.
.
.
The small incident of her rage that destroyed her room and left her with a bandage around her hand was kept quiet per her request to her older brother, Arkin. When Aina first requested to not let the short incident leave the East Wing, he was adamant that he needed to report it to their father. But, something must have escaped her expression, a sort of desperation that softened Arkin's displeasure at the idea and made him agree reluctantly.
But the hushed incident somehow started to repair the broken bond Aina had always thought irreparable. Maybe it was the fact that they both carried a secret between the two of them. The day after the incident, Aina finds herself seated between Leianna and Arkin during breakfast with the family. Her second eldest brother who normally sits beside Yulian as their aristocratic customs suggest, had made his spot at the third chair after the youngest child — a spot reserved for low-ranked guests or the youngest of the family.
"Arkin?" Yulian was confused, and concerned. His eyes immediately trail to Aina, and searches for any signs of discomfort in her behavior.
"What's the matter?" Arkin feigned ignorance, taking bits of his own satisfaction at the various expressions that crossed his older brother's face — for a second, he sees a dark shadow cross his father's eyes. Still, he raised his head as he stayed rooted in his spot.
The Duke coughed. And whatever he was about to comment had been cut short when Lorian entered the dining hall, preened to perfection as always. Although Aina notices the displeasure he instantly masks under his sharp smile. She didn't meet his gaze, but she did wonder why the usually punctual man had been late for a few minutes.
Still, I wish I didn't have to stare at his face so early in the morning, she thought. But the howling wind that trapped their manor under a thick layer of snow last night made it impossible for Duke Fremont to return home.
"Good morning, Duke Evrian, I apologize for my tardiness this morning."
Lorian stops upon seeing that the second chair to her father's left was empty, which left him unable to sit on the third chair without looking impolite.
"No matter, Lorian. You may sit beside Yulian," was all their father said.
"Of course," Lorian bows his head and makes his way to sit. He doesn't miss the chance to shove a blinding smile towards Aina.
"Lady Ciana, have you rested well?" Aina meets his eyes, only to see them leaving a trace upon her gloved hands. Sure, it was cold because of winter, but the ridiculous amount of relics that made the manor warm in the midst of the harsh weather must have made it strange that she would choose to wear gloves.
Aina wanted to glare, but nodded her head instead. She feels a concerned glance from Arkin.
"Yes. How about you, your grace?" She asked politely.
"Thanks to the servants service, I slept peacefully" he answers, and strangely, Lorian doesn't add a snarky remark after.
"We're glad to hear that, your grace" Arkin answers for her sister.
"Ah, Imperial Commander Arkin, you must be off to the palace seeing as how you are in your uniform," Lorian amicably stated.
Arkin wore his red and gold uniform proudly. The second son of the Evrians was knighted at 16 and achieved the status of swordsmaster at 17, making him second to only Duke Evrian as the youngest to become a swordsmaster. Though people had expected Yulian to be the one inheriting Duke Evrian's skills in the art of combat and sword fighting, the eldest son chose the life of politics and scholarly ambitions.
"Unfortunately, it seems that my holiday has been cut short due to the upcoming Winter Ball. His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor has called me to return early for assistance regarding security" he explained.
"I see, I wish you well on your journey back to the palace"
"Thank you"
Aina stands with Arkin in the snowy cobbled paths of the lavish and exquisite entrance walkway of their manor. Her brother's red velvet hooded cape was clasped together with a brooch carved with the Imperial Knights' emblem. Yulian was off to a certain part of their territory, while their father was speaking with his accountants about something important in his study. And Leianna was with the Imperial Tutor who had been teaching her Imperial Etiquette intensively the past year. Frankly, even if she was not needed, she would have sent her brother off regardless, but the fact that Lorian stands behind Arkin with a humorous glint in his eyes made her want to return to her room.
Arkin seems to sense something, because he cut off Lorian's stare with his body turning to Aina.
"Brother Arkin, take care," she says, staring at the sunny violets of her brother's eyes.
He raised a hand to her head, but hesitated until the last second — if not for the small, genuine smile that she gave, he wouldn't have had the courage. Arkin returns a boyish grin as he pats her head slowly.
"Well, since our youngest so insists, I will take extra care of myself." This kind of fawning turned Aina's ears red while her brother laughed heartily.
He really never changes, she laughs in her mind. She couldn't believe how afraid she'd been before her memories of Arkin came back to her. For once in her life, she began cursing that man — the cause of her misery and the one that made her family distance themselves from her. The one that cursed her untouchable to others. That made her think to be touched would be to be sullied. But, now she understands.
She finally understands.
"If someone ever gives you trouble, just write me a letter and I'll come back home immediately." Her brother opens his arms, a shy expression marking his face.
Aina stares for only a second but gives in immediately. She knew he was still being careful around her. Unlike the careless way that he treats Yulian and Leianna, even the small act of patting her head made him hesitate. But Aina swore that she would never pull away from her family.
Not now. And not ever.
She steps forward, and wraps her arms around her brother's torso. The huge cape became a blanket around her as Arkin returned the embrace. Somehow, her brother's warmth melted the growing coldness inside her chest, giving sunlight to the rotting and decay in her bones and marrow.
But there's only so much the sun can do.
The blinding smile etched in her brother's expression made the slight discomfort worth it. If she can make her family happy, she'd do anything to overcome her fear of touch. She'd do anything for them, just as they did their best for her during the turbulent times of her life.
Lorian was observing their show of affection silently. He stood behind them silently, a small polite smile as he held his family cane, and his stiff posture making him seem like a peacock in the worst way possible. Still, for the sake of her family, Aina bows and curtsies — though she doesn't say a single word to her so-called fiancé.
"Until we meet again, my lady." He offers his hand, and it took a few seconds for Aina's trembling hand to reach for it. And she could only hide beneath the folds of her lace fan as the disgust made its way to her expression.
She nodded.
And they were off.
.
.
.
"My lady," Allie enters the library where Aina was seated, a shawl around her shoulders as she spends her afternoon deep inside the pages of her novel. She saw her maid walking up to her and she sat up from where she was almost laying quietly comfortably.
"Madam Cora is here, she is currently being interviewed by Sir Thomas," she explains.
Instantly, Aina perked up from where she sat. She stood so quickly that she felt lightheaded and almost stumbled to the ground if it wasn't for her maid assisting her instantly.
"Careful, my lady!" Allie says.
"Hurry, let us go now," Aina didn't bother waiting for her maid — she left the grand library and ran down the hall to the left and into the servants' common area hidden behind the kitchen. Pushing the door of the kitchen open, she sees Cora standing her ground as Thomas was bombarding her with seemingly outrageous and incredibly personal questions regarding her life.
"Thomas, stop interrogating my guest!" She scolded. Although she knew that Thomas could have simply been worried for her well-being, Aina was too impatient to tolerate anything.
"Forgive me, my lady. I was simply interviewing madam. Is it true that you have personally recruited her to be your maid?" There was suspicion hidden carefully beneath his words and the eyes that seemed to be searching for answers from Aina's eyes.
Still, Aina doesn't budge.
"Yes, that's right. Cora is going to be my maid from now on. I will personally tell my father about this," she answers. She gathered her composure and beckoned the elder woman to follow her. Cora doesn't seem to be surprised or offended by anything that Thomas might have said. She simply stood up with her leather case and followed Aina without betraying anything with her expression. Cora lowers her head in front of Thomas before leaving. Though Aina knew that Thomas would not be letting this go and would have more questions the moment that he could have his moment alone with her.
Aina takes Cora directly to her father's study. She allows the servants guarding the door to knock on her behalf before entering the room with her personally undercover Medic, leaving Allie waiting outside the shutting doors.
"Father, good afternoon," she greeted.
Her father sported his usual chained glasses and a plum-colored vest over his white dress shirt. He had a tall stack of papers to his left, and his three accountants were seated in a vertical arrangement to his left where they each sat at their own tables and chairs that were never there before. No doubt the servants had been the one to do this.
"Ciana, is there something wrong?"
Aina shook her head. "I'm sorry for disturbing you while you were busy," she states.
"You're never a disturbance to me," he replies and Aina allows herself to step closer to the front of her father's desk.
"This is Cora," Aina introduces, to which the woman knelt on one knee before the Duke as she greeted him formally. "I want her to be my maid," she says, hoping she wouldn't show any hesitation beneath her frozen expression.
The Duke seems surprised only for a moment. He takes off his glasses, and lays them down the paper he was writing on seconds ago. Leaning forward, he crosses his fingers together. He meets his daughter's unwavering gaze, as if he was looking for something beneath their paleness.
"What brought this on? Are you unsatisfied with your current maid?" He asked gently, but the curiosity was carelessly hidden that even Aina could sense it instantly.
"No, Allie is honest and hardworking," she answers. "But I worry that she might be too burdened with all the work in the East Wing. And I was hoping that Cora could assist her in serving me." Aina doesn't let her voice waver beneath the calm yet heavy stare of her father.
"Well, I guess it has been time. Ciana, why don't you move with us to the West Wing?"
His answer elicits surprise from Aina.
"What?"
The Duke closes his eyes. "It was about time you returned to the West Wing. And I doubt the ongoing repairs in your room are going to be finished anytime soon." If it was possible for Aina's eyes to widen any more, her eyes would have fallen from their sockets.
Her father chuckles. "Nothing in this manor escapes me, my daughter," his eyes crinkled in a way Aina had never seen before.
"I-" Aina was about to apologize for hiding her actions.
"Do not apologize to me, Ciana. Never apologize to me. Even if you wreck the whole manor, I would never be able to be angry with you," he says. Aina clasps her gloved hands together as she looks down. Though he told her he wasn't angry, she still felt the shame coursing through her veins.
"Well, will you still consider employing Cora?" she softly asks, unable to meet her father's violet eyes. What if he doesn't agree because of me wrecking my room? But, I really need Cora beside me. Do I…need to tell father about my illness? No.
So many thoughts passed through her mind. It was only when the Duke spoke again that Aina was pulled from the voices.
"Leave us alone, Ciana. Talk to Thomas about moving to your new room"
.
.
.