Page 104 of Bianca and the Monsters

I don’t mean to be a huffy, poutingLord Clumberton of the ancient Clumberton lineage, but I apparently am.

For days, I’ve carried notes between Bianca and her father, sometimes even her mother. I’ve ensured that the castle was perfect for our visitors and then hurried down to spend time with my family, awaiting Nico’s return to health. Each moment of it, I was glad to be doing my part and this sulking is truly beneath me.

But I’m feeling out of place with all the changes and I’m distracted every minute searching for the song that will connect me to my family, even from a distance. Because,now, I’m officially sequestered from everyone by Bianca’s father, the only person I would take orders from in my own castle—other than the Lady Bianca, of course. Embarrassingly, I was pressed into wearing a boldly violet, velvet suit—I just don’t understand it.

I thought about challenging Sir Jimmy’s clothing command, even sneaking back to my rooms to change, but he blocked the door and even snapped at me… in my own castle.

I’ve watched too much television—soap operas especially—to risk offending my future in-laws who will potentially be in my lifeforever. The weight of that knowledge forced my silent acquiescence, rather than demanding to know exactly how long he planned to trespass upon the hospitality of Clumberton Castle.

So, here I sit, knitting and moping, knitting and brooding, pining and knitting… so much knitting. I’ve already hidden the carnage of six punished doilies. I never liked those ones anyway.

When the door opens, I don’t even look. I don’t even care, or at least, I don’t want to reveal just how much I care that anyone remembered I was locked away in here—in myowncastle.

But the decidedly feminine swoosh of fabric forces me to glance up from my rage knitting. It’s Bianca who enters, like a sweet summer breeze, smiling grandly at me and wearing the most stunning satin dress in exactly my lavender hue. Her hair is braided and pulled up, with purple flowers from the courtyard decorating it. Her tiara contains lavender gems, as do all her jewels—so lovely, but she requires no adornment to be the most exquisite woman who ever lived.

Bianca glides toward me like she’s more spirit than flesh and abruptly kneels before me on the soft rug. I’m too shocked to move. She gently takes my abused knitting and sets it on the coffee table.

I start to grumble incomprehensible words, but she shakes her head.

“My turn,” she whispers.

I swallow roughly and nod jerkily.

“Lord Archibald Maximillian Clumberton of the ancient Clumberton lineage, would youpleasebestow upon me the honor of taking me as your loving, devoted, passionate, sometimes goofy and at other times obstinatewife? Nothing could ever make me feel more welcomed and permanent in this new life than being yours, forever. What do you say?”

I’m grimacing and I know that’s not the proper response, so I amend it, tilting my head like a dog attempting to discern the appropriate trick that will win it/me a bacon treat. “My Lady, I don’t understand.”

“What exactly?” she asks brightly.

A dissatisfied rumble precedes my words. “You sharesongswith the others—aren’t they more appropriate husbands for you? If it is simply about the title, I’ll transfer it to them.”

She gazes at me as though I’m more worthy than I know myself to be and then kisses my hand. “You would, wouldn’t you? You’d give up your legacy, your land, youreverything, to take care of your family. Archie, don’t you see, you are the head of our family. You are marrying all of us really, but me first. We need you.”

“But the song…”

Without any concern, she says, “Don’t worry about that.”

I lean toward her, unsettled to have her kneeling before me, but her squint conveys she’s unwilling to be moved. “But Idoworry. What if fate brought all of you to Clumberton Castle to find each other and I’m just thehostlike the attractive, older man on that island-related fantasy show—the original, of course—who’s just here to bring you all together to learn the appropriate lessons to better live your lives?”

Her blue eyes well with tears and I fear I’ve veered too close to the truth of things. I simply can’t imagine how I would continue if they left me behind, after experiencing the beginning of what I thought was forever.

“You aren’tjustanything, Archie. You areeverything. You are the shelter above us, the foundation below us, the walls around us. Nico told me that you invited him here, barely knowing him. The queen—my mother—told me that Clumbertons only cared about their families. You welcomed a notorious Pendragon and gave a safe haven to the last Taran. Then you welcomed me here, risking everything.” She glances around at the room. “All of this—you could have lost your home, your land, your title, everything.”

“I felt called to do all of that, but that doesn’t mean you need to marry me.”

Bianca huffs and then leans on me as she stands and climbs onto my lap, cuddling into me. I fight against participating in this cuddle business, battling to keep my arms at my sides, but against all my internal proclamations, the darn things surround her. Suddenly, I can breathe.

“Tell me,” she softly commands, “why you’re doubting us, your place with us, and whether you want to marry me.”

“Iwant to marry you,” I stammer. “It’s just…”

“Trust me, Arch—please.”

My breath exhales raggedly. “You almost died and the only thing I could do was almost kill your mother.”

“Well,” she mutters, “she wasn’t my mother then, so free pass on that one. What else have you got?”

An old anxiety surfaces and stares me down. This is the moment to finally voice it, but I feel like I’m offering my destruction with every word. “We watched your television shows for years and your movies to understand what you enjoyed and aspired to in your life. We learned much—Ilearned much. My Lady, I’mnotthe character who wins loving devotion like yours. I’m the one who briefly touches love and then must learn to live without it or crumbles from its loss.”

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