"Stop arguing, damnit! We won't get anywhere if all we do is sit and bitch…" Cassia yelled over the duke and his men. "The Duke saved me and put me in this position. Your leader did… so why do you find it appropriate to question his authority?" "Isn't that punishable by death?"
The Duke started to speak, quickly deciding against it as they settled back into their chairs. The room followed suit. All were quiet, watching her and waiting for her to continue. The only noise left was Cassia, rustling her papers into a tight stack.
The Chancellor was the first to break the silence. He spoke about the missing produce and how the palace was being affected by it. He explained that, if it continued, the people in the lower sections would be forced either to starve or to leave.
"We don't want that, do we?" Chancellor Tomas Verin asked, looking over the faces of the house representatives. "We strive to make Draevenhall not only safe, but well-fed. Looking away because it is only affecting the commoners now would be incredibly detrimental to the realm…" His words carried weight as they filled the room. "Cassia… please continue," he said, waving her on.
"Uh… yes, thank you, Chancellor. I wasn't able to figure out all of your problems… but…" Clearing her throat and looking to the duke for confirmation, seeing his smile settled her nerves. "My brother is directly responsible somehow. Nobody has been able to find him since the incident with House Virel."
"That being said, I will continue to investigate and find a way to fix the issue…" Cassia said as she set her papers down. "For it is the Duke that we all work for, yes?"
"Aye!" every member shouted in unison, the room reverberating around them. The rumble could be felt throughout there chests.
"What about the taxes, they demand to be paid..." Lord Charles of House Virel said. "If we leave the situation where it's at right now, it will be weeks, not months, before we feel the backlash," he explained, his attention bouncing between the members. "If this doesn't stop soon… I'm afraid the situation will go far beyond fixable."
"So we do not let it get that far, then… Cassia is working hard to help us. Maybe we can help her?" Jeric said, his voice loud but gentle. "Let's all work for the betterment of the realm." He rose from the table, his chair sliding out with ease. "We will meet again in two weeks. Cassia… can you gather more information by then?"
"I can try my best… sir," Cassia said, the news of another public meeting so soon sending her into a silent spiral. "If I can't…" She trailed off. "I will find a way to fix the situation my brother has put you in."
"You are more than capable, Cassia. You don't give yourself enough credit." He watched as she stood, then walked over to join her before heading for the door. "I know this is a lot of pressure… but…" Jeric stopped mid-sentence before continuing. "You have exceeded my expectations. Show the men who doubt you that I was right." He opened the door, ushering her out into the open hall.
Cassia and Jeric talked as they walked, sharing stories about each other. He escorted her through the halls and down the stairs until they reached her room's doorstep. After a very brief goodbye, she slipped inside leaving the duke alone in the hall.
"Why am I so stupid... I wish I would have invited him in… I could have had him all to myself," Cassia muttered, a frustrated groan following. "It's not like he would have accepted it, unless…"
Cassia let her mind wander as she stripped out of the clothes she was wearing, leaving herself in only her undergarments as she walked toward the washroom. Thoughts of the meeting and of how much the town was counting on her weighed heavily on her mind.
Once inside, with the door closed, she slowly removed the last of her clothing and stared at herself in the mirror. The duke's signature was still present on her chest, her skin slightly raised around it. As she ran a finger over it like she had in the past, her feelings seemed to snap into place, and thoughts of Jeric rushed through her mind.
She scrubbed every inch of her body, making sure nothing was forgotten. The shampoo the kingdom made smelled like lavender, and the scent helped calm her mind a bit, slowing her down as she washed. But as she thought about the man she was contractually bound to, warmth began to build beneath her skin.
When she finished her shower and dried off she left the washroom, panting in anticipation from the thoughts that permeated her mind as she headed for her bed. Falling onto her back, she found her body was tender everywhere. A single touch caused a shock of pleasure to bloom from that spot.
Grabbing her pillow, she covered her face to block some of the noise. With each step closer to her core, she moaned with delight. Stopping just before reaching for the spot that would send her into a blur, she imagined Jeric there watching. She went into action, her body responding to each rotation causing her body to become rigid, then folding into a ball.
"I have to get to whatever point the council wants before I can be with Jeric…" Unfolding and rolling to the center of her mattress, she straightened out her comforter and dove under it. "All I have to do is keep working… I'm sure I can do this." Rolling over and closing her eye, she let the world thin.
***
Cassia woke to the sound of a paper being slid under her door, it made a scraping noise as it moved toward the center of the room. She got out of bed, curiosity building as she stepped closer to the paper. Picking it up with haste she read the message.
To Lady Cassia Vale,
By command of His Grace, Duke Jeric Valmont,
you are hereby given formal notice
that your wedding ceremony and lawful union
to the Duke of Draevenhall
has been set for the 3rd of May
within the Grand Hall of House Valmont.
You are to present yourself
for bridal preparation, fitting, instruction, and procession
as directed by the palace household.
This notice serves as official confirmation
of your place within the coming union
and your elevation under House Valmont.
Fail not in your attendance.
Under seal,
House Valmont
Draevenhall Palace
"Oh my god… it's happening!"