***Author's note: There's no NSFW scene here but a bit of explicit language only. You can skip it by going to the next 3 asterisks. ***

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The morning before the afternoon teatime with Rubiella's father . . .

Rubiella was back in her room and Annie was helping her out of her green dress.

"How was it, My Lady?" Annie asked.

Rubiella chuckled, remembering Hansel tied up and him moaning under her touch.

"Just perfect, Annie," Rubiella said.

"Shall I prepare a dress fitting for you, My Lady? In a month or two perhaps?" Annie asked.

"Dress fitting? What for?" Rubiella asked.

"My Lady, a pregnant woman needs to have new dresses made for her. The ones you have now will certainly not fit once the babe inside you grows," Annie said.

Rubiella's jaw dropped.

"I am most certainly not pregnant, Annie!" Rubiella said.

"That's what young ladies usually believe and a few months later their bellies are bigger and in nine months, a wee babe is out. My Lady, you must know that even doing it once there is a high chance that you will still get pregnant," Annie said.

"I am not! And we didn't!" Rubiella said.

Annie frowned.

"You didn't? Again?! Is Lord Hansel a eunuch?" Annie asked with a horrified look.

"No! He's not a eunuch. That part of his is perfectly intact and working," Rubiella said.

Annie raised an eyebrow.

"And how are you sure of that, My Lady?" Annie asked.

"I . . . touched it," Rubiella said, her cheeks reddening.

Annie raised her eyebrow again.

"And . . . Um . . . It works! That's all I can say," Rubiella said.

"And how can you say it works if you haven't done it? For all we know, it may be standing but it ain't sputtering out the good stuff," Annie said.

Rubiella chewed on her lower lip.

"The . . . good stuff is there and it sputtered out . . . perfectly," Rubiella said.

"Really, now? And how did that happen?" Annie asked.

"Do you really need to know all the details?" Rubiella asked feeling embarrassed.

"Why, of course, My Lady! How else would I give you adequate advice?" Annie said.

Rubiella sighed.

"Fine but I shall only say this once and I won't repeat telling you so listen well," Rubiella said.

"Certainly, My Lady. Go ahead. What did you do to Lord Hansel?" Annie asked.

"I . . . tied him up," Rubiella said.

"My word. I was convinced that you were the vanilla type of girl but I see that I had it wrong. What else did you do?" Annie asked.

Rubiella didn't know what Annie meant by 'vanilla type of girl' but she continued.

"I hit him with a rose. Lightly and mind you, there were no thorns. A light thwacking only. The petals were soft so it didn't hurt and I just couldn't resist! His skin looked so perfect and his abs! His coats don't do him justice. He's so beautiful undressed," Rubiella said.

"My, my. I must have left you the wrong kind of novels. I should have known when you said that your favorite series is called Lady Whip," Annie said.

Lady Whip was a popular novel series among young ladies but it was very risqué and only read privately. One must make sure that there's no one reading behind her shoulder or else her reputation would be utterly damaged in society.

Rubiella was an avid reader of romance novels and when she discovered Lady Whip, she made Annie buy the novels for her in secret without Annie knowing what they were about.

"I didn't whip him. Nothing to fuss about really. It was just a rose and a necktie," Rubiella said with a shrug.

"And? What happened, My Lady?" Annie asked.

"Well, I pleasured him with my hand and with my . . . mouth," Rubiella said blushing.

"My word! And how did he react?" Annie asked.

Rubiella grinned.

"He liked it. A lot. He even begged. It was absolutely delightful," Rubiella said.

"You must have felt so in control, My Lady," Annie said.

"Yes, we didn't do the deed yet but what he did to me and what I did to him was really pleasurable," Rubiella said.

"I believe you. Amazing, My Lady. Would you like for me to procure the latest Lady Whip novel that just came out?" Annie asked.

"Oh, there's a new one?!" Rubiella exclaimed.

"Yes, I believe it's a different version of Little Red Riding Hood," Annie said.

Rubiella's eyes twinkled.

"Interesting. Yes, get that for me please," Rubiella said.

"It's so nice to see you so confident, My Lady," Annie said.

Rubiella smiled.

"It's all because of him," Rubiella said.

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"What dress would you like me to take out, My Lady?" Annie asked.

"Something red," Rubiella said.

"Red? Are you quite sure, My Lady? Your father will not like it," Annie said.

Red colors always put her father in a bad mood.

"Yes, red it is. I do not wish to compromise. Could you help me with my hair?" Rubiella said.

"Certainly. The usual updo and braid, isn't it?" Annie asked.

"No. I want it down but fix it a bit. Perhaps some braids and gems," Rubiella said.

"Your father will not like it," Annie said.

"I'm not aiming to please him," Rubiella said.

"Then what is it that you are in the mood for, My Lady?" Annie asked.

"War. We're going to war. I'm going to have my man and I don't want him to see me cowering like a little girl with a white dress and my hair tied up. I'm his lady and he's going to see his lady beautiful than ever fighting for his worthiness," Rubiella said.

"I see. The red dress it is then. If he's going to get mad at you either way, why bother trying is it?" Annie said.

Rubiella grinned.

"Exactly."

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Hansel knocked on the door. It was his first time to enter her house by the front door and he was terribly nervous.

It wasn't like the time he first met the king and he felt like he was going to be beheaded for saying the wrong word. It wasn't like the time either when he first met Lucien and he was thinking if he was going to burn alive in the house.

This was worse.

One wrong word and he wouldn't be able to get her father's blessing. He won't be able to marry Rubiella.

"Lord Hansel."

"Annie," Hansel greeted back.

"Please come in," Annie said.

Hansel followed Annie inside the Summers Residence. He gazed curiously at his surroundings, trying to see glimpses of her life in her home.

"Hansel!"

Red.

She smiled widely as she ran towards him. Her long red hair swayed side to side as she ran. Her dress was a vibrant shade of red too.

"You look amazing, my lady," Hansel said.

Her hair had been decorated with small sparkling gems and she was wearing that red rouge that she wore the other night. She was so beautiful. He just wanted to whisk her away to his house and see her beautiful red lock splayed again on his bed.

Rubiella laughed and hugged him. She looked up to beam at him.

"You look dashing as well, Lord Hansel," Rubiella said.

Hansel smiled at her, his nerves relaxing.

"The color suits you, my lady," Hansel said.

"Nobility suits you. You've always looked like a noble but now you even look more nobler than usual!" Rubiella praised.

Hansel covered his lips to hide his embarrassed grin. He did take extra care this day to fix his appearance and Lucien was very generous in helping him with his clothes.

Hansel was wearing a red cape with gold rose embroideries and a black suit with gold embellishments decorated with small red rubbies that sparkled brilliantly, a rose brooch made of gold and rubies. Heck, even his cuffs were decorated with gold and rubies.

Rubiella chuckled, noticing the rubies all over him.

"I see the inspiration of your outfit for today, Lord Hansel," Rubiella teased.

"A beautiful red-haired lady has always been my mind and when I try to think of a color, red is all I could think of," Hansel said.

Rubiella giggled. She joined her arm with his and smiled at him affectionately. Even proudly.

"Thank you for your efforts for me, Hansel," Rubiella said.

"Anything for you, my lady," Hansel said.

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The two went to the mansion's garden. Rubiella's father was waiting for then and when he saw her he could see the turmoil of emotions in his face.

Rubiella squeezed his arm lightly. Her silent support telling him that it's going to be alright. She smiled at him.

They approached the table where Rubiella's father was seated.

"Father," Rubuella said.

Hansel bowed and Lord Edward just nodded. Rubiella and Hansel sat across Lord Edward.

"Introduce us, Rubiella," Lord Edward said.

"Father, this is my lover, Lord Hansel Griffin. Hansel, this is my father, Lord Edward Summers," Rubiella said.

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Lord Edward," Hansel said.

"I cannot say the feeling is mutual. So, tell me the truth. Did my daughter hire you? I'll double the amount for you to leave her," Lord Edward said.