Chapter 17: Princess Airia

Irina is mad at me. Sigh… I didn't even have a choice, and that Duke insisted on staying. Also, he is right, we can't separate. It is uncomfortable for me as I can feel his pain. But, why? Why did he have to stay in my room?

"Get out!" I tried to push him out of my bed. He always sneaks in the middle of the night while I am sleeping.

"I can't," he made a cute face, how shameless! Where is the proud general? Where is the cold man?

"Yes, you can," I pointed at the door waiting for him to get out.

"Ughh! It hurts."

Again, with his act. He touched his chest with distress on his face. He has been at it for a few days and it is getting on my nerves. At first, I was worried but then I noticed his shamelessness.

"I won't fall for it. Get out!"

"Please Lucia, I feel uncomfortable."

I knew he felt weak and he was. His eyes were tired and with dark circles underneath, his gorgeous body was thin without energy. The enchantment took a lot from him. Still, he was recovering each day a little bit, all thanks to the medicine of my dear Irina. However, I had the hunch she wished for his quick recovery to then throw him out of the Mansion.

My dear Irina was angry. I can't blame her, she saw what happened that day. I've never seen her so mad before, not even when we were at the Count's house. Now, she is taking her little revenge on my food. She used to prepare the dishes that I liked the most and avoid the green things that were meant for the little victims of great predators like me. But now, she is serving me vegetables, lots of them every day. My dear meat, where are you? Goodness! I am a predator, I feed on the blood of innocents, well not that, but I must eat meat, and yet she gave me grass! What is that? How will I survive with just that?

"Ir… Irina?"

"Yes, Miss Lucia?"

"This?"

"Miss Lucia, you have to stop acting like a little girl, you should eat everything. It's for your own good."

"But…"

"Miss Lucia, I have to take care of your health, what would it happen if some parasite invades our home and you have to stay strong to prevent its attacks but you can't because of your poor health." She served me even more vegetables on my plate, but at least I had a little bit of meat, instead, the Duke had a full plate of green leaves, no meat. Heh, my dear Irina, how cunning.

"Sigh… Irina…"

I can see her murderous glares at the Duke. She was so angry when he, and his men, brought me home almost breathless, and when he forcefully stayed in my Mansion for the last few days. But when he insisted on sleeping in my room, of course, not in my bed, Irina almost lost it.

However, this man was also driving me crazy. His deep eyes were always following me. I refused to share my room and I tried to keep a respectable distance from him. But he simply ignored that and kept getting closer. What is he doing? Is he not a Duke? Doesn't he have a bunch of soldiers to order?

"Stop!"

"What?"

"Stop following me. I already let you in here even though you forced me, so stop!"

"I can't!"

"Goodness! I am leaving!"

"I am going too." He grabbed my hand but I threw him an angry look. "I… I am sorry." He let go.

"Whatever." I can't deny that my heart skipped a beat that instant and my ears burned so I had to walk fast for him not to see.

I took the carriage and left for the town. I wanted to visit the bakery shop where Ian and James worked. They were great chefs and good-looking young men that attracted many customers to the store. That's why I knew the store was doing great and, for sure, I as their boss have the privilege to get some free samples, not that I was a glutton, it is just a quality test… hehe.

"Why on earth are you inside the carriage?"

"I am too weak to ride a horse."

"No, you aren't."

"Yes, Lucia, I am."

Those eyes again, those enchanting blue eyes. Not that I missed them, but somehow I never parted from them, they were always stuck in my memory. Is this how the Lucia in the book felt?

Now he is smiling, and those beautiful dimples are showing off. I can even see myself drooling at his handsome face. How can a man be that enchanting?

"Aghhh! Stop!" This can't go on. I looked away.

Unexpectedly, the carriage encountered a stone in the road that made my body jump into his arms, how coincidental. We were so close, our mouths were almost touching, I bet time stopped, I am not lying, then I saw him smirk and lower his face little by little… my heart was jumping so wild.

Not so fast, heart, I won't forgive this man so fast. You are underestimating the memory of a young girl with a broken heart. This man should atone. I pushed him off before he could fool me again.

"We've arrived Miss Kobach."

"Thank you, Horace." My gentle driver stopped the carriage on time and opened the door for me.

I was about to step out when the Duke went down first and took my hand helping me.

"I am not that weak."

"I know, darling."

"I should be the one helping you."

"…"

"Is it not true? Your body is frail and delicate, you were so weak this morning." Heh… I mocked him, now you see, gorgeous man.

"Well, if you insist you can help me in another way, a most intimate way." He whispered in my ear.

"…" Shameless man!

I stepped on his foot with my high heels.

Then I walked to a cozy and warm cake shop. According to Madam Thorne, it has always been full of people from the town, then it became a common tourist spot and meeting place for the villagers and outsiders. The huge pink wood doors and the name "Thorne Pastries" in golden letters made the store a huge success, yet the increasing expenses on the Mansion and some debts from Madame Thorne's husband made them put on-sell the shop. Irina, however, saw the talent in the young boys and the potential from the selling spot and convinced me to buy it. I agreed on the spot, well I was eating with little Blaze all the pastries we found and became their number one customers. It wasn't a hard choice to make.

I was happily making my way to the store thinking about the whole bunch of pastries I would eat, but the moment I opened the door, my happy mood changed to a dangerous level of evilness. Some men threw and broke all the furniture and the fragments of dishes were scattered everywhere. I felt so sad seeing the delicious cakes destroyed on the floor. Who could do that to a delicious and innocent cake? Only a heartless monster.

The innocent customers were scared trying to escape and my two hard-working managers, Ian and James, were on the ground with several bruises on their faces.

"What is going on?!" My voice was terrifying, I knew I had it in me but I never used my scary voice in public. My shadows were excited.

Then the whole shop quieted down and the hoodlums that were destroying my shop turned around. However, the savage woman beating my people didn't stop even with my scary voice.

Great! Very well, I needed a perfect excuse. The moment I waited for so long has come. I was itching to beat someone. That damn Duke was now too weak, and Irina and Madame Thorne would get upset if I destroyed the furniture in the Mansion.

My feet moved quickly, almost floating towards that damn woman, and the very next moment she was sent flying to the wall.

Heh, I carved something on the wood.

"Princess Airia!"

"Princess Airia! Are you alright?"

The three men helped the woman from the wall. However, that was not enough for my revenge.

"Heh, you think you are safe? Horace, let the guards come and tend to the customers, we will pay for all the medical expenses and give them compensation. Also, bring Irina here to take care of Ian and James."

"Yes, Miss Kobach."

"Who do you think you are?!"

"How dare you beat Princess Airia? You are going to pay for this!"

"I don't care even if she is the Queen, she dares beat my people and destroy my shop, she is in my hands now and you too."

"What?!"

The three men looked frightened, even though they were knights, they were just trashing a commoners shop without many guards. They surely thought they could get away unpunished but... heh, they just don't know who they are messing with. However, I could see them also eyeing the man behind me, his terrifying gaze directed at them froze them completely.

"You should be thinking on a way to compensate me, or I would decide it for you, and I am very fond of blood, you see?"

The two men gulped and the third one holding the unconscious Princess was observing us meticulously. His deep gaze was on the Duke but then our eyes met. Somehow, I sensed some familiar feeling from his blood.

"Lucia?"

The Duke took my hand again.

"Take them to the Mansion."

The Duke had ordered his few knights to follow us and I knew they were near but I didn't mind it.

Just, when is he going to let go of my hand? I didn't allow him to hold it... damn disobedient handsome man...