Unfortunately, I'm an Evil Villainess

Chapter 98 - Festival (II)

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Baron Bryant smiled as he and his family explored the festival. Isabel hadn't seemed this happy since before Catherine, and though he was disappointed that he couldn't bring the girl, he was satisfied with this temporary serenity. Besides, he was sure that Isabel would warm to Catherine eventually, especially after the plan succeeded. She was a practical woman, after all.

"Daddy! I wanna go in there!"

Briana pointed at a mysterious purple tent decorated with golden stars. A fortune teller, perhaps. The baron didn't believe in nonsense like that, since magic researchers had proven countless times that it was impossible to see into the future. Nevertheless, he nodded.

"Certainly, sweetheart."

Briana took her mother's hand in one hand and her father's in the other, and merrily skipped to the tent. The baron lifted the flaps that acted as doors and was immediately assaulted by an assortment of strange smells, mostly sweet and not unpleasant, but too intense to be comfortable. Still, his daughter happily barged in.

The space seemed larger on the inside than it was on the outside, and most of it was shrouded in eerie shadows. The only light came from numerous dim candles that did more in releasing faintly coloured and strong-smelling fumes than in illuminating. In the center was a small table with a crystal ball, before it, an empty chair, and behind it, a woman wearing a dark veil. The woman stretched out a hand.

"Welcome, dear guests. Shall I tell your fortunes?"

Her voice was melodic and soothing, but slightly raspy. She could've been a young maiden or an old crone, but the baron recognized exactly what she was, and stiffened. Briana took a step forward, and the woman beckoned.

"Come, child. Sit."

The baron quickly evaluated his options and decided it was best to do nothing. This being was far too powerful to risk offending, and while she had appeared mostly reasonable in their dealings, there was no telling with the eccentricities of immortals. Briana went towards her and sat down on the little chair.

"What is your name, child?"

"Lady Briana Victoria Bryant!"

"Ah, I see..."

The woman stroked the crystal ball, and a dark mist began to form within. It swirled and danced, and vague shapes emerged, but never lingered long enough to be understood by the baron's mortal eye. The woman delicately reached across the table and touched Briana's hand.

"You will lose a dear friend soon," she said. "But worry not, for you can do nothing to stop it. It will be painful, yes, and cause great conflict around you, but such will be the way of the world. You will be a duchess in an era of suffering, but you are strong, so you will survive."

Briana tilted her head for a second, then nodded solemnly. She leapt off the stool and ran to her mother.

"I'm going to be a duchess, Mommy! But I'm hungry, so I want a donut!"

Isabel glanced at the baron warily. The baron smiled in reassurance, pretending that he wasn't even more unsettled than she was. He quickly threw a few coins onto the table, and the woman looked up at him.

"Won't you like your fortune told, sir? I believed it'd be useful."

He shook his head, took Isabel's arm, and wheeled his family out of the tent. When they were a safe distance away, he let go and patted his pockets.

"Take Briana for some donuts, dear," he said to his wife. "I must've forgotten my pocket watch back at that fortune teller's. I'll go look for it and meet you by the fountain."