Mr. & Mrs Meropide

Chapter Thirteen: Plans for the Weekend

Wriothesley was still smiling as he made his way down the narrow corridors of the Fortress of Meropide, heading towards the laundry room to pick up Clorinde's now-cleaned uniform. The earlier events had left him in high spirits, and the thought of seeing Clorinde's reaction to the fresh, crisp outfit brought a certain lightness to his steps. He had insisted on retrieving the uniform himself, knowing that Clorinde wasn't entirely comfortable walking through the fortress in the borrowed clothes. After all, she worked closely with many of the guards in safeguarding the artifact and was highly respected by most of the prisoners due to her formidable fighting skills. It was important to her to maintain that respect and professionalism, and Wriothesley understood that better than anyone.

As Wriothesley arrived at the laundry room, he was greeted by the familiar hum of machinery and the faint scent of detergent. One of the attendants, a young woman with a friendly smile, looked up as he entered and was momentarily surprised to see the Duke in such high spirits. It wasn't every day that Wriothesley exuded this kind of energy, and she couldn't help but attribute it to the excellent duel that had become the talk of the entire fortress.

The duel had left a profound impact on everyone who had witnessed it. The fortress had always known Wriothesley to be a formidable force, but for the first time, they saw what it meant for him to go all out. The inmates, especially those who had prided themselves on coming close to beating the Duke in the past, were now faced with a sobering truth—Wriothesley had always held back against them. Had he unleashed his full strength, he could have seriously, even permanently, hurt them.

This realization had shaken the inmates, showing them just how untouchable the Duke truly was. The duel with Clorinde had been an even fight between two giants, where both could unleash their full power, knowing the other was skilled enough to dodge or parry the dangerous attacks. It was a rare spectacle, a showcase of true strength and skill, and it had left the fortress buzzing with admiration—and a touch of awe.

The attendant handed him Clorinde's uniform, neatly pressed and folded, with a newfound respect in her eyes. "Here you go, Duke," she said, her tone a bit more formal than usual, reflecting the heightened reverence the fortress now held for him.

Wriothesley thanked her with a nod, his good mood undiminished as he made his way back to his quarters.

When he arrived, Clorinde was still seated comfortably on the couch, her damp hair now mostly dry. She had been lounging in the oversized shirt and shorts, looking more relaxed than he had ever seen her. The casual attire and the serene expression on her face were a far cry from the composed and disciplined warrior he was used to seeing.

"Here you go," Wriothesley said as he handed over her freshly cleaned uniform. "All ready for you."

Clorinde took the clothes with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Wriothesley. I appreciate you doing this."

He waved off her thanks with a casual shrug. "No problem at all. Besides, it gave me a chance to stretch my legs a bit."

As Clorinde stood up to change back into her uniform, Wriothesley's earlier thoughts about a break from fortress life resurfaced. "You know," he began, leaning against the wall as he watched her gather her things, "we should really follow through on that idea of taking a trip. It's been a while since either of us had a proper break."

Clorinde paused, turning to look at him with a curious expression. "You're serious about that?"

"Completely," Wriothesley replied, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "We both need it, and I think it could be good for us to get away for a bit. How about this weekend?"