A curly brown head popped out of the haystack and its curious blue eyes scanned the grassy premise.
The field, like any other day, was devoid of human visitors. Birds and bees danced over dandelions and daisies, starting new futures along with the gust of spring.
An excited smile graced the girl's heart-lips as she supported her weight on her hands and stealthily crawled out of the hole.
As she stood up, her creme negligee, dirt ridden and patched with a coarse dull yellow fabric around the hem and an ugly blue around her back, swayed with the wind in stark contrast to her straw boots clad feet. She kicked the hay back in its place, hiding the hole's opening.
After perfectly covering up any suspicious gaps —though there weren't many to begin with— her face broke into a gummy smile and her feet began heading towards the mansion, in a maniacal haste.
Today, her mission was to reach his bedchamber.
Today, she would accomplish her long standing dream.
Hopefully.
Over the soft lush grass, her footsteps were gentle yet determined. As she prepped her fingers for strain, the smile never left her charming blue eyes. They twinkled with excitement as she made her way closer and closer to the towering structure in front.
This would be her thirteenth attempt at getting closer to him and if she could catch him off guard today— she could succeed!
Her family would finally see better days!
She jumped over the wooden fence seperating the fields with his mansion and stood at the foot of the tower. Her eyes spotted the strong vines that climbed the walls, reaching to an open window.
Without hesitation she kicked off her boots and began her ascent, with fingers and toes gripping tightly to the sturdy vines as she climbed higher and higher.
As she reached the top, her heart began beating with anticipation. She pulled herself over the ledge to find the open windows facing him.
Duke Sirius Alaric Lancaster.
Sat on his ornate sofa, with its plush velvet cushions enveloping him and a book titled, 'Plato's Lies,' in his hands.
The room was dimly lit, the remaining windows were curtained shut and the only sources of light were the flickering candles on the mantelpiece and a small reading lamp on a side table. His old butler stood by his side, holding a tray with a fresh glass of some sparkling liquid and a small plate of biscuits.
"My sire," the butler leaned to whisper in his Master's ear. "She's here," he sucked in a breath, sharp eyes glaring at her panting stance, perched on the window ledge like a free spirited bird. "Again." He sighed out.
The Duke furrowed his silver brow, wondering who would be visiting him at this hour. He kept the book down and chuckled as the girl ran straight inside, propping herself in front of his small table.
"Aren't you a persistent one," the Duke humoured her presence.
Ori looked up at him, only to be momentarily mesmerised by his beauty. Again.
Duke Sirius Lancaster was a towering figure, even when he was sat, he reached higher than his Butler's waist. His long, silver hair cascaded down his nape, adding to his commanding presence.
His piercing amethyst eyes wandered curiously over her, anticipating her moves. The dainty piercings on his ears and nose, caught light from the open window and reflected an unexpected touch of softness to his rugged and regal appearance. His sharp jawline and chiseled cheekbones exuded power and authority, while his full lips held a sly smile.
The butler coughed, almost as if cueing Ori make a point and stop wasting the Duke's precious time.
"Make me a Knight!" She breathed out, twinkling eyes almost begging the Duke to give in.
"You found my bedchamber," Sirius retorted, eyeing her heaving chest and inflated nostrils. "With quite a considerable effort, I believe," he added after observation.
The girl nodded.
"So, you MUST make me a Knight now!" She countered as Sirius gestured his butler to offer her panting-self the glass of sparkling liquid.
The butler, Albert Jenkins, pursed his lips in annoyance but compiled nevertheless. It was his master's wish and his command.
"I don't make stalkers my Knight, Miss...?"
"Ori, a peasant maid without title, Your Grace," Albert supplied, scornfully edging the glass toward her. Ori's confused blue orbs alternate between the Duke and his butler. She respectfully denied the expensive looking liquid, for she was not bold enough to even touch the glass lest feel deserving enough to drink it. She knew her boundaries.
Ori resorted to eyeing the bubbles of the sparkling liquid, rise and float to the surface only to die out. Their victory was momentary, their success short-lived. Nevertheless, the liquid would not stop bubbling and it made Ori squirm. 'What was it? Why did it never die out?' she wondered in her head.
A knock of a knuckle, against the table, brought her back to the realm of the living.
Ori jerked her focus from Albert to Sirius.
"Absentmindedness," Sirus grumbled, standing up and brushing his black breeches. "Another reason why you'd never be a Knight," he smiled a sarcastic smile, narrowing one amythest eye at her sad puppy face.
"B-but, I'm not absent minded when I'm on field! I promise! I just really really got focused on the bubbles. They were prett— I mean, I want to be a Knight! My father was one and I would like to be one as well!" Shaking her head, she shuffled around the patched hem of her negligee and pulled out a crumbled piece of paper.
Albert's brow raised with curiosity. She did always bring the most outrageous back stories ranging from, "I live underground," to, "My father has defeated dragons."
"Look at this! This is from my father! He was a Knight at the Empress' Castle!" Ori held out the battered paper for Albert to take. The butler did not spare her any glance, let alone make eye contact.
Sirius, on the other hand, was immensely intrigued but if the magic clock on his mantelpiece was correct, then, immensely late as well. Her story did sound intriguing, but she brought one sob story every time she found him.
"This is the thirteenth time, lass. I do enjoy your tales, but there are places I must be at— right about now! Let us do this later." Sirius stared down at her.
"But—"
"Oh never you mind! You found my bedchamber today. What's next? You entering my bathchamber without consent?" Sirius chuckled, his voice low and husky. His amythest eyes held a glimmer of mischief in them, as if he anticipated her next find.
Though Ori, not catching his drift, stamped her hands on the table and got up in a defensive manner. Face flushed and bright blue eyes widened in panic.
"No! I would not! Unless I'm really desper— okay, maybe I would. But I would close my eyes! But— no, how about this? I leave this letter here and you read it and we don't have to meet in bathing places? White staffs and jewels make me nervous."
Ori smacked her head after realising what she said, getting even redder in her face. It wasn't everyday a peasant girl could sneak inside a Duke's bedchamber and talk about dicks and balls. "No- I, uh, mean- yours? NOT— oh I beg for mercy! Please forgive me!"
"Lass, you're all over the place," Sirius tsked calmly, giving her a parting shake of his head. Sirius gestured Albert to follow behind as he turned his back to Ori and walked out of the room.
The diligent brunette followed to talk more, not before quickly dropping the piece of paper on the Duke's bed. Though she was stopped by Albert's strict hand.
"Pervert. Aren't you inviting yourself in? Too comfortably?" He scowled at her as Duke Sirius walked out of sight.
Ori's lower lip jutted out in a pout. She wasn't a pervert! And she didn't even think of the Duke naked or anything...she just had a bad habit of speaking thoughtlessly! She must clear up this misunderstanding.
"Where is he going? Do you know? Can I follow?" Ori questioned, disregarding Albert's former words.
His cold dark eyes looked down at her with a piercing cold stare. The temperature within the room literally dropped down, considerably, and Ori's feet remained plastered in place.
"You know where perverted stalkers end up in, don't you?"
Ori rubbed her palms on her bare arms, grinning sheepishly. "Hehe, yeah I do. I've been there five times," and 'escaped without repercussions,' Ori wanted to add but did not. This was bad enough, already.
"So you know you have no business wandering around the Duke's estate and poking your nose in confidential—"
"What is that?" Ori suddenly questioned, cutting Albert off, yet again, whilst pointing at the glass with sparkling liquid in it. Albert the gullible and easy-to-instigate fell for it, right away.
"Excuse me? How dare you even point at it?! It is Evermire's most expensive of all beverages! Likes of which your lowly soul—"
"Don't you think Your Grace might be looking for you?" Ori wondered out loud, itching her ear with her pinky finger.
"Do you even listen to what I sa—"
"I really think I hear him calling," Ori mock-gasped, blue eyes widening as Albert pursed his lips and threw a handful of sharp glares in her direction.
"You're lucky our Grace is kind to you!!"
"Don't get kicked out!" Ori called back as Albert made a run for it, shouting some incomprehensible words that Ori did not care enough to decipher.
She just stood there, in the lap of luxury that was Duke Sirius' bedchamber. Having failed, yet again. Thirteen had never been a charm.
Her eyes floated from the bejeweled bedhead to the embroidered curtains and walls covered with accomplishments and wallpaper.
Though, what took Ori's breath away were the two swords, hung on the wall in a criss-cross pattern. Their gleaming blades and ornate hilts made Ori run up to them and stay mesmerized forever. She wanted to touch them.
Her hands raised to touch them, but all they reached was her mouth to supress the loud gasps.
"The sword of Nobelai Empire's first Knight," Ori mumbled, eyeing the first sword. It was long and straight, with a blade that glowed with an inner light, and its hilt adorned with intricate carvings of a crowned winged creature and twisting vines. "An absolute perfection..." She gasped out, almost tearing up upon sight, "...just like the stories."
The second sword was shorter, with a curved blade that seemed wickedly sharp, and a hilt adorned with gems that sparkled with their own ruby light. Ori almost sobbed in its presence. "It's the sword they used to win the war," Ori breathed out, hand tempting to touch the pair—
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Until, shuffling footsteps headed closer toward the opened doors.
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