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

Catalyst

December 22, 1887

"Mason, you should have been more gentle..." Emilia softly spoke up as she brushed out her blond curls.

"I don't agree with you on that," Mason coldly responded as he undid his tie. "Arabella knew--from a young age, may I add--that she was going to be in an arranged marriage. That little brat has already twisted her way out of the many offers we've received. This is enough, Emilia. We are not going to baby her any longer."

"Hitting our daughter is going a little far. It's cruel punishment, and if you hit hard enough, it's going to leave a mark. Did you ever think of what that would do to your reputation?" Emilia questioned as she surveyed Mason's stern face in the mirror.

"I am not discussing any more of this subject. Have a good night, Lady Whitley," he said before stiffly leaving their dressing room and going to his private bedroom.
Emilia only sighed and pressed her hand against her stomach.

'The child is being rather restless tonight,' she thought with a soft smile on her face.

---

"How did you feel about the Lord Trancy?" asked Effie as Arabella startled, dropping her book in the process. Arabella gave her sister a glare and leaned against her bed. It hadn't even been an hour since they had returned to the Whitley estate and her sister was already asking questions.

"You shouldn't sneak up on people, Effie. Didn't Nurse tell you enough that it's not proper etiquette!" Arabella donned an awful French accent as her older sister rolled her eyes.

"I already told you about how wonderful and courteous Harry was to me the first time I met him. What happened during your brief stay at Lord Trancy's estate?"

"He was positively awful. You should see the way that he treats his servants. Absolute cruelty, Effie! I can only imagine how he will treat me if we get married--" Arabella stopped talking when they heard a tap on the balcony door. Effie, with a soft giggle, moved forward to unhinge it as Arabella jumped up from her bed, straightening out her dress.

"No need for that! You look beautiful, even in a rumpled dress~" spoke up Ansel, slipping in through the opening. He swatted the snow out of his hair and fixed his warm green eyes on her. "The fresh snow is beautiful today. Would my fair lady care to accompany me on an unchaperoned walk?"

"How scandalous!" laughed Effie, holding a hand to her chest in fake surprise. "Honestly, when are there going to be any polite men?"

"You have to take risks, madame, at least once in a while. Now, what does Lady Arabella Whitley say?"

"That would be a yes to the fine gentleman if he promises to never call me that again~" She laughed heartily as the boy opened up her wardrobe and pulled out a thick coat, wrapping it around Arabella's shoulders. He offered her his hand before carefully hoisting her up on the railing of the balcony. "Thank goodness your outdoor boots were already unpacked, huh?"

"Indeed!" Arabella responded as she tilted her head up to look at the sky, which was dotted with countless stars. "It so beautiful out here~"

"Yep. It's so easy to forget all of the awful things going on outside of this peaceful haven..." Ansel secured his legs on a tree limb and slid halfway down before holding out his hand once again to assist Arabella.

"You two are crazy!" Effie exclaimed as she watched Arabella ignore his hand and climb down by herself. "Absolutely mad!"

"Have a good night, Effie!" Ansel and Arabella chorused together before hurrying off into the snowy hills, giggling and holding onto each other tightly so that they wouldn't slip. They finally stopped to lay down on a snow mound and talk.

"Ansel, did you hear that I'm engaged to marry someone?" the brunette girl asked. He moved to lean on his arm in order to better see her.

"Mama mentioned it once or twice. It was rumored that it was Earl Trancy. Is that correct?" Arabella nodded in response, and he made a snorting noise and shook his head.

"What is it?"

"He's a rather vulgar guy, isn't he? He even has an equally dark past, at least from what people say."

"What do you mean? Why didn't my parents tell me?"

"Probably didn't want you to think differently of the lad or something."

"Well, what was it then? Could you please tell me?"

"Sure. Just keep in mind that it was just gossip so don't trust it. Also, don't tell that father of yours that I was the one who told you!" Ansel looked down at his boots that were caked with snow before continuing, "Basically, he was born to rich people, so that meant a lot of people were out to get him. When he was a babe, he got kidnapped and his father set out to find him. His mother committed suicide because of how distraught she was. He looks like her, you know? Years after Earl Trancy had given up searching, the boy came back with that strange, emotionless butler. He claimed that he was Earl Trancy's child and well--the man believed him. Not even a few months after, the man died, too."

"That sounds horrible..." Arabella murmured before focusing her eyes on the stars once again. "What else did the others say about him?"

"I can't remember anymore. He used to be the talk of the village after he suddenly arrived. Some even tried to figure out who the kidnappers were. It got pretty messy, but it's quieted down a lot since then," Ansel answered before looking over at her. "Why do you ask?"

"I just wanted to know what everyone thought about him."

"No one really likes him, if that's what you wanted to know," the boy replied before taking a pair of mittens from his coat pocket. "Here you go, by the way. Your fingers are probably getting cold."

"Thank you. We should probably get back before someone notices we're gone." Arabella slipped the mittens on her small hands and hoisted herself out of the snow. Ansel dusted the snow off of each of them before grabbing Arabella's hand. As their talk changed to happier subjects, they carefully made their way back to the warm house.

---

"Did you remember her measurements, Hannah?" Alois asked the maid, who nodded her head. He was sitting at the desk, cupping his face in his palm, as his maid turned to set a cup of tea near him. The butler soon appeared at the door with a letter clutched in his large hands. "What is it now, Claude?"

"We received a letter from the Whitley family, Your Highness. It's best for you to read it immediately, I do believe," the butler answered before giving it to the boy, whose eyebrows raised in curiosity. It took him a few minutes of reading it before he made a displeased noise and took a sip of the chamomile tea.

"What is it, Your Highness?" Hannah softly asked, looking up just for a moment.

"They're practically begging me to marry Arabella. I don't like being told what to do!" Alois exclaimed as he crossed his legs and scoffed. "Those idiots can pay their own bloody debts on their own for all I care!"

"They're expecting a child, Your Highness..." the maid murmured as the boy's eyes widened.

"I didn't notice. Give it to me for not seeing something like that," the boy responded before looking over at the fire. "I order you two to leave me alone."

Claude automatically left the room as Hannah strayed back, looking at her young master who angrily glanced in her direction.

"What did I say?! Aren't you supposed to be taking my orders?"

"Please understand that I am here of my own free will, unlike Claude," the woman spoke as the boy rolled his eyes.

"I don't believe that for a second. Why don't you leave like the others, then?"

"I have a duty of sorts, Your Highness."

"Fine, don't give me straight answers..." He turned his gaze back at the fire, his mouth pulling down even more. "She's not going to feel any sort of positive emotions about me, is she? She's going to be angry if I agree."

"Keep in mind--"

"I know, Hannah! I'm already going to invite them to dinner a few days from now and I'll give them my answer then. I was just trying to tell if we're gonna have a happy marriage." He blew out a breath before adding, "I guess that's a no."