Rowan Arbies was a man with no title. Nobody really knew how he ended up as The Duke's closest confidant, nor what he actually did for the duke. Was he His Grace's valet? Was he a servant? An assistant? A secretary perhaps? For many Kilburians, Master Rowan was a bundle of mystery. He was always seen with the duke everytime the duke made public appearances, but he was just standing beside the duke, even on his wedding day to Princess Magdalena of Tarsir, now the duchess of Kilburn. Nobody ever saw him talking more than a sentence, nor fighting nor protecting the duke. Sometimes he would help the duke get up, or open the door, or get out from his carriage, but that was it.
He was very popular, though. How could he not be? With a handsome face like him, his shoulder length luscious hair. But unlike the usual redhead, Master Rowan's skin was not so fair and he didn't have any freckles. His skin was a rich olive color, which clashed magnificently with his red hair and his, yes, violet eyes. Violet eyes were rare, only the real Kilburians owned them. And since the number of immigrants coming from all over the world moved to Kilburn increased this past decade, violet eyes became even rarer because more and more Kilburians breed with those newcomers. That made men with violet eyes sought by many ladies just like fancy delicacies from the other side of the golden sea.
Rumor had said that several noble ladies were already preparing their proposal to marry Master Rowan as soon as the duke fell ill and it was known that he wouldn't live very long. Some only wanted him as concubine, some wanted him as the only consort. The highest position a man could wish in the harem. But those ladies had to endure an agonizing 9 months before they could submit their proposal to the new owner of Master Rowan, the Duchess of Kilburn. Since that woman, that spoiled princess from a vicious neighboring country, decided to keep him during her mourning period.
The Duke knew before he died that those ladies would fight over Rowan once he died, and the only way to save him from that insanity was to drag him into mourning. Unlike nobles, a servant needed to follow their mistress's steps during mourning. So if Magdalena was not allowed to step out of the manor, so did he. And if she was required to remain chaste, so did he. That was also why the duke pleaded with her to choose him as one of the 4 people whom she would keep for 9 months.
Magdalena was hesitant at first. Even though she didn't want to admit it, his present caused some inconvenient feelings in her. It could be his hair, or it could be his posture. Even though his hair was several tinted darker and Rowan was probably around a half foot taller than him. But all the same, every time she looked at him, he reminded her of Doumin.
As much as she wanted to forget about Doumin, it was hard. Doumin was her first, his hands were the first one she ever held, and his lips were the first one she ever kissed, and the only one. It had been almost 5 years since she saw him in the library making out with a lady, but somehow every time she remembered that an invisible knife stabbed her stomach over and over again. She tried converting her heartache into anger, into rage, but in the end all she felt was despair. So After weeks crying her eyes out in her bedroom refusing meals and wasting away, she decided that the best way to handle this situation was to pretend that nothing ever happened between them. It worked for some time, until she saw Rowan in that forest that day. That sheathed invisible knife was once more unleashed.
Today too, as soon as she entered her study after meeting Marchioness Iurda, the magnificent view of Rowan facing the window with his back towards her awakened that memory again, cutting her heart into pieces. Her hand moved involuntarily towards her stomach and resided there for a few seconds.
Rowan turned around and faced his duchess who just entered the room. "Your Grace, you asked to see me?"
Magdalena took a few deep breaths, and once she calmed down she lifted her head and walked towards her desk. She caught a glimpse of Rowan. He was wearing his usual attire, a pair of black leather pants, and Barouq suede jacket with knife belt slung across his waist, though no knife hung there. At least their fashion sense is different.
"Please sit down, Master Rowan." she gestured towards the chair across her desk.
Rowan sat down. "Your Grace, if you wish I could dye my hair."
He knows. Duh, ofcourse.
She blushed. "Why do people today always assume what I think and what I want to hear? First Iurda, and now you too!" snapped Magdalena, which she regretted a second later. "No, Rowan, I'm sorry. I don't wish that. If you want to do it for yourself, fine but I forbid you to do that for me. Anyway I have a few matters I want to discuss with you."
Rowan nodded. "Ofcourse, Your Grace, my apologies. I just thought that it might be a bit easier for Your Grace if I do that."
"No. Well, maybe, I don't know." said Magdalena. "It's my problem, and I have to overcome it alone. I can imagine that my reaction can cause you inconvenience, so please forgive me. As for the future, could you please not look into my head without my permission? It could save both of us some awkward moments."
He nodded. "My appo…"
"Don't!" cut Magdalena. "Don't apologize. Or we would spend the rest of our day apologizing to each other."
He chuckled. "Very well, Your Grace." his shoulder now relaxed a bit and he leaned back in his chair. "But, I take it that Your Grace's meeting with Marchioness Iurda was not good?"
Magdalena posture eased up a bit now their topic of conversation moved to business. "Not really. I got the result I wanted, but somehow some of her remarks annoyed me a bit. Is she always so… snappy?"
Master Rowan chuckled again, he covered his mouth with his right hand. "A bit snappy, yes. But she is honest and straightforward. She is used to saying what's on her mind. I never have to look into her head. Did she say something that annoyed Your Grace?"
Magdalena sighed. "Well, she asked me if I am worried about our border with Tarsir, whether someone already sent an envoy to capture me." she paused a bit and then added "and she asked if I really killed my mother. With poison."
Rowan sat a bit straighter. "How rude!"
She shrugged. "I can't say I didn't expect it. But it was still shocking to hear that."
"The poison." mentioned Rowan.
"Yes." answered Magdalena. "She knows. Tarsir never officially released a statement that my mother was killed by poison, since I never got my trial. There were never any official charges documented either. So no record mention about poison"
"If I can be honest, Your Grace, this doesn't surprise me. Marchioness Iurda has huge social circles, allies, and spies. She needs them to monitor the whole complicated situation on the Southern Kilburn. She may pick up a thing or two."
"It's a shame, really." muttered Magdalena. "She has everything I need, but how can I use them if she doesn't even want to drink the tea I served her"
Rowan raised his eyebrows. "She didn't!"
"She did. Come, take a look!" Magdalena then tapped the side of her temple with her index finger. Rowan did as he was told. Both of them then laughed out loud, tears streaming from both of their eyes.
"Anyway, I wanted to ask you about the public situation. You did what I asked you to do, I took it?" asked Magdalena after she stopped laughing and regained her dignity as a duchess.
"Yes, Your Grace. This morning I asked some servants to go to the market and harbor to do some errands. They all come back with some information." reported Rowan. "The public seemed to know that you've been visiting the duke's grave in the back of the manor twice a week. They even added some drama about how you've been losing weight because of your grief. And how you've been refusing company for the first month."
"Hm… " replied Magdalena. She twisted a strand of her long black hair with her index finger absentmindedly. "So it works."
"Yes, Your Grace. Public opinion of you is definitely moving in the right direction."
"I guess, Arn really knew his people." Magdalena shrugged. "I was skeptical at first, but I guess he was right all along."
Rowan stared into Magdalena's eyes, a sharp pain arose in her stomach again. "His Grace was always very perceptive. People would think that he was a quiet man, never saying much. But the truth is, by not saying things he could listen better."
"And ofcourse, you helped him too." reacted Magdalena. "With your ability."
"You'd be surprised to know how often he ever asked me to look into people's minds. It's close to never, actually. I mostly stood next to him as a guard. To protect him if someone thought of hurting him."
They both paused for a minute. "I've read the book. Cover to cover. Several times." Magdalena broke the silence. "Tarsir, is my home country, and ofcourse I want to take my revenge. But…"
Rowan tilted his head inquiringly.
"But, this plan altered so many people's lives. You are included, Rowan." continued Magdalena. "I wonder if he ever considered your feelings when he made his plan. Did he ever ask your consent? Did you two discuss it together?"
Rowan's head bowed and his gaze fell onto his interlaced fingers on his lap. "Do you know why we were there in that forest, Your Grace? Do you know when did His Grace see you for the first time, Your Grace?"
Magdalena startled. She didn't expect that Rowan was going to answer some of the questions she's been asking herself all this time, but too not care to ask The Duke himself.
"8 years ago, when the war between Tarsir and The Barren was just declared, The Empress of Tarsir at that time, Empress Letitia induced new consorts into her harem, to look for support and new alliances to help them in the war. It was a big ball, we were invited, The Duke and I. Not as possible consort, ofcourse. We didn't have noble men with the criteria that Empress Letitia wanted, so we came as guests."
"8 years ago… I was just 16 then." muttered Magdalena.
"Correct, Your Grace." Rowan smiled. "To be honest, we didn't notice you back then, as your twin sister, Princess Louisa was…. Exuberantly stole the show."
Magdalena scoffed. "You are being polite! I would say she was nastily flirting with half of the harem candidates at least. While being drunk and her tits were flopping all over the place."
"Yes, that would be the correct way to describe it." Rowan chuckled. "Until, she dragged a man, with red hair onto the table, and started to command him to strip so she could.. "
While Rowan pondered his words how to describe the situation correctly but still being decent, Magdalena cut him. "Yes I know, I know exactly what you meant."
"Very well. The Duke thought that he was me, you see Your Grace. He wanted to stop Princess Louisa but he was a male, and a guest. And I was, I am still nobody. So he couldn't interrupt her without causing tension between Kilburn and Tarsir. But then, You came and told her to shove her… eh, her things back inside her dress and you snatched him off the table."
The memories flew back in her mind. That was the first time she met Doumin. Doumin was the one her sister harassed back then. He was a valet of a lord from Berron.
"The Duke followed you as he still thought that Master Doumin" Rowan suddenly stopped as he sensed that the memory came into Magdalena's head along with the agony and the pain it brought.
"I'm okay. Please continue, Rowan."
Rowan clears his throat. "The Duke thought that he was me. So he followed you, into the back garden. Later he realized that it was a mistake, but he saw your kindness towards that man, even though he was just a valet from another lord. He was touched by your kindness to men, even though you were a princess, and you had the right to use men who came that night, but you didn't. You just fixed his clothes, gave him food, and then you went back and continued reading your book in the corner of the ball room."
"How does it have anything to do with the forest?" asked Magdalena.
"I went inside his head that night." continued Rowan. "He was fascinated with you. After that time, collecting news about you was my primary task. He didn't want to impose on you with his presence, he only wanted to know that you were alright. He knew very well you only had feelings for that man. Until we heard about the death of your mother, and you were thrown into jail without trial."
"The duke then used Marchioness Iurda to plant some rumor about the emperor consort, about his plan in the harem, and that rumor reached Advisor Prein in time. Advisor Prein's most important mission was then just changed, she wanted him executed as soon as possible to make sure that her son, the main consort of your sister, safe in the harem. We paid mercenaries from The Barren who were eager for money to create some distraction in the capital, so the guards guarding your prison were minimal, one of them unlocked your door and you were free."
"So I was lucky that I decided to run to Burnedie instead of to The Barren." contemplated Magdalena.
Rowan smiled. "No, Your Grace. I planted the idea in your head that you have to run towards The Southern Kilburn. We were already there, The Duke went onto his knee to beg to Marchioness Iurda to let you in via her territory. She was in rage, she couldn't believe that after all we did to stay out of conflict with Tarsir, he wanted to hide an escapee in Kilburn. It was all planned out, Your Grace''
Magdalena let the story sink in for a few minutes. She didn't know that The Duke had feelings for her. A real feeling. That was why he looked truly happy on their wedding day. Magdalena always took The Duke's kindness as pity for her, but she was wrong. Totally wrong.
"It still doesn't answer my question, Rowan. About the plan."
"Ah," sighed Rowan. "But it has everything to do with the plan, Your Grace. I trust The Duke wholeheartedly, and I want to carry on his plan, and his will to protect you. But most of all, during my time gathering information about you for The Duke, I've got to know you better. I accept the plan, not only for The Duke, and for you, but also for myself."
Magdalena stared at Rowan who stared back at her without any hesitation. His thin lips pursed together, and his voice echoed inside her head. "There will be a time, when you will need to take a Kilburians as your consort. If that time comes, please choose me."