A Thief for a Bride

Thief for a Bride (chapter two - The Deal)

Shout-out to ssammygirl for being my first fan! :D Go read her stuff!!!

Genevieve heard the cell door open and sat bolt upright when she realized Crispin was no longer sitting next to her. The dungeon was still dark because there were no windows so it was impossible to tell the time. She squinted through the darkness and saw two guards standing in the doorway. Thankfully they were not the same two from the day before. 

"You need to come with us," one of them said motioning towards her. "The duke would like a word." 

"Where is my brother?" she asked but feared the answer. She couldn't hear a crowd in the courtyard which meant there hadn't been a hanging, yet. 

"He is safe," the second guard answered but there was something wrong with the way he said it. It almost sounded like he wanted to say 'for now'. "The duke will explain everything." 

Genevieve got to her feet but felt Giovanni's hand come around her wrist. She looked back at him and didn't need him to speak to know what he was thinking. She needed only to look in his eyes. He was worried for her. She knew what kind of person the duke was but if she met with him again maybe she could convince him to let her brother and the rest of her family go. She gently pulled out of Giovanni's grasp. 

"I'll be fine," she assured him but doubted what the duke had to say was going to be good news. Genevieve followed the guards passed the other cells and out of the dungeon. They led her back through the manor to the duke's private study and opened the doors. After quickly ushering her inside they closed the doors behind her with a loud click. The duke stood in front of the large window the overlooked the courtyard. He looked over his shoulder at her and motioned for her to come closer. 

"There is something I want to show you," he said as Genevieve cautiously moved closer to him. She looked out the window and felt the blood drain from her face. Crispin was in the courtyard with five other guards. Two were standing at the edges of a small stage that had been built while another guard had his foot on Crispin's back, holding his head to a chopping block. 

"Crispin!" Genevieve screamed but he couldn't hear her passed the glass. She whirled on the duke, wanting nothing more than to smack him across the face. "You said you would spare him!" 

"On the contrary," the man said calmly. "I said I would see what I could do which, unfortunately, was not much. You see, the officials in this city don't take lightly to crime, especially thievery." 

"Crispin didn't take anything, it was just me," Genevieve explained. 

"But he was still watching out for you in case any officials came wandering by. He is just as guilty as you." 

"Please, I'll do anything if you spare him," she pleaded. The duke seemed to ponder this for a moment before smiling slightly. 

"I suppose there is something you could do," he said slowly. 

"Name it, I'll do it." 

"Marry me." 

Genevieve didn't speak for a moment. She couldn't have heard the man right! Marry him? It had only been a few hours ago that he had been saying how much he despised her and now he was saying he wanted to be tied to her for the rest of his mortal life? She refused! Not in this life or any other life would she marry the black hearted scoundrel! 

"I don't understand," she said slowly. "You hate me. What benefit do you receive from marrying me?" 

"I don't hate you," the duke said slyly. "What I get out of this is entirely my business. All you have to decide is if your freedom is more important than your brother's life." He raised his hand and Genevieve saw the executioner raise his axe.