Schemer

Larisa bumped into Maynard as he was coming from the outer court and finally her anxious heart calmed down, she was afraid she had missed him due to the many delays that morning.

He closed his scroll and gave her a bow as he said respectfully, "greetings princess."

She gave a curtsey and said softly, "greetings young lord Maynard,"

"Is princess on her way to the library?"

Larisa answered with a smile, "Aha, is Maynard going to find my brother?"

Maynard answered as he walked along with her, "yes."

The air turned awkward quickly, Larisa was thinking of a new topic they could talk about to ease the atmosphere when she felt something wet hit her nose, she looked up at the now fully covered sky, it had started to drizzle.

A white umbrella appeared above her head and she couldn't stop the smile that came to her face.

She looked at Maynard and teased, "Is Maynard a magician?"

Maynard replied with a chuckle, "What makes princesses think that."

"Well, it seems like you pulled the umbrella out of thin air."

Maynard lightly shaked the handle of the umbrella and Larisa regarded the silver hook at the handles end with interest.

He went on to explain, "The weather is always unpredictable during the summer. My servants aren't always with me so I got this hook made and attached to the umbrella. That way, I can hang it on my belt and it's always hidden in my robes."

"That is very creative; can you make one for me?"

"Your wish is my command princess, in what colour do you want it."

She answered in a heartbeat, "yellow." Then she shook her head while waving her hands, "no, it should be red."

Maynard just agreed with a small smile on his face.

They arrived outside the study hall.  Larisa hesitantly probed, "we have arrived, shouldn't you be going in and find my elder brother, you can just lend me your umbrella and I will be on my way."

Maynard lifted the umbrella higher when she was about to take hold of it.

"What? Are you afraid I won't return it?"

Maynard answered in a hurry, "I don't mind if you take it and don't return it."

She glanced at him with a raised brow, "then?"

He gazed at those red orbs with determination, "princess, let me drop you off at the library first."

Larisa looked down as a huge grin broke out on her face but she still spoke calmly, "but my brother will be angry if you arrive late again and he may scold you like last time."

Maynard still did not hesitate in his answer, "last time was not princess's fault. His highness was upset because I forgot something he had asked me to get and you are his highnesses only sister, I cannot possibly let you walk alone in the rain."

The library was not that far away from the hall, but she wasn't going to say anything like that. Larisa was about to agree when the voice of a male version of Fay interrupted her.

"The rain has already stopped, what are you doing standing around under the umbrella for?"

Prince Dario stood ramrod straight at the door of the study hall, hands behind his back as he scrutinized the pair at the bottom of the steps with a not too happy expression on his handsome face.

Maynard calmly closed his umbrella while Larisa started to fiddle with her fingers not knowing what to do with herself in-front of this older brother of hers.

She put on a small smile as she addressed him, "morning brother, how has brother been these past few days?"

Dario didn't answer her but directly questioned, "What is a 14 year old child like you doing painting your face like that?"

Larisa's smile stiffened, "I heard that this is the trend among noble ladies these days." She straight out lied through her teeth,

Dario didn't interact with any women apart from her, his mother and madam woo. All the servants in his palace were male so he had no one to ask even if he wanted to verify what she said.

Dario frowned even more, "why are you copying those snobby and attention seeking ladies?"

"Enough of standing around here, your teacher must be waiting for you. Don't put on such ridiculous things on your face in the future, go now."

Larisa left rather dejectedly while looking at Maynard From time to time as he followed the prince, this did not escape Dario attention as he kept on looking at her with a side eye as she left.

Prince Dario sat down at his desk and started handling the paperwork ignoring his friend who sat across him. Maynard may be his trusted friend but he still did not like him being close to his sister because for one, anyone could tell that she had a thing for him. While the party involved seemed oblivious to the others intention.

He had tried creating distance between them but his sister seemed to only ever smile genuinely when around him and so he couldn't stand seeing her sad and finally stopped interfering but still kept a close eye on them.

They both will never know that in the four months they didn't meet due to Maynard being sent on 'errands' by his father the duke was all Dario's scheming.

He glanced sideways as Maynard picked up a particular file he had deliberately placed on Maynard's side of the table and started reading it and watched as his brows scrunched up in worry.

This right here was another reason why he didn't want his sister to get too attached to Maynard, the man treated everyone with kindness, his sister could be delusional thinking he treats her in a special way when he treats every tom and jack the same way. How would his little sister handle it if her good feeling is not returned?

Simply put it that he needed to put as much distance between them as possible without making an enemy of both sides, after all one was his only little sister while the other was not only his confidant and best friend but also the future second in command from the king when he takes over the throne one day so he had to maintain a good relationship with himfor the sake of the people.

Dario watched as Maynard's expression continued to turn bitter from worry.

He looked outside the window where the rain had stopped but the sky was still overcast by dark clouds.

He sighed sadly as he spoke, "the summer weather is so unpredictable, the sky was sunny and clear in the early morning but unexpectedly it had started raining out of nowhere."

Maynard didn't answer but Dario knew without even looking that he must be looking at the cloudy sky outside.

"The rain is much heavier this summer, the towns close to the border are always prone to flooding water from the Lon River, I wander how they are faring this rainy season."

"I wish I could visit them in person but I am not allowed since the trip may be too dangerous, I wanted to petition father to send an official there but I don't trust that the supplies will reach the people."

The file Maynard had been reading was a report of how floods had devastated the towns at the border, how people have died and been displaced from their homes and all the tragic things that happen due to natural disasters.

Maynard upon hearing the prince's intentions got up from his chair and knelt down on one knee.

"Highness, young lord Maynard Whitman is willing to go and pacify the people."

A smirk grew on Dario's pink lips, took him long enough to take the bait. He put away the smirk when he turned back in the direction of Maynard.

"What nonsense are you spouting, the journey is so dangerous and you are thinking of going, what if something happens to you on the way there, what would I tell your father?"

Maynard answered with determination, "Highness, I cannot rest easy until I am sure that the people are eating and sleeping well."

"I know that you love the people but you are the duke's only son, he may not want you to go, for good reason too, what if something goes wrong?"

"As the future Duke, it is my duty to serve the royal family and the people, I will convince my father, Highness Need only to prepare the provisions."

Dario let out a sign as if he felt helpless, he helped him stand up as he said, "alright then, stand up now."

The first Duke Whitman made a very big contribution when their country was being founded and therefore the first king made a rule whereby any Whitman descendant can reject an imperial order without having to face punishment if they did not wish to follow the order, that's why Dario could not just order Maynard to go wherever he wanted him to go but had to make Maynard volunteer himself.

Dario really was resentful at this ridiculous rule that made have to reason with his subordinate when he could just order them around.