Things are getting dark again.
WARNING! This chapter contains elements of attempted rape. Reader discretion is advised.
Chapter 43 - Sinister Elopement (Wyvern Moon)
Dorothea did her best not to let out a sigh of disdain as she watched Ingrid and Clovis at their table in the White Wolf Inn. No one else was in the establishment besides the innkeeper, who had recently brought out a platter of Grilled Herring. Ingrid, always a sucker for a good meal, was now wolfing down the dish, though Dorothea hadn't touched her meal. Clovis, meanwhile, was sipping down a glass of fine red wine, having only had a small part of his own meal. Dorothea had refused a glass, as she had never liked alcohol.
"Tell me, Ingrid, is the herring to your liking?" asked Clovis, his tone one of veiled disdain for the dish that Ingrid was devouring.
"It's quite delicious, Clovis," said Ingrid. "Tell me, what is this seasoning you've added?"
"Ah-ah, that's a little secret of mine." Then, turning to Dorothea, Clovis asked, "Does your friend not wish to have her serving?"
Doing her best to hide her distaste for her alleged half-brother, Dorothea answered, "I've never really enjoyed fish."
"Ah, what a pity. Perhaps you would enjoy something else?"
He then turned to the innkeeper and snapped his fingers expectantly. The innkeeper ran up to them and asked, "Yes, my lord?"
"Bring something else for Lady Galatea's friend, would you?"
"What would the young lady like, lord?"
Clovis turned to Dorothea, prompting her to answer, "Surprise me."
"You heard her," Clovis said as he stared the innkeeper in the eye. "Surprise her."
Giving a quick bow, the innkeeper made his way back to the kitchen to have something new prepared.
Dorothea waited a few seconds and then moved to rise from her seat as she said, "If you would excuse me, I just need to freshen myself up a little."
"Oh, but of course," said Clovis. "Take your time."
Smiling, Dorothea made her way to the back of the inn, taking a glance back to ensure Clovis was distracted by Ingrid. The two had planned it out: Ingrid would keep Clovis' attention while Dorothea searched his belongings for anything incriminating. She just had to hope Ingrid could keep Clovis' attention for long enough.
Seeing that Clovis was now chuckling as he told a rather unfunny joke to Ingrid, Dorothea slipped out of sight and up the stairs of the inn. Fortunately, she already knew which room Clovis was staying in, so she wasn't about to break into the wrong room by mistake and waste time.
Dorothea tested the handle on the door to Clovis' room. Unsurprisingly, the door was locked, but the singer had come prepared. Reaching into her belt pouch, she pulled out a pair of pins and, with a skill that others wouldn't have expected of the diva, she began to pick at the lock. It was something she had learned during her street rat days.
With a soft click, the lock opened. Dorothea quickly glanced around to make sure no one was around. Then, she slowly turned the doorknob and stole her way into Clovis' room. As soon as she was in, she shut the door behind her, turning the lock to relock the door.
Looking into the room, Dorothea was unsurprised to find it was one of the luxury bedrooms. The bed in the middle of the room was easily big enough for three people, with all manner of fine furniture and decorations. Clovis spared no expense on his own comfort, it seemed.
Dorothea began to look around the room, starting with a nearby dresser. She searched through the bundles of fancy clothing but found nothing of note. She moved on to the bed, searching under the pillows and underneath the bed itself, but again she found nothing.
She then went to the writing desk in the room, opening it up to reveal an inkwell, a used quill, and a letter in the center of the desk. The letter immediately caught her attention, as it had been written very recently. She smirked a little at this, not thinking Clovis would leave something like this in such an obvious place.
She picked up the letter and began to read it.
My dear Vicente,
You will be pleased to know that I will be joining you in Magvel sooner than expected, and with a prize most valuable. Who knew Count Galatea would be so easily fooled? All I had to do was flash that dowry before him and he was more than willing to offer me his daughter. But he is a fool to think it will restore the glory of his house. Instead, it will be her blood that aids in the establishment of House Eadwald in Magvel. After all, with our fortunes failing in Fódlan, it will not be long before the source of our wealth is revealed, or before some peasant decides to come forward over our… activities.
However, I must iterate that I am making a change in our plans. My father will NOT be joining us in Magvel; rather, I intend for him to face the wrath of Count Galatea in my stead. By the time either one figures out what has happened, I will be long gone with Ingrid and well on my way to joining you. Please do ensure that the estate is appropriately prepared for our arrival. We should arrive within a month of you receiving this letter.
Yours in confidence,
Clovis von Eadwald
P.S. I must thank you again for the formula you sent me. Ingrid should be far more pliable thanks to you.
Dorothea was almost quaking in indignation after reading the letter. She knew Clovis wasn't to be trusted.
The sound of footsteps approaching the bedroom alerted Dorothea. Quickly she placed the letter back where she had found it and shut the desk. But as she moved toward the door, she heard the footsteps stopping in front of it.
And then she heard the innkeeper outside.
"Will you be needing anything else, milord?" asked the innkeeper.
"Not for now, servant," came Clovis' voice, and he had dropped any tone of niceties as he spoke. "Actually, when she returns, bring the Arnault girl to me. I have something I wish to discuss with my dear half-sister."
Dorothea almost gasped aloud at this and had to hold a hand over her mouth to stop herself. Clovis knew they were related?!
The sound of a key entering the door snapped Dorothea back to her situation. Dorothea's eyes bolted around the room for any place she could hide in. The door rattled for a moment, and Dorothea knew she was about to be caught red-handed.
She was about to reach for Joyeuse when the door jerked, but it did not open. It jerked again, and again did not open.
"What are you waiting for?" Clovis demanded.
"Damned locks, always getting stuck," said the innkeeper.
Dorothea had to stop herself from sighing in relief. She now had a few seconds with which to conceal herself. She immediately looked to the large closet next to the bedroom door. It looked just big enough for her to hide inside. Moving as quietly as she could, she slinked over to the closet and opened it, relieved to find it was mostly empty. She would easily fit inside.
The singer slipped into the closet and closed it around her. Darkness enveloped her, but she could still see out through a tiny crack in the closet's door.
The door to the bedroom swung open as the innkeeper let Clovis in, and again Dorothea had to stop herself from making a sound.
In Clovis' arms was Ingrid, and the blonde was completely unconscious.
"I'll leave you to your… nuptials, milord," the innkeeper said with a snicker.
Clovis made a sinister grin at this as he carried Ingrid over to the extra-large bed. The innkeeper shut the door behind him as he left.
As he dropped Ingrid on the bed, Clovis made a lecherous chuckle as he looked over his prize. Ingrid moaned softly but did not stir.
"Such a pretty little thing," Clovis said as he licked his lips. "Let's see how much prettier I can make you, dear Ingrid."
And then, as Dorothea watched with a mix of horror and fury, Clovis drew a knife and began to strip the girl of her academy uniform, cutting open her jacket first. Ingrid made a loud moan as Clovis grabbed a handful of her left breast through her undershirt.
"Not nearly as impressive as dear Dorothea's, I'm afraid," said Clovis. He gave Ingrid's breast another squeeze, as if to emphasize his point.
Clovis then moved his hand down toward Ingrid's skirt.
Dorothea could take no more. She burst out of the closet, drawing Joyeuse as she said, "Don't you lay another finger on her, Clovis!"
Caught off guard, Clovis whipped around and said, "D-Dorothea?! What a surprise!"
Dorothea raised Joyeuse toward Clovis as she said, "Step away from Ingrid, you louse!" As Clovis raised his hands and stepped off the bed, Dorothea hissed, "I saw your letter to this Vicente friend of yours."
"Did you?" Clovis dropped all pretense of gentlemanly behavior as he said, "To think you would be so nosy, my dear sister."
"I am NOT your sister!"
"Oh, but you are. Whenever Father came back from the opera, he'd always tell me how you looked so much like your mother Millia." Dorothea did her best to hide her shock at hearing her mother's name as Clovis added, "The same brown hair, those eyes…" He made a lecherous grin as he continued, "That voluptuous figure… Perhaps we should have kept you." Then, with sarcasm, he said, "Family is important, after all."
"Shut up! You and I might share the same father, but we are NOT family! And I'm not going to let you ruin Ingrid's life!"
It was then that Clovis began to laugh, something which caught Dorothea by surprise.
"What's so funny?!" Dorothea snapped.
"It's just that this is turning out better than I could ever have hoped," said Clovis. "I'll be getting two lovely consorts out of this deal."
"What?! Do you think for a second that I'd – AAH!"
Suddenly, Dorothea felt the arms of the innkeeper wrapping around her from behind, squeezing her tightly in his grip. Struggling, Dorothea lost her grip on Joyeuse, which clattered to the floor as the innkeeper held her in an iron grip.
"Now, now, little moppet, didn't you want to be surprised?" the innkeeper said in a sinister voice.
Unable to break free, Dorothea was left staring Clovis in the eye as an evil grin stretched across his otherwise handsome face.
Red wine with fish? She should've known.
I know some of you are gonna be squicked out by this chapter (and the next), but if you've read any of my other smutfics, you'd know I could've make this far more erotic. However, I don't see the need to bring this into truly X-rated territory; even attempted rape should get the point across that Clovis is a scumbag.