The Gentleman's Guide To Color and Credence

~*10*~

a/n: There are a lot of "Hamilton" references in this chapter, I hope you enjoy this long, plot developer!

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The day of the wedding had arrived all too quickly for me. I had wished I was in Slowtown too late. I awoke to Sinclair pushing his drapes open, revealing the blue skies that I would dread to see over a field of everlasting trees and grasslands. I groaned and grabbed my pillow, squirming underneath it to ignore the light that strobed around me to wake up. I didn't want to wake up that morning. I never did.

"Mr. Montague, you are due to come down to breakfast in your formal attire, Miss Lenette wished to have breakfast with you last minute, and she has no intentions to wait." He said. My head instantly perked up from the pillow, my blue eyes wide. Sinclair nodded, making me understand it as full truth and no trick.

Once he left, I went to my wardrobe, where the maids had hung up my clothing for the day, before the wedding. I fixed on my navy waistcoat, which had golden decals like a soldier's uniform, but only meant for fashion. My loafers were polished, and I tousled my hair after putting my hands in the water basin to fix it. I found it acceptable for the formal breakfast. Chasity was never one to disappoint.

I had gotten dressed faster than I had in my life that morning, and surprised Sinclair when I met him as he was walking away from my room only minutes later. He sighed, keeping in one of the rare smiles Sinclair was capable of giving. He led me to a small, unused parlor. One Chasity and I played in when we were only six years old when company came over, and balls took place.

Chasity's dark hair was knotted into a braid that fell over her left shoulder, the maids somehow got powder onto her cheeks, and maroon lipstick shown on her lips with light makeup. She never needed anything much, unlike every other girl looking for a courtship would that night at her wedding. Her dark eyes were wide when she saw me, a blush coming onto her face, exaggerated by the pale powder. She was in an autumn colored, orange dress with golden lace. It seemed as though it were a ball gown she'd wear to a party our parents' threw. She looked at me up and down before Sinclair shut the door behind me, leaving us both alone in the windowless room.

I ran over to her, bringing her into my arms.

"You are incredible. You look like you gave into a bribe today." I commented. She chuckled into my shoulder, looking up to me once I let go.

"My mother and I made a deal." She said. I smiled as I sat across from her, breakfast in front of us at the small table.

"I thought I wouldn't see you." I said. She shook her head, smiling.

"A day without seeing you is a sin my darling." She said, making me blush.

"It truly is. I feel dreadful that you had to do all this planning by yourself." I said. She sighed.

"I'd rather control a wedding I would want to be in rather than one I'm forced. My mother had her fun, part of the deal." She said. I rolled my eyes, taking a sip of the tea ahead of me.

"What was this deal?" I asked.

"If she controls the wedding, I don't have to bare children to Carl." She said bluntly. I nearly spit my tea out as I laughed, and she couldn't help but laugh as well. Soon enough we were laughing in cathedrals of hysterics, just from one small deals he made with her mother.

"That must go down in history. 'Local aristocrat allows mother to control arranged marriage if said aristocrat doesn't bare children' That is your genius, wasn't it?" I asked. She smiled broadly and nodded.

"If it weren't I wouldn't know who it would be." She said. I smiled, letting out another small laugh, a remnant from before.

"You're brilliant." I said. She smiled.