Bride To His Darkness
Chapter 201: Unfinished War

Chapter 201: Unfinished War

When Samantha and Ivan stepped into the house, they were ushered to take their seats on the old couch. Samantha glanced at Ivan whose gaze lingered around the structure of the home, and she wasn’t surprised by his mindful bearing since he lived in a Palace that could not be compared to this. Although the house was relatively small, it didn’t appear indecent.

"You’re Samantha? As in, Samantha Dufort?" Amanda, who was yet to snap out of her daze, stepped forward to confirm what she just heard. Her memories of Samantha were vague, but from the green eyes, the hair color, why hadn’t she noticed the similarity sooner? That means, she didn’t hand the letter to some amiable stranger at the Courtesan house but to Mr Dufort’s daughter herself!

"Don’t disturb the guests Amanda, your brother still needs help in packing the goods outside." Madame Ginevra walked out of the Kitchen with freshly baked cheesecake muffins arranged on a small plate. She placed it on the table in front of Samantha and Ivan before acknowledging the presence of the young man who had followed Samantha in. It was obvious she was trying to guess who he was, in essence to how she kept gazing at him, and her inquiring eyes shifted to Samantha.

"He can’t be Maurice."

"No, this isn’t Maurice." Samantha immediately cleared her confirmation, sparing Madame Ginevra from having a heart attack. Her warm eyes that resembled the color of Amanda’s light-brown irises, flickered with concern upon realizing Maurice wasn’t here with them.

"What about my little Maurice? He didn’t come with you? How is he? I’m sure he’s all grown up now."

"Maurice is fine and well."

"Then who is this gentleman you’ve brought with you? Are you married now?" Madame Ginevra’s warm eyes held her excitement as she anticipated Samantha’s response, and she noticed how flustered Samantha became at her question. Knowing Samantha would be too shy to give her some answers, she glanced at the handsome man in the hopes that he would answer.

"We’re not married....yet." came Ivan’s subtle response, and Madame Ginevra seemed to have gotten the message. Her smile did not falter, rather her excitement was doubled after knowing her dear Samantha was indeed getting married soon, and from his manner of dressing, it was obvious he was not a man from Fernwood, he looked rather exquisite, no different from a handsome scholar who was born into a well-heeled family.

"I am delighted to know that you are doing well." Madame Ginevra began, taking her seat on the chair facing them. "When my daughter told me about what happened to her last night, that nonsense Callum and what he planned on doing to her, I was aggravated when I saw the state she had been rendered in, but eventually, my poor soul found ease when she told me about the woman who had saved her from being ridiculed and molested. I was ready to welcome this mysterious woman but alas! I never anticipated that the magical woman would be the daughter of the late Mr Dufort... it feels like ages."

"It really does," Samantha admitted, "but how are you? Fernwood’s daily hassle hasn’t taken a toll on you, everyone seems to be faring quite well."

"Our activities haven’t changed much, the neighbors who have gotten their items have picked their cutlasses and left for the farm, it has become their habit. The news about Callum and his councilmen being reprimanded wasn’t the type of news I had expected to wake up to, and the items we got was also another shock of the day." Madame Ginevra said in a pleasing tone, "we assumed His Majesty may have forgotten us, concerning the matter with your late Father, the people had already began to lose hope, but all of this... and now you’re here too, its like I accidentally unwrapped a massive gift."

There was a hint of tenderness in her voice as she kept speaking, and Ivan stole a glance at his little lamb who was indulging herself in a warm conversation with Madame Ginevra. There was a different light in her eyes, most especially when she laughed at something the woman had said, and Ivan suddenly felt a surge of content while watching her face beam like the radiant flowers he bought for her.

Nothing else mattered, her smile, her happiness, they were going to be his main priority from now on.

"Please, help yourself with some of these. Quite a coincidence that I made your favorite too." Madame Ginevra pointed at the snacks she had set for them on the table.

"Cheesecakes?" Samantha’s eyes lightened, "I remember you always make them for the harvest Festival."

"The Harvest Festival is happening tonight at the village square." Amanda, who had taken a few bags inside her house said to Samantha, "are you going to stay for the harvest?"

"What’s a harvest Festival?" Ivan curiously inquired from Samantha who picked one of the cheesecakes and handed it to him. He received it, but he noticed the gleam in her eyes when he asked her about the festival.

"The Harvest Festival is a celebration of gratitude for a bountiful harvest." She said to him, "the villagers of Fernwood would decorate the village square with vibrant fall colors, create scarecrows, and build a massive bonfire." As she spoke, Samantha could recall how she always anticipated the harvest festival, and she could hardly believe that she forgot what time of the month it was usually celebrated.

"That’s not all, there’s also going to be a traditional harvest dance. We’ll all sing to folklore music, feasting on delicious seasonal produce, and games such as apple bobbing and pumpkin carving." Amanda finished the rest for Samantha who nodded her head. Madame Ginevra didn’t miss the expression on her face, and she could see that the girl would really like to experience the harvest festival again.

"Is it necessary to leave today? The people from our neighborhood will be delighted to see you again. They should be on their way from the farm but I suppose you will not be staying long to meet them." Madame Ginevra said to Samantha. "When we could not find you and your brother, some of the villagers came to the conclusion that you both may have been taken away by slave traders... but looking at you now, alive and still the beautiful Samantha we know, the people will be happy to know you have returned."

"Do you wish to stay for the harvest?" Ivan asked Samantha who shook her head.

"Maurice’s second round is today, and everyone is already expecting your presence. Maybe next harvest we will surely be a part of it."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

"I made more cheesecake, you can take them with you and give some to Maurice."

"I pray I do not finish them on the way." Samantha commented as she was already down to the third one on the plate. She had forgotten the taste of Madame Ginevra’s special cheesecake muffins, and eating them now felt like she just caught a glimpse of what heaven tastes like.

"Amanda told me she gave the letter to you." Madame Ginevra brought up the letter she had been asked to keep. "She saw half of my fury last night, but I am more at ease now, knowing it ended up in the right hands."

"Yes, I am grateful for the letter you kept. It cleared a bit of the questions I couldn’t ask my Father in person since he is no more." Samantha pressed her lips tightly, feeling a strange knot tie in her stomach at the thought of Lady Agathe.

The war isn’t over her.

"Did the accusations..." Madame Ginevra’s voice trailed off. She knew Mr Dufort wasn’t the type of man who would stain his hands with blood, talk more of royal blood.

"The accusations are wrong," Samantha answered her silent question, "he never harmed the King, he was framed for it."

"I knew those evil Vampires had a thing to do with this." Madame Ginevra’s lips tightened after listening to Samantha tell her the truth, whilst expressing her ire. "Your Father was accused for what he never did, that can’t simply be ignored."

"It won’t," Samantha agreed as she took a deep breath. "People will pay for what they have done, and these people will forget about it, but karma won’t. My Father’s name won’t remain tarnished for too long."