The place that greeted the girl upon waking up was nothing like she had ever experienced before. The room which was given to her had a proper bed while still having enough space to circle around mindlessly. The girl knew it for a fact, because that was exactly what she has been doing ever since she woke up. The servants at the Duchy told her to take a rest and recover from her injuries first and foremost. Yet, she wasn’t used to recovering. She wasn’t used to sitting still. Her body, even while hurting, felt restless all over. Besides, the injuries weren’t all that bad, she mused. She could move just fine, the act of laying down and getting up was the only painful part.

She was about to make her thirtieth round that morning when light knock sounded someone arriving. A kind faced lady, by the name of Dora, entered. Dora was the one taking care of the girl most of the days. Helping her bath and change the bandages. Bringing the food. Even now, she held a tray of fresh food in her hand.

“You were moving about, weren’t you?” the kind lady tutted, not pleased with the discovery.

“I swear to Mages, I never saw someone as restless,” a giggle sounded from beyond the doors. Another one entered. The girl recognized the rosy cheeks of Leila, who also came by quite a lot. Ever so chatty, even when the girl had nothing to say back. Leila’s giggle died out as she stepped inside, replaced by a frowned realization, “What will you do if the Duke catches you. It was his personal order for you to rest, you know.”

The girl didn’t know. She didn’t know why the atmosphere at the Duchy always stilled when his Grace was mentioned.

“I’m quite rested already,” the girl nodded, as she did every single day since she came here, “I can start working.”

It took the girl quite a long time to come to terms with the fact, that she would be staying here from now on. In a place she knew nothing of. She spent her whole first night nervously shuffling in bed, preparing her mind for the duchy work, only to be told next morning not to get up at all.

“Dear, do you know other words than those?” Dora sighed as she placed the plate down. “Come.” She nudged the girl to sit, “Come eat.”

“But-”

“You can start in kitchen today,” the kind lady chipped, sighed again as she pushed the girl who stood up at the news back down to eat, “After you eat up.”

Leila sat down at the other side of the small table, propping her hands on the little space not occupied by the plate, “If I were you, I wouldn’t get out of bed at all for months!”

“That’s because you’re lazy bum,” Dora’s hand lightly smacked Leila’s head, then she proceeded to smack her own forehead, “Silly me, I forgot the bandages.”

With those words, she was out and away in a minute. Leila looked at the doors amusedly at first, then with a hint of caution. “I did mean what I said about the Duke, you know. They don’t call him ‘Duke of Ice, inside out’ for nothing. Dora doesn’t like me saying it, saying it’s bad to gossip about His Grace, but it’s the truth. He is a bit of a tyrant, you better not do anything to offend him. Best if you stay clear of him really. And never do anything to cross the line. I heard of some lad last year, caught stealing just a bit of bread and ended up being lashed fifty times. They say he is fair, but he sure shows no mercy when it comes down to it.”

The girl nodded slowly at the news, processing it along with her breakfast. She reminded herself to be cautious if she ever saw a Duke cold as ice. But the palace was vast with many servants. She wasn’t sure how she was ever to run into his Grace himself, if she were to work in the kitchen.