Winston was dumbfounded, he was looking at the duke thinking if this was really him.
But Winston's attention immediately switched to the little girl that the duke was carrying in his arms.
But because the only light in this room was the light coming from the opened door, He couldnt quite get a good look of the child.
So he went to the wall where the light switch was and turned it on.
Only then he was able to see the little lady clearly. He gasp in shock as his eyes widen in disbelief seeing the little lady's body.
She was covered in scars and bruises from head to toe, she was almost all bones and skin, her eyes sunken due to malnutrition, her long red hair was matted and all tangled up.
Winston tried his very best to hide his emotion and remain professional.
[Now I know why the Duke doesnt want Lady Leonna to be seen by public.]
"Who are they old man?" Leonna ask in confusion looking at Winston and the three maids.
Leon cough to regain his composure. "This is Winston Vonknox, he's our butler."
Winston immediately bowed his head in respect to the lady of the house.
"Greetings Lady Leonna, my name is Winston VonKnox. You can call me Winston, I'll be taking care of everything you need from now on. Please don't hesistate to tell me if you need something." Winston stated with a smile showing his bright perfect teeth.
Leonna with a stern look, looked at Winston and nodded. "Leonna Viosta." She said plainly.
Instead of being offended Winston just chuckled. [She truly is a Viosta] he thought.
"This is Martha. She will be your personal maid along side with Rose and Cynthia." Leon then introduce the three maids. They all bowed in respect to the lady of the house, concealing their shock and surprised face by the lady's condition.
"Greetings Lady Leonna, we will serve you with outmost respect and loyalty." Martha said.
Leonna looked at Leon again. "Personal maids? I dont want them. "
This shock the three maids including Winston.
[Looks like lady Leonna has trust issue.]
Leon and the maids understood why Lady Leonna was acting like that.
One look at her body and you will know the reason why.
'She must have suffered so much in the hands of the adults.'
Leon with furrowed eyebrow looked at Leonna "You need them, they will take good care of you, if anything happens to you when Im not around they will pay with their life." Leon with a serious face told Leonna. The three maids flinch in fear at the Duke's threat as their heart pounded rapidly, they tried their best to contain their fear.
Leonna think for a while before looking at the scared maids. "Fine, but I still dont like them." Leonna said...
"Thank you my lady." The three maids said in union.
"Old man, Im hungry." Leonna said as she switch her attention to Leon.
Leon chuckled at her before shuffling her long tangled hair.
"Winston." Leon called. Winston bowed in response, knowing what the duke will say he answered.
"Breakfast is ready in the dining table your grace."
"Good. Martha, take Leonna for a bath. Find her a decent clothes for the mean time."
"Yes your grace." Martha answered with a bow.
Leon gently put Leonna down before smilling at her. "I'll wait for you at the dinning hall little cub."
"Ok old man. Dont eat all the foods." Leonna said. Leon laughed at her statement.
"My lady, please follow me." Rose said. Leonna was hesitant to follow Rose, she glanced back at Leon.
Leon just nodded at her as if saying 'you can trust her.' With that Leonna became at ease.
Knowing that Leon would kill whoever hurt her, put Leonna's heart at peace.
[If they hurt me like the adults on the orphanage did, I'll make sure to tell Father.]
Saying 'Father' in her head made Leonna blushed in embarrassment. It was awkward since its her first time having a father.
[Can I really call him Father? am I really his daughter?] Leonna thought, though Leon was nice to Leonna, she couldn't shake the thought that Leon might abandon her someday.
The thought of being abandon made Leonna feel down, for an unknown reason her heart feel tight and heavy.
"Lady Leonna?"
"huh?" Leonna snapped out of her reverie when she heard's Martha's voice.
"The bath is ready, are you not feeling well my lady?"
Leonna didnt even realize that she was already standing infront of the bathtub. Leonna didnt amswer.
[I have to ask Le-- Father later.]
"My lady, please let me help you take your clothes off." Rose said.
"I can do it myself." Leonna responded, then she took her clothes off by herself refusing to accept help from others.
Their heart hurt for the little lady seeing her beaten body, the scars and the bruises at such an early age she must have gone through hell and back.
"Cynthia, find some decent clothes for Lady Leonna." Martha said. "Yes maam." Cynthia answered "Please excuse me my lady. I will be back shortly."
When they recovered from their shock Rose immediately helped Leonna get on the huge golden bathtub.
"Is the water temperature to your liking my lady?" Martha asked. "Yes." She answered plainly. Martha just smiled in response.
"Then please let me help you wash your body."
"No!" Leonna shouted which startled the maids.
"I can wash myself. Leave." Leonna said, she doesnt want to seem disrespectful but she doesnt really like being touch by others other than Leon..
"But my lady.....Its the duke's order to us to help you take a bath." Martha said but Leonna stared at her with a stern emotionless face.
"I said I can do it on my own!!" she shouted.
Leonna knew she was being unreasonable since she doesnt even know how to wash her body properly since she never took a proper bath before.
[Im just going to remain in water for a long time, how hard can a bath be?] Leonna thought stubbornly.
She remember in the orphanage the only bath she take is when its raining. To Leonna taking a bath is soaking your body in water and thats it.
She was determine to 'take a bath' herself, so she submerged her little body in the bathtub and remained sitting.
The three maids looked at each other, not knowing what to do they decided to call Winston for help.
Rose went out to ask Winston for assistance. Rose saw Winston talking to someone on the hall way.
"Tell the other employees that no one is allowed inside the main mansion until further notice, especially in the dinning hall." she heard Winston said.
"Sir Winston!"
Winston turned his head towards Rose direction, his eyes widen in surprise "What are you doing here? youre supposed to be helping Lady Leonna take a bath." He stated with a stoic face.
Rose bowed in respect then she explained the situation to Winston. "Hmmm...that is quite a problem, even if I go there I doubt that Lady Leonna would listen to me. Our lady seems to have some trust issues, she wouldnt let anyone touch her other than Grand Duke Leon."
Winston think for a second before sighing in frustration.
"Our poor lady, she must have gone through hell in that orphanage." Rose said heavily.
"I think its best to tell the Grand Duke, since he's the only one Lady Leonna listen to."
Rose nodded in response, they both went to the dining hall where Leon was waiting for Leonna.
"Greeting your grace." Winston said as he bowed same goes for Rose.
"Is Leonna finish taking a bath?" Leon was reading some documents when Winston and Rose came.
"Not yet your grace, but we have a slight problem....." Winston started, both Winston and Rose flinched in fear when they saw a black mist coming out of the Grand Duke's body.
"Is she hurt?" He asked in a menacing tone, his eyes turned golden yellow Winston knew if they answered incorrectly their life would be in danger.
Winston saw Rose almost at the berge of tears. "No your grace. Please calm down and let me explain." Winston said, even though winston served the duke for years now, he couldnt deny the fact that the Grand Duke still scares him.
"Speak." Leon said as he retracted his black mist.
Winston explained the situation to the duke, he also told Leon about Leonna's trust issue.
"Trust issues huh....well I cant blame her, after what she's been through." Leon said.
"I suggest you talk to her your grace. Youre the only one she trust right now." Winston suggested. Leon immediately nodded in response and made his way to Leonna.
When he arrived at his bedroom once more, he saw Martha and Cynthia soaking wet, they were standing outside the bathroom.
Leon sighed, he went infront of the closed bathroom door and knock three times.
"Go away! I said I can wash by myself!" Leonna screamed from the other side.
"Its me, little cub." Leon said with a soft tone voice.
Leonna immediately opened the door, she was covered towel but the towel was soaking wet, making no sense of its use.
"old man!" Leonna beamed in happiness. Leon kneeled down in her level and smiled, "how's the bath?" Leon asked.
"Im done!" Leon looked at Leonna and she is no where near done, she hasn't scrub her body yet, he knows because there's still dirt all over her skin, her hair is still tangled up and she still smells.
"Leonna.....taking a bath is more than just dipping your body to the water, why dont you let Martha help you get a proper bath?" he said softly looking at Leonna.
Leon looked at Leonna's body and now that she was only covered in towel, he could clearly see the extent of her scars and bruises.
A gush of anger rushed through his vains, the thirst for wanting to take revenge for his daughter is slowly consuming him but thats not possible anymore.
[I should have tortured them then kill them.] Leon thought.
"They're not going to hurt you little cub."
"How would you know?" Leonna asked skeptic of Leon's statement.
"I'll hurt them first before they could hurt you." He said as he patted Leonna's head.
Leonna then looked at the ground as if thinking..... "Stay here."
Leon was surprised at what she said, [Her trust issues are deeper than I thought.]
"If thats what Lady Leonna wants. I'll stay here outside the bathroom. If they hurt you just yell and I'll come right away." Leon said in which Leonna nodded.
Leon looked at Martha and nodded at her indicating to bathe Leonna. Martha and Cynthia immediately came to Leonna and guided her once more towards the bathtub.
But this time Leonna just let the maids do this so called 'bathing'.
Martha first gently scrubbed Leonna's arms with soap, Leonna flinched and stiffen her body but said nothing. She was looking at the closed door of the bathroom.
[old man is just behind that door.] Leonna thought.
As Martha is scrubbing her body, Cynthia put rose petals in her bathtub.
[Rose petals?] Leonna was curious she wanted to ask why do they have to put rose petals on the water but she remained silent.
Martha on the other hand saw her curiosirty. "rose petals help with aching body my lady, they are often called rejuvenating petals and they smell good. Dont you think so?"
[They do smell nice.]
Leonna nodded shyly. Martha, Rose and Cynthia saw this and smiled.
"My lady, this is a soap for your hair." Rose said as she introduce Leonna to hair soap.
"what does it do?" Leonna asked curiously. "It makes your hair soft and silky. May I put it on your hair my lady?"
Leonna was hesistant for a minute but nodded in the end, [this is what Father wants me to do] she thought.
It took roughly one hour for Martha, Cynthia and Rose to bathe Lady Leonna.
They were so careful not to startle her again after all life and death for them is just beyond the bathroom closed door, so what they did was tell Leonna what they're about to do next.
"Were all finished my lady! you look beautiful!" Martha said as she stared at Leonna's whole body and face all cleaned up.
Leonna was wearing a small maid's dress since she doesnt have any clothes yet, but even though they were maid's dress that didnt held her down from looking beautiful.
She looks freshed and clean, her red hair is all tied up in a bun, she smells like rose petals and her red eyes are glowing.
Martha looked at her and for a good minute [she resemble the duke so much that its scary.] She thought.
"You look so much like the duke my lady!" Cynthia said as she looks at Leonna.
Leonna's face became bright red when she heard it, obviously pleased at the complement.
[I do look like my father!] Leonna thought proudly.
"Shall we see what the duke thinks my lady?"
Leonna nodded in excitement.
When the bathroom door opened Leon immediately stood up from sitting on his bed. There he saw the most beautiful little girl he ever laid his eyes on.
Leonna run towards the duke with open arms and Leon welcomed her.
"Old man! look! my hair is so soft and I smell like roses!" Leonna said happily, the duke laughed light heartedly, "Indeed you smell like roses, far from your smell last night." Leon said jokingly, Leonna pouted.
"What do I smell last night? dont I smell good too last night?"
"No. You smell like poop last night." Leon said as he laughed.
"Youre so mean old man! I do not smell like poop! maybe its you who smelled like poop!" Leonna retaliated in which Leon laughed.
Leon again carried Leonna on his arms, they made their way to the dinning hall where the food was prepared.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
Any questions my loves?? confusion? I would love to hear your thoughts. mwah.