Chapter Text
“From the beginning. Again.”
Emily winced when she caught Victor nodding frantically out of the corner of her eyes.
This was cruel.
Her brother’s last-ditch effort to get rid of her and save the family fortunes. Victor Van Dort was several years her younger, a little over ten years her junior if she had to be honest, closer to the edge of her young niece.
The fact that this marriage wasn’t considered between them, was just another sign that this was all part of the plan to get rid of Emily.
She felt a pang of sorrow when she remembered how she had watched Victor and Victoria at the piano, a smile on her niece's face that she rarely saw the older the girl got, and the stricter the mother got.
This was cruel.
Before they could start again, there was a knock on the door as the butler entered the room, heading straight for her brother.
"A Lord Barkis to see you Sir.”
It wasn’t a name that she recognised from all the years of her father trying to arrange marriages for her, never satisfied with the hoards of young men that came looking for his beloved daughter’s hand in marriage.
Her brother called their father weak for such thoughts.
“Let him in.”
She turned to see who this mysterious stranger was, only for her breath to catch in her throat.
He was her age, maybe a little older, wearing a well-fitted suit and was well-groomed…attractive, there was no denying that.
“I apologise.” Lord Barkis hummed, “Apparently, I’m a day early for the ceremony.” He took a seat, his gaze focusing on Emily for a moment, before looking over at Victor. Emily followed that gaze, seeing that there was a bit of a flush on Victor’s face.
Was it because he was comparing the two of them.
Or something else?
They went back to practicing the ceremony.
"With this hand..." Victor began, "...I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never be empty, for I will- " With a thud, he banged into the table, having taken too many steps forwards.
“THREE STEPS! THREE!” The priest exploded, “CAN YOU NOT COUNT?! DO YOU NOT WISH TO BE MARRIED LORD VANDORT?!”
“No, no!”
Emily tried to hide her hurt from the words, only for Victor to turn to her, looking panicked at his own words.
"I-I mean- OW!" The priest’s staff came banging down on his head, causing him to yelp in pain, cutting his explanation off.
“SILENCE!” The priest growled, “Did you at least remember the rings?”
“The ring? Oh, yes!” He reached into his pocket, only for his shaky fingers to send one ring flying over his shoulder and rolling across the floor.
“He dropped the ring!” The priest cried out over the shocked gasps of the rest of the crowd, “This boy does not want to get married!”
Emily watched as Victor chased desperately after the ring, wincing when candles were knocked over, fires were started and when Victor practically dived under the skirts of her sister-in-law, emerging with a smile and the ring.
"Got it!"
Before Emily could try and get the practice going again, the priest spoke up again.
“This wedding cannot take place until he is properly prepared!” His eyes focused in on Victor, who took a shaky step back, “Young man… Learn. Your. Vows.”
Emily watched as Victor slowly backed up to the exit, looking more than a little panicked as he beat a hasty retreat, racing out of the room.
"Well..." Lord Barkis hummed, "...He seems like quite the catch."
"That was harsh." Emily snapped at the priest, who looked offended at the mere idea that a woman was challenging him, "This marriage is not entirely willing, as everyone here knows. He is young, he is nervous, and I am going to try and stop him from throwing himself off a bridge to get out of it!”
“You dare speak to me- “
“- Go after him alone? With no chaperone?”
“Suicide is a sin in the eyes- “
“- Our Victor is a little high-strung, but- “
Amongst the clamour of the voices, she locked eyes with Lord Barkis.
“I will escort you to help find your…wayward fiancé.” Lord Barkis decided, everyone falling silent, “Perhaps, he just needs someone to have a word with him.”
She wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that, but it was the only way she was going to be able to make sure Victor was alright.
"Alright. Let me get my coat and boots."
....
Lord Barkis seemed to know exactly where Victor had gone, stating that he remembered being that age, leading them out to the woods that lay on the outskirts of town.
She felt a little uneasy being alone with a stranger like this, but he hadn't even looked at her once.
Of course, he could be planning to kill her in the woods.
"With this hand… I will take your wi- No. That’s not it.”
She perked up when she heard Victor's voice, sighing in relief, "Thank you." She said to Lord Barkis, "I know that this must seem like an odd match to you, but- "
"- I try not to comment on such matter." Barkis shrugged, "Of course...I can't help but feel like you deserved someone a little more mature. Experienced."
“With this hand… I will cup your…”
"It wasn't his choice." Emily shook her head, "Nor was it mine, but we are making the best of a bad situation."
“With this hand… I will lift your sorrow. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring… I ask you to be mine.”
They entered a clearing, just in time to see Victor putting the ring on a branch that did look like a hand in the right light.
"Careful."
Victor jumped at Barkis's voice, spinning around, eyes wide.
“That’s how you get engaged to creatures of the forest.”
Emily was sure that Barkis was just teasing Victor, but there was something…off in his voice. Shaking it off, she stepped forwards and removed the ring from the branch. “Come on.” She whispered, “Let’s just…wander around. Spend the day together and try and get to know each other. Lord Barkis doesn’t mind chaperoning, correct?”
“…Nothing would give me greater pleasure.”
Victor nodded shyly, holding out an arm, which Emily took. Before they could head back to the town though, Barkis cleared his throat.
“Perhaps…I can suggest a location away from the prying eyes of that town?”
“You have somewhere in mind?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.”