In the chapel of the town of Hollow Valley, Eve and Vincent held each other's hands and stepped out of the chapel with smiles. As the newlywed stepped out of the place, flower petals were showered on them.ﾂ
While most of the invites there were happy for the newlywed couple, one person in particular, didn't hold a smile but a scowl on her face.ﾂ
Marceline Moriarty was appalled that her family was going against the Council's rules. Though she was the sister of Vincent Moriarty, she had not bothered to take part in his marriage and refused to believe it had taken place. She continued to sit inside the chapel in the front row bench.ﾂ
The vampiress was bitter because of the humiliation and shame that was brought to her by her family members.ﾂ
Marceline gritted her teeth when she felt people stare at her and then at the hem of her dress as if waiting to find her missing leg. Rumours about her rotten foot had spread farther than the Skellington town, and most of the guests were curious to see if it was true.ﾂ
"Milady."
Marceline heard a male's voice, and when she raised her head, she noticed it was one of the men in the society, whom she had ignored.ﾂ
"Would you like me to help?" The man politely asked, but his words only turned Marceline angry. She bluntly remarked,ﾂ
"I am perfectly capable of getting up by myself without help."
And when Marceline pushed her hands on the surface of the wooden bench she had been sitting on, her wooden leg creaked and she turned embarrassed by it. Two women, who stood afar inside the chapel, whispered amongst themselves.
When Marceline finally stood straight, she staggered and as her wooden foot stamped the front of her gown, before she could do anything, she fell on the floor.ﾂ
The same person whom she had rejected a few seconds ago, returned to her aid and bending down said, "Milady, let me he窶能"
"Get your hands off of me!" Marceline shouted at the man, receiving a few guests' attention who were yet to step out of the chapel.ﾂ
This time the man turned annoyed, and said, "I only meant to offer you my help. There's no need for you to behave as if I am an untouchable person," saying those words, he left her side without looking at her.
No one dared to go near Marceline, because of her previous outburst and they quickly stepped out of the chapel. With the other Moriarty members busy outside, they didn't witness what happened. One woman Marceline had shunned appeared in front of her, who was none other than Jennifer, the woman she had recently visited after stabbing Eve's servant.ﾂ
Marceline tried to stand straight and not to stagger, feeling the squeaky stiffness of her wooden leg.ﾂ
"Marceline, you look lovely today. How are you doing?" Jennifer asked Marceline.ﾂ
"How am I doing?" Marceline snapped in anger. Her eyes had turned wide, and she was livid with her life. "How do you think I am looking?!"ﾂ
Jennifer looked surprised by Marceline's outburst, and so were the few others who heard the young vampiress burst. Marceline Moriarty had always been the poised young lady in their circle of society. The image she had built up for so many years had crumbled, and everyone was surprised by her rude behaviour.ﾂ
"Not so good窶ｦ" Jennifer innocently answered. The woman could tell Marceline was in pain. "I heard about what happened to your leg. I am sorry about it."ﾂ
As if this wedding and her family didn't remind her enough of her plight, Marceline felt people judging her now. She couldn't believe she was standing next to the least popular woman in the whole of Skellington town, and the people who often flocked around her, no one wanted to look at her or smile.ﾂ
"Did you hear that? So it is true," one of the women whispered, who belonged to high society.ﾂ
"I told you something wasn't right about her," said another woman next to the one who had spoken in a low voice, but Marceline could hear them well. "She tried to behave as if she was superior to us, and even talked down to me. Serves her right."ﾂ
"Who do you think you are talking about?" Marceline snapped at them. Lady Annalise, who had stepped inside the chapel, heard this and pursed her lips with a frown.ﾂ
"Marceline," Lady Annalise looked angry as she made her way towards her elder daughter. She pulled the young vampiress to the side and asked in a low voice, "What are you doing?"ﾂ
"What am I doing? What are you doing?" Marceline asked in confusion and a hint of hysteria. "You are going against the Council rules. No against the King and Queen's word!"ﾂ
"That is something your brother will handle. If you continue to make a scene, we'll have no choice but not send you to the South mansion," Lady Annalise had lost patience with Marceline, and there was no other way to handle the young vampiress, but with strict words and ultimatums.ﾂ
Marceline clenched her hands and said, "If you were really my mother, you would have known what I am going through. You would be there to wipe my tears. Instead, you are encouraging the wedding of my brother, a pureblooded vampire to a lowly human. I thought we were alike! You didn't want Vince marrying a human from that lowly place either!"ﾂ
Lady Annalise's eyes softened for a moment before they hardened, and she said, "It is true. But I also know when heart and love triumph and precedes everything. Something, someone I knew taught me. Today is a day of joy, if you don't want to take it, sit quietly."
Marceline didn't stay there to listen to more words from her mother, and walked away from there as fast as her wooden leg could carry her. She stepped away from the couple who were being hovered by people, and when she walked around and reached the backside of the church, she noticed the Duke of Woodlock standing there.ﾂ
The young vampiress, who was walking, slipped and fell on the snow. Noah, who caught sight of this, quickly helped her.ﾂ
"Lady Marceline," Noah helped Marceline stand, and Marceline didn't bother to hide her wooden leg so that she could get his sympathy. "What happened to your leg?"ﾂ
"My leg, I had a bad infection, Duke Noah窶ｦ they had to cut it," Marceline hid her face behind her handkerchief.ﾂ
"I am sorry to hear that. You should have sat inside than come here," Noah suggested.ﾂ
Marceline felt a sudden pain in her chest when her feelings for him returned. She concentrated on the pain, and it disappeared. She wondered what it was about. She then returned to look at Noah and offered him a smile.ﾂ
"I saw you standing here and thought it would be rude to not greet you," Marceline replied sweetly, before she said, "Duke Noah, can I suggest that we窶能"
The pain in her heart came in full force as if someone was trying to rip her heart out, and she placed her hand on her chest, while her face twisted in pain.ﾂ
"Lady Marceline?" Noah turned worried. "Are you okay? Shall I call your family?"ﾂ
Marceline looked as if she couldn't breathe and took a step away from him. This couldn't be happening! It was as if every time she tried to get closer to Noah, she couldn't speak more. It took her a second before her eyes widened. No窶ｦ
There was no way the ritual the witcher spoke of had another sacrifice. Did it pick sacrificing her feelings for Noah?! It hadn't gone through窶ｦShe hadn't seen the dagger glow!
"Don't tell me it wasn't one but two self sacrifices," she whispered, with her eyes turning as wide as a saucer.ﾂ
Marceline looked back at the Duke and said hurriedly, "Excuse me!" Turning around, she left in haste.ﾂ
On the way, Anaya came across Marceline, who staggered as she walked past her without a greeting. The she-wolf turned and watched the vampiress, and in time Noah caught up to where she stood. She curiously asked, "What was that about?"ﾂ
"I don't know. One moment, she seemed to be in pain and then she wasn't," Noah replied with the frown still on his face.ﾂ
Anaya asked him, "Do you want to walk to the front of the chapel?"ﾂ
Noah nodded, "Sure."ﾂ
As they came to the front, Noah's eyes fell on Eve, who looked happy next to Vincent. Today he had done something he knew he would have to since many years ago, but it was in a literal way, where he had handed his love away to another man. He watched the way she glowed. They both had come a long way, and he exhaled the air through his lips.ﾂ
Anaya said, "They make a beautiful couple, don't they? She said, "What you did inside earlier, that was a very sweet thing to do, Duke Noah. You must have a very strong mind and heart."
Anaya was talking about Noah walking Eve down the aisle. He smiled and said, "Sometimes you turn happy if the other person is happy." The she-wolf noticed how the Duke had a calm expression with a smile on his lips and wondered how true it was.ﾂ
"Duke Noah?"ﾂ
"Yes?" Noah turned to look at the she-wolf, who was already looking at him.ﾂ
"I heard about this place to have breakfast. Do you have time for it? I am hungry" Anaya asked. Noah smiled at her question and he stretched his hand forward as if for them to start walking.ﾂ
