Winds of Destiny: Converging
Once Upon A Time... Chapter One
Misaki stood at the vanity in the Princess's dressing room, combing through the girl's snow-white hair while softly humming an old family lullaby. A knock sounded on the door to her left and she turned her head toward it, feeling the strand of hair she'd been holding slip out of her hand. A feeling of anxious dread encompassed her, and she turned to look back, only to find the stool in front of her now empty. She gazed in shock at her reflection in the mirror, seeing not her own face, but that of Eri's standing there staring back at her in her wedding dress. A hand rested on top of her shoulder and she gasped, turning around to find herself standing in front of a hall full of people whose faces she couldn't quite make out. She glanced all around, frantically searching for one that she recognized but finding not a single one.
A flash of white caught her eye, and she turned her head just in time to see a fair-haired little girl, no older than four or five, disappear around the corner of a doorway. Feeling something inside her urge her forward, she immediately followed after the little girl, weaving through the throngs of faceless people in pursuit of the giggling child. Just as she reached what appeared to be the exit, the little girl stopped running and began to turn around. Before she could make out her face, however, a flash of red suddenly obstructed her view. She could just barely make out the faint sound of fluttering wings as a hand came to rest over her eyes. Misaki stood there, frozen in place, feeling her heart hammering in her chest just before a rich-sounding voice suddenly spoke into her ear, "Wake up."
Misaki's eyes snapped wide open, and she abruptly shot up from her sleeping pad with a gasp. Panting for breath in the wake of such a vivid dream, she lifted her hand to her chest and tried to slow her racing heart. She had just managed to bring her breathing back under control when a voice called out to her from outside the carriage, "Your highness? Have you awakened?"
The sight of her dark hair falling in front of her eyes made her panic for a moment and she scrambled for her hooded cloak. "J-just a moment!"
She cursed under her breath for forgetting to match her voice to sound more like Eri's, praying that her escort hadn't noticed.
"There's some breakfast out here for you," the man informed her, and she breathed a sigh of relief that his tone didn't sound suspicious.
"I'm not hungry!" Misaki quickly lied. She was actually starving, having eaten only an apple and a piece of bread after they'd made camp for the night.
"Alright then," the man answered. "We'll be moving on soon. The manor appears to be only a few miles up the way. We'll have you to your new home in no time, your highness."
"Yes, thank you!" Misaki called out, using her best effort to sound a bit more like the Princess she was impersonating.
She let out another sigh of relief when she noticed the man walk away from the carriage. Their journey was only supposed to take them half a day, according to the directions that had been included with the correspondence from the Count which had arrived the day before Eri's sixteenth birthday. Misaki glanced over at the letter sitting atop her bag beneath the thin red feather that had accompanied it. The parchment hadn't said much: some brief instructions about how to navigate the mountain and the forest surrounding the estate, along with a wish for safe travels and a word of warning to bring along the enclosed feather.
Misaki reached out to pick up the discarded piece of scarlet plumage, twirling it between her fingers while thinking back to the dream she'd just woken up from. It was already starting to fade from her mind, but she still remembered the flash of red and the sound of fluttering wings. Perhaps this feather had been the cause of her sudden nightmare. Huffing to herself, she shook her head and set it back down atop the letter before proceeding to re-dress herself in Eri's wedding dress. She'd spent most of the night making alterations to the gown by candlelight, as she and Eri were not exactly close in bust or hip size. She just hoped that it would fit her well enough for the wedding ceremony, if there was even to still be one, considering how late she was likely to be to it at this point.
She managed to scrounge up an apple amidst the contents of the carriage to tide her over until she arrived at the manor. True to her escort's word, they finally arrived at the gates within an hour of setting out from the camp. She kept her hood up and her face obscured as she exited the carriage, assuring the man that she would be fine on her own and thanking him for his service before waving him off back down the path leading into the forest. She hated to rush him off like that, thinking of the journey he would have to make back with such little respite, but she couldn't afford to reveal herself to him at this point. She'd been prepared to explain herself to the Count when her disguise wore off, but not to the guard who had escorted her and would likely end up snitching about her deception immediately upon his return.
Hoisting her bag up off of the ground, she steadily made her way up the steps of the large, stone manor, pushing open the heavy wood and iron doors when she reached them before stepping inside. Only silence and empty space were there to greet her. She dropped her bag on the floor next to the door and looked around the sprawling entryway. There were no curtains on the windows at the top of the wide master staircase, allowing the natural light of the sun to illuminate the interior. The architecture of the space made up for the lack of furnishings, giving it a sort of gothic renaissance feel. She found it all quite beautiful.
She wandered around the lower rooms in the front of the manor, finding most of them to be empty and unused. There didn't appear to be any servants, or anyone at all for that matter, staying at the estate. Even if she'd been a little late, she found it odd that there were no guests around for the wedding they were supposed to be having upon her arrival. Making her way back to the entryway, Misaki climbed the stairs to the second level and took a moment to gaze out the large wall of windows at the surrounding land, when her eyes caught sight of someone standing in the field at the back of the estate. She couldn't quite make them out from so far away, but it was definitely a person.
Hitching up her skirt, she hurried back down the staircase and went in search of a doorway to lead her outside. Eventually finding an exit door, she let herself out of the manor and proceeded in the direction where she had noticed the person standing. He wasn't as far away as he had seemed when she'd seen him from the top of the staircase, and she came upon him fairly quickly after making her way into the field. His back was to her, a beautiful pair of scarlet feathered wings protruding from it and obscuring her view of the rest of his features. However, there was no mistaking that this man was indeed the illustrious Count of Hawks Landing.
As if noticing her approach, his suave-sounding voice suddenly addressed her before she had an opportunity to announce herself, "So you've finally arrived."
She immediately bristled at the man's choice of words. 'Finally? Well, perhaps I wouldn't have been so late if you had given us better directions through the forest!'
Deciding that chastising her future husband on their first meeting would not be a good idea, she reined in her irritation and somewhat disingenuously replied instead, "I apologize if I kept you waiting, my lord."
He shifted a bit and she caught sight of the bird of prey perched atop his left arm. He attached something to its leg and sent it off before turning toward her. "Through no fault of your own. My apologies for not being there to greet you." He swept his arm across his midsection and bent into a deep bow. "It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance after all this time. I am Count Keigo."
As he righted himself, Misaki couldn't help but admit that she understood now what all the fuss was about; the man was indeed quite handsome. He had a certain swagger about him, from the sultry slant of his sharp golden eyes to the sly sort of upward tilt that took to the corner of his mouth. He exuded a nonchalant sort of confidence that was as much alluring as it was intimidating. She wasn't sure whether it was a better idea to engage him or keep her distance. At this point, she had little choice but to wade into the deep end and pray that she didn't drown.
Misaki dipped into a polite curtsey. "It's nice to meet you. I am Princess Eri of the Kingdom of Evermore."
He lifted a gloved hand to cover his mouth and locked her in an uncomfortably piercing stare all of a sudden. She found herself frozen under his scrutiny, feeling as though she was being stripped of all her secrets and laid bare before him. The sound of her heartbeat pounded in her ears and she swallowed against the heavy lump that had suddenly lodged itself in her throat. After a moment, his eyes slid closed, mercifully releasing her from their enthralling embrace, and he let out a soft chuckle before quietly commenting, "I see."
Dropping his hand from his mouth, the Count clasped them both behind his back and smiled, nodding his head to her while saying in a slightly amused tone of voice, "Welcome, Princess Eri, to Hawks Landing."
She let out a small sigh of relief. From his reaction to her introduction, she'd been afraid that she had already been exposed. Since he'd not seen her transform from Eri back into Misaki, she'd decided to just keep up the charade that she was actually the Princess. The Count had never taken an interest in learning about Eri prior to her arrival anyway, so he should have no reason to question the legitimacy of her claim. It appeared as though he had accepted her, for the moment at least.
The Count suggested that they make their way inside and she graciously obliged, walking a step or two behind him across the grassy field toward the rear entrance. He held the door open for her to enter and she tilted her head to him in thanks as she preceded him into the manor.
As he began leading her back toward the main entryway, she decided it would be a good time to ask, "Do you live here all by yourself?"
"I have a few associates who come and go as needed," the Count casually replied. "I'm rather proficient at handling things around the estate on my own."
"Sounds lonely..." She trailed off pitiably as she glanced around the empty space.
He slid her a meaningful glance over his shoulder as he remarked, "Not anymore."
She was still unsure of the Count's motives in taking Eri for a bride, but the more she interacted with him, the more she suspected that he merely sought companionship. The Count had little to gain from an alliance with their meager kingdom, after all. Though, why he had assumed to find such a thing in Princess Eri of all people before he'd even gotten to know her at all struck her as odd. As far as she could tell, he appeared to be rather intelligent and well-mannered. He spoke with sophistication and moved with masculine grace. Quite the opposite of the rambunctious teenager she'd been looking after from infancy. Eri was all passion and instinct, much more content to frolic in the woods than engage in any sort of wordplay. As she'd said herself, she sought a life of excitement, not intrigue, which was what likely awaited her in court life.
"What exactly will my role be here?" Misaki inquired carefully.
The Count turned to head up the main staircase as he answered, "You will be the lady of the house."
Misaki blinked, caught off guard by the obviousness of the statement, and was slow to follow. Hitching up the skirt of her dress, she hurried up the staircase after him and stuttered a bit to reply, "Y-yes, but what do you want me to do?"
He reached the landing where the staircase split to either side and turned his head, glancing back at her sincerely as he said, "Just be yourself, that's all I ask."
Again, Misaki found herself taken aback, her only coherent response to such a vague reply being, "Huh?"
He turned back around and headed up the staircase to the left, leading her down a long hallway to a set of double doors. As he pushed them open he said, "There are no duties or schedules to follow here. You may do whatever you wish, whenever it pleases you."
"Can I leave the estate?" Misaki asked apprehensively as she followed him into the large study.
"Of course," he replied in a mellow tone as he turned around to face her, crossing his arms and leaning back against the large desk in the middle of the orderly study. "But I would discourage going alone. The forest surrounding the manor is enchanted. Many travelers have gotten lost in its depths, never to be seen or heard from again."
"We had no trouble finding our way here," she commented warily in response to his warning tone and cautious gaze.
"That's because you were carrying one of my feathers." He reached over his shoulder and plucked one of the smaller feathers from his impressive wings, twirling it between his fingers as he explained, "They interfere with the magic of the forest, but they can't protect you from it entirely."
He released the feather and she gasped in astonishment when it zipped right back into place in his wing. She wasn't able to question him about the phenomenon, however, as they were suddenly joined by a stunning bald eagle. It soared in through the open balcony doors to land on the Count's outstretched arm.
"Is that the same one as before?" Misaki inquired.
The Count nodded. "He was guiding your escort back out of the forest."
She cocked her head to the side a bit in confusion. "But I only just arrived."
He reached up to run the backs of his gloved fingers over the feathers on the bird's breast as he explained, "The path between the entrance and the exit changes constantly. The one you took to bring you here was one of the longer routes. The path to return happened to be rather straightforward this time."
"I see. How fortunate for him," she commented dryly, both happy for the man that his journey home would not be nearly as long as the one that had brought them here, yet also somewhat bitter that it hadn't been the other way around.
The Count smirked as if sensing her discontent, turning his eyes to her as he continued to stroke the bird. "Hence the guide."
Eyeing the majestic animal, Misaki took a tentative step forward and turned a quick, questioning gaze to the Count. "May I?"
At the sight of his answering nod, she cautiously continued forward. The eagle kept its watchful gaze on her as she approached, though it made no move to scare her off, as she knew most predatory animals were prone to do when faced with something unknown encroaching on their territory. Thankfully, the bird appeared to be as mild-mannered as its master.
As she softly ran her fingers over its breast feathers, she asked, "What's its name?"
The Count shook his head. "I don't know. If he has one, he's never told it to me."
She cut him a skeptical glance. "You speak to birds?"
"Only if they speak to me first," he replied with a playful grin.
His sharp retort had her narrowing her eyes at him dryly in response. She huffed out a short laugh and a small, reluctant smile tilted up the edges of her lips, as she commented, "You're rather witty."
He cocked his head to the side and lightly inquired, "Does it bother you?"
Taking a moment to consider the query, she quickly decided that it didn't, and she softly shook her head, never breaking her eyes away from his penetrating gaze; much the same, she observed, like that of the bird of prey currently sitting atop his right arm.
"You must be exhausted from your journey." He lifted his arm, and the bird flew over to the perch atop the stand behind the desk as the Count stepped forward and offered, "I'll show you to your rooms."
Misaki blinked in surprise. "Are we not to be wed?"
"There'll be plenty of time for that later," he replied nonchalantly as he walked past her before stopping in the open doorway and turning toward her. "As I've said, there are no schedules to adhere to here."
Almost as though it had sensed the opening to make its own needs heard, her stomach suddenly let out a loud grumble. A soft blush lit up her cheeks and she covered her middle with her hands as she sheepishly asked, "In that case, would it be possible to get something to eat first?"
He smiled back at her in open amusement and cordially offered, "Shall we head to the kitchen then?"
He led her back downstairs to a wing of the manor she hadn't explored during her initial walk-through of the lower level. The spacious kitchen housed an enormous brick masonry oven built into the left wall that was still simmering with embers inside. A wide, cast iron cooktop sat in front of an expansive half-moon-shaped window where various herbs and vegetables were hanging. The space had a warm and inviting feel to it, unlike much of the rest of the manor, and it put her at ease.
"Who prepares the meals?" Misaki asked as she sat at the wooden table situated in the middle of the room and glanced around the homey kitchen.
The Count walked over to the stove and lit a fire inside the chamber beneath the pan sitting atop the surface. "I do."
She turned her wide-eyed gaze to him and balked. "All of them?"
"Typically, yes," he replied with an amused tone as he began reaching for some of the herbs and vegetables hanging in front of the window.
"But you're a lord," she asserted in shocked disbelief.
He turned his head to glance at her over his shoulder. "And should my title dictate how I care for myself and my household?"
She almost got the impression from his reaction that she'd insulted him somehow. She was quite well versed in the etiquette of nobility as the younger sister to her kingdom's ruling monarch. Cooking was seen as a common profession, a skill that those who were not so fortunate to be born of noble stock could cultivate and use as a means to provide for themselves and their families. She'd certainly never heard of a noble, let alone a nobleman, engaging in such practices by choice.
"I suppose not..." She conceded abashedly. "It's just rather unconventional, is all."
The corner of the Count's mouth tilted upward in a smirk a moment before he turned his attention back to his task and informed her, "You will come to find that many things at Hawks Landing are rather unconventional."
She was beginning to get the feeling that her decision to take Eri's place had been a bit hasty. The way it appeared, the Count had very little care for what was considered proper decorum. He was mild-mannered and easy to talk to, and he'd been nothing but gracious to her since she'd arrived. He placed no duties or expectations upon her, other than a request that she "be herself", a requirement that she'd already broken before he'd even mentioned it to her. The free-spirited Princess would have been given free rein to do as she pleased, whenever she pleased, wherever it pleased her to do so, while always having a warm home and a patient husband to return to. And perhaps, as her mother had hoped, it might have even served to ground the girl's adventurous spirit a bit, given time.
Lost in her musings, Misaki quietly muttered under her breath, "Eri probably would have loved it here."
"Would she?" The Count quipped in response.
Misaki gasped in horror and raised her hand to cover her mouth. 'Did I say that aloud?'
The Count kept his attention on the meal he was preparing while assuring her, "It's alright. I knew the moment you arrived that you were not my intended betrothed."
Her horror was quickly joined by shocked disbelief. "You knew? How?"
He turned his head to glance over his shoulder at her as he wryly answered, "It doesn't take a hawk's eye to tell that you are no sixteen-year-old girl."
She honestly hadn't thought he'd be able to tell the difference. Misaki dropped her head into her hands. It hadn't even been an hour since she'd set foot inside the manor and she had already outed herself. What had ever made her think that she was capable of maintaining such a ruse was beyond her. She was and had always been a terrible liar. She blamed it on that odd sorceress and her own desperation to help Eri; far be it that she blame the actual culprit for the situation she currently found herself in—her terrible judgment.
Keeping her head bowed in shame, she sincerely apologized, "I'm so sorry for deceiving you."
"There was no deception. I was already aware that the Princess would not be coming," the Count coolly replied.
Again, Misaki was stunned into silence. How could he have possibly known that? She hadn't decided to take Eri's place until two nights ago, and the only person she'd told about her plan was her childhood friend, Shota. He'd told her then what a terrible idea it was, and as per usual, he'd been right.
The Count set a plate down in front of her on the table all of a sudden and she stared down at it in wonder as she asked, "What is this?"
"Some pan-fried pork strips I had leftover from breakfast wrapped around a few matsutake stems on a bed of mint salad, served over a wine chili reduction," he smoothly explained. "Had your stomach not insisted on a hasty meal, I might have prepared something more to your liking."
Misaki quickly shook her head and exclaimed, "No! I mean—" Cutting herself off lest she make an even bigger fool of herself than she had already, she reached out for the utensils he'd laid next to the plate and gratefully began to partake of the meal. "It looks delicious, thank you."
"Bon appétit," he said with a smile before returning to the stove to prepare his own meal.
As soon as she placed the first bite in her mouth, any thoughts she might have had of pressing him to elaborate on his vague dismissal of her admission flew from her mind. The dish tasted as heavenly as it appeared. She had never considered herself a connoisseur of the culinary variety. Food had always been a necessity to her, not a decadence; until she'd tasted this dish. It wasn't just the quality of the ingredients, which all tasted as though they'd been freshly prepared, she could taste the joy and passion he'd put into making it as well. If this was just something he'd thrown together to appease her hunger, she was eager to taste what he could create given a bit of time for preparation.
In no time at all, it seemed, they had both finished off their meals, and upon Misaki's insistence, cleaned the dishes together. The Count had asserted that she need not trouble herself with the cleaning for the sake of repaying him for the meal, but he had compromised in allowing her to assist him. Once the dishes had been cleaned and put away, he'd offered again to show her to her sleeping chambers, and she'd graciously complied.
He guided her up the staircase opposite the one which led to the study and into another wing of the manor. She made an effort to remember which directions they'd turned so that she could find her way back to the main landing later. He turned to the left down a short hallway and opened a set of double doors at the end before stepping aside and gesturing for her to enter ahead of him. She gasped at the sight of her bag sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed. She'd thought to retrieve it from the entryway once she'd found out where she'd be staying, but it appeared as though it had somehow found its way to the room before her. She summarily added that peculiarity to the growing list of things she had to ask him about after she figured out what was really going on with his betrothal to Eri.
The Count walked in behind her and announced, "These will be your rooms."
Noticing the emphasis he'd placed on the word "your", she promptly inquired, "Where will you sleep?"
He tilted his head toward the open doors. "My rooms are at the other end of the hall."
She glanced in the direction he'd indicated, noting a similar set of double doors at the opposite end of the adjacent hallway. "We'll not be sharing a bed then..."
He cast her a shrewd glance. "Did you wish to?"
"That's not it—!" She rushed to assure him, waving her hands in front of her and shaking her head.
A pliant grin spread across his lips and he explained, "I thought you might like to have your own space."
"Thank you. That's very thoughtful of you," she remarked, half in relief and half in uncertainty.
Noticing her hesitation, the Count tilted his head to the side inquisitively and asked, "Is something not to your liking?"
Misaki shook her head, trying to find the words to convey her unease. "No, I just... I don't understand what your intentions are. You don't seem at all bothered by the fact that I came here in Eri's place. What did you mean when you said that you knew she would not be coming?"
The Count sighed softly and dropped his gaze. "Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to disclose that to you as of yet. I'm afraid you'll have to take me at my word for now."
He appeared to be just as disturbed by asking for her trust as she was in giving it. She didn't sense anything nefarious from him, just a heavy air of loneliness and a hint of resignment. Misaki prided herself on her ability to read people, their intentions, their moods, their joys, and tribulations. But the Count was like a brick wall to her, heavily guarded and cut off from any mode of entry into his true self. The impression she got from him was almost like that of a small child hiding behind the carefully constructed bars surrounding him and reaching out for someone, anyone, to save him from his isolate cage.
"What do you want?" She quietly asked, her curious tone marred with concern.
His countenance lightened a bit at her inquiry, and he cast her a small, gentle smile. "Your name, to start. The real one."
She matched his grin with one of her own and softly replied, "Misaki."
His expression softened even further, and a faraway look entered his golden gaze as he remarked, "It suits you."
He stood there in silence, seemingly lost in his own thoughts when she carefully appealed to him, "Why have you so readily accepted me in place of Eri? How can you be so nonchalant about all of this?"
His eyes focused back in on her for a moment before cutting away as he remarked in a quietly rueful tone, "I supposed it does appear that way."
He walked over to the window, staring out across the land as he spoke. "While I may not look it, I have occupied these lands alone for many years. I have grown quite weary of my secluded, solitary existence. Mercifully, it appears that will all be coming to an end soon." He turned toward her, casting her an almost peaceful-looking smile before sobering once more. "As for my intentions, I suppose you could say that I have a pressing need to provide these lands with an heir."
She stood there in silence for a moment, staring back at him blankly in response. An heir? That was what he had proposed the engagement for? It was such a preposterously mundane reason that she didn't even know how to react to it. Granted she had only known the man for less than a couple of hours, but it still seemed remarkably out of character for him. There had to be some other reason, one that he was yet unable to reveal to her. It was the only thing that made sense. Why else would he have chosen the newborn Princess of such an insignificant kingdom like Evermore as his bride if all he wanted was a son to carry on his line?
"You seem surprised," he vaguely observed.
Snapping herself out of her reverie, she stammered in response, "N-no, it's just... That seems rather noble of you."
The Count smirked as he leaned back against the wall next to the window and crossed his arms. "My title was not something I was born with, it was earned. I have no legacy or responsibilities handed down for me to uphold, other than the ones I have created for myself. That allows me to enjoy certain freedoms which other nobles consider," he shot her a meaningful glance, "rather unconventional."
Shifting uncomfortably under his playful scrutiny, Misaki awkwardly cleared her throat and inquired, "So then, I suppose you will be needing me to provide you with said heir?"
"Before the first snowfall of the coming year," the Count coolly replied with an abruptly serious tone and expression.
Misaki's mouth dropped open in shock. "You expect me to conceive a child with you in the next two and a half months?"
He dropped his gaze. "I understand that it's a rather unreasonable request, but the timing is quite important for reasons that I am not at liberty to elaborate on at the moment."
There appeared to be quite a lot about the situation that he was not at liberty to elaborate on at the moment.
"What if the child isn't a boy?" She asked, stating what she believed to be the most obvious possible fault in his plan.
He once again donned that solemn, resigned look he'd worn when asking her to trust him earlier before stating in a definitive tone, "It will be."
"How do you know that? How do you know any of this?" Misaki hysterically entreated, desperate to understand what was really going on.
The Count ducked his head and apologized, the sincerity in his tone clearly reflected in the somewhat tortured expression on his face. "I'm sorry, but I cannot say."
Frustration clawed at her, but she tamped down on her desire to press him any further. He appeared to be stubbornly reticent to reveal his true intentions, and she doubted anything she said would pry them from him.
"What will you do if I refuse?" She cautiously asked.
"Nothing." She couldn't help casting him a dubious look and he continued, "I will send you back home and you need not hear from me ever again." He pushed himself off from the wall and turned to face her, dropping his arms and shoving his hands into his pants pockets as he took a few steps toward her. "Should you agree, once you have given birth to the boy, if you still wish it, you may leave these lands and never return, safe in the knowledge that no harm will ever befall your kingdom so long as Hawks Landing stands."
Misaki took a long moment to consider the unreasonable proposition that had just been bestowed upon her. The whole of her romantic experience amounted to approximately nil, which, if she considered it honestly, really mattered very little in the grand scheme of things. She was well aware of how babies were made, as well as the role each party played in their conception. The Count, she assumed, was not as naïve as she was in that particular area and was prepared to do what was necessary to produce his heir. She was not as against the idea of going to bed with him as she felt she probably should have been, given the circumstances, but the idea of engaging in such an act at all sent a wave of butterflies fluttering through her stomach.
If he was true in his intentions to send her home should she refuse, that would likely mean that the alliance would be dissolved, and she would therefore be brought before the King and Queen to be tried for her treasonous actions. The fact that she was the Queen's sister would not save her; if anything, it would only serve to make her punishment even more severe. There was really only one course of action she could take that would lead to a favorable outcome for all parties involved, except, perhaps, for herself. She had no idea what to expect from a life with the Count, but if it was anything like what she had experienced so far... Well, she supposed there were worse fates.
Steeling her resolve, she lifted her chin and looked him in the eye as she said, "Fine. I consent."
She braced for the worst as he approached her, squeezing her eyes shut and tensing her body in anticipation, only to feel him place a gentle kiss on her cheek and back away as he softly told her, "Thank you, Misaki."
She opened her eyes and blinked, staring back at him in surprise and asking, "Are we not going to..." She cast a nervous glance behind her at the bed, swallowing heavily before finishing, "You know?"
He narrowed his eyes a bit and locked her in a furtive stare. "I have never taken a lover who has not wanted me to, and I do not plan to start with you. I'm not an animal."
Realizing that she had inadvertently insulted him by assuming that he would immediately take her to bed, Misaki widened her eyes and gasped. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to insinuate that—!"
He raised a hand to cut off her apologies before placing them both back in his pockets and clarifying to her sincerely, "It's not only your body I'm after. I'm willing to wait for your heart."
"For how long?" She timidly asked.
The Count glanced down with a smirk and walked back over to the open doors before glancing back at her over his shoulder and wittily commenting, "Hopefully no longer than two and a half months."
He shut the door behind him as he exited, leaving her to stew over her new living situation alone.
TBC...