Early in the morning the kitchen was busy as usual and Joel had to help out, round the midday he was sent with Mia to fetch some fresh veggies from the outer ward’s garden. On the way they came across a group of guards.

“Hi Joy!” Joel noticed Gerd waving at him.

“Hi Gerd.” He smiled back ready to go and pass him by when everybody got quiet all of a sudden and bowed a little. Joel turned around and saw the duke along with two other men. They were all wearing clothes suitable for horse riding. The duke stopped.

“We’re going for hunting. The duke was scanning all the gathered. “I need two more men, which one is called Gerd?”

The whole blood from Joel’s face just drenched leaving him pale like a snowflake.

“Here your grace.” Gerd eagerly stepped forward.

The duke looked at Gerd assessing him from head to toe.

“Well than Gerd, pick one more and fetch us horses, will be leaving in a moment.”

“Yes your grace.” Gerd picked his companion and with a wide grin throwing glances at Joel went to the inner gatehouse.

The duke looked at Joel making him feel very uncomfortable under his gaze. Joel decided not to budge this time, he frown and responded sending the duke a pissed look. The duke slowly put on his gloves and without a single word followed the two guards. Joel and Mia waited a bit and than followed them too to the inner ward.

The duke with his men were getting on their horses when Joel and Mia were going to the garden. In the very same time Joel heard a loud voice.

“Joy!” He turned around only to see the red faced Brian waving at him and boasting to the men standing around him.

“The pretty one is my fiance.”

Fuck no. No, no, NOOOO!!! The duke heard it for sure because he stopped for a moment and looked in Joel’s direction. Joel wasn’t pale anymore, he was in deep red color.

The duke slowly moved his horse and Joel watched them leaving through the main gate. Brian came running to Joel.

“So good to see you.” He was beaming with excitement and Joel could strangle him.

“Hi Brian, I wish I had more time but we need to do some work in the garden.” Joel smiled apologetically.

“No it’s Ok, I have work to do too, but I miss you. When can we meet. “He leaned closer and Joel could smell every single horse he attended to today or the previous week.

“It will be hard, the duke has returned and we have lot’s of guests, so you need to be patient.” Joel smiled and went after Mia leaving red faced Brian behind.

“Is he really your boyfriend?” Mia asked in disbelief.

“Why, isn’t he nice?” Joel asked making surprised expression.

Mia said nothing more and they started collecting all the fresh veggies they needed.

“Mia, does the duke have a wife?” Joel decided to gather some information. One should know his enemies.

“He had, his wife died shortly after she gave birth to an heir.” Mia replied picking tomatoes.

“Oh, that’s sad, where’s his son I haven’t seen any boy around?”

“The parents of his passed away wife look after him. The child should be about four years old.”

“Is duke still single?”

“Yes.” Mia leaned closer looking around whether anybody is close enough to overhear them. “He seems not really interested in women, not a single one was invited to his private chambers. You know what I mean.” Joel knew for sure but still he said:

“Maybe he mourns after his deceased wife?”

“I doubt, it was an arranged marriage and the duke didn’t despair much during the funeral or after it.” Mia pulled a few onions and they were ready.

With full baskets they returned to the kitchen only to get another task, namely cleaning some guests rooms that were emptied as part of the merry party has already left. In the evening Joel was waiting in the kitchen to help out during the dinner when Hilda approached him.

“Joy you will bring the dinner to the duke’s apartments.”

“What? Why me?!” Joel felt a tight knot being formed right in his belly.

“It’s the duke’s order.”