I will give my best

The maids led Elaine to a big room that was supposed to be hers from then on. She looked around the room. A bed was too big, which she could have shared with her mother and father and much too much empty space. The room was beautiful and even had a view of the garden at the side of the manor, but it felt too big for one small child like her. She looked around the room and imagined herself alone. Elaine knew she would feel too overwhelmed and at the same time lonely in that room, so she requested for a smaller room.

"U-Uhm," she looked at the maids behind her who were waiting for her to enter the room. "C-Can I have a smaller room, please?"

The maids looked at each other in surprise. They were troubled since the Duke personally requested that room to be prepared for her. However, he had also said that they should follow any requests she made. They reluctantly brought her to a room further away in a different hall. It was significantly smaller and it felt cosier than the first room. It had less lavish decorations and a smaller bed. The interior design was simple and the room had more wooden furniture. Elaine was happy with this room and gladly took it. The maids brought in her belongings and she tried to help but was told to sit and rest instead.

She went towards the window to look outside. She noticed a small garden where vegetables grew. It seemed the room's view faced the back of the manor.

"We grow fresh vegetables and fruits for the Duke," said a maid as she placed her clothes into the closet. "It was the former Duchess' idea. She planted those herself."

"Ohh," Elaine replied.

She began to wonder what kind of person the duke's wife was. She seemed to be loved even by the servants, so she must have been a wonderful person. She tried to remember the picture the Duke had shown her. He said it was the only picture she had left of her and she wondered why.

"Why does grandpa only have one picture of the- uhm duchess?"

"Oh hmm," the maids hesitated to give her a reply. Eventually, one of them said, "there was a fire that burned all her other pictures and belongings."

They didn't say more than that and Elaine didn't ask any further questions. She looked over the wall. There was a meadow filled with different flowers and beyond that was the forest where she had gotten lost in. She tried to remember what had happened, causing her to have another headache. She noticed how she got headaches whenever she tried to remember about the incident. Worried, the maids hurried beside her.

"Is everything alright, my Lady?" asked a maid.

"M-My head hurts," Elaine replied. She rubbed her forehead with her hand.

"Someone get her some water," said another maid.

The youngest maid with short light brown hair rushed out of the room and came back a few minutes later with a jug of water and a glass. She poured water in the glass and helped Elaine drink the water.

"I'm sorry," said Elaine. She was worried she had caused trouble and had given them extra work.

"No need to be sorry, my lady," she said with a smile.

They told her to lay down on the bed and get some rest after they had given her some water. She closed her eyes and snuggled into the blanket. She decided not to think about the forest again and fell asleep.

The next day, the whole family had breakfast together. The Duke was first to arrive, so he greeted the maids. The two brothers arrive next. Jared sat on his respective spot on the right-hand side of the Duke, looking excited to finally have a meal with his grandfather. Dezmond's nanny placed him beside Jared on a taller chair with armrests that protected him from falling down. He still looked a bit drowsy.

"Good morning, your Grace," said Jared with a big smile on his face.

"Good morning, Jared and Dezmond." He nodded.

The door swung open and Elaine came in. She made a small clumsy curtsy to the Duke and greeted him.

"G-Good morning, grandpa."

She then made her way to the seat beside the Duke. She fiddled with her fingers under the table. The family gathering made her feel anxious and she worried she might make mistakes on table manners.

"You're supposed to talk with the Duke with respect," said Jared out of the blue, making Elaine look towards him. "You should be calling him 'your Grace' not 'grandpa'."

"B-But grandpa said I can c-call him grandpa." She looked at the Duke for his approval.

"That's right," the Duke said. "Elaine can call me whatever she wishes. That includes you too, Jared."

"B-But I-," He was stopped before he could say anything. Except he didn't even really know what he wanted to say.

A woman with very light blond hair and cold blue eyes came into the dining hall. She had a baby in her arms that almost looked exactly like her.

"Good morning, your Grace."

She nodded at the Duke and he nodded back. She sounded very distant and didn't even bother to look at the other children. She sat down all the way to the other side of the table, far from the others. Elaine felt intimidated by her. And by the looks of it, Jared and Dezmond too.

"This is Syvne. She's the older sister of their mother so you can call her your aunt. The baby is your younger sister, Amelie."

The Duke introduced them to Elaine. For a short moment, Elaine saw Syvne's eyebrow twitch. Elaine looked at the baby girl and found her very adorable and so tiny. The baby opened her eyes and Elaine gasped softly. To her, the baby looked just like a winter fairy, for she had clear ice blue eyes.

"Pretty," Elaine said without her realising. She then covered her mouth with her hands in surprise.

"She is, isn't she?" Said the Duke as he chuckled.

The food was brought in and they began to eat as soon as the prayer was said. While they ate, the Duke informed Elaine of something.

"Elaine, you will start learning the alphabet with Dezmond in the morning starting from the day after tomorrow," He said. "The preparations are almost done."

"Oh, t-thank you."

"You will also have extra classes on etiquette in the afternoon."

Elaine nodded vigorously. She was excited to finally be able to study and keep her promise with her grandpa. She told herself she would give her best in her studies.

After breakfast, she was heading for her room with a maid. But Jared came up to her with a smirk.

"How are you not able to read the alphabet yet?" He made fun of her and puffed his chest. "I was able to read them when I was three years old."

"W-Wow," Elaine said in awe. "You must be really smart, J-Jared."

"O-Of course I am," He was taken aback and stuttered. Then he scoffed and added, "Not like you. You will only embarrass our family if you can't even do that."

"I-I will give my best t-to be like you!" Elaine said as she balled her hands into a fist.

"Hmpf!" Jared blushed and stomped off in a different direction. If she had taken the first room that was offered to her, she would've gone in the same direction as the other children since they all had rooms close to each other. Elaine smiled sadly and went the other way.

She spent the next days having lessons just like the duke had said. In the morning, she learned the alphabet together with Dezmond. At first, she was having a hard time with the letters, but was soon able to read and write them. Dezmond learned the letters at the same pace as her, maybe even faster. But since he was just three years old he wasn't able to write them yet.

Elaine could tell how clever Dezmond really was, for he listened and understood the people around him. It was just that he was a quiet boy. He rarely whined nor cried. When Elaine was reading a children's book as a task from their teacher, he looked at the book curiously. Elaine started to read the book to him and he listened attentively.

After all her lessons, Elaine would study by herself in the library. She would read books for children at four years old. They still had pictures, which made it easier for her to understand.

One day, Jared visited Elaine in the library while she read a book. She didn't notice him since she was focused on reading the books. He went behind her to see what she was reading and laughed when he saw she was reading books for young children.

"You're still reading books like that?"

Elaine jumped and looked back in surprise. She looked at him, feeling ashamed and started to fiddle with her fingers.

"I-I'm trying my b-best."

"If this is your best, you'll never catch up to me." He said as he left the library snickering.

He walked down the hall satisfied. Then, he had the greatest idea to visit his grandfather. His teacher had just praised him for his intellect and clever thinking. He wanted his grandfather to praise him too. When he got close to his office, he suddenly heard a loud voice belonging to a woman.

"I do not want you calling that child their sister."

Jared peeked through the slightly opened door. The woman just now was actually his aunt Syvne and she was arguing with the Duke.

"I have legally and officially adopted her into this family, meaning she is a part of this family." The Duke said calmly but sounding stern.

"However, your Grace," she retorted. "You found that child on the streets. Moreover, she is a runaway servant from that baron's house!"

"Where did you hear of this, Lady Syvne?" He asked, now looking angry.

"I have my own sources," she said as she raised her chin.

"Wherever she may have come from, she is a part of this family now."

He sighed. He knew many people would oppose it once they found out, which was why he tried to hide that information. But it seems like he had to cover it up some more.

"I cannot accept this, your Gr-," she tried to fight back, but the Duke slammed his hands on the table, cutting her off.

"This discussion is over, so please lead yourself out, Lady Syvne."

She was silent for a bit, and then she started walking towards the door with a frown on her face. Jared quickly hid himself beside a shelf in the hallway. He stayed still until he no longer heard any footsteps. He tried to process what he had heard and was quite surprised himself. Who would have known that she was a servant. Jared thought that the Duke had adopted Elaine from a fallen noble house, but it seems he was wrong all along.