Just beyond outside the cabin, Esiah stood amidst the trees waiting for the guards who were after Olivia, with folded arms across his chest. He stood contemplating about the young lady he was hiding and the situation she was in.
"House Silvermen? House Silvermen?"
Esiah, thought to himself trying to recall the image in his mind of the noble. He never cared to get acquainted with any of them, they were always scheming and plotting how to make their pockets fatter without caring for the people they were put in place to govern. Every time surveying their lands and audits came around it was a headache of sucking up and kissing ass. When events in the palace took place the gestures were ten times worse. Suddenly Esiah was able to recall the noble of House Silvermen.
"Marquis Lark Silvermen."
He stated to himself out loud. Esiah remembered the Marquis from a celebration event at the palace where he approached him with a business proposal. Esiah couldn't recall what the proposal was about. Anytime a noble approached him with business proposition he would just tune them out, the proposals were always for their own benefit and not for the people.
"There was never any mention of the Marquis having a second daughter. I also don't believe it was part of any gossip from the Information Guild."
The Duke thought to himself again trying to make some sense of the situation as why this young lady had ended up this situation. The travel distance from the Marquis' domain to Duke's domain was at least about ten miles if not more. Before the Duke could put more thought into it the guards had arrived with them standing only a few feet away from him.
"Your Grace, apologizes for our intrusion."
The Lieutenant stated immediately after coming face to face with the Duke. His two subordinates behind him each with a hound on a leash. Their faces had a look of surprise from meeting the Duke so abruptly, immediately the three knights bent down on one knee bowing their heads in show of respect for his status.
"Why are there intruders in my domain this late at night?" He raised an eyebrow while giving a stern glare.
"Are you thieves searching for something of value on my land." His crossed arms went down to his sides as his dark voice bellowed through the mountain cave.
"Because if you are. You will instantly be disposed of." The guards took a hard swallow as they remained in the stance of respect.
"Once again your grace. we apologize for the intrusion. We are knights of Marquis Silvermen and we are in pursuit of a runaway. The hounds have led us here. We believe the runaway may be hiding somewhere in your domain sir." Lieutenant Gains explained to the Duke.
"Hmm. Is that so. Well the only presence I feel right now is yours and no one else's." Esiah calmly stated to him.
"But the hounds led us here your Grace."
"Are you comparing me, Duke Esiah Zells to the nose of a hound!"
Esiah's voice boomed through the cave causing the area to trimmer. His power rose with his anger sending down a pressure so great, it forced the guards onto their bellies. The hounds whined while also bowing into a submissive stance, afraid of the great power before them.
"No, your Grace. I meant no disrespect or comparing you to that of a hound. PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON US YOUR GRACE! I only meant the scent of the runaway led us here."
Lieutenant Gains explained and pleaded. The other two guards remained silent hoping that his words would sway the Duke into sparing their lives.
"I'M telling you that, if the run-a-way you speak of was here I would have sensed their presence. The only ones that I sense that are new to this domain are you three."
The Duke took a step forward, causing the force of his intensity to press down harder as if he was physically stepping on them.
"Our mistake your Grace."
Esiah relinquished the pressure, making it easy for them to stand once again. Instead of standing fully, the three went back to a bow waiting for the Duke's response.
"You three are pardoned for now. If I see any of the Marquis' guards without going through proper procedure, salt boxes will be delivered back to him. Do you understand?"
"Yes your Grace, fully."
"Get out of my sight."
With that being said the guards along with hounds scurried off out of the cave back whence they came. Esiah waited until he sensed that the guards were fully out of his territory. When they were gone he quickly rushed to the cottage where he sent Olivia. Esiah rushed past the hollowed tree, over the bridge seeing the her bloodstained footprints, and saw the cottage door open with a collapsed Olivia on the floor in the doorway. He immediately scooped her in his arms and rushed through a secret door that opened to a mountain pass leading back to his estate. As Esiah ran with a heavily breathing Olivia in his arms he could feel her raised temperature. She was burning with a fever and unconscious.
"Hold on a little bit longer. You're going to get the help you need. Don't tell me you ran all the way here just to give up and die."
The Duke pleaded with a silent Olivia as he raced through the long corridor arriving at the secret door that opened a bookshelf on the other side in his office.
"Y-Your G-Grace"
Esiah was greeted by his shocked butler who awaited his return.
"I'm guessing this is the intruder you sensed earlier."
"Yes, Henry as you can see with your two eyes." Esiah stated as he walks past his butler cradling Olivia in his arms out the door of his office. Henry immediately followed after him wanting to be of service to his master especially with the mystery lady in his arms.
"Who is she your Grace? Where did she come from? She looks like nobility. Which house is she from? How did she get through the barrier blocking the cave entrance in the mountain?"
Butler Henry bombarded the Duke with questions but he was deep in thought. As he walked the hallways thinking of a room that would be most appropriate for her. It was a even rare occasion or almost never for guests to be prepared for a stay in his estate.
"Your Grace. Your Grace, are you there?"
Henry asked leaning his head in to find his master thinking deeply. Then he noticed that his master hadn't reached a destination for the young lady in his arms.
"Your Grace if your worries are accommodations for the Lady. May I suggest the first room in the west wing. It is plain, not being used, and stocked with utmost basic necessities. And if needed we could always send someone out to retrieve whatever's needed." Henry explained.
This time Esiah was listening to him and headed towards the suggested room.
"That room seems befitting for her. Find maids with basic medical care and get the local physician here to look over her."
The two had reached the room, just before Esiah could reach the door Henry did a light jog in front of him quickly opening the French doors and left to complete the task assigned. Quickly Esiah walks over to the bed and lays Olivia down.
Olivia's body was still hot to the touch, sweating profusely, and her heavy breathing increased.
"Hang on a little longer, you're going to get the help you need."
Esiah wiped the sweat from her forehead while moving the raven black curls out of the way. While he waited for help to report for Olivia's care, he grew impatient, seconds and minutes felt like hours. His hand started to reach for the call rope when Henry and two maids bustled in with buckets of fresh water and supplies.
"My apologies for the delay sir. These two, with the given condition of the lady were the best suited for her care."
Henry explained to the concerned Duke as the maids quickly begin working on her. One maid began to undress Olivia while the other prepped two wash bowls of warm water. Noticing the one maid undressing her, Esiah quickly excused himself along with Henry. As the two stepped out to let the maids do their work Henry closed the doors behind them.
"I want to be notified of changes on her condition."
Esiah stated with his back to Henry while walking away. Henry bowed showing his respect.
"Yes your Grace, all changes will be reported to you immediately."
Henry came to a full stand again seeing the silhouette of his master widening the distance between them when he suddenly he came to a brief stop.
"Oh! Before I forget. You duties will be doubled for the next two weeks for over stepping your boundaries of conduct. Is that clear."
"Yes, your Grace."
"As I stated earlier, if anything changes I will be in my sleeping Quarters."
After his statement Esiah retired to his quarters. He approaches the vast door opening it and stepping inside. His body was tired from the long day and the long night. His schedule was filled with paperwork and surveying certain areas of the kingdom. Only for him to come home get settled for a moment, and have intruders trespassing on his domain.
Esiah began to strip himself of his garments all way down to just his shirt, trousers, and boots. He walked into his bathroom and notices the servants maintained a warm bath for him.
"I might as well since get in since they went through the trouble for me." He says out loud to himself while he finishes undressing.
Before stepping into the bath Esiah sits on a stool with soap towel, starts the water, and washed his body. After washing, he stepped into the warm water slowly emerging himself letting it relax his muscles. His arms rested on the sides of the tub, closed his eyes, and tilted his head back draping his hair over the back of the tub.
While unwinding, his mind recollected the recent event that transpired. The mysterious young lady. He hated that his over zealous butler was just in the way he was acting.
"Who is she? House Silvermen certainly has just two children, an heir and a daughter. She has to be an illegitimate child of the Marquis, and to not give her a debut."
Various thoughts raced continued through his mind. He was definitely going to be asking some questions and having his secret guard of night walkers investigate deeper into this situation.
"There's also the matter of the state she was in and the bruises covered with make-up, and how in the hell did she get past the barrier."
He continued to ponder on the inquiries, but to no avail could draw a conclusion. Esiah knew he could only get his answers from questioning the lady and investigating House Silvermen. After bathing, he stepped out of the bath and throws a towel around his waist and one over his head to dry his hair. He walks out into his vast bedroom and sits on the sofa and dries his hair.
Normally Esiah would have his servants help him dress whether if it was for the day or for bed but today's events he wanted to be left alone. After dressing there was a knock at the door following a creak of it opening.
"Your Grace. It is Henry. I have the physician Cornelius Conrad here. He ask to speak with you about the young lady's condition." Henry explains with his head peaking in and the doctor standing behind him.
"You may enter." Esiah replies giving them permission.
Henry opened the door with his right hand and directed him with his left. The doctor entered immediately with given permission. After entering he closes the door giving them privacy.
"Please, sit." Esiah guides his hand to a sofa adjacent to him.
As he walks over to the sofa Esiah peers over the hobgoblin physician walking with his little black bag in hand to take his seat, mentally he estimated he was around 5 ft. tall. He was an older gentleman with circular glasses hanging to the tip of his nose. Before sitting down on the offered seat he does a quick bow of respect and then sits on the sofa.
"What is your assessment of the lady? Will she live?" The Duke asks concerned.
Setting his black physician bag on the floor next to him. Dr. Conrad clasped his hands together and meets the Duke eye to eye.
"The lady will live but she is not out of the woods just yet."
"Explain."
"Your Grace she is gravely ill. It is a miracle that she has lasted this long." Dr Conrad stated. "From thorough medical assessment she will need around the clock care until she has fully recovered."
Dr. Conrad continued explain his prognosis of Olivia letting him know that she had scars new and old of being beaten, malnourished, and suffered hypothermia with an inducing fever due to being in the cold for an extended period. Esiah listened and became more enraged, and mentally confirmed his disdain towards the human race. They were evil greedy creatures that deserved to be eradicated. To do this to one of your own was sickening, cowardly, and pathetic the Duke thought. He would definitely be performing an investigation of this 'Marquis Silvermen'.
"Your maids did an excellent job of caring for her until I arrived. I believe their proficient care is the reason her chances of a sooner recovery."
"Thank you for the compliment. I will reward them accordingly and you as well once the lady has recovered. Is there anything else I need to be informed of."
"No, your Grace. I've written detailed script of her care, herbs they would need for her to consume orally and topically, and how often bandages should be changed. Her body was thoroughly washed, cuts and wounds were flushed and bandaged. Her feet were in pretty bad shape so they were wrapped with extra bandages."
"Will she be able to walk?
"Yes, your Grace. I just advise that she stay of her feet until they are completely healed. Due to her being in the cold for extended period of time without any shoes the branches, bushes, and thorns on vines have left puncture wounds on the soles of her frost bitten feet. So if she is to wake before her feet have healed she will be unable to walk until then."
"I want to thank you for coming on such a short notice and late at night. I will take everything into consideration and insure that my servants follow your instructions given."
Esiah says as begins to stand. Dr. Conrad also stands and shakes the Duke's extended hand, picks up his bag, and heads towards the door of his quarters with Henry waiting in the hallway to escort him to the door.