"Sorry, my lady," the girl said, voice trembling. "The Duke requests your presence in the guest recieving room."

Mina's spoon hovered mid-stir. She was ready to throw a proper tantrum    after all, she hadn't been called upon, and the audacity! But the maid flinched, and Mina smirked.

Excellent. Fear is always useful.

Sighing, she set the spoon down. Visiting the new colt would have to wait. Duty, apparentlty, called.

The walk to the guest receiving room was quiet, uneventful, and entirely formal. When she enterened, Elias was already there, upright and composed as ever.

Her lips curved into the sharpest little smile. "If this is some weird attempt to court me," she said, voice dripping with faux sweetness, " please refrain. We are related now."

Elias's jaw tightened, but he kept his calm. "No," he said, measured and precise. " The Duke assigned me to tutor you so that you may attend the Academy this fall."

Mina's gaze flickered to the neatly arranged tea and treats. "Are you sure? This looks more like tea time than tutoring. But whatever you say, Your Highness." 

Elias allowed himself the barest flicker of a twitch at her words, but his expression remained composed. He gestured toward the chairs. "That's enough. Please sit. We'll begin with reading, history, math... and go from there."

Mina sank into her seat, a small sigh escaping. She had learned much on her own, yet more lessons awaited. Tea was poured, treats nibbled, and the quiet of the room held steady   the only sound being the scrath of quill on paper and the faint clink of china,

As the lesson finally came to and end, Mina found either the material easy enough    or perhaps the exiled prince, soon to be Duke, had a knack for teaching. 

She leaned back slightly, eyes drifting to the door she had entered through.

Her voice, light and cuttinng. "Worried I'd try to hurt you? Smart. I can see why they chose you as my tutor. Can't have the only heir dying, can we?"

She rose to leave, and Elias tried so hard to maintain his composure, but as she neared the door, he spoke. "I have nothing to fear  you told me you'd let me live."

Truly dumbfounded Mina paused, wondering if it was his royal blood that made him so bold, or if perhaps she hadn't been evil enough. No, it was definitely him    the maids still trembled if they so much as heard her sneeze. She turned, letting her hair whoosh beautifully, eyes locking upon his.

"I recall saying 'for now'," a sly smirk tugging at her lips, "so maybe worry more for yourself."

The door clicked softly behind her, leaving Elias standing still. He exhaled quietly, forcing a rigid compsoure even as a smile threatened the corners of his mouth. Her audacity   her confidence   irriated him and fascinated him in equal measure. And despite himself, he admitted the quiet thought he dared not speak: she was clever, formidable, and undeniably... impressive. Yet, he reminded himself sternly, she was crazy, insane in fact. The Duke's wild card, and the girl he was assigned to control, and the one he could not let get the better of him. Not yet.