The Lord I Plead My Loyalty To

My name is Flavio and I've been watching the Duke since he was five and also playing with him since I'm just a year older.

He was such a sweet child that's what my father told me and I really believe that myself.

No matter what happened, or if someone did him wrong he would always say that it's alright and there's no need for us, the servants to get mad. My father was a butler for the previous Duke too, actually his personal butler.

But one night my father told me he told me: "My son, one day young lord will need you more, so stay with him. There's no point with staying with his father he has me."

I really liked the previous Duke, and I didn't think I would love someone more but I was very wrong thinking about that.

I'm seventeen today, and I never left the lord Herbert no matter what happened. Sometimes I would call him young lord, but we'll always laugh about that. Because I was one year older that him, we could always joke around and have fun together. I cannot say that the duke is sweet everyday, but he must be angry at the people who aren't following the law or if they are going around talking trash about everyone in the dukedom. He has the right to feel angry, he has the right to kill the people if they wanted to kill him first. Not like we are all great, and not like we all have great personalities. I, myself, aren't a great person and I would go for a kill if I had the opportunity. There is few servants, maids, butlers, cooks, knights that would kill for the duke and I am really glad that he has people like that and that he is not feeling lonely. His family got killed by a deadly poison, each day someone would give them the poison. Because it happened so slowly, their bloodstream was full of the deadly poison. So yeah, the doctors couldn't save them. Every skilled doctor that we knew were doing their job in saving the young lord's family but even the skills they had wasn't enough to beat the deadly poison. Physically they didn't fight the poison anymore, and one after another started dying. Mentally the old Duke was still fighting with the poison that was still in his body. Actually, just I and my father knew that before the old Duke was actually fighting with his wound. Poison couldn't really do much if he was not hurt at the back. The wound would reopen, but the Duke didn't really care about the wound itself and continued to go and do his work.

The family I am talking about are the duke's parents, the previous duke and the duchess. The duchess was actually pregnant with a baby boy and they tried their best to save the baby but they failed miserably.

But after some days of fighting, they both died.

The old duke was devastated but at the end he also got bedridden because if the shock and the pain. After some time the old Duke finally got up to write his son Herbert some letters before taking his sword and going into the last battle.

The worst thing is seeing his dead wife but the most important thing was that his son is going to be alone for his whole life. So before anything, the Duke started writing some letters for the son that he dearly misses.

Herbert was actually with me, I was young lord's personal butler so we'll go outside and I'll personally taught him some nice things what my father taught me. We didn't hear what was going in in the mansion nor did anyone else know what was going on in there. Only the people who worked knew what's happening but the Duke ordered not to tell anyone.

We were going around the city and shopping for some outfits because it was going to be soon Herbert's 16th bithday. But who would know that in one day everything will be gone. The young lord's mother and baby brother died, the father was going on his last battle to protect everyone. How can I say that his father is no longer with us. The Duke wrote 30 letters to the young lord and every letter was sent to me so that I give it to Herbert.

What can I actually do and say to make everything better again? There is nothing I could do that say that the duke and the duchess went away somewhere until he was old enough to hear what actually happened to them.

After sometime we went back in the mansion everyone was laughing like nothing happened.

One maid said to the young lord:

"Your mother and father got you a present for your birthday, they cannot be with you but they wish to say that they'll be always there for you no matter what happened."

She went away after that giving young lord the presents from others as well. His birthday is actually in three days and I was also wondering what was going on but I didn't say a word.

"Mother went with my father again, Flavio."

"- I guess, my lord."

"When will they be back again Flavio?"

"-Perhaps in a month or so, young lord."

"Okay, let's go to my room now!"

"-Alright, my lord!"

My lord never expected anything, and he believed everyone. But a maid stopped me and said what happened and my mind went blank. I couldn't say a word to anyone.

"Flavio, the Duke said not to say a word to the young lord. He can find out later, okay?" -The maid whispered to my ear and she walked away.

"Flavio, Flavio!" -The young lord called for me with such happiness, I need to clear my mind, get yourself together Flavio!

"-I'm coming my lord!" -I smiled as I saw young lord opening his presents from others.

There was the pure happiness, and my heart just sank looking at him. I felt like someone was crushing my heart into pieces.

Two days later it was Herbert 16th birthday. There was a great celebration as the duke and the duchess wished, I did my best to make the best party for his birthday and so it was.

Day after the big party for young lord's birthday party, should have been an after party and the birth of his baby brother and not this, a funeral of his whole family.

I still have no idea how did the duke cope up with everything, I think he already had an idea when he heard me and an maid angrily talking about the culpit who did the deed.

I actually got really mad because it was someone we knew and emotions got the best of me.

The young lord heard us and just stood there not moving at all.

"-My lord!!! You probably heard everything. I'm sorry my lord. I wish I could make this better."

Young Herbert didn't say a word and went to his room. After some time we called him up for the funeral, and he stood there without crying while throwing the last white rose to the ground. I felt the anger and the sadness from him.

From that point on our dear and sweet young lord changed. There was no longer that happy and free spirited teenager I once knew.

The smile left his eyes...

A month later, he became the duke of the country and the rest is history.