1 Chapter 1 - There is only him

Aerysha Valencia ... beautiful, doll-like, and a smart young woman, who's the daughter of Marquis Valencia of House Valencia in the Kingdom of Asterin. She is engaged to be married to the son of the Duke Clavren, Geanos Clavren, the successor of the Duke. It was a politically inspired engagement between the two noble houses.

Their fathers aside from being the trusted aides of King Asterin were friends and promised that they will join their houses in the means of marrying their children. Although it was a political engagement more than that they just wanted the two houses to be joined. Aerysha got engaged at the age of 17 to Geanos who is 3 years older. She fell in-love with Geanos, the man is just simply loved by many. He is recognized as the sword of the King, handsome with a superior air of nobility. At first, she dislikes the man that is Geanos Clavren, she simply cannot stand his arrogance and blunt way of talking. But after they got to engage and their parents always make it a point that the two meet she gets to understand that behind his firm attitude he is kind and gentle. She doesn't know when did her feelings for him start but she woke up one day with her heart throbbing for the young duke. However, he is not kind and gentle to her. For some reason, he doesn't like her. He always smiles at other women and talks kindly and gently to them during gatherings but not to her. 

Still, she remained silent and still managed to smile every time. Everyone knows they are engaged but to some daughter of nobility, they still keep their hopes that the engagement between the two houses will be broken.

Aerysha understands. She understands full well why they think like that. She was a daughter outside the marriage of the Marquis her father. Her mother is a commoner who just left her to the care of her noble father. Her mother disappeared after abandoning her. The Marquis got married to a noblewoman who is not her mother. The woman who married her father dislikes her and made her life difficult which only she and her trusted maid know and a few maidservants in the mansion. Even so, she grew up beautifully, with long light golden hair that extends to her waist, long lashes, a bluish-green color of her eyes which is a mix of her father's and mother's eyes, according to her father, high nose, light pink lips, and pale white skin. Aerysha is one of the most coveted beautiful faces in the empire. But nobody dares talk about it due to her origins which is not pure nobility.

Even so, a lot of the noble young men were always stealing glances whenever Aerysha was in a gathering of some kind. There is always a line of young men who wish to dance with her. And whenever someone invites her Geanos will always just look at her and nod giving her permission to dance the night away with other young men while he busied himself talking with the nobles and aristocrats. She cannot blame him he will soon be Duke and a lot of people wants to gain his favor and whenever he is present in a gathering they will not let go of him. It has been like that for 2 years before Geanos went to war and left her with no words. He didn't even inform her, she only knew the news a day before he left for war. She remembered that she ran with tears in her eyes to his residence that night but wasn't able to speak to him as he was in a meeting with the Order of the Special Knights of the empire. She waited for hours but wasn't able to have the chance to speak with him. She only got a glimpse of him when he was parading to get out of the capital to go to the site of war.

Three years have passed.

Geanos went to war and came back to the empire with glory. He then succeeds the Duke and now he is named Duke Geanos Clavren.

Aerysha flinched when her maid Elin called her.

Elin: My lady do you want me to pour you another tea?

Aerysha slowly turned her gaze from outside the window, she is gazing at the blooming flowers in the outer garden that can be seen from her room. She gave Elin a faint smile and nod slowly.

The maid poured her the third cup of tea. Elin knows she is waiting to hear from the Duke of Clavren. She sent a letter 4 days ago asking how is he and congratulating him on winning the war. Still, she got no response from the Duke. She keeps on asking the maid every morning for 4 days and today is the fifth day and she stopped asking Elin for news. For the 3 years that Geanos is in the war zone. She keeps sending him letters. Although she rarely gets any response she is happy when a letter from him arrives in the Marquis residence. Although she knows that Geanos isn't the one who personally writes the letter but his aide. And now she still keeps on waiting for him. She is grateful that he came back alive but still, she is worried about him. Her heart always beats rapidly whenever she hears any news about him. Just the mere mention of his name by the gossip she hears from the maids makes her heart beat double time.

Elin looked at her Lady with sympathy but she doesn't want her to feel that she is pitying her. She knows the young woman who is Aerysha Valencia. She took care of her since she came to the Marquis's residence when she was 6 years old. When the Lady arrived at the mansion she was an inquisitive young child with a curious looked in her beautiful gem-like eyes. She asks Elin a lot of questions and all of her teachers praised her because of her intelligence. As a child, she has a good principle different from the aristocrats and nobles. Perhaps it is due to her life as a commoner which she still remembers even though she is only a six-year-old kid. She is dauntless and always raises her opinions openly. She even learned the bow and dagger secretly she believes that women shouldn't be any less than men.

The Marquis knows her secret training but did not reprimand her. More so, he doesn't care what Aersyha does as long as she does not stain the Marquis's name. As long as she is Aerysha Valencia, she needs to act nobly in front of the whole empire. The little girl whose very talkative to the maids and other servants of the mansion started talking less and less one day. It started when Marchioness Valencia arrived at the Valencia residence. Marchioness Valencia is a widowed Countess and has a 10-year old son. Aerysha was about to turn 8 years old at that time. The little lady thought she was a warm and kind-hearted person at first but then realize that she is only like that in front of the Marquis and when her father is not looking. All types of abuse either verbal or physical were done to the young child.

Elin shook her head a little to erased her thoughts. She then asks her Ladyship.

Elin: My Lady would you like me to serve you early dinner? You have not eaten properly during this afternoon's meal. Let me know what do you like to eat and I will prepare it for you.

Aerysha looked at Elin and then look again outside. The sun is about to set. She can clearly see the red hue slowly spreading on the horizon. She slowly stands and walked to her bed and lied down then closed her eyes.

Aerysha: Elin...

Elin: Yes, my Lady?

Aerysha: What would you have me do?

Elin looked at her ladyship, she flatly laid on the bed with her arms spread and her eyes closed. In her eyes, she still sees the little kid who suffers from the mistreatment of the Marchioness and her son as well as the loveless acts of her father. And now... the man she chose to love. Make her heartbroken every single day. Even she would ask herself, what would she do?

Elin: Lady Aerys... I do not know how to answer that. I only know that I want my Lady to find happiness and not get her heartbroken every time. You have suffered enough and I have seen all of it.

Elin finally said with misty eyes. Aerysha opened her eyes and sat down she seems to be thinking deeply.

Aerysha: Elin I want to have my dinner now and can you please see if my father arrived in his office?

Elin: Yes my Lady.

The maid bow and left the room. While Aerysha was left sitting on top of the bed hugging her knees with her head bowed. She stands abruptly and ran towards her desk, she then opened her drawer. The letters she wrote to Geanos who did not leave her drawer almost filled the space. Her eyes shook and disappointment and sadness were shown.

'Aerysha Valencia... what do you think you're doing?'

'Why do you still keep on expecting from the man who never looked at you?'

'Why do you love him despite knowing that he doesn't love you?'

She put her hands in the drawer and took out a letter, she opens it and it read;

'Dear Geanos, I pray you are well while reading this letter of mine. I always think of you. I am thinking of what to give you when you arrive in the capital at the moment. Someone sent a lot of flower samples to the mansion and among the flowers are tulips. I am thinking of giving you red tulips when you arrive..... do you know what it means?'

Her tears fell instantly when she thought of the meaning of the flower she mentioned in her letter that wasn't sent to Geanos. She folded it properly and return it to the drawer she then took another letter. This time it is the invitation from the imperial palace for the banquet. The King will be hosting a banquet in honor of the knights and soldiers who returned to the capital. They will be celebrating the victory of the empire and rewards will be given to Duke Clavren and selected knights who have shown great contribution in winning the war.

The Kingdom of Asterin has allied with another Kingdom to win the war. It is a secret alliance that only the King and his close subjects would know including the special knights' order that is being commanded by Duke Geanos Clavren. How did she know? Because of her father who was a close aide to the King.

Knock. Knock.

Aerysha immediately closed the drawer and wiped her tears.

Aerysha: Enter.

The maid went inside holding a tray of food. When she looked at her lady, she saw her red eyes indicating that she cried. Elin immediately put down the tray at the table and rushed to her side.

Elin: My Lady! Oh my god. Why did you cry?

Aerysha shook her head dismissing her trusted maid's worry.

Aerysha: I am fine. I- It's just that sometimes I cannot hold it in. So I have to cry, Elin.

Aerysha said with a sullen face. The maid automatically got sad then after a while of being silent the maid frown. She held her master's hands and clapped them together urging Aerysha to look at her.

Elin: My Lady... I have been taking care of you since I was a young lady. And all these?...

Elin shakes her head telling Aerysha that she disagrees with her crying over the Duke.

Elin: All this suffering.. you don't deserve all these...

Elin bit her lips and got teary-eyed. Aerysha understands what Elin is saying. Elin is like a mother to her. She took care of her ever since she came to the mansion. And she knows what maltreatment the Marchioness did to her. She knows everything. Elin's face then change and got an angry look. She looked at her master straight in the eyes.

Elin: My Lady... you should forget about the Duke. He clearly doesn't love you. He doesn't even care about you my Lady and your engagement. I only want someone who will love my lady with all his heart. Someone who will love you unconditionally, take care of you, and protect you.

Aerysha looked at Elin with sadness, she then closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheeks. Elin embraced Aerysha and whispered to her.

Elin: You know that you are like a daughter or a sister to me my lady. I don't like seeing you breaking like this. It is only one man. He is only one man, and there are a thousand more my lady.

Aerysha: But... He is only one Elin. There is only him...

Elin closed her eyes and tears run down upon hearing her beloved master's response. They have stayed like that for sometime embracing and crying together. When Aerysha finally calmed down and looked at Elin and asked,

Aerysha: What of my father?

Elin: The Marquis isn't here yet but the butler said that he might get home most probably later after dinner. There has been a lot of things that he needs to do in the palace due to our victory in the war. And that the Marquis is helping in the preparation of the awards in the upcoming banquet.

Aerysha nodded her head.

Elin: You must eat now my lady.

Aerysha looked at the food. Although she doesn't have any appetite at all. She needs to eat for her to have more energy for the banquet that will happen in a week. She already lost weight but losing more will create a problem. She doesn't want to look so pitiful in front of the man she loves and so she needs to take care of her health at least. She stands up and went to the table and started eating silently.