Breaking Through the Ice Wall

After the awkward encounter in Damian's room, Vivian returned to her own chamber with a heavy heart. Every step she took felt like it was pulling her further away from what she wanted to achieve. The grandeur of her room offered no comfort. The silk-covered chairs, thick golden curtains, and the luxurious bed seemed like a world apart from the harsh reality she had to face with Damian.

"This is harder than I imagined," she muttered, sinking into a sofa near the window.

Her thoughts kept drifting back to Damian, the boy who viewed the world with cold, hateful eyes. She knew the child was hurt, but there was also something darker lurking within him, something far deeper than the pain of loss.

Vivian took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm herself. No matter what, she couldn't give up. She had to keep trying, even if Damian rejected her again and again.

"I won't let my past destroy you," she resolved.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Another knock on the door broke the silence. Vivian opened her eyes and turned to see a male servant entering, holding a letter on a silver tray.

"A letter from Countess Reyna, Duchess," he said with a polite bow.

Vivian took the letter and nodded briefly. "Thank you, you may go."

The servant left, and Vivian was alone once again. The letter felt heavy in her hand, despite its light envelope. Countess Reyna, one of the closest members of her social circle, rarely wrote without an important reason. Sighing, Vivian opened the letter, her eyes scanning the elegant golden ink.

The letter read:

Dearest Duchess Vivian,

I hope this letter finds you well. It feels like such a long time since we last met at the royal ball. There is much I wish to discuss with you, particularly regarding your son, Damian.

He has been seen less and less at important events, and I fear this may affect your family's reputation. Perhaps we could meet soon to talk about this? As a mother, I'm sure you want the best for Damian, don't you?

Yours truly,

Countess Reyna

Vivian crumpled the letter in her fist. It was hard enough dealing with Damian every day, and now external pressure was starting to mount as well. It seemed as though people cared only about the family's reputation, not about the shattered state of Damian's mental health.

"Do they think everything can be fixed with a few royal dinners and parties?" she thought angrily.

But deep down, Vivian knew the aristocratic world was ruthless. Reputation was everything, and one wrong move could be fatal. If Damian continued to shut himself away, gossip would spread further, and soon the family's name would be in ruins. She had to find a way to reach Damian before it was too late.

Vivian gazed out the window at the vast palace gardens below. Now, she faced two immense challenges: mending her relationship with Damian and protecting her family's reputation among the nobility. Her mind was in turmoil as she tried to think of what her next move should be.

"Vivian, you need to think clearly," she whispered to herself. "Damian won't just change because you're being kind to him. You need a more subtle approach. Maybe... something he likes?"

She thought back to what she knew about Damian. The boy rarely spoke about his interests or rather, he never spoke at all unless it was out of anger. But from what the servants had told her, Damian spent a lot of time alone in the palace library, reading books about magic and warfare, even though he was still so young. That gave Vivian an idea.

A few hours later, in the library...

The Thornfield library was one of the largest rooms in the palace, with towering shelves that stretched up to the high ceilings. Vivian stood at the entrance for a moment, taking in the vast room before stepping inside. The scent of old paper and mahogany filled the air, creating a calm and soothing atmosphere.he faced. But this time, Vivian wasn't here to interrupt; she was here to learn more about his world. If she could understand what captured his attention, maybe she could use that as a way to connect with him.

Vivian walked slowly down the aisles, her eyes scanning the neatly arranged titles. Most of the books were on history, magic, and politics topics not typically favored by children Damian's age. But he was different; he was always drawn to things much bigger than himself.

After several minutes of searching, her gaze fell on a worn-out book, tucked away between thicker volumes. The title, "The Art of War: Strategies for a Changing World," caught her attention. The book looked old, with a cracked leather cover.

Without hesitation, Vivian pulled it from the shelf and began to leaf through it. The pages were filled with diagrams of battle tactics, sketches of battlefields, and detailed explanations of how magic could be used in military strategy.

"So this is what fascinates Damian," she murmured. A world filled with power, control, and cold calculation.

A faint smile crept across Vivian's lips. If Damian was truly interested in things like this, perhaps she could use it to bridge the gap between them. Instead of talking about abstract family bonds and feelings that seemed far from Damian's interests, she could try discussing things that excited him: strategy, power, and magic, three things that appeared to be the foundation of Damian's world.

But before she could do that, Vivian knew she needed to understand the book more deeply. If she wanted to talk to Damian about these topics, she had to grasp them first.

"I'll read this tonight," Vivian said, taking the book with her as she left the library.

She was certain that if she could start a conversation with Damian about something he cared about, the icy wall between them might start to melt.

That night...

After dinner, Vivian returned to her room with the book in hand. She knew this might be her only chance to truly connect with Damian, using his interests as a bridge.

Sitting by the fireplace, she began reading intently. Each page was filled with complex explanations of war tactics and how magic could alter the course of a battle. The book was dense, filled with details that made Vivian's head spin, but she pushed through, marking important passages she thought could spark a conversation with Damian.

Time passed quickly, and before she realized it, the night had grown late. Her eyes grew heavy, but she refused to sleep until she finished the chapter.

"I can't give up," she thought, remembering how crucial this was for both Damian's future and her own.

As the clock neared midnight, Vivian finally closed the book and let out a long sigh. Her eyes blinked heavily, almost closing from exhaustion.

"Alright… tomorrow, I'll try," she murmured, determined.

The next day...

As the sun began to rise, casting a soft light over the palace gardens, birds chirped cheerfully in the distance. Inside the palace, however, the tension remained thick. With her heart pounding, Vivian made her way to the library with the strategy book in hand. Today, she would try a different approach with Damian.

When she opened the library door, Vivian saw Damian sitting by the window as usual, engrossed in a thick book on his lap. The boy didn't even glance up when she entered, too absorbed in the world he was reading about, as though the real world meant nothing to him.

Vivian took a deep breath and quietly walked over to Damian. "Damian," she called softly.

The boy didn't respond immediately, but his eyes shifted slightly, casting a sharp glance toward Vivian. "What do you want?" he asked flatly, almost emotionless.

Vivian sat in the chair across from Damian and placed the book she'd brought on the table. "I found something interesting in the library yesterday," she said as she opened the book to a marked page. "About war strategy. I know you like reading things like this."

Damian still stared at her coldly, but Vivian saw a flicker of interest in his eyes. "I don't care," he replied in a low voice, though Vivian could tell he was trying to keep his distance.

Vivian didn't give up. She opened the book and began reading a few paragraphs aloud. "Illusion magic can be a powerful tool in warfare. Deceiving enemies with false images, making them believe they are surrounded when in reality, they face only a small force..."

Her voice was calm as she read, and Damian slowly lifted his head, listening. He might not admit it, but there was clear interest in his eyes. Vivian continued reading, careful not to show too much enthusiasm, though inside she felt like she was making a small breakthrough.

Damian narrowed his eyes at the book. "You know it's not that simple, right?" he finally said, cutting into her narration. "If the illusion isn't perfect, the enemy will catch on. It'll only make the illusionist look weak."

Vivian gave a slight smile. "You're right. But it says here that illusion magic is most effective when combined with mastery of tactics and diversion." She pointed to a section of the page showing a battle diagram. "Look, here they use illusions to mislead the enemy while the main force strikes from the opposite direction."

Damian looked at the diagram more closely. There was a long pause before he finally spoke. "Interesting tactic."

It was only a short sentence, but for Vivian, it was a huge step forward. Damian rarely spoke, let alone showed interest in any conversation. Today, he had finally responded, more than just with the usual cold remarks.

"What do you think is the best way to implement it?" Vivian asked, trying to encourage Damian to talk more.

He was quiet again, clearly thinking about it. "You'd need more than just illusion magic," he said after a moment. "You'd need to control the enemy's perception completely. Maybe combine it with sound magic or use spies to create false rumors before the battle."

Vivian nodded, trying to absorb every word that came from Damian's mouth. "I agree. Maybe we could talk more about this. I'd love to hear your thoughts."

"Knock, knock, knock."

The sound of knocking interrupted their conversation. A servant entered, carrying a letter in his hand, hesitating slightly when he saw that Damian and Vivian were in the middle of a discussion.

"Apologies, Duchess. An important letter has just arrived from the royal palace," he said, handing the letter to Vivian.

Vivian accepted it, slightly annoyed by the sudden interruption. She set the book down on the table and carefully opened the envelope. "Sorry, Damian, I have to read this now."

Damian only nodded, but Vivian could see that he was starting to feel uncomfortable again. That cold expression returned to his face, and his mood seemed to shift. "Go ahead," he muttered before turning back to his own book, retreating once more into his fantasy world.

Vivian let out a soft sigh. Their relationship was still fragile, but at least today she had made a little progress. For now, that was enough.