Twelfth Night: A Amourshipping and Rocketshipping Story

Chapter 5

Serena's hands shook as Giovanni led her inside Sonia's house. She was thrilled to have quickly entered the countess' property until Giovanni came demanding that she leave. What followed was a heated argument between Giovanni, James, and Serena, with Serena demanding that she see the countess. Serena was surprised at herself for being in such a heated argument, yet the woman in disguise was on a mission. No matter what Giovanni said, Serena was determined for the sake of Satoshi becoming happy even if she secretly wanted to be his wife. If nothing else, she felt she needed to see Sonia as though her employment depended on it.

Giovanni led Serena down the hall to a door on the north side of the estate. He stopped beside the door and waved his hand to gesture to Serena to enter. Serena nodded and took a few steps toward the door before Giovanni suddenly stepped in front of her and crossed his arms with a warning glare.

"Be careful what you say to the mistress, young man," Giovanni said. "I don't know what has compelled the countess to allow you to see her, but I expect you to leave as soon as you make your master's case. Otherwise, it will be my pleasure to drag you out by the hair with you kicking and screaming. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Serena said.

Giovanni hummed as he glared, suspicious of whether the duke's page would comply. Serena grew uneasy, trying not to imagine what would happen to her if Giovanni grabbed her hair and discovered that it was fake. After a few seconds, Giovanni stepped aside, and Serena gave a short bow before she went in.

Serena struggled to see, for the curtains covered the drawing room's tall windows. Only the curtains for the middle window were open just enough to let in a small amount of sunlight. Jessie stood beside the middle window with her hands down and clasped together while Sonia sat on the couch facing the windows. Serena grew uncomfortable, unsure who was in the room with her. Jessie's appearance didn't match how Satoshi described Lady Sonia in his letter, and the woman in black covered her head with her veil. After a moment, Serena cleared her throat and put on a straight face.

"Excuse me, but are either of you the lady of the household?" Serena asked.

"Deliver your message, sir. I'll speak on her behalf," the woman in black answered.

Serena grew more uncomfortable, wishing she got a better answer. She took out the letter, cleared her throat again, prepared to proclaim Satoshi's feelings, and then stopped to think about it.

"If the countess refuses to let me see her, then I might have to accept that relaying the message to someone in her household is as close as I or anyone else will get to talking to her," Serena thought. "On the other hand, the lady on the couch appears to be wearing funeral clothes. So, maybe that's her, but she doesn't want to say it."

Serena continued to debate with herself until she decided that the woman in black was Sonia. She turned to face Sonia and took a breath to speak, but then she stopped herself again. Sonia scoffed, making Serena feel awkward as she walked over to Jessie.

"Madame, please tell me if that's Lady Sonia over there," Serena said.

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Sonia said. "Yes, Sonia's my name, I am the countess, and I tire of you not speaking your peace already. Give me the basics of what your master has to say, and be gone."

"I beg your pardon, my lady, but I cannot do that," Serena said. "I am instructed to deliver my master's letter as he has written it, and frankly, I am not comfortable completing my task without displaying the passion behind his letter."

"If Duke Satoshi's message is no good without the passion, then his declaration must ring hollow," Sonia said.

"That's not true. I must insist that you don't disregard my master's letter when I haven't even read it to you," Serena said.