The Butterfly Caught in the Spider's Web (Alois Trancy x OC)

Shards

December 21, 1887

"I do not want to bother with that little brat!" argued Arabella Whitley with her parents as she tried to think of the best ways to murder her wretched fiancée. The fifteen-year-old had always protested against marrying anyone. Now, however, it was only a matter of time before her parents carted her off to live with the rather unfortunate boy. Many families didn't even show up when Arabella and the parents met to arrange a marriage. Only one, a Lord Trancy, decided that she would be good for his son because of her "spunk". Sadly, the old man died within months of meeting with the Whitley family, so they were now traveling to the funeral since her parents believed it would look good for them to attend.

"Isn't it absolutely lovely to finally meet the boy?" tried Emilia, rubbing her swollen stomach and smiling softly at her daughter.

"Yes...at a funeral! How lovely!" the girl exclaimed, dramatically throwing up her arms.

"We're going to have a talk with your nurse about this disrespect you seem to show everyone," her father said, turning his eyes away from her.

"I just have bigger plans than rotting away in some rotting, old manor. I was willing to marry Ansel, remember?" Arabella smiled at the idea of him, her beautiful friend. He was taller than her, with dark brown hair and emerald green eyes. The only issue was that he was the son of one of the housemaids. His mother, Jane, had become pregnant out of wedlock. The Whitleys pitied her and decided to offer her a position working in their manor. Jane became one of the cleaners, and while she was working, Ansel would sneak away to spend time with Arabella. The two became close to one another, and Arabella found that she began having romantic feelings for the boy, who reciprocated it. The two decided that they would elope and run away to America as soon as they turned eighteen. However, her parents had completely different plans for her.

"Marry Ansel Watson?!" exclaimed her father, rolling his dark brown eyes and turning his head out the window. "You need to get that damn boy out of the head, Arabella. Now stop whining; at least you're not going to be an old maid."

"It would be much better than being locked in a loveless marriage..." murmured the girl, which was ignored by her parents.

---

"Father!" the boy's sobs echoed throughout the church. His butler, a monstrously tall man with unruly dark hair and glasses that shielded his unusual yellow eyes, stood behind him. The boy was laid out on top of the dark coffin dressed in a dark shirt, boots, a vest, a jacket, and booty shorts. Rolling her eyes, Arabella shared a glance with her mother, who looked as nervous as her. Her father, Mason, shoved a bouquet of black roses into her small hands and went to stand behind the boy.

"I'm sorry for your loss. You are Alois Trancy, correct?" started Mason, gasping when the boy spun around and hugged him tightly. Tears were streaming down his face, but he was still smiling. Arabella and Emilia followed closely after Mason, Emilia's brow creasing at the boy's strange actions.

"Yes! It's so nice to meet you!" He turned swiftly to shake Emilia's hand before trying to hug Arabella in his manic fervency.

"Don't touch me!" the girl swatted his arms away causing the boy's smile to immediately disappear. He childishly pouted and turned his back from her, and Arabella watched as her parents interacted with the suddenly jovial boy. His butler stood a few feet away from the three, studying her with his strange eyes. When he noticed that she was looking at him, the man nodded in her direction. Immediately, Arabella walked over to talk with him.

"You must be Lady Arabella Whitley," he dead-panned, moving to shake her outstretched hand.

"Yes. And you are?"