The Art of the Corset (2017)

Chapter Forty One- Return of Familiarity

"You could have gotten yourself killed." A familiar voice spoke as Evelyn awoke with a throbbing head and the sight of an old love. Marth brought over a goblet of water before she looked around to realize she was in unfamiliar territory-surrounded by unlit candles lining a set of uneven shelves. For a moment, she had remained still as she soaked in her surroundings, before then looking to Marth who was carefully watching her.

"You should not pursue such dangerous ventures, let alone with alcohol..."

"Where am I?" She asked while she moved from the bed, setting the water at her side, and holding her pounding head with her palm.

"Chartiar Roseaire."

She gave a confused expression before he then threw open a nearby set of curtains to reveal a beautiful scene of wide ocean through the window. Although at a distance, boats sailed upon the water as others rested at their ports, waiting to be used for their purpose again. Moving to the scene, she also saw duos of men and women carrying objects or just holding hands as they moved about the town. The town itself was incredibly relaxed with not a single curse of famine or poverty having stricken the area, but happiness and love had taken its place. Keeping her hand near her face to block the sun from her eyes, she also noticed how the customs of the people varied from those she knew beforehand.

"Where exactly am I?"

"France."

"I cannot be..."

"I found you outside of a tavern covered in dirt and your clothes torn from God only knows...I had been traveling this way and decided to take you with."

"I am not some servant you can place wherever you see fit! I am promised to another and-"

"I did not bring you here to persuade you to be with me. You spoke truth when telling me you were falling for him. I will not come into that...you and I have traveled our purpose together...I accept that."

Slightly hurt by his words, but also relieved, Evelyn had now moved from the window and followed Marth as he moved past the foyer and onto the streets of the city. The scent of fresh pastries automatically filled the air as Evelyn's stomach began a series of monstrous growls.

"When is the last time you have eaten?"

Trying to remember, her silence gave him an answer while he led the way to a bakery nearby. Pulling open the door and allowing her entry first, a woman hovering over a counter and covered in flour turned and offered Marth a large smile.

"Your majesty...how grand you decided to grace us. What would you like?"

"Two strawberry pies with your sugar glaze and tea."

"Certainly." The woman offered her daughter a look of urgency as she ran to the other side of the counter and began making what was requested. Filling the silence with small talk, Evelyn and Marth were then given their meals before devouring every last crumb and paying for their meal and making their way out. As the day drew later, Evelyn's headache began to ease as she was brought to a wooden cabin located between a brothel and a clothing market. Marth made his way inside without care of the inhabitants, only to hear a crashing sound and an expletive in a language that she did not understand.

"Winnie!" Marth called out as his sister moved from around a corner and towards him, pulling him into a deep hug. "Do not expect me to bow to you." She joked before then offering Evelyn a hug as well. "Shall I be hurt that I was not invited to your wedding ceremony?"

"Do not take it to heart...it was quickly constructed and executed."

"A marriage upon love...the thought..." Winnie shook her head before pulling the couple into the kitchen and forcing them to speak of their lives since their last visit. Disregarding the pain that was both thrown on them, they spoke of Adams and Terrah-ending with the politics of monarchy.

"When is it I am due to be an Aunt?"

Marth's eyes grew wide towards Winnie as Evelyn couldn't help but chuckle.

"Am I not allowed to ask?"

"It is not appropriate." Marth said through his teeth while Evelyn chuckled.

"I suppose whenever he is not too consumed in politics. I see him rarely as is."

"A new little wife, one I actually approve of, and you give her the chance to desire another. Were you withdrawn from your own morals?" Being given a look of confusion by Evelyn, Winnie continued. "When Marth and I were younger, he would gather flowers from nearby gardens and hand them to girls all around the village. This was not because he fancied them...but because he did not want any of them to feel left out. Along with this, he also crafted wooden swords made of sticks and would teach the other boys his age to fight as he learned. He was quite the charmer. If only this would have carried into his adulthood."

Marth blushed before glaring as Evelyn saw the stress ease from Marth when he was spoken of so highly. Along with this, she learned things of Marth that she did not know prior to this dinner. The stories ranged from sweet selfless moments to one of heroism and even ones containing sacrifice. But all the while, the stories depicted Marth as a good man-the same man she fell in love with-the one she still loved.

"I am keen on your marriage...he seems happy upon your side."

"I am happy along his as well-"

"Is it odd being Queen? You always gave off an approach of being anti-royalty."

"I do not admire the gowns and attention, but I do not mind the title. I have a great man to stand beside."

"He is, isn't he..." Winnie gave a pensive look to the ground before turning to her. "I am sure he will never tell you this, so I wish to."

"Of course."

"Marth has sacrificed his entire life for the Greydons...Joseph was the only one to ever accept him. Even then, he put him in competition with many village boys. Marth was raised along the lines of kill or be killed-but he somehow made a third option...and that was to help those who tried to hurt him..." Seeing pain in Evelyn's eyes, Winnie placed a hand on hers before letting out a sigh. "Marth has made mistakes...he wrote to me of the ones with you-fear of losing you. I can see how you ground him...in a way even more than he already is. I do know that whatever it is he does, he has good reason for it."

"He has not spoken to you regarding him and I?"

"Only that he is petrified of losing you. This was his latest letter." Winnie pulled out a parchment from a drawer and allowed Evelyn to read it in peace. With each cursive word, he spoke of his undying love for his wife and how he would do anything to make her love him again;

"I fear my actions have caused her to pull from me-I blame that I can only place upon myself. Perhaps it is more right to allow her to be with another, one who can give her a life without regret...one where she can look to him and see love and hope not pain and death. There must be a way to make her happy...even if it causes misery for me. I think I found a way to do it...but it is the hardest thing to do...to imagine my feelings to cease for her. To make her believe it..."

Drawing her and to her lips, Evelyn saw how Winnie entered the room just as she finished.

"You finished?"

Evelyn nodded as tears were within her eyes. "I was unaware of his feelings this way. I thought he was being cruel and deceptive...but within my heart I always knew there was something more to what my eyes were showing me."

"Do you wish to speak of it?"

"I need to speak to him...would you excuse me?"

Winnie nodded as Evelyn moved from the room and looked for Marth, unable to find him in the house. She made her way outside and began to search the grounds.