Tamara's POV
I slammed my latest concoction into the sink, again. I was heartbroken by the dead ends in my research so I slumped back in my chair. Every substitute I tried for the rare ingredient in my potion yielded the same disappointing result – nothing. With a sigh, I pushed myself away from the workbench and headed outside. I needed fresh air.
As I stepped into the garden, I spotted Elias running towards me with his chest heaving. "Tamara!" he gasped, struggling to catch his breath.
"Elias!" I rushed to him with concern lines on my forehead. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost!"
He gulped and his voice was ragged. "The Duke… he's here! In Bury Street!"
Confusion filled my mind. "The Duke? Here in Bury Street? What on earth for?"
"Mr. Abernathy, the baker," Elias explained, his voice still ragged. "He died yesterday. The Duke's come to pay his respects."
"Oh dear," Mr. Abernathy's warm smile and delicious treats would be dearly missed. Then came a thought, "Oh," I said, now understanding why the Duke was in Bury street. "That makes sense then."
Elias seemed surprised by my reaction. "Aren't you going to see him?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Why would I do that? The Duke's here for the baker, not me"
He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "Besides," I continued, "this is the first time he's graced us commoners with his presence in years. It's almost as though he doesn't… want to be Duke. Not exactly a model Duke, is he?"
Elias hesitated, then blurted out, "They say he's cursed."
My eyes widened. "Cursed? How?"
"They say he struggles to remember something," he explained, his voice was hushed. "And that it burdens him at night. I thought… maybe you could talk to him."
My eyes widened as he spoke. This was unexpected news, and Elias, for a street urchin, had a knack for picking up valuable information. Of course, it could all be just rumors. I couldn't deny the curiosity within me now. This 'curse' – could it be connected to my own lost memories?
"How do you even know this?" I asked, skepticism in my voice.
He shrugged. "It could be true, couldn't it? Maybe there's a reason he hasn't settled down, hasn't found a Duchess."
"Besides, a little distraction from the grieving crowd wouldn't hurt him, would it?" He added.
"So, how do you propose I get his attention?"
He grinned. "Leave that to me."
Hesitantly, I allowed him to convince me. Taking a moment to tidy my clothes and my hair, I put on my finest dress, a simple yet elegant gown of emerald green. Together, we walked down the quiet lane.
Reaching Abernathy's bakery, we paused on the sidewalk. A good number of commoners crowded the whole place. Luckily for me and Elias, we were both slender so we squeezed our way into the crowd.
Through the window, we could see the Duke offering his condolences to the tearful Mrs. Abernathy, his expression was solemn and sincere. "My deepest condolences on the loss of Mr. Abernathy," "He will be greatly missed.'"
Just then, Elias picked up a small stone and aimed it with surprising accuracy. It bounced harmlessly off the bakery window, causing the Duke to turn his head in our direction.
"There!" Elias yelled. "Now go!"
I gulped in hard as I witnessed Elias's audacious act. He'd crossed a line, and panic washed over me. Frozen to the spot, I watched as the Duke's face morphed into annoyance and suspicion. His eyes, narrowed towards the source of the commotion.
Before I could react, a hulking guard, dressed in black armor stepped out of the bakery. His voice was booming through the street. "Who dares throw an object at His Grace!"
The crowd, sensing trouble, quickly moved away from me, leaving me exposed in a circle of empty space. Another guard, his grip tightening on his sword hilt, stormed out of the bakery with the Duke behind him.
"You!" the first guard barked whilst grabbing me roughly by the hair. "Who are you and why did you attack the Duke?"
I was afraid, but I wouldn't crumble under his intimidation. "I…" I stammered, my voice was barely above a whisper.
His grip tightened. "Answer me, woman!"
Then, to my surprise, the Duke spoke, "Enough," he said, there was weariness in his voice. "Do whatever you need to do and let's be on our way."
The guard, emboldened by the Duke's words, barked orders to his colleagues. "Seize her!"
Just as they lunged forward, I cried desperately, "Your Grace!"
He turned, curiosity slowly replacing the anger in his eyes. "You… you struggle to remember something, don't you?" I blurted out. "A memory…"
"Just out of reach…" he completed my sentence.
The guard moved forward, his hand clamped over my mouth. "Silence! Don't speak of such things!" he hissed.
But the damage was done. Stunned and strangely intrigued, the Duke stepped closer, his eyes fixed on mine.
I took a deep breath, then I continued, my voice slowly gained strength. "I can help you," I declared. "I can bring back those lost memories."
My words were lost on the crowd and the guards, their expressions was a mix of confusion and fear.
The Duke, however, seemed captivated. "How?" he asked, his voice a mere murmur. Pushing the guard aside, the Duke walked towards me. "What do you know of this?"
"I can help you with a potion," I replied. "A potion I've been working on for years. Because…"
My voice trailed off, "Because you suffer the same thing," the Duke finished my sentence, his voice was barely a whisper.
The evening began to draw closer, the Duke, a decision hardening in his eyes, turned to his guard captain. "She's coming with me to Haldfast Manor," he announced, his voice left no room for argument.
"But Your Grace," the guard stammered, "your mother…"
"My mother wouldn't be… thrilled to learn I've been fraternizing with commoners."
The guard bowed his head. "Of course, Your Grace. Discretion is assured."
The Duke turned back to me, "Get in the carriage." He commanded.
"One condition," I countered.
He raised an eyebrow, with amusement in his eyes. "And what may that be?"
"Elias comes with me."
He chuckled. At this point, it seemed, anyone offering a potential cure could make their demands. "Fine," he said. "As long as you can truly restore my memories, I don't give a fuck about who accompanies you."
His gaze searching now. "Where is this… Elias?"
"Elias!" I called out. A moment later, a sheepish-looking Elias emerged from the crowd. "There," I said, gesturing towards him.
The Duke sighed. "Take them to the chariot," he instructed the guard.
And just like that, with a astonished Elias by my side, I found myself ushered into the Duke's carriage, our destination – Haldfast Manor.