the Villainess they took for granted

Chapter 231: v2 Chapter 50: Morning after III

The Master of Ceremonies was shown in only a few minutes later.

Marian had barely finished giving instructions regarding the letter to Valmont when the doors opened again.

The official entered first, followed by two senior members of the Imperial Household.

Marian rose.

She recognized him immediately.

They had met many times over the years. He had served the Imperial Family since Adrian was Crown Prince, and Marian had encountered him often during the eighteen years she had been Adrian’s fiancée.

There was something almost surreal about seeing him now.

Once, she had expected to sit across from him as the future Crown Princess, discussing a wedding that everyone had assumed would eventually take place.

Then that future had disappeared.

Now they were here again.

The same palace.

The same Emperor.

The same bride.

Only everything between then and now had changed.

He bowed.

”Lady Marian.”

”Please,” Marian said with a small smile. ”You don’t need to be so formal with me.”

His expression softened with faint amusement.

”I believe I had better begin practicing.”

That made her laugh.

”Then I suppose I shall have to begin practicing as well.”

The two senior officials exchanged brief glances, but neither interrupted.

The Master of Ceremonies opened the folder he had brought with him.

”There is one matter His Majesty has given particular instruction regarding.”

Marian’s smile faded into attentive curiosity.

”The date?”

”Yes.”

He turned a page.

”His Majesty has instructed us to arrange the ceremony for the earliest date the Imperial Household can reasonably accommodate.”

Marian blinked.

”The earliest?”

”Yes, Your Ladyship.”

She almost smiled at the renewed formality.

”How soon is that?”

The official glanced briefly toward one of his colleagues before answering.

”Three weeks from today.”

Marian stared at him.

”Three weeks?”

”Provided we begin immediately.”

For a moment, she simply looked at the calendar before her.

She had known Adrian wanted the wedding soon. He had made that very clear.

But three weeks—

That was hardly any time at all.

”Can everything truly be arranged that quickly?”

The Master of Ceremonies smiled faintly.

”Everything necessary for an imperial wedding has been anticipated for years, Lady Marian. The Household is quite capable of preparing the ceremony within that time.”

Of course.

Marian knew that.

She had been educated for the role of Crown Princess for most of her life. She knew the ceremonies, the protocol, the cathedral, the formal procession, the court functions, the public celebrations, and the obligations surrounding an imperial marriage.

She wasn’t surprised by the scale of it.

She was surprised by the speed.

Three weeks.

That was the part she hadn’t been prepared for.

”What would you require from me?”

”Very little.”

Marian raised her brows.

The Master of Ceremonies continued.

”The Imperial Household will oversee the arrangements. The cathedral, procession, security, public celebrations, foreign delegations, court invitations, and all other official matters will be handled by the appropriate offices.”

Marian nodded slowly.

”The guest list?”

”A preliminary list has already been prepared. You may review it and add anyone you specifically wish to include.”

Marian nodded.

”And my wedding dress, I assume, will be my decision.”

”Entirely.”

That was perhaps the one part that truly belonged to her.

She glanced down at the papers.

It was so different from the wedding she had once planned with Cassian.

That had been a wedding between two people who loved each other and had imagined their future together. They had discussed everything themselves—the details they liked, the things they wanted, the sort of ceremony they envisioned.

Cassian was a duke. Their marriage would have been important, but it would have remained, in large part, their own affair.

This was different.

She was marrying the Emperor.

Her wedding was no longer merely a private celebration between two families.

It was an imperial event.

The Empire itself would witness it.

And because of that, Marian wasn’t expected to spend her days choosing flowers, arranging guest accommodations, negotiating with suppliers, or worrying over every detail.

She simply had to appear at the center of everything the Imperial Household had already arranged.

Oddly enough, that realization relieved her.

She didn’t need to plan an imperial wedding.

She only needed to become its bride.

The Master of Ceremonies continued.

”The cathedral has already been contacted regarding the proposed date. The necessary arrangements for the public celebrations can be made immediately. Formal notification will be sent to the foreign missions once the date is confirmed.”

Marian listened.

Everything was moving astonishingly quickly.

She looked again at the calendar.

”Three weeks,” she murmured.

”Yes.”

She exhaled softly.

”Adrian really intends to do this quickly.”

The Master of Ceremonies allowed himself a small smile.

”His Majesty was quite emphatic.”

Marian’s lips curved.

Of course he was.

Once Adrian decided something, there was very little point asking him to reconsider.

He had decided.

And now the Empire would simply make it happen.

The official turned another page.

”There are, however, several matters concerning your position after the wedding that will require your personal attention.”

Marian looked up.

”Such as?”

”The investiture of the Empress.”

Her expression became more thoughtful.

”That will be separate from the wedding?”

”It may be incorporated into the wedding celebrations, depending upon His Majesty’s preference. The exact arrangement will require his approval.”

Marian nodded.

”Then I’ll discuss that with him.”

”Of course.”

”There is also the matter of my residence.”

”Yes.”

”My household.”

”That as well.”

”And my duties?”

”Those will be established in consultation with Your Ladyship and His Majesty.”

Marian leaned back slightly.

Those were the things she suddenly cared about.

Not the procession.

Not the number of carriages.

Not where the foreign delegations would be seated.

The Imperial Household could manage those things.

But where she would live.

How her household would be organized.

When she would formally assume her position as Empress.

What responsibilities Adrian expected her to undertake.

Those were questions about their life together.

And suddenly, she wanted Adrian’s opinion on all of them.

Not the Emperor’s.

Adrian’s.

The thought brought a small smile to her lips.

The Master of Ceremonies closed the folder.

”That should be sufficient for today. We will prepare the formal schedule and bring the remaining documents to you once the necessary confirmations have been made.”

Marian nodded.

”Thank you.”

He rose, followed by the other two officials.

Before leaving, he paused.

”Lady Marian.”

She looked at him.

His expression held something almost nostalgic.

”It is good to see you here again.”

Marian’s smile softened.

”It is good to be here.”

He bowed.

The three officials withdrew.

The doors closed behind them.

Marian remained seated for a moment.

Three weeks.

She looked down at the papers spread across the table.

Three weeks until she married Adrian.

The thought sent a flutter through her stomach.

She had once spent months preparing for a wedding.

This time, she had barely three weeks.

And yet she wasn’t frightened.

She was simply—

happy.

Her gaze drifted toward the clock.

It was still before noon.

Then she wondered what Adrian was doing.

He had finished his morning council by now.

He was probably in his office.

Working.

Marian knew him well enough to imagine it.

Papers covering his desk.

Messages waiting for his attention.

Ministers requesting decisions.

And, if he hadn’t changed at all in eighteen years, probably forgetting that lunch existed.

A smile tugged at her lips.

”That man.”

She rose.

Then paused.

An idea occurred to her.

Why wait for him to come to her?

She could simply go to him.

Marian turned toward the household staff.

”Is His Majesty in his office?”

”Yes, Lady Marian.”

”Has he finished his morning council?”

”Yes. His Majesty has been in his office for some time.”

Marian smiled.

”Then perhaps I’ll see him.”

”Of course.”

She glanced toward the dining room.

”And have lunch prepared.”

The staff immediately began making arrangements.

Marian didn’t want anything elaborate.

She knew Adrian’s preferences well enough.

Something warm.

Something substantial.

Tea.

Nothing that would require him to stop working for half an hour merely to eat.

While the meal was being prepared, Marian found herself remembering all the small things she had learned about him over the years.

She knew how he took his tea.

She knew which foods he preferred.

She knew the expression he wore when he had been working too long.

She knew that when he became absorbed in something, he could forget the time entirely.

Those years had not disappeared simply because she had once chosen another man.

They were still there.

And now she was finding herself reaching for them again.

The thought made her chest ache with something warm.

A servant soon approached carrying the finished tray.

Marian looked over it.

”That will do.”

The servant inclined her head.

Marian fell into step beside her.

Together, they left the room.

She didn’t need to carry the tray herself. She simply wanted to be there when Adrian received it—to walk into his office with his lunch and surprise him herself.

As they made their way through the palace corridors, Marian found herself smiling.

Perhaps he would ask why she had come.

Perhaps she would tell him she had finished discussing the wedding arrangements.

Perhaps she would ask him about the investiture.

And perhaps—

she could ask him where he wanted them to live after the wedding.

That question suddenly seemed strangely important.

She didn’t want a separate residence simply because tradition said she should have one.

She wanted to live with him.

She wanted to wake beside him.

She wanted to see him before he left for court.

She wanted to know what he was doing when he came home.

She wanted the ordinary things.

The realization made her smile to herself.

She had spent so much time thinking about becoming Empress.

But now that the future was actually here, the part she wanted most was much simpler.

She wanted to be Adrian’s wife.

The servant carrying the tray walked a few steps ahead of her.

Marian followed, her anticipation growing with every turn of the corridor.

For the first time that morning, she felt a little nervous.

Not because she was about to see the Emperor.

Because she was about to see her Adrian.

And she couldn’t help wondering what his face would look like when he realized she had come to bring him lunch herself.

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Tbc