The return of the Grand Duke's troop

Two weeks had passed since then. Although Lady Sarah still taught me etiquette, as per my request, she didn't exhaust me. Instead, she truly became more amiable. As for my other instructors, they couldn't really pick on me that much since my results were good.

"Where are you going?" I turned my head to my dear brother, Yves. He approached me from my side, glancing at the carriage in front of me.

"I'm taking Lady Marsella out, second young master," Lady Sarah explained, and Yves stopped beside me. 

He planted his hand on his hips, nodding in understanding before shifting his eyes to me. "Where are you going? Should I escort you?" 

Really… did he have to monitor everything I did? Ever since that night, Yves would accompany me every once in a while. 

"Should I wait for you?" I asked, hinting to him he shouldn't make a delicate lady such as myself wait. 

"I can go out with this." Yves shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly before raising a hand and snapped his finger to catch the attention of the servant nearby. "Grab my coat and make it quick." 

I mentally rolled my eyes as I glanced at Lady Sarah. The corner of my eyes twitched seeing her blush.

'This woman… she's already married, but still looks at my brother with such desire in her eyes?' I shook my head and let out a faint sigh. 'Whatever. I just hope Yves wouldn't start an affair with a married woman.'

Once the servant returned with Yves' coat, we rode the carriage and set off to a cafe near the heart of the Capital. Yves perched across from me while Lady Sarah was beside me. 

My brows furrowed as he was just staring at me in silence. His arms crossed with his leg resting over the other. I didn't ask him the reason he was staring at me, but instead I stared back at him.

'Now that I look at him, Yves is quite charming.' I thought. 'Not that I see him as a man, but I couldn't blame Lady Sarah for blushing with the thought of spending a day with him.'

Marquess Ross's genes were good, so it was no surprise that his sons and daughters were good-looking. Even I am couldn't believe how lovely Marsella was. 

"Sister, your complexion is good now," Yves spoke, breaking the prolonged silence between us.

That was because I was taking care of myself. "Thank you, second brother." I smiled weakly and turned my eyes towards the window. 

I didn't want to waste my energy on Yves, knowing I'd lose some brain cells the more we converse. I'd rather preserve my energy since I would welcome my fiance back to the Capital.

"You're curious about your fiance?" 

I flinched upon hearing Yves' sudden inquiry. I slowly shifted my eyes to him, blinking in surprise as I didn't expect him to know. 

Yves nonchalantly turned his eyes towards the window. "There's no reason for you to go out if not for that."

"I'm curious what my fiance looks like," I muttered, although I am well aware my fiance would be wearing a head armor as if he was going to war in the Capital. 

"There are only a few people who had seen his face," Yves uttered, which I already knew. "They said he doesn't like to show his face publicly, so you might not see what he looks like."

"Even so, I want to see a glimpse of him before we get married." 

Yves glanced at me, eyebrow raised. "Will you really marry him?" 

"Do I have a choice?" I tilted my head to the side. "I think his highness also doesn't have a say in this since it's His Majesty's orders."

"Aren't you afraid that he will mistreat you?" 

I couldn't help but let out a ridiculing scoff, hearing those words from him. "Is that something new, second brother?" 

He pressed his lips into a thin line as his jaw tightened. He averted his eyes and said nothing anymore. 

"You don't have to concern yourself about this marriage, second brother," I muttered after casting him a quick look. "I will live quietly and do my duties as a wife. I won't embarrass our Ross Family."

"That's not… whatever."

Silence filled the entire carriage ride as neither of us spoke anymore. Yves would constantly cast me a look, but I ignored it. Although I found him amiable among the members of the Ross Family, Yves didn't have the same authority as the first son, Augustus Ross. 

'He is a strong knight, but that's all that. He's a fool. I can't stake my bets in the hands of a fool.' I thought as I glanced at him, but immediately averted my eyes as soon as our eyes met.

****

The three of us ate at the restaurant's balcony as we watched the people slowly gathered at the plaza, while the troops of the archduke had arrived at the capital. From this vantage point, we didn't need to squeeze ourselves with the crowd.

"Oh." I perked up upon catching a glimpse of someone riding on his steed, but couldn't see it properly, as he needed to move forward a little more.

"You will fall if you tiptoe so much." Yves placed his hand on my shoulder, causing me to flinch in surprise. 

I slowly shifted my eyes to him. "Second brother?"

"You will see him, anyway. Just be patient," he said, pressing my shoulder down until I stopped tiptoeing. 

As he said, the troop continued the parade until my eyes landed on the man wearing a full black armor while riding his steed. Murmurs from the crowd, along with the cheers, rang across the entire plaza, but that man didn't even budge.

I rested my elbow over the railing, propping my jaw with my eyes fixed on that man's figure. 'Even from this distance, I can feel his intimidating aura.'

My eyes marveled at the sight of the man I was ought to marry but jolted when he spun his head in my direction. 'Did he look at this way?' I wondered as I felt he looked directly at me. 

Was it just my imagination? That must be. There's no way he would look at me, right?

***

Little did Marsella know, she wasn't mistaken when the man she was staring at gazed back at her. Despite the distance, he had sensed the indistinct gaze from her direction — from her, to be precise.

'She is smirking.' He thought, making the side of his lips hidden behind his armor curl up. 'I felt her excitement… I wonder what makes her so excited.'