After Charles stormed away, Leanna carefully walked down the steps, and started to help Morris with the mess. As she reached toward the shards, Morris commented "My Lady, please. Such a task is for us servants. Please retire to your room, I will send for a doctor to treat your wrist. I wish I could find a way to explain His Grace's actions, but there are no excuses or reasons i could truly give." Leanna kindly looked at the butler, who had treated her as neutrally as possible, limited by the Duke and his lack of concern or sympathy. 

If Morris could, he would have done everything in his power to help Leanna out and support her, but his life and career were under the thumb of Duke Charles. "I understand Morris. Please let my maid take the largest pieces with her, and I will wait in my room. I am currently stationed in the Duchess's quarters. Come Delaney." Delaney had appeared shortly after the incident, as she had been out fetching something for Duchess Leanna. She rushed to her side crying out "My Lady, what has happened!? You are hurt!"

Leanna breathed a sigh of relief "Delaney, please take the largest porcelain shards and follow me to my quarters. Morris will fetch for a doctor. My wrist is naturally the work of that lowly creature." Leanna glared at her bruised wrist and sighed. The finger marks were visible, and it throbbed. Leanna had hoped he would do this. If she could provoke Charles like this now, enraging him at the royal celebration would be easy. 

Once she had the evidence that he had actually slept with his favorite courtesan in hand, all she needed was the Crown Princess to witness his barbaric behavior, and the divorce would be hers. While buttering up Crown Princess Emilietta seemed easy, the Crown Princess had a keener eye than most suspected, and ears that could hear lies a mile away. Leanna headed upstairs, pondering what chess piece she should move first. Delaney had called out to a maid while they moved to prepare a bath for her ladyship, and with a glare from Morris, the maid hurried out to start. 

It didn't take long for the bath to be drawn, and Leanna breathed in relief as the tension rose from her body with the steam. She let her mind go, and thought only about relaxing and then dinner. Delaney made sure her ladyship was settled, and headed downstairs to confront Morris. Approaching with eyes on fire, she coldly let out "Since when have you cared for Her Grace, you two faced coward." Morris sighed, and raising himself with what little dignity he kept in his heart, he looked at her with eyes that spoke of pain and hesitance. 

Delaney, seeing the glint of fear, softened just the smallest amount, and turned to the head maid now approaching. "Her Grace will be in her drawing room to wait for the doctor." She turned on her heels and marched away. Morris looked at Tatiana and motioned for her to follow. After they finished tidying up the grand staircase and front hall, Tatiana left to inform the courier to fetch Doctor Rakiel, and sat down to have tea with Morris in the servants quarters. Tatiana knew the bind that Morris was in, and gently pat his arm. Morris himself was worried what would happen next. 

His family had been living in the largest village in the Sihnegh territory, but after an incident where he had tried to help Duchess Leanna, they had an "accident", and his family had been forced to move to a village closer to where there were more frequent monster attacks. He sighed again, feeling uncertainty grappling his whole body. Tatiana cleaned up the tea, and as Morris rose, the Delaney entered, motioned to Morris, and left. Several minutes later he followed, and knocked lightly on the door, quietly entering at the soft "you may" he heard. 

The spacious room was lit by several candles, and the shadows on the wall seemed to dance. Leanna sat in the most ornate chair, and motioned for Morris to approach. His steps told Leanna of his upbringing, and she smiled with content. "An assassin like you is far better off working for someone who appreciates you and doesn't threaten your family." Morris wanted to drop his jaw but held his composure. Looking the Duchess in the eye, spoke with a cold crystal clarity he had missed, "And how might you be able to bake an apple pie with peaches, My Lady." 

Leanna cocked her head slightly, and confidently glared Morris down with an aura that could not be mistaken. Seeing her expression, Morris felt his soul beaming. He had finally found a master potentially worth his time. He took a knee and respectfully waited. Leanna folded her hands "There will be plans put into actions once you fulfill several obligations. If you can complete your missions, I will ensure the safety of your family and a handsome raise." Morris nodded his head and rose "Send a shopping list for the dinners you wish to have prepared, and I will deliver." 

Leanna smiled again, and waved her hand. Morris quietly left, not a step to be heard, and only once he passed reentered and exited the kitchen, did his soft footsteps echo through the halls of the mansion. Leanna breathed out, and Delaney massaged her shoulders. Leanna had conquered one of many hurdles, but with this one out of the way, the weight on her shoulders was lessened. She motioned to Delaney to start blowing out the candles, and retired to her bed. 

It had been an exhausting day indeed, and she would need adequate sleep to deal with the storm she had started to brew. There will be plenty of red skies in the mornings to come. The doctor arrived the next morning, followed closely by Keaia. She normally never dared to visit the Duke's Mansion while the Duchess was there, but upon reading a letter sent to her from Charles, she hurried over. "Why are you going to the girls' room? Did they get hurt?" She spoke with pride as she hurried to catch up with Doctor Rakiel. 

He looke down at her, and huffed "I am treating The Duchess, in her room. Not you stupid...insects". His rebuke stunned Keaia, as she had been used to The Duke's servants treating her with care and respect. Doctor Rakiel had been the personal physician of Leanna, but had been sent away to one of the farther villages after he had spoken back to Charles. Doctor Rakiel only saw Leanna as a legitimate person, and viewed the courtesans as insects to be squished under ones foot. 

When he arrived near The Duchess's room, Keaia tried to get his attention "My stomach has been aching. You should treat me first. Charles actually loves me not that sad wench." She reached for his arm and tried to pull him away. He snatched his arm back and looking at her in disgust only muttered "You are lucky I haven't slapped you, you insolent girl. Nasty vile woman, ridden with filth." Keaia looked hurt but backed off and slinked toward Charles's room. 

Rakiel knocked on the door gently and spoke kindly "My Lady, I have arrived. May I enter?" Delaney opened the door for him, and upon seeing Leanna lounging on the couch, beamed and walked happily over. "My dear, I have not seen you in forever! How good it is to see you. You do look a little less haggard, but I am worried. Would you like me to bring you some medicinal herbs that are good for rejuvenation of health?" 

Leanna perked up and her eyes shone a little. Rakiel had been with her family for many years, and had watched her growing up. He was the closest person she had to a father. She rose and waled over the Rakiel and gave him a big hug burying her face in his chest. He smelled fresh shaven, and waves of nostalgia shook her heart. Rakiel hugged her back, gently patting her head. His family had died in a carriage accident, and the late Marquis of Gresser had rescued him and taken him in.

Leanna had become much like a daughter to him. It had pained Rakiel when he had been sent away to a village farther away from the center of the territory, and had vowed revenge on Charles for his behavior to Leanna. Rakiel then motioned to the couch and they sat down. Leanna pulled back the sleeve of her silk dress and revealed her wrist. Anger stirred in Rakiel's heart as he carefully examined the bruising. "What you need is a poultice to help ease the swelling. I don't feel anything broken, but your wrist will be sore for about a week or so. 

The poultice will help, but please don't lift anything heavier than a pen, and please limit writing at that. Rest and relaxation is the best medicine." Leanna nodded and waited patiently as Rakiel applied the poultice and bandage. They spoke happily about past times and Leanna recounted the last few days. Rakiel laughed at the hot poker stick part, and carefully placed several herbs in bundles and jars with liquid on the table and motioned to Delaney. She picked them up and placed them in a hidden bag. 

Rakiel was sad Leanna had to live like this, but was glad to see she had seemingly changed a little. She looked jus the smallest bit healthier, and there was less of a sad echo about her. "The medicinal bundles and these jars have properties that will help you from your head to your feet. I will include an instructional guide with your maidservant. I wish i could be here for you more, but until the fog has risen ships cannot sail forth." 

Leanna looked at him with seriousness and responded "The lighthouse is being worked on at the moment, and a search team will discover and purge the source of the fog." Rakiel smiled, and wished her well, hugging her one last time before departing. After the door closed and footsteps faded, Leanna flopped into her bed, needing a nap and tea time before dealing with anything else. She instructed Delaney to wake her up in an hour or so and dozed off. Delaney meanwhile started her preparations for what was to come.

A week later, and Keaia was still residing in the Duke's mansion. Leanna, while aware, was planning her next move, and waiting for the right moment to strike. Delaney had not dared leave her ladyships company while a snake was in the grass, and when the two would go out shopping, a minion of Morris kept guard over The Duchess's room and quarters. Her first visit to town a few days after her revival was like a breath of fresh air. 

From the sounds of people merrily making their way around town to the delicious smells emanating from the bakery and market stalls, Leanna's heart felt so free and joyous. She and Delaney wandered about, sampling a little of this, a little of that. The people had mostly forgotten what their duchess looked like, so she was simply treated as a regular noblewoman. It was still a higher level of respect than she had from most servants in the mansion. 

Charles was terrible at managing the Duchy, so Morris and Charles's steward Herbert Dubois handled everything. It showed, from the happy people, to the thriving businesses. There were no homeless wandering the streets, and the town was clean and well maintained. As the pair made their way to the town square, Leanna noticed from the corner of her eye a child that had tripped.