Ordained

Chapter One Hundred and Forty Seven

"Your grace. There is a delivery for you." Gregor interrupted Emmeline's reading with a look of deepest regret. She smiled warmly, Gregor never really said very much but she had come to depend on his stoic protective presence. She almost never left the manor without him now.

"A delivery?" She wondered, taking the cloak he handed her and drifting out of the library to the front doors. Winter was settling over Marcellia and she was finding that the cooler weather mildly comforting now that she felt so settled in the Manor. The roaring fires, the soft cloaks, the heavy tapestries and rugs that now filled the halls and rooms gave everywhere an oddly festive feeling. More than once she had marvelled at how, under her and Cassius' direction, the house that had felt so cold and lifeless to her last winter, now felt so full of warmth and joy.

A cart, covered in many layers of thick cream fabric was being unloaded as she passed outside. Almost at once she recognised the colours of House Elva on the men. Her father had sent this delivery.

"Your grace." The oldest of the men bowed low upon seeing her, the others quickly following suit. "Your father has instructed us to bring you your dowry and to express his love and well wishes to you and your future husband."

It was formal and stiffly delivered but she smiled and thanked them anyways, insisting they rest at the manor a few days before making such a long journey home. It was the polite thing to do when she saw how they were shivering. The weather in Marcellia was less forgiving than it was on her father's lands. With a tiny note of pride she reflected on how she had hardened to her new home, the cold hardly even bothered her now.

"Why would he send this much?" She wondered aloud, looking over the receipt of items once again. 15,000 in gold, a set of tapestries, two small puppies, and a small chest of jewellery that had belonged to her mother. It was far more than she had ever expected and as she ran her hand over the jewellery box she felt an odd pang of regret that she wasn't closer with the man who had sent the gifts. She and her father had started off their relationship on the wrong foot since the day she was born and it had never been rectified. Killian had loved his wife, Emmeline's mother deeply, and her death during childbirth had impacted him deeply. While he said he didn't blame his daughter, his actions spoke to the contrary.

A note was placed in her hand by one of the attendants, her father's seal glinting up at her. Snapping the disc of wax she opened the letter, not sure what to expect.

Emmeline.

Before your mother died, she left me with written wishes for each of our children if she were to pass.

Angeline was so certain you were a girl, but after so many sons I didn't believe her. She was right of course.

The gifts I have sent were what she had instructed to be provided to her daughter upon her wedding. I couldn't bear not to honour her wishes, and so this is yours.

Your father.

A strong hand encircled her waist from behind, settling possessively over her stomach. Closing her eyes briefly she smiled as Cassius' lips came to rest against her pulse. Her head tilted to the side automatically, loving the way he always kissed her just below her ear. "What's all this?" He purred against her hair, making her giggle.

"It's my dowry." She explained, hearing her own note of disbelief in her words.

Cassius looked up, and she swore she could almost hear his brain processing what his eyes were telling him. "Really? Killian sent all this?"

Emmeline just shrugged against her future husband. "I guess so." She lifted the letter up for Cassius to read over her shoulder, against her ear he let out a low chuckle. "I was convinced he either wouldn't send it at all, or would send it so late that our wedding was a distant memory." Emmeline said nothing but she had been of the same opinion.

"Perhaps I misjudged your father." Cassius mused, his thumb now rubbing small circles into her stomach.

Perhaps they both had. 

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Author's Note:

Maybe Killian wasn't so bad after all... sike, he's the worst. 

S x