Right now, back in the Head Council's chambers, everyone except for Vincent and the Hookes looked stunned. Speechless at how the pureblooded vampire had immediately agreed to the deal offered to him. Eve stood at the side, staring at Vincent, who finished reading the parchments of documents.
Lady Aurora made it clear to Vincent, "You will not take back the word you have given. Disappearing from here isn't allowed. Nor will you leave my daughter standing at the altar without your presence. You will marry Rosetta by word and presence of every member of the high society. If you fail to follow it, you and the rest of the Moriarty family will be charged for my sister-in-law, Camille Wright's murder."
Vincent leaned forward, picking up the quill dipped in the ink bottle. He signed his name on it as an agreement and then handed it to Lady Aurora.
"Is that it?" Vincent calmly asked the woman, while Lady Aurora's eyes narrowed at him, wanting to make sure he wouldn't pull anything from his sleeve to nullify the agreement.
Lady Aurora picked up the document and stared at his signature. She then handed it to Clayton, "Mr. Turner, we would like you to verify that this is his signature and would like the Council to get a blood seal."
"Pardon me, Marchioness, but you sound very witchy when you say that, Lady Aurora," Vincent remarked and Lady Aurora softly huffed.
"You forget that I am a woman way beyond the years that you cannot catch up to," the older vampiress stated in pride.
"That's one way to say that you are an old woman," Vincent couldn't help commenting on it, and when Lady Aurora glared, he added, "Mother-in-law," and he offered her a bright smile.
Clayton rolled his eyes at the things he had to diffuse and he took a look at Vincent's signature before confirming, "This is his signature."
"Good. Now time to complete it with blood on the marker book," Lady Aurora was persistent and thorough with her actions, not wanting to leave a loose thread for Vincent to use against her.
"Byron get the registry," Clayton ordered the councilman, and the man quickly bowed, leaving the room to fetch the marker. He then asked the Hookes, "Are you sure you don't want to prosecute him further if you feel he is guilty?"
Marquee Hooke replied, "We aren't sure why my sister was killed, but I am hoping it is for a valid reason. And if we can bring peace in our lives than vengeance, I don't see why we should not opt for it." Lady Aurora agreed to this by giving a nod, and he stated, "There is something that I would like to request or more so, to be imposed, Head Council."
"And what might that be?" Clayton questioned, while the others waited for him to disclose it.
"I would like my family to live in the Moriarty mansion until the wedding is over. Just to keep an eye and closeness so that everything is being abided. Also keep distance from this lowly human," Marquee Hooke obviously didn't trust his future son-in-law.
Vincent wasn't too keen on accommodating the Hookes in his home even though he had agreed to the deal for now. He expressed, "We both live in Skellington, Marquee Hooke. I do not see why you need to worry when we live barely five minutes away from each other. The whole purpose of abiding with the marker is so that you can be at ease. I am not sure I want to marry a woman, whose family cannot put a little more faith in me. Unless the Wright mansion isn't doing in a good condition..." he drawled, his eyes slightly narrowing, and Lady Aurora didn't want anyone to know about their family's poor condition.
The older vampiress corrected her husband's words, "My husband and I will be staying at the Wright's mansion, but we would prefer for Rosetta to live in the Moriarty mansion. Especially when Ms. Barlow is living there, accommodating one more person shouldn't be that hard."
While everyone discussed Hooke's staying in the Moriarty mansion, Marceline stood at the side staring at her brother with a bewildered look. It was because the young vampiress couldn't comprehend how her brother had agreed to the deal so quickly. Though siblings by blood, she had hoped for him to suffer a little more, just like she was scared with no fangs in her mouth.
Her brother had left the lowly human behind, while taking the deal with the Hooke. It made Marceline question why he even defanged her. He had humiliated her for someone he didn't bother about anymore. Unless... there was something else cooking in his mind, but there was no way out of this situation. She needed to keep a close eye until he married Marquee's daughter.
"Rosetta and I haven't spent enough time with each other. To get to know one another and this might be a good plan, to have her at the Moriarty mansion," Vincent nodded, and Lady Aurora held doubt in her eyes even though it was her husband who had proposed the thought.
"Then it is settled," Lady Aurora remarked and she said, "But we will still need you to mark your blood."
Vincent sighed, "What has this world come to. First you trap me of a murder I didn't commit, and then you say you don't trust me."
Soon, Byron returned with a large book that looked like the registry. When the pages were turned, Eve noticed there were names and thumbprints marked in blood in front of them.
Eve watched Vincent bite into his thumb, drawing a drop of blood, he placed his thumb in front of his name on the page. With this, his fate was sealed, and he had to keep his promise of marrying Rosetta Hooke, and there was no way of backing out of it.
Marquee Hooked congratulated Vincent, "We'll hold an engagement before the wedding, this way everyone will know about it. What do you think, Viscount Eduard?" He turned to look at the older vampire, who had been quietly observing with slight shock and confusion.
Like Eve, Viscount Eduard didn't know what was cooking in Vincent's mind. As the deal had been made, he nodded. Putting up a polite smile and going along with whatever his son was planning, he replied, "We shall hold it in the Moriarty mansion."
"That sounds absolutely lovely!" Lady Aurora chimed in with a delighted smile on her lips. She said, "It seems like we have to look for rings. I should let Rosetta know about this, she will be dancing after hearing this news." Before leaving the room with her husband, the older vampiress paused in front of Eve, who stood at the end. She said, "Rosetta will need a bridesmaid to help her, you are invited for the wedding," offering a sweet smile, she and Marquee Hooke stepped out of the room.
Soon Byron left the room to follow the Hookes to talk to them, while Marceline decided to excuse herself, "I am feeling very tired with the day. I would like to return to the mansion, father."
But Viscount Eduard was not done talking to her, and he demanded, "Why did you help the Hooke's, Marceline?"
Marceline turned startled and asked, "Help? They cornered me for an answer and the councilman said they had all the evidence along with the testimony of the maid. I didn't want to get anyone else to get into trouble but tell the truth..." she blinked in innocence.
