One and Only (Corpse Bride fanfic; Victor x Emily)

chapter twenty seven

UNEDITED

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Emily's POV:
Victor has gone MAD! What nonsense is he sprouting about? Murdered?! This is outrageous and such allegations towards Lord Barkis. A kiss?! He hoped that'll change my mind? OH! If I could curse him and.... I shouldn't fret over this. I should be happy that I'm getting married. I tucked myself back into my bed and fell asleep dreaming about my elopement with Barkis.

I told my ladies to join me at the cabin late in the night as I will be celebrating my last night with them. I haven't told them about Barkis's proposal as Barkis requested that our engagement remains a secret. I was excited to see my lovely ladies, the Wilsons and my beau finally getting along. I opened the door to the cabin and I immediately fell in disappointment by the scene. Lord Barkis was drunk and making himself look like a fool. My ladies were sitting on the loft bench, awkwardly and watching him being a pillock. The looks of annoyance and uncomfortable can be seen on my ladies faces. I stood by the door, watching him stumble to the ground and get back up. Barkis turns around and noticed my present.

"Emmie! My beau-beautiful misses!" Barkis drunkenly says. I rolled my eyes and sat down with Edith and Alice.

"Ladies, you ought to see the gem Barkis gave me." I showed them the ring. They looked unsure and leaned in closer to see the ring.

"It's... outdated but modern." Alice states, sipping on her wine. My eyebrows raised in confusion.

"What does that mean?"

"Does not matter, it only matters if you like it." Edith spoke. Barkis had tripped over his own footing and his head landed into my lap.

"Hello my darling!" He shouted, I patted his head and giggled.

"Hello my prince." I smiled then Barkis sits up and started kissing my neck aggressively. Sensing my ladies's uncomfortableness, I pushed him off of me before he could go any further. He kept pulling me closer so I gave up and stood up.

"Perhaps it is time we go home." I say to everyone, we all said our farewells before I carried Barkis to the carriage. The coachman was waiting for us, I struggled to get him inside. Once I got Barkis in, I sat in front of the old drunk. The coachman shouted at the horses and off we went. I was upset with Barkis, I expected him to celebrate our engagement together not by himself. Now I'm the one having to deal with him being a drunk!

"My lord," I called out as he focused on how to breathe. I gave him a stern look and crossed my arms in front of my chest.

"You've ought to be ashamed of yourself. Making us both look like fools!" I shouted. Barkis lifted his head up at me.

"You've ought to be taught some manners. Watch how you raise your voice." He smugly says. Barkis yanked me into his lap and starts undoing my corset. He held my neck and I couldn't breathe. The smell of alcohol reeked as I gasped for air and fought against his strength. With all my power, I grabbed his hands away from my neck but he pins me against the carriage wall, moving his hand onto my thighs. Using my legs, I pushed him off of me and smacked him over and over before opening the carriage's door and jumping out. I took a tumble but I quickly got up. It was cold, I covered myself with my furry cloak. There were a few snow on the ground. I shivered my way back into the town.

"Emily?!" My name was being shouted from above, I looked up to see who was calling for me. My body relaxed once I realized who it was. Victor.

"What are you doing in the freezing cold? Oh, never mind that! Quickly come inside!" He gestured me to climb up his balcony, I followed his instructions and climbed up. Victor helps me and wraps me in a big quilt bringing me over to his fire place. I shivered, I saw myself through Victor's mirror. My lips were blue and my skin was pale. Victor poured me a cup of warm tea.

"That ought to warm you up." He tells me. I drank the tea and just like he said, it had warmed me up. We both sat in silence, Victor brought more quilts to wrap around me. Sitting by the fire was nice.

"Would you like to read a book?" Victor asked, I nodded and he hands me a book. I began to read it but something bothered me at the back of my head.

"Why are you so kind to me after I yelled at you?"

"You were walking in the cold, I cannot turn away a dear friend." He was right, any dear friend would do that if they saw their friend in the cold. I closed the book and stood up.

"I appreciate your kindness but I must go before dawn appears."

"Are you silly?" Victor stops me.

"I don't mean to intrude--"

"You could never intrude. It is late in the night still, stay the night. You can slumber on my bed and I'll sleep by the fireplace."

"Is that alright?"

"Indeed, let me fetch you a nightgown." He goes to his drawers and picked out a nightgown. He hands me the gown before heading towards the door.

"Knock when you're decent." Victor says as he closes the door. I stripped out of my dirty gown and into Victor's nightgown. I knocked the door so Victor can come back into the flat. I laid down settling into Victor's bed. He sat in the chair, reading a book by the fire. I kept looking over at Victor, worried about his sleep. Every time I opened my mouth, nothing comes out so I laid there staring at the ceiling. Listening to the fire burn and crackle put me to sleep. I'm not sure how long I was asleep for but I was woken by Victor holding me tightly. The look of worried was written all over his face.

"You are okay, Emily." Victor tells me, I sat up and hugged him as I sobbed into his shoulder.

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