Song for the chapter: Beyonce Halo
Charlotte's POV
Present Day.
Wedding bells: ding! dong! ding! dong! 🔔
I was dressed in a hideous white gown. Even the dress looked sad🥲. Grandma would never settle for this but yet here I was, Charlotte Montongary of Lockbart dressed in it. My scarf was the only white piece of clothing I could find to make do a veil. I didn't even have time to put on makeup not that I even wanted to. I don't even want to be in Lockbart.
Ding, dong -ding ding dong
The bell was rung again.
I don't understand why they kept ringing it. I mean church bells are included in wedding ceremonies as a symbol of abundance and prosperity. Not that we will be needing that. He is going to probably die before he says I do. He couldn't even stand without assistance. The ringing of bells was often believed to ward off evil spirits. This I learned from the sisters.
Taking one last look in the mirror and a really deep breath.
I put on my shoes and walked downstairs holding the almost withered flowers. They couldn't even get something decent. I decided to stop crying as there was nothing I could do to prevent this from happening but I couldn't. My heart was heavy. I never imagined a day I thought would be the happiest in my life would turn out to become like this.
I walked up to my brother but refused to hold his hand. Not wanting to cause a scene in front of everyone he didn't push it and then we both walked down the aisle since we no longer had a father. The wedding was so brief I doubt I could remember what happened. Everything was done in a hurry. I hated saying I do but it's not like I was given a choice. There was no after-party the entire ceremony just ended after the vows.
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I went up to my room, I was still in lockbart. Standing in front of the mirror I looked at my reflection with my dress halfway down my body. I was still wearing my shoes, the veil, and earrings. I looked broken like if you were asked to define sad all you needed was a photograph of me. I slowly freed my body from the dress and decided to settle for just the shift as the maid slipped into the room.
"Sir Nickolas requests your presence milady," she said.
"I will be on my way soon, you may leave". I said turning towards my closet. I grabbed a robe from the bathroom pit on a rather too long dress with the shift inclusive and walked to sir Nickolas's wing.
...
Getting to his door I wiggled my arms a bit cause they were a bit too stiff and entered the room... there he was Sir Nicolas of Nairian the first, lying down in the middle of the king-sized bed. His face was upwards and chest bare. Dear lord the hair on his chest was more than those on my head. I dragged my feet to the chair on the far end of the room and sat there putting on my robe. I made sure I was really quiet so he wouldn't wake up and this dreadful night would be over.
Sir Nikolas was a fine man at least in his youth, you could tell from his appearance that he was one of those good-looking young men that any woman would want to be with. Old age has made him all grey and wrinkly.....there was hardly a spot of skin on his body that a wrinkle wasn't present. I thought disgusted.
I couldn't imagine bedding dis man...if my dear grandfather were alive they would have been agemates.
.
Hours passed and I was growing tired of sitting on the chair. I walked closer to the bed to check if he was still sleeping. I reached over to place his blanket over him properly and in the process, my hands touched his skin. Only then did I realize he hadn't changed his sleeping position all the while I have been in here. His hands were cold. I moved over sitting properly on his bed now with my legs slight ajar facing the door to put my hands on the sides of his neck checking for pulses, nothing, reaching for his left wrist, still nothing. Checking one last time I placed my head on his chest trying to pick up a sound or anything to assure me he was alive, but the results were all the same.
.
I don't know what to do, I was happier than shocked.
what if they accuse me of killing him? Ooooh dear lord, I shouldn't have walked into the room. I was torn between raising an alarm or just calling Razuel. I didn't want to start a scene and most likely be at the mercy of his people.
Brushing down my dress I closed sir Nikolas's door and walked up to Razuel's room. Standing at his door I rethought my decision. This was the best option so far.
I shook my head, squared my shoulder brushing down my dress one last time, and reached for the doorknob. But he beat me to it just as though he knew I was about to turn the knob.
Looking up I saw Razuel smiling until he finally registered my presence letting the smile fade away slowly.
" Is your presence not needed elsewhere Charlotte". He asked narrowing his eyes at me.
" About that Razuel (I said stressing the z in his name), sir Nicolas is dead". I said smiling.
" What did you do Charlotte," he asked
"Nothing, I left my bedchambers headed to his and when I got there he was dead. I knocked but there was no reply and getting to his bed I found him sleeping or so I thought with his belly upwards. It was then I reached out to put his blanket over that I discovered his body was cold. I didn't know if you would want me to raise an alarm and so here I am"
" You are positive you didn't do anything Charlotte"
" I didn't". I said already getting irritated. I'm not you Sebastian I would end a life just to get rid of someone".
"Go back into the room and wait for me, whether he is dead or not he most gave an heir, without an heir you cannot lay claim to all his wealth. Make sure no one enters his room"
"What are you insinuating Razuel, to have intercourse with a dead man, did u finally lose it, " I said raising my voice higher.
"I never said that, now go to his room and wait till I arrive, understand?"
" Yes ". I said walking away I doubt he heard my response but I hardly cared that wasn't my main concern at the moment. I wondered what he is planning. For one I knew I wasn't going to have sex with a dead man and for that I was grateful. But what did he mean by he most have an heir. How else did he mean, for the love of God that man was dead, maybe he wanted to resurrect him.
.
I slipped back into the room making sure not to draw attention to myself and sat as far away from the corpse as I could. I had never seen a dead body until now. How peaceful he looked, with his eyes closed, arms at ease, free like there were no worries....well he didn't have and wouldn't have any anymore.
An hour passed and so did two. I grew tired of waiting for Sebastian and stood up to leave. Any longer and this room would no longer be bearable to stay in. For heaven's sake, there was a dead man in here.
Standing up to leave the room Razuel walked in with his men.
"Wrap his body in sackcloth and take it to the morgue, don't I repeat do not take off the Sackcloth from his body until I say otherwise, understood?. And dismiss the morgue attendant "We cannot have people finding out lord Nikolas is dead".
" Yes, sire". The soldiers were quick at their task of removing the body and in less than 10 minutes they had retreated the room with sir Nicolas body, leaving just me and Razuel in the room
"Well, that went not as I planned," Razuel said. I looked at him like he had dropped his brain. Was he expecting me to reply to him and say what exactly? Maybe show him some sympathy because I would have laid with sir Nickolas if he wasn't dead.
"Go to your room and wait for me there"... This time I left without saying anything thanking the heavens I was leaving this horrid room.
"Getting to my room I decided to take my bath. Everything was blurry, I was so tired the last few hours were stressful having to limit the amount of air I took into me in that room. I couldn't believe sir Nikolas just died, like that. We all knew he would soon pass away but not like this and Razuel was too selfish for his good to even tell people that he had passed away. But instead, what did he do? He ordered his men to bundle up his body and dump him at the morgue like he was a nobody, a lord in the least.
I signed sliding into the bathtub, I moved downwards stretching my legs beneath the water and stopping when only my head was above the water and rested my head on the edge of the tub.
I stayed like that for some time until the water turned cold.
Getting out of the bathtub I pulled the plug and wrapped my body in a towel. I heard a noise from my bedroom and hurriedly tied my towel. Today's drama was already enough.
I wouldn't want anyone bursting through the door of my washroom only to find me naked. I took one last moment to look at my reflection held my cheeks.
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