It was so surreal. I couldn't actually see what was going on while still under the sheets, but I could feel the heavy air.
The way Evelyne's voice cracked through the air with the same smug superiority, like she owned the entire world. Even now, in the presence of someone so obviously beyond her, she still won't back down.
"You don't scare me." She said it as if actually trying to challenge the Archduke. "Archduke or not, Seraphina is a member of the Durel household. She's our blood, and you've got no right to keep her away from us like some stolen pet."
I couldn't help but mock her internally for actually thinking a daughter of a count would actually match an archduke, someone who's on the same level as royalty. That evil sister of mine is truly delusional.
Then my father came to his daughter's rescue, at least the one he actually cares about. He just wants to bring me back to keep Evelyne happy. His voice was sharp and forceful.
"You have no legal claim to her! She is my daughter, illegitimate or not; she belongs to the Durel house. You will return her at once, Archduke, or face a formal grievance before the King!"
Well, now I know where the evil daughter got her loud mouth. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before that bitch of a stepmother also digs a hole for herself and the family.
Speak of the devil, my mother started speaking with cold and controlled words. "She's confused and unstable. I don't know what she told you to garner sympathy, but we've tolerated her out of generosity for years."
Tolerate my ass! Such an evil woman gave birth to a devil daughter; it makes sense. I almost laughed out loud at the hypocrisy of her bullshit words.
They just wanted to drag me back into the darkness, that attic, and the pain that came along with being hidden away from the world.
I refused to go back!
I pulled the sheets too hard in anger at her words and created a slight opening leading straight to that man's hand. As if something in this world was telling her to grab onto it and not let go. He's my only chance.
The arguing around me continued as I focused on his hand, getting the courage to grab it and hope this man can pull me out of the darkness of this world.
It was just hanging there at his side, still and strong, like it had been waiting for me this whole time to grab hold.
I didn't think about it anymore and just reached out. My fingers slipped out from the fabric and found his. It was cold and warm at the same time—what a weird feeling.
"Please… save me." I whispered low enough for only him to hear as I held his hand tightly. At the same time, I couldn't help but shake a bit at the thought of going back with them.
To my surprise he didn't even flinch at my action, but instead gripped it back with force as if he wouldn't let my hand go even if I asked him to. Once again these weird feelings filled my chest. How can I feel this way towards a man!
At the same time, his squeeze back gave me hope and was the reassurance I was desperately waiting for all this time. It told me that I wasn't alone and he would protect me if he had to.
Then, without any warning, he pulled me out from under my shield and into his arms. I gasped, blinking widely at the sudden light. I'm sure my face looks horrible from all the crying, but that didn't stop every person in the room from staring at me.
I looked up at him with a panicked face, but he just held me tighter as if trying to become my support.
He wrapped his cloak around my body once again, with my head just popping out the top. But the whole rest of my body was well hidden. It was as if his action was shielding me from the eyes, venom, and voices of contempt.
Then he spoke with something that completely blindsided me.
"I, the Archduke of Velmoure, Noah Velmoure, will be formally engaged to Seraphina Durel." He said it so resolutely, forcing everyone in the room to just swallow it.
It was silent for a while, everyone thinking of their next move, when the Archduke pretty much just checkmated everyone.
Evelyne's jaw dropped open with obvious jealousy at finding such a powerful marriage partner.
My father choked on air for a while, not knowing what to say as he just looked on with despair written all over his face. That stepmother, who's just as useless as her daughter, just gasped.
The feelings that were the most complicated in the room for sure had to be mine. I wanted to refuse instantly as soon as he said it, but at the same time I couldn't do that. It's a catch twenty two. I'm fucked one way or another, literally.
At least with him I will live a decent life, but love a man. Could I really do something like that? My emotions were all over the place because some of me couldn't even deny it. But the other part that hasn't given up on my male side was repulsed.
I turned just enough towards him to get a good look, and I still thought he was a beautiful man, fuck!
Noah Velmoure, someone I probably should have never even interacted with, just accepted me with all my baggage. I'd even called him Heroine, and the cold-faced Archduke didn't even get mad at me. Maybe he thinks I actually already fell for him because I keep calling him beautiful.
Did he fall for me at first sight or something? To actually confess like this with only just meeting is insane. With such a bold announcement to my birth father, this was pretty much a done deal because this man didn't look like he could joke around at all.
I could feel the blood drain from my face and then flood back again like a tsunami of conflicting thoughts.
Once the news had settled for all those in attendance, the room exploded in chaos.
I was snuggled even closer against this man's chest as he completely covered my head with his cloak. The voices outside were clashing, Evelyne screeching something about lies. My father was demanding an immediate annulment. The other woman is completely irrelevant to anything happening in this room.
I never understood stories where stepmothers became the real mother to girls who were tortured by them. What right does she have for me to ever call her anything but an evil bitch, along with her daughter?
Noah didn't hold back either, matching their level of abusive words that didn't seem to match his character. Is he actually trying to match their intensity just for me? Noah… the name was nice and rolled off the tongue well.
At some point I just blocked it all out as if someone had dunked my head under water. All I could hear was the thundering of my heartbeat and the screaming inside my head.
That's a man. He's a man. What are you thinking?!
But… the most beautiful man I've ever seen, and I couldn't help but be attracted to him.
I was having a hard time lying to myself. The female hormones of this body must have messed with my way of thinking over this past year.
Even now, knowing everything, when he held me like that in defense of me, something no one in this world had ever done, I couldn't help but feel like that schoolgirl who had her heart flutter because the school crush talked to her.
Like a girl, a damn fool.
What the hell is wrong with me?
One part was screaming, Run, and the other part curled deeper into his embrace as if wanting the warmth he was offering.
This body… felt safe. It seemed like my soul and heart were at odds, both pulling with the same amount of strength.
Could I really live as a man's wife? I shivered at the thought.
To think I never even got to kiss a girl in my last life, and now my first kiss was looking to be with a dude. I died a virgin, and now my first time might be as the receiver. What would that even feel like? My mind couldn't help but be intrigued at the thought.
The irony was cosmic.
My eyes burned suddenly, and before I could stop it, tears spilled down my cheeks. The shame, fear, and confusion I was feeling all multiplied my current emotions. It all hit like a flood.
I started to tremble in Noah's arms, unable to keep my voice steady. My knees buckled, and I couldn't help but hold on tighter to keep myself from falling. Thankfully, he was very aware of my situation and pulled me up higher, getting a better grasp around my body.
Suddenly Noah roared, "Just what in the hell did you people do to her that she's like this?" Once again he was trying his hardest to protect me. The pull that was just even before started to lean slightly towards him.
His voice literally shook the walls, silencing everyone once again.
I blinked in disbelief at this extraordinary man who had such power.
He probably thought I was crying because of them; well… technically, I was. It's the conflict with my heart and soul to accept my new life.
A little spark of guilty amusement flickered in my chest. He doesn't know. He thinks I'm a broken noble girl and he's some prince in shining armor saving the damsel in distress.
Well… If it helps me stay out of that hellhole, I'm not correcting him.
Let Noah play my knight, wear the armor, and take me into the sunset for a great life. It's not like I have a choice anyway.
As far as I was concerned, he was a golden finger from some twisted dating sim. A human cheat code that just saved my life and would lead me to the Promised Land.
But even as I tried to rationalize it, my thoughts still slipped into more dangerous waters.
He wants to marry me. That means… marriage things, like marital expectations.
My cheeks couldn't help but flush red at the thought. Would I have to bear his children?
I clamped my legs together instinctively. I'd never even imagined being touched like that. But now I was in this body, and no matter how I felt about it, things worked differently now.
A memory surfaced in my mind from my last life. The female's orgasm was actually more stimulating than the male's. Is that actually true, or was I just reading someone's bullshit?
NO, no, no, no!
What am I even thinking? You really want him… to put his… inside you?
I couldn't help but scream internally, "AHHHHHH!"
My face was suddenly buried into his chest.
Just stop thinking! My whole body couldn't help but burn with these urges I never felt before, at least in a woman's body.
My thoughts were an incoherent mess of survival logic, shameful curiosity, and years of repressed loneliness tangled together into a molten knot of panic.
All I knew for sure was he was warm, strong, and, for now, my only shield I had to protect me from the monsters of this world.
As I came out of my thoughts, guards had finally entered the room.
They moved with precision, grabbing my father, stepmother, and Evelyne like they were unruly beggars and not high nobles. My sister screamed in protest, kicking and shrieking, her rage echoing down the halls like a banshee.
"Unhand me, you dogs! Do you even know who I am?"
I couldn't help but chuckle as I heard Evelyne yell the most pathetic line you would ever read in a fantasy novel with nobles present. She still doesn't understand how much she overstepped today. An archduke, if he felt like it, could exterminate that family. The thought of that does bring me great joy; I couldn't lie.
The fighting back by the Durel family did nothing but create an atmosphere where they were treated even more harshly as they were thrown out of the house.
All the while I stayed here wrapped in Noah's cloak, wondering what in the world was about to happen in the future.
When the echoes of that horrible family died off and only silence remained, I looked up at him. He was already looking down at me, which gave me a feeling of embarrassment. His face was much warmer than before, as if he hadn't just dealt with some anger-inducing individuals.
There was something… steady in his gaze. I didn't know what it was, only that it made my heart ache in ways I still didn't understand or want to completely accept just yet.
"Why?" I asked quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.
He blinked once at my question and then answered. "Because… I wanted to."
It was so simple and casual that I felt stupid for even asking.
I couldn't help but frown at that. "That's… not a good reason to put your honor on the line. You could've destroyed your reputation or your standing in the world.
He tilted his head and then gave a slight smirk. "Well…" He said with a soft chuckle. "I'm a heroine, aren't I? Isn't it my job to save the day?"
I just stared at him in disbelief, not understanding why he used that right now. But, at the same time, I couldn't help but smile.
"Sorry!" I mumbled just loud enough for him to hear me. "For thinking you were a girl." I felt his chest move as he chuckled still in his embrace.
"Don't worry about it. I wasn't really offended. Mostly, just confused, people don't actually ever view me as a female.
I pulled back slightly and looked at him dead serious. "Well, then they're blind! Because if you actually dolled yourself up, you'd be the most beautiful girl in the entire kingdom!"
Noah blinked at me for a while and then burst out laughing. The cold face could actually look like that? I was astonished.
"You see?" He said between laughs. "This is why I probably just proposed the engagement. You're so strange; I can't help but find you interesting."
I froze at the word interesting.
I've read that word before. In novels the villain of the story or some other male besides the lead will find the female lead interesting, and then they will stalk her for eternity.
My breath was caught, not really knowing how I should take his words.
Well… he won't let me go now. Not because I'm special or he loves me, but because I'm interesting!
When someone with a cold personality to everyone else finds a girl he sees as interesting, there's no escape!