Between Wolves & Doves

Chapter 12 Storm

She'd never been more grateful to slam a door behind her in all her life. The sigh that leaves her lips when she presses her back to the wood is the largest she's ever taken, she's certain of it.

She had to escape. It was a necessity of sorts- she couldn't suffer another second of it.

Mother was livid about last night. Iris had been frozen out of her favour - more so than usual - with frosty silences and glowers and glares of displeasure.

When she returned from her shocking interlude out of doors with Lord Ren and the sadly ex-Viscount Eversleigh, Caroline tugged Iris aside and snapped her ear off about decorum and politesse. She returned to Hux's side and said naught. She couldn't.

Her mind was overrun by visions of crimson stained fangs, scarlet on ivory bone. And eye's as gold as wheat sparkling in the sun.

She barely felt the rest of her night. Or saw or heard her relatives around her. She drew into herself.

Lord Ren did not return for the second half. Hux crowed loudly and smug about his absence. Mother sneered, she too seemed pleased. Iris saw none of that.

The night passes and the next day her head is still splitting at the seams. Pain thudding behind her temples and out her ears. Her throat is tickling raw. She suspects a cold coming on. Yet she goes about her chores and errands same as usual. There's a permanent gnawing ache gathering between her shoulder blades. It burns every time she moves.

Mother seemed determined to remind her of her discourtesy last night. When her, Flora and Posy all sit down to take tea in the front parlour and do their embroidery, Caroline besieged Iris to write a missive to Hux apologising for her conduct of late. To explain herself and her actions. Sacrificing, displaying herself out on the worshipping altar of Hux's forgiveness.

Iris couldn't see the sense in it. She's sat there squinting down in her lap, trying to focus on stitching more infernal thread through the embroidery hoop. Her mother is snapping and fussing and correcting her every cursed move. She's insulting and sniping and Iris can't take much more.

She was most insulted that Lord Ren had quit the theatre early especially when he was invited at a proxy invitation. She scoffs that that's his foreign mannerisms that don't excuse his rudeness. Probably took off with one of the 'actresses.' They were all painted women. He most likely found amusement between a tawdry, painted woman's thighs.

Iris's heart sinks at the untrue insinuation. She's also suffering after a very much sleepless night after the discovery of Lord Rens... particular disposition.

She spent half the night awake; her mind whirring with thought. All those tales and fibs she'd been fed as child about monsters under the bed. And here she is many many years later, as a woman, finding out that all the creatures in clawing dark nightmares do exist.

The darkest shadows do after all bear beasts.

She can't help wondering what other demons might roam hereabouts? Other horrid things too frightful to utter.

Mother doesn't stop her poisonous crusade of nastiness on Kylo.

Before long, Iris' eyes are watering with the sharp pains of her head. Her heart is beating so hard it hurts - thrumming proud with the constrained want to defend Lord Ren as she sits there ripping him to shreds and goading Hux's perfect conduct upon her.

Iris throws her needlework aside and storms out. Insists she going for a lie down. She tears across the room and shuts the parlour door. Hot tears dribble out the corners of her eyes. Stings at her skin.