Chapter 23: Girls Night

The wedding preparations were one big blur that Iris couldn't wait to forget about. Fortunately, Dimitrescu had taken over almost all of the actual wedding plans, apparently event management was a passion of hers. Iris had only had to leave the factory twice to be fitted in the gaudy wedding dress Donna had acquired, and fortunately both fittings took place at the Castle. The last thing Iris needed was to go mad in the Benniviento Manor.

Karl had been dragged near kicking and screaming to his own appointment, with the threat of Iris taking full charge of the factory, bluffing that her powers would enable her to control his precious Soldats alongside her Haulers and Sturm. Her powers had been… erratic, ever since the last meeting.

"Karl?" Iris was fed up and drenched in sweat, her mould press was jammed and no matter how much she pulled, pushed, yelled and raged she couldn't get the thing to budge. She was already on her last tether, barely sleeping, no longer used to having a whole bed to herself, Karl was skirting around her as if a simple touch would immediately turn to ravaging each other in bed, and there'd been barely any deaths in the village the past month, so their army's numbers were stagnant.

"KARL" She snapped, her voice echoing down the depths of the factory, glaring over the railing at the rushing waters below. She knew he could hear her, he was always tuned into the CCTV system, eternally paranoid of prying eyes.

Why the fuck was he ignoring her? How dare he? This was important. She wasn't some little assistant or maid anymore they were partners… Soon to be married.

She focussed her powers to detect him, the operation room. Of course. Where else would he be if not fussing over his latest Soldat, tuning the corpse up constantly, each improvement never good enough.

No. She was not trudging all the way there to stare at him in the face and listen to him lie that he didn't hear. She'd drag his sorry ass up, she'd claw at his existence until he was a lump at her feet begging her for the pleasure of fixing her mould press.

Karl's energy was moving, maybe the silence had scared him into compliance. Iris willed him to keep going, her head pounding at her silly efforts of mentally forcing her… finance, to haul upstairs and help.

"Ow! What the fuck? IRIS"

The doors behind her slammed open, Karl skidding into a heap at her feet, just like she'd imagined.

"B-boss?"

Her boss, spitting mad, covered in dust and dirt shot up,. Snarling in her face, a strong arm grabbing at her neck.

"What the FUCK was that?" His words punctuated by his hand squeezing into her neck, eye's near black with rage.

"I-I"

"Was that you? Dragging my ass halfway across the factory?"

"I-I was mad!" Iris wheezed around his first "You were ignoring me! My press is-"

"YOU managed to drag me all the way here? With your mind?"

The pressure on her jugular left, leaving her gasping.

"What made you do it?"

"I'm sorry I was just so angry today has been awful, everything is awful."

"Good." Iris startled, staring up at her fiance confused, "Focus on that anger and practise dragging around Haulers. Or lure a Lycan in here if you don't want to hurt your babies. "

Fixing his hat and coat, Karl flashed Iris a toothy, wicked smile.

"Can you imagine her face if you're able to drag her all the way to our home turf to fight her? It'll be brilliant."

Since that incident, Iris had tried to replicate her powers to no effect. No matter how much Karl riled her up, be that from being annoying or stubborn, to teasing her with little touches and looks, she couldn't do anything more forceful than pushing a Lycan over in the scrapyard.

Maybe after the sham wedding, she'd be furious, murderous enough to repeat the experiment. Hopefully she'd keep it together long enough to not expose herself to Miranda before the time was right.

"How are you feeling?" Iris almost broke the mug she'd been cleaning, too stuck in her thoughts to hear her fiance enter the living quarters.

"Scared."

He huffed, "Me too."

The wedding was tomorrow. She was to leave for the Castle in just a few hours, to be "prepared". The ceremony was to take place the next morning, in front of the Black God.

Iris thought about that dark cave, the oily black tentacles and how they'd have encased her completely, suffocating her and merging her with itself, to rot under the village for eternity, if it hadn't been for Karl's voice dragging her back to consciousness.

"Have you ever seen it?" She whispered.

"No. If I did… it's all a blur. I don't remember much of my childhood… For good reason."

Iris squeezed his hand guiltily, the man's eyes distant.

"Be ready. It is… overwhelming. I… I am worried about being near it again. If my powers will go haywire from its proximity. It's clear that I'm more… tuned in to the Megamycete's infected." Arms wrapped around her, Iris leaning into the warm comfort like a lifeline. "If my powers are exposed during the wedding, we'll act shocked, happy. We'll play it off that the Megamycete granted me a gift. As a show that I am the right vessel for Eva. If Miranda thinks it's all part of her plan, we might stay safe under her radar."

"Clever thing you." He spoke lowly into the crook of her neck, "You're wasted here, in this heap."

"So are you. Soon we'll be gone."

Her boss sighed deeply, "Not if we can't get more bodies. You think I could slip something in Moreau's dam? Fuck the water supply enough to get some decent cadavers sent our way?" He chuckled darkly, "When we're down there, we should pray for an earthquake, a flood, something."

"Maybe Duke will bring us a wagon full of survivalists as a wedding gift." Iris found herself smiling a bit too much at the thought. He had supplied at least a dozen bodies to them in the past year, all suspiciously unmarred corpses of big, muscled men who apparently spawned into the village outskirts, as if by magic.

Cause of death was usually a heart attack, or aneurysm. Neither Iris nor Heiseneberg dared think of what could cause all of these seemingly healthy men to meet such a… sudden end, whilst roaming the forests, and coming across Duke….

The phone was ringing.

With a groan, Karl pulled away, stalking off to grab a glass of whiskey. Iris nudged him and motioned for her own glass, picking up the phone and bracing herself for more wedding drivel from Dimitrescu.

" Good Evening dear sister! I do insist you make your way to my Castle at once! There is plenty to be done to ensure you are suitable to become a true Lord of this village." Iris found that rich, since Moreau was still around.

"Of course my Lady. I will leave post haste"

" Excellent."

She hung up and gulped the offered whiskey, her boss's face stony.

"I have to leave soon. She's… impatient."

"She's a spoilt bitch that's what she is. Don't you dare let her take one last nibble from you." Iris tensed at the thought. She wouldn't dare… would she?

"Hey." Iris blinked back to reality, "I know that tomorrow isn't what we want. But… if it had to be anyone, I'm glad it was you." Karl had a soft smile gracing his face, a hand grazed her cheeks, settling on cupping her face.

"Me too. I -" She caught herself, before saying anything that would ruin their partnership, "I'm glad to be your partner in this."

Heisenberg's smile widened, a knowing look on his face. Dammit.

"Me too."

They hugged for a beat too long, kissed for even longer, then Iris was sent away, marching through the village under the waning sun, praying to no one that she'd survive this wedding.

Although in hindsight, she should have prayed that she'd survive the castle first.

The grand doors had been opened by a maid Iris didn't recognise, who dully greeted her to the castle and stated that she'd lead her to her Lady and mistresses. Lady Benniviento and Mistress Angela had already arrived, and were having cocktails in the parlour.

"Is… Is everyone alright?" Iris listed off some names in hushed tones, as the zombie-like maid floated through the halls.

"I don't recognise some names, others are alive." She gave Iris a scared look, "The one who served you, last time you arrived. Was punished greatly for smiling at you."

" I'm sorry" Iris was horrified, but the maid simply turned her head and continued to walk.

"It is best if you don't talk to us now."

"I-" Iris stopped herself, then continued her journey in silence.

The parlour was warm and filled with light giggles and Dimitrescu's rich voice, regalling some story of her time in Hollywood. She must have already been quite tipsy to start reminiscing on life outside of the village, Iris remembering her describing this seemingly magical place after she'd sucked what felt like half of Iris's blood supply, chasing it with large gulps of wine.

" There she is!" Dimitrescu called, rising up and embracing Iris as if they were the best of friends. She returned the hug as enthusiastically as she could muster, she knew how to deal with this version of Dimitrescu well. The giddy, silly version, who acted much younger than her years, less imposing ruler and more gossiping teenager. Sometimes, in her weakened state, Iris would find this side of Dimitrescu endearing. Usually this endearment would bleed into blind rage, as she rested her blood loss away, furious that her lady was capable of being kind, and simply choosing not to.

" SOON TO BE MUMMY!" Angie screeched, hopping over and grabbing at Iris's skirts, " We've already started making baby clothes! Yes we have!"

Iris smiled down at the doll, and replied some inane thanks before settling down next to Donna, who held a full glass of champagne in a black gloved hand. She pondered on Angie's proclamation, thinking back to Donna's confession in the dark forest. Stupidly, Iris almost felt sorry for the young woman, that her hopes of being involved with "the baby" would never ever come to fruition.

"Yes yes, it'll be all babies, and morning sickness and stretch marks soon enough." Dimitrescu drawled, her lip curling at the thought, "But tonight she is a single woman, free of all of those things."

"Thank you my Lady." Iris raised her glass and they all cheers'ed, Dimitrescu daughters giggling and sipping at the bubbly wine, Iris knew their mother kept them quite sheltered. Even within the safe confines of the castle they were forbidden from doing more "adult" activities, like drink or smoke. Two things their mother lived for.

The night carried out with Dimitrscu getting too drunk, her daughters too rowdy, and Angie egging them all on as Donna remained sat as still as a statue, although to Iris's surprise she had sipped through two glasses, and was swaying her body with the jazz Dimitrescu had insisted on putting on.

Iris felt like she was trapped in a chaotic circus, surrounded by shrieking clowns and ghouls. She drank as much as she had to to seem polite, but desperately tried to keep her mind clear, internally thanking Heisenberg's penchant for whiskey and mixing drinks, their shared alcoholism whilst cooped up in the factory finally being of use.

Near the midnight mark, Dimitescu decided that Iris must be put to bed, insisting on leading her to the guest room herself. She stumbled and giggled through the halls, heels dragging on plush carpets and head brushing against delicate glass light fixtures, Iris's heart in her throat as yet another impossibly expensive chandelier caught on her Lady's hat.

" Oops silly me"

The guest room was one of the smaller ones, with it's own bath that Dimitrescu said a maid would fill in the early hours of the morning, instructing her on which soaps and oils to use to ensure she was the perfect bride under her wedding attire.

Embarrassingly, Iris was "helped" into her night clothes and her face washed by the giantess, who then settled at the foot of her bed, the giggles and smiles gone and replaced by a tragically sad expression.

"I was terrified of being the vessel, you know." She murmured, "To be forced to lie under a Man-Thing, to carry his spawn, even if it was for the good of our village. The ultimate gift to our Mother. I would have beared it, of course. I am not an ungrateful child. But… it would have destroyed me."

A large white hand gripped her own, dark eyes bearing into Iris's with an intensity she'd never seen. She wasn't sure she'd looked her Lady in the eyes once until now.

"I know it will be different for you. You… tolerate men, it seems. Although I don't understand how you deal with my disgusting little brother. You will be a beautiful bride, and a beautiful surrogate for Eva."

"Thank you my Lady."

"Goodnight, sister" .

Dimitrescu blew out the candles and turned off the oil lamp, shutting the door softly and encasing Iris in darkness.

Donna and Dimitrescu were still close by, Iris couldn't let go yet, not until she was safe back in the factory. But with the ticking of the clock, in the thick blanket of night, Iris allowed tears to silently fall down her cheeks as she counted down the hours, minutes, seconds until she'd be forced to perform for them once again.