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Thomas and Almera were both powerful in their own right… Thomas was probably the most powerful Lord in the country, second to none other than the crown prince and yet they needed the intervention of a simpleton. That is because, there is nothing more powerful than knowledge and time. Even the king will be a victim of time if not used appropriately. Mira was fortunate, blessed by the heavens with the knowledge…. How she chose to use it was her discretion! Almera couldn’t wait to fly over and tell Mira all the gossip. But tonight, she didn’t have a chance. She had to first deal with her family and Thomas’s. Both she and Thomas swore inwardly that they would be Mira’s strongest backer, her shield. With the Queen’s indulgence, they both knew what Mira had forfeited for their happiness. Once the banquet was over and the crowd dispersed with the King and Queen leaving the banquet hall, the reaction of the crowd was vivid. The Dowager duchess of Amberton along with her bodyguards rushed o
In Thomas’s apartment, the Duke and Duchess discussed the guest list, Arac was responsible for their accommodation and security arrangements, Food was Ferran’s responsibility. Tyson volunteered to organize everyone’s wardrobe for the event, but no one nodded. He pouted complaining about not being taken seriously and made a ruckus till Thomas gave him an important job, pass messages for him to his fiancée. Mira was working on the third blanket when the bell rang. She looked curiously at Jack. They weren’t expecting anyone. They had gathered with family on both sides on Friday. They quietly came out space and Jack opened the door. Almera and Thomas had runaway from the wedding madness to spend some time with Mira and Jack. They knew the couple didn’t need a ‘thank you’ so decided to cherish and protect the friendship. Almera ignored Jack’s shocked reaction and walked in “Mira, I have decided to take you up on the peace and quiet offer.” “Come … come…” Mira giggled as she invited the
“Love, why did you refuse to attend the wedding?” Jack asked as they relaxed in the hot spring. He knew how much she valued Almera to give up her opportunity so that Almera could succeed and be happy. “The wedding will be huge… everyone who is a who’s who in the country and court will be there.” Mira whispered as she snuggled comfortably in his embrace. “I don’t know what your aunt has against you being in court… and us going to the wedding will bring unwanted attention on you.” She drew circles on his chest. “That will defeat the purpose of whatever aunt has been doing.” She raised her head to touch his face “Nothing is more important than you… not even Almera’s wedding.” Jack felt that his heart was dripped in honey as pink bubbles burst in front of his eyes. His lips curled up into a charming smile that Mira stared in a daze. She cutely pointed at her lips and demanded a kiss as she felt lazy to stretch and kiss him. Jack chuckled as he indulged his wife… but we know where the
“Love… it’s me.” Jack chuckled as he turned Mira to face the mirror. “AAAAHHHHH” Mira screamed again as she saw an unfamiliar lady from far east country staring at her…. Wearing her clothes…. The shop keeper laughed happily “That is attestation that I am very good.” Mira blushed as she realized what Jack was up to… she was truly impressed. Her husband was very clever. They changed quickly, paid the gold coin that Jack had promised and got on the carriage prepared for them and left for the Royal cathedral. The cathedral was packed with anyone who is someone in the country. The guards diligently checked every invitation. Arac frowned as he saw the couple from the far east country. The reason for him frowning was as Thomas’s closest friend after Orseus, he didn’t know of any friends that Thomas had in far east country. But they had the card that was personally signed by Thomas. Thomas only signed a handful of cards…. The rest were done by staff of the Amberton estate. He wasn’t going
Everyone returned after a day of celebration and merry making. Although Orseus joked in front of everyone, his gift for his sworn brother was their love nest, a beautiful palace with ornate gardens. This was where the newlyweds returned after their wedding. They named the beautiful palace ‘Love garden estate’. Although they received numerous gifts that were rare and precious, the one that had perked Almera’s interest and curiosity was the large lace silk bag from Mira. She didn’t look at it at the time as she didn’t recognize her and by the time she did, the line behind them had grown considerably. In order to not annoy the impatient lords, she decided to look at it later. The address on the top brought a smile to her lips. Thomas looked over to see the reason for his wife’s happiness and saw the inscription ““For a dear sister and her Marquess” --- “From your little idiot and the love of her life.” “Am I not the love of your life?” Thomas feigned a wronged expression. “You are.” A
By Friday morning, Mira was bored out of her skin and couldn’t wait to go to the shop. Almera was waiting for her as usual, the only difference being that her face had the blissful smile of a married woman who was loved and cherished by her husband. “You’re here.” Almera smiled as she pursed her lips mysteriously “I have something that will make you happy.” “What is it?” Mira asked in excitement. Almera took out 4 gold sheets and extended it towards Mira “This was delivered by the palace messenger as a payment for her beautiful gown.” “Really???” Mira’s eyes widened. She didn’t expect to get a payment for the work. “Um” Almera nodded. “The cloth was also delivered by the queen.” “Don’t feel bad. She paid me for the dressmaking as well.” Almera giggled “Our queen is very rich, don’t worry.” “In that case…” Mira smiled as she snatched the gold sheets and kept them in her square shaped pouch. She handed the four completed work and Almera paid her 75 gold coins for each work. She ha
“I am just worried that Aunt Beth and Uncle John might not be able to enjoy it.” Mira knitted her brows “They are servants of the Sleghs. Everything they own….” She stopped midway; the meaning was understandable. “Is that all that worries you?” Almera laughed. “Um” Mira pouted “You don’t understand…” “Maybe I don’t… maybe I do...” Almera shrugged with a her lips curling up with a cunning hint “But I sure as hell have a solution.” “You do???” Mira’s eyes widened before her expression became despondent “I have embroidered their names on the blanket, but I doubt that will do it….” “You’re right…” Almera nodded “They might not want to use something with their servants name on it… but they sure can destroy it stopping your aunt and uncle from enjoying it.” Almera agreed before clapping her hands “My idea will most certainly work.” Mira moved closer to Almera and started tugging her hands with a cute fawning expression. “You can give it to them saying it is a loan and for safe keeping
“Aunt, we are here.” Jack announced as he stood at the door holding the baskets along with Mira. Anne-Marie came running as always with Aunt Beth coming out wiping her hands on the apron. Mira had bought Dax along with them and handed him to Anne-Marie. This would keep the little girl occupied. “Aunt, there is something I need to talk to you about.” Mira spoke in a serious tone and literally dragged Beth out of the house along with Jack. Just as they were about to start talking, Mira saw Uncle John coming and pulled him into the conversation. “Mira has done a blanket for the two of you to keep warm during the winter.” Jack did the talking while Mira kept watch to make sure there were no prying ears including Joan and Emma. “Son, no need…. Our old bones can cope.” John shook his head. “Uncle, this is what we want to do. But...” Jack pursed his lips “We don’t want others to take away what we did for you.” “So, we are going to make you sign a contract in front of everyone…” Jack ex
“Let’s head downstairs??” Baldwin hooked his eyebrows as he looked at Jack before shifting his gaze towards Cornelius.“Does it matter…” Thomas hooked his eyebrows challengingly “I mean now that we have stocked up our arsenal and are ready to battle?”Orseus had an expression of agreement; he didn’t think that there was a need for secrecy anymore. They were ready to strike.Corenlius knitted his brows unable to make up his mind one way or the other when Jack opened his mouth “Let’s head downstairs. We are not ready; we still have loose ends.”Although both Orseus and Thomas looked unconvinced, they still headed downstairs towards the study without arguing verbally. Everyone, including John and Beth, followed.“Summon Carl.” Jack instructed Harrison on his way downstairs “I have something I need to discuss with him.”Harrison nodded and went to deliver the message.Lazarus left his right-handed man outside the study to bring Carl inside when he arrived, before heading inside, to follow
Everyone waited outside the room while Leal, Cornelius, Baldwin and Caleb entered the room along with Emeralda and Jerome.“Lie down.” Esmeralda had a faint smile as she requested. It had been more than a decade since she saw their young master; even though he didn’t remember them, her inner world was peaceful. They had found each other, they were halfway…. It wouldn’t be long.She sat by his side, concentrating on the examination once she was able to quieten the noises from her inner excitement. She frowned as she realized that although he appeared to be fit from his physical appearance, the information she gathered from his examination was not so promising.Her brows knitted further as the examination continued, raising the anxiety of the men who were standing in the room observing Esmeralda. While Leal and Caleb stood still like pillars, regardless of their clenched fists and knitted brows, both Corenlius and Baldwin started pacing in the room unable to stand still.“How is it?” Th
Caleb wasn’t far off with his prediction although the healer's arrival had nothing to do with his message. The healer and a hooded man arrived at Southamberston Duchy late evening of the same day. Everyone was resting in their rooms when Harrison announced their arrival to Jack; Jack asked Harrison to clear the hall of everyone and to inform the others as he went down to the lounge area to greet his old friends. “Venerable one…” Jack greeted as he always did, without the airs of his newly found status. The healer narrowed her eyes as looked at Jack; she didn’t have her usual airy, fairy daze but this time, her gaze was sharp, like that of an eagle, before her lips slowly curled up and she knelt on one knee “Esmeralda greets the young marquess.” She had noted the Butler clearing everyone away from this area and the young commander circling with his men, she knew that there were no more prying eyes around them. The only thing she didn’t anticipate was the audience that was coming dow
Mira kept scolding and kicking the man, without showing the slightest hint of stopping or displeasure from touching his already bloodied body; the truth was, she was trembling in anger, her eyes red with rage, barely attentive to notice the state the man was in. Jack was stunned for a minute before he rushed after her and held her back in his embrace as he coaxed her, shamelessly boasting “Wife, I am fine. Look…. Do you think his three-legged skills are enough to harm me?” “Wife, calm down… let Lazarus deal with him.” Jack held her tightly in his embrace; he could feel her trembling in his embrace and his heart ached for her; although no one in the room knew, he knew why that statement triggered her so much. She had told him about her past life memories. Matthew and Harry had a helpless expression while everyone else other than Thomas and Almera had their mouths agape as they saw Mira in action. Thomas didn’t have time to admire Mira’s gallantry; he was busy soothing his wife who wa
Thomas and Orseus stepped on their toes as they leaned over their father’s shoulders and read the scroll along with them; tears rolled down Cornelius and Baldwin’s cheeks as they saw the scroll in their sworn brother’s hand and read greedily.Their tears didn’t stop even though they finished reading the letter. The guilt of not being there when their sworn brother needed them the most was eating into their soul; they listlessly handed the scroll to Jack and Mira.“So now we have to find Esmeralda to cure Uncle Jerome.” Orseus pursed his lips. He called out to Jerome as Uncle Jerome smoothly, he had no difficulty as he grew up hearing these two names, Alex and Jerome; to him, they were family, more closer to him than Uncle Alaistair and his sons.“If we have guessed correctly, we don’t have to go anywhere searching for her.” Cornelius shook his head and added with an air of mystery “She is much closer than we think.”“Are you saying that the healer that we go to is, this Esmeralda that
“If only we knew….” Harry sighed regretfully “Then we could have followed that man’s trail and found Alex sooner.”“You think too beautifully... Alex would never lead a trail if this was his contingency plan.” Baldwin sneered before his expression turned serious “But we may have stumbled upon some unexpected luck in finding Alex.”“Did granduncle Zumerong shed some light?” Orseus asked, leaning forward eagerly.“Heh!” Corenlius scoffed “They were kept in even greater darkness than us.”“Then are you talking about the man who lives at Mer waters?” Thomas asked hesitantly; he really didn’t know why his father and godfather were so confident, just because he trained with Jack?“Son, you don’t know.” Cornelius shook his head “Leal can never be separated from Alex; wherever Alex is, he will follow, whether it is in life or death.”“There has never been a more loyal shadow.” Baldwin too sighed regretfully.“Then what are we waiting for?” Almera looked around curiously; Mira leaned forward an
Jack and Mira, along with the rest of their group, dragged their exhausted bodies and reached Southamberston palace at the break of dawn. Without making any noise, they all went to their respective rooms without any fuss. Everyone had a room at Southamberston palace even though they each had cottages specially prepared for them; both Martin and Oden went to the rooms that were prepared for them instead of their cottage.Early morning was unusually noisy with many unfamiliar faces around the breakfast table and yet it was as if no one noticed the familiarity of the unfamiliar faces at the table; the only exception was the three unfamiliar unfriendly faces as they sat through the farce as though they were watching a show and not part of it.Almera and Katherine joined them shortly after breakfast, as noisy as ever with Almera complaining that her husband didn’t love her anymore and that he was in love with his first wife, the estate responsibilities and that she always came second.First
Jack and Mira rushed back without stopping; their pace was originally fast, but it became even more rushed after they received John’s message which wasn’t much, just a short line written in a shaky hand ‘Matthew and Harry are back with three visitors’.Don’t misunderstand the shaky hand, it wasn’t fear… It was just John trying to write in his best hand. But unfortunately, it was bound to be misunderstood, due to John’s years of acting, acting timid, which was more believable for his son and nephew, more believable than his daring persona.Thomas had just entered his palace when his page rushed in and announced that he had a note from Southamberston and passed the note. It was the same note that was sent to Jack, written in the same shaky hand, 'Matthew and Harry are back with three visitors’. However, it evoked an entirely different expression from Thomas.Thomas stood up excitedly as he reached for his cloak that he had just hung up; he wrapped it around as he walked and called out to
Back at Southamberston, by late afternoon, a travel weary Matthew and Harry had arrived back at Southamberston with three additional unfamiliar men who were covered from head to toe, leaving only sharp eaglelike eyes.Without Harrison’s calm balancing act, the household was on the verge of being thrown into chaos when Beth walked in, in a hurry, ushered in by one of the maids who was flustered.The chaos resulted from the fact that there were three strangers who looked suspicious; the imaginative minds of the young staff who worked at the castle had worked themselves up with a theory they had concocted.Their theory was that the two elders who had gone to relax were held hostage, and they were unable to escape and were brought back here for the young Duke to save them; but the young duke wasn’t here; even Lazarus and Harrison weren’t here.The young maid who ran over to call Beth and gasped, almost out of breath “Lady…. Lady… Lady Beth, the elders have been held hostages by three sinis