Concordia discors

[The author wishes to thank everyone for reading, commenting, and making her laugh. Feel better soon, melata_fic. And bookshop: Ewwwwww! Squicky!]

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Title: At His Lordship’s Behest
Chapter: Chapter Two
Fandom: Sanguinity
Pairing: Lord Henri Antoine Silvestre de Gravina/ Princess Beta Bonafilia de St. Aubyn
Author: Mina de Malfois

‘How shall we begin?’ Archangela asked breathlessly, giving Lady Wilhelmina’s hand an excited squeeze.

‘We must sit around the table--like so,’ said PrincessB, ‘and place our hands on the planchette. Be quiet and respectful, and banish all doubts from your mind. Spirits,’ she said softly, ‘are you with us?’

There was a gust of wind, and the candles flickered. Wulfwyn uttered a small inadvertent shriek, and Archangela shushed her.

‘You must have left a window open, Princess,’ Lady Wilhelmina said calmly.

PrincessB frowned. ‘I thought I had the windows locked,’ she began, but her voice trailed off as she saw that a white fog was swirling into the room, creeping around their ankles and then climbing slowly higher. One of the servants, she realized, must have interfered with her preparations and unlocked a window. She would speak to them about it in the morning. It was beyond lax that anyone should have left an entry to the castle open to the dangers of the night! She shook off her annoyance with their selfish incompetence and struggled to focus on the séance. ‘Is anyone there?’ she asked, watching the Ouija board closely, her fingers trembling as she waited for a response.

Instead a low, melodic voice answered her, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. ‘Who are you, that you seek an audience with the spirits?’ it asked.

PrincessB shivered, but she answered with a confidence born of fine breeding and strict training. ‘I am Princess Beta,’ she said, ‘and my father is the ruler of this island.’ Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Wulfwyn was giving her a concerned look; doubtless the faithful but superstitious servant was still worrying about the wisdom of trying to contact the other side.

The voice chuckled softly. ‘Your father rules nothing at all, child, save easily led peasants, and a handful of noble families who have long since lapsed into drowsy compliance.’ The voice was sensuous, and its tone maddeningly superior. For some reason it made her knees weak.

‘And yet you came to answer me,’ she pointed out, ‘so I must count for something.’ Now all three of her companions had turned to her with puzzled expressions.

‘My lady, who are you speaking to?’ Wulfwyn asked gently.

‘Can you not hear him?’ PrincessB exclaimed.

‘They hear nothing,’ the voice said, and the fog flowed up suddenly, shoulder high. The four women gasped and leapt to their feet. Wulfwyn crossed herself, closed her eyes, and began to mutter a prayer. Lady Wilhelmina and Archangela clutched one another tightly, their bodies pressed closely together. PrincessB, however, turned this way and that, seeking the source of the voice.

There by the window she saw him, his form silhouetted against the moonlight: a tall, broad-shouldered man, his long hair blowing in the wind. His shoulders looked hunched and unnatural. She stared. He bowed. It was impossible to tell if this were courtesy, or if he was mocking her. She strained to see him, but could not make out his features.

‘May I come in?’ he asked, and his voice must still have been only in her head, because the others did not look up. When he saw her glance at them he continued, ‘Perhaps I should ask again tonight, when you are alone?’

‘I...no,’ she said, confused. She blushed, and even through the fog and the darkness he saw, and chuckled again, knowingly.

‘No, because when your good attendants have left you for the night, and you have no female companions to guard you, you will not be alone in your bed for long, will you, Princess?’ he said. PrincessB gasped.

‘My lady, what is it?’ Wulfwyn asked, hurrying to her side, and in that moment the man backed away and then was gone, his last words still ringing in PrincessB’s head:

‘Perhaps I should come back and seek admittance from you both, then.’


At His Lordship's Behest: Chapter One