***
Orisis Evans
I stared at her as she cried. Her fake tears made me scoff in amusement.
"Is..what is your name again?" I asked her.
Her name was to me a useless word that I didn't want to even save in my mind. It was to me like a traitor that I would eventually kill. No... It was to me like the dead weeds that are found in a garden.
"My n...na...name is Isabelle." she spoke snapping me out of my thoughts with her words.
"Do you want to know why I don't believe that, that child is mine?" I asked her.
"But it is your child, Your Grace." she let out.
I grabbed her by the throat squeezing her throat tightly. She gasped trying to scream but her voice only sounded like she was wheezing.
"Let me tell you an important thing about the Evans blood and powers." I tell her.
Her hands tried vigorously to loosen my grip which only made me squeeze her tightly. She was now really crying.
"A Evans's eyes glow when they meet their blood child. Do you know that?" I asked her.
Her face was red from how hard I was choking her. Her hands were slowly becoming weak and her eyes were fighting to stay open.
"P...p...p...pease." She rasped as her hands fell off my arms.
"How pathetic. " I muttered as I loosened my grip.
She fell and I sighed as I stared at her pathetic act.
"Don't just stand there, take her to an empty servants' space." I ordered the knights.
"Yes, your grace."
A knight picked her up and carried her to the servants' spaces. I sighed as I rubbed my head.
Where did she find this child? Is that even really her child?
"Father?"
I turned my head towards the child who was standing at the door of the dining room. I walked towards the boy and crouched down to level with his height.
"What is your name?" I asked him.
"Walter." He answered.
"Walter, can you tell me where you lived?" I asked him.
He flinched and looked down. The air around him became droopy and dejected.
"Walter," I called out to him gently.
He flinched at my voice and I felt sorry for him. He was trembling just slightly but enough for one to notice.
"Walter, it's okay." I assured him as I patted his head.
"I... I... I...I'm sorry." he whispered stammering.
"I...I wo..wo.. won't d...d...do...i...it...a...a...again." he stuttered.
"P...p...ple...pleas...please...d...do...don't...h...hi...hit...m...me." he cried as he fell on his knees.
Him falling caught me off guard. It reminded me of back then. When I was a scared child. Seeing him like this made me feel like an awful person. I pulled him close and hugged him. I caressed his back and whispered to him,
"You are safe, Walter."
"No one will hit you."
He cried out loud as he trembled in my arms. His wails echoed through the hallway as he cried. I kept hugging him as he cried. I felt sorry for him. He probably went through a lot and hoped that he had found his father. The truth would probably be unbearable for him. How could I tell him that I was not his father and that he was lied to?
I used my magic to release a comforting scent that would calm him because he was shaking in my arms.
I stayed crouched hugging him until he fell asleep. Once I was sure he was asleep, I gave him to Agness.
"I'm depending on you to take care of him." I tell her.
"I'll take good care of him." She assured me with a smile.
"You almost killed her." I heard.
"Arthur, I really don't care." I informed him.
"And listen, about the day of my wedding... I'm sorry that I punched you." I let out sincerely.
"I will only forgive you if you give me a very big bonus," he informed me as he winked.
I scoffed as I let out a small laugh. I could really use a kiss from Treece about now. Her kiss would make all this feel like it was just a silly nightmare.
"Your Grace."
I turned my head to see James. He finally came back with the information I asked for.
"What did you find?" I asked him.
"There are no traces of his past like his childhood, parents or people who knew him." he answered.
"The only information I found out about him, was the information everyone knew in the Richardson estate." he added as he gave me a stack of paper.
I took the paper and read through it.
Name: Jack
Age: 25
No parents
Home origins unknown.
He became an apprentice knight one year after Duchess Latrice was born. He then worked really hard becoming one of the best knights Marquess Richardson's knight brigade ever had. He later became Duchess Latrice Knight after she ran away for two days.
He has been the Duchess Latrice knight since she was eight years old.
"Is this all?" I asked shocked.
"Everything else are just things he likes and do." I added a bit annoyed.
"You know what, it's fine." I let out.
"I need you to find out everything about a girl named is... What's her name again?" I asked myself.
"Isabelle Braun?" Arthur asked.
"You know her?" I asked him amused.
"I met her once with my wife." He explains.
"Oh." I replied.
"James, Find out everything about her except about her body and clothing but everything else you must bring the information to me." I added as I looked at James.
James left and then it was only Arthur and I left.
"Should we call for the physician?" he asked me.
"No, for now, let us first wait for James to first bring information back to us." I informed him.
"She will get treatment after I get the information I need from her." I added as I walked back to my office.
I throw myself on the sofa in my office as I try to process everything that happened today. I wish Treece was here.
__
A few hours later...
The floral scent that Treece always smells like filled my nostrils waking me up from my sleep...
I had not conceded that I had been sleeping in my office for however long... All I could think of was the scent that had filled my nostrils. The scent that I could identify Treece with.
The floral scent was thick and everywhere in my office. It was like she had been here. Like she had sat here while I was asleep.
"You are awake."
I looked at the door and Agness entered with a tray. She probably brought me dinner.
"Agness was someone here in the afternoon?" I asked.
"James had come here and he dropped off papers that were important or so." she answered.
"Thank you, Agness." I told her.
"How is the boy?" I asked.
"He ate dinner and I took him to the guestroom." she answered.
"He is asleep." She added.
I nodded my head and I got up and walked over to my desk. I saw the papers that James brought.I looked through the papers when a piece of paper caught my attention.
I might not be here with you but I hope you will feel my presence.
Trixie
I stared at the note shocked and confused. Trixie?
She was the woman I loved in my past life...
***
We were sitting in the garden and she was talking about her daily rant.
"This society is so frustrating Orisis." she let out as she sighed.
"Why so?" I asked her.
"I can only depend on my husband to be true and honest while the best of these patricians try to fool me." she answered.
"I will never fool you, Trixie."
***
"Agness, can you please call James on your way out?" I asked Agness.
"Of course, I will." she responded as she walked out.
Striding up and down in my office trying to figure out how any of this was possible. Even if Treece sent me a letter, it would take days before I could receive it.
"Your grace, I am here."
I turned my head and James stood there.
"James, tell me. Did you come to my office and leave a prank note?" I asked him.
He stared at me shocked as I asked him that question.
"No, I never came to your Grace's office." he answered confused.
"I gave the papers to Head maid Agness." He added.
"What?" I asked shocked.
"Yeah, She told me that she would deliver it to you as she was heading to your office." He responded.
"James, Agness told me she saw you enter my office." I inform him.
"What?" he asked surprised.
"That is impossible!" he added.
"Does that mean..."
"Do not say it." I interrupted him.