Unknown 01

Eight years later…

The galloping horses shook the earth as Cailina held onto her horse's reins. Her lips formed in a grin as another victory would be added to her records. She looked behind and saw Lai struggling to catch up with her.

"My Lady, I like to offer a deal," he said. He rushed his horse beside his Lady.

She rolled her eyes at his words as it was another trap she would never fall into again. It was his fault for suggesting to have a race instead of the customary morning stroll. He dares to offer deals when he couldn't make his horse gallop faster.

She left dust for Lai to eat. A giggle left her lips as she alighted her white horse. A predestined victory. She patted her favorite horse; he was always competitive when it comes to Lai.

Fione handed a towel to her master. She has served the little lady with all her heart up to the moment she turned to a lady.

"Congratulations, my Lady," Lai bowed, without the sign of dissatisfaction as it was always a pleasure having a competition with his master.

Cailina nodded and handed the reins to a stable boy. Another day of her life in the fief, far from the social circle her mother attends. A bird hid away from the raging winds of the empire. She dropped the light expression after wiping her face, it was time for official work.

The sun shone its glory over the mansion. It never changed, even after the storm that shook its gem. The same daunting mansion that looked down on the rest of its control.

Cailina changed into her indoor work clothes and headed towards her study with Fione behind. It was another day of burying herself under piles of documents.

She pushed the doors open and was met by Aris sitting with a book in his hand. The puppy has grown into a fine young man that could steal every lady's heart. His features rid of the childishness that he used to carry were replaced by a sharp gaze and a learned smile.

"Did my Lady had fun?" he asked, flipping another page.

Aris held himself back from hugging Cailina as soon as she walked in. The scent of that bug lingered with her own and it made his wolf jump from one place to another. He pursed his lips and looked at his Lady.

Receiving no response besides a small smile, Aris placed his book down and went to his Lady's side. He breathed in Cailina's comforting scent. His raging heart comforted with her presence.

"I assume that another triumph against the bug?" he smiled.

Cailina gave him a look, "Must you always call him a bug?" she walked towards her desk, "You do remember how much you defended him."

Her puppy crossed his arms and looked away. She overlooked Aris sulking face and picked a document, "Any letter?"

Aris nodded and handed the tray, "It was from His Highness."

She took the letter, unaware of her puppy's gritted teeth. She sat and slashed it open. This was the first letter she has ever received from her fiancé. The sugary pleasantries the letter displayed were scanned pass-through by Cailina.

Their engagement has yet to be officially announced and here she was, reading another passive apology that the Crown Prince's return from the neighboring kingdom has been pushed back. On the bright side, she was personally informed this time rather than hearing it from her father.

She placed the letter inside her drawer and picked up a pen. Her father has finally entrusted her with a few managerial works within their fief. She supervised a small part of the trading of the duchy. The workload doesn't burden her, but her overdramatic mother habitually barged into her study and she would be here by a minute now…

The doors opened as Duchess Grandis entered with her lips pulled up and brows knitted together. Cailina paused her writings and went over to greet her mother.

"Mother," she planted a kiss on both sides of her cheeks, "What brings you here?"

She assisted her mother in a seat. Aris dismissed himself to fetch tea. Duchess Grandis eyed the puppy as he left the room. She looked at her daughter, "Why is that dog here, alone with you?"

Cailina patted her mother's hand, "We're not alone, mother."

"A maid doesn't count," her mother fanned herself, "News about your fiancé?"

She told her mother about the letter, but not all of it as some confidential contents were given to her by His Highness that she would look into further later. Duchess Grandis almost fainted as her daughter's right to put the ladies with wild imaginations into place was pushed back for the hundredth time.

Her daughter should be picking wedding gowns designs, but instead buried behind piles of documents like her father! Duchess Grandis couldn't rest when her precious was being treated like this. The Prince was deliberately extending his absence when his position was already been shaken.

She ranted her heart's grievances to her daughter. She would never leave her daughter's side until the Prince would give a reasonable excuse for delaying such a blessed union.

Cailina calmed her mother with the tea Aris served. She could only smile at her mother to lessen her over the top assumptions and worries. Her mother's mind was capable of thinking that the Prince has a hidden affair as to why he was unable to return to his homeland.

The Prince was simply cleaning up a few messes the Emperor ordered him as part of his "training." She confirmed her guesses of Elior's well-being in a faraway kingdom. He would have either swung his blade over a few necks or being harassed by foreign nobles.

Cailina coaxed her mother into leaving her alone with a contented heart. Duchess Grandis was easy to pacify, words of she would marry and shopping would do the trick. She closed the door with a breath of relief.

She returned to her desk and work on the interrupted documents. Aris observed his Lady in the side, his heart unable to rest. He bore his gaze to her until she finished her work. He followed behind Cailina as usual, never again being able to walk beside her.

He stared at his Lady's back as her hair swayed with her movements. The little lady that he would hug and chat with for hours have become a young woman placed on the highest mountain that he could no longer reach.

He has been feeling these emotions for a while, even himself doesn't understand it. Maybe he was simply getting emotional of the memories that would never happen again. Aris accompanied his Lady to the library, this was her day composed of; a morning stroll, official work, and reading until the sun would sleep.

She never has any tea party to attend or friends of her age to gossip with. Aris was glad for it, at least other competitors of his was Cailina's work and books. He nodded in his heart; he was satisfied with how the things fall into their proper places.

His Lady having friends would place his position in her heart be replaced, and worst he would be kicked out of the mansion he now considers as his home. Aris kept all of his thoughts only to himself, even he has no friends after residing in this residence for years.

There was no other person he could trust other than his Lady.

He stood by his Lady's side as she flipped away her time. The comfortable silence ended as Cailina abruptly closed the book causing her puppy to widen his eyes. She stood and turned to Aris, "I wish to be alone."

Aris looked at the door with a half-closed mouth and a creased forehead. He was sure he didn't try to close their distance as he tried a month ago which earned an hour of reprimanding and reminders. It looked like his Lady have troubles that she refused to share.

He went to his room with a heavy heart and met Lai on his way. The bug has the signature curved lips that annoyed the rationality out of him. He walked past him, but was stopped by Lai's remark.

"How are you doing, my Lord?"

Aris stopped his tracks and faced the bug, "I'm faring well."

Lai nodded and bowed. He left before he would receive another punch on the face, his Lady's puppy surely has a temper, but it was still amusing that Cailina never saw his explosive behavior. He only took one look at the pitiful dog and he knew a great change would happen soon.

-

Cailina read the Prince's letter once again. She has been staring at the contents for how long has it been. She tapped her fingers on the table and sipped her tea to clear her mind from clouded judgments. What could the Prince want?

"Befriend the Imperial Earl's missing daughter."

She closed her eyes and her hand supported her head. This would take a while to complete. Why can't her fiancé be like what her mother told her about? In that way, she has fewer worries and would not socialize with other noble ladies.

The letter in her hand remained the same, no hidden message for her to decipher. She straightened her back and accidentally spilled her tea on the letter as she waved the soaked paper.

Cailina noticed new markings, her eyes widened.

"Assist the Temple."