章 40: Unwelcomed 02

Duchess Grandis smiled. She brushed her daughter's hair, but her hand was flicked away by Cailina. She stepped back and put her hands together; unbothered by her daughter's glowing eyes.

"You got your lovely eyes from me."

She sat, and gave Cailina a glance, "why don't you tell mother about your day?"

Cailina took a deep breath, her eyes no longer raged with emotions. Being called the favored one made anger and hatred swirl in her heart.

It was a bothersome title. No one told her what responsibilities would she take for having it.

She hated that she felt lost every time her thoughts wander to it. Cailina looked at her mother, her pursed lips showed no sign of telling a tale.

"Your hatred seems to grow every day." Duchess Grandis took a sip of the tea, "your father delayed your return. The reason for it?"

"Father may have put my feelings into accou—"

Cailina was interrupted by her mother's raised hand, "We will leave in a week. I have enough of you wasting your precious years in this place."

Duchess Grandis left before Cailina could say a word, and the closing door thundered in Cailina's heart. Her fists clenched, she knew that whatever her parents decided, she must follow.

She stared at her door, waiting for something, yet even she doesn't know what she wanted to see. The clock ticked away the time as the sun was replaced by the moon.

Fione sighed in her heart. She wanted to comfort her Lady, but it better to leave Cailina alone. She dismissed herself and reminded the maids not to enter the Lady's room without being granted permission from the Lady herself.

Inside the silent room, everything seemed cold and distant. The porcelain doll sat quietly as it seemed to observed Cailina who kept her gaze onto space.

Her mind swirled around the memories of her days in the mansion. It was filled with lessons on how to be a proper lady, official work, and Aris.

She learned the manners of every party. The order of Imperial Nobles and their duties. Everything related to socializing, she learned all by the book.

Cailina knew how-to, but never put it in use. Confined in a small space that became her home as she has Aris with her.

Her fingers stopped playing with her ring as she realized that it was almost Aris' birthday. It was the day before her departure to the capital.

She stood and immediately called for Fione, to which the latter rushed in without delay. Thinking that her Lady was in danger.

Cailina opened and closed her mouth. She couldn't discuss her plans for Aris' birthday this late at night. She paced back and forth while her personal maid waited anxiously.

Fione prayed in her heart that the Lady wouldn't think of running away. She wouldn't be able to stop Cailina from doing so.

"What about—" Cailina placed her hand on her chin, "Fione."

"Yes, my Lady?"

She turned to her maid and tilted her head, "Do you think Aris would enjoy theatres?"

Fione wasted no time and nodded. The dog wasn't in a place to decline whatever the Lady wished to do with him. It should be considered an honor to have Cailina's attention.

Cailina nodded in approval of her idea. It would be nice to go out in disguise again. She wanted to make Aris' day special, and it would be the perfect time to tell him that she would be leaving.

"Fetch the tickets for a show," she ordered.

Satisfied with her arrangements, Cailina was again plunged into the thoughts of her title. She wanted to put her mind into somewhere else, but it would anger her parents if they see her doing work during the time that she was supposed to be resting.

Cailina sighed. She opened a book and a feather fell out of the pages. Her brows knitted as she picked up the white feather.

She couldn't name what bird it came from as it was a different one from what she had studied. The feather seemed to glow under the flickering candle lights. It gave comfort to Cailina as if she was holding something familiar.

The feather brought fragments of a dream she once had as a child. It was a place where clouds flowed like rivers, the sky painted with a never-changing time.

Cailina blinked as she snapped out of her trance. The feather looked dull in her hand and returned it in the book. Maybe it was tiredness that made her think of nonsensical dreams.

"I cannot join your return to the capital," Duke Grandis said.

The candle lights shaped his silhouette as he sat with a book in his hand. He looked at his wife with an amiable smile.

Duchess Grandis fixed her hair, inspecting her features as it showed a youthful appearance. Her looks were pleasing to one's eyes. She put down the comb and crossed her arms. It was obvious that she didn't like the idea of returning alone.

If she and her daughter returned without the Duke, her fellow noble ladies would never stop talking about it. It would spark rumors that the Imperial Duke no longer cherishes his family. And it was the last thing she wanted to hear.

"What matters are more important to our reputation as a family?" she asked, her fingers tapped on her arm as she waited for a reasonable answer.

Duke Grandis stood and touched the ends of her hair, "It's for our daughter."

She moved away from her husband's advances. She was in no mood to let him near her, he needed to consider what she would appear to the rest of the social circle if her husband wasn't beside her.

"It's His Majesty's orders…"

"Well then, I have no say," Duchess Grandis stood up and opened the door, "I'm feeling unwell. I wish to be left alone."

Her wife's firm statement left Duke Grandis no choice. He took one last glance before the door shut him out. He sighed and headed towards his office. It seemed he would finish the rest of the work tonight.

Silence became his company as he flipped through the papers concerning matters of great importance to the Empire. Duke Grandis rubbed the tip of his nose and leaned back on his chair; his attention landed on the lowest drawer of his desk.

He needed to place it somewhere safe…