Entangled with the Duke of Darkness

"My lady, your hair is just so lovely" one of Emily's lady-in-waiting commented. Emily Garheé, the daughter of the lowly but popular Baron Garheé. The Baron became popular because people found a deep interest in him because of his humble nature and was able to be gifted one of the many daughters of the king in his time, and that was Emily's mother, who died due to an illness, not too long after childbirth.

Her mother was one of the loveliest women in her days, having long golden hair and beautiful blue eyes, Emily was the spitting image of her mother except that she had golden eyes, which her father always told her were from her grandmother. Baron Garheé had brown hair although it was now mixed with some grey with dark eyes, he wasn't exceptionally handsome but he had a charming character.

"Emily, father is calling for you" Natasha, Emily's half-sister the daughter of Lady Natalia, Emily's stepmother and Baron Garheé's second wife after Emily's mother had called to her.

All the servants present at Emily's chamber were displeased by her presence. Natasha was younger than Emily by two years she was seventeen years of age, she had red hair with dark blue eyes and her mother also had red hair but had brown eyes instead, Natasha took nothing after her father, and word went out between the servants that she was not the child of the Baron.

The Baron despite being a lowly noble was also a businessman and even though he didn't have a high rank in nobility he was still wealthy and always had to go on trips and decided that he would have to be married and married Natalia who was a waitress at a local bar.

The present baroness was rude to the servants but didn't do anything to offend lady Emily, but also did not show any maternal concern towards her, so marrying her was somewhat a waste. But not once did Emily ever show any concerns.

She was still very young at the time her father decided to get remarried so she had gotten used to not seeing her and living with the companion of her head maid madame Lucinda, who was her mother's lady-in-waiting.

As time began to pass Emily had convinced herself that her father was feeling lonely and needed another.

"But for what reason" Emily responded to Natasha to ease the tension between her and The maids.

"He didn't say" Natasha replied walking out.

"I see vipers everywhere" one of the maids spoke.

Natasha was even worse than her mother, she was too rude to the servants and had a terrible character.

Emily had known about Natasha's rude behavior but decided to overlook it. Emily just assumed that maybe her reason for being rude to her was because she was fairly smaller than Natasha, and Natasha had a very good height and burst, Emily wasn't short but compared to Natasha she would look like a small child because she wasn't blessed with burst either.

Emily was now headed to her father's study and noticed that Natasha was following her.

"Is Father calling for you too?"

"No just want to ask some questions"

"Like what?"

"Well Lord George's ball is near, how does it feel knowing that you will soon be married".

George Malyah was Emily's soon-to-be husband, they were to be wed in 3 months from now.

"I haven't thought of such things".

If Emily were, to be honest, she didn't have much interest in George, she hadn't seen him all that much, she was mostly indoors. The only time she had to socialize was when the other nobles would want to see the daughter of baron Garheé and beautiful Elizabeth and use their children as an excuse to see her. But in all Truth, she preferred to be indoors reading a book or two.

"Are you serious right now, you are about to be the viscountess of souveth, how could you not think about it"?

"Those things do not seem to interest me". They were already in front of the Baron's study, and Emily went in alone.

"Yes father, you called".

"Oh, my love I have unforeseen places to be so I might not be having dinner with you".

"Ok" Emily replied.

"And lord George requested to see you so he plans to see you today, I kept on forgetting to tell you, I'm sorry".

"It's ok father, I shall see him when he comes".

"Ok my love", the Baron said giving her a peck on the forehead.

later on ...

It wasn't long after the Baron had left, that George came to visit his bride. It has been up to an hour since his arrival.

George was tall but a slender Man and had meek and trusting eyes, he had long brown hair with brown eyes he was fairly handsome. But he never seemed to catch the eye of the lady.

But to the lady, marriage had always seemed to be like a compulsory thing that a woman must accomplish. Madam Lucinda always told her that women were always expected to be married before clocking 21 years of age so that they don't look like spinsters or too old for marriage so Emily had no right to complain about it.

"How has your preparation been to become my wife"

"Nothing really, I've mostly been reading books but my ladies in waiting have decided to bring in a seamstress by next month".

"That's good I have been thinking about you since", George said as he tried to corner her so that he could steal a kiss.

They had been taking a walk after they had tea together not too long ago. He was already leaning in for a kiss?. "George no! We are not yet married". Emily said pushing him away, in all honesty, she just couldn't because he reeked of tobacco, or rather because it was him.

"Oh sorry I was losing my patience please forgive me, you are very desirable but I promise to wait for your sake".

Emily started to feel uncomfortable.

"Okay, you should be on your way it's a long ride to your manor".

"Well, you are right, so until the ball my love". He kissed her hand and was off.

As George left Emily couldn't help but feel relieved. She didn't know how she was to marry a man who smells like tobacco 2-4-7. And still, fulfill her marital duties at night with him".

...

"George please be gentle!! ".

"Be quiet your voice is too loud "George said as he continued to thrust inside of her.

"Natasha?! "Emily called.

Yes, as it had seemed the woman that George have been using to fulfill his urges was none other than Natasha.

"I heard some sounds as I passed and I got worried ".

"I'm fine don't have to worry ".

"Ok, I shall be in my Chambers ". The sinful act continued as Emily left.

a few minutes later...

Natasha laid naked on George as he smoked his tobacco.

"Natasha, you do know that I'll be getting married to your sister? ".

"Yes I do but I can't help but feel hurt knowing that you were to be my husband if not for that incident...". She quickly covered her mouth, she didn't want to say anything to offend him.

"If not for Jacob I presume," he said as he inhaled deeply from the smoke.

George had already snuck out of the Garheé manor. He started to have some memories of Jacob, his late older brother by three years. In the beginning, Jacob was originally to wed Emily instead-but Jacob was in poor health. He died at a very young age due to a terminal illness that he had contracted while he was a military officer due to the cold weather on the battlefield at the time, but some rumors had gone viral saying that it was the Duke of darkness, although the Malayah family never disclosed of such information.

Jacob was to wed Emily immediately he got well and when she was seventeen years of age, but sadly he died a year before when he was twenty-four years of age. Jacob was shorter than George and had darker hair but before his illness, he was far broader than George in stature and seemed to not look anything like their mother.

Compared to George, Jacob hasn't really seen Emily, he had only seen her when she was eight years of age and he was fourteen. He had only recent paintings because he didn't want her to see him in such a state.

The Baron Garheé had found a way to convince the Malayah family to let George marry Natasha but after the sudden death of Jacob. The Malayah family had come saying that it was the will of the late Jacob to let Emily get married to George.

Souveth region

Malyah manor...

As George made his way back home he was headed straight to his Chamber to avoid any nuisances.

"How was your stay with the lady Emily "

George's mother, madam Felicia asked, she looked in a bad mood.

"Evening mother, it was nice. "

"I hope you have ended any fowl relationship you have with that Natasha ".

"Yes, mother ".

"Good, because you have to keep your eyes set on the purest fruit you understand me? My son ".

"Yes, mother ".

George had never felt anything for Natasha he only saw her as a means to relieve his sexual frustration. He always had joy and full hopes that the one he would have as his, would be Emily. He fell for her from the very beginning, it was terrible that his brother had to die for him to have a chance with her but he was also lucky knowing that her father didn't care much about royal status or wealth so he was still able to end up with her. She was his pride, the unknown beauty well-known, was soon to be his. He was not going to let anything or anyone, more or less Natasha get in the way of his marriage to her.

THE BARVOTÉ MANOR...

"Welcome your grace, "Pablo said with a shaky voice. Pablo was but merely sixteen years of age he was blonde with many freckles on his body and had green eyes and pale skin, his mother passed away when he was still very young and his father had been holding a large sum of debts to a strip house and sold Pablo to work there as a waiter. But luckily for Pablo, he was saved and had all his debts paid by none other than the Duke of darkness.

Elijah had many businesses he sold wine and as funny as it may sound, Elijah was into farming, he had a large farm and produced many crops and sold them to the merchants. On the day when he met Pablo, he was meeting a client, although Elijah had gone to the strip house on rare occasions.

Elijah noticed him because he was too out of place and was too clumsy and poured a drink on him. When Elijah got back from cleaning himself, he saw Pablo getting harassed by some elderly men in the strip house. He was disgusted beyond words, he hated sexual harassers. So he quickly freed Pablo and paid his debts.

Pablo was about 14 years of age then and as at that time. Elijah knew that he would have had nowhere to go and Elijah had no attendant and no willing human to be the attendant of the dark lord so why not try this boy and so that was the story of Pablo and the Duke of darkness.

"stop stuttering boy ". Elijah said, he was displeased by Pablo's stuttering.

"Sorry, my Grace ".

It was a rainy night when the duke decided to come back to the manor he had a cloak on and was dripping wet.

"I hope my chambers are arranged and ready". Elijah said walking upstairs, it seemed that the day wasn't too good for him.

"Yes my Grace" Pablo said assuring him as he followed him up the stairs.

"Good," He said still walking at a fast pace.

"My Grace ".

"Speak boy ". He said sounding with anger in his voice.

"The viscountess dowager of souveth has invited you to the coronation ball of her son".

Elijah growled at the sound of that.

"tell them that I will be present ".

The Garheé manor...

"Oh my, my lady this dress suits you very well ".

"Come on Anna you have said that for the fifth time now".

"I'm sorry my lady but you just look so spectacular in everything that you wear".

"Please do make your choice".

"Yes my lady".

" Get her all the dresses if they all seem to fit".

The baroness of the Garheé mansion, Madame Natalia said.

And the room suddenly became quiet.

"We would want her to look the best on the ball wouldn't we? ".

"Yes my lady ".

"Morning mother ".

"Morning dear, your sister has already selected her dress, and I know that this ball is going to be a ball you can never forget ".

"Well, I do hope it is, in a good way though". Emily said smiling awkwardly at Natalia.

"Of course, my daughter, now if you excuse me". The madam excused herself.

"Wow, I never knew that I could get chills like that ". Anna said, and they both laughed. Anna was the daughter of Emily's seamstress she was the closest thing Emily had to a friend.

In Natasha's bed-chamber...

"I don't like this dress ".

"My lady it is the 10th one now ". Natasha's seamstress said.

"What is it? " Madame Natalia asked.

"I don't like any of the dresses ".

"Is that so, then go with the green one, it suits you very well ".

"You really think so mother? ".

"Yes... Natasha would take the green one, now begone". After reassuring Natasha she spoke to the seamstress so coldly, like she were some sort of animal.

"Yes madam".

The seamstress quickly packed up and left, she was exhausted.

"You know what you must do," Natalia said as she leaned in and whispered to Natasha looking at her through the mirror and smiling.

"Yes, I must grab the dog by the chain".

"Good, good". Natalia said as she laughed suspiciously.

Two days later...

"My lady please do make haste".

"Yes, Madam Lucinda". Emily said as she tried to keep up with madam Lucinda but she was finding that quite difficult but Madame Lucinda was an elderly woman in her middle 60s she was a distant cousin of her father but with her agility Emily found herself questioning her age.

On a few occasions Emily would follow madam Lucinda out to places for errands she did this about twice a year but since she was to wed very soon Madame Lucinda had thought that it was for the best for them to go out more so that she could be more familiar with the land and know her way around since she would soon be a head lady

So Emily Would dress as a commoner and go along with madam Lucinda.

"Please wait here, I'll have to go to the neighboring shop, and seeing as you are tired it's best to wait here".

"Okay, I shall not argue with your resolve, but please be in haste".

"Yes Dear," she said as she parted ways.

It was taking a while for madam Lucinda to arrive Madam Lucinda left Emily in a busy environment, she had left her in a small local tea shop, to lounge while she was away.

"Watch it, kid!" One of the passersby said while pushing a young boy towards where Emily was seated.

Emily saw it and quickly went to lend a helping hand to the boy who was now on the floor, holding something that seemed to be a packaged file.

"Are you alright?" Emily said as she picked up his things while he got up by himself.

"Yes thank you very much miss," he said as he bowed to greet her.

"It's not a problem I hope that you are not injured, some people can be really rude sometimes," she said as she ushered him to come and join her to sit at the local tea shop. They both went there to sit.

"It's alright miss"

"Were you running some errands?, Or did you come with your parents".

"No, I came here with my master".

"Really? you work at such a young age, it's admirable". She said giving him a bright smile.

"I know that I'm young but my master decided to overlook it".

"What work do you do?"

"I'm an attendant, but I'm not really good at my work but my master tries not to mind that fact".

"He must be a very kind man then".

"Indeed, my master is very kind".

"My lady!!". Madam Lucinda called out to her as she walked toward Emily.

"Who is this young man?" She said looking at the boy.

"My name is..."

"Pablo!" A deep rigid voice interrupted the conversation.

Emily had been looking at Pablo and madam Lucinda and didn't see the person calling him immediately, but his voice sent chills down her spine.

Madame Lucinda's face was filled with fear. This boy was no mere child, he had a connection to the duke of darkness.

Emily turned back to look at him and for a split second, their eyes locked. Emily quickly bowed to greet him. While Pablo ran towards his master.

"Golden eyes", Elijah whispered to himself, that had seemed to be the only thing that he noticed.

"Let us go, and do not get lost again".

"Yes your grace" Pablo followed Elijah at the back of him, then turned back to greet the ladies who had helped him.

"Thank you miss, thank you, madam," he said then catching up to the duke.

Both the women were dumbfounded, but for entirely different reasons.

For madam Lucinda, she had just seen the infamous lord of darkness, duke Elijah.

While on the other hand, lady Emily had been thinking of how handsome and gentle a man he looked, he had light grey eyes like foggy weather with shiny black hair, all swept back with a few escaping it, his face was smooth but you could see the shaved hair growing back, he had thick brows, to her his face could make any lady gasp for air, at least that is what she thought.

All these were just thoughts going through her head she hadn't even taken time to look at how terrified madam Lucinda looked, it was later after a series of questionable thoughts that she noticed.

"Madam Lucinda, why do you look so scared".

"My child that was the duke of darkness". She said shaking.

"So he was a noble". She said excitingly.

"Yes one that you shouldn't look at, talk to or let alone mess with".

"What are you saying?, Look you are shaking". She said as she held madam Lucinda.

" You are to never have anything to do with him... please". Madam Lucinda said with pleading eyes.

" I am to wed soon, I couldn't possibly".

"lady Emily, master George is here to see you, he is waiting for you at the garden porch".

"Again?!" Emily said with annoyance obvious in her tone. She was at the library at the time the maid called out to her.

George seemed to have turned it into a daily routine to always see Emily in the few days that he had left before his coronation.

Emily was very irritated and displeased, seeing him once in a while was one thing, and seeing frequently was another in an entirely different level of irritating. Emily had begun thinking of what it would be like to marry him and spend a night together, thinking of that gave her chills down her spine, she couldn't even stand him much less marry him.

She sluggishly left the library to get to George, she just wanted to get it over with. She had finally gotten there and had waited for quite some time.

"Where could he be?" Emily asked herself. She knew that she made a mistake coming here she should have just ignored him.

Natasha's bed chamber...

"Ah ah!! "

"Keep your voice down," He said as he continued to thrust inside of her as they laid on the bed. They had been in the heat of the moment.

"I'm......about.....to"

"Release your seeds inside of me!" She screamed

"What if..." He said still struggling to hold his own.

"I won't get pregnant".

"Arghh" George growled as he still released his semen outside.

They had been panting vigorously

"Even as I reassured you that I won't get pregnant," she said still panting and sounding tired as she laid on the bed.

"I couldn't... risk it," he said still panting.

later on...

"Ah, Emily!" George called out to Emily as he took big wide steps to her. Emily had gotten tired of waiting and sat down to read the book that she had asked a maid to get for her, before she got interrupted by George.

"Yes? May I be of help to you?" Emily asked George not glancing at him while still reading her book.

"I hope that you are not too mad, I had something to take care of urgently".

"Well I wonder what that thing was, that made you so busy," she said closing her book and getting up.

"Because I heard that you had already arrived here and that I should be out to meet you and I have been here for quite a long time! " Emily said as her tone started to increase and become more violent.

"I am sorry please do not be angry"

"I am not angry" lies. Of course, she was angry. She was very furious and had imagined more ways than one to inflict injuries on him.

"Well I must be off then, goodbye," she said prostrating for manners, then began walking away

"Already?!" George dare ask after he came so late.

"Well you have missed a lot of time with your 'busy' schedule, you are now free to continue with it, it's getting quite cold outside" and with that Emily made her escape.

George had just watched her as she walked passed him and headed inside the manor.

"You will be mine, I swear, " George said under his breath as he began to make his way out of the Garheé manor.

Emily laid on her bed thinking of her dark knight, the mysterious man that she met that day she went out with madame Lucinda, his low husky voice as he talked. She had been imagining too many romantic scenarios between them and these days she had been reading too many romantic and erotic books. But of course, it was not madame Lucinda who had been giving her those books. It had been her ladies in waiting who read those books that caught her interest and made her want to read them, so she occasionally asked them for their books and returned them. That had been their little secret all this while.

She thought about his broad shoulders and his beautiful grey eyes and she noticed his lovely fingers when he had talked even though he wore gloves his hand had still managed to look big and manly with his long fingers, she started to imaging his fingers running through her skin and loosening the lace in her corset...

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Emily was shocked by the sudden knock on the door, especially while she was thinking such dirty thoughts, she quickly sat up and adjusted her dress.

"You may enter!" She yelled for the person to be able to hear her. It was madame Lucinda who had knocked at the door and was coming in for only God knows what reason.

"Is there anything wrong?" Emily asked as politely as she could, to not make it obvious that she was not pleased with her coming and interrupting her moment.

"I just came to see what you were doing, your ladies-in-waiting are preparing a bath for you, so I came to call you to go take your bath before the water gets cold".

"Okayyy I will be on my way to go bath soon," Emily said undecided on whether to ask her questions or let her leave.

Madame Lucinda had been on her way leaving the room so it was a tough choice for Emily.

"Wait!" Emily yelled before madame Lucinda could leave her room.

"Yes?"

"May you stay for a while?" Emily said with an awkward grin on her face.

"Ah? I wonder what you might need".

"Please don't get me wrong when I ask you this and please don't look at me suspiciously," Emily said trying to justify herself before there is any misunderstanding or conclusion drawn.

"Please do carry on," madame Lucinda said looking at Emily trying to puzzle what Emily was on to.

"Do you know if...the duke of darkness is wedded already"

"Well that was a question coming out of nowhere," madame Lucinda said with shock written on her face.

" see," Emily said pointing to the fact that she had asked her not to think of her suspiciously.

"Well no one has heard anything concerning marriage so I don't know for sure but I don't think so," madame Lucinda said with a frown on her face due to the puzzling question that Emily had asked.

" why do you ask?"

"I got curious"

"Pease let it end at just curiosity"

"Yes, madame" Emily said trying to bite down her grin.

"Well if that is all you wanted, I might as well be on my way to let your ladies-in-waiting for know to prepare your bath, I have taken too much time here". She said excusing herself from Emily's bed chambers.

Emily jumped up immediately the moment madame Lucinda left her bed chambers, she was surprisingly happy to hear that he had not wedded, but then she had remembered that she was still to wed George, soon at that, it immediately put an end to her good mood.

She certainly did not like the fact that she was to be wed to him.

Barvoté manor....

" your grace "

"Speak Pablo," Elijah said as he searched through some of his documents on his table.

"His highness has sent you yet again another messenger"

"Describe him" Elijah often killed any useless messenger the king sent until they were down to only four of them.

"The bald one with a big stomach"

"Arggh that is the most annoying one, it just might be his time to die now if he does anything". Elijah said as he rubbed the frown line in between his brows.

"Please call him in," He said leaning in to his chair.

Pablo had later come with the messenger. The messenger walked in with so much confidence like he couldn't die right that moment.

Elijah just seeing him was itching to cut off his head. Well, he must have been used to his manor, he was one of the only ones to still be alive.

The newly appointed king, Harold would on a few occasions sent letters to Elijah that would most times rile him up but Elijah would usually throw it into the furnace, he hardly even looked at the letters that he sent. But since it had been quite a very long time since he sent him any letters maybe it would not be stupid so he decided to just read it this time. He thought that it would be something serious or worth looking at for once.

After the messenger gave the letter to Elijah, Pablo had moved back because the duke usually told Pablo that whenever any messenger comes to deliver a letter he should move back just in case he was going to just throw a dagger at one of them or slice through them with his sword, he didn't want any hindrance.

Elijah had been reading the letter for quite some time since he was given the letter, his facial expressions started to change, he seemed angry and irritated at the same time, and his jaw was clenched.

"What the hell is this?"