Bride To His Darkness
Chapter 243: You Look Just Like Her

Chapter 243: You Look Just Like Her

When Lucinda caught a glimpse of the golden-blonde-haired maiden, she had changed her outfit into a simple, more comfortable, off-white gown. The young woman was taking a leisurely stroll with Lucy when Lucinda suddenly approached her line of sight. With a benign smile, they exchanged greetings.

"I’m... leaving?!" Samantha’s pupils dilated when Lucinda dropped the unanticipated bomb, and she had not prepared herself to make this night journey to Aragon at all. Today had been an eventful day for her– quite hectic, but she never predicted the idea that one of these ceremonial traditions involved keeping her away from Ivan until the wedding day. She never saw this particular one coming, and for a few minutes, she remained utterly dazed until her eyes blinked.

"Is it impossible to schedule our leave till tomorrow?"

"Unfortunately it is, but you have nothing to be worried about. When we get to the Palace, you can have all the rest you want." Lucinda placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Presently, we have to leave so we don’t arrive at dawn. It’s one of the important customs that must be strictly adhered to, and there is no other way around it. Your trunks are already in the carriage, and whatever you need that is left shall be brought in the day, so we must go now."

"What about Lucy and... Maurice?" Samantha looked back at Lucy who pointed at herself, silently asking if Samantha was referring to her, and Lucinda simply answered with a single nod of her head.

"They will be with you tomorrow, but we must leave now."

"But I’m not ready, do I need to change?"

"Your outfit is as modest as it can be, and we will be using the carriage. Come with me." Placing a comforting hand on Samantha’s back, Lucinda took her away, whilst leading her to the main exit of the Palace.

Reaching the vestibule, Samantha’s confused eyes happily brightened at the sight of Ivan and Abdiel who waited at the foyer. When they approached them, Samantha lowered her head in a polite bow before stealing a peek at Ivan. Unlike her, he made his displeasure pretty evident on his features, and when their eyes met, she could tell she wasn’t the only one itching to close the distance between them.

"Let us go." Holding Samantha’s hand, Lucinda led the girl out of the Palace, and just as she had told her, a royalty carriage was waiting for them, with two other carriages behind. A male servant had opened the door of the carriage, and Samantha was the first to go in, followed by Lucinda. When the door closed, Ivan opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, the words could not come out.

He watched as the carriages rode out of his Palace, taking his little lamb away from him.

"And just like that, they’re gone." The sudden gentle voice beside them had both Abdiel and Ivan turning their heads to see Tobias leaning his shoulder against one of the pillars. Ivan wasn’t surprised by the meaning behind that statement, his cousins would never let him be now that his soon-to-be wife has been taken away from him.

"There will be important guests gracing the wedding with their families." Abdiel uttered before looking at his son, "be ready to pick a bride for yourself too."

"What...huh?!" Tobias’s expression dropped in disdain as he watched his Father walk away. He scowled at the retreating figure, but could not object.

"Oh well, I apologize in advance if I happen to miss your wedding." Came Tobias’s excuse before he disappeared behind one of the pillars.

—-

On the way, Samantha remained quiet as she looked out the window, staring at the hills that had been illuminated by the moonlight. She felt grateful that she didn’t have to wear anything too extravagant as stuffy clothes always made her feel uncomfortable, most especially during journeys like this one. In the simple gown she had put on, she felt free to stretch and lay back without having to bother to adjust or do anything of that sort.

When the journey continued, Lucinda finally indulged her in a conversation, and they talked about the rest of the ceremonies she’d have to perform in her Palace. Lucinda had made a list of what she needed to do, but since Ivan was so impatient that he had to schedule his wedding in less than four weeks, they had to remove some of the ceremonies and fill the rest days with the most important one of them all.

Unknown to the two of them, a figure in black cloak silently followed their carriage, seamlessly blending in with the night.

After the long ride, they eventually made it to the Kingdom of Aragon. Since Ivan had flown her here, she wasn’t able to get a good sight of the kingdom, but now that she had been presented with the opportunity, she kept her curious gaze locked on the streets.

The cobbled streets of Aragon were veiled in shadows, their edges softened by the gentle glow of lanterns that flickered along the roadside.

As the carriage clattered down the winding road, the rhythmic clip-clop of the horses’ hooves echoed through the deserted street, like a lullaby of ancient tales. The buildings that line the streets were architectural marvels, their facades adorned with intricately carved stones and lush ivy that draped from the rooftop. The windows of the houses were adorned with colorful curtains that swayed lightly with the midnight breeze, a testament to the lives within it.

The Kingdom’s grand cathedral came into view when they made it past the town square, whilst serving as the jewel of Aragon’s skyline. Its spires stretched towards the heavens, stained window glass depicting scenes of devotion, their colors shimmering like a kaleidoscope. Samantha could hear faint strains of hymn and the echo of prayers from the cathedral, a reminder of the Kingdom’s deep spiritual heritage. She had almost forgotten that the citizens of Aragon were human, and that Lucinda herself was a human too.

When they successfully made it to the Palace, the guards on night duty shift spotted their Queen’s carriage coming to a stop. The Coachman had stepped down from his seat to open the carriage door, and Lucinda was the first to descend from the carriage, followed by a slumberous Samantha who rubbed the back of her eyes with the sleeves of her dress, a yawn escaping her lips.

From the main entrance, Lucinda could make out her butler who had stepped out with an oil lantern in his hand. His body was draped with a thick shawl as he moved quickly to bow before his Queen and the woman next to her.

"You’re still awake?" Lucinda asked her butler, the surprise evident in her eyes the moment she saw him heading their way. The servants in her own Palace had rushed out to retrieve the trunks and take into the building.

"Ah, why yes, My Queen. I dare not sleep upon knowing you will be arriving at midnight."

"How considerate of you Gareth, you must know Samantha already."

"The future Queen of GreenHollow, please, follow me and I will lead you to your resting chamber." He politely said as he moved forward, and Samantha lowered her head in a bow at Queen Lucinda before following the butler inside.

Not much to her surprise, she was back in the room that was once given to her when she first showed up here. Nothing about it had changed, and she turned to Gareth, smiling with gratitude before lowering her head in appreciation.

"Thank you."

"If you need anything, pull at the bell beside your bed, and any of the servants will attend to you."

"I will."

"Have a good rest, Milady." And the butler left.

Samantha barely had the energy to pull off her shoes and simply sank into the comfort of her bed, her eyelids heavy with exhaustion. The room was cloaked in darkness, save for her bed area that was illuminated by the glow of her one-lit candle. She had been trying so hard not to fall asleep on the way here, but after sighting the bed that called her to its soft surface, how could she say no?

As her breathing slowed and her thoughts drifted into the realm of dreams, she was fast asleep.

As time passed by, a low whispering wind filled the room, blowing off the lights on the candle and leaving the room in a shadowy darkness. Then, as if emerging from the very shadows themselves, a figure materialized at the foot of her bed. It was a tall, imposing figure, draped in a long, tattered cloak that seemed to absorb all light around it. The cloak was as dark as a void, but within it was a faint glimmer of fire, like stars in the night sky.

The beings face was concealed by a hood, casting it into complete obscurity. Its eyes, if it had any, were hidden in the depths of his hood, concealed from view. The room itself seemed to shudder in response to this being’s arrival, and a cold, palpable tension hung in the air.

Although its eyes were concealed, one can easily tell from the direction of its head that it was gazing at the young woman who had drifted into a deep sleep. Without thinking for a moment if she might wake up, the being effortlessly lifted her from the bed and laid her comfortably on the surface. It covered her up with the duvet, but it didn’t leave.

Squatting at the edge of her bed, the figure reached out a hand, its slender fingers making contact with her cheek as it watched her.

"You.... Look just like her." The being’s voice echoed hauntingly as it studied her face. "My... precious Jewel... My Wife."