Warning: Un-beta'd.





vi. When times are smooth we must be thankful (part i)



Kris receives a mysterious letter, baffling him, and pockets it quickly before rushing out of his study. He meets with Victoria halfway down the hall and they share a strange glance, smiling awkwardly, before Kris continues on his way out the door.

“Has my wife been busy lately?” Kris inquires of his assistant.

His assistant nods, opening the door to the carriage. “Milord, the maids have spoken about her consecutive outings as well the many letters they send out for her every few days or so.”

“Does she ever mention where or whom she’s meeting?” Kris asks.

“No, milord, not once,” his assistant replies.

Kris nods, “Fair enough.” He knocks on the window channeling the coachman, signaling for him to drive.

“Where to, milord?” The coachman shouts.

He leans back in his seat, one leg crossed over the other, “To the Courthouse.”





There are many conference rooms in the Courthouse; long hallways decorated by paintings and vases, doorframes alight with lace and cloth. Only the most revered of nobles are allowed to come and go as they please and, thankfully, only the nobles ever need such a space for tête-à-tête.

“It is always a pleasure to meet with you, Count of Rhone-Alpes, but it is very much a pity you have only agreed to see me now after so long of having arrived in town,” Signor Lee greets with a candid smile.

The young Count nods, shaking the older man’s hand, “I have only inherited this title but a year, yet, your continuous offers for partnership never fail to flatter me, Sir Lee.”

“However, just as your father, you have always rejected my proposals, Sir Huang,” Count of Haute-Normandie remarks, “what changed your mind this time around?”

Tao grins, motioning for Signor Lee to take a seat with him. “I’ve recently run into a certain beauty whom resides in this province,” he states, expression arrogant, “I’ve got but one request from you, in exchange for our collaboration milord.”

“Anything you want,” Signor Lee smirks. “Who could have possibly caught your interest so quickly?”

“Madame Wu,” Tao answers haughtily. “Does this not make it easy?”

Signor Lee grins wider. “Very,” he says, “I’ll be sure to have her in your possession, no later than the end of your stay. About our collaboration—“

“I care not about politics, Signor,” Tao interrupts him, “and I’ve got more than enough fortune to spend worth tens of decades. If you ever need anything of me, just ask. As long as I have Madame Wu sooner rather than later, the details of our alliance are not important.”

“Would it not be better to have a contract?” Sir Lee asks.

Tao scoffs. “Paper and ink mean nothing to me.” He leans forward, arms lying flat on the table before him. “Or are you not one to honor your word, Signor?”

“Of course not,” the Count denies.

“Very well then,” Tao exclaims, nodding his approval. “I have already invited the son of Count of Aquitaine to meet with us this afternoon; he should be arriving shortly.”

And shortly after, a knock comes to the door.

“You are quick, Count of Rhone-Alpes,” the Count of Haute-Normandie laughs.

Tao smiles slyly. “Patience has never been a virtue of mines.”

Smiling chastely, both men glance towards the door when it is eventually pulled open, revealing the form of a handsome and slightly confused man. “Very kind of you to join us today, Kris,” Signor Lee greets.

Kris bows at both men, taking a seat when they offer it to him. “I was shocked when I received the letter of invitation, to be quite honest. I had not even known the Count of Rhone-Alpes was aware of me.”

“Please,” the Count smiles with a fox like expression mirroring from his eyes, “call me Tao.”

“Sir Tao,” Kris corrects himself.

“Has Madame Wu been well?” Signor Lee questions, chuckling to himself when he notices the way Kris tenses at the sole mention of his wife.

Kris nods. “Perfectly fine, thank you. I’m assuming we are not meeting today just to ask about Victoria’s wellbeing?”

“No,” Signor Lee shakes his head. Although to be entirely honest, they were. “However, as Sir Huang and I were conversing quite casually, he learned that the two of you were close in age and became quite interested in befriending you.”

“What a pleasure,” Kris drawls. “You came all the way from Rhone-Alpes to make friends?”

Tao grins, expression indecipherable. “There’s always something a little more.”

“Yes,” Kris agrees, glancing between both men. “There always does seem to be something a little more.”





He would much rather be lenient of the situation rather than immediately and out rightly condemn Victoria of a crime.

“Are you hungry?” Victoria asks him, smiling kindly, innocently, as though nothing could ever be wrong.

Kris returns the gesture with a shake of his head. He motions for her to come closer and she does, standing just before him under the door frame. Without adieu, Kris wraps his hands around her waist and turns her against the wall, cornering her in.

“How much faith do you have in me?” Kris asks.

Victoria peers up into his eyes, his breath tickling the tip of her nose. Her cheeks burn and she clears , “As much as you allow me to have.”

At her words, Kris just chuckles a little before swooping down to kiss her slightly trembling lips. Something in his chest flutters when Victoria raises a hand to his shoulder, fingers clutching the cloth of his blouse.

His heart beats faster, more rapid, until he hears nothing but the beating of his own heart.

The kiss deepens, their breaths losing rhythm, until their bodies are so close that they can feel nothing but each other. His fingers are now in her hair, both of her arms circled around his neck.

“I want you to trust me,” he whispers against her lips, once they have parted with breaths heavy and hot.

Victoria looks into his eyes again, seemingly a little uncertain.

He presses his sweaty forehead against hers, relishing in the feeling of having her in his arms. This is a feeling that he does not want to lose—a feeling he cannot control. “I want you to always be by my side.”

She doesn’t say a word, simply ducking her face into his chest and hugging her husband tightly in her arms. This, perhaps, is the one and only moment of truth in all the time that they have spent in each other’s presence.





Kris is possessive—he knows he is—and it is not something he can control. He becomes more obsessed over Victoria’s whereabouts, until it ultimately suffocates both him and her.

He is also aware that he is in no position to stake a claim on Victoria; he was the first to be unfaithful and it was only fair that Victoria held such a privilege herself. Not that they lived in a society built on gender equality, but Kris tries.

The thought of her being unfaithful though irritates him to the bones.

Every time Victoria takes an outing, with or without him, she makes sure to leave a note or two behind. She senses his sudden insecurity and realizes how her husband has suddenly become so sensitive to everything she does or says.

Victoria cannot find it in her heart to blame him. No, he’s not the one to blame.

Politics are becoming more complicated; Kris is trying to support his father as much as he can, but events always make a dive for the worst. Victoria tries to be there for him, but she’s also busy with her own errands.

She encourages Kris to relax, suggests for her husband to spend some time with his friends, but Kris always seems to misinterpret her intentions.

They both want to make the best of their relationship but fate seems to be playing cruel tricks on them both.





“Where is my wife?!” Kris demands angrily when he returns home one evening.

Victoria, hearing him from the kitchen, steps out into the hall confused. “What is the commotion?”

“Have you been meeting with other men again?” Kris interrogates her. “Will it ever stop?!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Victoria replies, furrowing her eyebrows. “What has gotten into you? You were perfectly fine just last night.”

“Suho—have you met with him again?”

“Not since the last we ran into him at the ball,” Victoria shakes her head.

In the crevice of her gown, Kris sees the sparkling shine of a golden necklace. “Where did you get this?!” He asks, reaching for it.

Victoria guards the necklace with her hand, taking a step back. “It was a gift.”

“From whom?” Kris demands.

“Does it matter?” Victoria retorts. “What is wrong with you?!”

Footsteps come treading from the stairway, Kris’s mother rushing over to them. “Keep your voices down!” She scowls. “I heard you all the way from the fourth floor!”

“I warned you not to see Suho again and you took it as permittance for you to see others at your own will?” Kris scoffs. “Very well, Victoria.”

“You must have gone insane,” Victoria grits through her teeth. She turns back to the kitchen but Kris reaches for her arm, dragging her to their bedroom. The door closes with a violent slam, worrying the maids and the servants who had followed them up.

Sighing, Kris’s mother hurriedly rushes to her chamber, hoping for only the best to come to their family with due time.

And Kris begins picking up his old habits of staying out late, sometimes remaining away for days at a time, and Victoria is left alone in the small room that belongs to her—the only space that seems to belong to her. Her time is spent in loneliness, in silence, until sadness overcomes her and the young gardener comes to lead her outside into the yard.

Victoria helplessly follows, watching as the gorgeous young boy squats down to the dirt and begins planting, pointing out all the wondrous things occurring between the ground and the plants.

Yet, none of his words truly reach her.

“Madame,” Luhan calls out, biting down on his lip.

She glances down at him, broken out of her reverie. “Yes, Luhan?”

The young boy sighs, reaching out and pulling Victoria down to a squat beside him. He leans over and presses a kiss to her cheek, his face reddening a dark, rose red. “Please don’t be unhappy.”

Victoria smiles, “I’m not unhappy, Luhan, but thank you.”

“I suppose I should have seen this coming all along,” a deep voice joins them.

Frustrated, Victoria releases a long breath. “You have horrible timing, Kris.”

“I would consider my timing impeccable,” he laughs. He walks past them into the house, Luhan trembling from head to toe.

“It’s alright,” Victoria tells the young gardener, patting him on the back.

Luhan clenches his jaw. “You have always been so kind to all of us, milady. Sir Kris loves you deeply, we can all see it in his eyes; the misunderstanding will pass.”

She nods at his words, standing and following the path her husband had taken to their room. When she arrives, she closes the door behind herself and watches as Kris changes in their dressing room; they exchange no words.

Only when Kris steps outside of the dresser does he notice her presence.

“Back already? You didn’t need to spend some more time with your little lover boy?” He mocks.

Victoria maintains a stoic expression. “Luhan is but a companion,” she tells him.

“Not one, but three,” Kris laughs. “First it was Luhan and then it was Suho, and now Sir Tao. Your charms are not to be taken lightly.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” Victoria denies.

Within the blink of an eye, Victoria is pressed into the mattress of their bed. Kris climbs atop her, pinning her arms above her head on the bed with a single hand, glaring down into her eyes. “Don’t play fool with me, Victoria.”

“These words are familiar,” she scoffs. “Don’t pretend as though I’m the cheating one in this relationship.”

“How tiring it must be to have to satisfy the needs of so many men at once,” Kris scowls, dragging the tip of his pointer finger down her cheek.

“Watch your words,” Victoria venomously spits out.

Kris laughs. “I can say whatever I want, Victoria. I’m your husband, remember? I have the right to your body, the right to your possessions, and the right to do however I wish to you.”

“Let go of me,” his wife demands.

His expression darkens and his eyes are hard and unmoving. “Not a chance, my dear.”

From that moment on her screams and pleading are heard throughout the entire floor. Luhan rushes towards the door but the maids and servants pull him back, holding him away.

Everyone turns a blind eye, except for the young gardener who sheds tears for his kind lady. An hour or so later the door opens and Kris angrily makes his way towards his study. Luhan stays out of his way until he passes, running for the room once the chance is available.

There lies Victoria, clothes ripped, skin bare, and tears spilling from her wilted eyes.

Luhan quickly shields her with a blanket and hugs her, pulling her close.

“It’s alright,” he comforts her, patting her back soothingly. “It will pass.”

It is to his words that Victoria soon falls asleep, only to awaken to a greater nightmare.


-----

A/N: Almost at a thousand views~ woot! We've come a long ways together, yeah? hehe. I just want to thank everyone that's pulled through this far with me! All of you are just all kinds of awesome! ♥Xue