A knock on the door made Henri pause from writing and stare across the room. Even just this alone he knew already who visited him.
The door opened and in came Lady Ursula holding a cane instead of a staff. Henri arched a brow at this change of her appearance. Normally, she’d use her staff as just a prop or none at all. She never used a cane ever since.
Lady Ursula, who saw the silent question in his eyes, merely flipped her hand in the air and scoffed.
“No need to comment. My arthritis is acting up.”
Henri held back a chuckle.
“Then you don’t need to personally come here and inform me about Solene’s current whereabouts. I know she’s inside your ‘training grounds,’ Ursula.”
The latter grinned at this. “Nothing escapes your notice, Henri.”
“I would have appreciated if you told me beforehand,” he expressed as he straightened in his seat and fully faced her. “I wouldn’t have left her early this morning in a hurry. I would have given her a proper send-away.”
“Oh, you loverboy,” Lady Ursula clucked her tongue. “It’ll only be for three weeks. You’ve suffered more than that before she became your wife.”
“Can I spy on her?” he immediately asked. “Maybe visit her at night when her daily training is done.”
Lady Ursula shook her head. “You know very well I can’t approve that. You’re a distraction to her.”
Henri scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “I was merely testing my luck.”
“Solene is pretty determined,” she remarked. “It wouldn’t be hard to prepare her from the precarious path ahead.”
“She is learning well, Ursula. Exactly as what I wanted her to,” Henri stood up and directed his eyes outside the casement window behind him. A landscaped garden met his scrutiny then. “She’s my queen. She needs a strong backbone before I could bring her to Sattus.”
“You want her to live there?” Lady Ursula asked in a heartbeat.
“It is her choice.”
“Don’t use her father as bait,” she then pointed out.
“I won’t but that’s something I’ll think about,” Henri continued. “She wants to see her father badly, Ursula. She’ll know sooner or later she has an opportunity to do just that.”
He turned to face her with a proud emotion filling his eyes.
“She is the Mistress of the Rantzen Clan, she is a St. Fair conjurer, but above all, she is the Queen of Sattus. She has every right to choose her own path. I just need to be there for her when this happens and support her and protect her.”
“Understood,” Lady Ursula lowered her head briefly. This man had once been the boy she dotted and cared a lot that it was hard to remind herself he was the King of the Spiritual Realm too. His youthful days had long passed. Here before her was a royal image of power, death, and destruction—or at least the kinder side of him.
“Had you managed to find out who sought her father? And why?” she hastened to ask.
Henri broke into a grin as he claimed his seat again. “Now, now, Ursula. I can’t have you ruining my fun.”
“Hmf, I’m guessing with that proud grin of yours, you have.”
“My suspicion was confirmed after the attack in the East Estate. All I need now is more evidence to pin this bastard demon down.”
She tightened her grip of the cane as she felt a sudden surge of anger from him.
“Hm, I won’t wish you luck. You don’t need it,” she turned on her heels towards the door, but before she could close it, she added, “Have fun, Henri.”
***
“Left, right!”
“Go for the roundhouse.”
“Pick and roll!”
“Head’s up!”
“Uppercut!”
“Another roundhouse!”
“And stop!”
“Great! You’ve learned so much, milady,” Anklet announced, slightly winded as they both paused for a break. They were in a grassy garden at the back of the hut; the best place to spar since it had a wider space to move.
Solene was catching her breath too. Sweat had collected so much on her temple and nape that she felt like she had just come from a shower.
“You were a good teacher, Anklet,” she expressed, sending her a smile.
Anklet tossed a towel towards her way and the latter caught it without a hitch.
“That’s a high compliment coming from you, thank you,” Anket tipped her chin down and smiled back.
Solene used the towel to dry as much sweat all over her body as possible. Her high ponytail was slightly undone so she also fixed it. Afterward, she strolled towards the water dispenser and helped herself with two glasses of cold water.
The sun was still high up in the sky. It was noon. By this time, lunch would be served and she knew just who would deliver it again.
“Hey Anklet, what do you know about Cassandra?” she asked after facing her.
Anklet looked up from fixing her boots and arched a brow.
“Cassie?” she said.
Solene nodded silently and sat on a bench near her.
“Well, she’s an orphan at twelve taken into the Rantzen Family to work as a maid,” Anklet started. “She’s been living in the estate ever since, milady, and she has earned her spot as Mrs. Su’s assistant because she’s a very diligent woman. Why do you ask about her?”
Solene lowered her gaze onto the ground and cleared her throat.
“I just want to understand her. She’s been giving me glares since I arrived in the estate and I want to know why.”
“Oh, Cassie has a friendly disposition, milady,” Anklet supported. “I could never imagine her to hate someone, more so if it is you, the Mistress of the Rantzen Clan.”
“I’m wondering if that’s exactly the reason,” Solene mused. “She might see me as a hindrance maybe? Did she show hints of… you know… liking Henri?”
Anklet was taken aback. A maid infatuated towards her Master was unheard of, but a possible one, especially on Cassandra’s case wherein she was of the right age to love someone.
“I’m not sure, milady,” she expressed, suddenly feeling confused, “but she does express how she respects and adores the Master.”
“Oh… well, then, maybe that’s the reason,” Solene’s shoulders slumped. She couldn’t possibly think of any other reasons why the assistant head of Mrs. Su would hate her so much. It was inevitable for another woman to fall for her husband since he was after all a perfect man in all aspects. He was caring… he was sweet… he had been always thoughtful about her… and he had been damn good in bed.
He had also expressed his feelings towards her numerous times, not hiding his desire for her at all. He had treated her so much with love that sometimes, it made her think, she might be slowly falling in love with—
“Your lunch is served, milady,” Anklet abruptly cut off her thoughts.
With a blush, she immediately looked up and saw that Cassandra had arrived and was now readying their meal on a table set up outside the hut and shaded by big trees.
“I think I’ll give you two some privacy. You go on ahead and eat first, milady.”
“No, just stay, Anklet. Dine with me just like any other times,” Solene voiced out as she stood.
With a deep breath, she strolled towards the dining table. She tossed a smile towards the maid’s way but the latter just ignored her.
“Hey, Cassie,” Solene managed to greet with a cheerful tone.
“Cassandra,” the maid said without looking at her. “Nobody uses my nickname unless they are worthy.”
“Oh,” Solene bit her lip, “I apologize.”
Anklet, who saw the quick exchange, wanted to admonish Cassandra, but Solene stopped her with her silent gaze.
“Thank you for bringing me food these past few days, Cassandra,” Solene started again as she claimed her seat. “You’ve been a valued personnel in my training.”
Cassandra snorted.
“If given a chance I wouldn’t serve you, but I have no choice.”
Solene clenched her jaw and stared straight at her.
“I’m sorry if you feel that way, but may I inquire why?”
“Why?” Cassandra parroted; her face a picture of irritation. “You are not worthy of anything in this world, more so to wed Master Henri.”
“Cassie!” Anklet cried out and glared at her friend. “You are speaking to your Mistress. You ought to show respect.”
“Respect?” Cassandra threw a sharper glare towards Solene. “She doesn’t deserve it.”
“Cassi—”
Anklet wanted to admonish her again, but Solene raised her hand up to stop her. She left her seat, faced her squarely, and frowned.
“Cassandra, whatever I did to you, I would apologize in a heartbeat, but I need to know why. Can I get this at least?”
Maybe, Solene thought, this wasn’t just a normal case of a maid-to-master infatuation at all. She could feel the maid’s hatred through her furious eyes. It ran deep just like her hatred for the dark blue-haired man. They were the same.
“You bitch, you’re just like that huh?” Cassandra mocked-smiled. “Acting oh so innocent.”
“Cassie enough!” Anklet, this time, slapped her.
Solene was taken aback as well as Cassandra.
“Anklet, let me deal with her, please,” Solene expressed in a calm voice. Violence wasn’t necessary. She could handle the maid’s disrespectful words. They were false accusations after all.
But Cassandra tossed her friend a cold look whilst nursing the affected cheek.
“Why do you indulge her, Anklet? She’s obviously not worth it! She doesn’t even know she’s the cause why I became an orphan. She’s the cause why my sister, Tessa, is lying on the hospital bed right now. She has been favored by Death yet how about those people around her? What of them? Just useless souls ready to be disposed of?”
Solene finally got her answer, but she didn’t expect her to be Tessa’s sister at all. Partly, she was glad it had nothing to do with Henri. Perhaps she couldn’t bear to know another woman loved him. But actually thinking about it, Cassandra’s personal reason seemed to also hit a sensitive chord in her heart.
“I had never been favored by death, Cassandra,” Solene answered with a shaky breath. “Death surrounds me and that is the truth. Every day of my life I am being haunted by entities that want me dead.”
“Yes, that’s it. That’s exactly my point!” Cassandra threw a hand in the air. “You live. But how about the collateral damage? How about those people who got possessed by demons just to get you? Their lives are the payment that’s for sure,” she scoffed. “Just like my family. A collateral damage. And how about Mrs. Ingrid? Does her name ring a bell to you? How about my sister? And those soul collectors who died every damn night just to protect you?!”
“I know about Mrs. Ingrid and Tessa!” Solene cried out, clenching her hands. “And to tell you the truth, I’m still affected by what happened to them. If they are your concrete proof about collateral damage then yes, I’m guilty about it, but you also have to know that this is not my wish. I never reveled on the hardships of other people. You should know that my guilt haunts me too. That’s the reason why I’m doing this…” she pointed to their surroundings and hit the table with her fist, “This! I don’t want to be a burden to anyone anymore. I don’t want to be a burden to Henri or to the Rantzen Family or to you!”
She paused, huffed, and returned upright to face her squarely again.
“I wished I knew there are soul collectors who die every night to protect me, but that soon will change. Give me two more weeks. I’ll show you my worth. I’ll show you the true Mistress of the Rantzen Estate.”
She gave Cassandra a solemn gaze, one that really demarcated them as a servant and a Mistress.
“You don’t need to force yourself to serve me. In fact, I’ll tell Lady Ursula to free you from this responsibility.”