Part 15
Emissary au
Ariel was tired, lately, she´s getting some notoriety and her investigation agency is getting a name for itself and that´s wonderful but often leaves Ariel a bit tired, so, when she´s alone in her office the woman succumbed to her sleepiness and fall asleep easily.
The memories of that party with Count D and Queen Gloriana, the beautiful, flashes into her mind, and she soon it leads to Count D ready to confess something, of course, her dream is cut short as she´s wake up and sees a new letter in her office. It was brought by telekinesis and somehow it displeased Ariel very much.
And her displeased gives a wild better for a nasty frown as it was from Elizabeth Braddock who often bother Kwannon in regards the woman origin in Japan and often than not fetishes Kwannon.
So, Ariel sees Miss Braddock as an enemy by proxy and solidarity of Kwannon and open the letter not giving much care for the butterfly so beautiful drawn on the paper of this latter, a symbol of Elizabeth Braddock.
“Estimated person I despise. It comes to my attention you're engaged to Count Darkholme and that certainly won´t do” Ariel stops reading this sentence to sigh, of course, Miss Braddock is a fan of Count D. “not sure what tricks you´re planning here, certainly is after money or name for yourself, something that I can guarantee you won´t get in London,” ok, now Ariel is peeved with this blatant insinuation. “whatever skeevy scheme you used to snare his attention, I´ll make sure it ends from now on, this is a warning and a promise, Miss Pryde” she´s detesting the fact she knows her name. “ill wishes for you, from Elizabeth Gertrude Braddock”
“Oh please!” and Ariel is seething as she leaves her office to think in something else. As she´s taken by a great idea of going to the market. A bit of real fresh air(the industrialization take a rather green approach when Dagon comes to Queen Gloriana to complain and she heeds to his concerns) will set her mind away from unpleasantries from Miss Braddock.
She smells brimstone and in one second, she saw Count D on the other side of the street talking with a man that seems familiar to Ariel, oh right! Is his sister´s husband, Captain LeBeau. Should Ariel say hi? The two men are talking in French vs German for 2 minutes until, suddenly, the two seem to come to a decision and part different paths.
Count D notices Ariel and well, Ariel supposes she can meet his family in a more proper hour. “Problems with the family?” she asked and Count D shakes his head. “A decision in regards to our work, that´s all, and you? Just walking in the path?”
“As much Queen Gloriana allows me,” she said just to see his grimace and chuckles at the results “In all honesty, one of your fangirls send me a very nasty letter. I think I have an enemy” she jokes not taking Miss Braddock very serious.
“Still thinking you can crack the case of the nameless killer?” Count D asked amused as they´re walking in the market full of people and Ariel tugs his sleeve and whisper candidly in his ear. “Yes, because I know who he is. I can point to you if you insist” and she points at Count D.
“Oh dear me, my fiance is having a fever” Ariel for her part is only gazing at him already predicting his next move. “better take her back or else her health will deteriorate” and teleports them to an alley.
Now, she supposes, he looks scary at least that´s what he seems to believe but Ariel thinks he looks cute(an angry duck trying to pick a fight with a lioness. Is cute like that, cute when Azfel tried to fight Zaorva and was devoured letting only his bones for his kids to know how much of a fool he was) his hands seems to give the misguided illusion that he trapped Ariel against the wall as his voice is lower.
“So, now you know...and you realize, Ariel, you´re all alone with a killer, right?” and Ariel´s face change. Her smile dies as her eyes got an inner fire that could make a mortal think of Zaorva, for a moment, as Ariel punch his stomach and grab his tie forcing him to be on her level (the height difference among them is so unfair)
“Oh, poor Kitty, she´s trapped all alone here with the big bad wolf, is that you were thinking? No, Count D, you are all alone with me” she said as her eyes gaze into his crimson ones as she could see his soul and as much Kurt Darkholme does not believe in Gods this is something he can´t deny. Her gaze is intense. “Or you´ll try to blackmail me? Yes, I know Wade was following me and I know your family is aware I killed Omega Red. I know”
By the look on his face, the man was not expecting this. “Let´s talk like civilized adults, Kurt, and if you try to threaten me I´ll break something that your fans will weep more than yourself, do you understand me?” she said with that glee in her eyes that no one ever direct to Count D, is the type of look that says “fight me and you´ll be dead before hit the ground” that is completely new for Kurt Darkholme as is...exciting.
“So, now that you know, what you plan to do? Tell the police?” Kurt asked trying to hide the awe in his eyes and voice. Ariel shakes her head.
“I know you kill people and I don´t want to romanticise this, however, I know all the people you killed would gladly kill my kin for a reason or another. I don´t know much about the underground” Now, Kurt D let a chuckle escape his lips as a winced comes through as well. “I really don´t know more than you in this case, Count Darkholme, and all I can promise here is my silence as I know you won´t tell my secret”
“Do you still wish to marry me?” Count Darkholme asked offering a ghost of a smile.
“Would that be a partnership of sort...If you still want to marry a woman that can defeat you in combat, I see no reason to stop the engagement...if that´s what you truly want”
“Ariel, I wanted a wife for a cover, but, I want to know you for the rights reasons...uhm, not very fairytale here, I´m afraid”
“Well, if you get a fetish with my foot, the engagement would be off” she jokes and Count Darkholme nods offering that ghost of smile “Am I still with fever, good doctor?”
“No, you´re fine...do you want to eat ice cream?” Count remember that he never tasted ice cream in this city. And Ariel flashes a small smile and agrees. Even though this engagement was not out of love, nothing is saying it can end with love, of course, the Count is not a romantic person by nature and Ariel is too practical to care for flowers and chocolate.