Lucette Of Course, Didnt See It, Too Busy Stewing In Her Rage. The Doors Opened To Reveal Two Clockwork

Lucette of course, didn’t see it, too busy stewing in her rage. The doors opened to reveal two clockwork musketeers standing on either side of a red haired middle age man extravagantly dressed in court clothing. While handsome to the eyes of most women, some could see the dark greed sparkling in his eyes. That was why he wasn’t married.

“Ah, Your most magnificent Highness. I am honored that you have agreed to see me.” He purred, only infuriating the princess more than he already has. 

“Oh, I am sure you are honored, Duke.” She hissed, spitting out the word Duke cruelly. “Who in all of the fucking Spiral do you think you are?!”

“Ah, you speak of my proposal of giving aid to the Rebels.” He said smugly, rolling his eyes when he spoke of the Rebels.

“Answer the damn question.”

“I think I am the Duke of Morono ,if you had any desire for peace, the soon to be King of Valencia.” He announced proudly with a disgusting smirk on his face that she desperately wanted to slice off. The urge was becoming almost unbearable. 

“You dare to threaten me into marriage with you of all people! You really believe that I’ll just roll over for you like some trained cagna!” She shouted, quickly walking around the table to stand before the foolish Duke. Her clenched fist were shaking from resisting the urge to strangle him right there. They were beginning to glow with a subtle hint of orange.

“I believe that you would see reason, though that would be hard for a young woman such as you, and accept my proposal before I give my aid to those who appreciate it.” The Duke snarled down at her, his once handsome face twisting into a dark expression of anger. Lucette was not intimidated. She was about to let loose on him before suddenly freezing, his words running through her mind.

“How do you know that they would appreciate it?” She asked lowly, her eyes narrowing into thin slits. When the Duke’s body stiffened and his expression turned into one of horror, she knew it was the confirmation she was looking for.

“You have already been giving them aid, haven’t you?” She asked darkly, being less of a question and more of a statement.

King in the Snow

“You are welcome. And indeed it is. Though the kitchen clockworks can’t eat, they seem to understand the human taste buds very well.” She replied, cutting Arcturus a slice of cake first before getting her own.

“Also, the Duke of Morono has asked a private audience with you.”

“Tell him no. I refuse his idiotic marriage purposal just like the last time. I’m tired of suitors chasing the hem of my dress everytime I even glance in their direction.” She denied forcefully, stuffing another piece of cake into her mouth. Only to almost choke on it at Alma’s next words.

“he has demanded that you speak with him about it and has threatened to provide aid to the Rebels if you continue to refuse.”

Before she could comprehend what she was doing, Lucette shot up from her seat, knocking her chair to the ground, and slammed her hands down on the table, rattling everything.

“Bring him here, now! He thinks that just because Uncle is gone, that I will kneel down to whatever demand and threat that dares to spill from those pig lips?! Let’s see if he has the guts to say those very words to my face! Bring him right here, right now!” She ordered, her eyes once shining brightly now shining with a different, more enraged fire.

“He is already here at the palace. He had arrived just a few minutes ago. I will summon him in immediately, Your Highness.” Alma replied calmly, her body stiffening as she sent a message to the guards to bring the Duke to Lucette private dining room.

King in the Snow

Finishing up her food, Lucette poured herself more wine, knowing that with what she was about to do that she was going to need it.

“I was born at my parent’s villa here in Valencia, a few miles away from here. The moment I entered the Spiral, the first rays of the sun entered the room, inspiring my mother to name me Lucette. Light.

 From that point on, I was loved and adored by my family including my clockwork uncle. When I was five years old, my parents went back to sailing around the Spiral. They did not like staying on one world for too long, made them restless. So I learned about the Spiral through them, meeting people and experiencing most people my age didn’t. Every summer, I would be sent on a ship to Valencia to spend the time with my grandfather and my uncle. My grandfather was a famous engineer who made amazing creations not just for practicality but for joy as well.” She explained, her eyes falling shut as the memories of times long gone flowed through her. She vividly remembers watching her grandpa work on his creations, sometimes for clients, sometimes for personal enjoyment. She remembers sitting with the dozens of other children as her grandpa activated a puppet show with another story, her eyes wide with wonder and excitement.

King in the Snow

Letting Arcturus speak, she glanced back with an arched eyebrow when his dagger transformed into a sword. Interesting magic. Tucking that info away, she turned her attention back on the Duke who’s eyes were now full of terror. Good. Let him fear her.

“I should burn you where you stand. Or perhaps I should let my guest have at you with how rudely you spoke to him. Or should I inform Uncle of your traitorous actions instead? I can only imagine the death sentence he would give you.” She purred lowly, placing her thumb over his Adam’s apple.

“Forgive me, Your Highnes-”

“You are long past that point, Duke. There is no turning back. SO pick your poison. His blade, my fire, or whatever my Uncle’s mind can conjure up. And you have been around long enough to know that he can be veeery creative.” She said, her nail scratching the skin on his throat.

King in the Snow

“So you have the Undead curse as well.” She said, remembering what he told her before. It made her feel...uneasy, knowing that this man was technically dead but not. Like something was off in the Spiral. It itched her skin, to the put she had to rub her arms to make the feeling disappear. She had a feeling the apprehension showed on her face.

“My apologies for my reaction, it’s just...I have never been around anyone like that before.” She apologized, beginning to pick at the bodice of her dress. She hoped she didn’t mean to offend him, but he seemed to be a man that doesn’t take offense easily.

“You have quite the backstory. It’s almost outlandish. But you do have the scar and the way you told your story was too...logical, in a sense, to be untrue. So I shall choose to believe it. Unless proven otherwise.” She stated carefully, sipping her white wine.

“Well, you have told me your backstory, even when you have shown that you were pained by it. It is only fair that I tell you mine. At least the parts that people who know me relatively well know.” She admitted, eating another Arancini ball.

King in the Snow

You ‘never wanted things to turn out this way’?                      Maybe you should have thought about that                                                          before you ensured they’d become this way.