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"You are making me marry him!?" The question was a quiet hiss, but not any less furious, Charlie flinched visibly because of it, while Vaggie averted her gaze, looking anywhere but Husk's aggravated expression. Shame and regret was clear in their every movement but it only made the sphinx to glare even more.
When neither of them mustered enough bravery to answer him, Husk huffed, fur bristling while he tugged at the robes hugging his body and cascading around him in elegant swirls, white with tints of red and black, his back open and exposed to allow room for his wings that moved from time to time do to his nerves, making the pieces of jewelry hanging from the appendages to dance and click around. Adding to his annoyance. He felt ridiculous and used, like some fancy piece of furniture or elegant pet, when he was none of those things, up to that point, at least.
Fuck.
Years of faithful service as general of the royal guard for the goddess of Kindness and Forgiveness and this is what he got. It felt like a joke, a very nasty and unfunny one, but a joke nonetheless.
Charlie, sweet and emotional as she was, was the first one to break "I'm so sorry, Husk!" The deity stumbled forward, debating if she should grab hold of the elegant attire and risk ruining it, in the end, she clasped her hands and writhed them nervously "If I've known he was going to ask for this I would have never…"
She trailed off, feeling like she was just making excuses and failing to find anything meaningful to actually say, seeing the distress on her wife, Vaggie was quick to move closer and grab hold of one of her hands, drawing soothing circles on the back of it before giving her the best reassuring smile she could come up with. It was a tiny mercy seeing Charlie return a shaky curvature of her own.
Husk watched the exchange from the corner of his eye, feeling part of his ire slipping away, because he knew this wasn't something the two of them felt comfortable with doing, hell, they weren't even the ones to suggest this ridiculous ordeal. And above all else, they really did not have room for many options.
Things in the world were changing and kingdoms were in danger of falling because of them, the power of Charlotte, barely a few centuries old, was still shaky and unstable as to accommodate adequately to this sudden hardships. Alliances were necessary, preferably from sources of solid standing and grand reputation, the offer from the Radio Demon had been an extraordinary opportunity and just what they needed. And for that, it would have been foolish to refuse.
Husk might be upset, sure, but he couldn't lash out at entities that held no real responsibility in his predicament. He sighed in defeat, cursing his weak heart while he slowed his pace until he was standing at the other side of the queen, giving her shoulder a tiny squeeze.
He kept his gaze forward, straightening himself and flaring his wings, face morphed into practiced indifference "Heads up, your majesty, this one can't see you vulnerable."
Before the group stood the gates that separated the palace from the rest of the state, opulent and intimidating, the entrance began to part slowly, as if to make a show of the reveal of what laid hidden behind it. A big ballroom was the first thing to be distinguished, classy in appearance and grimm in tone, with black and red detailing the expanses of the place, regality and innovation intertwined perfectly in a great spectacle, tables were scattered around with servants made out of shadows moving quietly to arrange the missing details. In the center and at the back, a stage of sorts had been set up, and if Husk was willing to bet, that was to be the place where the ceremony was meant to occur.
"Ah, you made it! I was starting to worry that the travel would have faced some unexpected setbacks, but it appears that my fears were unfounded" From one of the sides appeared the Radio Demon, attire changed into a black tuxedo and burgundy shirt, a stupidly pleased grin fixated on his lips. It made Husk frown lightly.
"Oh! Sorry about the worries, we just got a bit… distracted, strolling through your lands, they are, uh, particularly charming!" Charlie stepped forward, diplomacy above all else, trying to hold an image of pleasantries despite not meaning a single one of the words she had said.
"Why, yes, most tend to believe that, dear majesty" Alastor decided to play along, all fake charm and secretiveness "And I almost forgot, greetings, majesty's consort" He turned to the other woman, grinning viciously when he saw rage and offense appear on Vaggie do to the way she was addresed, before the goddess had a chance to talk on behalf of her lover, Alastor was already moving along, taking in the sight of his besotted, feeling his breath getting caught on his chest, fulfilled with the taste of victory "The greatest of pleasures do to seeing you again, though, dearest."
He grabbed a paw, caring but unyielding, bringing it closer to plant a light kiss on the back of it, delighted by the clear distaste the action caused without the possibility of turning into a more physical display.
"Alastor," Husk huffed, pulling his paw out of his hold the moment he got the chance "I really hoped our last meeting was truly going to be the last."
"Ah, well, I did promise we were going to see eachother again, didn't I?" Alastor hummed, squinting a bit. Husk sighed.
"Doesn't mean I couldn't dream" A growl as the sphinx rolled his eyes "Let's just get this over with."
That made the deer entity laugh, loud and amused "A little bit impatient, my husband-to-be?"
Husk hissed "I just refuse to play along your little and useless games."
"Clearly" Alastor sighed in mocking defeat "But I would be lying if I said and I'm not quite excited myself, alas!" He snapped his fingers, calling to one of his familiars before pointing at it "Follow them so that you can get ready for the ceremony, sweet Husk, is of bad luck to look at the bride before the big moment, after all!"
Husk gapped in disbelief at that, feeling with increasing distaste and annoyance all the silks and trinkets that were weighing him down, and for the million time that day, he remembered why exactly he disliked the deity in front of him so much and why he decided to leave him in the first place.
"Oh, go to hell!" It was an offended sneer while he was ushered out of the room, he thought about returning just to plant a punch on the smug face of the bastard, but a look at the concerned face of the queens stopped him, making him only clench his jaw and fists, reluctantly following along.
Once Husk was out of sight, Charlotte stood up straighter, anger and threatening protectiveness squirming through her nerves and regrets "If anything happens to him, I will come after you."
"Oh, princess, please" Alastor looked down at her, condescending and unafraid "I plan to take good care of him."