Chapter Ninety-Seven
There is only that much partying one can tolerate in his lifetime, and two whole weeks of it were barely survivable if one had some profound reason for them. One can most certainly eat the most bewildering cakes each day, but eventually, they'll tire him beyond the point of belief. Thus, I remained there primarily as a mean to stay close to my family, and I reckoned that the same could be said for them -since a lot of nobles came and went, not really able to stay away for more than a few days from their own fiefs.
In the end even my parents had to return home -much to Karin's not so apparent displeasure- and thus the only ones that remained were Louise, who was Henrietta's playmate, the Albion royal prince valiant, and Isabella, who seemed to be doing her hardest to stay awake even past normal hours in an effort to tie the knot.
Unfortunately for her, I could easily do a twenty-four hour sleepless day. I had not built my man cave in the Valliere lands in the middle of the day after all.
Isabella's mood soured towards the end of the first week, but even as it did, I could do nothing to pacify her without infringing on my own moral integrity -and I had no interests in going against my beliefs, no matter how wrong they might have been for this period, my answer would adamantly remain the same for a few more years.
"I cannot believe you," Isabella hissed on the night of the eighth day, "I really cannot believe you when you say that you love me," she was firmly holding on to my arm as we stood by the side of the tent. "Am I really that disgusting that the thought of sharing some tenderness makes you recoil away?"
"No," I answered softly. "It's just-"
"You prefer them older, I suspect," Isabella grumbled, her eyes glancing to-the Queen? Come on! She's my mother's age! "Or perhaps fuller," why are you glancing at that lady now, Isabella? Her balcony is impressive, I admit, but- "Or maybe Tristanian?" and as her eyes fixed on Henrietta's form, I exhaled in disbelief.
"You are not old enough, Isabella-I would not wish to hurt you, no matter what-"
"We understand that," Isabella replied, her voice like steel and ice, "But we also understand that there is a limit to it. Does a kiss hurt? We cherish them-yours especially, my dearest husband. It hurts and pains my heart each time you recoil away, Henry. My affections-are they just a one-sided thing?"
"Now you're speaking nonsense, Isabella," I said with one more sigh. "If you wished for it, I'd give you the moon."
"But if I wish for your lips, you won't give them to me," Isabella retorted. "If I wish for your embrace, you won't give it to me. Are you...are you perhaps interested in men?" she whispered, the thought striking her as she widened her eyes. "The Gramont-I overheard him speak of certain things...Henry, if that is how you feel...I will have to do something about it."
"No?" I managed to reply with as much of a non-befuddled tone as I could. "That's silly. The only person I am interested in, my dear, is you." Answering with being interested in women was a trap-answer, and I was wise enough to know it. Because her counter would be then you do not see me as a woman yet, Henry? and from that hill there were few ways out.
"I wish I could believe you," Isabella murmured, eyes downcast. "Truly..."
"Then why won't you?" I replied with a smile. "I'll go to bed early tonight," I acquiesced. "Better?"
"For now, we will allow it," Isabella replied with a huff, pouting. "You are not allowed to dance with any other lady but myself for the night if you wish to be forgiven however."
"Not even my sister?" I replied aghast. "My poor little Lulu-she's going to cry if she can't dance with her big brother!"
Isabella groaned, and slammed the side of her forehead against my arm once. "You truly are a stupid man, Henry."
"But I am your stupid man, Isabella," I replied with a grin.
"Yes, that is perhaps your one redeeming quality," Isabella said with a knowing nod. "Now-let us dance."
And dutifully, I obeyed.
The next day, Louise was present -and with bags under her eyes- by my breakfast table. There were enough rooms in the palace that each guest and their family could dine in separate breakfast rooms, and so it was that usually Louise ate breakfast with father and mother, while I did the same with Isabella. Though with our parents having returned home, she found herself eating breakfast with Isabella and I.
"Lulu," I said with a smile as I sipped at my coffee cup, "Have you had troubles sleeping?" I asked nonchalantly, even as Louise simply looked away.
"A-Absolutely not! I slept all the night in my room-didn't wake up once, not at all!" she fumbled with the delicate omelette in her plate, and I hummed with my fingers clasped together.
"So the fact that Raven did not see your sleeping form in your bed last night is merely up to him being blind?" I remarked kindly, but my fingers were clasped and my eyes narrow. "Is that so?"
Louise choked on her food, and coughed as she hastily drank down the orange juice in front of her.
"Oh my," Isabella said, blinking. "So the little sister is like her big brother-going out at night thinking nobody will notice her." I blinked in turn, turning to look at Isabella who simply smiled. "I know you have a passion for moonlight walks," Isabella continued smoothly staring at me. "Be careful what you tell your sister, dear husband. I might take notes."
Louise smiled brightly at Isabella, who in turn smirked back. So it was a two versus one?
"I take Freedom out for a nightly flight every now and then, or spend time with Raven. Also, sometimes I simply spend the night away writing," I hummed. "Thus...what were you doing instead, Louise?"
Louise swallowed nervously. "I was playing with the princess in her rooms," she whispered.
"Throughout the whole night?" I remarked.
"When-When it got late we just both fell asleep," Louise acquiesced.
"But you were in your rooms when the morning came," I hummed. "You know, Lulu...just because you can't see my familiar does not mean he cannot see you. Want to change your version?"
Louise bit down on her tongue and shook her head.
"Very well then," I sighed. "I'll let it go this one time," I clasped my fingers together and propped my chin over it, "I suppose I can allow you some follies of youth since our parents aren't here at the present, but don't pull too much, understood?"
Louise blinked, furrowing her brows. "What I'm saying," I continued, "Is that you can keep playing with the princess throughout the night if that is your wish, but try to be discreet about it, will you?" I sighed, "If mother or father knew of your nightly escapades with the princess-"
Isabella's face turned scarlet as a sudden flurry of kicks went for my legs repeatedly. "Shame! Shame! Shame! Have some shame!" Isabella cried out with her face utterly red. I winced at the hits and turned to face Isabella, my expression showing the most utterly puzzled look of them all.
"Dear? Are you all right?" I asked gently. "Why are you so red?" I pressed on, much to Isabella's growing bewilderment. "I was referring to my sister's curfew of course...why," I smiled, "What were you thinking about?"
"Y-Y-You!" Isabella huffed, angrily drinking the whole cup of tea in one go. "Why you-" she grumbled. "You," she huffed. "I was thinking about your literary talents, dear husband. If you think I cannot recognize your...style, then you are sorely mistaken on just how much I, as your wife, know you." She smiled, thinking she had achieved victory. She smiled, thinking that I would grow quiet, or scared.
She had not yet understood that in some things, though they are kept hidden, we males must always be prideful of.
"What's going on?" Louise asked, not understanding the double-meaning in my words.
"Nothing Lulu," I said most wisely, "My dear wife's latest reading pleasures must have made her think I meant something different from normal, because you see-"
And as I neared Louise to whisper something into her ears, Isabella's eyes widened in disbelief.
Louise's eyes widened too, and then she looked at Isabella with a slightly shocked expression. "P-Pervert!" she said, and as soon as she did, Isabella's hair nearly shot out of place as she in turn widened her eyes.
"T-That's not true!" Isabella exclaimed. "You take that back right now, Lulu! Your brother's the pervert here-"
"Nuh-uh! You are! Reading that sort of things-big brother writes nice stories!"
I simply had a servant fill my mug of coffee once more and watched, with quite the amused expression, as the two fourteen and soon to be fifteen years old girls fought each other.
Go Lulu, defend my honor.
