EDITED.
"Every wound they inflicted has only sharpened my resolve; their end will be a symphony of vengeance orchestrated by my hand." ~Araneae Ruber
~
MR STRANGER'S hands twitched as it made satisfying cracks at its joints. Ah! The man was enraged. He was fuming with burning anger. This lowly bastard dared to insult Luella. Not just to her face, but also to his.
His irises trailed around their environment without turning his head. He could easily just kill the two cheaters and be done with it. After all, they were simply gum on the bottom of his shoes.
Mr. Stranger's identity wasn't known to anyone, so it would simply be known as kill and dash. 'And besides, I am sure he would help me in, regardless.'
'Yes! I have him backing me. He would help me. So there is no need for me to hesitate. There is nothing holding me back. Nothing is holding me back from killing these lowlifes in front of me. Their existence is an eyesore to me. Their presence disgusts me'.
'Nothing is holding me back from killing them… Nothing at all…'
Mr. Stranger soon felt a warm arm wrapped around his body. It was not enough to quell his burning anger, but it was enough to bring his sanity back.
He looked down and saw Luella's hand reach up for him. But with the difference in height, all she could reach was the base of his ear.
With him holding her around her waist, Luella had placed her other arm over it and was looking at him. As it was before, Mr. Stranger remembered, anytime she stared at him, it was always soft looking, filled with burning affection. He knew a blind man would notice.
He remembered always warning her about knowing how to hide her emotions. Not only that, but he guessed she did it with other people, but with him, it's a whole different thing .
It was enough to quell his anger. The so-called anger that blazed in his chest was quelled merely by the soft, beautiful gaze of his woman.
The things Mr. Stranger would do for Luella were beyond imagination. If she asked him to kill them both, he would do it without hesitation.
No! Not just them alone. If Luella asked Mr. Stranger to go into the hall and kill every single noble who insulted her, he would do so without blinking an eye.
After all, he was stronger than all of them put together.
It was neither ego nor pride.
It was simply the fact.
'I guess I am no different from you, my princess.' He thought to himself as he lifted his free hands and brushed them against her jaw as he lifted her face to his.
Now the two were in their own world, and had completely ignored the other two cheaters.
Ser Chandler glared at the scene he was seeing. 'Was she always this shameless that she could act this way in front of me, her soon-to-be-husband?'
"You really have become a shameless woman who would throw herself at any man she sees," Ser. Chandler insulted. He was sticking to insulting her to pull her confidence down. But she wasn't paying attention to him, not anymore.
Not when she was feeling some sort of attraction towards this strange man. To Luella, Ser. Chandler and Louisa were simply bugs, disturbing her precious moment with the strange man.
Meanwhile, Louisa, who stood behind, had shifted to Chandler's side to watch the scene. She furrowed her brows and stared at her sister and Mr. Stranger with utter suspicion.
'This man was no stranger, at least not to Luella. Who was he? Luella looks so comfortable in these arms.' She chowed on the bottom of her lips.
'I will have to look into it. And besides, even though Luella knew the strange man, I thought she was in love with Chandler. She was always around him, always entertaining his presence and his dumb antics that I even can't stand sometimes… Does that mean it was all an act?'
'For how long has she been faking it?'
"I am fine… But in contracts it is you that is hurting me Mr. Stranger" She informed, slightly tapping on his arm that is wrapped around her waist.
And on instinct, he released her and, as expected, the pain disappeared. It was crazy that she thought she could get morbidly hurt by mere words said by Ser. Chandler.
Ludicrous
And very laughable, too.
Luella turned to face Ser. Chandler, "I would hit you across the face for your nonsensical and idiotic words, But unfortunately you are too tall for me to reach." She said with a smile.
"So—"
"So I will do the honors of it," Mr. Stranger said and for the nth time that night, Chandler was once again punched across the face without having much time to shield himself.
Luella was sincerely feeling sorry for him. A bit, though.
Just a little.
"It is getting late, you need to sleep," Mr. Stranger said, pulling her away from her thoughts with his words.
"And you need to leave before the soldiers arrive." She countered with her own version of worry. He nodded and pushed her slightly towards the door of the steam carriage.
"Worry about yourself, princess"
"What if you get hurt?" she asked, turning around to face him yet again. Mr. Stranger let out an amused sigh.
"You are still as stubborn as before," He said with a smile. Luella gasped and stepped back.
"Well, people's attitude doesn't just change over the night"
"I am glad. It hasn't".
Mr. Stranger lifted his hands to hers as she placed her palm on it. He lifted her as she stepped into the steam Carriage. She slid onto the seat and looked down at Mr. Stranger's face.
A smile played on her face as she stared at him. It felt so familiar. "When will I see your face?" Luella asked.
"You were opportune to do so before. I didn't prevent you from doing so".
"It didn't feel right back then," She responded as her nails scrapped around the edge of his mask.
Mr. Stranger caught hold of her hands and lifted it to his lips. This act brought a burning sensation to Luella cheeks. He smirked underneath his mask.
Taking a step back, he glanced at Ser. Chandler and Louisa, who both stood like they were both frozen in time or something.
"I will send a letter to the dukedom of Van-Rensselaer. After all, a single noble lady is allowed to receive letters from other men. Since she has no man hanging behind her".