Lucian navigated through the main building until he got to his office. He had a few hours left to learn how to stop flushing like a complete imbecile. Staring at the mirror, he practiced his expressions, knowing it would be to naught if he didn't kill his feelings first.
He tried to comfort himself with how his mother would have been so 'ashamed' of him, were she still alive. She always told him to stay true to his feelings and never deny his affection toward someone he 'cared' for.
Maybe it's her fault that his heart just refused to give in to reason, and kept holding on to Celine? Perhaps it was an inherited trait? Both his mother and father were such loving and caring people; they had never raised a hand at him.
Celine loved to hear about his parents' relationship, and even though Lucian had zero experience with women and was a bit awkward around her at times, she would look up to him like he was some wise love expert.
'I should pay them a visit and introduce my new fiance to them,' he thought, 'Scare them out of their graves and get a few words of advice from them. That's what they get for leaving me to deal with this menace alone.'
He grew up in a house full of laughter and smiles until his mother caught an illness and his father sold everything to try and save her, working tirelessly from morning till night.
Instead of playing in mud and hunting for bugs, Lucian would help his father with taking care of the household while his mother was sick, learning how to cook, take care of animals, and tend the garden. Flowers would always brighten her mood, so he would pick her a new bouquet every day.
He missed them terribly.
'A debt would have ruined your life if something ever happened to me, Lucian,' his father would say when Lucian asked him why he didn't borrow money to pay for the medicine when the ones he earned were no longer enough. 'We'd rather die, than let the debt collectors take you away to work for us. It's for your sake that we are doing this. You will understand someday.'
Lucian didn't understand until they both took their own lives one day, leaving him with a bag of coins his father had secretly saved up. The money could have paid for a stay with his relatives until he found his footing. Instead, he decided to buy them a proper burial, but instead of receiving help from his relatives, they took everything he had and threw him out onto the streets.
"Come in," Lucian said, facing the door when he heard someone clearing their throat outside.
''Boss, they were found entering an inn at the outskirts of the city. We are waiting for your orders,'' AL reported.
As expected. Lady Bianca probably left in order not to inflict trouble upon the person who sheltered her.
Lucian put on a worried frown, wondering if it looked as real as the priests' ones did.
The ones that took him in acted kind and nurturing towards the visitors that came to seek their aid, yet behind the closed doors, they were nothing more than wolves in sheep's clothing.
He couldn't say that his stay in the church left a scar, but it surely made him question what was real and what was fake in this world.
"You look worried, Boss," AL said and glanced over at him, "You can't be thinking about taking Lady Bianca in as your mistress now that you've gotten engaged to the Duke's daughter?"
"Why not? Lady Celine is probably having her own affairs as we speak, so why shouldn't I?'' Lucian said, putting on his coat.
"Right." AL laughed in understanding and nodded, ''She is quite the beauty. I don't blame you for wanting to have her in your bed, Boss.''
They entered the carriage and took off in the direction of the inn.
Lucian was about to stand Celine up tonight, and it might affect Lady Bianca's safety as well, but that was the point. That girl had captured the hearts of the most powerful heirs in the Kingdom, and he was surprised she was not yet labelled as a witch who enchanted men with her beauty.
Celine could have very much ended her if she truly wanted to. Instead, she sent some bandits after Lady Bianca, and didn't even bother to clean up after her traces? She wasn't even making an example of the poor girl to warn the others, no, she kept self-sabotaging and making a fool of herself.
He was not familiar with the public Celine, only the one that came to him when no one was looking. She didn't know the public him either, so they should as well get to know each other properly from now on.
And what better way for that than public humiliation? Unfortunately, he didn't have a heel sharp enough to step on her head and make her bleed, so he would have to improvise.
──────────────────────────
''BOSS that's a waste of good wine,'' AL said, eyeing Lucian like he was insane for rinsing his mouth with fine liquor and spitting it out of the carriage window like he just had a swig of piss.
"You are a good actor AL," Lucian said, wiping his mouth with his sleeve, "Could you please bring her here, before I do something stupid and drink myself to death?"
"Aye! Please save some wine for me, Boss," AL pleaded as he jumped out of the carriage and walked over to the inn.
A few minutes later, Lady Bianca stepped out of the inn together with her knight, AL's voice coming from behind her, ''Please, miss. He isn't well. Not only was he forced into a marriage, but even the love of his life had forsaken him. He will listen to you, please.''
They dragged Lucian inside, booked a room for the night, and helped him up the stairs. After they laid him in bed, Lucian's hand darted out to wrap around Lady Bianca's wrist, stopping her from leaving.
"Stay," he rasped, and then heaved a sigh when she panicked, ''I'm sorry...I... I just thought... whatever… It doesn't matter what I think. You should go.''
Lady Bianca grabbed his hand and held it between hers, ''You are not well. Please rest. I will be here to keep you company.''
He nodded, counting the seconds until the knight left to get him a glass of water. Lady Bianca sat on the side of the bed and tried to stop him from ordering AL to bring him more alcohol, which, of course, failed.
Holding onto a bottle with his left hand, Lucian waited for a signal from AL, and the moment he heard a low whistle, he pulled Lady Bianca into his embrace with his free arm.
The door soon flung open, and a stunned Crown Prince stood in the doorway.