A Letter

What the actual fuck did I just read?

I flipped the paper in my hand frantically, looking for more bullshit he wrote to me. I found a sentence at the bottom, "Burn after reading" in an elegant handwriting.

"What the fuck was he thinking?" I mumbled to myself as I regarded the letter. If he had not asked me to burn it, I would've understood the reason why he had been so poetic, but burn it? Why did he want me to burn it? Why did he even write to me with such passion and longing?

I could hear my heartbeat in my head, I ordered it to quite it down. This was downright embarrassing!

How dare he insult and humiliate me, then abandon me for a whole month, only to send a love letter afterward with no explanation?

What's worse is that he had used me without my knowledge. I was about to go seek Nasir's help regarding the information I had just obtained, but I know not if it was a good idea afterall.

All this time, I had thought that Hebron became the duke by natural succession, he never seemed like the power-starved type. To know that he had committed such crimes to reach a position he had showed no prior interest in is terrifying to me. What else would he like to covet for himself? What kind of crimes was he committing while I'm lounging here?

What was bothering me even further was that he had omitted such facts from my knowledge while we plotted our back-story together, was I considered his partner in crime? My head was spinning with doubt.

I sat on the floor by the fireplace, hesitant to burn the letter. Why did I agree to his story? Why did I tell my brothers that I was in contact with him while he murdered his family? Why did he allow me to tell them knowing I'd be betraying my family as well? Did he want them to foresee it? Was he planning on betraying me and presenting my head to the Tanerian throne?

I felt so dumb and naive. Why did I trust him in the first place?

No. I refuse to let him play me.

I regarded the list he sent me, three names were stacked neatly one above the other.

The first read "Morty", no title nor occupation written besides it. "How fun." I muttered to myself in a frustrated voice, he rained trouble on me then handed me some homework to do.

"Where in hell am I supposed to find this Morty?" I questioned.

Moving onto the second name, "Cordelle, a rented maid working in laundry" I read, she must've been the one who had approached me earlier with the letter in the basket.

And lastly, "Axel Christoffer". I read the name again, wondering why it was spelled weirdly and why he included him. I assumed Axel was the most obvious route my messages would take, maybe I could use him as a distraction?

Gathering the papers in my hands I decided to meet Nasir again. I would not let the duke manipulate me as he wished, even if it meant being alone in a fight against all parties.

***

"What letter?" Nasir asked, his eyebrow arching as he rummaged through his desk.

One thing about my brother, was that he could be the most organized person on the face of earth yet he always managed to lose his stuff. Military training or not he still did not know how to put his belongings somewhere he could find them in later.

"The one I sent father when we had first arrived!" I cried, frustrated with his laid-back demeanor.

the crease between his eyebrows deepened, "You must be mistaken, Huaria. Father had clearly stated in his letter that you did not write him like you had promised, hence his worry."

"No, I'm telling you, I wrote him a letter as soon as possible. In fact I wrote to him when I left your room after we did the damage-control talk with Amo!" I crossed my arms while I prepped my feet on one of the pillows on the couch. I did not see the reason behind having a couch in the middle of an office, that did not stop me however from claiming it as my resting place whenever I passed by my brother.

"Read for yourself." He said as he handed me a neatly folded letter.

I took a deep breath, then scanned the letter as fast as one could, till my eyes read:

'I would like an update regarding Huaria's relationship with Alexander Of Esteria. I would've loved to discuss the issue personally with your sister, but I take it she is occupied with her work.

Urge her to talk to me, She would not take the news of her beloved's passing that easy. Be there for her.'

"My beloved?" I asked him, "Did something happen to the duke? Does the emperor know about him?"

Nasir regarded me silently for a minute before answering, "No, and no. Didn't you come to see me to talk about the duke?" he inquired.

I rose up hastily, "That can wait. Now tell me, what does father mean by her beloved?" I asked as I hugged a pillow to my chest, the tension in my heart growing.

"He was speaking about Khaleel, the man you were planning to marry." Nasir informed me as he sat by me, elbows on his knees as he interlocked his fingers and squared his shoulders.

"Khaleel? Why all of a sudden?"

"You do not seem as hurt by the news of his death like hid majesty had anticipated." he stated, a fact and not a question.

"Of course I'm not hurt. I shall pray for his soul and give charity in his name. He was an honorable man." I responded.

"But?"

I sighed, "But I did not have the time to know him on a personal level. Why whine and fret?"

He nodded once, "Yes. It is sad but what else can we do."

"Yes, what else but speak about another possible candidat?"