Ravian"s POV
Not going back to the ball?" Gerald asked.
"I already accomplished my goal, it's time to head out and get back to work," he replied agitated.
Once he'd left Kassidy at her door he'd found himself to be very irritated. First, there was something he'd wanted to talk to her about in private, regarding his plan. But her aunt tailing them made that impossible and they had to conduct some corny formal goodbye. Who knew when they'd get the chance to talk face to face again and letters weren't exactly secure.
"Not going to stay and see her off tomorrow?" Gilbert asked hopefully. He probably just wanted one more night sleeping in a soft bed before the long journey they had back to the Dutchy.
"You think I should waste half a day or more just to say goodbye? I have more work than ever now that this new plan is in motion and her situation has brought it to my attention that I may have neglected my duties toward other families that lost their loved ones in the war, so I need to make time to personally look into their well being."
"What? But that will take weeks, and you're already busy working on rebuilding the treasury due to the war expenses… To spend more on a war that is already over… your council will not like it." Gilbert warned. "Besides, I think the only reason she slipped through the cracks is because she's not from the duchy. I'm positive all our people are well looked after. She wasn't your responsibility, besides she's technically fine, and there's not much you could have done about her crapy guardians.
"Still, I best get back to work as soon as possible, this trip has already set me behind."
They rode threw the night and didn't stop until just before lunch to camp out in the woods beside the main road. He took care of the horses while Gilbert slept, before taking a nap himself. Four or five hours later, he dragged Gilbert up, the horses already saddled and they ate a breakfast of dried meat as they walked out to the main road again.
They rode hard for several hours then stopped at a tavern in a small town by the main road to eat and buy fresh horses before setting out again. They rode the new steads their old mounts tethered behind them and didn't stop until early the next morning. They ate and got a few hours of sleep before grabbing some lunch.
He'd traided up the two new horses for a stronger younger one thinking if he was going to spend more time pretending to be a simple guard or aid, he couldn't be riding around on such a note-worthy stallion. He tested out the new horse the rest of the way back and Gilbert rotated between the other more tired horses as they made the last leg of their journey.
They arrived just after dawn the next morning, the guards at the gate shifted to alert as they drew within sight of the outer gates. When they neared within shouting distance one of the guards ordered them to halt, they were riding in rather fast. Instead, he slowed down but did not stop, when he neared he threw back his hood, his telltale face mask and eye patch in place.
A second or two after the shock had settled the guards moved aside and saluted until he'd passed. They repeated nearly the same routine when he reached the inner gates to his dukedom but they approached at a slower speed, and slowed to a walk when told to stop for an inspection, and when he lowered his hood this time someone stepped forward to get a closer look to make sure it was really him. He'd have punished them if they hadn't verified his identity.
"Welcome back, your grace," his fourth captain said.
He nodded and returned his soldier's solutes as he passed. "Any news?" he asked as his fourth captain mounted his horse to ride with him.
"Nothing urgent, a complaint from a council member, and your mother's worried. I'll ride ahead and have the staff notified of your return."
"Thank you," he said and the man rode off at a gallop. Gilbert looked ready to collapse so when they arrived in front of the stables he dismissed him to go get some rest. He knew he should be tired, but he felt strangely energized in a way he hadn't felt in a long time, he'd rushed home not just to get an earlier start on implementing his new plans but because he knew he wouldn't have been able to get much sleep anyways.
Whenever he closed his eyes, thoughts of Kassidy always wormed their way in. Sometimes it was a welcome thing and other times it annoyed him. Why should he care so much? He barely knew her and logically, he should still be mad at her.
His butler welcomed him with a slight wrinkling of the nose at his master being underdressed and with a few days of road grime on him but didn't comment on such, at least not directly. Instead, he said. "Breakfast will be served in the small dining hall in just a few minutes and water is being heated for a bath as we speak but it will be at least twenty minutes before it will be warm.
"Thank you, Decon," he said heading for the guest washroom to at least wash the sweat and dirt off his hands and face before eating. In the small dining hall, a plater of breads and jellies was placed on the table as he entered and he helped himself having a seat. His mother came in a minute later, stopping just short of giving him a hug when she saw how dirty he was.
"I'm so glad you're back safe and sound."
"I was at a social event for the elite upper class, not war."
"You left without telling anyone where you were going and why and with only one guard; of course I was worried, I'm your mother. Besides, I thought you said you weren't going to the hunt?" his mother inquired with a quirk of her eyebrow.
"I didn't go for the event I went to hunt down my imposter."
"And did you succeed?" his uncle Larson, the youngest of his dad's brothers, asked as he entered the room leaning heavily on his cane. He was still rather young, still in his early forties, but the war had taken one of his legs as well as two of his brothers and the events had aged him. He used to be the fun uncle and he was still his favorite uncle, but like him, he'd likely never be the same again.
"I did," he responded distractedly as the kitchen staff brought out plates loaded with eggs and meats, followed by fruits and yogurt.
"Coffee or juice?" one of the staff asked him, a pitcher in either hand.
"Serve, the rest of the family first and come back with water and wine please."
The man nodded and did as told.
"Really wine first thing in the morning?" his mother chided.
"I've been up all threw the night riding and I plan to eat, bathe, then sleep. I have no intentions of drinking the day away." he defended a bit annoyed, that she would think that of him.
"So," his uncle interjected changing the subject. "What did you do with the imposter?"
"I insured payment for the crime." he dodged seeing his little sister peeking in the doorway.
"Okay, but what did you do with him? Where is he?" his uncle asked unaware Jayla had arrived earlier than usual.
"The problem has been solved. Good morning Jayla, did you want to come in and eat?"
She nodded and dashed inside the room to sit by their mother. She'd been quiet and skittish around him ever since he got back from the war a little over a year ago. He knew it must be hard on her when most of the men in her life went to war and only half made it back he hadn't seen her in over two years. And when they had come back, they hadn't been what she'd expected.
He didn't know how to comfort her when the sight of his face made her cry and run away and their uncle's peg leg made her visibly uncomfortable. She'd gotten more used to it now but she still wasn't the bubbly talkative little girl he remembered, at least not when he was near.
"So who was it that was at the hunt you or the imposter?" their mother asked.
"Both, he went into the woods, and I stayed to clean things up," he answered vaguely again not wanting to share what actually happened.
She shivered and wouldn't look him in the eye. "So, does that mean it was you who donated the animals to the hungry and rescued a damsel in distress? And not the imposter?"
He smirked, "Oddly enough the imposter did most of that, but I figured if a supposed duke went missing, that would cause some issues."
"And the girl?" she prompted.
"She was alone and in need of help, I'm not completely heartless, Mother. However, I just got back and there was no way anyone from that party could have beaten me here so how is it you have heard of all this already?"
"I saw no point in all those messenger birds going to waste after the war, so my friends and I have been using them to keep in touch."
"You're using war assets for gossip?" he asked incredulously.
"Think of it as a way of keeping them well trained in case they are suddenly needed again," she said. "Besides someone needs to make sure they are well cared for. It might as well be me."
"How altruistic of you Mother." but he said it with a joking smile. He finished his last bite and downed the rest of the wine. "I'm exhausted, so I'll be taking my leave now, have a good rest of your day."
With that, he left wondering how much gossip a lady could print on a tiny scroll that could be tied to a bird's leg. His bath was hot and his bed soft and he fell asleep with thoughts of a delightfully charming girl instead of gory scenes of war.