Hallway of Jumbadiway Palace
Noon
'Pereguin, I got this for you' the Duke's brother, Lamidat' said, handing over the marble box to Pereguin with a broad smile through those eyes.
Pereguin looked at him in shock. Lamidat' had been a very good friend for the past one month. He always created time for her each day. Never in her life did she ever think she'd get a gift. She could not believe her eyes.
'Since you said you had no birthday, I give you this day as your birthday…' he chuckled. 'you should open it's he added.
Pereguin opened it immediately. Her jaw dropped. I was a set of golden jewelries. Involuntarily, she hugged Lamidat' passionately.
'Agh…it's just a set of jewelries sweetie…' he muttered during the hug while stroking her weaved hair.
It was compulsory all girls made their hair in the kingdom so Madam Noni ensured Pereguin's hair growth. The Duke's brother had been a very nice person to Pereguin since they first met. He removed her from the cleaning department and place her in the entertainment department. He was a dancer though a warrior but dancing were strictly for maidens. He ensured she was thought the musical and dancing skills. At leisure, they danced together, laughing. Unlike the him,they Duke cared less about her. He wouldn't even spare her a look for a second. Maybe he had forgotten her existence. Yet, the letters did not cease coming. The royal family except the Duke liked Pereguin obviously more than the others.
Pereguin withdrew from the hug and looked at it once more. It was a heart design. While she studied it, a letter rested on the box. It read;
'Pereguin,
I brought you here for me, not my brother.
Duke
Pereguin looked at the Duke's brother. He gave his usual charming smile. As usual, he could not see the letter.
'Do you think the Duke hates me?' she asked.
'Why does that boy matter so much to you?' he asked. 'huh?' he asked, coming closer. 'It's you and me here's he muttered.
Pereguin was used to his charm and trick. It was his lifestyle and any reasonable girl shouldn't fall for that. She turned and saw that the Duke was coming. He was as usual , helplessly handsome. From afar, his signet rings glowed. His Sceptre shone too. The wind blew his long and soft hair that bore his golden crown. He was tall and built - perfect! But his cold look was just the problem. Fearfully, she looked at Lamidat.
'I think I should leave…eh…dance practice…thanks a lot for the gift' she said and gave an unusual slight bow.
'You can tell the teacher I was with you' he said, winking and then kicking his lips obviously enough to be seen by the Duke. 'i know you are leaving because of him…am I wrong?'
Pereguin looked at Lamidat's eyes. They were so white and depicted royalty. He looked at bit angry. Pereguin was already scared. Was she disrespectful or rebellious?
'Can you let the maids in the palace be…Lamidat'?' the Duke asked his brother authoritatively.
The reason for the never existing relationship between them was a mystery. They were like enemies. Lamidat only smiled and walked closer to the Duke. Their eyes locked.
'Unlike you, I relate with everyone in this kingdom. You call yourself Duke but you don't care about the people….you bought her and just dumped her without caring that she was missing her family and friends and trying to adapt to a new culture…' Lamidat ranted calmly.
Pereguin was deliberating whether to leave or not. He just stood and watched them look at each other in silence.
'First of all…' the Duke began, breathing heavily. 'she does not have a family. Secondly, I'm the Duke and I have business to do…I'm not as jobless as you are. Thirdly…can you tell how many maids are in this palace…'
'Jumbadi, shut up!' Lamidat yelled vehemently.
Pereguin quickly excused herself. Their argument was becoming intense. She ran to their mother's quarters because she was scared one or both of them were going to lose a tooth soon. She called her to come settle the fight.
'...and this is why you can never settle down with a wife! Because of you, there's no heir to the throne…Jumbadiway is left without a future! Jumbadi…this is mornacy…' Lamidat yelled just before their mother stepped into the scene.
Pereguin hurried to the dance floor and joined in the practice. The kingdom's annual festival was at hand and she was appointed the leader of the dance for the last day of the festival. During the dance, she could not really focus because she was thinking about what had happened, hoping she was not in trouble. The Duke had no wife and it meant the kingdom had no heir. At a point, she thought it was a culture for the Duke to be unmarried but it wasn't. Was it chastity? Other Dukes had wives and concubines to their fullest.
While she danced, a letter fell. It read;
'Perriguin,
Be fast. The pressure is much on me
Duke'
She watched the paper fade away into dust. What was it all about? Were the letters really real or she was just obsessed with royalty and illusions?
After the dance, she was going to the Duke mother's quarters to inquire about what happened. As she was walking, the Duke stopped her.
'So…you disregarded my orders and told them?' he asked, blocking her way with his huge figure.
The Duke had an aura that was between wickedness and dignity. This made him appear scary to them. His eyes depicted so much superiority. Sometimes, Pereguin thought of him as an adopted child because he was the odd one but she was sure he wasn't as he was Duke.
'No…no…no…I swearrrr…' Pereguin began, kneeling and pleading with him.
She did not let what he said slip out of her mind -not even to Roria or Lamidat.
'I bought you for hundred dyms instead of two because I hate the sight of death…not because of anything ! You should keep a distance for the royal family and not interfere into matters that can never concern you…even in your next life, you can NEVER be royalty…understood?' he said authoritatively with rage in his eyes.
What he just did reminded Pereguin of the Duchess of Lumbidimaway. She was energetic, strict and pitied no one.
'I'm sorry…' she said and bowed.
He paused after she said sorry and looked deep into her eyes so closely that their body almost touched. With eyes closed and full of tears, she moved backwards. He moved closer. This continued till her back decked the wall. Tears travelled down as she tried not to sob. He maintained eye contact with her as he held on to the wall. She opened her eyes and looked at him. He was smiling. Never had she seen him that cheerful looking. He just had to be when she was miserable.