BAM.  The front doors slammed shut as the Duke stormed in. His face was race and the vein by his forehead was bulging. He looked ready to strangle the nearest living being. The butler, Morris, stepped forward but kept a safe distance. "My Lord, Welcome home. Would you like to rest first and change, or eat right away." The stoic voice of Morris seemed to placate Charles the slightest bit, and Charles responded in a strained voice "Where are Linsey and Hally? My women should've already been at the door to greet me." 

The smallest sliver or apprehension showed in Morris' eyes, but he pulled himself together and replied calmly "My Lord, first let me say that the only woman who should ever greet you at the door is your wife. As for the matter concerning those women, it appears that they have been chased out by the madame." Morris stepped back slightly, and watched Charles' face turn beet red. Morris motioned to the head maid, and she gathered all the servant and sent them to their quarters. Charles stepped forward, and seeing the blue and white eastern vase by the door, and stalked toward it. 

Charles recalled that the vase was favored by Leanna. He picked it up with one hand, examining it. Morris stepped forward arms outstretched "M-My Lord, why don't you give me the vase, and ill have a pretty maid prepare you a nice bath. After that, ill have the head maid bring the the girls back. Doesn't that sound like a good idea?" Morris' voice seemed to waver, and there was a slight look of unease in his eyes. Charles took one look at him, scoffed, and with his eyes ablaze, hurled the vase toward the base of the grand stairway, in time for Leanna to appear at the top. CRASH. The vase shattered with many pieces flying everywhere.  

Leanna looked down at the scene, the broken porcelain, the uneasy butler, and the red face and pissed off pig huffing and puffing. Leanna assumed a stately and arrogant air, holding her head high. She had endured many verbal insults and nasty glances from Charles and his whores, but he had never dared to break anything. Despite his horrendous temper, the head maid - his nanny from childhood, Morris, and his courtesans, had always been able to calm his down before anything major happened. As Leanna looked down on the scene, Charles glared up at her. 

He saw the forest green silk dress she was wearing, and he nearly blacked out from anger. That dress had been made for his favorite courtesan, a lovely young woman named Keaia. She had waist length deep red hair, freckles, and pleasant peach colored skin. Charles loved her deeply, and had had the dress commissioned for her so they could attend the royal ball celebrating the King's birthday. Fortunately for Leanna, her husband was infatuated with a woman who not so coincidentally mirrored her. Charles had long hated Leanna, and any woman who was bold, outspoken, and spirited. 

Charles' mother had passed away giving birth for his younger brother, and Charles strongly believed that his mother had abandoned him for his brother. Charles blamed them both. The pain he felt, combined with his father's distance due to the tragedy, caused a deep resentment and anger within Charles. His mother had always been a free and bold spirit, one who spoke her mind and always laughed out loud. Charles' hatred toward his mother then spread to any woman who resembled her. Leanna was no exemption, and had always looked up the late Duchess. 

When the Queen was considering Charles' future wife, she and the late Duchess had always considered Leanna Gresser to be a top candidate. After the passing of the previous Duchess, the Queen carried out her sister's will and chose Leanna. Giving her nephew time to grieve, she only notified Charles when he turned 16. Hearing the news, Charles heart dropped to his stomach, and he felt nauseous. He had always hated his cousin, the Crown Princess Emilietta, whose behavior resembled her mother and aunt; Charles also hated Leanna, who followed in similar footsteps. 

Her behavior in public and at social events disgusted him. Back at the present moment, Charles glared at Leanna, wearing Keaia's green dress, and the disgust and rage brewed heavy. He stormed toward the stairway, stopping right before the shattered porcelain, and shouted harshly at Leanna "YOU STUPID DISGUSTING WENCH. HOW DARE YOU DRIVE MY PRECIOUS GIRLS AWAY. YOUR PATHETIC LOOKS ARE NOTHING COMPARE TO MY SWEET DARLINGS. IF I COULD KILL YOU RIGHT HERE I WOULD YOU SLIMY FOUL SMELLING CUNT. IF I DIDNT NEED YOU TO REPEL THOSE NASTY NOBLEWOMEN THEN I WOULDNT CARE IF YOU WERE EATEN ALIVE BY HOUNDS." 

Charles finished his tirade, huffing and puffing, the vein on his forehead bulging dangerously. Though Leanna would normally be hurt, she steeled her trembling heart, and with a calm and stoic voice simply responded "Hmph. Not your best work. One would normally expect a Duke of relation to the royal family to speak with grace and elegance. Words that show wisdom and wit. Then again, your vulgar words do not stray far from your limits." As Leanna finished speaking, Charles went into another rage fit and stomped up the steps. Arriving at the top, he lunged forward and grabbed Leanna's wrist, squeezing so hard her wrist visibly reddened and bruised. 

In the background, Morris started sweeping up the porcelain shards, setting the largest unbroken pieces aside. As Charles stared cruelly into Leanna's eyes, his lips flared back, snarling. Leanna continued to look at him in his eyes astutely, his continued violence further giving her the courage and resolve she so badly needed. "Remember Charles, that no marks left on me can be visible while I attend the royal ball. And before you rebuke, don't forget that your aunt, Queen Carlotta, specifically invited me separate from you. This is King Andimions's fiftieth birthday, a major deal for the kingdom." As Charles processed the information, he yanked his hand away and wiped it thoroughly as though removing some infectious disease. He glanced back at Leanna once as he stormed away, and responded coldly "This isn't over wench. This is far from over."