Offer (1)

Selene kept herself busy in the morning by overseeing the decorations from last night's banquet were all put away. 

"Milady, the carriage is ready for your departure," Elsie informed Selene.

"I will need a parasol and then I am ready," Selene replied.

"Lady Valor!" Cassandra greeted Selene, her voice lively. "I have been searching for you. You left breakfast so quickly that you did not give me enough time to ask you about my duties. With Gabriel away, it should give us some time to talk."

"Talk about what?" Selene questioned, looking to her right at the oblivious young woman.

Cassandra placed her hands behind her back as she drew closer to Selene. "We are both his lovers. I would rather get along than fight. It would be better for you if we got along. I can ask him to treat you better."

"You are bold. We do not need to speak and we are not his lovers. You can hold that position alone or with any other lover he brings home. You have many duties to do so I suggest you find the butler to get started," Selene advised Cassandra.

"I didn't know he was married. Had I known-"

"Now you know he's married," Selene interjected, stopping Cassandra's excuse. "You know he's married now but you're still here."

"If you are going to tell me that you love him too much to leave then save your excuse about not knowing," Selene said since it didn't matter now. "Now that is understood, we don't have anything more to speak about."

Cassandra leaned forward, her eyes locked onto Selene's eyes which would scare others but Cassandra knew no harm would come to her here."I was hoping to play nice with you since we will be living together. No one needs to fight but if that is what you want then so be it."

"You need to watch your tongue," Elsie said in Selene's defence. "She is still Lady Valor while you are her husband's lover. You should know your place."

"Elsie," Selene silenced her maid. 

Cassandra was offended by Selene's maid speaking to her so carelessly. "You should teach your maid manners or perhaps it is me who needs to teach you how to behave. I wasn't here to steal your spot as his wife but now I am tempted to."

Selene took her parasol from Elsie's hand. "You don't need to steal him. You can have him. You already do."

Cassandra didn't believe Selene was handing Gabriel over so easily, especially after how Selene behaved yesterday. "Gabriel wants us to get along."

"Why? I don't have any intentions of making you my lover as well. I am ready to leave," Selene informed Elsie. She walked to the front door to avoid speaking to Cassandra any further.

As if Selene wasn't suffering enough, Gabriel's mother arrived during his absence to add to her troubles.

"Where is my son?" Lucinda Valor questioned, searching for her son. "Where is my pride and joy? Will you not greet me?" She glared at Selene who was more interested in her parasol.

"He is not here and I am about to leave," Selene informed Lucinda.

Lucinda entered the home which she considered herself the lady of despite Selene having the role. "You cannot leave when I have just arrived. We need to speak about something I need."

"I don't have any more money to offer you so you will need to speak to Gabriel when he returns. I've given enough," Selene said.

Lucinda failed to understand Selene's sudden cold treatment. What happened to the woman who wanted to buy her attention? 

Lucinda was then distracted by the young woman who was like her. "Are you the human they say he brought home? It's good to have one of us around."

While Gabriel's father was a vampire his mother was a human. For years, Lucinda saw herself as Gabriel's one flaw but her son had risen above his mixed-blood and became the kingdom's hero. 

"I am Cassandra Avery, Milady," Cassandra curtsied. "You should sit and have a drink prepared for you."

"Hmm," Lucinda gave a sound of approval. "A lady with a heart unlike someone I know. They lack feeling any real emotion," she looked over her shoulder at Selene. "My son has done right with his pick this time."

Elsie took the parasol from Selene to hold it over her head as she got into the carriage. "You cannot be treated like this. You are still his wife."

"And you are my maid. You cannot speak to her as you like anymore even if it is to defend me. It was wrong," Selene scolded Elsie. "This cannot happen again since she is his guest. I have allowed you to speak freely at times but you must remember your place. Your behaviour reflects on me."

Elsie held her head down in shame. "I apologise for causing you trouble."

"You may get in. The weather is too hot to be standing outside for so long. I will not be here for much longer so you must not comment on what you see or hear until then," Selene advised Elsie. 

Selene felt a weight lifted off her shoulders when the carriage started to move. It wasn't long of a ride to reach the busy area in town near the market. 

When the carriage stopped, Elsie opened the door and placed the parasol above Selene to block the sun.

"She's showing her face," Selene overheard the comment from a passing pair of vampires. 

Elsie wondered if Selene had considered how much attention would be on her now. A pureblood vampire having to share her husband with a human provided the start for a mountain of gossip around the town.

Selene walked ahead, ignoring the comments made. They still affected her but not as much as yesterday when she had been surprised by Cassandra's arrival.

On such a hot day, Selene knew she wouldn't run into many of the vampires who would cause more trouble for her.

'I can't avoid him,' Selene thought as she listened in on the conversations about the army's return. She was unfortunate to have to listen to everyone speak of Gabriel's grand return at a time when she wanted her husband to disappear.

"You are still sensitive to the sun."

Selene stopped and stared at the man who created trouble for her last night. Why was she seeing him so often now?