True to her word, Sybil hastened her footsteps and didn’t say a word until they reached the estate. Even before they opened the door, they could hear the violent piano music blasting through the open windows. Something must have happened to sour Alton’s mood. She hadn’t heard music like that since the last time she yelled at him.
Which was why she was surprised when she saw Alton and the rest of her squad sitting on a bench just outside the music parlor. Veximarl and Chickadee were reading books while Alton had the back of his head leaning against the wall. His eyes were closed and his hand was moving through the air as though he were conducting the music that rampaged through the air.
"Salutations you two. Did your day go well?" Veximarl closed his book and set it down on his lap. Sybil pointed to the parlor with a confused look. "Ah, yes. That's Gideon. Miss Iofea informed me that he is currently sulking and we should let him be."
This only led to her having more questions, but Alton spoke up next. He didn’t open his eyes and continued to have his hand dance about the air as he spoke. “I beat him in a duel.”
“More accurately, Millie requested that she and Gideon end their relationship in the middle of their date today,” corrected Veximarl.
"She told him that a new year meant a new her and she needed to cast away the cocoon of her old self. Giddy boy was just another weakness that had to be discarded for her to be a better person," elaborated Alton.
"Is that what she said?" Veximarl looked over and both Chickadee and Alton nodded. "Your sister is quite a cold woman." Chickadee shrugged. As long as she wasn't dating anyone, he didn't care.
Alton also shrugged. "I wouldn't make eye contact with him for a while. He tends to get a bit duel crazy whenever someone calls him weak." He took a moment to stand up and take one of Sybil's hands into both of his own. "There is an emergency that requires our attention."
Confused, she gave a nod as he started to lead her upstairs. “Is everything alright? I thought you were going to take Chi to the temple today. We went there to look for you but couldn’t find you in the crowd.”
“I was planning on it, but then I noticed that he thought we were going on a date and decided to take him someplace private. He was so cute that it made me want to keep him for myself.” He paused and raised an eyebrow at her. “I ended up kissing him. He’s a bit timid at times but it’s oddly adorable.”
“I’m sorry, you kissed him?” She was taken aback by the statement.
“Only on the forehead… Oh, and one other time when I thought I was going to die, but he saved me.” He grinned. “Jealous?”
Sybil had to think about it. “Not really. It’s more important to me that he’s happy.”
He let go of her hand and leaned his shoulder against the wall. Alton was in sudden need of clarification. “Let me get this straight… You’re alright if your husband goes out on a date with your friend? Is it truly okay for me to adore the both of you at the same time? Like he’s my mistress?” Sybil thought about it again and then nodded. “What is wrong with you?”
“I don’t know. I know if this was about a woman, I wouldn’t even be talking to you right now. Maybe if it was a different man, but Chickadee is Chickadee. I want him to find a place where he feels accepted and happy with who he is, what he’s doing, and who he’s with.”
Alton let out a sigh, looking down for a moment before looking up at her again. “Is there some sort of underlying issue that you and Zan have when it comes to Chi? It seems like both of you baby him whenever you get the chance and never let anything he does bother you. I know it isn’t because you think he’s weak.”
“Didn’t you say you needed to talk to me because it was an emergency?” She folded her arms and matched his stern expression.
“I did.” Alton puffed out his cheeks and exhaled so he could gather his thoughts. “Let’s keep walking.” He continued on and stopped by the front of her bedroom door. “Deep breaths... Stay calm... Don’t be mad at me. None of this is my fault, because I tried to talk her out of it.”
The way he said that made her worried. She moved past him and opened the door. Her room was exactly the way it was the last time she had seen it, but a mannequin had been placed in the center.
It was wearing a navy colored dress with a short, fluffy skirt. There were white silk leaves woven into the skirt's layers, and the backing was mostly bare with a spider web design made in lace. The design reeked of Fogbloom taste, which was terrible, because she had gotten used to how much more comfortable the Carapace dresses were.
“... It’s a dress.” Sybil looked it over. “A very blue dress.” She wasn’t exactly mad at it, but she was getting tired of receiving clothes as a gift.
Alton followed her in and closed the door behind him. “You seem to prefer wearing black, but that wouldn’t be appropriate and I don’t know what your favorite color is.”
Did she even have a favorite color? No one had ever asked her before. “... I guess my favorite color would be starlight?”
As a child, she’d sometimes get glimpses of the stars at night. She remembered that she could stare up for hours at it. Alton gave her an odd look at first. He then draped his arms around her shoulders from behind and gave a kiss to her temple.
“My dear, sweet mouse.”
“... Was that the wrong answer?”
“It’s a wonderful answer… Sometimes you say something so adorable that it makes me fall in love with you all over again.” He tightened his squeeze. “Do you like the outfit?”
“That skirt is as short as one of the stupid uniforms I have to wear at Braytons.” And she normally wore stockings underneath that. Somehow she doubted she could with this. Plus complaining distracted her from the embarrassment of Alton’s statement.
“I do love you, but I especially love your legs,” he whispered in her ear. “So… Don’t be mad.” She tensed up as he said that. “Miss Iofea is throwing the bachelorette party tomorrow and this dress is what you’ll be wearing for the day after that.” He cleared his throat. “For the wedding... It’s for your birthday.”
Sybil yanked herself away from him. “Wedding?! What wedding?!” She gestured between herself and him. “Our wedding?! We’re having a wedding?!”
“Miss Iofea was the one who planned everything behind my back and-”
“Don’t pretend that you’re not happy about this! You’re clearly happy about this!” He couldn’t deny it. He was. “And stop calling her Miss Iofea! Just be normal and call her ‘mom!’ You always act like you’re not a part of this family, but you love them a great deal, and I am not getting married to you! It’s difficult for me to be angry about two things at once so stop being so infuriating!”
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Alton sulked at her harsh words. “Even if we haven’t consummated it yet, we are technically already married and-”
“You said it doesn’t officially count until there is a wedding and I am not letting you go back on your word on this! Nor am I going to get married to you on my birthday! … Stop smiling!” She punched him in the shoulder. “I mean it! Stop smiling!”
Dodging her incoming blows, Alton grabbed her wrists and looked down at her in a mock-scolding fashion. “Calm down. Let me expla- Ow!” She kicked him in the shin and he raised up his leg to prevent her from hitting it again. “Stop hitting me and let me explain! You said we were partners in this as long as I sat you down and explained things in detail, so let me do that for you!”
She pouted at him and then closed her eyes as she thunked her forehead against his chest. Petting her hair, Alton spoke softly to her as he explained everything. Eventually, she relented to his way of thinking, as she always did. He was happy that he managed to convince her.
They returned downstairs, where Gideon was still hammering at the piano. Iofea returned and proceeded to kidnap Sybil and Zaniyah while Chickadee whined and pouted. Alton whispered something in his ear and that seemed to calm him down.
The women were taken out for an awkward night of sipping wine and snacking on cheese while touring the museum. It was hardly a fun-filled event for Sybil but it did give her time to mock paintings of old men with Zaniyah. Having her as a distraction meant everything to her.
Zaniyah’s mother was here. She and Iofea got along a great deal and were laughing loudly while drinking way more alcohol than they should. Talwyn was busy with work and had sent Caitlin in her place. Caitlin spent most of the night glaring at Sybil as though she were attempting to murder her with her stare alone.
There were quite a few others present. Anais followed behind Sybil and Zaniyah, making small comments here and there but preferring to stay quiet. Gwyn and Ivy walked on either side of Philomena. Ivy made loud jokes and comments while Gwyn nodded along. Philomena didn’t seem all that comfortable to be settled between them but she dealt with it as best as she could. After all, they were attempting to be friendly.
They were all going to share a suite at a hotel tonight and tomorrow. Iofea had the whole day planned. There would be a brunch buffet, tea sampling, a trip to the theatre to see a play. Along with a host of “surprises” that she was not yet ready to reveal. Sybil kept her face frozen in a fake smile at the thought of it. If she could survive all the other things she had been through so far, she could make it through this.
---
At the Toval Estate, the party was just getting started. Chickadee sat in the corner and watched as Zynn drunkenly danced to the music Gideon was playing. He had taken off the majority of his clothes, revealing his highly toned body. The way his acrobatic muscles bent and flexed as he moved had a certain elegance about him. Chickadee finally understood that there was indeed an afterlife. and this was all that it contained.
In a different room, Veximarl and Vincent sat at a table together. Veximarl didn't feel well. He was partially sprawled against the table and he had just finished ranting off all of his concerns. Mostly he was scared about talking with Tish when he returned. How was he supposed to turn down a woman he had so rudely used physically?
Not to mention that he had these feelings for Gwyn that he couldn't form into words. He had a longing to respect her. Was that the right phrasing? Vincent nodded along sluggishly. The paladin was equally as drunk and was just as sprawled out as the necromancer was.
Vincent sniffed loudly. “You… You do all of these things that you think will make them happy, and they… They turn against you. They yell at you, become furious, and throw you away like it was nothing. Even after g-giving them everything you are able to muster, your love and your b-body, they still won’t be happy.” He began to roll his forehead back and forth against the table.
"How does one even get them into a position to give them anything?" Veximarl let out a long sigh. "I do not understand how to deal with an aggressive woman. The other one doesn't seem to care for me at all... I forced a kiss upon her without any regard towards her feelings.
Why would I have done such a hasty action? Especially when I have yet to settle my affairs with Tish... I had such clear goals in my life. I only needed to graduate from Braytons and become an educator. How have women usurped my priorities?”
Vincent nodded. “Both Hewitt and Maplehammer are fine woman, Tuton. Either will work hard to make you happy. But I…” He let out a choked sob. “I am destined to be forever alone. This is truly Iath’s punishment brought on by my lustful actions... The more I longed for her, the more the world sought to tear us apart. Until the point came where we became one, and then we were… W-we were none.”
Leaning back in his chair with his tea in hand, Alton let out a long sigh. “My greatest wish is that all three of you wake up in the morning with no memory of anything you’ve said tonight.” He looked over to Zyris, who was currently curled up across three chairs.
“Women are the worst,” muttered Zyris.
Alton had never been to a bachelor party before, but he was certain that this one was the most depressing parties to have ever been thrown in the history of Carapace. Luca and Oscar had also been invited, but Luca was at the hospital, and Oscar had a major exam planned for the following day.
Depressed and wanting to be done with this horrid scene, Alton stood up and walked over to the next room. He then looked over to Jory with a pained expression. Maybe he would be able to give some of that wise advice that all older brothers know.
“I think it’s going well,” remarked Jory.
“This is terrible.” Alton frowned at the amount of steam rising from Chickadee’s head.
"This is what Zynn suggested. We're still short on money and he thought that a simple night in would allow for the women to have more fun." Jory gestured to Zynn, who had somehow taken off more of his clothing while still not being completely nude. "It seems as though one of our company is enjoying himself. Maybe you'd be having more fun if you had better friends."
Alton gestured to the three drunkards he had left behind. “Those aren’t my friends.”
“They are the only men who were willing to stay here because they care for you as a person and not because they want to have sex with you. Those are literally the only friends you have.” Jory gave him a stern look.
“Then why is Sybil’s ex-boyfriend here?”
"I believe Miss Caitlin insisted that he show up because she didn't know how Chickadee would react to alcohol. She was concerned that our home would burn down. At least, that's what he had explained to me before he downed half a bottle of hard liquor and began to rant about what a heartless woman she was."
So Zyris wouldn't be here at all if Alton hadn't convinced Chickadee that watching drunken men doing stupid things was more entertaining than whatever the women folk were doing. Since the miasma had dissipated, they were going down the mountain for a fishing trip in the morning. They would also practice sword fighting, and probably more drunken naked dancing. Because apparently, clothes weren't an option here.
Great. That was just great.
“Yes... Thanks for letting all this happen, Jory. I’m having a great time.”
“No problem, bro.” Jory smacked him on the shoulder and sat down at the piano with Gideon.
The music in the air shifted as both brothers began playing the piano at once. Alton walked back over to the drunken trio. All three were muttering separate conversations that didn’t relate to each other. It was depressing to look at and Alton didn’t want to deal with this either.
“I hate the three of you so much.” He took his seat again and frowned. “Vex, leave Gwyn alone until you talk with Tish. Settle affairs with one girl before you ruin your chances with both of them. Highland, work on fixing your life in a way that makes you happy. No, Zan isn’t what makes you happy.
Figure out something you want to do for yourself and then go crying back to her if you still can’t see that happening without her by your side. Lastly, Zyris, there is no fixing you until you stop being attracted to violent, angry women. You have dug your own grave. Either climb out of it or lie still.”
Zyris let out a whine. “... I don’t want Sybil to be married,” he muttered before letting out a sob. “Why did she have to go after some pretty rich boy?”
“You don’t even love her anymore! You literally ran into her at the Duke’s party and didn’t recognize her because you were too busy staring at Caitlin’s ass!” Alton glared at Zyris as the man’s head popped over the edge of the table. “You told her straight to her face that Caitlin was gorgeous before you excused yourself. The Sybil you adore is simply a figment comprised of your happy memories! Hurry up and realize you’ve given up on her! She’s mine now. Deal with it.”
“Why do you have to be so condescending when you’re claiming you’re helping people? I can feel my mood shifting ever closer to eternal darkness.” Veximarl pouted at Alton. He didn’t look all that well either.
How was he this drunk when he had only had two glasses of wine? Alton buried his face into his hands. “I swear if I survive the wedding, I am going to murder all three of you. That is a promise. After this is over, the three of you are dead.”