Chapter 1: coming to the duchy

"Im sorry my lady, but your Grace is too busy to eat dinner with you" as the maid said that, I felt like I could just disappear. We only had one dinner, and it was 16 years ago.

'He doesn't love me, does he?' I thought to myself, tears started to fall from my eyes. I ran out into the garden, and just sat there in silence. It was my favorite place in the whole duchy castle. Then, out of nowhere the I heard the maids and scream, I realized it came from my uncle's study. I ran there as fast as I could, only to see, my uncle laying on the floor. He had a heart attack.

As he was was dying, he muttered the words "I'm sorry I didn't show you any love, please, forgive me. Become the best duchess in the whole history of family Jones". As he said those words, the doctor got there, but it was too late, he died at the age of 50.

Just a week later, I have been summoned by the Imperial family. They told me that I have to become a duchess soon, and asked me if that's okay. I agreed.

"Let's welcome our new Duchess of household Jones', I hope that God will bless you" when the emperor said these words, people stared clapping their hand, and started shouting "may God be with you!"

When it was time for toast, I lifted glass of wine and said "Thank you all for coming for my ceremony, I hope that all of you will have a wonderful time here" as I said it, I took a sip of wine, and immediately regretted it. I have fallen to the ground, the glass of wine broke. Someone poisoned me, I thought to myself.

'It's okay, I can meet my parents again atleast'

I thought what was the end, and I could finally rest, but when i opened my eyes once again, I found myself in a carriage. I was Schocked.

'But I died, I was poisoned! Where I am?'

I looked out of the window, and I saw landscaping, that I seen from my castle. 'It's a dream, for sure' I looked at my hands, they were small. 'Did I went back to past? Or did I possessed a body of a child?'

Then, out of nowhere the carriage stoped, I heard a voice of a coachman "my lady we're here, at duchy of Jones" Jones? We're here? I didn't leave. That is when I understood, i regressed to the past, to time I was just 4 years old, and Just came to the duchy. I decided to act, like I would normally at that time. The coachmen opened the door, and helped me get off.

While getting off the carriage, i heard someone talking to me.

"Welcome my lady" I recognized this voice. it was Frank Williams, Butler at duchy Jones.

"Hello!" I said happily.

"What's your name?" I asked pretending not to know.

"My name is Frank Williams my lady" he introduced himself nicely.

"My name is Diana White."

"My lady from now on, your last name is not White, but Jones." Butler said in cold, but not scary voice. I could tell, that he wasn't trying to scare me.

"Huh, why?" I tried saying that, and sound clueless, but in Fact I knew why. My parents died, and my uncle decided to adopt me.

"Jones was your mother's last name, before she married your father"

"Wowie, but why is my uncle's house so big? Is he rich?" I asked.

"Of course he is, he's the richest person after the imperial family" he said proudly.

"Can I meet him? Can I?" i said excited.

"You can meet him while dinner tonight, but you have to be nice and polite" As Frank said, i become even more excited.

Some time later it was already evening, so I stared to get ready. While maids changed my clothes and took care of my hair, I wondered what should I do

'I know! I will become the adorable, lovable niece of my uncle. I'm sure I can do this'

While I was thinking, I heard the maid tell me something.

"My lady, would you like to look at yourself in the mirror?" one of the maids asked, while others went to get a big, standing mirror.

The child in the mirror was adorable, golden eyes with wavy light blue hair 'Was I also that pretty in my past life?' I thought to myself.

"So what do you think my lady? Did we do a good job?" the same maid that asked me if I would like to look at the mirror, asked me.

"Yes! I look really pretty" i said with sparkles in my eyes "what's your name?"

"Sunny, my lady" the maid answered.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but is young lady ready?" butler asked while knocking the door.

"Ah yes of course, come in!" Sunny shouted.

"My lady, let us go to the dining room" as he said that, he pulled out his hand. I placed my hand in his hand and we went to dining room.

'I can't mess up or it will turn out like it did in my past life, we had only one dinner, and that's it. I need to get him to warm up to me.'

The whole walk there, we didn't exchange even a word. When we were in front of the door, he opened it for me and helped me sit on the chair.

"Welcome, Diana" I heard a familiar voice, it was my uncle Nicolas Jones. He was very handsome, while being 34 years old. We looked familiar, he also had golden eyes, and light blue hair.

"hello uncle" I said in the most cute voice i could say.

...

I was too short...

I couldn't even see what was on the table. In my past life, Frank noticed it, and took me back to my room so I could eat. I was embarrassed, but I realized it was a good opportunity to get close to my uncle.

I got off the chair, and ran towards my uncle. I grabbed his pants and asked "Uncle, I'm too short. Can I sit on your lap?" I asked.

Both uncle and butler were surprised. Frank stared to approach me to take me to my room, but before he could even get close, my uncle picked me up, and placed me on his lap.

"Sure, but only for today"

Uncle started to eat, I wanted to grab my utensils, but my hands were also too short. My uncle noticed and sighed, then he did something no one even me could ever think the duke would do.

"I will feed you, so don't try to grab your utensils with those short hands of yours"

He grabbed some meat with the fork, and waited till i open my mouth.

"If you don't open your mouth, you will starve."

When I heard these words I quickly opened my mouth because I remembered I didn't eat anything today.

A little bit into eating uncle said "You look like a squirrel with all this food in your mouth" he chuckled, while trying to hide his smile.

"No! I don't look like a squirrel." I shouted angrily and pounted.

"Sure, Sure. Let's go with that" he gave up on trying not to smile, and smiled beautifully.

I didn't even notice, when it was the end of dinner. I was just about to jump from uncle's lap, but i decided to do one thing, that surprised not only uncle, but also everyone including me.

I kissed my uncle in his cheek, only after I did it I come to my senses. So I quickly got off from his lap, and ran as fast i could to my room.

"Why did you let her sit on your lap and feed her, your grace?" the butler asked confused.

"She's still a child, plus I remembered how her mother did the same thing, including the kiss." Nicolas laughed.

As I got to my room, I jumped straight into bed, and covered my face with my hands so no one could see me blushing out of the embarrassment.

'Why did I do it! I did want to get close to him, but that was way to fast for a kiss, and it also was embarrassing.'

I decided to forget about this and just go to bed.

"Sunny!" I shouted.

"Yes my lady?" Sunny showed up.

"Help me get ready to sleep, I'm tired from my journey please."

"Of course."

I changed my clothes, and as Sunny was taking care of my hair I wondered, what should I do tomorrow .

'Hm, maybe ask the butler for a tour? Even if I know the whole castle, they don't know that. Or maybe I should go to uncle and try to get close to him?' then it struck me, I want to go to the garden that I loved so much in my last life.

"Sunny, do I have any winter out going clothes?" I asked.

"I'll check, please wait a second" Sunny went to the closet and started looking. Sometime later she came back "I'm sorry my lady, but no"

"Oh, it's okey Sunny" I smiled "It's not your fault"

I went to sleep, the bed was so comfy I instantly have fallen asleep. I heard some voices but couldn't figure out who was that.

"How is she?" unknown man asked.

"Good, she feel asleep, she wants to go outside tomorrow, but doesn't have any winter clothes"

"I will take care of this, so you just take care of her"

"I understand, good night"

And that's how my first night in the castle came to an end.