1 The Beginning

Right now, I hate myself for being here with him.

His gaze makes all my hair in back, woke up. I feel no butterflies fluttering in my body, instead I feel sick in my stomach.

Thank God, I haven't eaten much so I couldn't throw up. I cannot throw up in front of the most handsome, notorious and ruthless General of all Kingdom.

When he started walk towards me, I'm wavering inside. My mind shouted 'RUN!' while my body frozen in time.

I cannot move a muscle, I just standing there like a mannequin.

"Hi." His voice booming into my ear. Ringing like a tambourine. Wake me up from my trance-like gaze.

I'm lifting up my eyes to his and I was cursed myself for being mesmerised by his presence. My God, he's a fine man.

There's no smile in his face, but instead a sharp laser eyes bored into my soul. I'm quivering with fear but I try to compose myself and said a crisp hello to him.

"Can I have this dance?" he asked as he extended his gloved hand.

I wanted to run for my life, but I find myself lifted my hand into his.

A small smile appeared in his face as we walked into the dance floor. The band playing some music I can't remember the song, but I know that this ruthless General can dance.

He took me by the hand as we swirled and dance while the band playing the tunes. We danced away by the sweet melody through the room.

All eyes fall into us; a handsome General and a beauty who doesn't existed before.

I am a nameless, powerless noble woman nobody knows about.

I was nobody. No man interested in me.

There is no noble family who in their right mind would take a girl as a daughter-in-law from a low concubine. I am a love child who grew up in the shack, near a beautiful grand castle.

I've never set a foot in that castle before. It is forbidden for me to walk into the castle even though my father as a Duke.

It as all before it happened.

The fateful night when a man came knocking my door.

*

I was cooking dinner when I opened the door, standing there a boy as my age, a pale skin and eyes as blue as mine staring with judging gaze.

I looked back at him and asked, "How can I help you?"

I can tell by the outfit he's wearing, he came from a noble family. No man from a working-class family wearing silk and skin boots.

"Are you Celeste?"

How does he know my name?

"Y-yes." I feel something in my guts telling me that I would not like the next words coming from him. And my guts always right.

His next words shook my world apart, my heart stopped for a moment when he introduced himself, "I am your brother, Archibald. You need to come to the house. Father wanted to see you."

"Fa-father…?" I can't comprehend the word. What did he mean by father? His father?

As if he can read my mind, he continued, "Our father."

My mouth fell on the floor. He's not kidding! He means the Duke?!

The Duke wanted to see me?!

"Come, quick. We don't have much time left." He grabbed my hand and pull me out of the door.

"Wa-wait, what do you mean 'we don't have much time' …. Sir?"

"Call me Archie. Father is dying. He wanted to see you before he dies."

What?

For all my 25 years on earth, he wanted to see me when he's dying? What a father!

There's a carriage waiting for us. Archibald helped me into the carriage and order the horseman to take us to the castle.

For twenty minutes ride, we don't exchange any pleasantries. I can sense the grim mood from Archibald. He lost in his thoughts, his gaze wandering into the dark woods as we passed the road to the castle.

The Castle of Carrington is the second most beautiful castle in the Kingdom, beside the Grand Castle where the King and Queen lived.

I was so baffled by the look of it. My eyes are open wide looking all the glamour, glorious, beautiful castle I always dreamt about.

"Come quick, Celeste." He called my name as if he's calling my name of all his life. It was easy for him to take a girl from her shack and call his sister.

I was stumbling beside him as we walked into a room.

There he was, lying on the spacious bed I've ever saw in my life. His eyelid opened slowly when Archie announced, "Father, I brought her. Celeste."

His blue eyes, the same as mine and Archie's open and meet mine. I was trembling under his sight. I cannot produce a sound, let alone a word. I was just standing there, awkward poor woman before these noble people.

"Ah, Celeste …. Come, my love."

Who did you called 'my love', Old man?

The Duke lifted his finger and pointed at me, asked me to go further towards him.

I hesitated.

Archie nudged me. Making a gesture for me to walk to his father, erm… our father.

Again, I was stumbling in my left two feet towards the bed. I hit the bedpost and instantly, I was apologized for being clumsy "I'm sorry, my brain and feet can't cooperate sometimes."

I heard a soft laugh from the Duke. His eyes lit up for a brief moment before he coughed blood.

I panicked, so as everyone in the room. I'm trying to help him as much as I can, but Archie, being a 'good' brother, pulled me from the scene to let a doctor took care of the dying Duke.

"He's trying to talk to you. Stand still and listen, don't make a stupid move, God damn it!" Archie barked in a low tone at me.

I nodded. I didn't know what I'm doing wrong, but I just nodded to him.

He released me and doctor called me. The old man with grey hair gestured me to go to the Duke one more time.

I'd do what I'm told. I stand still beside his bed, being a good girl, listening every word he said.

"Celeste …. For now on, you are in my Will. I give you my name and a piece of land. I'm sorry for being an absent father to you. Only my inheritance and family name I can offer you. Forgive me, my child. I wish I can meet you sooner…"

He smiled at me and closed his eyes.

For ever.

*

And it was just a beginning of a disaster.

Another shocking event occurred just a year after the Duke passed away.

Archibald, who inherited most of my father wealth, attempted to thrown down the crown.

A stupid, idiotic coup.

He started a war and lost the battle.

The General, this handsome, ruthless general who dances with me right now is the one who captured Archie.

The dukedom my father given me is useless now. His own blood stained the noble family name and risked all our heads chopped off.

Archie committed a crime that cannot be forgiven, unless…

I, as the only daughter of the Duke, taking the job to regain the King's trust.

But to gain the King's trust, I have to face his right-hand man.

The General.

William the Conquerer.

Will I be able to capture his cold heart in order to save my stupid brother and the rest of family from the death sentence?