"Raven Knights?"
Aideen repeated those words, savoring their cadence, while Bella leaned casually against the cold stone wall of the hallway, seamlessly continuing her explanation.
"The Raven Knights constitute the order sworn to His Grace, Duke Tillian. Though not born into nobility, most of them have ascended to titles through His Lordship's patronage and financial backing."
'Financial support?'
The princess raised her eyebrows in surprise. Her understanding of finances was limited, having neither taken classes on economics nor held any tangible responsibility for money. However, she was aware that Duke Tillian Valentine, despite his royal lineage, sustained himself with funds allocated by the House of Nobles in return for safeguarding the North.
This money, naturally, would never have sufficed to procure a noble title, not even for a select few, let alone an entire order of knights.
'He wanted to hire a magician, he bought noble titles for his knights... Where is all this money coming from?'
Bella appeared oblivious to the intricacies underlying Aideen's surprised expression as she continued,
"Almost every day, excluding weekends, in the afternoon, immediately following their training sessions, they depart from the castle to survey the perimeter, ensuring that not a single creature has encroached upon our territory. His Grace consistently ensures the safety and protection of everyone within his castle."
Aideen could not shake her sense of bewilderment and curiosity.
"He cares so deeply about the safety of the people living here; his knights scout the territory nearly every day. Is this truly the same Duke Valentine everyone talks about? The rumors painted him as a savage, a tyrant, but here... no one seems afraid of him at all."
"They usually return around eleven o'clock in the evening," Bella continued nonchalantly. "The knights then retire to their part of the castle, while His Grace and Sir Stanis head to the duke's study to attend to his other responsibilities. They consistently use this entrance, as it's the only door on the entire floor that opens without a sound. His Grace prefers not to disturb others, you see."
Although the maid endeavored to emphasize Tillian's consideration for others, the princess found her interest waning after the mention of "time and place."
'So he returns at eleven and uses this door. I need to remember that.'
Aideen mentally noted this valuable information just as the distant chime of the clock reached her ears.
"Oh, right on time! It's three in the afternoon – the knights are departing now."
Bella delicately touched the lady's shoulder and continued,
"Now, Your Highness, you refused breakfast, but there is no way you're skipping lunch! Come on! Let me at least fetch you some hot milk with your favorite soft bread."
Without waiting for the princess's response, the maid gently guided Aideen in the direction of the kitchen. Aideen's mind, however, was consumed by thoughts of time.
'Three in the afternoon. Eight hours from now.'
***
The princess jerked her upper body as if electrocuted; the old wooden clock in Aideen's bedroom chimed ten in the evening. Its slow, quiet ringing echoed through the room like ten distant thunderstrikes.
She had waited for three hours for this specific moment, and despite her eagerness and resolve, tiredness overwhelmed her entire being, almost causing her to miss the anticipated hour.
'I should go now. I haven't memorized everything yet; I might get lost and waste time wandering about.'
The reason for the princess's anxiousness to leave her room was simple – she yearned for an opportunity to have an audience with Duke Valentine. The anticipation of this encounter fueled her determination to venture beyond the confines of her room once more.
Thanks to Bella's inadvertently spilled information about his schedule, Aideen now had precise knowledge of when and where to expect him, and she wanted to meet him as soon as possible.
'I am frightened beyond belief, but my heart is yielding under the weight of ignorance. I must find out why I was brought here. Even if I face punishment, I still want to know.'
Confident yet cautious, Aideen delicately opened the door of her bedroom and listened. As per Bella's guidance, ten in the evening marked the time when all castle staff were sent to rest, rendering the halls quiet and deserted.
Silently ensuring that no one roamed about, the princess exited the room and slowly made her way to the back entrance of the first floor.
Surprisingly, she encountered no obstacles on her brief journey and reached her destination sooner than anticipated.
Standing on the first wooden step that led to the tall, heavy door, Aideen sat down and hugged her legs, resting her chin on her knees as she mused,
'That's it, Aideen. It would be silly to return to your room now. Have some confidence. Let us uncover what awaits us in this big, cold castle.'
Time appeared to slow down as the woman settled into her wait. She attempted to sharpen her hearing, aiming to discern even the subtlest shifts of sound outside the door, but no signs of approaching footsteps reached her. The only audible presence was the monotonous howling of the wind, whimsically toying with the snow, shifting it from one place to another.
Strangely enough, that tranquil howling melody proved to be the best lullaby she had ever heard.
In a matter of mere minutes, Aideen's body succumbed to fatigue, and she drifted into a peaceful sleep.
***
The large metal lock responded to the touch of a silver key with a quiet, clanking sound. The heavy wooden door creaked open slowly, making almost no sound, inviting Tillian and Stanis back into the welcoming embrace of the castle.
However, the men had to come to an abrupt stop as an unexpected sight unfolded before their eyes – a young woman, her small, slender body comfortably settled on the cold surface of the wooden steps, was fast asleep. Her head was half-covered by a knitted shawl, allowing only a few locks of dark crimson hair to fall carelessly around her.
"Your Grace, isn't it––"
Stanis's question failed to leave his mouth entirely as the Duke covered his lips with his large, gloved hand, signaling his assistant to hush.
With heavy, yet nearly soundless steps, Tillian slowly approached the slumbering Aideen and stopped right in front of her, taking a moment to appreciate her appearance. He then quietly knelt before her, adjusted the shawl around her tender shoulders, delicately ran his hand over the loose locks of her wavy hair, and whispered,
"Your body is still not strong enough to be the ally of your curiosity, Princess."
With a brief sigh, the duke carefully lifted the princess into his arms, rose to his feet, and turned his head slightly toward Stanis, whispering again,
"Go ahead. It looks like I need to take care of this lost kitten first."