His Little Scarlett

Erik’s eyes darted around the crowd before him, searching calmly.

He balled his fists reflexly and clenched his jaw. Then unclenched.

Claudette, their family event planner, had really outdone herself he noticed regardless. The décor was exactly what he had instructed as he’d specifically requested the hall in a theme of rose gold, cream and white.

The curtains were the only exceptions. A dark beige,which provided the perfect contrast between the other colors, and the lights from the chandeliers.

Guests were dressed to the nines, the Dukes and Barons in Tom Fords and their plus ones in Vivienne Westwoods and Louis Vuittons.

The orchestra even played all his favorite classical music, and Andrea Bocceli himself had made an appearance to sing “Con te partiro” with his son, Matteo.

The evening was going fine by all standards. Just one thing was missing. One person.

“Looking for someone?” His mother asked icily, walking into view and blocking his vision, her gold train flowing behind her.

“While I’m quite sure everyone that’s supposed to be here already is.”

His mother, The Dowager Duchess of Snowdon,looked prim and expensive with her blonde hair tied tightly around her scalp in an updo and her makeup light and bronzed. Her stewardess followed her around, straightening her ballgown styled dress and fixing her hair if need be. The Duchess looked unreal. As always.

“What did you do, mother?” Erik sighed, closing his eyes. his voice was stiff.

His mother turned her nose up and huffed.

“You’re so much better than that little-”

“Actually, I do not want to hear it, mother.” He cut in, his voice lowered in warning. “I do not want to have your opinion on anything I decide to do with my personal life.”

“I am your mother.” Her eyes narrowed.

“I refuse to have you speak further on this matter, seriously.” Erik replied dryly, relaxing in his seat. “And you need not wave her away,” he motioned to her stewardess, “because really this conversation is over.”

His mother scoffed.

“I don’t like her.”

“Because her family isn’t titled, mother, I know. I pretty much understand the gist of how this usually works.”

“She will not be able to fit in our spaces.” His mother said knowingly, eyebrows arched, her voice low.

“Well, she fits in with me perfectly as you must have already witnessed.” Erik raised an eyebrow, “Which is more important. Which is most important.”

“Very well, Erik. Suit yourself, but at leastunderstand that you should stop glaring around the hall like a lost puppy.” She snapped.

You are the most handsome and the highest ranked man here. Act like it.” She huffed, gathering her train around her and walking towards her siblings,popularly known as the Snowdon Quintuplets–The duchesses sisters and brother who frowned all the time, now seated distinguished at the other end of the auditorium.

They looked quite identical, all their hair the same platinum shade and their outfits brown and gold in varying tones, matching their sister.

They even all had the same thin lipped smile and clipped expressions. Her stewardess scurried after her.

Today was supposed to be one of the best days of the year, as it was his official installment ceremony as the Duke of Snowdon, the highest ranking Noble in the order of the New England Lycanthropes, and a position he had inherited when his father passed a few months ago.

His mother had been determined to find him a wife or a girlfriend from one of the other noble families, but he hadn’t been interested in sparking romantic conversation with any of the girls he had been forced to relate with all his life. He didn’t particularly like any of them, those spoiled princesses, who turnedtheir noses up and wore silk gloves all day. Or maybe he had a bias because Scarlett never wore silk gloves and never turned her nose up in an air of superiority. Yeah, it was most definitely bias.

Now, his mother’s insistence had become a nag, especially after she’d found out about Scarlett. He wished she had caught them another day, so maybe her opinion would have been different. But his mother was exactly like the spoiled noble girls, having been raised in nobility herself, so deep down he knew her opinion wouldn’t have changed regardless. Still, it had probably made things worse.

On the day his father had died, the entire mansion was engulfed in silence. His mother’s chamber wasimmediately shut, and his sister-who’d been away on holiday-had suspended all her trips and had come home immediately instead.

He hadn’t seen his sister Chloe in nearly a year, and she was scheduled to come home in December, so he was relieved to see her that afternoon.

She pulled him into a bear hug.

“I’m so sorry Rikky.” She sobbed, patting the nape of his neck like how she used to comfort him when he was little.

And he’d sobbed too, ever so quietly, hugging his older sister back.

Everybody had immediately known what his father’s death meant, but nobody else had understood the emotional demands it had required of him. Only Chloe had grasped what it could’ve meant. He couldn’t cry in public, but had to maintain a calm, stoic outlook at all times. Not being one to expressly show emotion in public, it had been something he maintained regardless, but the difference was now it was what was required. If he was granted permission to show any kind of weakness beforehand, the window for that had officially been shut.

He had become the Duke, a responsibility he had known he would assume eventually, but a responsibility he hadn’t known would come as soonas it did.

“Hi, Rikky.” Chloe’s high pitched, sugary voice now called, tapping him and pulling him back to the present.

“Chlo.” He acknowledged, holding her hands.

“How d’you feel?” She asked, searching his face. “Are you alright?”

“Scarlett’s not here.” Erik said, matching her glare. “Help me find out where she is.”

“Erik-” Chloe started.

She too hadn’t necessarily approved of his brother’s new–interest, for lack of a better term, but she’d stuck beside him regardless.

“Please.” He said, eyes pleading, but face remaining stoic.

“Alright.” She agreed, “ I’m going to ring her right now. Where’s your cell?”

“Oscar.” Erik replied, motioning to his Eunuch.

He wasn’t allowed to be with his cellphone throughout the ceremony, and his brain kept darting to thoughts of if she had rung or sent a text messageto him. Oscar came by every ten minutes to reply in the negative, and he was beginning to get a little more than worried.

Chloe came back less than a minute later.

“No answer.” She explained, handing his cellphone back to Oscar. “I hope mother didn’t threaten her or her family or anything.”

Erik looked straight ahead, at nothing in particular, Jaws locked.

Chloe brushed his cheek with her thumb, her cherry red manicure a pretty contrast against his tanned face.

“I’ll see you in a bit, Rikky. Cheer up please.”

“It’s alright, Chlo.” Erik replied, not shifting. “You’re excused.”