#eye of the storm; u1tr4vio1ence

[orngbanana]

to this day i still wonder if "eye of the storm" by u1tr4vio1ence was discounted or if smth happened to the author

[u1tr4vio1ence]

EYE OF THE STORM

CHAPTER III: MOTHER DEAREST

PAIRING(S) - Dion Agriche x (Fem.) Reader

DISCLAIMERS - Same as the first chapter.

CONTENT WARNINGS (CONTENT MAY CHANGE OVERTIME) - Same as the first chapter.

BEFORE YOU READ - Here is a link to the masterlist.

NOTES - Okay y'all, I promise that the story is going to pick up the pace eventually; but our dear reader needs to be introduced to everyone and the environment first! A lot of plot setups too 😭.

Anyways, sorry this took longer to get out than I wanted it to; I went to a party and got shitfaced drunk, the worst hangover of my life but I feel better now, please enjoy!

Your eyes open to see the room tinted in the dusk’s soft orange light, but you quickly shut them again out of weariness; your skin was sticky with your sweat, your makeup feels cakey, your throat was parched, and your head seems like it could split from the inside out any second. 

Right. You had been poisoned.

You were so preoccupied with your pain that you fail to notice how there were two maids in the room with you, one of them hurriedly leaving after taking notice that you were no longer unconscious. 

“Would you like some water, my lady?”

Your eyes snap open to see a young female servant with a glass of water on a platter. You didn’t bother answering her and swiftly jug the water down your throat despite the soreness of your body. All of the water had been drunk in a matter of seconds, it caused you to cough multiple times but you feel slightly better. You slowly relaxed into the bed as recent memories flooded your mind. 

God, you were a fool.

You want to slap yourself, it had only been your first morning at the Agriche estate and you got yourself harmed. You are aware of how they know you were weak, but to show such weakness so soon… your path to survival currently looks grim. You absolutely cannot allow such a mistake to happen again.

You also feel slightly embarrassed remembering that the person you blacked out in front of was your husband’s mother, but that feeling of embarrassment quickly faded into fear; you recall her looking at you sadistically as you were on the ground, is she going to torment you for her satisfaction from now on?

A sense of impending doom starts to linger in your chest. You never felt so helpless– being surrounded by enemies who are waiting patiently for your downfall.

Your body suddenly jolts up in shock when the door opens so quickly it slams on the wall, the person at fault quickly rushes to your bedside with the maid that left earlier hot behind her trail.

“Thank goodness you woke up early! And here I thought I would have to postpone the tea party I was planning on throwing for you,” your mother-in-law says with enthusiasm, ”I’m actually a little impressed… normally it would take a day or two for someone to wake up from this type of poison. Perhaps you are not as fragile as you look, ahaha!” 

Early? Tea party? Your brain was fuzzy, not comprehending a word that Maria was saying.

“Mari-mother, how long have I been unconscious?” Your voice was so hoarse you couldn't recognize it. You motion for one of the maids to grab you more water.

“For quite some hours, but it is still the same day! Like I said earlier, rather impressive for someone not resistant to poison,” Maria says while smiling, “And I’m assuming you are well enough to attend the tea party tomorrow?”

Tomorrow.

Your physical state is possibly the worst state your body has ever been in, but the woman looks at you with an intensity that makes you afraid to say anything other than yes. That’s right, you cannot show weakness again; there’s no room for that in this family… and your intuition tells you that you need to get used to pain if you plan on surviving here. 

“Of course, mother,” you gave her the softest smile you can manage, “I look forward to it, thank you for planning it for me.” 

You feel a little embarrassed and ashamed of the flattering words that came out of your mouth. Unironically praising an Agriche is harder than it sounds, but you knew you played your cards right when Maria’s eyes light up in excitement. 

“This is so delightful I cannot wait, how about I walk you back to your room? Oh! And I have a handful of dresses in my collection that will make you look even more stunning for tomorrow, would you like me to call for the servants to fetch them and send them over to you?”

That’s when you realize that you were not in your room.

 You felt the urge to slap yourself again, why were you so slow to analyze the situation? Though you were never excellent during your academy days, you took pride in your acuity and shrewdness. The marriage made you completely lose your usual composure, you need to calm down and think rationally again no matter what. Another mishap will not be tolerated.

“Thank you…but if I may ask, where exactly am I?”

“This is the infirmary, the advanced one. Usually, the children who complete their missions head here for more critical care if needed. The ones that come back, of course.” she flashes you a smile that under any other context, would've been gorgeous.

“...I see. Thank you for allowing me to rest here.”

“Aha! Ever so polite, truly a dear you are. Now come on, let us head to your chambers to try on some dresses!”

You attempt to stand and nearly failed. Your dizziness seems to worsen when you are not lying down, and the aching of your muscles was of no help either; but weakness is not an option, even if you had to fake it. 

“Let us go then,” Maria hums, signaling the two maids to follow her while you try to pace next to her side, “So what kind of dresses do you prefer? Any fabric requests? How about styles?” she says with a glint of amusement in her eyes, finding a thrill in the way you’re struggling to keep up with her strut.

“Ah, actually, you do not have to send me any dresses, mother. I’ve got plenty,” you said with a small smile, the most realistic-looking one that you made so far.

“Come on now, trying them on isn’t such a hassle, is it?”

Maria looks directly into your eyes. Though you feel no murderous intent from her, the emotion that’s always constant in her eyes never fails to intimidate you. You pursed your lips before letting out a hollow chuckle.

“Yes, I suppose it’s not… dresses with lace are usually my favorite.”

“Lace, yes. I knew a girl like you would have good taste!”

You continued your conversation with Maria as you make your way to your bedroom, which was located in the opposite wing of the manor. It was difficult to physically keep up, but you find the conversation going smoother and smoother. The tension never left the air, however, you were getting a hang of it. You knew Maria was a dangerous woman, but living meekly and quietly in a place such as this is going to get you killed early; you need to gain favoritism fast.

But is Maria a good safety net? The woman is unpredictable from the rumors and the way she acts… alarms you. Though your in-law is all you have right now, a tiny voice in the back of your head tells you that Maria is as reliable as a guard dog that bites its owner.

You haven’t been here long at all, you have time. You need to find a more reliable person to gain favor from, you need-

You suddenly bump into something hard as you made a turn for a corner at the end of the hallway. Your already aching muscles scream in pain as you recoiled from the impact. You can’t help but let out a small heave, the collision making your head spin even more so. When you look forward, your eyes find not a wall, but a person. You almost didn’t recognize him from the heavy uniform he was wearing, and on top of that, a long cloak that blends into the night. But there was no denying it, it was your spouse. 

After you remember to breathe, you clench your jaw and slowly nod.

“Husband.”

“Wife.”

You had wished you heard malice in his low voice, perhaps even bloodlust would have sufficed. But what you heard was complete voidness, like you were talking to a cold vessel rather than a human being. It disturbs you. 

You assess him for the second time in your life– a tall built body, porcelain white skin, hair similar to moonvista carnations in the night, eyes like small pools of bloody rubies. You would have almost found him alluring if it weren’t for the fact that he felt so… empty. You wonder if the man you married even had a soul, much less a heart.

You snap out of your trance, something you find yourself doing often near Dion, after hearing a feminine voice call out your name.

“Yes, Mar- mother?” you had completely forgotten that Maria and her maids were at your side.

“Are you alright? That was quite the crash. Dion, you brute!” the volume and tone of Maria’s voice change significantly when talking to you and then to Dion, “Your wife was unwell and you made her worse! How could you stand there and not apologize!?” 

The way she spoke to your husband left a bitter taste in your mouth. You could care less for Dion’s feelings, assuming he has any, and Maria scared you; but from the way she speaks to him to the way she looks at him awfully reminds you of the way your mother treats you. Like she regrets giving birth to a child as useless as you.

Dion glances at you briefly before looking back at his mother. You were glad his eyes didn't stay on you for long, the weight of his gaze made you feel like a boulder was threatening to fall on you.

“I do not see why that’s any of my concern.”

With that he passed you without sparing another glance, walking towards his original destination. You feel the stiffness and tension leaving your shoulders. 

“I’m hosting my tea party tomorrow, are you not at least going to come and accompany-”

“I won’t be back from this mission for a couple of days.”

“Absolutely good for nothing!”

Maria clicked her tongue after spouting out words filled with venom as Dion walks away without looking back. She quickly turns to you, her angry look completely vanished, replaced with a grin.

“Now, what kind of sleeves did you want again?”

You can’t help but give her a wide-eyed blank stare. An unpredictable dog that bites its owner indeed, you have to find someone else to rely on quickly while staying on Maria’s good side. Perhaps the tea party was a blessing in disguise, you can try to appeal to the people in Maria’s circle; that way Maria would not go hostile and you can possibly find someone less turbulent to be around.

But deep down you know those were not all of the reasons why you want to get away from Maria so quickly. If you were to hear the way she speaks to her son a couple more times, with words that you were so familiar with, you might just instinctively snap at her one day and that will be the death of you.

“Ah, I… I think,”

You forcibly make your anger dissipate. Be rational and calm. Play nice.

“I think off-shoulder sleeves are in fashion.”

You sweetly grin back at your mother-in-law who was not completely different than your actual mother.

[u1tr4vio1ence]

EYE OF THE STORM

CHAPTER I: WINDOW TO HELL

PAIRING(S) - Dion Agriche x (Fem.)Reader

DISCLAIMERS - English is not my first language, feel for to notify me of any grammatical or spelling errors. This work is canon-divergent and is a reader insert. There will be added lore but all of the original manwha/novel's plot lines will follow through.

CONTENT WARNINGS (CONTENT MAY CHANGE OVERTIME) - Slow burn, mentionings of infertility, misogyny, manipulation, arranged marriage, toxic families, mentionings of death, angst, blood/violence/gore, eating disorder, mentionings of sexual content (no smut), overall lack of morals.

BEFORE YOU READ - Here is the link to a post with some background information that may help you piece the story together easier.

NOTES - This is the most self-indulgent thing I've ever done. It's so niche, I'm not expecting a huge audience (hello to the two people who’s gonna read this long ass project) and I originally wasn't even planning on sharing this but a certain someone convinced me to. I don't even like Dion all that much, but I sure love exploring human nature and who's the most inhuman character in TWTPTFLOB? Ding ding ding! Anyways, ever since the manwha came out I looked everywhere and turned every single writing platform upside down to look for the slowest of burns/dark fantasy/character study fic but alas I was unable to find any; so as the saying goes– Fine. I'll do it myself.

Society’s upper echelon is loveless.

Most of the world’s population would call marriage the event of one’s lifetime; a celebration of love is what commoners would say, but in the world of aristocracy, your world, marriage is quite the vile thing. 

The daughters who do not meet the expectations of noble houses get exchanged by the heads like gambling chips. In reality, perhaps that’s what marriage among the nobles truly is. A gamble to see if a contract forged by blood that results in an heir is strong enough to prevent civil war. It is not uncommon throughout the centuries to see weaker noble houses sending their daughters to stronger houses to avoid invasion and removal of political power; treating their daughters like glorified breeding mares.

The situation that you are currently in might just be a fate worst. The eyes of all the guests sitting on the pristine benches do not calm your nerves.

While most of the population is thrilled about this so called historic event, a wedding between two of the big six ruling families, Agriche Black and Vespertine Green, the judgemental eyes that are staring down at your form on the alter knows better. It is no secret that Agriche and Vespertine have a long history of feuding, sharing a border with different goals can only lead to such conflicts. In theory this wedding is a blessing, generations of conflict finally resolved with two powerhouse families setting aside their differences; but if that were true, why were you the one getting married?

The man standing across from you, who you refuse to look at, is Dion Agriche. As a Vespertine and former enemy, you know plenty about the man, but even peasants should know enough about him– that he is dangerous, that he is nothing but a war dog. Your soon-to-be husband is someone who could most likely snap your spine with one hand. Your soon-to-be husband is someone who is on track to become the next head of Agriche. And you?

You were never one who had the talent for combat, nor was your affinity to magic strong. Academically, you were mediocre. Your beauty had always been your saving grace, turning heads everywhere you went and having men flush red with a mere smile. But that wasn’t enough. All due to one factor– your inability to bear an heir. Ever since you could remember, you never had a monthly cycle and your capabilities were nowhere near what it takes to be head of Vespertine. Your father had no clue what to do with you for most of your life, you were dead weight. 

This information should have been private, but the gossiping nobles with knowledge of your abysmal achievements pieced it together after you were still not wed two years after your coming of age ceremony. Rumors only grow; you were sure that everyone in the room watching the notary speak from between you and Dion Agriche knows, you were sure that Lante Agriche knows.

Then why is it that the groom of your wedding is one of the most vital members of the house of Agriche? This is not a solid contract, there is no benefit from it. Was it a temporary act of peace before Agriche and Vespertine start stabbing each other in the back? Was your father sick of you so he tied you down to Agriche, leaving you to die? You were going to die, weren’t you? You-

“I do.”

Your train of thought was broken by the deep lackluster voice of the man in front of you. For the first time in your life, you had a clear look at him. He was extremely pale, his hair was the color of a bouquet of deadly nightshades stained in ink, almost black but not quite. But the thing that made your mouth run dry was his eyes, so red and dead, it made you feel like you were staring at a window to hell. He reminded you of a sculpture, so beautifully crafted yet so lifeless. The moment your eyes met with his, your intuition tells you that your previous thoughts might be correct. You were going to die.

“...in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?" 

You tuned out again and almost missed your cue to answer.

“I do.” 

Your voice turned out just as lackluster as his, but the reasoning was due to the thoughts running through your head at the speed of lightning. This wedding took months to plan yet you were still confused as to how it came to be, what is the motive?

For the third time at the alter, your train of thought was broken by the book slamming close in the notary's hand. The older man looked at your now husband.

"You may kiss the bride." 

Your husband leaned in, you can smell him. Cedarwood. Or was it sandalwood? Not unpleasant but it was mixed with a hint of something metallic, barely noticeable. You try not to think whether that metallic scent came from carrying weapons or spilled blood.

His lips touched yours.

–––––

–––––

–––––

–––––

–––––

You flopped down your new bed and looked up at the ceiling. The Agriche manor, aesthetically speaking, sure is… peculiar. You have to get used to the dark hues of the decor, something your old home lacks. 

The carriage ride after the ceremony had been dead silent. You sat next to your husband who seemed uninterested in your existence. You didn’t mind, you were far too busy with counting the trees that passed by to calm your nerves despite it being quite hard to see in the darkness. The moment you two arrived at the manor, Dion immediately walked away on a path leading somewhere you don’t know. The maids escorted you to your bedroom. A private chamber separate from Dion’s.

They knew.

The first night of a noble wedding is one of the most important parts of the ceremony– it seals the contract by conceiving an heir.

How long do you have here? You heard rumors about Lante Agriche’s third wife being fixated on beautiful people, only to turn them into walking corpses. Is that what your future entails? There had also been speculations of the Agriche manor housing a breeding ground of mutated beasts; are you destined to be dinner for them? 

Before you could continue the possibilities, you heard a knock on your bedroom doors.

“My lady, I am here to deliver you a present from your father.”

A wedding gift.

“Yes, come in,” you said with a sigh through your nose.

The servant placed a medium-sized box at a table near your room’s center and quickly left. You waited until you hear the footsteps fade away before getting up to open it. 

A necklace, one with gems that matches your eyes and compliment your skin tone. You’ve received plenty of jewelry over the years, but nothing compares to this. The extravagance and elegance of it outshine any other you have seen. Growing up with nothing but your beauty, your vain habits resurfaced. Immediately, you try on the necklace despite the unnerving situation. Perhaps this is a trick to let your guard down, but you don’t pay much mind at the moment. 

You gaze at yourself in the mirror with it on, no matter how stunning it looked you can’t ignore how it was oddly thick– it’s not noticeable at first glance but the more you look the more you realize that the pendant was somewhat strangely shaped. Your hands immediately start to fidget with it until it suddenly opens. It was a locket. And a folded note fell to the floor.

Your heart raced and your face lost all of its colors. You quickly pick up the paper, unfolding it while mentally preparing yourself for the worst. Your eyes flew across the small page, absorbing every word which left your mouth gaping in utter shock.

“Ah,” you finally muttered, “So that’s how it is.”

[u1tr4vio1ence]

EYE OF THE STORM

CHAPTER IV: BLOOD, GUTS, AND CAKE

PAIRING(S) - Dion Agriche x (Fem.) Reader

DISCLAIMERS - Same as the first chapter.

CONTENT WARNINGS (CONTENT MAY CHANGE OVERTIME) - Same as the first chapter; heavy on the blood/violence/gore.

BEFORE YOU READ - Here is a link to the masterlist.

NOTES - Remember to read the content warning y'all this is a heavy chapter 😭. There will be a ton of nihilistic and bleak themes in this chapter too, remember it's just a story, don't take any of the depressing monologues to heart!

Anyways this chapter is long, future chapters are going to be long too but not like this one! This chapter is very important, it's gonna set a whole bunch of things up, and after this, the ball is finally going to start rolling 🥴; please enjoy!

You use the tip of your finger to wipe away any excess lipstick on the corner of your mouth and... you are all finished.

You had once again called in some house servants to help you dress, but this time it wasn’t fully for an indulgent reason; help is much-appreciated thanks to a certain poisoning incident that still has your muscles sore and head feeling light.

You handled your own makeup this time, the maids are not horrible but their skills are nowhere on par with yours. You stand up in front of your vanity mirror and looked at yourself up and down– something that you’re used to doing, something that is constant in your life. You were satisfied with your appearance but there was something that you could not ignore. 

Your dress. 

In terms of technicality, it was beautiful and it has all the features that you like. The material, the way it flatters your figure; everything was perfect besides the colors. Maria was very persistent about you picking this one and you know why– the dress’s color represents the house of Agriche. Such matters are trivial to you normally because, at the end of the day, it’s just a dress… but while trying it on the night prior with Maria, her side comments about you being a lady of Agriche are stuck on your brain like glue. Here you stand in your room filled with dark decor chosen by Agriche, in front of your dresser and vanity mirror carved with the crest of Agriche, wearing a dress custom made by Agriche.

You can feel the sensation of tears building up behind your eyes as it all comes together. You were purely acting on your fight and flight instincts in the past few days, but now that your brain has finally accepted your reality, you no longer feel numb and your state of panic has diminished. Instead, your very soul feels like it has been pierced. 

From the little moments of your life to the major moments of your life, from the breaths that you took when you were first born to the breaths you are taking right this moment; it had been all for nothing. In the grand scheme of things, what did you do in your life? No one in Vespertine cared about you nor did you care about them. You were no one important within the ranks of the aristocracy nor were they of any importance to you. If your life means nothing to everyone, and everyone means nothing in your life… then what difference will it make if you are executed by Lante Agriche? Will there be anybody to mourn for you? 

The situation was heartbreaking but you still force yourself to walk out of the bedroom to your mother-in-law’s tea party. You know how pathetic you are as a human being– what kind of human loves no one yet yearns for love in return? You are a vain fool, perhaps it will be your downfall but it is what keeps your heart beating with ambition and hope. 

If you were to feel love just once, if someone has a place in your heart and you in theirs, then perhaps everything will become worthwhile. You need to feel it so desperately, you need to feel significant in this world so desperately, that you are willing to do just about anything for a taste of it– a taste of having meaning in your life. And currently, an obstacle in your pursuit of such feelings is to endure this hellbound household. Perhaps you making it out without dying is an improbability, perhaps the odds were so close to zero that your death is almost guaranteed, yet you do not care. Your soul still feels shattered, but your darkened mind is as calm as it can be. 

Motivation courses through your veins as you walk promptly with a poker face on a trail leading to the greenhouse, the location of the tea party. You don’t know where to even start to earn Lante’s good graces, but for some reason, you are not worried. Perhaps it was some sort of seventh sense but you have a feeling that you will find something resourceful out of this event.

You stop momentarily outside the doors of the greenhouse and analyze yourself. You are in touch with your emotions and you are no longer panicked. Good. You must act reasonably and logically. The situation still makes your soul feels like it’s wrenching, but the only way for you to cure that is to see your father and Lante’s heads on a stake, something that you doubt will happen any time soon. So you ignore the feeling. 

You take a deep breath and open the door.

You entered and make your way to the large table in the center, filled with all kinds of pastries and drinks; around said table was a group of women chattering and chuckling. As you got closer, you can feel eyes on you and hear the voices stopping their current conversations.

“You look exquisite!”

“Maria wasn’t lying about your beauty!”

“Easy on the eyes, I see!”

You flash a charming smile as you thank them and introduce yourself with a curtsy. You took your seat next to Maria as she started small talk with you. It seems like the people present here are all women, who you assumed to be Lante Agriche’s other wives. However, you did a quick look around once more and found a youthful face; a girl who seems to be around your age with brown hair and eyes in a shade of red that you were oh so familiar with. A child of Agriche. You weren’t completely sure whether being allied with one of Lante’s children or one of his wives will result in you having a longer future, but it’s better to get on everyone’s good side anyways. 

You smile at the brunette as you introduce yourself.

“Lovely name you have, I’m Grizelda,” she says as she offers a soft smile. You know a facade when you see one, you are a master of it after all, but you can also see curiosity in the glint of her eyes.

“Nice to meet you Girzelda, I-”

“Oh my, I didn’t expect to see you coming along with Sierra!”

Before a full conversation with Grizelda can even begin, you were cut off by Maria’s loud statement that caught the attention of everyone. Your eyes follow the direction that Maria was looking at and you see two blonde women, both looking extremely attractive. The woman on the right had long elegant hair that looks like it had been spun from gold and her round eyes resembled the clearness of a blue lake. The woman’s beauty was awing, but the way she carries herself seems… delicate. The one next to her was anything but. She was younger and has the same golden hair with the only difference being that hers is curly. Her eyes told you everything you need to know about who she is; another Agriche child. Her beauty is admirable, but the sickeningly sweet smile on her face sets alarms in your head. 

“Hello, yes I decided to come along with my mother for a nice change of pace.”

It was unnoticeable to everyone else, but towards the end of her sentence, her eyes flicker to yours for a split second. It makes you doubt that that was the true reason why she was here.

“Well, this is just great! If only you would come to join more often, Roxana. Come now, take a seat.” Maria waved for the older woman to come to sit next to her other side and the blonde woman smiles somewhat unconfidently before settling down. The only available seat left is the one next to you, which the Agriche child, who you assumed was Roxana, sits in. You take a good look at her. 

She seems younger than you, appearing to be sixteen or seventeen years of age, but her beauty is just as awing as her mother’s. The deep red dress matches her eyes and her gold jewelry compliments her luxurious hair. Truly mesmerizing. You twist your lips into another fake smile, one that you were sure she could see through because you are confident that she’s a master of putting up a facade as well.

“I’m delighted to meet you, Roxana right?”

“Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you too.” 

Roxana has a voice that was very pleasant to listen to, but that doesn’t distract you from her eyes. Those red eyes of hers make you feel tense; she may fool everyone around her but she certainly cannot fool you. You know this game she plays too well because you were forced to play it once– masking yourself with a pretty smile and sugar-coating your words so that no one can tell what goes on in your head. However, you acknowledge that her skills in fakery are more proficient than yours because she is one of the few people that you have a difficult time deciphering. You cannot tell what she’s thinking for sure, but you know one thing.

The way her eyes gleam, the smallest twitches of her muscles– she was perplexed. But of what? You don’t miss how she looks at you up and down; it was almost like she was alarmed by your presence like she thinks that you are an anomaly that she wasn’t expecting in her life. Perhaps you are overthinking it? After all, you don’t sense any hostility from her… but she’s not welcoming either. You’re not quite sure what to make of her.

Maria suddenly stands up from her seat and clears her throat.

“Hello everyone! I’m glad to see you all here. As we know, this party is dedicated to welcoming a new member of our family,” the woman pauses for a moment to smile sweetly at you, “but I’d like to also give her a special present. A gift of appreciation from a mother to her daughter!”

Gift?

“You see dear, everyone here has a personal servant! It would be awful if you do not have one as well, so I decided to handpick a maid for you, one that I trained and fixed up myself.”

Her voice sounds strange, but regardless, you smiled.

“Thank you so much, mother.”

“Why of course, let me grab her right now for you!”

With that, Maria walks towards one of the greenhouse’s doors to fetch your new maid, who you were assuming was waiting just right outside. This gift, this situation shouldn't be much of a huge deal, but the atmosphere doesn’t quite feel right. You let your eyes roam the people around you. Sierra, who you learned is Roxana’s mother, seems nervous. Her eyes were filled with anxiety and you could swear you see her bottom lip quivering. Roxana’s eyes were hardened and narrowed as they look in Maria’s direction. Grizelda was sipping her tea in curiosity and anticipation while the other women at the large table all wore a smile that was somewhat sinister. 

Something is wrong.

“Here she is, say hello to your new maid– Vanessa!”

Oh.

You could not stop your jaw from dropping, even with years of a practiced neutral face. Your maid, this woman named Vanessa, was completely mutilated and was still standing. She wore a normal maid attire but both of her arms were nowhere to be seen. Her lips and eyelids were cut off, and there were pieces of flesh that are sewn into her tongue to make it disgustingly long. 

You want to vomit.

“You see, Vanessa is an extremely talented maid and knows how to do just about everything…it was a shame that she had a habit of gossiping. She wanted to be a snake so badly, that I might as well make her look like one! Doesn’t this appearance suit her?”

Maria’s smile was hysterical and the over wives at the table seemed entertained. Of course. You are surrounded by Agriches. Everyone was enjoying themselves looking between you and Sierra, and somehow your resentment and bruised ego grew faster than your disgust and fear did.

“Come on now, Vanessa, pour my beloved daughter a drink.”

Vanessa looks back at Maria in terror and starts to shake her head.

“Huh… oh yes that’s right you do not have the arms to do so. How silly of me, I completely forgot,” the maniac of a woman gave you a look coated with a genuine apology, “How thoughtless of me. Let me fetch you another! It’s a good thing I keep a lot of backups around!”

With that, Maria decapitated Vanessa with a parasol-like weapon that she always carries. A yelp of shock and fright came from Sierra as the head rolled towards her direction, which cause a round of laughter to come from the cruel women at the table. Your poker face had returned but you can’t stop your fingers from trembling.

“Maria.”

Roxana, who you forgot was sitting next to you, stands up and stops Maria midway from showing another tortured servant. 

“I just recall that father requested my presence for an assignment around this hour, so I’ll be taking my leave.”

“Oh, well good luck with that. I hope that you’ll be able to attend the next tea party fully!”

“Yes, of course… and,” Roxana's eyes suddenly landed on you, “I think you should head in too. I believe I saw letters from the House of Vespertine being carried to your room on my way here. Do you know if you are expecting anything important?”

Untrue.

Your father explicitly stated in the note that you received on your first night here that he would not make any contact with you, not unless you earn a name for yourself and accomplished something so great that it will make its way to his ears, all the way in the Vespertine duchy. 

Then that can only mean one thing— Roxana was giving you an opening. You don’t have time to ponder exactly why she is willing to help you at the moment, but you did not hesitate to seize this opportunity. 

“Oh that’s right, I should be expecting some documents that I have to sign due to the change of my status and my residency.”

“Ah,” Maria sighed with disappointment, “I suppose a marriage between two ruling houses would take a lot more paperwork… but do you want to sit for a little while longer to see this mai-“

“I believe it is best to sign these papers quickly, my father is an impatient man.”

You didn’t mean to cut Maria off, but you wanted to leave as fast as possible… and receiving the unexpected help from Roxana gave you the confidence to be somewhat blunter.

“Right, do you perhaps need help getting back? This mansion has a labyrinth-like structure. Perhaps my mother could help you get back. Is that right, mother?”

You were impressed, Roxana was quick on her feet, managing to naturally create an opportunity for her mother to escape this situation as well. You decided to help her out of gratitude.

“It would be nice if you show me the way, Miss,” you say to the blonde woman who was shaken up.

“R-right! It would be no problem…” 

Sierra quickly got up and started to walk out with Roxana, you quickly follow the two.

“Thank you for inviting me mother, I’m sure we can figure out the personal maid situation another time. Until then.”

You quickly bid Maria farewell before stepping outside the entrance.

“Wait, but-”

Roxana shut the doors close.

The three of you walk hastily on a trail, you’re not sure where it leads to but you don’t pay any mind. You can feel your heart hammering in your chest, it was beating so loudly that you won’t be surprised if the two accompanying you hear it too. You knew who Maria was and you prepared yourself for it nights in advance but seeing the monstrosity that she was capable of right in front of you is a feeling that you were sure that you could never prepare yourself for, no matter how much time you have.

As your adrenaline settles down, you realize how you acted in the situation– you showed vulnerability. Not only in the traditional sense where the grotesque mutilation had scared you, but you were sure some of the women there had sensed your anger towards the treatment. You were confident that you would act accordingly if it were only Maria that picked on you for fun... but when a group of people does it... No. You cannot lose your cool no matter what.

“Can we stop for a little bit? I… I need to sit down,” Sierra said as she spotted a bench near a fountain along the side of the trail. She was still shaking.

“Yes, of course, take your time Miss.”

You pitied the woman a little bit; it seems like this was not the first time she had to endure such shenanigans by Maria, but she is still reacting so strongly to it. Her heart is perhaps too faint to belong in a place such as this.

As Sierra sits down, you notice that Roxana is now standing by your side.

“Thank you, honestly. I don’t think there was any other way for me to get out of there.”

“No problem, it was easy since you’re a rather convincing liar. Residency documents? A nice icing on the cake.”

Flattery was going to her nowhere, but it was still soothing to hear after what little you have of an ego was bruised.

“I suppose it was easy. I’m not sure what excuse will get me out next time though… ha.”

“Next time?” Roxana questions in amusement.

“I can’t necessarily make my mother-in-law too upset.”

You don’t know why but you’re having an easy time talking to Roxana, maybe because of her help earlier and maybe because she was younger. Though it is unwise to act so casual, you savored the moment like how one would savor a breath of fresh air. You look at Sierra to find her still slightly shuddering. 

“Do you feel any better Miss?” you ask, voice laced with concern that wasn’t entirely fake.

“Huh? Oh I do, but I might need to lie down for a little bit,” Sierra slowly rises from her seat. Despite her current state, she still smiles kindly at you, “and you can just call me Sierra.”

“Alright then, please rest well Sierra.”

“I’ll see you later mother, don’t do anything that’s physically demanding.”

You and Roxana bid Sierra goodbye as she makes her way back to her room to rest, but before she fully walks away she looks back at you with concern.

“Do you need help finding your way back to your room?”

What a kind-hearted woman.

“It’s alright, I know the way. I’m going to stay outside for a bit, I think I need the air.”

With that, she nodded at you and her daughter before heading off. You let out a sigh through your nose before turning towards Roxana. The girl is an enigma to you. She did not have to help, but she did. You know she doesn’t pity you, and she doesn’t seem like the type to be delighted from seeing the weak struggle. 

You decide to be bold.

“Roxana, why did you help me?”

“I don’t like seeing my mother having a hard time with Maria’s tea parties, seeing you in a similar state as her doesn’t bring me joy… and I imagine that these past few days have not been so merciful towards you. ”

What a silver tongue Roxana Agriche has. As much as you want to know the truth, you don’t think pestering her further would get you anywhere.

“Yes… my mother-in-law and husband are not the friendliest.”

You can see Roxana’s eyebrows slightly twitch at the mention of the man that you married. You can’t help but question her.

“Are you not on good terms with Dion?”

“You can say that… I am at my happiest when he’s away, which thankfully, is often.”

“That makes the both of us.”

You both share a chuckle, but your mind gets more curious by the second. Just the way that Dion’s name roll off of your tongue makes shivers go up your spine. He has the status of the most successful Agriche child and he is disliked by the people living in his own home. The Agriches are cold-blooded criminals… you wonder what sort of sins your husband has committed to make him a subject of despise, even amongst sinners. No matter, it is best if you stay curious and nothing more. What you said to Roxana is true, you would rather never see him around the house. The element of danger that he carries isn’t exactly why you don’t like being near him, it is his detached nature that draws you away.

It’s the opposite of what you want to be in your life. 

“Well, it is best if we part ways now,” Roxana says, ”I didn’t get the chance to eat during the party, I’ll get myself a meal.”

“I see. Thanks, once again. I’ll be walking for a little while longer to take some things off of my mind.”

You bid your farewell to Roxana before continuing on your walk, but you can feel her stare burning through your back. It is difficult to pinpoint what she wants from you, and the reasoning behind her assistance is still unclear; but you know that for now, she’s someone who you can rely on more than Maria. Perhaps she was trying to coax you for you to be of use to her later on, for you to owe her. If that were true, then you can’t depend on her entirely… 

You need to make the favors you want from her count. 

–––––

–––––

–––––

–––––

–––––

“Oh, it’s you!”

Sierra looks rather shocked to find you knocking on her bedroom door in such late hours of the night, but she still wore a smile.

“Hello Sierra, do you mind if I come in?”

“Of course not.” she opens the door fully to you and you enter. It was an extravagant room… how come her room doesn’t have any dark decors? You would be lying if you said you weren’t jealous of her room filled with refreshing colors.

“Sorry for not announcing that I’ll be visiting. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

You offered her a sweet smile and she returns one back, one filled with genuine happiness.

“I feel much better, thank you. It takes a little while for me to fully recover from such a sight but… this isn’t the first time so I’ll be fine.”

“... I’m glad to hear that Sierra, and may I also ask you one more thing?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“From one woman married into Agriche to another,” you grab her hands in yours firmly and leaned in close to her face; the sudden action making her slightly jolt in surprise, “I need a favor.”

You can see the small beads of sweat starting to form on the side of her face.

“... A favor?”

“Yes, one only you can help me with.”

That was true. You can’t ask Roxana, you didn’t fully trust her to be a layer of protection just yet and you can’t rely on her too frequently. Roxana needs to be used as a trump card for now. And Maria was completely out of the question.

“I want to know everything.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean I want you to tell me everything– everybody’s records, underground projects and experiments, the layout of this mansion, industries that are contracted under Lante Agriche. Tell me everything you know and more.”

The look of determination in your eyes was enough to make a person flinch.

“Tell me all of it.”

[u1tr4vio1ence]

EYE OF THE STORM

CHAPTER VI: SPEAK OF THE DEVIL AND HE DOTH APPEAR

PAIRING(S) - Dion Agriche x (Fem.) Reader

DISCLAIMERS - Same as the first chapter.

CONTENT WARNINGS (CONTENT MAY CHANGE OVERTIME) - Same as the first chapter.

BEFORE YOU READ - Here is a link to the masterlist.

NOTES - I lived.

This literally took so long chap 6 sucks ass so I decided to rewrite the whole thing 💪. Anyways hope yall had a good Halloween! Mine was... 💀💀💀 what happens on halloweekend stays on halloweekend.

My lovely lovely beta reader – @the-d3vils-do11 babe, guess who's gonna make a cameo next chapter 😋😋😋

“Will that be all, my lady?”

“Yes, you may leave.” 

The butler quickly bows and turn to exit the balcony. You sank into your seat and started to wave the fan in your hand faster, brain overheating. 

Each failed candidate was another slap to your face. You have spent the last two days requesting assistance from butlers for the simplest tasks and your patience wears and tears each time you conclude that they weren’t fit to be of use to access the needed files. It has been difficult, some were far too bashful– having a blushing and stuttering mess would slow tasks down considerably. Others were far too cautious, their fear of Lante Agriche overshadowing their attraction to you. 

And now you are stuck between a rock and a hard place. You either slowly continue this process that’ll take who knows how long to find the right accomplice or you’ll have to seek one out more actively which would result in you looking pathetically desperate to get someone on your side. The rate at that you’re calling for the house staff to pamper and coddle you made you seem pompous enough, a behavior that is nothing out of the ordinary for a Vespertine, but if you were to request assistance more frequently then surely you’ll become the talk of the manor more so than you already are… 

You fanned yourself harder. All of this thinking was doing you no good and the weather was not ideal. By this time of year, it should’ve cooled down by a considerable amount but the beaming rays of the sun are still as cruel and unforgiving as ever. Though your body suffers from the heat, the weather does make the gardens look rather nice from the balcony’s view; it was a pity that whenever you look at flowers all you can feel is disgust thanks to a certain incident around a week ago. Even now when you feel utterly restless, a part of you doesn’t feel comfortable strolling outside regardless of the fact that Sierra has already told you about the location of the gardens that were safe to enter. 

You sighed through your nose and set your fan down as you made the decision to take a stroll– not through the gardens– but perhaps near the fountains. As much as you want to avoid going outside to not look at any sort of greenery, you rather stay near cooling water than inside a manor where all the heat gets trapped in. 

One foot after the other, you then slowly make your way out with a heavy mind and never-ending thoughts. If- no, when you finally find yourself an easily seduced butler, you’ll need more than just tax files if you want to survive in the long run... What other uses out of a household servant can you make the best of? Stuck in the state of total contemplation, you missed the way that you took a wrong turn minutes ago. Your mind kept on pondering and pondering until-

“Oh, It’s you again.”

The voice pulled you out of your ocean of thoughts, so suddenly that it nearly made you flinch, but you kept an unstartled facade as you rotate your head toward the direction of the familiar tone.

“Jeremy,” you have to keep yourself from physically sighing, ”It’s nice to see you again.”

Your unenthusiastic tone betrays your polite words. You truly didn’t mean to sound so unpleasant but you didn’t want to deal with an overbearing Agriche child at your distressed state of mind.

You’re relieved that his reaction was merely to roll his eyes at you, he must be in a better mood compared to the first time you met him. You purse your lips and slightly straighten your posture– you need to keep a good attitude, Jeremy might be too young to make any executive decision about killing you but he’s still an Agriche through and through. 

“You know my name now. Been snooping around?” The corners of Jeremy’s mouth twitched upwards, eyes looking at you like he caught you red-handed.

You didn’t exactly know how to respond, slightly stunned, but you see him step forward as his smile goes wicked.

“Well, that explains why you’re here.”

…What?

You look around the hallway that you’re in and you realized what Jeremy meant. You took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in a hall that’s darker than any other that you’ve been in and the carvings on the wall seem more complex and elaborative. The surrounding decors were all gold with ruby gemstones and there were more extravagant paintings hanging all around you. This is someplace important.

Your heart starts racing, did you accidentally end up somewhere you’re not supposed to? 

“I…” your pride be damned, you rather get belittled as stupid than get labeled as suspicious.

“I made a wrong turn, I believe I’m lost.”

You look straight into the depths of the boy’s cobalt eyes, answering truthfully. The response you received was a bark of laughter.

“Oh I know! I wanted to rile you up, you should’ve seen the look on your face!” Jeremy’s grin was the size of a half-moon now.

“Sneaking around or not,” the teen’s laughter finally died down, “I know you don’t have the guts to go near father anyways.”

…So you’re near Lante Agriche.

The rational part of your psyche, the part that has kept you alive for all of these years, screams at you to turn around and be on your merry way, you have found where the lion’s den is and now you know how to avoid stumbling upon it. But the part of yourself filled with desperation, the part that’s been growing stronger and stronger ever since you stepped foot into this household, tells you that this is the perfect chance to find out how guarded Lante likes to keep this area. This section of the mansion probably holds the financial room too; you need to catch a glimpse of how generally secure Lante likes the area to be, in case your future co-conspiring butler isn’t as skilled as you hoped or even if you end up having to do it yourself, you need to prepare for every case possible. 

You clench your jaw and turned your body around and started walking back in the direction you were initially going.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going? And we’re not done talking!” Jeremy caught up, now walking side by side with you.

“If I turn around I’m bound to get confused and I’ll be walking in circles. Going straight ahead in a consistent direction will eventually lead to an exit outdoors, yes?” That was a split-second excuse that you thought of right at the moment, but it was true. The manor was built specifically to confuse intruders after all. Usually, the most obvious path ends up being an entrance to the outside, a way to keep invaders puzzled and away. You internally thanked yourself for pestering Sierra for extra details the night you turned to her for help.

“Well,” Jeremy’s eyes were slightly widened but he has a smirk on his face, “Maybe you do got the guts.” 

So you continued walking, you’re not sure where– mainly just turning whenever Jeremy turns. It was the easiest option anyways, he wouldn't stop talking to you, and walking with him near wherever Lante is seems much less concerning than you wandering alone. You caught a couple of doors, around three, where a guard was stationed right next to the entrance. It seems like there’s a guard per door and you don’t miss the large locks with the obvious magical crests engraved on them. Guards and enchantment… this is getting more and more difficult. 

“Are you even listening?”

Your eyes snap back to Jeremy. You’re not sure why he wants to make so much small talk, especially being very apparent about his distaste for the Vespertine bloodline last he saw you. Perhaps he really is in that good of a mood. 

“Yes, something about evaluations?”

“Charlotte was so confident that she’d get third seat this month. It’ll only be in a couple of moments but I can’t wait. When I get the score on paper she’ll be shattered! As if that spot is going to ever be taken from me!”

Or maybe he just needs someone to brag to.

From what you’ve been hearing he’s on his way to the Agriche’s head office to get a formal scoring on his evaluation and apparently he’s trying to crush Charlotte’s hope of being one of the top three scorers. You heard about Charlotte from Sierra and all you knew was she was a young hot-headed girl. If she’s even younger than Jeremy and nowhere near as skilled, then you doubt she’ll become something that you’ll have to stress over too often.

The both of you turned and a set of double doors came to view at the end of the hall. It was the most grandiosely designed door yet, even more so than the library’s. There’s no doubt that is Lante’s office. Your eye caught another hallway, just right of the office doors. You don’t know if you want to walk slower to postpone being in front of the room where Lante is or if you want to walk faster to escape already.

“Say,” you’re now trying to make conversation to calm your nerves, “How often do you and the others get an evaluation?”

“Once a month. By now, most of us that survived this long usually pass but when we fail, we get a punishment. The severity depends on how badly we messed up.” You recall seeing Fontaine on the ground pleading.

“The ones that do exceptionally well though, get rewarded,” Jeremy’s smirk returns, “That being me of course. When I started going to the banquet, my place there have never been filled by anyone else.”

Right, he mentioned earlier when you were looking out for guarded rooms about a banquet that Lante holds for his best-performing children.

“Oh! And Xana too of course!”

Xana… Roxana Agriche. It felt like eons since the last time you saw her, but the tea party was only a little over a week ago. So much has happened in such a short amount of time, you feel like you’ve been stuck with this family for months already. 

Lante’s office was close, too close for comfort. Less than ten feet away and Jeremy’s pace didn’t slow down.

“Does she hold the first seat?” 

Jeremy’s expression fell. 

“Tch…no.”

“Then who does?” You said on auto-pilot but you realized the answer the second the question left your lips. It was obvious.

Jeremy seem to be glaring at the air as he opens his mouth to respond, but before he can, the knobs of Lante’s office doors turn just a few feet ahead.

Speak of the devil. 

Your spouse closed the doors just as swiftly as he opened them. He was out of his uniform and training clothes but was still in all-black attire. With a pile of papers in one hand and his other hand in his pocket, Dion took all but two steps when he found his wife and younger half-brother standing in front of him. 

“Ugh… Dion.” Jeremy spat out with a tone more viscous than the one he was using while muttering profanities in the library the other day.

You’re not sure what expression you’re wearing but it made Dion’s eyes linger on Jeremy for a mere second before locking themself on you. His eyes were staring at yours again and you haven’t been this close to him since your wedding day. The discomfort in your chest builds up quickly; it was comparable to drowning, to the feeling of liquid filling up your lungs.

You can also feel Jeremy’s gaze bouncing between you and your spouse, curious to see who will speak first. You can’t take the unbearable silence of the moment any longer.

“Husband.”

“Wife.”

Jeremy grimaces in the corner of your eye– like while he was freely conversing with you he forgot the fact that you’re married to Dion, that you are indeed a wife of Agriche. You don’t take offense, you would love to join Jeremy in with the grimacing if you were not too busy being paralyzed. The day truly could not be any worse. You were having trouble with your plans, ran into Jeremy, who turned out to not be the worst company but now you ran into Dion of all people. Is Lante going to waltz out of his office next? 

The thought of that possibility alone was the final straw to your wavering patience, you nodded at your husband before turning your head towards his half-brother.

“I’ll get going, best of luck with the evaluation score, Jeremy.”

“No luck needed,” he scoffs, “Best of luck with not getting poisoned again.” 

You ignore the jab and made your way to the hall on the right, looking everywhere but at your husband who’s standing in the direction you’re headed. Your heart pounds slightly harder as you get near him and just when you were about to turn, just when you were shoulder to shoulder with him your feet stopped and rooted themselves to the floor at the sound of your name from coming out of Dion’s lips. 

Dion Agriche said your name in such an apathetic manner, as if you’re nothing but a speck of dust occupying his home— could be gotten rid of at any time but no one cares or bothers about something so inconsequential. You detest the way he reminds you of everything you’re trying to run away from, everything that you are. 

You slowly craned your neck up to look at him, even with your ankle-breaking high heels Dion is still taller than you. Now you stand directly next to him, shoulders so close they’re nearly touching and you can slightly smell him again. That somewhat sweet wood-like leathery scent with a hint of something metallic was lingering at the tip of your nose, making you question whether you hated it or found it pleasant. 

“… Yes?” Your voice ended up sounding meeker than you wanted it to. It was hard to mask yourself when all you could focus on was your field of vision which consisted of only Dion. You kept eye contact even though you wish you had the luxury to never lay eyes on him again, instincts akin to a prey being too paranoid to look away from a predator. 

“Father expects your presence at this month’s banquet.” 

Your eyes couldn’t stop themself from widening and blinking in shock at the sound of his statement. Your husband’s pupils constrict ever so slightly and moved up and down subtle enough that you would have never noticed if it weren’t for your close proximity. 

He was observing your reaction. 

An instant later he broke your stare down and started leaving, thankfully walking in a direction differing from the one you were headed. He didn’t utter a word to Jeremy, who you forgot was present in the scene, as he exits. Just as quickly as he appeared he was gone, like a shadow that one swore they saw but could never quite pinpoint from where. 

“I almost forgot about that.”

Your attention is back on Jeremy, now with Dion’s unnerving presence gone you can finally process what he told you. 

“I’m- I am invited to the evaluation banquet?... For whatever reason? I don’t even participate in those tests.” You really can’t catch a break. Not only are you going to be formally meet Lante but it’ll be over dinner with his most accomplished children– the spotlight would be on you and you’ll be psychologically dissected until you bend and break.

“There was actually supposed to be a dinner of introduction between you, Father, and the bastard Dion a while ago, but that got canceled since some hollow-skulled Vespertine had to wander around and got put out of commission,” Jeremy’s eyes narrowed at you as he insults, “Father decided to merge that meeting with the banquet. It’s nothing new, sometimes we get guests if some business dinner overlaps with the time of the monthly banquet.”

“... When is it? The banquet I mean.”

“Last day of the month.”

That’s the day after tomorrow.

Jeremy rested his hands behind his head, bored of the conversation, before stepping towards the office doors. You didn’t bother saying farewell before you finally pass Lante’s office, now walking with nothing to accompany you but the weakness of your heart and mind at that moment.

[u1tr4vio1ence]

EYE OF THE STORM

CHAPTER V: THE LULL BEFORE THE TEMPEST

PAIRING(S) - Dion Agriche x (Fem.) Reader

DISCLAIMERS - Same as the first chapter.

CONTENT WARNINGS (CONTENT MAY CHANGE OVERTIME) - Same as the first chapter.

BEFORE YOU READ - Here is a link to the masterlist.

NOTES - I AM ALIVE 💀💀💀.

Apologies for the unannounced hiatus! A lot of things happened to me during the first week or so of September and it was difficult to stay motivated afterwards.

Updates should be consistent again! And shout out to my lovely lovely beta reader– @the-d3vils-do11

Is beta reader even the right word anymore…? You got spoiled so badly about so many things 😟

“Spare some sympathy in your heart for me, would you Sierra?”

–––––

–––––

–––––

–––––

–––––

You let out a huff of annoyance as you look back and forth between two books. On your right lays a book listing different types of poisons, and on your left lays a book listing various types of antidotes. You have already burned through multiple volumes of the series– who knew there were this many types of poisons in this world? And to think that the Agriche grows most of them in their gardens…

You relaxed your posture and leaned back against your chair, looking up at the high ceiling. It has been one week since your arrival at the manor and you believe you finally found a place where you felt at peace. The Agriche library is quite the marvel; there were a plethora of books on the finely carved dark shelves, and the engravings on the dome-shaped ceiling were as intricate as the ones on a cathedral’s. You were never one to appreciate a place such as a library, but it was your momentary sanctuary. The calm environment almost makes you forget that you live under the same roof as psychopathic criminals. That you are married to one.

The thought of your situation causes you to sit straight and refocus on the books again; you weren't here to leisurely read, you were here to learn to protect yourself if you happen to find yourself in a dangerous scenario. You learned a lot of things after the night you reached out to Sierra for help, and you refuse to have your attention divided now.

It was a dangerous game that you played that night, begging and demanding someone who was practically a stranger to tell you crucial information. But you took the risk, it was not hard to figure out the type of person Sierra was and you were confident that your bold display of desperation would have moved her in some way, and it did. 

“When I first married Lante… I was overwhelmed and nervous as well… It’s alright, I understand.”

Ocean blue eyes looked at you with a certain softness, and a smile full of nothing but sympathy. However, the way the woman slumped her shoulders was a little bit sorrowful. Like she’s reminiscing, like she sees herself in your situation and feels everything she felt back in those days all over again.

You were glad that your daring stunt worked, it would have not ended well if word gets out that you had a bad confrontation with Sierra; getting on the foul side of Roxana Agriche’s mother is not something that you need to occur. No matter. It worked out in the end, you can’t focus on what could’ve happened, you need to focus on what did and where it lead you to.

Apparently, Sierra was no expert in political or business affairs, but she provided you with enough information and house rules so that you have solid leads to figure out things for yourself. Without Sierra’s information, you would surely still be lost, not knowing what to do while playing dress-up with Maria. Logic tells you that you should be grateful, but you know that you truly never will be. Sierra lent you a helping hand and offered you gentle kindness, but a space in your heart does not exist for her. She is someone who is convenient for your survival and that is all– she offers nothing else to you. All you need is to live and to love, what can Sierra do? Offer maternal love? As if you would ever consider anyone your mother. Not after how the woman who gave birth to you showed you how thin and fickle a mother’s love is.

You slammed the book on your left shut, another volume finished. You got up to put it back in its original place, only to grab the next volume. As you sat back down, you can feel a headache building up. The past few days have been spent reading about proper cauterization, self-made tourniquets, herbal antidotes, and more– you need some skills before attempting anything that might put your body in danger. Becoming someone that Lante Agriche favors will most likely be the hardest thing you’ll have to do in your life, you must avoid blunders if you want him to view you positively; so before doing anything that will catch his eye… you want to familiarize yourself with the Agriche. You need to know every trick up their sleeve, you need to know all of the nooks and crannies before confidently stepping into the spotlight for Lante to see.

The back of your mind whispers to you, saying that reading a couple more volumes about antidotes and poisons won’t help you much and you were purposefully avoiding the advancement of your plan. Your mind is correct, but your nerves tell you to read more, not wanting to proceed to something so daunting. Sierra informed you about the general layout of the mansion and basic information about members of the Agriche family, you’ve spent the past few days studying basic techniques that could help you avoid death, and now the next step is to learn about the Agriches' operations and arsenal. Though the execution is difficult, the way to dig up such information is simple enough– financial records. Access to the Agriche financial history means you’ll be able to see everything; imports of weaponry, drug trades, land contracts, and most importantly taxes. Each of the six ruling families tax smaller noble houses and peasants living in their duchy for the tradeoff of protection. If you were to see the tax records, you will be able to find out what sort of creations the Agriche is selling and taxing without having to track them down physically.

The issue is how you will access such files. All Sierra knew about the family’s financial affairs is that Lante has personal accountants and assessors to take care of the paperwork before he checks and signs it off. That must mean the documents are kept in a separate room somewhere before being brought to Lante, right? Where is it located? Is it heavily locked? Does Lante have guards patrolling around such an important area? 

The library double doors suddenly slammed open and the peaceful quiet was ruined by a boy with a stack of books in his arms. He hurriedly made his way to drop all of them on a table nearby the library’s entrance before coming up to a shelf searching for something, the profanities escaping from his mouth did not go unnoticed by you.

“Stupid educators, why bother making a list if you’re not going to include everything in it?!”

He was young, in his early teens perhaps. You relaxed a bit, someone around his age normally does not have the power to make important decisions– killing a Vespertine is off the table, so your life is safe from his hands. The boy had short dark hair with sharp deep blue eyes. If Sierra’s descriptions were accurate, this must be Jeremy Agriche. She told you that he got along with Roxana, so you expected someone who was more-

“Tsk, where is it?!”

…Maybe you caught him at a bad time.

 It seemed like whatever he was doing preoccupied his mind enough to not even notice you were in the room, something that you don’t really mind. You tore your eyes away from him and back to your book. Unfortunately, before you could finish another paragraph, you heard footsteps growing louder until you look up and see Jeremy Agriche in front of you.

“Hey you, I need that. Why are you…” The boy's voice was stern but it got quieter as his sentence trailed and his eyes widens as realization dawned upon him, “... You’re the Vespertine girl who married that bastard Dion!”

If you were an outsider, you would find it almost comical that so many members of Dion’s family despise him. But as Dion Agriche’s wife, his younger half-brother’s comment made you frown— being married to a man with many enemies is going to bring unwanted obstacles. 

“…Yes. What is it that you need?“

“This,” the book was snatched out of your hands as the boy looked at you up and down, “You don’t look terrible for being poisoned, I thought I wouldn’t run into you for a while if you were bedridden but I guess not.”

The smirk on his face was half condescending, half impressed. You would have been offended if you weren’t so focused on the fact that he recalled your poisoning. You expected gossip, but you genuinely thought there were only a few people who would even bother to find out and remember. This means that you’re a topic of interest in the household… this is no good.

“It was a minor accident, I made a full recovery in a few days. Being sick all week seems a bit extreme, yes?”

You leaned back on your chair and crossed your legs as you spoke to him, eyes never leaving his. You want to seem relaxed and unbothered so Jeremy can’t get the impression that you’re a punching bag for Agriche schemes. 

“Tsk, minor or not, it was a stupid accident. Getting poisoned your first morning here? That’s to be expected from you Vesptertines, your brains know nothing besides money and aesthetics!”

Did he seriously stick his tongue out at you after saying that? If you were a few years younger, you would surely stoop down to his level of immaturity.

“Who knew there was an expectation to know all about you Agriches and where you place poisonous flowers in your gothic manor the second upon my arrival. My apologies, I suppose.”

Perhaps you were stooping down a little bit. The sarcastic tone of your comment made the boy in front of you scowl. 

“Each of our servants memorized everything in the span of a couple of hours, you know. Please, even a lowly housekeeper can do it while you can’t.”

You doubt the word ‘lowly’ is an accurate description. Staff members belonging to one of the big six families are all highly trained and exceptional individuals; rumor has it that the Agriche even hires those who worked in the underworld. Seeing how every rumor was confirmed true so far during your stay here, this one was most likely true as well.

Besides the point, something caught your attention in the middle of his insult.

“Everything, you say?”

“That’s right. Every single room, every single rule, and every single one of their responsibilities was memorized in less than one night. I doubt you can even remember where the nearest restroom is from here!” 

The sneer on Jeremy’s face and his words were laced with venom, but exhilaration starts coursing through your veins.

Jackpot. 

“I see, that sure is impressive,” You said, voice lacking any enthusiasm. You rose from your seat to stand in front of Jeremy. You stood taller than him thanks to your heels, and he looked up at you in irritation, “Now if you’ll excuse me, my state of serenity was disturbed. I’ll go find my peace someplace else now.”

The response made the boy scoff. You nodded your head a quick farewell before walking out of the library’s double doors, feeling the young teenager’s eyes full of judgment scanning your figure with each step.

“Go find peace in the hallucination rooms!”

You pause right before stepping out. With your back still facing him, you turned your head to the side and slightly cocked your chin up to reveal a curt smile.

“I’ll keep that suggestion in mind.”

You wasted no time to close the double doors and began walking at a swift pace. It was unusual that household servants were required to know so much, so the thought of using a maid or butler hadn’t crossed your mind once during the week, but with a certain loudmouth Agriche son confirming the knowledge of the servants… Yes, this is coming together nicely. Your only concern now is picking who your source of information will be. This will be difficult compared to your little ploy towards Sierra and will take much more time than one day to carry out. These men and women are highly intelligent and well trained; you need to meticulously pick a target and slowly gain their trust and goodwill, the second you cannot convince them, you will be reported. You need to be fortunate enough to select the right person on your first try, and you need to make sure they are foolish enough to be seduced by you.

This will limit the pool of targets– you’ll need to go for a butler, one who’s still relatively an amateur; someone who is less calculating and bold is ideal, but where would you look for one? The servants are scattered all across the manor attending different chores, there is no single spot where they gather… you’ll have to start looking at the main lounge. It is located near the main entrance of the mansion and there are dozens of stairways and halls that connect it to different wings of the manor, a servant passing by there must be a common sight.

Your walking pace increases and you made a sharp turn to a door leading outside. Going outdoors and reentering the mansion from the front will get you to the main lounge much quicker than trying to navigate through the twisting hallways. You walk on a stone path under an archway that shields you from the sunlight, and as you walk along the outer side of the mansion, you realized that right next to the archway path was not grass, but dirt. It was a large flat open area, you can see racks of weapons and armor set up. It was a training area, you concluded, and suddenly figures from a distance enters your field of vision. Two of them were sword fighting while the rest watched close by. As you continue walking on the pathway, the figures became closer and you finally see what was going on.

Lante Agriche was watching the fight with two butlers standing near. One was holding his coat, and the other was holding a tray with a glass of what looked to be an alcoholic drink on top. Disappointed was painted on his face, but he didn't show surprise at the outcome of the fight. You were glad you weren’t noticed thanks to the eye-catching conclusion of the battle.

In the center of the battlegrounds were two tall men. The one that was just knocked down was a muscular man with dark brown hair, his appearance wasn’t anything special, if it weren’t for the quality of his clothes you would’ve assumed he was another foot soldier. The look on his scarred face was filled with loathing and hatred, a look like that would make anyone fear for their life. It’s a pity that such a look had no effect on the victor of the fight.

There the victor stands, clad in a black sleeveless turtle neck that hugs his form, showing off every edge of his muscles. There was blood all over him, but you know better than to assume any of it were his. 

“Pathetic. After all these years you still can’t win one sparring match against Dion?”

Lante’s voice was deep and bitter, his eyes narrowed as he exhaled a puff of smoke, the gleam in his eyes tells you that he was slowly growing sick of the man on the ground, enough to the point of considering to discard him.

“No father! Please, let me demonstrate my strength with a rematch,” the brunette was desperate. The strain in his voice indicates not only wanting to avoid further disappointment from Lante, but that his pride was wounded as well,” I can surely win this time!”

Lante barked out in malicious laughter and the color of the man’s scarred face faded.

“Who are you trying to convince, boy?”

Even though you were from a decent distance, you can still see the young man’s figure trembling. Whether it was out of anger or fear, you didn’t know. But you did know the man, you realized. You have met him before at a ball many years ago, Fontaine was his name. He was introduced to you as the oldest son of Agriche, but nothing about him was memorable to you other than him eyeing you with perversion the whole night. 

“You have failed this evaluation and I already have a punishment in mind for you,” Lante smirks, “but I’m feeling generous today. I’ll give you a chance to lessen the punishment if you can put up a show this time.”

“I thank you for your kindness, father!”

Fontaine gets up and grips tightly on his sword, he whips his body around to face the man who he has never beaten before. Fontaine grits his teeth and prepare his body in an offensive stance and immediately pounced.

Dion, who was quiet and wore a dead-like expression the whole time didn’t move, and as Fontaine swung his blade down, Dion easily parried it with his own and the impact caused the older brother to bounce back with a clenched jaw. Your husband still stands there, not even in a fighting position. 

Was he bored?

You blink and suddenly he was not there anymore, your ears heard the clanging of metal before your eyes could find Dion. He is now on the offense, striking Fontaine who was struggling to block each hit. You felt your blood turn cold; you’ve seen your siblings trained before and are no stranger to inhuman speed, but to witness it to such a capacity… Dion Agriche being dangerous and formidable on the battlefield is old news, but seeing this one-sided fight fully convinced you that you married a demon rather than a human.

You wanted to get going, staying in such close proximity to not one but three Agriches would do you no good, but your eyes could not tear themselves away from the battle. Your eyes could not tear themselves away from your husband. His stance, his form, his footwork– his movements in combat were all perfectly executed, as if the art of war was woven into his brain at birth; and despite your husband’s towering lean body, he moves with terrifying agility. 

Before you know it, you started to study Dion’s physical features rather than his movements. The tightness of the shirt he was wearing did nothing to hide his torso muscles and his long gloves made you look at the part of his arms that weren’t covered– his deltoids… perhaps fearing that he could break your spine with one hand when you were panicked on your wedding day was not an exaggeration; the more you looked at his physique the more worried you got. Ending your life would be as easy as breathing to him. 

You decide to look away from his body and your eyes land on his face. Even in battle, his expression is the same as ever, face disinterested and eyes lifeless. Besides the eeriness… his face has more flattering features than you initially thought. You had a good look at Dion twice before but not as long as this, you’re now able to note physical characteristics you didn’t bother remembering the last two times. It was difficult to see with all the movement, but you caught the dark circles under your spouse’s eyes… no sleep for the wicked you suppose. 

You shift your attention to Fontaine, his desperate attempts at slashing Dion as well as his struggle to block and parry every attack caused clear frustration on his face, his teeth were gritted and his eyebrows were deeply furrowed. Though you are below an amateur when it comes to combat, you could tell that Fontaine isn’t weak. 

He was just a man fighting a devil.

The oldest Agriche child was slowly getting clumsy with his moves throughout the fight, and now his panic translates into his movements. Fontaine's strikes are starting to get erratic and uncalculated... any moment would result in a defeat. All it takes is a single opening and-

“Augh!”

Fontaine let out an ugly groan as he fell down with the tip of his younger brother’s blade pointed at his neck. The man panted heavily while glaring up at Dion, who returned the vile look with a blank stare.

“Fa-father!” Fontaine turns to look at Lante, full of distress, “My performance is better as you can see, I am still able to improve! I assure you, one day I will...”

You have seen enough.

A sigh passes through your nose and you began walking down the archway once more. You doubt Lante would make Fontaine’s punishment less severe, no matter how his performance was, it was not good enough to lay a scratch on Dion.

You look back one last time to see Lante telling Fontaine something, it was difficult to hear now that you are walking away but from the eldest son’s facial reaction– it was nothing positive. Your eyes shift over at the battle’s victor only for your heart to drop. 

Dion was staring directly at you.

How long did he know that you were there? This whole time? He felt you scrutinizing him, didn’t he?

You pursed your lips and whip your head around. Though your body didn’t falter, the alarms ringing inside your head are deafeningly loud. It doesn’t help that you can still feel his stare burning a hole through your back.

And possibly right through your very soul.

[u1tr4vio1ence]

EYE OF THE STORM

CHAPTER II: FOUR BIRDS AND TWO STONES

PAIRING(S) - Dion Agriche x (Fem.) Reader

DISCLAIMERS - Same as the first chapter.

CONTENT WARNINGS (CONTENT MAY CHANGE OVERTIME) - Same as the first chapter.

BEFORE YOU READ - Here is a link to the masterlist.

NOTES - Initially, this chapter was supposed to be double its current length but I decided to split it. There were some things that needed to be built up and established in this chapter, the burn is horribly slow but I hope y'all will trust me with this story's direction :,)

“My sincerest apologies, my lady!”

The maid quickly bowed her head after making an error of pulling your hair too hard. You wordlessly close your eyes and lean back, a signal to continue styling your hair.

Though you lived your life being fed with a silver spoon, this is a bit much. You weren’t the type to force the manor servants to wake up at the crack of dawn to pamper and dress you for the day; but quite frankly you didn’t care anymore, if your father wanted you to complete this suicide mission, then you are going to indulge for as long as you can. Indulging is the only thing you can do to keep the harrowing truth from killing you from the inside out. Just the flashing image of the note you received the night before makes you feel like bile will come up your throat.

In the words of your father, Lante Agriche agreed to the marriage out of pride and satisfaction– killing two birds with one stone. His ego was stroked seeing the house of Vespertine offering to wed one of their daughters away, a sign of yielding power and submission; as well as having a brittle new toy who his family could bend and break. Your father knew that he sent you away to die. 

But he also gave you a proposal.

If you manage to not make a single mistake, if you manage to provide nothing but utmost perfection, if you manage to do the impossible and impress Lante Agriche… then you might just survive long enough for the house of Vespertine to consider taking you back. You’ll receive aid to escape, but only to be expected to crawl back to your father and play the informant. Two birds with one stone were what your father wrote in the note. He can relieve conflict and warfare temporarily with the marriage, and dispose of his deadweight daughter or make her come back with useful information. It was a win-win for him.

The heads of Agriche and Vespertine were playing with your life, with your existence, like a chess set. They carelessly throw you through all of this, like your life was as cheap and disposable as a wooden pawn piece. 

“We have finished your requested preparation, my lady.”

Good. You need air.

Opening your eyes and taking a quick look at the mirror, your lips twitch into a frown. Not horrible, but not impressive; the maids fixed you up beautifully, but beautiful is not enough. You need to look bewitching at all times. You make a quick mental note to tell the maids to let you handle your own eyeshadow from now on before rising from your seat.

“You ladies are dismissed.”

The maids excused themselves quickly, resulting in you standing in front of your vanity mirror alone. You feel so hollow. You feel so lost.

What are you going to do?

A sigh left your nose as your feet dragged themself outside.

–––––

–––––

–––––

–––––

–––––

Though you have your complaints about the Agriche’s choice of interior decorations, you cannot lie about the garden, it was stunning. You’re not sure how much time has passed but dawn is no longer and the sun is high in the sky. The weather and the flowers in such nice lighting would have normally calmed you, but it did not. In fact, the knot of anxiety in your chest grew and now you started to feel lightheaded. You can feel the nausea coming up as well.

You don’t want to die, but you can’t stand to associate with your father any longer. You hate this, you hate them all. How in the world are you going to survive all on your own? Escaping the Agriche manor and being on the run from the Vespertines? It is an impossibility, how long do you even have? There’s no way Lante Agriche will allow you to be killed within the first couple of months right? It’ll be bad publicity and even he is not insane enough to cause an uproar after something as historic as a wedding between two of the six ruling houses happened.

Before you can think any longer you hear an unnerving giggle. You whip your head around to look directly into the eyes of an older woman whose smile makes your sweat cold. There was something uncanny about her beauty, from how her short brown hair is so cutely styled yet the jolly expression on her face doesn’t quite make you think she was happy. But the feature that made you the most nervous was her round violet eyes, they look unhinged in a way.

“My goodness, this is such a surprise! I was never told that you were an absolute beauty!”

You attempt to open your mouth to respond but quickly shut it when you notice the woman beginning to walk towards you at an alarming speed. You take a step back, but she grabs both of your hands into hers.

“You are such a pretty thing my dear, I’m ecstatic to call you my daughter.”

If it weren’t for the blush the maids applied on you earlier, the woman could’ve seen the color of your face draining.

“You are… my mother in law?” 

“Correct,” she said with a chuckle, amused at the bafflement of your voice. She lets go of your hands to stand up straight with a daunting grin.

“My name is Maria, third wife of Lante Agriche, but please call me mother. I insist!”

Third wife. Out of all ten wives that Lante has, your mother in law was the rumored corpse maker that you intended to avoid the moment you set foot on the grounds of this manor. Your head was reeling, the anxiety in your chest and the nausea in your stomach hits a peak. You are taking this in too strongly. This situation is stressful, but you were never one to lose your cool. Get it together, get it together.

“It’s a pleasure meeting you… mother. If I may ask, were you at the wedding ceremony? It seems like this is your first time seeing me.”

That was a start, but you need to do better. But how can you when you feel worst every second? Emotional distress can cause bad reactions from the body but is it possible for it to be this drastic?

“Ahaha! I was not at the wedding, no. I felt no need to, I have no interest in whatever activities that son of mine takes in,” Maria says, “but of course if I knew you were such a doll, I would’ve attended!”

You were not able to process the scornful way Maria spoke about her own son, your brain feels muffled and your legs feel like gelatin. You drop to your knees

“However, it’s a little bit of a shame that you aren’t more quick-witted. I thought Vespertines knew more about Agriche’s operations but I suppose not,” Maria said while giving you a small close-eyed smile.

“But since you are one of us now, I bet it won't hurt if I let you in on a family secret.”

Your vision was turning dark, but you manage to see her small smile growing into a crescent moon grin and her eyes opening with a sadistically entertained look in them.

“The flowers of this garden were artificially designed to be poisonous, and I'm afraid it's rather lethal!”

Your vision blacks out.

[u1tr4vio1ence]

EYE OF THE STORM– BACKGROUND INFO

This is a story that happens to have romance, not a romance story.

There will be no usage of (y/n), (name), etc.; the reader's physical traits would not be described, but the reader is AFAB and uses she/her pronouns.

The beginning of the story takes place before the first chapter of the novel/manwha, before Cassis arrives at the Agriche household.

The canon-divergence of this story, besides the existence of the reader, is that a sixth house have been added among the big five (where you are from). It should not interfere with the manwha/novel's original plot outcomes, but it will make this story flow more smoothly and the intertwining of canon and fanfiction will seem more natural (hopefully).

The reader is not a great person. Every character in the TWTPTFLOB novel is messed up or morally flawed in a way, so the reader's mindset in this fic would also not be morally correct all the time.

According to the TWTPTFLOB novel, Dion is older than Roxanna by three years, so I'll be basing the chronological events of this story based on that fact.

I haven't fully read the novel, just some skimming and reading through a ton of spoilers; so events that occur in the novel and not in the manwha would be not fully accurate (novel readers are free to tell me!)

TWTPTFLOB doesn't state a specific time period that it sets in and is a fantasy world, so all of that will be speculation– historical inaccuracy is inevitable at some point in this story.

Thank you for taking your time to read this! Without further ado, here is the master list