me the reason why you chose this path, or rather the reason why you’re afraid of taking another one. But I guess this is it, I’m simply bothering you.”

    At these words, I turn away from the Duke Luphor.

“Don’t worry, my lord, I’ll make sure not to show myself before you again.”

༻❦︎༺

    Something cracks in me at her words. Why does it have to be like this?

“Wait!”

    Why can’t I simply let her go?

    It would be so much easier. For me, but also for her. To bury this unwanted source of the irregularities in my heartbeat seems like the only relevant choice. No illusions. No complications.

    And yet, I pull the mask down, just enough to glance from one golden eye at Ambrillia.

    Did my behaviour… sadden her? Am I really the cause of the hint of sadness I noticed in her voice? This is not what I want. The intrusive thoughts become intrusive unease, unwanted knot in my stomach. Unfathomed care.

    But can I avoid all of these without falling further into her devilish game?

    At the sound of my voice, Ambrillia pauses.

“Marquessa, I… That wasn’t my intent to.. make you feel like this.” I pause, unsure if I should continue on this treacherous path. “Your devotion is commendable, but I simply can’t…” I trail off before correcting myself, “won’t let anyone distract me from the life I lead. You’re truly the most handsome lady my eyes have been gifted to see, and I swear your presence does nothing but corrupt my soul, but it’s better if you abandon the idea of pursuing that deceitful pull.”

“I mean.”

“It’s but a mistake to think that this inclination is worth your time. There are plenty of other nobles who would be more suited for you, though…” I add with a frown, “no one would truly be worthy of the benediction having you by their side would bring them. But this is another matter and-”

“I meeeean,” Ambrillia interrupts me in a louder voice, “I am almost embarrassed now to admit it. But I wasn’t serious when speaking of not seeing you again.”

“Ehh?”

    My expression goes blank.

“I was just roleplaying.” She leans her hand against her cheek. “It’s a line I read in a novel, and I always dreamt of uttering it myself. Seeing that I was convincing enough makes me really happy, though.”

    I can feel the tips of my ears burning.

    Turning away from her, I kneel down, setting the mask aside to press my forehead against the wall.

    How foolish of me to lower my guard like this… Of course no matter how good she is, every woman has a shadow for the devil to hide in…

    I slam a fist against the wall by my side, a straightforward way to deal with the psychological damage. The words I just told her play on loop in my mind.

    Let me unsay this let me unsay this let me unsay this.

“If I understand it well, you’re afraid-” she pauses, “reluctant to go astray from the evil path. Why don’t you tell me the reason behind that will?”

    My inner scream for mercy is interrupted by her words.

    I glance back at her, frowning.

“I just wish to get to know every side of you better.” She adds.

    Barely avoiding to lose balance because of the impromptu attack, I stare back at the dusty wall to ground myself in reality. Everything will be alright, I just have to imagine the wrinkled face of my banshee instead of her sweet one. Ahh yes, I have behind me an old fairy, not a distracting maiden endangering my shenanigans against humanity. An old fairy. Old.

“You already know it, don’t you? Every noble in Emphrellaig knows what happened to my father, the former Duke Luphor.”

“Maybe. But what I want to know is your own version. Not what the others say.”

    Honesty? Is that what she’s asking for? I glance at Ambrillia, hoping her sincerity to be a disguised lie.

“A decade or so ago, the evilness that was dormant inside me awakened at the occasio-”

“Without the evil filter.” The Marquessa Ambrillia interrupts me with a smile.

“…”

    A pause.

    I share an intense gaze with the wall close to my face.

“A decade or so ago, my father died.” I recall. “He ruled over these lands with care, and the will of making Oneixium a good place to live in. He always did his best, even shared his personal provisions with the commoners during an especially harsh winter. And yet…” I straighten up, turning to face the marquessa. “Nowadays, whenever someone dares to utter his name it’s to sully it. They all suddenly turned their back on him, were they peasants or so-called friends, until their pettiness led him to his doom.”

    For a while, I stare at Ambrillia. Maybe awaiting her to badmouth my father like everyone did, maybe hoping she’d act like everyone so that I wouldn’t need to continue.

    But she says nothing, her closed eyes turned towards me, as if wishing me to continue.

“…As the last alive member of the Luphor family, I became Oneixium’s ruler at the age of twelve. Since that time, I swore to avenge my father. All the nobles who betrayed him, whoever threw a pebble at him… I made them all pay, and discovered the wonders of the villain’s path.” I add, reaching out my hand to lean my fingertips against my chest. “That’s when the flames of hell chose me as their vessel.”

“I see.” Ambrillia whispers, taking a step closer.

    As she reaches out her arm, a soft pressure meets the top of my head. Taken aback, I widen my eyes. Numb at the unexpected warmth.

“You suffered a lot.” She resumes. “But not everyone is your enemy. Whatever people say, I’ll always choose to believe you.”

    I can feel my very braincells experiencing spontaneous combustion without my consent.

“She is more potent than any banshee. But I can’t let her drag me to the bright side.”

    Expressing my fighting will as best I can with a deadpan expression, I step away from the marquessa’s touch. Bypassing her.

“Too naive. Know that in this world, good people are always prey to people’s whims.” I note with a stern tone. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve already exceeded my quota of kindness for a whole lifetime.”

༻❦︎༺

    On the pathway leading to my mansion, I catch sight of my butler, standing at the top of the marble steps leading to the double doors.

    Once close enough, I pause to meet his gaze.

“My lord, I have some good news that should brighten your day.”

“Has Gallghaid been savagely dismembered by a flock of monsters?”

“No.” Keillweist shakes his head.

    Losing interest in him, I resume my way, stepping on the marble.

“But Viscountess Seighpragh’s mercenaries have captured close members of his family.”

    To my surprise, he manages to catch back my attention, making me pause.

“Then, you know what you have left to do, Keillweist.” I glance at my butler, a smirk darkening my features. “Prepare their execution in public square for the day past tomorrow and let it be known to everyone in Oneixium.”

“Yes, my lord.”