Chapter 5: Vanquished Past
Clara
I follow Duke Allen to the seating area. The maids pour out Rose tea for us as we take our seats. Despite the barren, open grounds, lying in front; the seats are comfortable enough. They are not cushioned nor are they breiry. The table and it's cloth are spread open, not grand but agreeable given the circumstances. There are some snacks to go with the tea, cookies, cakes and some macaroons.
"I apologize for having my first tea in such folksy manner" Duke Allen says, looking apologetic.
Indeed, giving such a welcome to a noble is highly offensive and given I'm Clara Yorkiel, your actions simply infuriate me.
"Humans are vulnerable to past " I say, as I sip at my tea. I'm not accepting your apology, Duke. You had a duty of greeting Edgar's guardian before seeing Edgar, but you didn't. This is your mistake, why didn't you greet me first?; excuses will not matter, after all, excuses are futile means to escape your responsibilities.
"Future is always pervasive" I complete my sentence as I take a quick glance at the Duke. You may have failed now, but I expect good things in future, Duke.
"But of course, future is very unpredictable" he replies, sitting calmy on his chair, legs crossed, an acrid smile while the copper hues in the amber eyes turns to a blooming claret. He had a domineering presence to himself.
Yes, I need to stop, I don't know what 'unpredictable' means. Will it allow me to go back to the estate in one piece, unscathed?. I need to know my place, though I'm an elder, I'm still lower in status to him. I'm a baroness but this one is a Duke, the one who is below only to the imperial family and the likes. I move my gaze from the bitter Duke, and let it land on the Knights undergoing a fight.
Dull brown eyes, overshadowed by the tawny-yellow locks falling over the right eye. A wide grin is plastered to his face, the knight in front, whose dark eyes flame up with thrill. He fixes his body in a defensive position, clasping the sword with both his hands. That's the figure I saw nine years ago. How long has it been? How did I meet this cherub? I feel myself drifting into the endless lane of memories, it was long ago...
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Seventeen years ago
"That's the Baron?" I ask my maids, who glamorize me even more than I already am "the one I'll be marrying? "
"Yes, My lady" they say in unison, smiling, despite the fatigue they are feeling from all the preparations for my wedding.
"Our lady Clara will be as beautiful as Aphrodite, or even better" one of the younger maid squeals "the baron will never take his eyes off My lady, 'Clara, you are so beautiful today' he kisses her hand as he escorts her to the aisle and there they take an oath and seal it with a sweet kiss~"
"Ah, how romantic" another youngster joins in, as both of them dance a few steps.
"Quiet down girls!" the senior of them all speaks "you are embarrassing the lady" she says as she comes in front of me, she is not wrong, I'm all red from their weird fantasies.
Emma, the senior of them all and also my nanny, she kneels down in front of me and she takes my hand in hers "Please be happy, forever, My lady. Never let any misty clouds rain in your life. Be the master of your choices, never recycle at other's hand" she says, swallowing her tears.
"My lady is no more the frail young bud I needed to protect, you are now the Baroness of Yorkiel" Emma finishes her sentence while gulping her tears "I'm forever grateful to the lady-" a strong sniff broke her line.
Despite the make-up, I could make out the deep circles under her eyes, her white skin resembling a wrinkled cloth, the once bright eyes were loosing their light... The repetitive face I saw everyday, as long as I remember, now looked so distant.
I clasped her hand in both of mine, her palm was completely worn down from the work she did day and night "I promise! thank you for always being there for me" I reply, holding my smile "all of you" I say as I look at all of the maids with me.
They look at me, some smiling, some crying, I glance back at nanny, who now gives back a sweet smile.... That smile, everything thing changed over the years, but that smile never did change.....
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I married the Baron, it was a political marriage but we had love between us. I started attending social gatherings, luncheons, balls and the likes. I made many connections, I spent my time with the Baron, his business was flourishing, we had three children, a son and two daughters. I was happy, I did what Emma told me.
But happiness doesn't mean 'forever', my happy days did not last much longer. Soon enough, I was victimized. Every gossip was about me, I didn't know what, why and how this happened, all I knew was I was wrong. I judged people wrong. I was naive, ignorant, a fool!
That day, I decided. The Baron was busy expanding his business, the other nobles, fearing his rise of power in the trade, made me the scapegoat. They started targeting his weaknesses and that was 'me', his wife. I decided to leave this stuffy ton and live on our spring estate.
My last ball, before I left our main mansion, was when Duke invited me. He invited almost everyone in the ton, I got invited too. And that's where I met Countess Martin, Katherine.
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I came to this mansion years ago, I'm sure I adapted to this place rightfully. Katherine sent me a letter, asking for some kind of 'assistance'. Whatever the reason was, help was utterly urgent. She asked me to remain low for people's eyes and so I did.
One and a half year later, I was finally asked to fetch a child from the Count Martin's place. I was asked to ignore the state of affairs at the mansion, I only had a simple task- to secure that child and bring her back to Asrak with me. The letter never mentioned anything except my task, a dove was used as a messenger, which only highlighted the importance of this task. Anyhow, considering the time for action, I prepared myself.
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I was at the Martin's estate, and I remember being dreaded by the sight beholding itself. The mansion was engulfed in flames, small concrete was beginning to fall, and in no time, the building would collapse. I jerked my head around the vast garden, searching for a glimpse of a brown-haired girl. In worst possibility, I needed to go into the blazing mansion. I made a round near the mansion gate on my horse, somehow the stables caught my attention. I went in and there was no sight of any horse, I looked around and then I saw, disheveled yellow-brown hair belonging to a frail figure, whose front was focused on the inferno mansion. I got off my horse and ran to the child, who lost consciousness as she fell in my hands.
I took my leave, giving a last glance to the estate. I didn't know about Katherine's well being or anything else, I would just wait for any message, or have the girl tell me. I went to a nearby village, where I stationed my servants and then heeded to Asrak.
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The girl was asleep for 4 days. The servants made sure to clean her and serve her the best. She woke up, her emerald-green flickered with confusion, her long wavy hair were like the caramel over desserts. Her skin was just like porcelain, looking at her, she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Even better than Katherine, she never resembled anyone I have met.
*****
She only cried from the day she woke up, I had given up any hope of her talking. I knew I needed to teach her to be the best lady in the ton and make her marry a potentially good man. That was my plan but soon the girl proved me wrong.
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"Please teach me sword fighting" she pleaded. The girl who was crying till yesterday, had the nerve to ask me that.
"Get back to your senses!" I thundered "face the reality and stop being stubborn" I was strict, yes, her ideas were absurd. I just went away from her without giving her a second glance.
That night, I didn't get a wink of sleep. The next day, there was a lot of hustle and bustle, I came out to find the cause and it was none other than Mireille, the crybaby, she was trying hard to pick a wooden sword.
I tried my best to stop her being this stubborn, but she never backed down. Her eyes would always look determined and never did she go back on her words. I cut her hair, made her wear boy's clothing and she didn't complain. This was kept a secret from the servants, it was not easy but it wasn't impossible either. She trained day in and out, she practiced yelling, to make her voice raspy and low pitched, she threw away her life. She turned into Edgar Radford, ready to retaliate for Martin's.
And that's how, the Edgar of today was born.
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"Baroness Yorkiel" Duke Allen interrupts my thoughts and this brings me back to reality.
"I see, you have been quite in matters regarding Edgar" he asks me.
"M- Edgar is not a small child, I will only be a hindrance in h- his way" I finish, I need to work extra hard on my speech. I can't make any slip ups, I hope the Duke doesn't notice. I take a glimpse at the Duke, who is now smiling pointedly. Oh, okay.... He noticed.
"I hope you will continue to do so" he says, holding a calculating smile "Edgar... I wonder if he will exceed my expectations of him, no, he may even outreach some of my attendants" he says as he looks at the ongoing match.
"Pardon me, but your acclamation is rather rhapsodical" I reply, keeping my tea cup on the table.
"Maybe" he responds "but keeping up with my general commander for so long, as a rookie, he surely did well" he adds.
'Commander'? Is he the commander? I stare, wide-eyed, at the man, having a match with Millie. Shoot! Mireille you need to fail this fight. You can't gather attention from everyone, not now.... I fret over the outcome, when I hear-
"Hands down, the winner is..."
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Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone