13 Family Bonding

After Richards meeting with Linaris, the chief architect regarding the construction of his small mall — in which the size of it was 30m in length and 20m in width. The purpose of such a project was so he could have a surplus of income and a source of revenue for future projects but the mall will just be the first part for his massive plan, Baby steps.

Now that Richard is finished with the infrastructure; he quickly went to his drawers and flip pages of papers that were in folders. He made those modern looking folders so he could be a bit organize and the material that was made out of it was wood. He pick a particular folder that his personal guard, karsodian didn't even acknowledge since it would be another boring piece of paper with words he cannot comprehend.

'So whats next on the agenda?' Richard thought to himself and scrutinize through the contents of the paper with an eerie sneer in his face. It even caught the attention of his guard which was beside the timber wood double doors that were 6 ft tall. Karsodian quickly went ahead and stood next to his lord which he raised an eye-brow behind the helmet that was not from any of the knightage.

"Pardon my question Your grace but it is this... thing you have drawn? It looks queer in nature and yet it looks more like a massive and long tube shape that has large 2 wheels. Is it some sort of... I don't know... portable water dispenser?" Karsodian said in bewilderment as he didn't process what the picture gave off.

"And what is this slim wooden stick that has a hole with a long shaft? What are you even gonna do with this anyway?" He added, creating more confusion to his unfamiliar brain. Richard shrugged his shoulders and he gonna to say to him, that it was a sort of artillery and the slim stick is a musket for his future military reformation and other sorts of improvements.

But before he could say anything; he stopped and pondered what he was doing it for. He didn't realize it until then in which by now the person that he was in is not him at all. This body doesn't belong to me and this so called archduke of Isstvan act was supposed to be a facade. So that the people would think that he was still the same Richard Cromwell but after looking back at what happened he coolly spoke.

"Yeah... what am I even doing?" Richard grunted, putting his fingers towards his forehead and then slip into the strands of hair. Combing it like he was about pull it out of stress.

"Who am I really?" He added, creating more distress as he contemplates his decisions and thought of the time when a dark-eyed women that brought him into this mess.

"You are the Archduke of Isstvan. The prince of this city and its leader, don't you remember?" A soft voice was heard in the doorway.

Richard didn't realize someone was already in by the door. It was girl that was hanging her heads by edges of the timber wood double doors. Only showing half of her face. Richard then took a good look at the petite but curvy girl and knew it was Isabella. Richard sighed and stretched the muscles in his body since he was sitting there for hours.

'I need a break' he thought to himself.

"What is it Isabella, do you need anything?" Speaking cooly as he walks towards her.

She shyly pulls back as Richard comes closer to her, with a tint of flush. Which made her appearance cute and adorable in Richards eyes. I don't know why Richards father decided to adopt these two but he was grateful that he did.

"It's... can you... um..." Isabella stuttered, making her words fly only through her mouth. Richards leans closer and bends his back forward. Meeting her eyes as well as his.

"I'll say it again. *Groan* What can I do for you, little sister?" Richard repeated, as the words came out his mouth made Isabella blush.

*****

Inside the room of Isabella, she was sitting down on her dresser. Letting Richard do her brown hair. All she wanted was to bond with him after a long day of work.

She and Agnes have been away for so long that all that Isabella wanted was so she could play with Richard like they've used to. But what she didn't expect him to take the initiative, plus what is he doing to my hair really.

Richard comb her hair and wraps a hair tie around his wrist, then lifts it up to his dominant right hand and then wraps it up with a stretchy hair tie that he found under his drawer. Unbeknownst to Isabella, she doesn't know what Richard is doing or how is he even doing it.

He told her to close her eyes and open them when he was done. It made her a bit anxious since she won't know if Richard will do anything weird.

"Ok, you can open your eyes now." Richard said and before then, she slowly opens the gap of her eyes.

She saw the progress of Richard as she looks at the mirror in front of her. Isabella didn't have the words to say. It was something that bulge on the back of her head and swings it to see the rest of it.

As she turns her head, Isabella was astonish at what it appeared to be. It was her hair but it was lifted upwards and it gave off the appearance of a graceful feel. As she looked at herself in the mirror again, Richard on the other hand just smiles and proceeds to comb it.

"I didn't know you can tie hair like this brother..." Isabella said, remarking the result that Richard made.

"What? You don't like it?" He sarcastically replied.

"No, I love it, Richy!" She said, facing him directly as she turns her head to look at him with sparkly eyes. Richard in return, sighs and grins to look at her back.

"I'm glad you love it, Isabella." Richard said with a smile on his face.

He hasn't that this much intimate interaction in a long time after his arrival. I hope the rest of my family back in earth are fine. He even was worried that they might find him since he isn't in his original body, which means learning any new info to earth is impossible.

The smile in his face turned sour after he thought of the people back in earth. Seeing the grimace look Richard displayed. Made Isabella a bit anxious and confuse again. So she lighten him up as a reward for giving her a such a beautiful hairstyle with just two hands.

Although, Richard was contemplating on the things he had been through from all the days of this noble lifestyle. He has grown a custom to it but it was still strange for the most part. Adapting to this new environment took so much time to get used but thanks to his training in the SAS (Special Air Services) back when was still in the UK military.

He could quickly better grasp the situation at large since he has been mentally prepared for 6 years from his military career. Still having that frown look, that he still displayed. A pair of soft hands touched his cheeks and rubs them together.

Realizing that Isabella was in front of him, Richard tried to make an excuse but was locked onto her red eyes.

"Richy, what's been bothering you? You don't look like yourself." Isabella said in worry as she politely asked Richard.

But he didn't answered back to her and instead grabbed her hands in response. The feeling of the soft maiden hold, captivated him and puts him on a trance. Out of the things he saw on Isabella, this one made him aware of the situation he has put himself in.

The girl in front of him is not his family and she is not related to him either, which made another grim stare at Richards face but that made him realize another thing.

He was falling for them and it isn't a good sensation. The two sisters that the original Richard were already in love with him in as soon as they're father passed. But the real Richard is gone and John Akton has taken him away from this world. Whether he killed him or replaced him remains a mystery.

Stealing away the life of someone who was already in love the other party and what's worse is that they're unrelated siblings. I don't know if the consciousness of the real Richard is around but I am fairly certain he is nowhere to be seen.

While Richard was lost in thought; he feels something warm on his face like the air ascending from the sky. Isabella's face was so close to him that it's only mere centimeters away from his lips and her eyes were shut closed. As she comes closer and closer to his face. So he instinctively grabs her hands and took a sharp turns to the right.

Stopping her from ever making anymore skin contact. Isabella was taken aback that her flummoxed face had already said the words on her mind. Richard, feeling a bit guilt and angst; he decided to let go and walk towards the door.

"I must go, I have business to attend and I think my hands are quite full." He said in a shy kind of tone.

"But you promise to play with me!" Isabella said pouting her cheeks.

"Isabella... your already 18 and I'm in my 20s now. So it's better if you grow up." Richard said, giving her a grin before he could close the door gently.

Isabella on the other was not please and she even sat there for 30 minutes after Richards departure. She only stopped when Agnes came in her room just in time. After all she was here to check up on her and how she was doing since this is the timely hour she isn't engrossed on work like Richard.

Isabella immediately flung herself at Agnes when she came out of the door. Looking a bit surprised and relief it was her sister; she in return gave her a warm hug.

"What's the matter, Isabella? You don't always jump at me whenever I am exhausted for the day." Agnes nagged but Isabella didn't mind since she had been doing her best to have the both of them stay in the mansion. After all they are considered illegitimate heirs to the previous duke, Oliver Cromwell who sadly passed due to poison.

"It's about Richy. He hasn't been acting himself lately." Isabella said, tugging the skirt of Agnes.

"He has never been himself ever since his ascension to dukedom. How else would he recover if our adoptive parent died out of the blue." Agnes said in cold remark.

"Our father, Agnes..." Isabella retorted, squeezing her grip on Agnes skirt.

Agnes on the other hand just scoffs it off like it was nothing. But she didn't want to aggravate her sister further, so she just hugged her in and puts her shoulder over to Isabella. When she puts her over though; she noticed that a part of her hair was hanging like a horse tail and it was strikingly and strangely enough, Gorgeous in Agnes eyes.

She scrutinize every detail of the strange hair style that her sister was giving off. Isabella then noticed the bemused face that Agnes was obviously showing. So she grins and leans on her; in order for Isabella to tease her.

"Do you want know who made it?" Isabella said with her cheeks flushed in red and stares down at the marble floor.

"Yes, because its certainly not your work." Agnes said she goad at Isabella's question.

Isabella though didn't respond but she instead stands up, letting go of Agnes embrace and went to her bed. She pats the mattress as a sign for Agnes to sit here and she'll give in. Agnes being the rational and most reserved person, went ahead to follow what Isabella said.

She sat next to Isabella and bents her arch so she could hear her closely as if someone was around to hear them. Isabella puts her palms into Agnes' ear and slowly said 2 words.

"It's Richard." She whispered softly. Making Agnes perplex as to the answer she was given.

"Why?" Agnes asked and looks at her sister for more answers but Isabella just shrugs and gives her the 'I don't know' pose.