The Serpent's Enigma

46 | Masquerade - Part I

Happy 1st Anniversary to TSE!  🎂🐍
12 - 26 - 2020

(Italics are for flashbacks.)

.·。.·゜·༺♥༻ ·゜·。.

CAL LEROY SR.

Angletonia, February 1926

Cal smirked as he scanned down the gloss-coated paper in his hand. It was a message from Olivia informing him that she was about to do a final fitting at the bridal boutique this week for her ceremony and reception gowns, and she would love to spend some time together after.

Yes, Olivia. He had triumphantly mended the relationship with his fiancee last weekend, by sending huge bouquets of flowers to her townhouse, filling her front room out to her porch, complete with an apology letter.

When he came over to check on her the next day, Olivia showed up with a huge beaming smile, pinning him with a heartfelt kiss in her flower-filled room. It was quite the drama, really, to kiss and make up surrounded by the scents of flowery fields. He only needed to release some butterflies into the room.

Speaking from experience, Cal knew no woman could ever refuse such a grand gesture. A big chunk of flowers, complete with a sincere apology of a man admitting how wrong they were. It's almost like presenting himself to her on his hands and knees.

"These are so beautiful, my love. I am sorry too about my reaction at the banquet, it was probably too much," she sighed before drawing him into another kiss. "But you've been loyal to me, haven't you? You're not seeing that tramp again, are you?"

If his past affairs were tramps, what would that make him? A manwhore?

"Darling, haven't I told you? I am bound to you now," He cooed, hiding his inner turmoil behind a gracious smile, holding her chin between his forefinger and thumb.

Nevertheless, he was relieved that all their problems had been cleared up, especially when he'd been trying so hard to prove his father wrong about Olivia. He tried to set them up for tea today, hoping that they could finally reconcile their differences, but his father declined, citing that he had 'more pressing matters to attend to'. Obviously, he was still upset about her leaving the banquet early before their arrival. He no doubt saw it as a blatant display of disrespect to him and his mother; both as the Emperor and Empress and her future in-laws.

In conclusion, any more drama should wait until they finally said their vows, so his father could no longer step in to push any other alternative candidates onto the table. Especially one like Isleen Corodi.

"Maman, what are you reading?" he looked over to his mother with curiosity as Estelle sat down with a thick, square book sitting in her palms. "Are those holy texts?"

"Oui. Some of my longtime friends from Venanzio lent it to me. It's very interesting."

"So you have religion now?" asked Cal, amused. Unlike some countries in the western continent which have strong ties to religion, Angletonia was a secular state. Emilian I, the founder of the Leroy dynasty, had been the first to abandon the practice as the religious leaders tried to undermine her legitimacy as a female ruler. Freedom of individual faith was still of course allowed, however.

"You needn't have to have religion to have faith. I personally find the practice to be calming and peaceful. You should try it too, sometimes."

Cal raised a brow. Honestly, he had never been interested in investing his faith in something that couldn't be empirically proven. His mother, however, was always captivated by things with a strong emotional aspect.