Helian and the Demonic Duke (1)

“Wow! That is certainly a manor!”

Rosa pressed her face up against the carriage’s window as we neared the off-estate housing the countess had prepared for me. At a glance, it appeared to be as large as the Herschel family’s residence. I could see through the windows that the staff were preparing for my arrival. Such a large building would likely be lonely to occupy all on my own, but hopefully the servants would at least make for pleasant company. 

I should really send Marie and Evan a letter to tell them how I’m doing. Perhaps it would be safe to invite them for dinner? I should have asked Lady Solana whether I could have guests before I left… I could always claim that my guests had arrived unannounced and that I couldn’t turn them away…

During my stay at the countess’s estate, I had managed to accumulate a large number of dresses, hats, coats, and accessories… which meant a total of four suitcases were to be loaded onto the carriage. Once we dismounted, Rosa insisted on dealing with the luggage all on her own. To my bemusement, she effortlessly hefted two bags onto her shoulders while clutching the other two under her armpits. She’d transformed into a beast of burden. I made a mental note to stop underestimating her.

As we approached the main entrance, an older woman came out to meet us. Upon spotting Rosa, she stood upright and waved for us to follow her up to the second floor. As we walked up the stairs together she introduced herself as the head maid.

The master bedroom on the second floor was something to behold. I had thought the Solana estate was extravagant, but this room must have easily cost more than all the estate’s bedrooms put together. At the center of the massive room was a canopy bed, easily large enough for five people.

Oh. This is the countess’s vacation home, after all.

After depositing the four bags in front of the closet, Rosa explored my new quarters. She was quite pleased to discover there were attached sleeping quarters – “now I can be at your beck and call whenever you need my assistance!” – and squealed with delight upon entering the bathroom.

“Lady Saintess, there are two bathtubs! Right next to each other! How romantic!”

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In response to my invitation, Marie arrived in the late afternoon two days after with Evan in tow. She hand-delivered a note of apology from the elder Lady Herschel:

Dearest Helian,

I am so very sorry to refuse your invitation! It was so exciting to hear of the events at the baron’s party, and I am thrilled to learn that you’re in the care of a woman so remarkable as Lady Solana.

Alas, my dear hubby managed to secure a day off for the first time in nearly six months, so we intend to spend every single minute of it together! To tell the truth, you’ll be doing me a great favor by taking our darling children off my hands for the day! Please tell them they have my approval to spend the night there.I’m sure you have spare bedrooms, as I’m told the countess’s vacation home is magnificent. I’ve long wanted to see it for myself, and will certainly attend at your next invitation!

xoxo

P.S. Even if you and Evan have a really good mood going, don’t go too far, okay sweetheart? You haven’t even been introduced to his father yet!

Confused, I looked up at Marie. “Where did your mother get that impression?”

She shrugged. “I have no idea. I’ve tried to tell her before, but she doesn’t listen to me… and Evan seems to be in no hurry to set her straight…”

Evan, for his part, was idly examining the stitching on the curtains near the entryway while he chatted with one of the servants.

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As I had feared, Marie and Rosa were getting along swimmingly. The two seemed to be kindred spirits and were chatting like old friends within an hour or so of meeting. Since they’d clearly taken to each other, I invited Rosa to join the three of us for dinner.

“Are you certain, Lady Saintess? This is such an honor! I will do my very best to not ruin the mood. It’s been a while since I practiced table etiquette, but I’m pretty sure I know which fork to use for which dish, and I haven’t eaten with my mouth open since I was fourteen, so it should be okay! Will there be alcohol? If so, please make certain that I don’t have more than one glass of wine! The last time I got slightly tipsy there was an incident, and Bella – she works in the kitchen, by the way – made me promise never to drink that much again.”

“I’m certain, Rosa. We’ll have a wonderful evening.”

“I’ll do my utmost to ensure so, Lady Helian! If the worst comes to pass, I’ll understand if you need to discipline me.”

At this last remark, Marie tilted her head in confusion. “Helian, you said those rumors about the countess’s estate weren’t true…”

I sighed. “They aren’t, I assure you. Rosa, please don’t give her any ideas.”

The two made conversation throughout dinner and dessert, smoothly and easily switching from topic to topic— economics, theater, politics. It was mildly surprising that Rosa possessed a noble’s education. Some noble ladies chose to become maids or ladies-in-waiting to establish connections with those of higher rank, and this must have been one such case. Meanwhile, Evan was content to enjoy the meal in silence, though we spoke at some length about matters like his work and the latest happenings in the barony.

By the time we finished our meal, the moon hung high in the sky and Evan wished to retire for the evening. The servant he met in the entryway earlier arrived and offered to escort the young lord to his room, so I bid him farewell for the night. Marie accompanied me to my bedroom so she and Rosa could continue their conversation.

Now that I’d put a few days between me and the conclusion of events with the countess, the time felt right to review my notes and determine what to do next. I sat down at my desk with pen and paper and got to work, occasionally stopping to eavesdrop on Rosa and Marie’s conversation. While it tended to stray towards matters that ought not be discussed in mixed company, I was sure I could trust the two not to organize a coup or anything of that nature. At least not before they got to know each other better.

I focused on the task at hand. Duke Coroban. He would finish his preparations soon. 

If word of my exile from the countess’s estate had already reached him, he would come here first, which meant I could not rely on advance warning from Selene. If events proceeded as they did in the novel, I would not be able to refuse. All I could do was make the best of the current situation. As much as it pained me to admit, bringing Rosa along was essential. It was necessary to have at least one loyal servant by my side, and thanks to her great skill, she would be able to handle any matters I couldn’t entrust to the duke’s servants.

After an hour, I was satisfied with my progress. I returned my notes to the desk drawer and made my way to the entrance of Rosa’s room. The two girls were curled up on the bed reading political literature. I made a mental note to talk to Marie later about the many risks that activism and civil uprisings carried. As I left the girls to enjoy their evening, I quietly made my way to the bathroom and filled the tub.

How a Little Bird Stayed in the Nest (2)

Naturally, when it all went south, Selene happened to be away. 

As the sound of an explosion shook the main building, I reflexively grabbed my sword and sprinted out of my office toward the entrance of the estate.

As I passed the barracks, I saw that the squires were in a mild state of panic, hurrying to put on their armor. I waved them off and told them to return to their training. More warm bodies wouldn’t help with this problem. I selected the most reliable of the new recruits and told him to leave through the rear exit and bring word to Dame Selene, though I hoped such an intervention would not be necessary.

I neared the entrance and was met with the sound of crying and the scent of burning flesh. A pair of maidservants were collapsed in a bawling heap near the main building’s front steps, and seven guardsmen stood in a semicircle around our unwanted guest, blocking their path. Between the guards and Coroban sat a smoldering pile of ash and the remains of a dented short sword, warped by heat.

“What’s going on here?” I demanded.

The eldest member of the guards present turned to face me. “My apologies, captain, but an uninvited guest means to enter the estate. When Gerald ordered Her Grace to halt, she unleashed some sort of cantrip on him.”

We would need to send our sincere condolences to Gerald’s family and ensure that his young wife was cared for. Only one guard perished - things could have been much worse.

“I see. You’ve done well to keep the others in line. You can go now.”

The elder guardsman regarded me with shock. “Pardon me, captain? We’re allowing her in?”

“No. But you and the others should leave now. I will stay to resolve matters with the duchess. Please remove the maids from the premises as well.”

Her Grace watched our conversation with some degree of amusement. Her status meant that she could largely do as she pleased in any circumstance, doubly so now that she apparently carried a written order bearing the king’s seal. Still, if she planned to use our guardsmen for target practice, I would have to stand in.

“Duchess Coroban, I presume.” I gave her a polite bow. “What brings you to the estate this afternoon?”

She smiled and looked up at the sky. “Where is Solana?”

“My apologies, Your Grace, but I am not at liberty to disclose that information.”

She tore her gaze away from the sky and stared at me with ink-black eyes. “Were she present, she would have already confronted me, blade in hand, so I’ll have to assume she is away. All the better. Because I am here for the Lady Saintess.”

I swallowed. “I regret to inform you that the Lady Saintess is also not here.”

As she tilted her head in curiosity, her long black hair swayed in the wind. “Oh? I take it you’re not at liberty to disclose her location, either?”

“That is half-correct, Your Grace. All I know is that she is not here.”

“Are you aware that I come bearing the king’s authority? Withholding information can be considered an offense against the crown.”

“I intend no offense against the crown in this or any other matter, Your Grace. I simply was not informed of her new location. The same applies to all but a few residents of the estate, so I beg your understanding.”

She grinned. “And I assume those few residents are all away at present?”

“That’s correct, Your Grace. If you wish to leave a message with me, I can ensure the countess receives it at the earliest possible moment.”

The duchess considered the blade at my hip for a moment before looking me in the eye. 

“Yes,” she said. “I believe I will be leaving a message.”