While deep in the conversation with Duke Evrian as they spoke about the wedding preparations, Lorian notices Ciana who sat beside her father quietly. She brings the teacup on her pink-tinted lips as she takes a small sip before placing it back down on her lap. The gesture was graceful and perfect, even for his tall standards.
Ciana's eyes, if it could have been possible, became even more clouded than before. The girl was obviously distracted about something, other than her forthcoming marriage with Lorian. Though she was sitting upright, and had all the mannerisms of a noble, the way she had her mind floating to somewhere else is another sign that Ciana Evrian couldn't be the Duchess of Fremont.
She would be an embarrassment for the Fremont name.
Lorian wonders how Duke Evrian was allowing such a thing to happen. Right in front of a respected guest.
Or maybe, this was a way to show Lorian that he wasn't being respected at all. That Duke Evrian considers him a bastard, therefore, he could have cared less about how his own daughter acts.
Lorian's patience runs low.
"It seems Lady Ciana is getting tired of this conversation" In an instant, Ciana's eyes focused on him, and Lorian smirks to himself, finding amusement in the way Ciana Evrian's eyebrows twitched as she stares at him.
As if she rehearsed her lines, Ciana says, "Forgive me, your grace, I was simply distracted for a moment" there was a clear apologetic tone in her voice. Lorian could only wonder about her own thoughts about this marriage. If his aide was right about the miniscule amount of information he gathered about Ciana Evrian, she would've already reached the age in which she should've been engaged to someone that would benefit Duke Evrian. At 19, she should've already been engaged or received a lot of proposals, in fact, it seems that it was what transpired between her older sister, Leianna and the Crown Prince. They were engaged at 19, and at 20, they were about to get married.
In societal rules, Ciana was holding her engagement quite late.
Why is that?
Has she never received proposals before?
No doubt it was not it. Though she didn't deserve to be a Duchess, or a wife of another high-ranking noble, Ciana was still the daughter of a Duke. At most, with her illegitimacy, she would've been the wife of a very, very rich Count.
And truthfully, with her beauty, Lorian finds it hard to believe that she hasn't received any sort of proposal before.
Unless her father, Duke Evrian himself was interfering with her prospects.
No matter, even if Lorian considers Ciana undeserving of the seat beside him, there was no better choice other than Ciana, though a bastard she was. In the end, most of the blood that runs on her veins belongs to an Evrian, a family prestigious and powerful enough that it wouldn't have mattered if Ciana's mother was a beggar at the side of the street.
Lorian turns to the Duke and is able to see him meeting his own.
"Then, would it be alright for Duke Fremont to have my daughter accompany you to the lake? It is simply marvelous at this time of day" Lorian eyes the setting sun behind him before settling his gaze upon Ciana whose own father was staring at her as well, most likely waiting for any kind of dissatisfaction on his daughter's face.
"Of course," Ciana answers softly. Lorian waited for her to call Duke Evrian 'Father', but she simply stayed silent once more, and any indication that Ciana and the Duke got along well was dissipated in Lorian's view.
"Please, call me Lorian, your grace. We shall soon be family, anyway" Lorian flashed one of his best smiles to his future father-in-law. A prized smile that once took his enemies down to the ground, a smile Lorian wields as a weapon.
Duke Evrian was clear in his indication that he wanted Lorian and Ciana to spend time with each other without any outside interferences, however, to Lorian, who grew up around noble men who threw their own daughters toward him in hopes they would be able to seduce and marry him, it was a hint that even Duke Evrian himself was not too below others as to push his own daughter, though illegitimate, to Lorian. Perhaps Duke Evrian was hoping for the union of both duchies. In the end, at the greater scale of this marriage, even the great Alixandre Evrian wanted to use his own daughter for political power.
His eldest daughter is soon to be Crown Princess.
While his youngest daughter is soon to be Duchess.
In the end, the one who truly benefits the most from this marriage was none other than Duke Evrian.
It was laughable.
Who knew Duke Evrian was this power-hungry?
"Of course, Lorian" was all Duke Evrian gave as a response, but he doesn't allow Lorian to address him as 'father'. Lorian was irked but if he wanted to play the long game, he would have needed to let this small matter go. He had plenty of time to enter into the Duke's good graces.
In his periphery, Lorian could see Ciana freezing at her father's insinuation. When he fully turns to see her face, he sees her trembling lips, as if terrified of being alone with him. Lorian was intrigued.
What is she so scared of?
"Ciana" once more, the Duke calls his daughter. "A guard will be following you, though he will be 10 steps behind for your privacy" ah. Lorian was barely able to hide his surprise at Alixandre Evrian's words. He had an unwavering gaze as Ciana met the eyes of her father.
Any doubts he had about the nature of their relationship before were now gone.
There was clear affection in the Duke's eyes, and his words were a clear indication for his great care for his daughter. Ciana nodded as she answers him, "Alright, father"
There was a pleasant surprise in Alixandre Evrian's expression. The edges of his lips twitch as he barely contains his satisfaction. Now that Lorian noticed, it was the first time since he entered the manor that Ciana had called Duke Evrian. And it didn't escape his sharp eye how Ciana's cheeks turned a shade of pink beneath her makeup.
Duke Evrian barely hid how much it pleased him that Ciana called him 'father'. As they exited the room, the Duke followed his daughter earnestly similar to a large dog wagging his tail as it followed its owner. Of course, such a comparison would cause offense to the man if he so much said a word of it to others. Still, it was the most fitting comparison in his opinion.
"You may go," the Duke says gently.
.
.
-
The second time that Lorian formed another opinion about Ciana Evrian was during their walk to the lake of the manor. Right after they walked outside the door, Ciana began talking about the history regarding the lake, and Lorian took it as a chance to further observe the interior of the manor at which no expense was wasted.
At the end of the hall in which the receiving room was located, Ciana opened another door that led directly to overlook the rose garden of the manor. Rows and rows of rose bushes lined in a perfect alignment below them, and when a gust of wind came, Lorian was met with the thick scent of flowers. He followed the girl down the grand stairs of the back exit.
"It is autumn" he commented shortly and found no reason to explain his question.
Ciana turns to him in surprise, though a second later, she immediately understands. "Ah, father has requested to preserve the flowers using holy relics," she explains.
"Relics? For a flower garden?" it wasn't usual to use such a precious thing for a mere garden of roses. A holy relic is used to preserve life, and is commonly used by the Emperor of the empire.
A holy relic is considered priceless as it requires the direct power of the Holy Pope.
"This garden is the late Duchess' most prized treasure" ah, so that is why. Though the Duke shows this much care for his late wife, Lorian wonders why Ciana Evrian was conceived if Alixandre Evrian dearly loved his late wife.
I guess a man such as him also has his own needs.
That fact makes the Duke of Evrian seem almost human.
"I see" was the only thing he responded with.
Ciana continued on to speak about the lake, such as it contains a spirit that brings good fortune to the owner of the lake. Lorian hardly believed such tales but entertained her enough to listen quietly without interrupting her. Though, if his observation was true, he doubts Ciana Evrian also believed the tale.
Ciana spoke with such monotony that it seems as if she's speaking of the legend as if reading straight from the textbook. Like she was entertaining him for herself.
During the whole way to the lake, she continued to speak, her voice filling the air and space between them. Her tone was calm, though boredness was evident on them. She kept her back straight and walked slowly, like a true lady of the Evrians. Ciana's grace was evident in the way she carried herself, and though she was not as graceful as her sister, Leianna, it couldn't be doubted that she was able to carry herself in society.
As they passed the garden, they were led to the stables where horses frolicked inside the fenced space of the ranch. There were various horses, as they pranced through the wide open space that seemed to stretch for miles. Ciana does not speak of the horses, though she eyes them with disinterest as she continues to speak of the lake.
After passing the garden, Lorian was beginning to become bored. Ciana, unknowing of the growing disinterest of the man beside her continued on telling the story that she didn't even believe in. He saw the lake just a few meters from them, and the sight of it was grand, just as how the Duke described it. It reflected the setting sun, the light bouncing off it in waves as the cold, autumn air swept in. The waves rippled and it almost seemed as if diamonds were being swept in the lake, carelessly floating around in a sparkling madness.
Ciana finally stops the story. He notices how she tightened her sheer, black shawl around her as she trembles slightly. Though considered a gentleman in society's standards, Lorian could hardly care less if she was cold.
He took notice of the guard that stood 10 feet away from them, just like how the Duke ordered.
By now, there was a resounding question that Lorian needed an answer to. And he could only think of one person who could answer them other than Duke Evrian himself. Ciana Evrian.
"Might I ask something?" Lorian shows a smile, though it was cold and unfeeling. He narrows his eyes ever slightly as he shows his hostility for the woman on his right. When he turns to face her, she raises her closed black fan to her lips, waiting for him to continue his words.
"Is your father mocking me?"
"What?" he could see surprise overcome Ciana's calm exterior. And sees the way she positions herself in a defensive manner the moment she senses the hostility from him.
"Marry an illegitimate to an illegitimate, is that right?" he continued as he straightened his back even more, if that was even possible. Lorian drops his empty smile and replaces his expression with pure, unadulterated coldness.
There was no need to show kindness to someone beneath him.
Ciana was frozen as she carefully looked at him. Lorian's smile returns just as easily as he dropped them. He regains his 'friendly' composure and regains the bright smile on his lips, once again a perfect painting of a noble gentleman. He watches Ciana carefully as she overcomes her astonishment and takes her fan from her lips.
She glares at him.
Quiet sharply, if he may add.
And so contrasting with the paleness of her doe-like eyes.
"And here I was thinking, what a man pretending to be perfect could be hiding beneath his flawless exterior" Ciana began speaking again. She held her gaze back at him with such rage in them when he openly insulted her.
If Lorian wasn't as twisted as he is, he might've fallen in love.
"So it was this" she says as she brings her black fan back to her lips. She snaps them open to cover half of her face. And in that moment, he was able to focus on the lady's startlingly white-lilac eyes. There was a fire in them despite the lightness of their color.
"If you wanted an answer to your question, your grace, I don't approve of this marriage, either" she claps back, anger in her words.
She doesn't approve of this marriage? Lorian could hardly believe it. No, he doesn't believe it at all. Though Leianna was still going to be Crown Princess, there was no greater honor other than being the Duchess of Fremont. Second only to the Emperor and Empress, a Duchess wouldn't even need to bow down to the Crown Prince and Princess.
Lorian was a Fremont. Similar to Duke Evrian, his family held power unlike any other as one of the two founding families of the Edarian Empire. Through the Fremonts' power in politics, they were regarded as the family who held sway with the other aristocrats of the empire. If Duke Evrian was the sword, Duke Fremont was the mind. He held power as the advisor of the Emperor and held a significant position of power over having sway on Imperial decisions.
Being his future Duchess, Lady Ciana would have had no problems with controlling the ladies of the Empire. With her future husband at such a high position, he doubts the other nobles would be impertinent enough to insult her birthright in front of her face. Not to mention although illegitimate, she was still the youngest daughter of Duke Evrian.
Hmm. Perhaps she does have her use, as well. Lorian was slowly coming on to the idea of Lady Ciana Evrian being his Duchess.
"You weren't hoping to elevate your status to a Duchess, is that it?" there was simply no way a woman like her had no desire to be Duchess.
At the mention of the word 'Duchess', Ciana Evrian became even more enraged. She snaps her fan back as she steps forward, closing the distance between them as her hands rolled into fists with barely controlled anger.
"If you have any qualms about this marriage, your grace, why don't you speak with my father, instead? As a woman of this empire, I have no power over the decisions my father makes" There was another emotion in her eyes, similar to hurt as she spoke those words.
"And even if I were to choose who to marry, I surely wouldn't choose a man like you, your grace" when she spoke those words, Lorian blinked in surprise. He eyes her in a new light as she calls the guard without missing a beat.
I surely wouldn't choose a man like you, your grace.
.
.
Wouldn't choose a man like you.
.
.
A man like you.
The words repeated on his mind like a broken record.
"His grace is feeling cold and wants to return, why don't you escort him back?"
"What about you, my lady?"
"This is our manor, surely no harm will come to me. Tell my father I will follow soon"
.
.
-
The last time Lorian was able to form an opinion of Ciana was when she returned to the receiving room. The guard dutifully escorted him back as an order from his lady, and during the time he was being escorted, Lorian took in on himself to regain his lost composure. He recalls the way she insulted him back to his face.
Lorian just couldn't believe it. Though people had insulted him to his face before, after he had finally established himself as the Duke of Fremont, no one dared to do such things anymore.
And although he had insulted her first, he couldn't have believed that she dared to retaliate.
Edarian societal rules don't allow for any form of retaliation from ladies of high society. Especially to men. They were expected to bow down to their husband and comply with their every wish. In fact, Edarian laws do not allow a woman to inherit any title, nor can they personally manage the financial affairs of their house. They weren't even allowed to own their own money. Their allowances must come from their husbands, and their husbands must not allow them to do help in state affairs.
Their duties lie in birthing an Heir and taking care of their children.
So it was not common, indeed, for a daughter of a Duke to insult him back to his face.
Though Lorian would admit that he indeed insulted her first.
However, he didn't expect that she would be insolent enough to bite back.
Interesting. She was certainly interesting.
When Ciana appeared at the receiving room once more, Lorian was in the middle of an agreement with him. It details the last deal Lorian made with Alixandre Evrian about the preparations for the wedding. The last thing that he would need to do now is to sign the contract. When Lorian and his aide skimmed through it, most of the clauses in the paper were reasonable. If anything, most of the clauses were favorable towards Ciana.
When Lorian glanced at the Duke, he was only given a calm and calculating stare.
The only thing that was included in the contract that made Lorian wonder was:
[15] Lorian Fremont shall not do any harm, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, directly or indirectly to Ciana Evrian.
It was a bit of a stretch, Lorian thinks. Surely, they weren't thinking that he'd be the type to hurt a woman, no matter how insolent Ciana Evrian had been to him.
After reading everything, his aide returns the paper back to him with a nod. Peter fixed his spectacle with a satisfied look on his face. In this engagement, Lorian would be getting access and shares to some of the diamond and gold mines that Duke Evrian owns. In addition to that, he shall be given a large plot of land in the southern region of Edaria. All in all, Lorian was going to be getting a lot just from an engagement.
If they were to be wed, Lorian would surely be getting more.
Secretly, Lorian smiles to himself.
Indeed, this marriage would prove most beneficial for him.
Lorian takes the pen that his aide gives him and signs all pages of the paper. Finally, after signing the last one, he turned his gaze to his future father-in-law and stood up from the couch, bowing his head deeply as a sign of respect.
"I thank you, Duke Evrian, for agreeing to this arrangement" he says, a blinding smile etched across his face as he shows his satisfaction openly.
Duke Evrian shook his hands, though he did not show any emotions to him. The older man nodded his head, before his attention was caught elsewhere. When Lorian followed his gaze, he sees the door of the receiving room agape as Ciana enters quietly. In an instant, Duke Evrian's demeanor changed as he offered his hand to his daughter.
"You're here, Ciana" and just when Lorian saw the hesitation in both of their movements, Ciana eventually placed her own hand on her father's.
"Yes, I apologize if it took a while. I had to freshen myself" Ciana doe eyes turn sharp as she casts a quick glance on Lorian.
Ciana might have hostility towards him now after the things he said to her at the lake, but Lorian's disgust towards her transitioned into sudden interest after the stunt she pulled earlier. "It is no worries, Lady Ciana" Lorian was the one to answer, and he took great satisfaction at the resentment in her eyes, though she was hiding it quite well.
Quite well, indeed.
"But I made you wait, your grace" there wasn't even an ounce of apology in her tone. And Lorian was deeply amused by it.
"Please, call me Lorian, my dear fiance" he bows his head as he speaks sweetly to her. He even smiles to show her that he bears her no ill will. But it doesn't seem to translate to the Lady at all. Ciana's response was pure disgust.
Lorian proceeded to speak. "And may I call you Ciana, my lady?"
"I think that'd be too informal, don't you think so, your grace?" and as Lorian expected, Ciana bites back once more. This hostile response caught the attention of Duke Evrian.
"Ciana" The Duke spoke and Lorian could see that her father wasn't reprimanding her at all. As if his daughter was a wounded animal, Duke Evrian's tone was gentle and warm.
Aina finally glares, her white-lilac eyes sharp as she looks him in the eye. There was a challenge in her gaze that Lorian was impressed by. But even if he wanted to bask in Ciana's rage, something else caught his attention. The setting sun behind them, and the fire of the blazing fireplace shadowed something in her neck. Her once pink-tinted lips were now a deep red, and as if she tried to erase the remainder of it, Lorian could clearly see hints of a reddish brown hue marked across her jaw and ended on her neck. They were swept in a clumsy manner, as if she tried to get rid of it immediately.
Dried blood.
There were no signs of any injuries across her pale skin. Which could mean that she had just vomited blood. Seeing how it began on her jaw and ended on her neck. Lorian was even more intrigued now.
When he gazes back down on her neck, Lorian was even more certain of what it was. Blood. Dried blood marked the skin of Lady Ciana Evrian.
And now that he notices, her black shawl wasn't with her anymore. After a quick glance around the room, his gaze landed on the blonde maid that stood by the door, the personal maid of Ciana. Wrapped around her arm carefully was the black shawl that Ciana had earlier.
And if Lorian were to grab it, he would find traces of blood in it as well.
He returns his gaze back to Ciana. Lorian smiles once more. "It's alright, your grace. Ciana must be nervous, that's all" he hid his growing interest with a wide grin, emphasizing her name carefully.
"It seems to be getting late, Lorian," the Duke coughs, breaking the tension between them.
"Of course, your grace" Lorian raised his own hand, though he already expected the response he would be given. And just as he expected, Ciana doesn't move her hand away from her father's.
And although Duke Evrian should have reprimanded Ciana now, there was an aura of satisfaction surrounding his stoic demeanor. "Ciana" he calls gently, and Lorian could see that Ciana wasn't going to be willing to back down.
"It seems Ciana is a bit shy" was all he could say. He chuckles to play it off, though there was a clear amusement in his laugh. And he became even more amused when Ciana seethed, gritting her own teeth when he called her 'shy'.
Lorian shook hands with the Duke once more, before they left the manor completely, already planning for the day in which he would meet Ciana Evrian.
And during his ride back to his own manor, Lorian Fremont would only have one thing in his mind.
The dried blood that marked the skin of his fiancée.