Warning: Un-beta'd.





The arms to the tall clock tower strike to the twelfth hour, the bell within it ringing as a means of an alarm to the people of the town. Off to the coast of the west, by the docks of which the boats arrive and depart Tao and his armies of men are in hiding. Beside him are Kris and Suho.

“Once this is over, there will be a lot for the two of you to consider,” Tao begins, breaking the tense silence. He keeps his gaze firmly on Kris as he speaks. “If you become Count, Victoria will then become your Countess. I don’t want public eyes looking down on her.”

Kris nods. “I will do everything in my power to protect her.”

“That is not enough,” Tao shakes his head, shifting his gaze to the waves in the water. “It will never be enough.”

For Tao knows what it feels like to be looked down upon, to be frowned upon, to be exiled from the population, simply for being—for doing what is of necessity and not desire. He has experienced a pain that most others cannot understand and Victoria had been the only one to shelter him from the piercing gazes and the splitting, vile words.

That had been the reason his family eventually moved away; to avoid further damage to the family title.

“Might you have a sister, Count?” Suho suddenly asks.

With confusion in his eyes, Tao and Suho lock gazes. “Yes. How did you know?”

“Victoria has mentioned to me before that a cousin resides with her parents back at home, ever since Victoria’s aunt and Uncle had moved away for better business opportunities.” Suho replies quite simply. “I’m just adding two and two together.”

With a calculating expression, Tao nods. “You are quite the thinker, milord.”

“Nowhere near your own wits,” Suho laughs.

Tao scoffs. “Or, should I say, you’ve got the memory of a steel trap? You seem to remember most words that Victoria mentions to you, related or nonrelated to yourself.”

“I have a tendency of remembering most conversations I conduct with women as unique and enchanting as Victoria herself, yes,” Suho agrees, “however, I’m sure you couldn’t say the same for yourself.”

A subtle glare, shared confidence and ridicule, and tongues that don’t seem to see the end to any argument; even Tao has to admit that Suho is much wiser than he may let on. Victoria was right—no one in this town was simple.

It is as though the two of them are battling in an inexistent battlefield, words being thrown back and forth, until Kris has had enough of the both of them. In any case, he doesn’t understand a good majority of the subjects they are discussing at his sides.

“It is my wife the two of you speak of,” Kris rolls his eyes, “perhaps it is about time for the both of you to stop.”

“My apologies,” Tao says, bowing his head in the utmost provocative manner, “I did not realize you cared.”

Sensing that he is quite misplaced in this scenario, Suho excuses himself and joins a few soldiers off to the side. Tao then sits rather comfortably on the sand, legs crossed. He says,

“Victoria is the type of person that told me not to marry when I told her I did not have a particular liking for women.”

Surprised by Tao’s sudden confession, Kris is unsure of what to say. Sure, he played around with boys in the past, slept with them and used them until they were ragged, but it was surely not something he would want to admit to someone he hardly even knew.

“When I had asked her whether she believed I would simply torture the woman I would marry, her reply was nothing near what I had expected of a proper, well brought up lady. Victoria said, she would not suffer, Tao, for she does not love you; however, your suffering would become a fuse that no one could put out and that, in turn, would place your makeshift wife in a contemplative position. Perhaps she would feel no pain but, and I can say this much, she would never be able to bear the ridicule of being married to a man who not only does not love her, but agonizes over another man. Where would that put her? And how would you be able to make yourself happy—living a life as treacherous as such?”

“Her words were wise,” Kris agrees.

Tao smiles weakly and nods, “Victoria had only been eleven years old that year.”

“She matured quite early,” Kris then adds, “a girl of that age should be thinking about sewing and cooking.”

Laughing, Tao shakes his head and runs his fingers over the warm sand. “No, my dear in law,” he chuckles, “Victoria never learned to sew or cook when she was young, she was busy playing and dancing and singing all day. She never quite matured, not even when I left, in the year of her seventeenth birthday. She was simply affectionate.”

“Towards you,” Kris assumes.

“No,” Tao shakes his head yet again, “towards everyone.”





The interception is successful and the three men return home without as much as a scratch. A bit of sword fighting had been exchanged, but no major injuries had occurred. The slaves now became captives and were sent to the local prison, whereas the traffickers were chained together and set on a carriage towards the King’s court; now a good week’s travel away by horse.

When Tao first sees Victoria, he rushes to her side and plants a kiss to her forehead, to which she accepts with relief and gratefulness.

“I worried so much,” she sighs into his shoulder. “You are alright, yes? No wounds and no injuries?”

Tao laughs and shakes his head, releasing her. “None, Tori; don’t worry, I can take care of myself.”

Nodding, Victoria then turns to Kris, who is watching her from the distance. Neither of them moves but Victoria opts not to lose her groundage, waiting—always waiting.

“Were you not worried about your own husband?” Kris asks.

And Tao slowly slips away with a small smile on his lips. The husband and wife are left to each other, the rest of the room absent of people.

Victoria takes a deep breath. “Need I worry?”

“No,” Kris answers, removing his coat and setting his sword aside, “I suppose not. However, I must admit, I worried about you while I was away.”

“Whatever could have possibly caused such needless concern?” Victoria asks.

“Your intelligence?” Kris laughs. “Perhaps your beauty, or even your wit? It might have been your way of understanding everyone and blaming no one, or, in Tao’s words, your affection.”

“My affection?” His wife echoes after him.

Kris then nods, walking up to her and standing a good foot taller. He stares down into her eyes, Victoria craning her neck to meet his. This is not the first she’s been met with her husband’s handsome looks; however, it is as though she’s looking at a whole new person.

His penetrating eyes, his tall nose, his stout lips. There must not have been a moment that Victoria has spent solely to study his features, for none of it seems familiar to her.

Her husband then speaks, with too much gentleness for her to bear. He asks, “What was your childhood like, my precious Victoria?”

Victoria, Victoria. She loved the way Kris spoke her name.

“Did you dance? What songs did you sing? How many friends did you have and how many still remain? Which games were amongst your favorite? Why—“ and he pauses, words lost on his tongue. Victoria stares him dead in the eyes, her eyes large and round and absolutely breath taking.

Leaning forward, Kris steals a kiss from her pouted lips.

“Why,” he then asks, after gaining the courage, “Why did you change for me?”





It was a difficult question—on that even Victoria herself could not answer.

Exactly how much had she changed? Even she could not be sure. Tao meets with her one last time before mounting his carriage towards the King’s court, having to return to Rhone-Alpes immediately after the gathering ends.

Many duties were awaiting him.

Victoria then bids Suho goodbye as well, with much regret in her heart. There is so much she feels must be repaid, yet, there is so little that she can give him. So, Victoria glances at Suho one last time before Suho decides to do what is best—Suho wraps his arms around her and pulls her into his embrace.

Witnessing the hold made Kris slightly uncomfortable, so he walks over to his own carriage and has the coachman open the door.

While she is in his arms, Suho whispers into her ears. “It might be months until we meet again, perhaps even years,” he says.

“Why?” Victoria wonders. Had they not met quite often, even before everything else came into play?

Suho smiles helplessly. “Now that the King has regained faith in my family and my work, I expect there to be a lot to deal with when I return to Alsace. The travel is not short, and neither will the time it may take for my mind to heal be.”

“Heal?” Victoria repeats, “Has something happened?”

“You cannot be so dense as to not realize my concerns,” Suho laughs, releasing her and patting her on the crown of her head. Victoria meets eyes with him, registering his words.

Yes, she had been aware for a while now, but what else could be done? One woman can only marry one man and, as Suho had told her long ago; one person could only love once.

“Never mind,” he dismisses, “perhaps it is better for you to feign ignorance. Less trouble for the both of us, no?”

Suho truly could read through everything; no matter who it was, no matter when the time, Suho had a keen eye for many things. That, perhaps, was what intrigued Victoria so much about him. So, Victoria says nothing and Suho sighs, his hands hesitant to leave his pockets.

If he removed his hands, he would definitely want to embrace the woman standing before him again.

“Well then,” he awkwardly says, “I better be going.”

Before Suho can board the carriage, Victoria reaches out and places a quick peck to his cheek. She hugs him then too, only briefly, and mutters against his shoulder. “Thank you, Suho,” she chants, “thank you, thank you so much for everything you have done. You will find a good woman and, after you’ve married her, she will love you more than anyone else in this world.”

“But I already have,” Suho replies.

At his words, Victoria immediately pulls away and stares into his rounded eyes with disbelief. “You are married?!”

“Four good years,” Suho chuckles, “have I not mentioned my marital status to you before?”

“No!” Victoria exclaims. Then it hits her, the many times Suho must have hinted at the existence of his wife; they were subtle and few, but if she were more attentive, she must have been able to catch them—his first and only love. She then clenches her jaw together, ensuring that not another misplaced word be spoken by her own lips.

Sensing her acknowledgement, Suho tips his head at Victoria and boards his carriage, the coachman quickly driving off.

“You had quite a good conversation, it seems,” Kris comments off handedly, his voice void of emotion. Victoria simply shakes her head and urges him off. Before he leaves, he draws her in for a hug as well and promises that he will return no later than three weeks’ time.

For the time being, he has rented a room for her in the town’s best inn, ensuring that no one will disturb her as she rests and relaxes after months of their trivial acts. She returns to the room, closing the door shut tightly behind her.

Victoria had rejected his proposal at first, claiming that it would be just fine for her to return to their family pension. However, Kris was very much concerned about his aunt and her venomous tongue as well as his father, whom is in a rather unstable state of health.

Eventually, she accepts his persuasion, if only to give him a little peace of mind.

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A/N: Sorry it took so long to post this! A few events ocurred in my personal life and then my birthday happened, which delayed everything I've been working on... :(  BUT! Just one more chapter, everyone! I'm so grateful to every one of you that has stuck out with me this entire story. I'll be releasing a preview for my new f(exo) story along with the conclusion of In Due Time, so keep an eye out! Thank you~