Gentle knocks at the bedroom door announce it's time to drink his medicine.
"Lord Mellorus, sorry to interrupt your rest, but it's time to take your medication." A maid with a delicate tone enters the room carrying a tray with a small glass bottle filled with a grayish liquid.
"This disgusting medicine again...when will I be able to stop taking this nefarious thing?" Mellorus answered in a weak and angry tone; his face was pale, showing multiple signs of his precarious health.
"I am really sorry, my Lord, I wish I could make this potion tastier for you, but you know what many people say. If its taste is bad, it's good for your health." She approaches the luxurious double bed, and the dimly lit room looks stuffy and depressing. So different from some years ago, in bed, Mellorus stayed with many books surrounding him to help relieve him of some boredom.
He takes the medicine and drinks it in one single gulp. He makes a disgusted face.
"This is just horrible. I've been drinking this for three months already, and I'm not feeling any improvement. I want you to send a letter to the royal palace. I wish to request one of their doctors to visit me."
"As you wish, my lord, do you want something else?"
"Call Amiliath here, I want to talk with her and open the windows. I need some fresh air."
"Immediately, my lord." She quickly opened the windows, and a cold breeze entered the room. She closes the door, leaving Mellorus alone.
A few moments later, another series of knocks on the door. It was Amiliath. Normally, he didn't see her every day, but since he had fallen ill, she either always showed up or didn't at all. Since Luccio's death, she had been wearing a sober and simple dress, which surprised Mellorus, as he knew how much she liked to dress as pompously as possible.
"Good morning, Father. I came as soon as the maid asked me to. What can I do for you?" She bowed in respect.
"I heard that you dealt with our problems with the Royals, but the promise of money as an apology was a mistake. It will hurt us in the future."
"Father..." She smiled gently. "Since my brother unfortunately died, we have lost a lot of prestige and power in the kingdom. Many families have stopped doing business with us, we almost lost our trading rights with the Royal Chamber of Commerce, and with the loss of almost half of our territory with the separation of Lord Boltu's lands, we have lost a lot of resources."
"Do not mention that traitor's name in this house, Amiliath. I have already established this rule with everyone in the mansion, so do not dare disobey me," Mellorus retorted.
"Father." She sighed in disapproval. "We know why he left us; we know that many other nobles and merchants have decided to do the same. My brother, whom I would like Beyemond to give his soul peace, was an unstable person who disgraced us. He disobeyed you, initiated the most ridiculous plan of kidnapping a maid, and died shamefully at the hands of a mysterious assailant."
"Mysterious?! We know who did it! It was that abomination! She was the only one capable of that atrocity!" He began to cough hard, his strength draining. Amiliath approached him and handed him a glass of water.
"You must not exert yourself, Father. Just rest until you regain your strength, let me take care of these matters for you." She held one of his hands.
"Don't you dare... make decisions without consulting me... Amiliath. I am the Archduke, not you." He lays his head on the soft pillows with an exhausted expression.
"Everyone knows this father; there is no need to worry. I am just a faithful servant of this family; everything I do is for us. Soon we will regain our prestige and everything will return to normal." She continued to smile as she covered him with her heavy blanket.
"Now focus on your recovery so that we can all see your former strength again." Kissing his forehead before leaving, she could hear his murmurs. Outside the room, her smile fades, and the irritation can be seen from far away. Walking as fast as she can, she enters the office to continue with her plans.
She sits on the chair and uses a little bell to call a maid, who answers immediately. At her command, she brought sweets and tea on a little cart.
"Call my brother Atillo here, I need to talk to him." She bows in compliance, and moments later, the middle son of Mellorus, Atillo, arrives. He never showed any promise as an heir, or even interest in becoming one. Different from Luccio, he was a gentle man, never had any problems with the servants, was loved by his siblings, and was an honor student in the royal academy, but he had no ambition.
"Good morning, my dear sister. What do you wish from me?" His calm voice is soothing and makes her smile.
"Good morning, Atillo. I was with our father, and well, you know how difficult he can be, especially since he got ill. I wanted a friendly chat with someone I like, before starting all the work I need to do."
"Aww, I'm honored to be one of the few people you like, my dear." He approaches her and gives a warm, gentle hug.
"I know how difficult he can be, but I know how strong you are, for Raianna's sake, you dealt with Luccio, and he was a nightmare." He goes behind her and massages her shoulders. "You need to relax, my dear sister. Focus on yourself more, find love, visit places, you know, have fun!
She laughs at his remarks, and slowly her sour mood changes to a more friendly one.
"Okay, I will rest when everything is solved, but I can't right now. So I will need your help when I get too stressed, okay?" She smiled, patting one of his hands with care.
"Feeling better now? I've fulfilled all the expectations you had from calling me here?" His cheeky attitude makes her laugh.
"Yes, yes. As always, you are a burst of sunshine after the storm. Now, a little more seriously, don't forget that we will go to the new city of Minarian next month. We need to appease lord Boltu; a trade treaty would be an amazing injection of money for us."
"Do you think we will be able to appease him? Our father made him really angry with that foolish attempt to kidnap that girl."
"I don't know, but we can try. That's why I'm bringing you with me, you have a way with words that create miracles." He starts laughing; the idea of him operating miracles is too much.
"From a powerless son of an Archduke to a miracle apostle of the gods! I've been blessed again in this life!" Amiliath slapped him on the shoulder.
"Be more serious! You have a gift, and you could always use it."
"Okay, okay, I get it. What do I need to do for the visit?" He asked with a more serious tone.
"I need you to understand the situation between our territories, the relationship between our father and lord Boltu, and ways to convince him that we are different from Luccio and our father."
"What do you mean by that?" He looks confused.
"We need to show, or at least convince him, that we were good people to Manila. He holds that girl dearly, and after everything they did to her, he will not restore a relationship with us if he thinks we are like them."
"Okay, leave it to me, I will make this meeting a success. Well, I mean, I will do my part because I know you will perfectly lead the meeting, so he can't refuse our proposals." He said confidently.
"I hope Raianna hears your word and makes it true. Now, let me go back to work. I already feel filled with energy after having you here."
Atillo kisses her forehead and leaves the office. Amiliath sits in the office chair and looks outside with a smile on her face. The meeting next month is her great plan; if everything goes as she planned, there will be no way her father doesn't recognize her as the heir of the mansion.
A message bird appears in the windows, and after landing on her head, a voice echoes in her mind.
"This is claw five, we found clues about the target. We are on the way to confirm the information. The secondary target is in Minarian, working as a guard, nothing different from the usual. If you have new orders, my lady, please send the message back with this spell."
"Excellent." A big smile is on her face now, and everything is going as she expected.
Three days after the tavern visit, Elzen couldn't stop thinking about Milla. That night, he couldn't take his eyes from her; something about her was too charming. Maybe her physique, the dark tanned skin, the way she moves while carrying all those orders, or it's everything.
It was already past eight o'clock, and Elzen was still in his bed. An arm is behind his head while the other is holding a little doll made of yarn. This was one of the prizes Manila won in the harvest festival before she was kidnapped. He got it before leaving the encampment near Maruum Village; it was the only thing he had to hold close as a memory of her.
Holding that doll made him relive everything about Manila, her touch, scent, the sweet honey of her lips, and the depth of her beautiful eyes. He misses her so much, everything about her, but her eyes always charmed him; there was a depth in them, so alluring and desirable.
"Her... eyes. HER EYES!" He jumped out of his bed; he needed to see her again. If her eyes had the same depth, maybe there was hope.
Every night, Elzen left his patrol and went to the tavern, hoping to see Milla again. However, she was not showing up at her work day after day, and there was no sign of her. Anxiety took over his mind, increasing his desire to see her; something inside was driving him into complete madness.
Why? Why is this woman so important? He had never met her before, and now he can't get her out of his thoughts. So many thoughts started to disturb your routine; he needed to find her again, or he would never find peace.
Twenty days after his first visit to the tavern, he was patrolling the residential zone again. He heard a song sung by a beautiful woman's voice.
Look at the time, the sky is dark.
The stars are showing, look as they spark.
It's time to rest, my little star.
The morning light it's not so far.
Take a bath, wear your nightclothes.
Have a little kiss on the nose.
Go to bed, my little star.
The morning light it's not so far.
Let the pale lady guide your dreams,
Until the first morning sunbeams.
Close your eyes, my little star.
The morning light it's not so far.
Your dreams will be filled with joy.
All nightmares she will destroy.
Sleep tight, my little star.
The morning light it's not so far.
He recognizes the song; it's a child's lullaby, well known in the territory of the Felnatus Archdukedom. Normally, parents sing this to their kids to help them sleep. He followed the song until it got louder, then he saw her.
Milla was sitting near a tree with Aimel lying on her lap. Her hands were caressing the child's hair while she was singing the lullaby, unaware of his presence; she didn't stop. Eizel didn't dare to approach; he didn't want to break this peaceful atmosphere, which was enough for him right now.
What was he doing? That question burned inside his mind, and the need to see her was satisfied, but he wanted more. At that moment, their eyes crossed, and for him, time was frozen.