Part 10
N/A: I´ll use this for my Emissary au and hope this can explain a bit more why this Victorian au is so different from the books. Also, yeah...I can´t help by putting a bit of Pride and Prejudice here because I still love that movie.
Ariel is invited by the Darkhlmes to accompany her as in their meeting with the Queen, and of course, Ariel can be a progressive woman as much she wishes, but, no one can act like a fool in front of the Queen of England and Ariel is certainly happy and nervous with such occasion and opportunity to meet such amazing woman as close as her human eyes can allow.
The carriage left Ariel in the guest entrance as the Darkholmes are getting ready, as they are nobility and from another country, they have to make sure to look more than presentable for the Queen, while, Ariel has the small luxury of being able to wear a good dress and know she will be outshined by the Darkholmes as they are the focus of the Queen´s gaze (she envies them a little, to be honest)
And the maid, a silent woman making a jarring contrast with the butler from Canada ("I think you´re from Toronto" "...Hey, aren´t you Sherlock Holmes? People say, oh Wade is Canadian but few ever put more details in this line, so, kudos to you, Miss Sherlock Holmes" "Not sure if comparing me with a dog is good, but, at least I got the answer right, by the way...you have a typical accent from Toronto" "Elementary, my dear") who guides Kitty to the waiting room as in her minimum words. "The master is being difficult" and leaves making Ariel wonder what kind of household the Darkholme run.
And Ariel not wanting to be idle manages to scape the comfy couch she was put and look around to see what style it is being used here. She notices, once leaving the waiting room, to the small museum of the house.
Not uncommon for nobles to support artists and have arts on their proprieties, the Braddocks for example, are a big fan of painting and support the local artists as well the international.
The Darkholme seems to like sculptures and all of them, even if Ariel is no specialist, can say how well done they all are almost look like real people.
She notices the last one in the collection. A bust of Dr Darkholme. The man is not smiling even here and the artist captured the essence of Kurt Darkholme. A man full of secrets that dares you to try to solve any of them or die trying.
Her finger, to be more exact, her pinky, gentle touches the thin line that forms his lips amused and in reverence. "What do you hide?" she asks to herself and someone replies anyway.
"Right now, my total disdain with humanity" and this jolt Ariel back to reality as the Dr Darkholme is there, as should be expected, with a bemused look on his face. "I don´t like your Queen and I don´t want to go...but I have no choice"
"Our Queen, Dr Darkholme, and well...we don´t have a choice because when she says come to the palace...you go, no matter what"
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The Queen´s renovations are as glorious as one could imagine from someone that calls herself Gloriana, no, that´s not her real name and no mortal could ever hope to say the real name and remain sane. Queen Gloriana (as she likes to be called) is a daughter of Zaorva that won countless wars in the space and other dimensions and settle in this dimension.
She has no problem in setting humanity´s mistakes right as women rights, workers rights and many other revolutionary ideas that would be taken years to be accepted ...are in working just fine thanks to Queen Gloriana.
Queen Gloriana is also married to Prince Albert, from Germany, and this union united England and Germany (along with the execution of anyone who dared to opposed the Gloriana and Albert´s vision. Anti-semitism and traffic of people are crimes worth making the couple open their mouths and eat people...suffice to say, everyone can pretend to get along to avoid such fate) even through Prince Albert is not human in any sense of the word.
Ariel meets Raven Darkholme, a woman like her son who shares few words, but, so far the azzure woman has not shown any displeasure with Ariel so far. His sister neither and somehow that´s enough.
Gloriana aka Meggan Braddock is with her husband as her eyes weep and her mouth speaks so freely about the beauty of Queen Gloriana, Ariel can hate Betsy for the solidarity of Kwanon (those two women have bad blood involved) but she can´t hate Meggan for speak what Ariel is thinking.
"She got even more beautiful each year" Meggan wipes her tears as her husband seems to share the same opinion as Dr Darkholme on the matters of the Queen. "Aren´t we the lucky ones?"
Ariel suspect Brian and Kurt will never be friends but in this brief moment, they can share the pain in silence. Meggan, notice the two, and waves friendly at them.
(She´s an empathic and Queen Gloriana affect them the most)
Meggan is now carrying Ariel as if she´s a literal cat and the woman is not pleased with the gesture but can speak loving towards Queen Gloriana. "Long live the Queen"
Brian and Kurt are speechless and Dr Darkholme is dreading going to see the Queen. "Is the prince there with her?" Kurt asked closing his eyes and Brian confirms the inevitable. "fantastic, fucking fantastic"
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The Queen is beautiful as Meggan told Ariel and she can´t help by crying a little in the pure image of the Queen who does not seem to mind, no, far from it, she loves the attention and wants to talk with Dr Darkholme and Ariel alone now. The other Darkholme are excused and Dr Darkholme is about to say something dumb when Ariel holds his hand tightly.
Prince Albert is not the same as the Queen, far from it, he´s a real Eldritibch abomination(only uses a human mask when in Germany and is a way to show his preference to the country) and both are using tentacles to communicate with each other. Again, Dr Darkholme wants to say something here but Ariel is almost crashing his hand.
"Dr Darkholme, a count of Bavaria, is indeed a great honour to have you in my domains..." she pauses as Albert picks a somewhat humanoid mask, but, still speaks in a language no human could get it. "and I heard you..." she pauses smiling as if she knows everything and Dr Darkholmes wants to doubt that "searching for a wife and that fills my heart with joy, isn´t right, love?"
Albert speaks and now Dr Darkholme feels as if an invisible force is making him bow and he hates it. Again, he wanted to say something about this couple, but, Ariel is holding his arm so tight as a boa would.
(Ok, she´s tiny but stronger)
"What intimacy display I see here" Queen speaks more amused than anything. "Dr Darkholme shows a great sensation of lust towards this woman, not a noble, but, that hardly matters...uhm," now she frowns "I hope you will take the marriage procedures accordingly"
And it takes a minute to Dr Darkholme to register what she implies. "Of course, if the Queen and ..." Kurt really wants to say something stupid and Ariel is almost slapping his face "Prince Consort Albert gave us the blessing I would be happy to make the request"
The Queen seems happy with this choice of words and Prince Albert has no complaints. "She´s a good soul, one Mother Celestial would be proud ...to collect, but, You two have my blessing but I´m not here to say only that...I was wondering when your cousin, Niles, will be returning to my domains"
Prince Albert speaks in a German language and Queen Gloriana translate to Kitty. "Oh, he wants to know if Niles can play the piano for my dear Albert...it soothes his soul listening to such song"
"My cousin...will be back from Scotland as soon as he can...Queen Mary" another abomination as Queen Gloriana but Kurt knows what Ariel thinks of such words, "asked for him talent first, she wanted a painting of....her kids" at this moment Dr Darkholme pities Niles very much.
"Oh...do speak to him when you see him...I know you´ll, that Prince Albert wishes to listen to his lovely song again"
"Will do that"
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Ariel is now holding his hands as if still fearing he can say something dumb, even if not in front of the Queen (she has eyes and ears in many ways in the palace) and guides him to a safer spot outside the palace and from...anyone listening.
"Don´t!" she warms him as Dr Darkholme does not need words to say anything right now.
"Ok, I won´t...for now" he grits his teeth for a moment. "As you know...I´m looking for a wife"
"Oh, yes, I´m sorry for the confusion...I´m sure that as long you marry someone else within a year the Queen won´t mind this day"
"You don´t want to marry me?"
"Do you? We´re friends very recently and ...I´m not from a noble background nor I have money...I would be Cinderella here and I know you hate any notion of Prince Charming"
"Yes, I do, but, honestly your background means nothing to me. You´re smart, polite, witty, brave, not afraid of me or want my money and you´re pretty and...I wouldn´t mind being married to you"
"The greatest love declaration I ever heard"
"And it is true"
Marriage for love is extremely rare, even Gloriana and Albert´s love story begins because Mother Celestial orders them to be married (No one dares to question Zaorva´s will here) so, why Ariel should expect something different. "Ok, I accept to be engaged to you, Mr Darkholme, you´re a total enigma to everyone included to me"
"So romantic"
"Thanks, Dr Darkholme, I try"