A knock on the door pulled the duo away from eachother, creating respectful boundaries between them. The Duke walked over to the open window and pretended to be looking at the flower fields and enjoying Evermire's majestic countryside scenery.
Ori, on the other hand, shuffled around with the pillows and the blankets, trying to make herself look as believably I-just-woke-up as possible.
As she was used to living in a confined space, Ori had made a habit of pretending to be asleep or having woken up after an excruciatingly long nap to evade responsibilities like cooking, cleaning and knitting.
The brunette licked her finger and dabbed the corner of her eyes with it, she ruffled her hair to make them look shabby and lived-in, before clearing her throat to provide consent.
"Come in," Sirius announced with a small nod directed at Ori.
The doors were pushed open and in walked Albert with a train of maids sashaying their frilled frocks, following closely behind. His small head was bent, facing the floor, and his shoulders were hunched together as he greeted, "Good Morning, my sire."
"Good Morning, Jenkins," Sirius acknowledged from his spot in front of the window. Gusts of wind swayed in and out, playing with his silver locks.
The butler lifted his head to face the person sitting on the bed and let out a small shriek when he did not see the form of his Master greeting him. He looked around to find his master standing far away from his deserving place.
Albert's nose twitched and eyes almost watered as he pointed an accusatory finger at the lady in his Duke's bed, filled with emotion. "A peasant has soiled your sheets, my sire! Allow me to punish her accordingly now that she has awakened!" Albert threw a dirty look in Ori's direction, whilst the latter clutched a hand to her heart: mocking offence.
"What do you mean by soi—"
"Jenkins, you disappoint me." Sirius tsked, walking over to Albert. He stood in front of him, tall and domeneering as the butler bent his head in respect, remembering his place and importance.
"I thought I could trust your research skills, Jenkins, but you were wrong about Lady Gregory here," Sirius extended a respectful hand in Ori's direction, whilst the brunette watched the plot unfold with wide eyes.
"L-L-Lady? This? Her, I mean?" Albert all but snapped as he jerked his head up with comical haste and looked his master in the eye. Had the Duke been hypnotised? Albert glanced over at Ori and a natural scowl settled in his face, upon seeing her.
Since the Duke had his back at Ori, she made excellent use of the opportunity and pulled her tongue out to tease the old man butler.
"Respect, Jenkins. She is a resident of the Ender Towne. If I hadn't sent my men to look out for her we would have been in such a pinch because of you!" As always, Sirius' tone was calm yet his words held the precise intensity of a shout.
Ori pulled out her tongue and flipped off the old butler.
The flabbergasted man looked between the two with his mouth making unintelligible noises, "Bu-hut-wu-ut?" and "Ye-wu-at?" before he could find his coherence back. Words flowed better when he stared at the ground rather at the insane woman or the bewitched Duke in front.
"Your Grace! The Gregories are textile merchants! Does it make any sense for her to be dressed in utter tatters everytime she has broken in the Estate to find you? Dare I say, in all your good wishes, I think Your Grace has been fooled by a swindler!"
Upon hearing that, Ori snorted so loud that some of the women— in the trail of robotic maids behind Albert— dared to look up and sneak glances at her.
"Oh-ho, Jenkins! Do you think I'm that easy to lie to?" Sirius scolded in his most diplomatic, yet condescending voice, amythest eyes getting shades darker with his glare directed at the little old butler.
"No! I beg for mercy! You're one of the smartest men in the Nobelai Empire! How could I have ever!" Albert wailed, all of his being descending to the ground and bowing at Sirius' feet. "Forgive me for I have sinned!" He begged, desperately so.
Sirius raised his brows, turning just a hint to look back at Ori — whose eyes were red and shoulders shaking from all the muffled laughs— and shared a small smile with her.
"What do you reckon, Lady Gregory? Should I forgive him for his actions?" Sirius asked gently.
Ori raised a curious brow. What was she supposed to say? To live or not to live - was that the question?!
Sirius closed his eyes for a split second and directed a small nod to her.
Ori's nostrils flared in confusion, brows having a meeting in the centre of her forehead, discussing what in hell's name the Duke wanted from her. Gratefully, in a moment's notice, she remembered — his small nod, just seconds before he had asked the door to be opened.
Ori's face broke into a gummy smile and she raised her hand to give him a quick, small, thumbs-up. She cleared her throat whilst getting in character.
"Well, I don't mind. Though Mister Butler hasn't been the best person around, I guess he was just wanting to protect you? I mean, I did dress inappropriately to be visiting a Duchy but that was all a part of a bigger plan," Ori shrugged, mouth stretched out wide in a gummy smile as she waved the topic off through white lies.
In his bow, Albert frowned at Ori's declaration and the floor witnessed it. 'What plan?! What in hell's name was this woman?!' his brain fired away. Albert's bullshit radar was tingling on high alert.
The Duke nodded politely. "As you say so, my Lady," he gestured the maids to get Albert on his feet. The old butler was dragged up, a mess of sobs and whines. "You should be grateful for our Lady's kindness and behave well in her presence from now on," the Duke preached.
"Yes, Your Grace, my sire, your wish is my command," Albert uttered in a husky voice. His eyes betrayed him and landed on Ori again, who held up two mocking fingers with all her teeth out on show. Albert did not know what the gesture meant but it sure did make him feel insulted.
"Very well," Sirius patted his back, "Are we ready for breakfast?"
"Yes, Your Grace. Marquees Thorn has been waiting for a while now," Albert replied, eyes lowered.
"Ah, dammit," Sirius cursed under his breath, "He's going to berate about this forever." Sirius' hands flew to his waist, gaze alternating between Ori and Albert. "Do this, get Lady Gregory ready for breakfast and we'll be heading down together. Would that be fine with you, my Lady?"
Ori, who had only been a spectator of their strange world was blissfully surprised at the invitation. She did not mind breaking into places to win her own righ but entering their world and being as up-close and personal as eating together seemed a little too intrusive. There were many-a boundaries that Ori was willing to cross but this wasn't one of them.
Mother-supreme had always warned her to stay away from the Argentis. They were sneakier and more competitive than all classes, constantly haggled by an urge to maintain their position as the second best but also rise up to more power.
At the end of the day, the Duke too was a Silver blooded Argenti.
Ori coughed awkwardly, her hands sheepishly waved in denial. "I- uh, I think I should head home now. This-this was all pleasant and everything but, uh, yeah, thank you very much!"
Sirius narrowed his eyes at her small figure, bundled up in blankets and trying to shrink away from the responsibility of the promise they had made — almost. His dark purple eyes stared her down like a hungry predator stalking his prey.
"No, I insist. You must join us," his words were firm but Ori considered them modesty.
"Oh, no no, no, you don't have to! Really —"
"We shall be continuing the conversation we were having," Sirius cut in, "You must come down if you want to follow through."
In a sudden moment, Ori's face paled as his words floated back into her head — 'I want your life.' Ori contemplated the meaning behind his words— why would he kill her if he had promised to make her a Knight?
But, she cannot be trusting rich older men- that's the history of mostly all Tavern girls in a nutshell.
In addition, Ori had been particularly offending the Duke for a long while now (read: four months and twenty-seven days) and he still hadn't thrown her to the gallows — but that doesn't mean he hadn't been planning it!
Just like he manipulated Mr. Butler right now!
Ori's gaze found the Duke's eyes, fixated on hers with an inexplicable intensity. His dark brows were ever-so-slightly furrowed and lips were ever-so-slightly twisted downward.
Ori's hands flung to her torso and cross-clutched her arms. No, he did not look like that...but how was he so filthy rich? A mere ducal title cannot earn enough to fake entire households into existence— right? Was he one of those Resurrectionists? The Grave Robbers? Organ Dealers?!
Is that what he meant by, 'Quite Magnificent?!'
"Oh-wow, freakin' psychopath-" Ori mumbled under her breath, philtrum stretched out and head leaned back as she looked him up and over.
"Absentmindedness," Sirius coughed the word, "Does not make you a Knight. Complying readily, does."
His words had a message to convey and they accomplish their mission when Ori sucked in a breath and nodded. She was overthinking things again, in irrelevant tangents. Being a Knight comes above all!
"I'll- I'll come down with you, and eat," she agreed, eyes evading contact. She wanted to be a Knight, but she could not help the omnious feeling that she was getting from the Duke.
He was finally agreeing to make her a Knight.
But, why were her eyes lingering at the open window, mind urging her to jump down the vines and run as fast as possible.
She wouldn't be able to. She could barely stand.
Ori's little reverie exploded when she felt the Duke's face right beside hers, whispering in her ear, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Dreams don't get handed out in a silver platter everyday."