Rafael woke with a scream from another nightmare.
Nightmares.
They have been constantly invading this sleep for so long, he breathed heavily as his body was covered with sweat, before he slowly got down from the bed and walked towards the balcony he opened the window and let the fresh air in he took a deep breath before walking out in the cold balcony, without any garment on his upper body.
His cold and empty eyes stared outside his pointed nose and his sharp jawline along with his pale skin and perfectly tones body made him look like an aloof immortal.
He stood there for a long time before a maid came in and greeted him and he didn't think that it was important to return the greeting so he ignored her existence like the world ignores his.
After some time he got fresh and did his daily exercise before drinking some alcohol, a knock on his door gained his attention, and once he saw who it was he just rolled his eyes and looked away, "Get lost, Mr. Linwood" He said
The old butler sighed, "Young master the breakfast..."
Rafael glared at him, "Is the old hag there?" he asked rudely.
The butler straightened his goggles before saying, "If you are asking about your grandmother then yes..."
"Then tell them that I am not coming," Rafael answered, he thought that the butler left but to his annoyance he was still there, "Is there anything else left? Mr. Linwood?"
Mr. Linwood smiled before he said, "Your bother is returning today...and your elder sister has asked you to come."
Rafael smiled, Diora would never have asked him to come knowing how uncomfortable he gets, she never lets him do anything that he does not like and the same goes for Rune as well.
That's why he was the closest to both of them, "Alright then, I will be there."
The butler bowed in an elegant manner before he left.
~~~
As he had promised, he indeed came for the welcome of his brother, Diora smiled at him, "I am glad you came."
Rafael smiled as well before his grandmother said, "If he can't do even that much for his elder brother, then he is worthless."
Diora's smile dimmed, but she didn't say anything while Rafael just rolled his eyes. He was used to this, in the meantime, a messenger came, "Marchioness, The duke is also with General."
Diora smiled and nodded and ordered the servants to make the preparations for the duke's welcome.
While Rafael eagerly waited for their arrival, it's been a while since he had met Yug as well, last time when he and Yug met it didn't go well. And after that, he pushed everyone away other than his brother and sister, who forced their way into his life, forcing themselves inside the walls that he was building between him and the world.
Diora suddenly smiled, "They are here."
Rafael also saw the trio, and he smiled when he saw Rune, who smiled as when he saw his brother waiting for him, clearly very happy because Rafael never likes to come out of his shed, but for Rune and Diora he can.
But then Rafael saw Yug and then his eyes landed on a small creature sitting in front of Yug, he leaned towards Diora, "Sister is that the duke's son?"
Diora nodded, "The Duke's son Simon."
Rafael's eyes were on Simon for some time before he smiled bitterly, "He has grown up."
Diora smiled and nodded.
Once Rune reached home, he hugged his sister and then his brother, "How have you been?" he asked Rafael.
Rafael replied, "Splendid."
Diora then greeted and welcomed Yug, "I hope your journey was good, duke." then she looked at Simon, "Hello young master...how have you been."
Simon smiled as he looked up, compared to him all these adults were giants, "Lovely, Ms. Marchioness."
Diora smiled, while Yug looked at Rafael who gave a look to Rune, "Why didn't you tell me that, duke will come as well?"
Rune just shrugged, before anyone could say anything, their Grandmother Mary spoke, "Duke and young master Simon, it's so good to have you to here, please come inside." She then gave a look to Rafael, who inhaled and forcefully smiled before looking at Yug and the tiny creature in front of him.
"Greetings duke, it's an honor to have to grace us with your presence..." he then looked at Simon who was looking at him and smiling brightly like too brightly, looking at him with shiny and hopeful eyes that were making him really uncomfortable he is not used to people looking at him so fondly, so he just gave him a look and smiled.
Yug came forward and extended his hand, "It's nice to meet you, young master...it's been a while."
Rafael shook hands with him and nodded, "Indeed."
After they went inside, Rune grabbed his hand, "There is something I want to tell you." he said to Rafael, "what is it?"
Rune pressed his lips together before pressing his forehead as if trying to decide how to say whatever he wants to say, Rafael, waited patiently before Rune sighed, "Let's go inside."
Rafael stopped, "What happened? Is it something serious? Did something happen? Someone died or what."
Rune smiled, "That would have been even easier to tell, but this is something that is making me nervous."
"Are you planning to revolt or what??
Rune grabbed Rafael's hand, "Let's go inside."
~~~~
Yug was sitting in front of Diora, and her grandmother, as the tea was being served to him while Simon was munching on snacks, eagerly waiting for Yug to say what he wanted him to say.
While Damian just stood behind quietly, Simon offered him snacks as well, which he politely declined.
"So Marchioness, I came here to talk about something."
Diora nodded, thinking that it was something serious while her grandmother also had a serious expression, "Yes duke?"
Yug sighed, as he looked at Simon who smile it was so fun to see Rune and Yug so nervous, while he was enjoying but he knows that his enjoyment won't last long because very soon his own hellish days are going to start, but he will enjoy for now.
Yug spoke, "I want a teacher to train my son."
Diora and her grandmother exchanged glances, before Diora spoke, "Would you like me to suggest someone to you?"
"Actually, we have already decided who it's going to be."
Diora's grandmother Mary smiled, "Do you want Diora or maybe Rune to be the teacher, if it's any of them then I must say that it's a great choice. My grandchildren will be delighted to teach young master Simon."
Yug sighed and took a sip of his tea while Damian smirked, before Simon spoke, "I don't want them as my teacher."
The two looked at them before Mary asked, "Then who do you want as your teacher? You have already decided?"
Simon smiled, "Yes, it will be..."
~~~~"
"WHAT!" Rafael yelled and Rune flinched while Rafael stood up and glared at Rune, "Have you gone mad brother? you want me ME! to be a bloody teacher?"
Rune sighed, "Yes..."
"You have lost your mind. You want me to interact with that creature and teach him? huh? "
Rune stood up as well, "He is not a create just an eight-year-old child..."
"AS IF I FUCKING CARE!" Rafael yelled at the top of his lungs while Rune closed his eyes and flinched this is what he expected, while Rafael took a deep breath, "Brother, I am not going to teach some tiny whiny bratty child no matter what, and not just him I am never going to be anywhere near him it any other human!"'
Rune spoke, "He is not a whiny, bratty child..."
"That's not what you said a few days ago."
"Well, I am saying now, and can't you don this much fo..."
"NO!" Rafael declined right at his face, "I am not going to teach anyone...tell this to the duke and that brat as well."
Rafael said and turned but stopped when he saw Yug and in front of him Simon.
Simon must have heard everything and so did Yug because currently, Yug was glaring at him as if he was going to kill him while Diora was also behind looking worriedly at him whereas Mary was pale.
Damian, however, was enjoying this.
But Simon was looking at him with a smile as if he knew that this was going to happen and his eyes damn his eyes they held hope as if he was sure that Rafael will say yes.
Rafael walked towards Yug, "Good that you are here Duke, now that you are here yourself I will say this directly to you...I will not listen to this request of yours I decline it."
Yug glared at him before he moved forward, "Lord Rafael, I think due to the long isolation from the outside world you have forgotten who I am."
"I know who you are duke, you are the almighty, wealthy, powerful, duke of the north who has the power to shake the entire empire, challenge nobility, royalty, and temple, but guess what?"
Rafael paused before he smirked, "I don't care...and if you want to kill me for my offense, then you can behead me right here right now, they don't call me a mad dog for no reason."
Rafael looked straight into Yug's eyes, challenging him, who glared at him. Diora and Rune looked back and forth between them before Yug took out his dagger. Rune quickly stepped in front of Rafael while Diora did the same, standing in front of her brothers.
"Duke, please forgive my brother, he is...." Diora closed her eyes as if the words that she was about to say were hurting her physically, before she spoke with a whisper, "He is not well."
Rune gulped while Rafael looked down and smiled, "You heard her duke, I am not well. I am a mad dog, a person mentally disabled, and what kind of father you are to send your son to me?"
Rune grabbed his hand, "Rafael, stop."
"I didn't say anything wrong."
"I didn't do anything wrong."
Diora and Rune's expressions looked pained while Yug was also looking at Rafael with a straight face but his eyes held pain when he saw Rafael and Rafael hated to see that, so he just looked down and anywhere else.
While Mary spoke, "Yes duke, my youngest grandchild is mentally ill. He is a threat to everyone around him. Asking him to be the teacher of your son is going to put young master Simon in danger.
He needs to stay in a cage....because he is..."
"Grandmother!" Diora said in a louder voice, which made Mary shut up, and cower with fear when she saw Diora's glare, Rune and Yug were also glaring at her.
"I was jus..." she tried to justify, but Diora interrupted her.
"I am the head here. And you can go inside since you are of no help to anyone here."
Mary looked at Yug, "Duke I was saying that because I was worried about young master Sim..."
Yug stopped her, "Leave that job to me, lady, I am enough for that job, and I know what I am doing, so please leave."
Simon was not smiling anymore. instead he spoke, "Father, this lady insulted my teacher...I don't like her."
Rafael looked at the child, "She said the right thing, Child."
Everyone looked at him while he looked at Yug, "You go and find someone else...and don't bring this up ever again. As she said, I am an animal and I deserve in my cage."
With that, he was gone.
While everyone had a pained look Simon just smiled, it was going to be tough but he will use his charms to convince Rafael to be his teacher. After all, in his last life, Rafael was like an elder brother to him and he still is.
In this life, it was Simon's turn to help his elder brother.