Cesare spent most of his days training in the mansion. He was working on sword skills with Johanson, then was studying magic with his mentor.
His days felt lonely.
When he slept, he dreamt of love. Dreamt of one thing.
Elaine.
Cesare was fifteen, and he had fallen in love with Elaine, a humble maid who served his sister.
He had met the maid in person at his fifteenth birthday, when he found her crying beside a pillar.
You're my sisters maid,
- Yes.
Cesare didn't have many thoughts about Elaine at first, only that she was elegant, slender and tall. Elaine had brown hair and brown eyes, the most basic features. Tears blotted her eyes and her cheeks and nose were stained pink.
What's bothers you? He was speaking informal but it seemed in his mind he didn't care.
Nothing is wrong,'young duke.
She was closed off. Too bad. Cesare sat down beside her, leaning his head against the pillar too. She had her knees tucked into her chest, her skirt was ruffled and dirty.
There was a moment of silence. Cesare tilted his head and studied the stars. Constellations he was expected to know for his magic.They didn't seem all that important.
My fiance and me got into an argument. He doesn't want to see me anymore. She muttered. His heart started racing, but he hid it.
A fiance?
One. I had one for three months. Cesare hated marriage. The idea of it urked him but he stayed silent and listened to her.
I thought he was the one, that we were going to stay together forever, but that never happened, it never will. The girl sighed. Cesare may have been seeing things, but she seemed more relieved that she wasn't married. Almost happy, and certainly content.
I had a fiance once. Cesare decided to open up too. When I was five. She was four, we were married through contract. Elaine looked up at Cesare, letting her legs slide from her chest. She began to tap the tips of her shoes together.
He decided he should continue.
He told the story of an old love, an old deal. Of a young girl who was wed to him before she learned what a kiss was, and how she was happy and full of brightness.
He told Elaine about this girl, how she was always there, always next to him and then how she was gone.
Elaine had a pondering look on her face, she stared ahead, her puffy eyelids glazed with tears. The brown strands of hair lost themselves from her braid and flowed in whips around her face.
"My fiance left me before I had a decision if I wanted one or not." Cesare laughed but the girl didn't. He felt awkward and moved on.
Elaine brushed hair behind her ear, pushing her navy sleeves up her arm. He tried not to stare.
"That must have been awful."
That night they walked through Cesare's garden. The place that was most important to him, he was sharing with her. Elaine had talked to him like a normal person, laughed at his jokes and giggled at his comments.
They sat together, side by side eating lemon cake he stole from the kitchen. She picked off the mint on top and tried to contain the whipped cream. A piece of whipped cream fell and hit her chest and Cesare joked about how she missed her mouth.
Elaine blushed. Cesare's heart skipped a beat.
He watched Elaine eat her cake before tilting her head to look at the sky. He was taught the nine assailents were the ones who governed the sky, earth and beyond, who held the moon up, who lit the constellations, which is why it mattered when he studied magic. As Elaine watched them, he could see their light in her eyes. For a moment, he finally understood their importance.
-
The maid ran her hands through Alexandra's hair, applying ointment to the curls. She was concentrated and thoughtful, her hands graceful as she massaged Alexandra's head.
"Konnie." The maid looked up.
"Yes?"
"What is this ointment made of?"
"Huon oil and sugar." Alexandra smiled.
"I love it. It smells wonderful."
The maid was surprised that Alexandra was being so kind. As a daughter of nobles since she was born the maid assumed Alexandra would be snobbish, but she was more humble than most.
"It is made in the perfume kitchens." Konnie replied. "The duke is known to sell quite beautiful scents made from flowers and other natural materials. If you'd like my lady, I will grab you a scent similar to this."
Alexandra turned around suddenly, smiling wide. "Would you?" She asked with much excitement. "That would be incredible!"
Konnie simply smiled and shook her head in agreement.
Alexandra leaned her head back as Konnie left. She was exhausted. She had much to do in a short amount of time and with eyes on her now, everything seemed much more stressful than before. In truth, she didn't like Huon oil as it smelt like iron and metal. A bad memory.
In order to carry out her plan and insure Felix and her are successful, she needs allies and if it means sucking up to a simple maid, then it'll be done.
Alexandra stood up and picked up her book from earlier before Konnie came in. All I Love. Felix had picked the book out for Alexandra at the start of the trip to the mansion, it carried valuable information throughout the book written as if it was apart of the story.
"Lily was a beautiful girl, so beautiful a knight declared her the lily of the valley. She vexed the entire village, causing the village people to swoon and cry at her beck and call. Lily never had to work a single day."