After breakfast, Emma's gentle touch guided me through my morning routine, bathing and dressing me with a familiarity that brought comfort. 

Yet, amidst her delicate brush strokes through my hair, a soft melody flowed from her lips, echoing the tender lullabies once sung by my mother.

"Mmm-hmm-mmmm," she hummed softly, the melody filling the tranquil room with its gentle vibrations.

"Emma," I interjected, surprised by the familiar tune, "that's the same melody my mother used to hum."

Emma's humming halted, her hands pausing mid-stroke. Surprise flickered in her eyes as she met my gaze. 

"Really?" she murmured, her voice soft with disbelief. Then, a pensive expression crossed her face, and she shook her head slightly. 

"Perhaps it's a popular tune," she pondered, her tone uncertain. "The late Duchess used to hum this very tune to His Grace when he was younger."

"The late Duchess..." I trailed off, silently imploring Emma to confirm what I already knew.

"Yes, Miss Elise," she confirmed softly, her gaze drifting downward as if the weight of sorrow pressed upon her shoulders. "The Duke and Duchess passed away five years ago."

A lump formed in my throat and the room seemed to grow heavier with the weight of unspoken grief.

I had so many questions swirling in my mind, but they remained unspoken, trapped within the fragile silence.

Emma cleared her throat gently, her lips curving into a smile that seemed forced. 

"Would you like me to continue humming, Miss Elise?" she offered in a tender attempt to break the sombre atmosphere.

"Yes please.." I replied softly.

With a nod, Emma resumed her humming, and I felt a pang of longing for my mother mingled with the sorrow of Duke Lucius's loss. 

- - - 

As the gentle caress of a cool breeze brushed against my skin, it seemed to beckon me toward the open air.

Just as I reached for the door handle, it swung open. 

"W-Who?" I gasped, my voice filled with startled surprise, "L-Lou?"

"Hey El! Want to come to town with me tomorrow?" Louis said eagerly. "I'll show you around town!"

"Town? Just you and me?" I hesitated.

"Yeah, we could sneak out," he grinned mischievously.

"What about your classes?"

"Nah, I don't have classes tomorrow."

"Lou, I'm not sure if that's a good idea. It could get dangerous..."

"Then let's ask Felix to join us!" He suggested eagerly.

"Let's do that," I agreed with a smile, relieved by the change of plan. 

"Then I'll go ask Felix about it now," he said, already turning to head out the door.

"Hold on Lou," I called out, stopping him in his tracks. "Remember to knock before you come in next time alright?

"Sure sure," he replied nonchalantly, giving me a casual thumbs-up. "I'll remember next time. See you in a bit!"

As I was about to close the door, I heard Sarah chiding, "No running in the hallway, Louis." 

"Oops, my bad!" Louis exclaimed as he skidded to a halt before continuing on his way.

My attention was drawn to Sarah carrying a stack of books when one slipped from her grasp, landing with a loud thud on the floor.

"Ugh," Sarah groaned softly as she struggled to pick up the fallen book, her arms straining under the weight.

Quickly, I stepped forward, instinctively bending down to retrieve it before she could.

"Let me help," I offered, gently lifting the fallen book and then relieving some of the weight from Sarah's arms.

"Oh, thank you, Miss Elise," she replied with a relieved sigh. "Are you sure you're not carrying too many books? They are heavier than they look."

"Don't worry Sarah, I can manage this much," I assured her, adjusting my grip to accommodate the added load.

"They need to be placed in the library," she explained, nodding towards the direction of the grand room at the end of the hallway. 

"These are books that His Grace ordered recently, and they've just arrived," she continued. 

"I see," I said, matching her pace as we began to walk together.

As my gaze fell upon the title of the first book in my hands, I realized it delved into the realm of magic. Yet, what struck me wasn't its mere subject matter.

"Is everything alright, Miss Elise?" Sarah's sudden question pulled me back from my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh yes," I replied, my response coming out a bit distracted, my pace quickened to keep up with Sarah's brisk stride.

Out of curiosity, I glanced over to the stack of books Sarah was holding.

"Here we are," Sarah announced, holding the door open with her back as we entered the library.

Stepping inside, I was greeted by the sight of towering bookshelves lining the walls, their mahogany frames adorned with intricate carvings. Sunlight streamed in through tall windows, illuminating the entire room with its golden glow.

"His Grace and Felix spend a lot of their time here," Sarah explained, looking to the shelves filled with leather-bound tomes. "They've read nearly every book in here!"

"Wow..." I exclaimed, my words hanging in the air with a hint of admiration. 

"Phew!" Sarah exclaimed softly as she placed her stack of books onto the grand desk positioned in the centre of the room. 

"You can put them here," she added, gesturing to the space she quickly cleared for me amidst the clutter of parchment scrolls, quill pens, and inkwells.

"Oh alright," I replied, carefully placing the books in the cleared area.

As I set them down, something caught my eye — a letter tucked within the pages of a book, its corner adorned with the initials "LJ".

"That's all we have to do!" Sarah said with a smile, glancing around the library. "We can leave now, Miss Elise."

"Oh Okay," I said as I blinked in surprise. 

"His Grace prefers to organise them himself," Sarah explained, noticing my confusion. "We can leave it for him to do later."

I nodded in understanding and we made our way out of the library.

"Is there anything else I can help with?" I asked on our way back, eager to assist in any way I could.

Sarah smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Miss Elise, but I don't want to trouble you any further. You've already been a great help."

"It's no trouble at all," I replied earnestly. 

"Then, Miss Elise, with the upcoming harvest festival approaching, we could use some extra hands," she suggested.

"Of course, Sarah," I replied. 

"That's wonderful to hear, Miss Elise," she exclaimed. "The Noireau family has been generously donating to the festival every year." 

"The Noireau family?" I questioned Sarah, processing the information.

"Yes, Miss Elise," Sarah affirmed. "His Grace hails from the esteemed Noireau family."

"Follow me, Miss Elise," Sarah instructed. "Let's first take inventory of everything we have available to donate, from food items to clothing and other essentials."

As I fell into step behind her, she continued. "Once we have a complete list, we'll organize everything and prepare it for delivery to the organizers. We'll have to ensure that..... There's also the matter of..... then....."