The Villain’s Last Night?

The vase set aside, my butler is now knelt before us, awaiting my judgment. To think that he dared try to harm Ambrillia… I never gave him such an order. Is this the result of exposing him all these past years to his master’s evilness? Did he get consumed by his own shadows?

    Shadows… I press my hand to my forehead, still feeling dizzy.

“This feeling. I remember what happened earlier, but it feels like it wasn’t me acting.”

“Are you related to Rowan’s peculiar behaviour?” Ambrillia’s voice makes me turn my eyes to her.

    Until the memory of our kiss flashes through my mind, forcing me to avert my gaze to Keillweist for survival reasons.

“Yes.” My butler admits.

    My eyes widen.

“I poured an Evil Potion into the young master’s infusion last night. After Iagan’s apparition.”

“Why did you do such a thing? And why try to harm Ambr.. Armillia? In more than a decade you never disappointed me, Keillweist. Hence why?”

    A moment of silence, hesitation quickly discarded.

“With the banshee’s prophecy, and my lord already weakened,” Keillweist lowers his head, “I believed this was the best way to avoid your doom.”

“Weakened?” I raise a quizzical eyebrow.

“Yes. Since you met the Marquessa Ambrillia, you aren’t the same. Not so long ago you were still deserving of your reputation, feared throughout the kingdom of Emphrellaig. But now, whenever the marquessa is close, you lose credibility.”

    Forcing a deadpan expression over my features, I hold back the urge to wince at this attack on my honour.

“That would have led you to your doom.” He adds.

“So, if I understand it well,” Ambrillia chimes in, “you feared that your master would die because of me?”

    He clenches his fists.

“I guess it’s also your deeds if he never received my letters.”

“I couldn’t let the last of the Luphor die without attempting anything.” Keillweist replies. “This family has already known too many tragedies. In four decades, I saw my lord’s father grow up, get married, only to lose his wife months later once she gave birth… And a decade later it was his turn to leave us. My young master’s choice of life may not have been virtuous but, at least, in twelve years no one dared to confront him. All thanks to his reputation.” He pauses. “I dared to hope that finally, this family would be allowed to find some sort of peace.”

    Upon listening to him, I can’t help but realise my butler’s dedication. No matter the hardships, he remained in the Luphor’s estate. No matter if his master was dedicated to the light or to the darkness, he remained by our side.

    I clench my teeth.

“All he wanted was to serve us until the very end. But, at the same time, I can’t exactly ignore that he tried to kill Ambrillia. If I hadn’t forced my soul back into my body to protect her at that moment…”

“You merely wanted to protect him! That’s beautiful.” Ambrillia’s voice surprises me, and I turn my eyes to see her figure crouching before my butler. “That gives us a common point we share. Why don’t we try together, to make sure nothing bad happens to Rowan?”

“Marquessa Ambrillia…” He utters, seized with emotion.

    Her tiny hands holding his huge ones, Ambrillia addresses him with such a smile that I find myself staring in disbelief. Doesn’t she hold the slightest grudge against him?? Or… Is it possible that she simply didn’t believe for a second that he’d manage to kill her?

“Of course, if her banshee didn’t let out a scream, there shouldn’t be such a risk. Still…”

“I won’t allow it.” I intervene. “I won’t allow you to stay here. Even if I’m the one in danger of death, if we begin to defy fate, who knows what the consequences may be.”

    At my words, Ambrillia stands up and faces me. For the first time since our encounter, I see her smile leave her face.

“And I don’t allow you to not allow me.” She scolds me. “The life of my beloved duke is in danger, and you expect me to merely leave?”

“B-beloved…” I stutter, my hand gripping the fabric over my chest.

    Is this it?? Is the truth that I’m supposed to die from a heart attack? Can we end the torture now?!

“This isn’t happening.” She concludes, and I wonder if her sudden attack is a way to prevent me from protesting.

“Then, what should we do?” Keillweist chimes in. “According to Iagan, the duke is supposed to die before the end of the night. Nobody has ever proved a banshee’s prediction wrong.”

“Nobody has tried hard enough yet.” She corrects.

    For a while, my gaze lingers at my butler.

    Despite everything... I can't help but think that Keillweist isn't telling us everything. But what else would he have to hide from me?

    A sigh.

    Though I have no intention of letting the devil claim my evil soul tonight, I’m not sure I like where this is heading.

“If I have no other choice but to allow her to stay, I should at least offer her some cake.”

    That’s when a horrid realisation strikes me, letting me fall to my knees with a thud.

“Ahhhhhh I forgot that I fired every servant this morning!!”

    And, along with them, the chef baking those pastries Ambrillia is fond of.

“Should I hire them back..?” My butler wonders.

    Leaning in closer to me, Ambrillia pats my back.

“No, that won’t be necessary.” She replies before I have time to.

༻❦︎༺

    Pant, pant.

“I’ll make him pay… I’ll make him pay for the evil he has done to me!”

    Bringing a handkerchief to my face, I dry the drops of sweat while casting cautious glances to each side of the long, grim corridor.

“Foolish man. With no more servants guarding this place, it has been so easy to enter the mansion.”

    Pant, pant.

    Nobody… Right, right. There’s nobody. Even without that roaming banshee, I can do it. And then, everything will be over. Over. I will no longer need to hide; the nobles will be too busy attempting to save Oneixium before the monsters invade these lands.

    A faint noise.

    Widening my eyes, I turn around, hastily swinging my sword.

    Woosh, woosh.

    But the blade only slays thin air. Panting, my eyes search everywhere. But all they find are leaves from a bush outside, shadows tapping against the window.

    With a sigh, I turn away and resume my way.

“His room should be over there…”

    Reaching out my hand, I feel the excitement flood my veins as I pull the door open, careful not to make the faintest sound. Finally! Finally!! After all these years, I’m going to make him pay.

    When I enter the room, I see no light. Only the glow of the Moon filtering through the window, making it possible for me to spot the figure lying in bed.

    As difficult as it is to hold back the urge to let out a frantic laugh, I simply clutch my sword tighter and inch closer.

“Asleep! The fool is asleep!! Hahahh!!”

    A night cap on top of his head, long strands of hair spread over his pillow… The Duke Luphor couldn’t be more asleep!

    Oh, wait. He could be.

    With a devilish smile, I raise my sword. Its blade catching a moonbeam, I hurl it down at his neck with no hesitation.

“Greet your father for me!!!”

    Clink.

“Huhh?!”

    With widened eyes, I look at the figure who straightened up in the blink of an eye, opposing his own sword to mine. The features of an old man, a well-furnished moustache, a crimson wig over his head… I realise that he is none other than the duke’s butler.

“Don’t you dare sully the master’s name with your tongue, baron!”

“Keillweist… OUT of my way! Where is the duke?! Where!!’

    Metal clatters against metal.

“He’s just a butler, I can get him!”

    Hurling my sword with all my strength at him, the servant manages to dodge, the sharp edge of my blade only reaping the pillow. A cloud of feathers arises.

“Like my young master, I’ll never forgive you.”

    Where? I turn just in time to oppose my sword to his, the butler now standing beside the bed. My hands tremble slightly, but I reaffirm my grip. I can’t lose. I can’t get caught. Not now. Not before I take the duke’s life. I’ll make him pay.

“You… Rowan… You are all the same. What did you think?! You know it too, that the situation was beyond us at the time.” I mutter, panting. “We both know no one could help him! No one!! Lachlan was condemned the moment that angel laid her eyes on him!”

“You should have tried. You should’ve been there!” Keillweist exclaims, throwing at me a blow which makes me lose my balance.

    But the moment I fall to the ground, I catch sight of the sheets hanging loosely to the side of the bed. My expression distorts into a smile as I pull on them with all my might the moment Keillweist lunges at me.

༻❦︎༺

“If there’s no servant, the one supposed to kill you will surely take this opportunity to infiltrate the mansion. We will make use of this to trap him.”

    These were the words Ambrillia uttered hours ago. The more I think about it, the more I find it devilish. Giving the intruder confidence only to better fool him.

“Why don’t you come and sit beside me, Rowan?” Ambrillia pats the place next to her on the bed. “The night may be longer than you expect.”

    A shiver runs up my spine at the endearing tone she puts into uttering my name. I barely turn a glance at her figure, sat on the edge of my butler’s bed.

“Because I agreed to exchange my room with Keillweist tonight doesn’t mean that we’re absolutely safe.”

    I pace through the room, my eyes lingering on the few belongings gathered along the years, lined over my butler’s shelves. An arrangement of shadows which the light of the Moon alone doesn’t allow to clearly identify. No candles. A necessary precaution, along with our whispers, to avoid drawing attention.

“I have to be ready.”

    Pacing back and forth, the moment I get too close to Ambrillia I am pulled down against my consent. Hitting the mattress without a sound to echo my inner screams.

“Rowan. You don’t plan to surge out of this room the moment we hear something, do you?” She scolds with a deceptive smile, her hands holding my arm in place. “Your butler took your place to make sure you take no unnecessary risks. He can handle it.”

    A sigh.

    Mid-closing my eyes, I lower my chin.

“He has the basics of fencing, well, he has the basics of pretty much anything. Still, he doesn’t match my own swordsman’s skills.”

    I could have hired a mercenary to complete the task. But with little time to find someone reliable, it could have turned into hiring my own assassin. A laughable fate I wasn’t foolish enough to tempt.

“As much as I appreciate the allure of a mischievous trap-”

“What do you think your butler will feel if he has to bury another member of the Luphor family? You saw to what extents he’s willing to go to protect you. And so am I.” She pauses to lean in closer. Her hand reaching out to brush strands of my hair is enough for my breath to falter. “I don’t want to lose you.”

    Maybe I am already dead. Maybe all this is a dream. For Ambrillia’s presence is a gift I didn’t ask for. Didn’t deserve.

    Eager to prove to myself her presence is no lie, I reach out my hand to brush her cheek… when a sudden thud calls my attention. My fingers hover inches away from Ambrillia’s cheek. Faint, yet close. The noise came from under the bed. Ambrillia and I both exchange a curious glance before I kneel on the floor. As I have a look underneath the bed frame, I reach out my hand. Fumbling around. When my fingers find a wooden surface… A box.

    Intrigued, I sit back on the bed’s edge, holding a little box engraved with intricate patterns. Too taken aback to say anything, I trace the gilding with the tips of my gloved fingers.

    Familiar. A vague feeling of déjà-vu. Distant. Until the memory brushes close enough for me to grasp.

“This box…” I mutter. “I’ve seen it before. It belonged to my father.”

    Not saying a word, Ambrillia leans in closer when I open the box. Inside, the shape of a feather.

“Is that..?”

    Holding my breath, I pinch it and raise it before my eyes so that a moonbeam bathes it in its silver light.

    A black feather…

“This… This is supposed to be the box where he kept the angel’s feather he offered my mother in proposal.” I pause, a knot forming in my stomach. “It should be golden…”

    That’s when a muffled voice echoes, shattering my thoughts.

“Gre…. y….r fath... …. me!!!”

    I widen my eyes. The words are indistinct, yet the voice loud enough to allow me to recognise it. It fires my blood.

“Gallghaid…” With a frown, I rise from bed.

“That joke of a noble? The one supposed to steal my blood? That’s mocking me.”

    Not lingering a second longer, I head to the door.

“Rowan! Wait.”

“They know something!” I briefly pause. “They know a truth about my father I’m not aware of. I have to know.”

    Despite Ambrillia’s calls, I leave the room.