The girl beside her trembled, eyes stained with tears and all I could do was sit there, frozen like a statue, heart pounding in my ears.
Malvin abruptly stood up, the chair scraped harshly against the floor, "Do you realise what you just said." He yelled in a rage.
My heart sank seeing the old Venish tremble like a small deer in fear. She was an old woman, maybe around my mom's age, if she were still alive.
And the sight of someone trembling and fearing to lose their life, brought back the deep hidden past, that I want to forget about.
I quickly stood up, and stood facing Malvin, with my hands I told him to stop. He understood my gesture and stood silent.
Turning towards Venish and the new maid beside her. I placed a gentle hand on each of their shoulders and helped them rise. With tears on the edge of her eyes, ready to fall at any moment Venish met my gaze.
Her gaze begged for forgiveness, my heart sank deeper. A forced soft, reassuring smile, and some pats on her shoulders I urged her to calm down.
A fragile smile tugged at her lips. Joining her hands together tightly, "Duchess, I'm not sure, I might be overstepping my boundaries but please don't inform this incident to the Duke."
Malvin exploded in a rage, "WHAT? How dare you?"
I froze at her request. Not informing the Duke, hiding it, is like a crime... Not it's a crime. No matter what, I have to tell the Duke, but if I do then, they will be punished.
Unlike the other maid's, Venish is old and fragile. If she gets cast out to the farmhouse, I'm not sure if she will be able to settle to the cold whether there.
A war raged inside of me, one side was telling me to tell the Duke everything and the other side was telling me to hide it. I couldn't decide on anything, both sides seemed right to me.
Before I could decide on one side Venish broke down sobbing, "Please Duchess. I beg you. You are just like my daughter, imagining me as your mother please forgive us."
THUMP... My heart thumped loudly. Mother. My mother's face flashed in front of my eyes.
Soft, warm, gentle yet sad.
A faint smile, I nodded my head. After thanking me numerous times, Venish and their niece, both left the scene. Malvin and I, sat down again. But the surroundings felt heavy this time.
When I picked up the pen, the anxiety that I had forgotten came over to me again. Everyone in the Duke's household has been kind to me, they never made me felt stupid or dumb, or treated me like I was lacking something. Maybe, that's why I was starting to forget everything.
But the sentence from minutes ago made me realise my reality again. I'm so stupid, I'm just learning basic maths, even toddlers can do such maths.
My hands started to shake, eyes wavered at the sight of numbers.
"Duchess..." Malvin's voice. I looked at him, "You can have a break or take rest today, if you are not feeling well."
Honestly, I did want to run away from there and hide somewhere and pretend this day never existed but I knew if I ran away today then this would become a trauma, I would never be able to overcome this.
So I stayed. I got back to doing calculations again. Though I was not looking but I could tell that Malvin was happy with my decision.
After the studying session had ended, I slipped away to my room and locked myself. As I threw myself on the bed, I fell asleep immediately, I didn't even realise that night had crept in.
I woke up to some rustling sounds in my room. Rubbing my eyes I tried to see what it was and found Shahr standing right in front of me with a food tray in his hands.
My heart almost jumped out of my chest. THE Grand duke, THE Great hound of the empire standing in front of me with a food tray.
I'm sure no noble has ever seen this sight and they would never get to witness it.
"Shia..." Calm, gentle... You haven't had your dinner yet. The maids came to wake you, but they said no matter how much they called you didn't open the door." Placing the food tray on the table beside the bed, he sat beside me.
"Perhaps, you have a fever?" Gently brushing his palm on my forehead he checked my tempreture, "hmm, it's normal. Were you too tired today, Shia?"
I wondered again, how could I hide anything from him. I want to share even the smallest of the smallest details with him.
"Shia, you are lost in thoughts. Did something happen?"
Our eyes met, I quickly averted my eyes. My stomach growled louy, traitorously. It was loud enough for both of us to hear. Heat rushed to my face, I wanted to scold my stomach for growling so loudly.
"Hehe..." A soft chuckle entered my ears. My cheeks puffed up.
"Have your dinner first, then we can discuss everything."
He served me a plate full of all my favourite foods. Favourite foods? Did I have favourites or did they become my favourites because Shahr served them? Or did I just simply liked to eat everything.
I started devouring everything shamelessly, as if I hadn't eaten since ages, Shahr chuckled again at my actions.
In seconds the plate was spotless, it was shining as if it's a newly bought plate, I was proud of myself, no one could say that someone ate on this plate.
Shahr put the plate away and looked at me with a serious expression, I knew what was coming. From his expressions it seemed like he had sensed something or did Malvin tell him?
There was this possibility too. I made the promise, not Malvin, and Malvin is Shahr's faithful secretary so it would be weird if he didn't inform Duke about the incident.
"First..." I held out my pinky toward him, "Promise me, you won't punish the maids."
His expression dimmed instantly, "Did someone offend you? Who did that? Who had the nerve?" He nearly shot to his foot and rushed out of the room.
I almost bit my tongue in nervousness, I tried to calm him down, "please duke, don't get angry. They didn't do it on purpose."
"On purpose? Tell me, what happened?"
"Only if you promise that you won't punish them."
He stared at me in disbelief. He crossed his pinky with me, sealing the deal, "Okay, fine. You leave me with no options."
"A new maid today, umm... How do I put it, accidentally insulted me... Well, what she said was true, but it came out as rude."
Shahr's frown became visible. Before he would erupt like a volcano, I tried to calm him down, "well don't misunderstand... she didn't mean to, she is still young, in her learning phase, so she made a human mistake. Don't forget your promise or I'll be very upset with you."
Exhaling, "Fine. But next time I won't be merciful."
A guest of relief swayed my mind, I let out the long halted breathe and took a moment to smile at him.
"I thought Malvin already informed you." I gestured.
"He didn't, thinking about it now, it upsets me. My long trusted man didn't inform me about such a big event. Can he really be called a trusted man?"
I became stunned, I didn't want any misunderstandings to be formed between the Duke and Malvin, "No... No, please don't misunderstand Malvin, he only hid it because I requested him."
"Yeah, still it's a Betrayal. As a personnel of the Duke you owe to never hide anything from the Duke."
Betrayal? Such a small thing can be betrayal? It was becoming a bigger mess than I had imagined. My minds already engaged in a war, trying to find out an excuse.
Before I would gesture anything, Shahr's Sharp voice snapped me back into senses.
"Umm, there might a way to forgive Malvin."
Hope burst inside of me, I almost jumped in thin air, I asked, "What is it?"
Raised brow, sneaky eyes, a flirtatious smile on the lips, and an enchanting pose, Shahr leaned closer to me, almost bewitching me to fall in love with him.
"How about a kiss." Pressing his thumb against his pink lips, "from a wife to her gentle husband!"
.
.
.
I can't explain how I felt at that exact moment. The world around us seemed to have stopped moving, everything became blurry but Shahr, every sound became hazzy but my own heartbeat.
My gaze fixated on him, his gaze fixated on me, we only stared at each other for moments.
"W-what?" My hands trembled from embarrassment, shyness.
Shahr's lips sealed together, he sat frozen. I kept seeking glances at him and waited for him to say something.
All of a sudden Shahr burst into laughter, "Hahaha... I was just joking." Wiping his tears, "hope you didn't mind my prank too much."
My face burned from embarrassment. I reacted stupidly, I thought he was being serious. I felt like digging a hole and burying myself there.
"Shia..." He called softly, "Are you angry?"
I averted my gaze in anger.
He giggled, "But I do have a serious request."
My eyes narrowed, unsure whether he was playing a prank again or was actually being serious.