"You shouldn't have done that, kitty." the man said, as he was walking towards me again.
"Who are you? Are you a thief?" I asked with a shaky voice.
"A thief? This face?" he pointed to his pretty face with a smirk.
The man was close enough to me this time that I could see his face. Thanks to the moonlight, I saw his facial features. He has ruffled dark ebony hair, eyes like green emerald gems, and a beauty mark that rests on his lower left eye. He wears ragged clothes that I almost mistook him as a stable boy in this castle. If I were to closely compare him to an actor, he would look like Logan Lerman but a bit more muscular and his demeanor is somehow intimidating so being a stable boy is out of the picture. Is he a training guard?
"My name's Arc, and who might you be kitty?" he said, still in close distance. My brows furrowed as he was still close to me. This is making me uncomfortable.
"I'm- - uhm, Grace, the Grand Duchess's maid," I replied, then I pushed him away from me.
I sprinted a few feet away from him because my goodness that distance with a handsome guy was not good for my heart and I was not used to this kind of situation.
"Really? You don't say," he said with his arms folded and looking at me from head to toe.
"Are you doubting me?"
"Well, for a maid like you to rip those expensive gowns and turn them into a rope and climb down your master's balcony, you're quite brave thinking that they will not punish you," he replied immediately. What he said was right though, but I can't accept defeat for this guy might report me and all those months hiding will be in vain. My mind could only think of useless reason and ended up saying nonsense.
"The Grand Duke trusts me to guard the lady, of course, these things are nothing!" I said with a bluff.
"You don't say?" he answered with a tone of disbelief.
We were silent for a moment and were interrupted by the kitten's cries. We both looked at it in unison and he suddenly said something unbelievable.
"That kitten is mine,"
"What? This is yours?" I asked and then he nodded.
"How can I know you're telling the truth?" I asked again because I'm not giving up this kitten to him easily.
"You might check her neck, it has a collar with her name on it. I've been looking for Anastasia for hours and you beat me to it in rescuing her."
I checked the kitten's neck and it did have a collar with her name on it and it matched the name he mentioned. I felt defeated and I slowly gave him the kitten. I was planning to pamper it with love and care, but sadly she has an owner.
"Oh my baby Anastasia, don't go running away from me again!" he said with a baby voice which was very contradicting to his demeanor earlier. The man gave the kitten some kisses and looked back at me. He still looking at me as if I'm some kind of thief.
I know this man is suspicious of me and I'm suspicious of him.
"Thank you for saving her, I hope I can repay you for your kindness in saving her," he said in his normal voice.
"Look, be on your way as I will go with mine," I said as I turned back to him and started to climb back to my balcony.
"Yes, it would be wise to go back to your room now, Duchess." before I could react to what he said, he was gone into thin air. Who was that guy? What is he doing here in the estate?
I tried to remember him through Sophie's memories, but nothing came up.
"Good morning, Duchess." Mary greeted me as I sat in my chair waiting for breakfast.
"Good morning, Mary. Did something happen? You look tired." I asked her as she meticulously prepared the wares for breakfast. She poured me a cup of tea and she sighed before answering me.
"We woke up at early dawn because one of the holy beasts of the Grand Duke went missing. It is said it was a baby griffin. We searched everywhere for it but sadly it was stolen by some kind of thief." she replied.
I paused sipping my tea as I heard her story. Griffin? I felt chills in the back of my neck and hoped that it wasn't what I thought it was.
"What does the baby griffin look like?" I asked as I crossed my fingers it was not the kitten I just saw last night.
"It somehow looks like a kitten in its early age, since baby griffin won't grow wings early. The one that was stolen was a baby griffin named 'Anastasia' and also one of the rarest kind of griffin for its unique coat of fur." as I heard her name I was dumbfounded. That lying son of a -
"My lady, are you alright? You look pale all of a sudden."
"No, no, I'm alright, Mary. Please carry on with your duties." I smiled dryly and ate my breakfast.
That lying thief! How dare he fool me like that! Well, it was my mistake for getting fooled but how should I know that was a baby griffin? If I ever catch that lying thief again, I swear I'll beat him to a pulp.
"My lady, I should inform you that Sir Albert has arrived this morning. It seems like he will be visiting you and he already knows that you're awake for months," she said.
"Did he mention when will he visit?" I asked.
"He said he'll visit you whenever you are ready, my lady."
"Very well, let us prepare for his visit, Mary," I said as she nodded to my response.
Mary prepped me up for my bath and dressed me in a dark blue gown with white ornaments on my braided hair. She also put on some makeup on my face and once she was done with me, she looked at me one last time to appreciate her work of art. She looked proud of herself and I patted her shoulder and smiled. I looked myself in the mirror and thought that I needed to be accustomed to this face, for I would be in this state for unknown years or worse, forever. Sophie's face is very beautiful after eating healthy every day I gained weight and was in a healthy body. Her body wasn't skinny anymore and her complexion was back to its beautiful state.
As I was admiring, I heard a knock on my door. Mary went to open it and Sir Albert was standing in front of my doorstep. He was a slightly tall man with glasses, he looked like in his early 30s or late 20s, and his brown hair was long enough to be tied up, and his eyes were blue just like mine. He looked so manly and he had this aura like a secretary that I usually do in drama series. A second lead man who always supports the male lead in pursuing his female lead, that kind of vibe.
"Greetings, your Grace. It is such a delight to see you doing well again." Sir Albert said with a slight smile as he saw me across the room.
I walked towards him and greeted him, "Yes, thank you, Sir Albert. Please have a seat, I know you have a lot of questions to ask me."
"Yes, indeed your grace."
He sat on a sofa across from mine and he took a cup of his tea, which was prepared by Mary. There were snacks on the table for us to eat while he asked me some questions. I don't know if I could answer all of them but I hope he could answer mine. Mary went out of the room and waited outside after she served our food and tea. As soon as Mary went out, he started to ask many questions.
"Your Grace, I have heard that you lost your memories. Is this true?"
"Yes, it is. I can only recall some of my memories vaguely but if you're hoping for my memories during the accident, sadly I couldn't remember any of it."
He took a sip and I saw how his glasses fog because of the steam. My thoughts trailed off somewhere in the middle of our conversation as I inspected his features. He reminds me of someone in Sophie's memories, aside from being him he looked similar to someone but I can't seem to point it out. He continued to ask me about my treatment and how I was doing while in hiding in my room. I answered vaguely and was still thinking about my thoughts earlier. It's at the tip of my tongue and I'm thinking who it was. Then it suddenly hit me, his familiar face flashed into my mind.
"You look like Reagan," I muttered as I clasped my hands together.
He paused and looked at me in confusion, "I beg your pardon, your grace?"
"You somehow remind me of our trusted assistant, Sir Reagan. Have you heard of him?" I asked.
He chuckled at my statement and said, "Yes, I have heard of him but I never seen him nor even got a chance to talk to him."
I tilted my head and thought again, "Perhaps I'm mistaken." but that thought still lingers in my mind.
"So where were we?"
"The part where you were asking about my treatment."
He continued to ask me more questions, but most of the time I could only answer him "I do not know." "I do not remember." He was mostly asking about my accident, but that part of Sophie's memories seemed to be in a blur. I tried to explain to him that I could only remember if I could revisit the location.
"I'm sorry, Sir Albert. I couldn't answer most of your questions." I bowed my head.
"It's inevitable, your grace. I can understand your circumstances. I was just hoping we could have a clue or a lead that could help us capture the culprit." he said as he took a paper from his coat and wrote something.
"I just wanted to tell you that we were worried when we knew you in an accident. Especially the Grand Duke, he was angry when something happened to you," he said to me with a sincere smile.
"The Grand Duke cares for you, Your Grace," he added.
I looked at him as he was still writing things on his paper. Those words. Suddenly my ears rang and a pang of pain hit my head. Those words rang over and over again in my ears. It echoed into my mind until I saw a flash of memories of Sophie and Sir Albert arguing. I shook my head to erase that memory and I looked at him again. I felt angry. I felt some kind of anger gushing out of me as I saw that memory from her.
"The Grand Duke cares for you, Your Grace,"
"You should've listened to him when he warned you about fighting the Crown Princess," he added.
"But Sir Albert, I didn't do anything. They were harassing me and I just pushed her away because she was hurting me. How would I know that it would lead to getting her fall from the stairs?" I explained to him but my words were useless. He wasn't listening nor he was taking my side this time. Sir Albert was always there for me but this time, he shooked his head at me.
I saw Albert turn his back on me as I was in the chain and was confined in a dungeon. I was imprisoned without having a chance to defend myself. He always does this to me, that Grand Duke, he always let this happen to me. He never defended me from those aristocrats who always bullied me during gatherings. He never listens to my explanation, he never sided with me even if I'm his wife.
"It wasn't me! I swear I'm innocent this time. Please tell him that, Sir Albert! Please don't leave here! Please!" I cried and cried but he never listened. I'm afraid of prison. I'm afraid of being left alone in this kind of space. I don't want this. I don't want to live like this. Somebody, please. Help me.
"Are you certain? Or is this some kind of facade that both of you planned?" I said.
"I am certain, your grace. You may not see it but he- -"
"Can we stop for today, Sir Albert? Suddenly I felt sick, I think I'm not feeling well." I stood up but I stumbled at my stance.
He stood up and looked worriedly at me, he tried to grab my hands but I shoved it away immediately. He was stunned by what I did, but I was more stunned that he still dared to show his face to me and say those words.
"Your Grace, are you alright?" he asked again.
"Can you please get out of my sight before I could throw this teapot at your face?" I said coldly.
Sir Albert who was smiling earlier, suddenly looked pale. I think he knows what I've remembered and I'm certain he knows now that he's not welcome here.
"GET OUT!" I yelled at him. The moment I yelled, Mary went into my room and looked at us worriedly. But Sir Albert didn't budge from where he stood and he looked at me with a blank face, because of this I remember that scene again. The poor Grand Duchess pleaded but they weren't listening to her. Suddenly, I saw the Grand Duke's back as Sophie tried to reach him but he shoved her away as she pleaded for her life. I saw his cold red eyes looking down at Sophie.
"Your Grace, whatever memory you've regained you must understand that the Grand Duke cares for you even if he did all those things," he said.
"Even if I pleaded for my life and my innocence to all of you? Even if he turned his back on me multiple times?" I angrily shouted at him and Mary suddenly hugged me from behind because I was ready to strangle him.
"Yes, because that was in your contract of agreement."
This time, I couldn't contain my anger. I threw the teapot at him and the moment it landed on his head it broke into pieces and blood gushed from his forehead. He didn't wince nor feel pain from what I did, it seems he was used to it or it was because of his magic. But still, he didn't flinch nor plan to leave my room. I felt Mary trembling from stopping me, so I removed her arms from me and I ran outside my room. "Your Grace!" I heard Mary yelling and Sir Albert but I didn't look back. I ran as fast as I could. I should've known this place was hell.
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