Chapter Text
Seven years ago, I was just a village girl trying to survive with what leftover bread we have. A remote village at the border of a war. They say that we were never going to survive.
Today, I was just saying ‘hello’ to the head villager who was monitoring the new church which was being built by the other villagers. We survived quite well and the land was prospering.
It’s been six months since the end of the war, and three months since I woke up in the carriage unconscious.
Aran, my friend, had been nursing me back to health when I arrived in town sickly pale and barely able to walk. She said that I was someone important because I was riding in an expensive carriage. She also said there was a man in there with me who had a hood on and never got off to say goodbye.
I always wondered what caused me to have such a reaction when returning home. But what’s the use of thinking when I can’t remember what has happened in the past seven years?
That’s right, I can’t remember anything after I reached the Capital, the mainland, the city of Leordus. I was there for seven years when I applied to be of help for the war but for some reason, I have no memory of what happened.
“Meridia!” I turned at the call of my name. I saw a bright young girl, her red curly hair was bouncing at every step she took. I’ve always loved how naturally curly and bouncy it was.
“The Duke is coming soon, are you going to greet him too?” Aran said.
The Duke of Uvarr, the war hero. He was given this piece of land for his merits. He declined at first but the Crown Prince had asked him personally to accept the land. I heard from the villagers that he had given half the reward he had gotten for the rehabilitation of the people and land. Even then, we still had more gold and food to last ten years.
Rumors said that he was a cold and scary man due to his appearance. Long black hair that reached his waist, it was silky straight unlike the people of the kingdom with wavy and curly hair. Red eyes with a piercing gaze. They say he was beautiful like an angel that came down from heaven but the way he leaves the battlefield makes it seem that he was a demon.
It was often said to not look at him in the eye because of how terrifying he is. The rumors even went as far as to call him a descendant of a demon clan that used to exist a long time ago.
I was curious to see the so-called Demon Duke. He would arrive in the afternoon and the villagers were to greet him.
“Are you going to apply to work in the manor?” Aran asked. She has been asking me this question since she found out the Duke is coming to stay in this village for a short while.
I nodded. Other than my curiosity, I heard they had built a big library full of books from the Capital. I wanted to work there in return for borrowing the books. Of course, if I can’t read the books, the pay for working there was a lot, so much that it could support my family for a lifetime in this village.
As I walked with Aran, I saw my brother sitting at the farm behind our house. I smiled when I saw him laughing, he was with his friends.
Since he was born, he has been paralyzed from his hips under. He always had to sit on the chair with my help. But even in the face of danger, he never backed down. When the war started to hit the village, he took control of the panic stricken villagers and moved them to hide our rations and such so thieves or soldiers from the other side wouldn’t be able to take it.
I’ve always been proud of him for surviving while I was in the Capital, it always gave me guilt for not remembering anything and causing him more worry. He never once blamed me for it and always made sure I felt alright.
“I’m glad Nikolai is happy,” I said without thinking. Aran had a wistful smile.
I think she was just about to speak when a shout was heard from the entrance of the village, “The Duke has arrived! The Duke is here!”
We watched as the man ran through the village announcing the news. Nikolai was being carried by his friend to the village center so Aran and I went there too.
We saw the fancy carriage and a man came out, he had brown hair that was cut short like those men from war. He must’ve been a soldier as well.
“That doesn’t look like the Duke from the rumors,” Aran mumbled.
As she said that, the man said aloud for everyone to hear, “My name is Gregory, aide of Duke Lucas de Uvarr! I thank you all for the exciting welcome on behalf of the Duchy. I hope for us to remain prosperous for time to come.”
The people were quiet, they were curious as to why such a handsome young man was the aide of a Demon Duke. Of course, their questions were never heard as no one uttered a word.
“The Duke will come out now,” he said as he stepped aside as the carriage door opened. Out stepped a man so beautiful I held in my breath.
He was so much like the rumors, appearance-wise. But I couldn’t see anything cold from the Demon Duke. He had the face of an angel, looking a bit shy and nervous. Very much unlike the rumors.
What’s even more amazing is that his hair was braided with flowers in them. It was a contrast with his black clothes with golden lining. He obviously looked awkward and uncomfortable but the people were cheering, even Aran was squealing at the top of her lungs.
Gregory leaned in to whisper to the Duke who was looking down. Whatever he whispered caused him to look up and scan the crowd with his red eyes that seemed almost desperate.
His eyes locked with mine and he seemed to gain some kind of vigor because he straightened up and faced the crowd. I wondered why he looked at me that way.
I didn’t have time to wonder because the crowd had already started to move away to the manor where the feast will be held. Aran pulled me along when she caught me in deep thought. I quickly snapped out of it and walked alongside her.
“Did you see that the Duke looked our way? Do you think he knows you?” Aran asked. It was a possibility that crossed my mind, and with how he looked at me, it was possible we knew each other.
In the end, I never answered her even when we retreated back to our homes to bathe and change into more prettier clothes. I met with Nikolai who was not dressed for the occasion.
“Are you still adamant on not coming?” I walked to his side, he was by the garden of flowers owned by our neighbor.
He gave me a glance and followed it with, “I am not able to walk. Even if I had come, I’d only be a nuisance.”
“Well, I would still bring you there with me anyway,” his friend, Hans, came over just in time to say that.
They had a little argument before Hans picked him up like a potato sack and brought him inside the house. I laughed as I followed them, helping Hans dress a grumpy Nikolai. Although he had been declining the offer to go, he seemed a little happy when Hans got through to him.
We went out and I took out the wheelchair that I had supposedly sent from the Capital. Despite the wheels, someone still had to push from behind. Hans volunteered to do it. Soon enough, some of his friends came over and brought him forward to the festival.
I watched them go with a smile and the feeling of satisfaction. I quickly went to go see what they had for the festival.
It didn’t take long before I saw a man with a hood standing at a stall with candy apples. It was so obvious he had black hair flowing out of his hood. I suppose the people didn’t mind it. He might have wanted some personal time to see the festival for himself. Even his aide was nowhere to be seen.
As I was about to leave, I saw him turn to me with a candy apple in his hand. I saw a blush creep onto his cheeks as he started to curl away from shame. I’ve been wondering why he was so shy and unlike the rumors.
As he was in conflict about what to do, I took a step closer. He didn’t realize until I was one step away from him.
He immediately stood frozen, unable to say anything. I don’t think he even said a word earlier, how did he get his candy apple then?
“How’re you enjoying the festival, your Grace?” I decided to strike a conversation first since it was getting dreadfully awkward.
“Ah, um... yes,” he paused. He realized what he said didn’t make any sense before uttering an apology. His voice had me struck, it had a sense of nervousness but it wasn’t a bad kind of nervous. It also felt a little familiar.
“I like it,” he finally said. I gave him a satisfied smile. The hard work the villagers and I had put for the past month wasn’t put to waste.
He stood there a little fidgety. I couldn’t stand his shy demeanor, my view of the Demon Duke was just crumbling down.
I decided to gesture the way into the crowd. He looked at me confused for a moment until I explained.
“Would you like to join me?” I saw his face light up as he nodded without hesitation.