Wanna Be Yours- Chapter 5

It’s been weeks since her arrival. Milan since then had practiced more of her magic and with the people working within the house of Leon, she’s been treated with the highest of respect.

“My lady.” A gardener bows. Milan smiled upon his greeting.

“Sir, Bernard!”

He waved his hands, “Oh you don’t need to say my name like that, it is just Bernard!”

Milan took his dirt soiled hands.

“Nonsense! Anyone who works hard to take care of plants deserve respect.”

The older man smiled. He brought her to the greenhouse. Showing her the plants she had managed to summon. They were thriving. Sunflowers spewing bits of lights, pink tulips bursting with pink air.

“I’m so glad” She smiled.

“It is not just these.” Bernard says. As he looks at the vast field. All of their crops were thriving.

“I had brought many seeds to the locals and as you requested we had passed them along to the Celeste territory.”

“So, there is now less of a starvation problem?”

Bernard smiled. As well as the maid that was assisting her during her stay.

“My lady.” A woman shouts. She jogged over, handing her a note. Her sword hanging low on her hips.

“It is a message from her majesty.”

Milan blinked. “Pardon?”

Suddenly servants were scrambling to make the area more presentable. But, she has already arrived.

“Milan.” Hernetta smiled.

“Your majesty.” Milan beamed.

They walk side by side as they enter the fortress.

“I have good news for you.”

Milan hummed. “Is it about my family?”

“Yes. According to our records you were listed as your fathers heir. However, it seems like there was a snake in the archives.”

“So, does that mean I am a proper Celeste?”

Hernetta held Milan’s hands.

“It means you are to be duchess.”

Milan blinked heavily.

“Hm?” She hummed.

“Hm?” Hernetta hummed back.

“But I am not prepared. I do not have any…education.”

Hernetta smiled.

“You have heart and you have leadership. That is all you need.”

Hernetta motioned around. The household was running smoothly.

“Tell me, in the last few weeks did the servants come to seek for Oliver’s opinion or yours?”

Milan bit her lip as she mumbled, “Mine.”

Hernetta leaned in, her hand behind her ear.

“Mine. They asked for mine.”

Milan smiled to herself. A passing group of maids had given her a smile as they carried baskets to another wing.

“I suppose…I did just fine.”

“Indeed you did.”

Milan spent the next few days preparing for leave. She had spent only a few weeks at the Leon duchy but her connections are what she did not want to part from. Oliver had watched a knight help her into the carriage. From the window of his office.

“Your grace, did you not want to go along with her?” His secretary asked.

Oliver leaned against the window with crossed arms, his eyes glued to the fleeting carriage. He squeezed his own arm as a sigh fell from his lips. “This is for her. Her future rests upon her confidence and I don’t want my presence to interfere with it.”

His secretary nods. The man had glanced at his pocket watch. “Then I suppose we have some time to take a look around the fortress.”

The servants worked as usual. Changing wilted flowers from vases, carrying baskets of laundry, and chatting during breaks. As Oliver walked by he heard many complaints.

“Don’t you remember our lady said to put lotion on our hands?” A woman whisper shouted. Scolding a younger maid.

“But it’s expensive!”

“It is not. We will use the plants she gave us to turn them into cream. If we don't, how will we maintain our hands?”

The younger maid nodded. Though she was reluctant, she put lotion on her hands.

“Good now that the dishes are done, you can go on break. Let the others know too that they must put this on their hands after labor work!”

“Yes ma’am!”

Oliver chuckled.

“Is that what she was up to? Overseeing the wellbeing of my people?”

His secretary pushed up his glasses with a smile.

“I suppose she did do duchess-like duties.”

Oliver toured many places around the fortress and each one put a smile on his face. The servants rounded up at the front of the fortress.

“Your grace, please bring her back!” A young woman shouted.

“I agree, your grace! Our lady has been nothing but kind to us.”

Oliver coughed into his fist. A smile formed on his face.

“And what do you all want me to do?”

“Bring her back!” They shouted in unison.

Oliver waved his hand dismissing them. He turned a sharp corner heading down a hall. One of his many butlers sigh.

“That is not the way to his chambers.”

“It certainly isn’t.” The secretary says.

By nightfall one of his guards waited out at the stumbles. Held his sword for him.

“Drake.” Oliver nodded.

“My liege.” He smiled.

“Don’t follow me. Look after the house.” He ordered as he took his sword, his foot tapping against his horse and riding out of the Leon territory.

***

At house of Celeste the guards at the front bowed at the sight of house of Leon’s crest. As Milan stepped out, they stiffened.

“What are you doing?” One sneered.

She glanced at him, her eyes looking forward at the door.

“Open it.”

“No. How dare-”

A knight from house of Leon held his sword to the guards throat.

“Open it.”

“Does his grade know of this?” The other guard scoffed.

“We don’t need his permission to protect our lady. That goes without saying.”

Another knight pushed past the guards. Kicking the doors open. He announced the arrival of Lady Milan.

The Celeste household members arrive at the door.

“What is going on?” Lady Luzcrezia shouts.

The older woman glared at her niece.

“You dare show your face?!” She points. She signals a guard to throw her out. The man eagerly raised his sword. Milan stared directly at her aunt. Vines wrapped around the guards sword, his torso wrapped so tight, he wheezed and got slammed into a wall.

Lady Luzcrezia clenched her fists.

“How dare you!”

Milan hummed as the man fell sideways, his head crashing into a vase, causing him to collapse and shatter what costs more than his monthly salary.

The maids gathered around. Gazing at Lady Luzcrezia with confusion. The other guards took a step back from her. Only a knight of the house of Leon stood behind her proudly.

“Aunt Luzcrezia, I believe you owe me something.”

Milan held her hands out, a maid comes out with a knight behind her. She hands Milan the papers.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“I believe I should be asking you that? You were meant to hand the position of Duchess to me.”

“What is she saying?” A maid whisper shouted.

“Nonsense! You are just an illegitimate offspring!”

“I am the daughter of the beloved Duke Damon and Duchess Mariella and so how dare you hide my parents achievements from me, and treat me like an outcast!”

The servants gasp as they back away from the acting head.

“No wonder she was never called duchess.” A middle aged butler grumbled.

Lady Luzcrezia whirled around her arm raised to strike the man. Milan wrapped a vine around her arm, pulling it to her throat where thorns grew from the vines.

“Is that how you manage a household? With violence?”

Her cousin Lady Lucina stomped her way in.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

Milan glanced at her. Giving her a welcoming smile.

“I’m taking back what’s mine.”

“What? Mother?! How could you let this bastard child take over my position!"

Lady Luzcrezia couldn’t bear to move. The thorns were small, but so sharp that she was afraid to get pricked. As a horn was blared outside, Milan blinked. She doesn’t remember hearing that kind of announcement. Not unless…

Her highness walked in. Alongside her husband and her guards. She covered her mouth, stifling a giggle.

“I see you’ve embraced your gift.”

“Gift?” A maid whispered.

Another girl squealed.

“Our household as a gift?!”

Milan dropped her hand. Bowing to the queen. Then a separate one for the king. Hernetta smiled, slightly bowing back. Milan’s aunt and cousin hold each other, despite bowing to the queen and king.

“Lady.” Queen Herneta smiled at Luzcrezia. The older woman stood tall, her hand briefly brushing against her neck.

“Your majesty.”

Her daughter Lucina stood beside her. Her head was hanging a bit low.

“I see there is a commotion. Do tell me why?”

“I…”

Lucina glared at Milan. Soon as the knights from Leon smirk at her she pointed at Milan.

“This treacherous woman seduced his grace and attempted to take over my position!”

“Your position?” Queen Hernettaa asked.

“Lucinda stopped it.” Her mother whispered.

“I shall not. There’s a whole reason why she’s not allowed to leave the tower! She is a bastard child-”

“Enough!” Her mother shouts.

Queen Hernetta flicked her finger. She read from a single sheet of paper.

“Milan Celeste. Born on June eighth. Daughter of Duke Damon and Duchess Mariella Celeste.”

A birth certificate with the royal seal on the bottom. And yet the sheet was stained in color. Ripped at the sides as if it were taken on a journey of concealment.

Lady Luzcrezia gasped. She held onto her daughter.

“I-I have never seen…”

“You have. I was told you were one of the midwives.”

“Nonsense!”

Queen Hernetta glowered at her.

“Are you claiming that I am a liar?”

Lady Lucrezia gulped. She glanced at her daughter, then to the ground.

“There was a woman who walked out long ago. She claims this was the truth.”

Milan watched her aunt’s eyes grow with fear. She dropped to the ground, pulling her daughter with her.

“My apologies.”

Milan bit her lower lip. Just a few words exchanged and her cruel aunt was on her knees?

Her majesty glared down at the woman.

“If I would have it I would execute you on the spot. However, your punishment is not for me to decide.”

She turned towards Milan. Handing her her rightful documents. One was her birth certificate, the other an approval for her status of being Duchess of the Celeste household.

“I shall wait at the palace for your decision.”

The King walked beside her majesty, he slipped a gold coin into Milan’s palm.

“You will do just fine.” He smiled softly.

Milan glanced at her relatives. They shivered like mice caught in a trap and the sight made her smile. She cleared her throat.

“Toss them into the dungeons.”

She’ll have to rectify her household from the ground up.