My Father, The Duke

I pulled the hem of my sassy dress as I jumped my way on a mud like water. Gasping for air, I ran as fast as I could until I reached the stone- like statue on my favorite playground just near the mansion's garden.

I hop on the statue’s face and climb up until I reach its head. I sure look like a dirty spider climbing right now, but I don’t care. I am happy playing on my own!

“Evie!” I heard Agatha’s voice from afar. I giggled and used the tree trunk to climb up next to it. I shrieked when I almost lost my balance but thankfully, I managed to keep up my body and used all my remaining strength to climb up again.

“Evie?! Please don’t play too much! Where are you?!” She huffed and ended up sitting in front of the statue. Looking so busted.

Gosh! I felt so guilty. I made her run that far again. But I wanted to play more! I can’t help but to feel so happy experiencing being a child again! This is just so fun!

“Please my Evie?! Where are you? The duke will cut my head off this time if you won’t show up this instant!” She panicked.

I pouted my lips and sighed heavily. I slowly climbed on a trunk near her. When I thought that it was a good place for landing, I jumped immediately and screamed her name out of my lungs, causing her to feel so frightened.

“OH MY GOD!” She stood up hurriedly while hugging herself. I couldn’t help but to laugh so hard just by looking at her face. She looks so epic! I wish I could invent a camera for this sightseeing reaction of her. 

“Evie?! Are you going to kill me?!” She granted, almost crying.

I am still laughing while tapping my dress to ease the dirt from it. “Surely not, Agatha. I will never gonna do that to you.”

“So why are you doing this to me?! What if I got a heart attack and died on the spot?!” She scolded. “Don’t you ever do this again!”

“Agatha, you can now change those threatening words. It’s not that effective. You should do it like this…” I laughed and excitedly imitated her voice. “I will spank you with a dead trunk if you do this again! Like that!”

“So, do you really think I can say that to you?” She crossed her arms over chest while raising her brows. She looks totally annoyed right now. She’s still cute.

“Of course! I promise I will never do it again!”

“Can you still remember that time when I almost said that to you? The Duke almost beheaded me!”

“But I saved you! I promised! If he ever calls you again just because of that, I will be there to save you.” I proudly said to her.

She groaned deeply before reaching out for my hand. “Let’s go now, Evie. You’re going to wash up again. This is your third time in the bathroom today. Stop playing in the mud! You might get worms in your tummy. You want that?” She reprimanded.

“I already have one so I’m not scared anymore.” I jump to every mud that we walk through while gripping her hand.

“You’re really a bright child,” now she is laughing at my ridiculous answer. 

I smiled wide. “I’m happy that I made you laugh, Agatha!” 

“So do you want me to laugh more often?”

“Yes! Yes!”

“Then make me laugh, don’t make me feel so worried everyday. You always sneak out from me. It’s scaring me a lot.”

“Then I will do my best to make you laugh from now on! You look so pretty when you do it.” I giggled.

“Oh? Am I?” She held her cheeks as her face turned bright red. 

“Oh, sure you are. That’s why I always love you, Agatha.” 

She giggled and stopped in front of me. She lifted me up through her arms. “And I love you too!” She pinched my nose as if she’s going to pull it out away from my face. 

“I think you love my nose more than you love my whole me.”

She laughed at my ridiculous answer. “Oh no. I love all of you…”

I gasped when the mud from my feet crudded on her maid dress. “Agatha… I made you dirty.”

“No, it’s fine. I can wash myself too once we get back to the mansion.”

“Let’s go to bathe together!” I excitedly alluded.

“No, we can’t. You little one must not go to bathe together with a maid like me. You’re growing up so you must keep that in mind.”

I pouted my lips at what she said. “It’s not like we commit a serious crime, so why?”

She laughed a little. “You will understand once you turn older.”

Our conversation went on and on until we reached the garden at the back of the mansion. Another maid greeted us with a towel and a handkerchief.

“The head housemaid is looking for the Lady. She needs to wash up and get dressed up as soon as possible!” She said, almost panicking.

Agatha’s brows met in between. “Why? Is there something wrong?” 

“I heard the Duke is asking for the Lady’s presence. So you better be fast!”

“What?!” Agatha’s voice sounded so surprised. She then hurriedly lifted me up and ran to the back door of the kitchen. I hugged her neck to avoid falling. She’s too fast. 

“Is there something wrong, Agatha?” I asked.

“We need to wash up as soon as possible, My lady. The Duke is asking for your presence. We must not be late!” 

“Father? Did he come back from the palace?”

When we finally reached my room she immediately undressed me and put me up to the bathroom. She washed and rubbed all the dirt from my body which made it take too long.

It’s been a long time since I last saw my father, the Duke, in this household. He left when I was four to finish some work in the palace with the emperor and now he just came back and asked for my presence all of a sudden. I guess he’s loaded and so busy. I felt so bad just by looking at Agatha as I am observing her from the mirror.

“Agatha, don’t worry. It will be alright,” I tried to comfort her. She’s so tense!

“Y-yes… Shall I braid your hair?” She trembled. I sighed heavily and just nodded. She braid my hair, dividing it in between. She made a french braid that always amazed me!

“You’re really talented, Agatha! I look so good at this!” I said while poking my honey like colored hair with my small fingers. She braid it so well and pretty!

“No, you look so good whatever I did to your hair. Everything suits you so it’s not me who’s making you pretty, it’s you, Evie,” she giggled as she started putting cloth flowers all over my hair. She designed it all too well! Ah! I think I just fell in love with myself.

“Your hair is as fluffy as clouds, that’s why I am doing my best to braid your hair more perfectly.” She continued.

“I don’t like it, I love it, Agatha!”

She laughed and put a last piece of the cloth flower on top of my hair. “You’re flattering me too much. Let’s get you ready now.”

I nodded and left the mirror to run to her. She opened my big closet full of dresses, shoes and accessories. My eyes sparkled at the sight of it. 

“Now, what kind of shoes do you want to wear?” She placed her fingers on her chin as she thought of shoes that would be suitable for my pink flowery dress.

“I choose that one, Agatha,” I pointed at the pink glimmering shoes at the bottom. 

“Right,” she nodded and immediately put it up on me. After that, she dressed herself for a new maid attire before we hurriedly left my room. 

“You can put me down, Agatha.” I said. I’m already 5 and almost six but still she’s treating me like a toddler.

“We need to be fast. The Duke is waiting for us, just stay still, okay?” She said almost huffing. She keeps on looking left and right in the middle of the hallway. 

“I’m heavy, I’m worried about you…” I pouted my lips. It made her look at me so shockingly. She let out a small laugh and kissed my cheeks.

“I’m not, don’t worry about me,” she said and started walking again. 

When we arrived in front of the Duke’s office,  I was caught off guard at the sight of so many knights in front of the door. They’re rambling and look like there’s a visitor inside.

Agatha was about to pull the door holder when a knight pulled out his sword in front of us. Agatha then hugged me tightly, she pulled my head away from that scary sight.

“How could you pull out a sword in front of the Duke’s daughter?!” Agatha’s voice turned darker and heavier. 

“Let’s wait for the Duke to make his order to let you in—” the Knight didn’t stop his words when I heard Edwards' voice behind us.

“Let them in. The Duke has been asking for her daughter’s presence. He must be waiting,” Edward save us. I look at Edward and let out a small smile. He smiled a little and turned serious when he glanced back at the Knight.

The Knight pulled back his sword and bowed his head. “I’m so sorry, Young Lady. I am willing to take any punishments from you—”

“No need. I’m fine…” I smiled brightly at him. “Let’s go inside now, Agatha.” 

Agatha nodded but before she could open the door she even left a dagger stare towards the Knight. I chuckled inwardly at that sight.

When we went in, I saw father and Hamstell sitting on the sofa. Looking so mysterious as always. They look up once Agatha makes her entrance. She put me down and held me in my hands tightly, afraid that I might do something she will never be pleased with.

She bowed her head before greeting my father and brother. “Greetings and Blessings to the Grand Duke and his son Lord Hamstell Hemress.”

I stared innocently at my father who’s never gave me a single glanced. I felt a sudden heaviness inside my stomach. 

When I felt that he didn't want to talk or give any remarks, I pouted my lips and spoke.

“Why did you call me, Father?” 

I heard Agatha heaved beside me. She held my hand more tightly as a sign for me to behave. I saw father lifting his head upward and met my gaze.

“I heard so many rumors about you…” He said with a serious tone. 

Rumors? What rumors? Agatha suddenly ran in front of him with an apologetic expression. I gasped when she knelt in front of him!

“Agatha?” I called.

“Y-your Grace, i-it’s my fault for letting her play all the time. I-I know she’s supposed to study and learn early etiquette b-but still I was taken so hardly with my actions. P-please punish me instead of the Young Lady…” I was so shocked and hardly even breath when she said all of those things in front of my father who’s now looking strangely dangerous right now.

W-what? S-so is this how badly I gave Agatha a hard time?! No way…

"Hmmm?" Father hummed and shifted on his seat. He crossed his legs and used his right hand to support his cheeks while looking thoroughly at me.

I formed an air inside my both cheeks, looking so pissed. Agatha should never kneel in front of that man! I am at fault.

"It's not her fault. It's my fault, father..." I answered proudly.

His left brow rose up, looking so pleased. "Why is that?"

"As a five year old, it's my nature to play all day long in the mud and jump up to the tree and hung myself on it's trunk. It's normal for me to play and that's not Agatha's fault. My hard headiness made Agatha do what I want and that's typically my problem."

"You did all of that just to play?" He asked. Not looking annoyed nor irritated. His expression stayed the same, looking so pleased and bewildered.

"Yes." I nodded. Now that I look at him more closer, I could tell that his feature change a bit. He became more handsome and masculine than before. His eyes is still as catchy as it is but there's something that I cannot read through it. His hair are still as shiny as the sun and as golden as honey. How I wish I could touch them with my little fingers.

"Hmmm..." A pleasing smile formed out through his face. At this sight he became more handsome. I couldn't help but to wonder my mind. 

Only my gender and my baby blue starlight eyes are the features that I get from my mother and aside from that, nothing more. I've got my shiny long wavy golden hair from my father. His long perfectly scalpted nose that Agatha always admire and the shape of face, is totally from him.

"I'm not here to punish or demand anything. I'm here to see in my own eyes the rumor about how good you are at your studies." He smirked. Despite of his light mood expression, the dark aura that has been always inside him never left. He still look so dangerous.

But let we go back on what he said. My studies? Well, I am starting to learn and enjoy mathematics and other stuff but I never thought for it to be rumored so quickly. Edward, father's butler or secretary, is the one who's teaching me mathematical methods and he always praises me whenever I answered all the problems so quickly.

"I heard you solve the Mathematical Papyrus who's never been heard of answering by anyone because of it's difficulties."

Mathematical Papyrus? The one that Edward made me solve the other day? 

"Is that the Pythagorean Theorem?" I tilted my head, confused. Anyway, I forgot what it is but it's just so simple! I've studied that one in my past life. 

I heard some people and even Knights gasped at my question. As I roamed my eyes around, I saw how shocked their expression is. All of them!

W-wait... did I do something not pleasantly enough? Did I do something wrong?! 

But before I could spoke again to redeem myself, father said something that almost made me stunned to the highest level.

"I will take care of you myself, from now on."

W-what did he mean by that?! Why is he making me tremble this much?!