When Alair awoke the next day, he had no personal idea how he was still at Lenore's house. His parents seemed to have come by, according to the nurse as she checked his injuries and they were quite shocked to find their son in a strange house until Lenore said she had been invited over by Alair whom had met her at the general store he had actually stopped by that day and he had been injured as he tried to make tea when she arrived.

"And the rest of the story was quite easy to lie about," Lenore finished with a smirk, making Alair frown.

Why did she always, always lie?

"Do you know, Miss Hargrove that all of your lies are going to get me into fair amount of trouble?" he dared to ask in spite of the fact he already knew the truth.'

"Why, yes, Mr Grants, I do," Lenore stated as he turned his head away as she prepared to wash his wound. "but you would be in much more trouble if I did not say a word."

"Tru-" Alair tried to pull back his hand as the disinfectant made contact, but Lenore held on too tightly. "Ah… True, but would you-"

"No, I will not stop making sure this injury is properly cared for." Lenore held on more tightly to her patient's wrist with one hand and the other came to clean it, holding the ripped gash still despite Alair's struggles. "Would you stop it?!"

"Well, will you, Miss Hargrove?!" Alair finally raised his voice for the first time in two and half months. "You keep making me wish to scream with the way you are fixing my wound and I would, but I would never lower myself to do so in front of a lady now-"

"How dare you say that!" Lenore screeched back, literally taking a moment to rub it in, making tears come to Alair's eyes. "Just because I am a woman, does not mean I am lesser than you are!"

"Well, right now you are for you lower yourself to such childish methods of revenge!' Alair pointed out, not liking this one bit. "And let go of my arm! It's fine and-"

"No, it's not! Let me finish cleaning it and a woman has her ways and the only reason you do not know of them," Lenore uffed, dipping the cloth back into the bowl of alcohol she was using, "is because you are a thick-headed man!"

"I… I never!" Alair gasped, giving an opening to a whole new wash of his wound. "ah! Why did you do that?!"

"Because I could," Lenore frowned, her green-grey eyes sparking. "and there. We are done."

Alair sighed and sat back on the pillows of the bed, worn out from the battle, crossing his arms as he did so. "I… apologise, Miss Hargrove. I am not feeling all too well."

"I understand," Lenore smiled, standing up from where she had been sitting on the side of the bed. "...No one attains those kinds of injuries with no reason." She sighed and Alair watched her leave the room.

Leaving him alone.

With himself and all his fears once more.

All of which faded away away, save the lasting scar on his wrist a long month later as spring came around once again. Once Alair's eyes began to notice colour once again in the world around him, he made sure to take a daily walk, passing by Lenore's house every so often for tea and come night, met William at the back alley tavern, the Scarlet Mask as he soon learned it was named. And Much to his surprise he was invited to Lenore's spring party. It was a small gathering held in her house.

It was quite a pleasant party, however it was quickly overshadowed when Alair returned to his house afterwards. As he walked in the door, he found his mother and father waiting for him in the sitting room.

Alair tried to walk past as if he was heading up the steps, but his father called to him. "Yes?" he replied.

"Come in please, son." Mr Grants asked kindly, making Alair frown a bit. He was usually not this nice in the recent years. The last being when Alair was thirteen and he decided to show his son his favourite books and they spent a pleasant afternoon reading. "Your mother and I wish to speak with you."

Alair nodded and cautiously stepped into the sitting room to the left of the hallway. What do they want? If Ceion told them about William, I am going to-

"It is about time you think of finding a woman to wed."

Alair blinked.

Had he just heard correctly?

"What?"

"You are nearly seventeen, it is time for you to place some thought into your future." His father cared to repeat as Alair sat in the spare chair. "And I hope to hear more than 'what' from a gentleman like yourself."

"Yes, I understand, "Alair replied, only to ask, "what of university? Was I not supposed to head there come my eighteenth year?"

"Yes. However, since Peter has gained the inheritance, it is no longer an option."

"I see," Alair sighed, that was rather sad. He was looking forwards to attending, but sometimes, things in life did not work out. "And so, you wish for me to find myself a…a..."

Oh, no.

He could not find it in himself to say it as a sinking feeling made his stomach turn.

Wife.

I am honestly not that old, father and I… I…

How could he have missed the whole topic of this conversation?! No. No. He would not marry.

But I cannot tell them that or…

They may remember what Ceion said about William and if so, it would be worse than just going along with them and getting married. I would be murdered and no one would care! I do not wish to die! I...

"I… shall find someone suitable," Alair managed to choke out mere seconds later, excusing his gasp as shock of not knowing where to begin to find such match. "I am sure I can do so father, there ar-"

"I have already spoken with Miss Hargrove's father and he is quite pleased you are intrigued with his daughter, Lenore."

Alair was speechless.

Author's note: Yes, I know it tis a short chapter, however, the story is going to be updated more regularly.