My encounter with the Duke

THREE YEARS AGO:

"Pray, Alis, are you certain that we can be here instead of concluding our needlework?" Penelope enquired with a hesitant tone.

"Hush, we are not far from the main palace, so we must ensure that no one finds us. Estelle, assist me in lifting this." she said, as they both lifted a decrepit plank of wood, unveiling a tiny hole leading to the palace gardens.

"We have arrived! No more embroidery for the day!" Estelle exclaimed.

"Oh, it is not that far. I was unduly anxious... Now that we are beyond the confines of the palace, let us engage in a game of hide and seek. Alis, you shall be the seeker," Penelope proposed.

"What? No! We have not yet drawn lots -" Alis began, but before she could finish, they were already scampering for a hiding place.

"Very well, but both of you shall owe me a portion of your dessert later!" Alis exclaimed.

"Agreed!" they both replied, hastening away.

Some time later:

"...ninety-eight...ninety-nine...one hundred! ready or not, here I come! The one i find first owes me a bigger portion!".

She scoured every nook and cranny - under the bridge, amidst the shrubs, and inside the greenhouse. Nevertheless, they were nowhere to be found. She continued her search but was interrupted when she espied the palace maids hastening towards her.

"Your Highness! So that is where you have been. Madame Dubarry has asked us to search for you. The two have already returned to the palace, so it is time for you to do so as well," the maids said. However, the princess was disinclined and made an attempt to flee.

"Caught already? Impossible! Our playtime has only just begun," Alis exclaimed.

"Princess! Please slow down! You might trip and fall!" The maids all chased the princess as she sprinted the palace gardens jocundly. She ran carefree as she felt the warm sun and calm wind brush past her cheeks. She enjoyed the little chase with the maids and managed to shake them off as she hid herself up the tree.

She sat there, wondering how long it would take for the maids to spot her. However, they all panicked and ran off to search for her elsewhere.

"I guess I found myself a new escape spot." she whispered to herself as she grinned.

They were still unable to find her, which eventually made her bored. Suddenly, from a short distance, she saw the King, her father, taking a stroll in the garden as well, but beside him was a young man who she had seen for the first time in the palace.

Nevertheless, he was unlike any other man she had ever seen, possessing a certain air of distinction and individuality that set him apart from the rest.

Despite the cold and aloof nature of his demeanor, a certain enchantment emanated from the gaze of his eyes. As the sun shone down upon him, he appeared to transform into a prince straight out of the pages of her cherished storybooks.

She gazed at him with rapt attention until, with a fateful slip of her hand, she tumbled down from the tree branch and into the arms of her prince.

The king was rendered speechless, completely taken aback by the sudden appearance of his daughter. The young lad beside him as well stood there in bewilderment with a young maiden in his arms. "My word!" the king cried out, his voice filled with concern. "Alis! What are you doing out here?!"

"Prince Charming! You truly are my prince!" she exclaimed, her face flushed with emotion. The young man stood there, still holding the girl in his arms, but now facing the King with a look requesting help.

"My dear child, please come down at once. It is impolite to behave in such a manner," he sighed as he lifted his daughter from the boy's embrace.

"Young Duke, please accept my apologies on behalf of my daughter. She can be quite spirited at times, and I hope you don't mind her vivacity." the King continued, his tone apologetic yet sincere.

"Your Majesty...." he paused for a while. There is no need for apologies, I can not thank you enough for the help you have offered until now as well. Also, i believe I owe an introduction to the young lady here." The boy turned towards the princess and gently kissed the back of her hand.

"I greet the Flower of the Florence Empire, Princess Lysandra Alis Fleur. I am Ansel Allasdair from the Allasdair Duchy, and it is a pleasure to make your aquintance."

"Duke..." she whispered with a flushed face.

"Now I believe you should be having your lessons now. Where are those tiny accomplices of yours."

"Your Majesty, we apologize we will escort the Princess back to her lessons now." The maids approached.

"Hmm, yes, off you go, Alis, I shall join you for dinner later, Father is busy currently."

"Ah, I apologize, Father, and Duke Alasdair about the behavior I just showed, I will excuse myself now." Saying this, she blushed as she ran back to the palace.

"Unpredictable child." The king smiled as he stroked his beard.

"Ah yes, Alasdair, there must have been something urgent if you requested an audience right after the expedition. Is there something I should be notified about?"

"Your Majesty, the area surrounding the mana mines have been filled with monsters recently, and the troops can't keep up with the defense, so I was hoping for the Royal palace to request the Mage's tower to send few help to the soldiers there."

"Hmm, if I recall well, the Mage's tower had connections with your father. What has happened to it now." The King enquired.

"About that, after my father died, the support from the Mage's tower has stopped, and I have just recently inherited the Duke title, so the mage tower refuses to aid the Duchy. Therefore, I have come for you, your Majesty."

"hahhh, Aljendro would be displeased to hear about this. I am glad you came to me. In the future, if you ever need help again, come straight to me. I shall send Archduke Palen to deal with this, but for now, let us go in and resume our talk about the mines." Saying this they both proceeded into the palace.

Meanwhile, back at the embroidery class:

"Imbeciles! How many times have I told you three young ladies to finish your work before scurrying to other work? You three will be debuting in less than three years, yet still unable to walk in a ladylike manner. I have yet to teach you three about the..." and it went on for another hour until break.

"Madame Dubarry talks a lot. I believe she was unable to speak in her previous life , and she uses this life to the fullest."

"That's a funny one, Estelle, and I bet if she were to be turned into an animal, it has to be her parrot that she keeps with her all the time." Penelope continued, and as they both complained, they pictured the red beak of the parrot resembling the dark red of Madame Dubarry's lips, burst out laughing, but Lysandra remained silently daydreaming.

"Alis? Anything bothering you?" they asked, concerned, and she finally snapped out of it.

"I met my Prince today!." Lysandra burst out her thoughts.

"Who else will you meet in the palace. The only time you can meet someone is in the capital, and you don't ever leave the palace, unlike both of us." said estelle.

"I know, I know, but today I met the Duke!" Lysandra declared.

"You mean your uncle, Duke Palen?" Penelope commented.

"Not him, of course. I heard my father call him Duke Alasdair. Have you guys ever met him?" Lysandra asked curiously.

"I have only ever heard of him when my parents went to the previous Duke's funeral last year, but I have never met him personally before." Estelle stated.

*Oh, his father recently passed. He must be grieving.* Lysandra thought to herself

"Neither have I met him, but i believe he was called Ansel Alasdair." Penelope added.

"Duke Ansel Alasdair..." Lysandra whispered as she blushed.

"What, why? Do you perhaps like him, Alis?!" They both huddled in closer, ready for a new to opportunity tease.

"I won't say like, yet..." Lysandra looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"kyaaahh Alis has fallen in love!" Penelope shrieked.

"Shhh, Penelope, no one must know except the three of us." she hushed her embarrassingly.

"How did you both meet?" Estelle too joined in.

"Well, the thing is...."

As she explained their encounter, the three gossiped away till it was time to go home.

Time passed in the castle as they continued being close friends and cronies, spending days together in lessons and playing pretend tea parties.

Of course, they were arguments sometimes, but it was only a matter of childplay, and all was well the next day. Penelope and Estelle, being daughters of Counts and Viscounts, would often accompany their parents to small parties where they would see the Duke and brag and tease about it to Lysandra. She could only ever wait for the Duke to visit the Palace again.

THREE YEARS LATER:

It was the same Duke she had been waiting for. The same gaze and stoicness and his demeanor were ever so graceful as the light fell on him, and it might have been her illusions, but she felt his eyes meet hers as he slowly walked down the stairs.