Tyrant's Obsession With The Heiress-Chapter 42: Finally, The Lady And The Demon Have Found Common Ground. Or Not?

Chapter 42 - Finally, The Lady And The Demon Have Found Common Ground. Or Not?

After noticing his unusual tenderness, Lady Karina resumed her careful strokes on the tallies, deciding not to pay Orpheus much mind.

"The generals will depart from Moonveil back to Walcian on the morrow," he stated, his eyes still following her precision with the quill. "I would like for you to partake in the evening meal along with me, my lady."

Lady Karina was surprised by his request, not understanding why the man wished for her presence during his meals considering he had banished her to her chambers several times.

She simply nodded. "As you wish," came her dry reply.

Orpheus had expected more of a reaction, but he realised the lady was perhaps disgruntled with him. He acknowledged her reply with a faint nod, his gaze scouring the old tapestries around the solar.

His eyes settled on one in particular, woven from black silk with the insignia of a white avian creature. Its wings were spread out as if it were soaring to the sky, its feathers outlined with gold.

Orpheus tilted his head to the side, crossing his arms over his chest.

His gaze wandered back down to Lady Karina, who did not lift her head to look at him.

"Have you ever read of the legend of the white phoenix, my lady?" Orpheus asked out of the blue, wondering what information he would be able to gather. "It is believed when the creature is reborn, it leaves behind ashes capable of ridding the world of every evil on the surface."

Lady Karina tensed, pausing the quill mid-stroke.

"I did not take you for a man interested in fairytales," she answered coyly before resuming her writing.

Orpheus knew she would not reveal anything easily, but perhaps he could coerce her through trial and error methods.

As for Lady Karina, she found it rather unusual for the man to converse so casually and about such an unusual topic.

It didn't suit him.

"Fairytales hold truth, do they not?" He paced around the table, walking up to the white phoenix tapestry. "Every story and legend has an origin, even if it is exaggerated."

"If you are referring to the tapestry, it is an old one my father purchased from abroad," Lady Karina said, dipping her quill in the inkwell. "It is merely aesthetically appealing and signifies rebirth so my father took a fancy to it."

Truly a hard-headed woman who wouldn't reveal anything easily. Either she was being cautious, or she knew the white phoenix was his goal.

"It is an intriguing creature," Orpheus commented, reaching out his hand to trace the edges of the tapestry. "With its rebirth, it is believed it also whitholds the vast power to destroy curses."

His words made Lady Karina recall the subtle crimson she noticed beneath the dual shades of his eyes as of late.

And then she remembered how the night in the bailey it seemed as if it hurt for him to use his magical abilities.

There was also the anomaly of a second magical mark.

Was it all connected somehow?

When Orpheus realised Lady Karina had gone awfully silent, not entertaining his topic, he returned to where she was.

He would temporarily dismiss the matter for now.

He stood beside her, leaning against the desk while his gaze shifted to the parchment beneath her fingers.

"Is there anything that you have to report to me?" Orpheus questioned, glancing over her tallies.

The tips of her fingers were blackened from the ink and she carefully set the quill aside, wiping at her fingers with a linen cloth she kept around just for that purpose.

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"Well," Lady Karina began, assembling her thoughts. "We require at least sixty labourers to complete the harvesting of the cherries and apricots. I estimate their salary for a gold coin a day, which makes five gold coins in total by the end of the harvest."

"Five gold coins?" Orpheus repeated. "That is quite the generous amount, is it not?"

"For the heavy workload and long hours, we must compensate them fairly. Some may possess magical abilities so I have considered compensating them for their use of it."

Orpheus couldn't disagree with that.

"Very well," he said, trying to decipher her writing upside down from the angle he was looking at it. "And how much wealth will we glean from this harvest?"

Lady Karina leaned back in her chair.

"Considering we trade within a good market, we can price it at two gold coins a bushel and with an estimate of five hundred bushels, that should glean one thousand gold coins from this harvest."

Orpheus was impressed by her thoroughness.

"That is indeed the most profitable."

"Then you must understand it is imperative to hire our labourers as soon as possible, within three days at most," Lady Karina said firmly.

"I will arrange for the journey to the town for the morrow to accomplish this."

Lady Karina nodded, satisfied that they were on the same terms and that Orpheus didn't seem uncooperative this time around.

And deciding that their business was concluded, she had expected him to leave but he lingered by the desk, watching her.

It wasn't uncomfortable, but rather she was curious as to why.

"Is there anything else that you need, my Lord?" Lady Karina asked, cleaning her quill with the linen cloth.

"Perhaps," Orpheus said casually.

However, before she could answer or raise her head from her task, Orpheus had gently held her by the arm and reeled her into his arms.

She gasped audibly when she felt his lips clamp down on her neck. The sensation was something otherworldly she'd never experienced before, nearly making her eyes roll back.

She could feel the heat of his tongue as he sucked on her pulse point, sending tiny sparks through her body.

"Orpheus," Lady breathed shakily. "What are you doing?"

He nuzzled her neck, kissing over the mark, his lips trailing to the scar on her shoulder.

"Tasting my future wife," he answered huskily.

Lady Karina stiffened in his arms; he could feel it.

Orpheus' head came up, his dual-coloured eyes focusing on her as his mood dampened.

"I see you are still unfond of that idea and have not warmed to it yet."