Shahr and I, stood stunned by Malvin's words. Looking at the clock I realised what he had said was true. Shahr took some steps forward but stopped, then, turning towards me, he stood in front of me, uttering, "Would you like to have lunch together?"
I was overjoyed and nodded my head vigorously. Shahr, with a gentle smile, left the room. Since we both got up late, that day time quickly passed for both of us.
Soon it was time for lunch.
In my room, sitting in front of the mirror, I fidget with my fingers, because I had a question to ask the maids, but I hesitated and didn't know how to ask them.
Sensing my feelings one of the maids asked, "Duchess, do you need something?"
I jolted, my eyes blinked vigorously, I gestured to them, "Pen... Paper."
It took them some seconds to understand what I was gesturing, but upon understanding, one of the maids quickly ran to get a pen and paper.
She came back huffing, "Here you go, Duchess." Handing the pen and paper, leaning on the wall she huffed vigorously. She didn't need to get so flustered over it. Why did she run anyway?
On the paper, I wrote, "What is Shahr's favourite colour?" And showed it to them.
All of them read the paper with anxious wide eyes. As they realised the content, all of them let out a long sigh.
"When you asked for pen and paper, I got scared, I thought we might have offended you somehow." Said one of the maids.
"Yes, we also thought the same, since you never asked for pen and paper before." Said another of the maids.
It was then that I realised why the other maid ran to get the pen and paper. Though I wasn't in their place, I still could understand their worries, because I had been in their shoes before, or shall I say, I had similar experiences before.
Mother and Layla would get haughty over small things, such as bringing breakfast late, or the food being too hot or too cold, or the clothes getting wrinkly, and they would beat me up for such things, so whenever they asked for something, I would run to get those things.
Even though the Duke and I aren't like that, I guess the fear is the same everywhere.
"The Duke's favourite colour? I don't think he has any." Uttered simly, thinking hard.
"Yes, he wears whatever colour of clothes we give him." Uttered Seir. Their answers made it even harder to know Shahr's favourite colour.
I thought of asking Shahr this at lunchtime.
"But I think I do know the Duke's favourite food."
Hearing Seir's words, my ears stood up with excitement, and I looked at her with glittering, hopeful eyes.
"The Duke always asks for mushroom soup and he never says no to it, plus he always finishes the bowl clean whenever we serve him mushroom soup." Answered Seir.
Taking the pen and paper again, I wrote something, and showed it to them with blushing red cheeks and trembling hands, "The Duke does so much for me, that's why I also want to do something for him in return. Since I do not have any money, I thought it would be better to make something for him, so... Would it be okay if I cook mushroom soup for the Duke?"
They were stunned, they stared at me, then a playful smile spread across their faces.
"Yes, your Duchess. You may do it." All of them uttered together.
...
When we entered the kitchen, the kitchen staff stopped doing their respective work and stared at us as if they had seen some kind of zoo animal.
The kitchen head came running and huffing towards me, bowing in front of me he said, "Duchess. Have we made any mistakes? Did you perhaps not like our food? Please pardon any mistakes, as we are still learning."
"The Duchess's reason for the visit is something else." Uttered Seir with a mischievous grin on her face.
The head chef stared at us with a questionable expression, as if we were speaking an alien language, "Then, what is the reason for the Duchess's visit?" Asked the Chef.
"Our Duchess wants to make his Duke favourite mushroom soup, so help the Duchess with it." Uttered simply.
"What?" The kitchen staff were speechless, which made me nervous, I thought I had made a mistake by coming here. Maybe they are thinking that I don't trust them or I'm suspicious of them.
I even thought of making excuses and leaving from there, what if they wanted to leave work? Just as my head was puzzling with all these thoughts the head chef suddenly jumped up.
"WHAT?" He yelled, "That is excellent, the Duke will be over the moon." His excited and happy face made me question the thoughts I was having a second ago.
My eyes wandered off to the other staff members, who looked very happy. I couldn't understand why they were so happy, but what mattered the most was that they weren't angry.
I started making the soup, the way the chef showed me. After the soup was done, I told them to serve the soup to the Duke but the staff refused.
For the first time after coming to the Duchy, I was refused something. It's not like they can't refuse me but I couldn't understand the reason, when I stared at them with confusion, the head chef said-
"Since you made it, how about you serve it too, I'm sure the Duke's joy will be over the top."
I nodded, picking up the tray in my hands. As I walked closer to the dining area, my heartbeat increased, my throat dried up, my palms sweated, and I wondered what if it's not good? What if I messed up something?
Upon entering the dining area, I saw Shahr waiting for me patiently, his eyes widened with shock when he saw me carrying a tray, and his expression stiffened. The reason was that I couldn't find any or didn't understand why.
When I placed the soup bowl in front of him and sat beside him, he asked-
"Why did you carry the tray? Did the maids bully you?" Eyes darkened, he glared at them. They gulped in fear.
I quickly explained the situation, "I made this, for YOU. They suggested that the Duke would love it if you served it to him yourself." My cheeks flushed, I looked down in embarrassment, "So, please don't be angry with them, or punish them, please."
I showed my puppy eyes to him, not knowing whether they would work or not, but they did. His expressions softened.
He hurriedly took a sip of the soup, and my hands folded in prayer.
"It's delicious, not even delicious is an understatement. It's magnificent, one in the whole world. It's so tasty no one can ever replicate this."
Hearing his over-the-top prayers, the edge of my lips curled up I knew what he said; not even half of them were true, but the fact that he liked the soup made me happy.
A bowl of mushroom soup was served to me too, when I took the first sip, I realised Shahr really did praise me over the top. The soup was fine, nothing out of the ordinary.
"Shia..." Called Shahr. My head turned toward him, "Thank you so much..."
My heart filled with unthinkable happiness. His praises were enough, but his appreciating my efforts just put a cherry on top. I had the feeling of cooking for him daily."
"By the Shia, you haven't had your sword practice today right? How about having it in the evening?" Asked Shahr.
"Okay," I replied.
Shahr had to leave first due to having some urgent work. I also headed for my room after I was done eating.
In the hallway, there was a turn, when I reached that point and was about to take the turn, I heard my name, which made me freeze in my place.
"Duchess, the Duchess isn't fulfilling her responsibilities as the Duchess of this family." Said a maid, whom I didn't recognise.
"What does that mean?" Asked another maid whose face I didn't recognise either.
"Managing the Duchy, managing the accounts, holding tea gatherings, these are some of the examples of a Duchess's responsibilities, and our Duchess isn't doing any of that." Replied the first maid.
"Oh, you are right. I wonder how the Duke is fine with this. If this continues their relationships won't last long." Uttered the second maid.
These words were like a hammer on my heart. No matter what, I knew, they were right. I should have started taking care of the duchy long ago, but I don't know why it never crossed my mind.
The thought of Shahr leaving me made me tremble vigorously. I leaned on the wall for support.
"Ssshhh... Don't say such things out loud. If someone hears, we would have to wash our hands off our lives." Uttered the first maid, shutting the other maid's mouth with her hands.