Chronicles of a Maid

Carefully holding a porcelain cup in her hands, Lyner offered it to her father. “Here is your tea.”

Looking up her from her seat, her father, Leard narrowed his eyes in a somewhat ignorant way. “About time,” he scoffed.

“Careful, it’s hot,” she said as she placed it in his subtly shaky hands.

Again, Leard scoffed not so lightly. “Surprising since you took so long.”

Lyner bit her lips together in an attempt to make some kind of retort. It wouldn’t do her family’s reputation any good if she should get into a verbal argument with her father while attending a social event, now would it.

“…Well, at least you’re turning back to normal,” she couldn’t help but mutter though as she moved away to stand dutifully behind her father as he sipped his tea.

He could at least be a little bit grateful, though. After all, she had to go back into the kitchen in order to brew him some tea. At a social event like this, hot tea wasn’t exactly the drink of choice. He was still recovering from his illness, so he shouldn’t even be here at this party. But the word stubborn didn’t even begin to cover how determined he was to see his two ‘good’ daughters find a suitable husband.

Lyner was just there as an chaperon.

As soon as she had returned home, her sisters practically fled, leaving her to deal with their father. Being the eldest, it was her duty to see to his every need, even though they had staff members of their own. She couldn’t push her father’s outrageous demands on them, though. It wouldn’t be fair. They wouldn’t be able to deal with the cranky, cantankerous master. They would not be able to talk back without the fear of being fired hanging over their heads.

That was one thing that her farther could not do to her. He couldn’t disown her as she was too useful at the moment.

Glancing around at the social ball, Lyner felt a sense of longing, as well as boredom, wash over her. She also couldn’t help but feel a sense of envy and resentment. Her sisters were enjoying the ball, dancing and mingling with the other party patrons, laughing and having a good time while batting off potential suitors left, right and centre.

While she, on the other hand, was stuck being insulted and scorned by their prideful and brooding father.

It was something she had better get used to, though.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the room. Intrigued, Lyner glanced in the direction of the grand staircase that flowed down into the ball room. The stair case was the main entry and exit point of the room. It was obvious that someone rather important –and most likely highly rich- had just entered.

However, Lyner was surprised when it was Master Croix, Duke of Bartel, which effortlessly descended the stairs.

Immediately, she felt her heart skip a beat and a shiver of longing race down her spine. It had been a week since she had last seen him, a week since she had felt the pleasure of being in his arms. She was torn between wanting to see him again, to speak with him, and not wanting to. Seeing him hurt her chest, making her remember what she would never experience again.

As he reached the end of the stairs, Croix was almost inundated by ladies of society, all fluttering their eyes at him, practically throwing themselves at his feet, all while trying to gain his undivided attention. It made Lyner feel jealous and angry, but she had to bite her tongue. She did feel some relief when he deftly pushed past the ungracious hoard and began to look around.

A moment later his gaze collided with hers, making her heart skip a beat again. It all but stopped when Croix made a beeline toward her. Lyner tried her best to prevent a blush from spreading across her features and straightened her posture. She mustn’t make a fool of herself.

Completely ignoring her father, Croix greeted her first. “Miss Lyner,” he said, his voice smoother than she remembered as he held out his hand to take hers.

“Master Croix,” Lyner said with a smile as she lifted her hand and placed it in his, trying to stop herself from trembling when he unexpectedly, but in a gentleman like manner, kissed the back of her hand. “It’s…good to see you again.”

“And you,” Croix replied. And he sounded sincere, a small smile on his lips.

That made Lyner’s smile sincere as well. However, the feeling of joy she felt being reunited with her first and secret love, Croix, was ruined by her father making some kind of comment she didn’t quite catch. She could guess what he said, though, as she turned to look at him, finding him scowling at her. It was almost as if he was blaming her for something, as if it was her doing that Croix had approached.

“You seem to be doing well, Master Leard,” Croix commented, his tone sharp and terse, that sincere smile slipping from his lips.

Leard raised an eyebrow at him. “Just a minor ailment.”

“Something that set you back, no?” Croix retorted coolly.

Leard grimaced slightly before turning that glare toward Lyner once more. “...Don't just stand there, girl,” he practically sneered. “Where are your manners?”

Lyner winced. She knew what he was trying to do. In her absence, he would call for her two sisters in order to introduce them to Croix, hoping that he would pick one to become his wife. He had done that several times in the past. Whenever a rich and titled man approached him, Leard would send Lyner away so that pretty Misha and Aurica could get his undivided attention.

“Right,” Lyner said, unable to prevent herself from sighing in defeat. She then turned to Croix and offered him a forced, polite smile. “Master Croix, would you like some refreshments?”

Croix looked somewhat annoyed, but his gaze seemed to soften when he glanced at her. “Anything would be fine,” he answered, his voice quite gentle and understanding.

“I shan’t be long,” Lyner said as she bowed slightly and then made her way to the refreshment table.

Croix waited until Lyner was completely out of hearing range before turning to glare at Master Leard, the elderly man sitting straight and tense. He had always known that Lyner’s father didn’t think much of her, but he had no idea that he was so demeaning.

“…She’s not a servant, you know?” he hissed as he sat down in a chair across from him.

Leard huffed. “She worked as one. If that is how she wishes to be treated, then fine.”

Croix pressed his lips together in a thin line, his eyes narrowing further into an intense glare. “You should be more grateful for your oldest daughter's loyalty. And intelligence. If she hadn't acted, your two youngest daughters may very well be in abusive marriages now. All because your ‘minor’ ailment.”

For a few moments, Leard was silent and he almost looked remorseful. But he soon scoffed again, looking somewhat indignant. It was probably a blow to his enormous pride to realise that his eldest daughter was looking after him and her two sisters by taking the incentive and doing some work. As their father, it was his duty to look after them until they could be handed off in marriage.

“She is hardly a true lady,” he muttered.

“By society's standards, no,” Croix said. “But she is a true woman.”

Leard seemed to bristle at that. “A woman and a lady is the same thing.”

Croix was unable to prevent a sharp, dry laugh from escaping his lips. “Hardly.”

Another moment of silence washed over Leard and Croix took that time to look for Lyner. He quickly found her standing near the refreshments speaking to one of her sisters. She appeared as if she was trying her best to smile in a carefree manner, but it wasn’t reaching her eyes. The smile left her lips completely when Miss Luca brushed by her, purposely stepping on the hem of her dress. Lyner smiled tightly when Luca apologised insincerely before flicking her hair over her shoulder and gliding away, looking somewhat smug.

Instead of getting into a petty argument with the other ‘lady’, Lyner simply rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her sister.

“I do wonder how she became the strong woman she is today,” Croix commented as he turned his attention back to Leard, eyeing him off critically. “Especially with a prideful man like you as a father.”

Again, Leard bristled, his face creasing into a look of indignant and anger. “Do not get uppity with me, boy.”

“I am a Duke, if you have forgotten,” Croix snapped in response, truly sick of this man’s high and mighty attitude. “By the rules of society, which you seemed to love so much, I'm of higher rank than you.”

Leard’s indignity only grew, but a look of reluctant defeat appeared on his face. He knew what Croix said was true. “...What do you want? Are you here as blackmail?”

Croix scowled, feeling rather insulted by the accusation. “I'm offended that you would even suggest such a thing. No, that’s what others would do. I see you’re wasting no time in trying to find suitors for your daughters.”

“Misha and Aurica are of marriage-age.”

“What about Lyner?”

Leard gave a rather undignified snort. “What about her? No man of worth would want to marry that daughter of mine.”

Croix felt a strange and sudden urge to punch the other man in the face. But, as he was a gentleman, he wouldn’t do it. Not in a pack ballroom, anyway. “That's where you're wrong.”

Leard immediately looked sceptical. “Are you telling me that there is a man out there who is willing to marry my daughter, Lyner?” he asked him.

Croix nodded as he pushed himself to his feet to tower over the elderly man and looking him straight in the eyes. “There's a man right here.”

Leard was stunned into silence before he started spluttering incoherently. “...What?”

Finally getting away from her sister, Lyner made her way back to where Croix was still speaking with her father with a cup of fruit punch in her hands. But as she approached them, she couldn’t help but noticed how…frazzled her father appeared to be. Leard was slightly red in the face, looking frightfully indignant and surprised, while Croix simply regarded him with a cool gaze.

“...Is something wrong?” she asked, gaining their attention.

“Ah, Lyner,” Croix said, the coldness leaving his posture and expression. “We were just talking about you.”

Lyner felt slightly suspicious. And worried. She could just imagine what her father was saying about her. “Oh?”

“Come,” Croix suddenly commanded as he removed the drink from her hands and deposited it onto the table in front of Leard. He then took her by the hand and led her surprisingly toward the dance floor. “Dance with me.”

“Dance?” Lyner repeated, unable to hold back her surprise. “Ah, sure.”

Strange. He never willingly danced with anyone before. Lyner had known him for quite a few years, after all. She had never seen him dance before. He was pretty good. Well, better than her, most likely. Oh, she knew how to dance. Every lady had to learn, but she always felt so awkward and clumsy. Completely different to her perfect sisters.

As they reached the dance floor, Croix kept a firm grip on her left hand as he placed his right hand on her waist. Lyner felt her cheeks heat up in a blush as she placed her hand on his shoulder, allowing him to pull her far closer than the rules of society would allow.

It felt nice, though, as the two of them began to move, Lyner losing herself in the swaying motion of their bodies in time with the music. She also felt surprising comfortable. She had never danced with anyone before. Had no interest. But at least her first dance was with Croix, her first at everyone else so far.

“What were you and father talking about?” Lyner asked as they danced. “He seemed flustered.”

“I just commented that he seemed eager to get his daughters married,” Croix replied.

Lyner was unable to stop a sigh from passing her lips and she rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “That’s his mission in life, it seems,” she murmured. “Misha and Aurica would have no trouble finding a suitable husband.”

“What about you?”

Lyner simply shrugged in reply. She didn’t know how to answer that. She wouldn’t mind getting married herself – to Croix.

“What do you hope for in the future?” Croix suddenly asked her.

“In all honesty, I don’t know,” Lyner replied, feeling quite down and sad all of a sudden. “I liked residing at your estate.”

“Then come back.”

Lyner had to take a deep breath, her chest tightening uncomfortably. Oh, how she wished it was that simple. “How can I?”

Croix looked her straight in the eyes. “As my wife.”

Lyner blinked before almost stumbling over her own feet. “…What?”

“I’ll say it plainly,” Croix said as he continued to gaze into her eyes. “I want to marry you.”

“R-really?!”

Croix abruptly stopped dancing. But he kept a firm hold on her hand and silently, he led her away from the dance floor and onto a darken balcony where they could talk in private. Lyner followed, her heart thundering in her chest. She felt elated, while also slightly cautious. She would like nothing more than to marry Croix, but what about him and his reputation? Wouldn’t being with her earn him to scorn of many?

“Are you sure?” Lyner asked as she gripped Croix’s hands with both of hers, looking him straight in the eyes. “I mean-”

“You showed me what a true woman is,” Croix said, interrupting her and placing his hand over hers. “Do you really think I could possibly even stand speaking with these so-called ladies of society now? That goes beyond torture.”

“…Yes, I guess it would,” Lyner commented, a smile appearing on her lips. She suddenly felt the urge to cry though and she hastily wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand. The sudden outflow of feelings; happiness, joy, surprise was slightly overwhelming.

“Sorry,” she sniffled light, still smiling, as Croix also began to tenderly wipe away her tears. “I’m just so happy right now. I never…”

“You never thought you’d ever get married?” Croix answered for her, and she nodded her head once in reply. “No, neither did I.”

Croix then took Lyner into his arms, pressing her against his chest as he kissed her. Lyner was slightly surprised by the bold act, but utterly pleased nonetheless. She kissed back, pushing herself firmly against him. At this point, she really didn’t care if anyone should walk in on them. In fact, let them.

“I’m not very good with words, I’m afraid,” Croix said against her lips, keeping her close as possible.

“Neither am I,” Lyner replied as she wrapped her arms around his neck as they kissed again, this embrace as passionate and needy as the first.

Pulling back from the kiss, Croix held Lyner close, threading his fingers through her hair as she pressed her face against his shoulder. “I’ll take you away from your father. I’ll show you what a true man is,” he promised.

Lyner snuggled against him, smiling happily. “I already know.”

When they re-entered the ball room, there was a hushed whisper hanging over the party goers. They were gossiping amongst themselves, stealing glances in their direction in not at all subtle manner. Obviously, someone had overheard Croix’s proposal and had already spread the news. There were expression of shock, disbelief, and displeasure on their faces. Even Lyner’s own sisters seemed surprised by the gossip. And the fact that Lyner had her arm hooked through Croix’s and he was willing showing her off only added credence to the chatter.

Lyner glanced up at Croix, trying not to feel slightly intimidated by the glances. She was used to being looked at from the corner of everyone’s eyes as they haughty turned their noses up at her. And she couldn’t help but feel that some desperate marriageable miss or her mother would do whatever it took to disrupt this courtship.

“It’s fine,” Croix said to her as he patted her hand. “Let them look. Let them realise that what a man wants isn’t a perfect lady, but a real woman.”

Lyner couldn’t help smiling at that. She pressed herself closer against his side as they continued to walk through the gossiping onlookers. She glanced over to her father, finding him red in the face and looking quite flustered. He almost looked enraged, as if she was doing this just to get back at him or something.

She couldn’t help but sigh. She will never be anything more than a wild child in his eyes. Lucky that she wasn’t marrying Croix in order to redeem herself to her father in some way, wasn’t it?

“Croix!” A feminine voice suddenly called out.

Croix sighed before he turned to glance back into the eerily silent and still ballroom. Standing in front of a small gathering was none other than Miss Luca. Her face was creased into a look of anger and disbelief. Behind her was no doubt a group of her supporters, they too, utterly enraged that Croix would defy their expectations and develop feelings for someone else.

“What are you doing?” Luca asked him tersely, her slender form shaking with barely suppressed fury.

Croix raised an eyebrow. “Escorting my intended,” he replied rather dryly, as if it should be obvious. “Why do you ask?”

“…Intended?” Surprisingly, it was Aurica who spoke up. Lyner turned to her younger sister, finding her staring at her in disbelief. However, a moment later a slightly giddy expression appeared on her face and she smiled. “As in getting married?”

Lyner couldn’t help but smile. She was grateful that her sister seemed supportive. Her other sister, Misha might be slightly annoyed that she had found someone before her, but she, too would surely give her support. Her father would have no choice but to come around and accept. How could he say no to a Duke, after all?

The other ladies of the ton, however, won’t be at all pleased. If Luca’s expression was anything to go by.

Croix looked at Luca before sighing with a mild sense of annoyance. He then turned his piercing eyes around the entire room, as if daring anyone, anyone at all, to speak out against the Grand Duke of Bartel.

“If you’re going to gossip, so be it. But let’s get a couple of things clear. Yes, we are going to get married.” There was a soft muffle of suppressed gasps at that admission, but he ignored them and carried on. “And, no, it’s not an arranged marriage nor one of convenience. Now, excuse us; this will be the last pony show we will ever attend.”

Before anything else could be said, Croix whisked Lyner away to his awaiting car, his driver seemingly waiting for the two of them to appear. As Croix helped her into his car, Lyner shared a look with the driver, who in turn gave her a knowing wink.

A subtle action, but it meant a lot to her. For it meant that Croix had come to the ball with the sole purpose of finding her. And with his success at his ‘mission’, there was no point in hanging around further.

As the car began to move, Lyner pressed herself against Croix’s side and snuggled against him. She had never felt so happy before in her life. But there was more happiness to come, wasn’t there? After all, there was going to be a wedding!

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Lyner felt a sense of excitement wash over her. Once more she was situated just outside the grand gates of Bartel estate. She was re-entering the grounds of Bartel estate, not as a maid, but as a wife-to-be.

It would no doubt annoy her father something fierce for her to be getting married, to a Duke no less! It was beyond fathomable to him that the daughter, the one he had written off as a trouble maker and a bad seed, was actually the first of his three daughters to be getting married!

To be perfectly honest, Lyner was finding it hard to believe. She never in her life thought she would be getting married, especially to a handsome and wonderful man like Croix. Never thought that she would one day be referred as Duchess, or having an estate of her own.

But it was all true.

And she couldn’t be happier.

As Croix helped her from their car, the doors of the estate opened and staff members, whom Lyner had worked alongside of not too long ago, greeted her. They looked sincerely happy to see her, pleased that their new Duchess was someone who they knew would not use and abuse them. And Lyner was happy to see them as well, as she had become friends with many of them. And she hoped that they would remain friends, even after she married their master.

“…Lyner?”

Standing at the top of the stairs was Croix’s little sister, a look of shock and disbelief on her face. And yet she held a slight sense of hopefulness as well.

“Hello, Corona,” Lyner greeted warmly. “I’m back. And I’m going to be your future sister-in-law.”

Corona’s eyes widen considerably. “…Really?” she asked, turning her gaze to her brother.

Croix smiled sincerely at her as well as he slid an arm around Lyner’s waist, pulling her effortlessly against his side. “That’s right.”

Tears appeared in the corners of Corona’s eyes, but she was smiling so widely. “…Yay!” she cheered as she hastily raced down the steps, her arms open and welcoming. Lyner smiled as she took a step forward, opening her own arms. When Corona wrapped her arms around her waist, Lyner held her tightly.

“Welcome home!” Corona greeted warmly and brightly.

“Yeah,” Lyner smiled, tears of happiness forming in her own eyes as Croix joined the embrace, wrapping his arms around her as well. “I’m home.”

You know, the moral of the story was simple; be kind, be loving, be gentle, be protective, be assertive, be creative, be adventurous.

Most importantly, be a woman of your own making, not a lady of expectations.

Just be yourself.