Husk insisted Vaggie stay until she had to leave. He didn't want to pounce Charlie the moment they got back home. He wanted to just be to himself for a little while. Alastor and Niffty worked in the kitchen to make a lot of food before the knight left for Hellvian.

Dinner went well but the Duke stayed to himself.

He couldn't deny the weird feeling in his chest when Charlie kissed him but it was just for show. It was nothing more than that. He had to tell himself that. Someone like Charlie wouldn't want an old bitter drunk who barely cared about the shit going on around him.

He looked down at the clear, glass bottle. He had drunk half of it in the last few hours. He wasn't really feeling it but he was thinking too much. He had thought about his parents and all their fighting until they died.

Would he even be a good parent if Charlie got pregnant- if he ever touched her that is. Would the kids even look human? He sank even further into his chair just looking at the wall like it would give him the answers to all his questions.

He was just a moron.

It was around eight when Alastor informed him the knight had left. Husk didn't want to see that heartfelt goodbye either. He ruined the life of two women at once. They were lovers who were fighting a good battle for the people around them. The only thing he could do was marry her and keep her safe just in case her asshole father showed up. He was just there to protect her.

It was nothing more than that.

Charlie wouldn't be able to love him since he stole her away from the woman who vowed her very life and soul to the end. The promise- he had heard it loud and clear. The undying words of love. Charlie wouldn't have those for anyone else. At first when she talked about it, it sounded so casual. The moment those gray eyes landed on the one eyed woman, he saw the love.

Just like in the movies and books.

He wouldn't have her love like that. He felt jealous in a way.

So, he wouldn't try for it. He wouldn't contact Rosie's again and he wouldn't force her to do anything she didn't want.

Sleeping in his office sounded like a good idea.

And so he did.

Alone- like he always would be.

X
X
Charlie laid in bed for hours but she never heard any footsteps coming. She laid there in her wedding dress staring at the ceiling. She had hoped he would actually sleep next to her for once. She saw the way he looked at her and it made her heart flutter. It was odd since Vaggie had been the only one to ever make her feel that way until today.

He looked like he was in awe of how beautiful she looked. Husk looked pretty good himself- she had been rather surprised.

She did cry a good bit when Vaggie said her goodbyes. She lost the one person who stood by her through it all. Now, they would have to fight separately but that was ok.

Charlie rolled over wondering if she should just change into her normal bed clothes. It was already two in the morning and she knew he wasn't coming.

It made her feel lonely.

X

A whole week after being married on the boat, Charlie tried hunting for him. He hid himself better than he did his liquor bottles. She didn't think he was a bad guy. She just wanted to get to know him a little more. Alastor wouldn't even meet her eyes when they fenced whenever she asked about him and Niffty was actively avoiding her too.

She had never felt more alone. She hated it.

Charlie locked herself in her own study and continued on where she left off. She was busy reading ship maintenance when she saw shadows under her door. She saw the door knob wiggle a little.

"Who is it?" she called out.

She heard muttering but she couldn't hear who it was. She got up from her seat and unlocked the door. She pulled it open and looked to the left to see Husk leaning against the wall walking away from her study room.

"Hey! Are you ok?"

The Duke turned around, glaring at her before stumbling off. He completely ignored her. He looked drunk. She felt her eyes water and she wiped them away quickly. Charlie knew she did nothing wrong but it still hurt.

Maybe nothing had changed.

X

She spent the next few nights sleeping alone and the day wandering the mansion. She checked everything out for any hiding places but there really wasn't any. She pulled up the carpet too and looked but there was nothing. She let out a huff of annoyance. She had been there about three weeks. Almost…. And it was lonely. She was bored.

The only time she was ok was when Alastor invited her for fencing.

It was about three when he invited her once again.

She dressed like usual but this time… She was going to corner him. She was fed up with the cold shoulder. Alastor pulled on his gloves and she wasted no time.

"Al."

He turned in time for Charlie to grab his arm and flip his ass onto the mat, pinning him to where he couldn't move. She ripped off his face mask, staring down at his dark, angry eyes.

"Since no one wants to talk to me, then I'll make one of you talk to me."

"Miss Charlie. This is inappropriate."

"I don't give a fuck."

Her eyes started to water and she did her best to blink back the tears but a few escaped anyways and dropped on Alastor's cheeks. He looked shell shocked by her sudden onset of emotion.

"Why does everyone hate me?" she asked softly.

"W-what?"

"What did I do?" she whispered, "I thought everything was fine. You're more honest and you barely want to look at me. What did I do? Was it because he married me so fast? Was it the mac and cheese? What did I do to you all? What did I do to Husk?"

She flopped down on the side on her ass and started bawling into her hands. Alastor sat up. He felt a twinge guilty since they had been actively avoiding her but Husk said for them not to get close to her. That they were only there to watch over her and nothing more.

"Charlie…. I cannot tell you-

"Why?" she asked, her gray eyes pleading, "What's so bad I have everyone ignoring me? I should've just ran when I had the chance that night. If I knew it was going to be like this I would've never stayed!"

She stood up and started pulling off the fencing suit before throwing it on the floor.

"If…. If I wanted to be ignored I would've just gone back home where my own damn people hate me. Where my family hates me. I'm sick of it!" she snapped loudly.

Alastor looked down at the floor.

"The Duke has a secret."

Charlie's anger melted away.

"What?"

The man stood up.

"He has a secret and we've been asked by Vaggie to keep you safe. If…. if something happens to us, you'll get hurt."

"So… you wanted to be mean to me?"

The man gave a slight nod.

"I don't need anyone to protect me. That's…. That's just like Vaggie."

She wiped at her face again.

"She trusts me so much but she babys me too. I…. I'm not weak."

"I know. I saw that. You're very powerful."

Charlie kicked the mat.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know how else to get someone to speak to me."

"I understand."

"What's he so ashamed of that he can't tell me? I'm not even judgemental."

"I know."

Alastor looked at the door before looking at the princess. He stepped close to her and whispered into his ear.

"The bottom floor in the west wing…. Third door from the left… There's a room with a couch. He goes there and his secret happens around eleven. He… Usually drinks beforehand."

Charlie smiled, "Thanks."

X

That door was a few doors from his study. She did her best to be casual about looking through it. There were no hiding places there. She checked every bit of the wall as well as the floor. She puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. She had hoped she would find some clue.

She dug around the couch until she found a red feather. It looked a lot smaller than the rest.

Is this from a feathered boa by some stripper or one of his escorts?

Charlie's nostrils flared.

Oh boy.

She was pissed.

That- that motherfucker! He….

Alastor confirmed it was still going on too, right? The feather looked brand new… She let out a huff.

I will kill them!

Charlie forced herself to stay in her room for the day. She didn't want him to know she knew. She wanted to catch him in the act and all that with whoever he was with. Her eyes stung with tears.

It hurt her to think she wasn't that attractive. She knew she never cared about how she looked before but she thought she had some natural beauty or some shit.

She was dressed in a pair of her black leggings and a black shirt. She would go barefoot too. She never murdered anyone but she was definitely feeling it tonight.

She might be a laughing stock but fuck that. She wasn't going to be cheated on so early on.

Charlie strapped on her sword. If he wanted, she could shove it up his ass. She would fight the damn hooker for her man. She took her vows seriously. She never wanted to be one of those weirdos with a husband and five men on the side.

She wanted one person and she wanted Husk even if he was going to be difficult about it. She was severely inexperienced but he didn't seem bothered by it before. Her cheeks burned red just thinking of some floozy on her husband's lap, bouncing up and down. She kept her hand on her sword as she crept down the hallway.

She leaned against the door carefully listening.

"Fuck… I dropped the damn thing."

It's definitely him.

She turned the knob so slowly, it took a whole minute before she thrust open the door.

Well, there was no hooker on her husband's lap that was for sure. There laid a giant fucking cat in her husband's clothes that was using his own tail to drink liquor until Charlie barged in. Her hand dropped from the hilt of her sword as she blinked so stupidly it was comical.

The cat had black and white fur with three little black buttons on his chest. He had paws for feet and hands. A set of giant red wings with card symbols on them with black stripes in places. His nose was a little black heart and his eyes were yellow. He had rather big, red eyebrows that looked like something from a cartoon. To make it better, he had a little top hat and a red bow.

Oh my god.

He's adorable.

What the fuck is going on-

The cat seemed to sober up quickly as he sat up. His eyes were wary of Charlie, watching for some reaction that would scare him off. She dropped to her knees in relief and started laughing almost hysterically. The look on his face went from fear to pissed off.

"What the fuck is so damn funny huh?!" he yelled, winging flapping behind him.

"Oh my god…. I-I thought you were cheating on me!"

"What? Why would you think that?"

"Why the fuck else?!" she snapped, jabbing a finger in his direction, "You ignored me since the day we got married. I thought you had a hooker in here and I was going to stab you both actually!"

Charlie got to her feet and removed the sword, placing it to the side. She approached the giant cat carefully.

"Is that really you?" she asked quietly.

He looked away and nodded without a single word. Charlie sat on the couch and pulled the bottle from his tail then placed it on the floor. He forced himself against the other side. He looked like a cornered mouse ironically.

"Why…. didn't you tell me?" Charlie asked.

"What? What the fuck you mean why didn't I tell you?! I'm a goddamn cat!"

"Yea, but you're so cute!"

Husk looked floored. Charlie squished her cheeks together and let out a squee of excitement.

"You've been hiding away from me because you were ashamed of this?"

"Why aren't you fuckin' freaked out? Are you fucking crazy?!"

She scooted closer, biting her bottom lip with a smile. She reached out and rubbed his furry cheeks. Her smile slipped away before her eyes started to water up.

"What the-

She buried her face into his chest and started bawling.

"Hey- hey! The fuck you cryin' for?!"

This woman has some fuckin' wild mood swings!

"I-I-I thought you hated me!" she managed to get out, "I thought… I thought I did something wrong and then… I thought you were cheating on me because I wasn't good enough."

The Duke was flabbergasted as Charlie sobbed into his fur.

"You aren't bothered by this bullshit?" he asked, trying to take in what was happening.

She pulled her face away from his fur and looked up at him.

"N-no. I just thought y-y-you could trust m-me."

He placed his claws on her shoulder carefully.

"I haven't been to Rosie's since your dad came to me. I swear it and all that. But you can't be fuckin' serious… How can you treat this as a real marriage when it was forced on you? I know you don't fuckin' love me-

"You're right I don't. But… you don't love me either right?"

He swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded.

"That's o-ok. I do like you though. I was hoping you would love me but you haven't been hanging out with me. You just glare at me like I wronged you."

"You…. you want to stay married to me after seeing this shit?"

She nodded quickly.

"The fuck is wrong with you?"

"Are you that bothered by it? You can't trust me?"

"I-

She sat up more waiting for his answer.

"I'm fuckin' old. I look like a cat from eleven at night until seven. I was cursed by a damn hooker. You should be running for the hills shouldn't you?"

"I promised for better or worse didn't I?"

He sputtered out something but Charlie got up. She pulled on his paws, bringing him to his feet. He was still the same height but he looked like a scrawny alley cat.

"Let's go to bed."

"What?"
"Let's go to bed. Aren't you tired?"

"Not anymore! How are you just so damn ok with this?"

"Because it's you. It fits you. You're just a grumpy cat after all."

He scoffed at her.

"You should be in bed beside me…. Not passed out somewhere in the house. I already know you've been in the bed while I was sleeping because of the feathers you left behind. I was weirded out thinking there was a weird bird in the house but it's just you."

Charlie dragged him up the stairs and into their room. She shut the doors quietly and wiggled out of her leggings. He stood there watching her throw the clothing item on her dresser. She got on the bed, motioning for him to follow her.

Husk let out a huff and got on. He watched Charlie's eyes sparkle with delight.

"How in the hell are you so excited about this?"

"Because you're my husband."

He sat there, his tail flickering on the side of the bed.

"I thought you didn't find me attractive or whatever."

The Duke's head snapped to the side.

"What? Who the fuck said that?"

"No one but that was my impression when you…. When you didn't want to be near me. When you looked at me when we got married you looked…. Happyish? But then I didn't see you after that unless you had a pissy look on your face."

He didn't say anything.

"I can love you like this too and I will. If you can accept me for all my issues too then I'll try hard to make you happy. I really do care about you."

The princess took his paw and gave it a tiny squeeze.

"If you don't wanna sleep…. That's ok. Can you at least hold me until I fall asleep?"

He nodded quietly, making her smile. She settled down on the bed and jerked on his hand, pulling him against her back.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"I don't even know what to say about this."

"You don't have to say anything. Just roll with it."

Charlie rolled around to face him.

"Just be here with me and go with it. Not everything needs a single thought."

"What if-

She placed a finger on his lips.

"No more what ifs."

She felt his claw move to her lower back.

"Don't have to worry about anything."

So he didn't. He closed his eyes for the first time in a while and slept until the bone crushing pain hit him.