Knock! Knock!
"Come in."
Laurus sat on his office, carefully scanned documents. He exhaled curls of smoke—an indulgence that keeps his profound composure.
Pilmer went in—carrying multiple gift boxes.
"Sir, this is the apology gift you have requested." Pilmer announced.
"Thank you, Pilmer." Laurus tapped his pen onto his desk, signaling to place the gifts there.
Pilmer followed his master's orders. He placed the three boxes in front of his master—for him to review carefully.
Laurus took the smallest box and opened the lid. It was a beautiful resin bookmark, inside the it was a preserved pink Camellia and forget-me-not flowers to fill in the spaces. It was simple, yet graceful and elegant.
The Duke nodded in approval, he closed the lid and placed it back from where he took it.
"Bring all of this later in the banquet."
An itch came to Pilmer. "But sir, for exactly whom is this for?"
Laurus pressed his cigarette into the ashtray. "It's for a woman that I need to give an apology."
"Exactly who is this woman, your grace?"
"It's a woman that had a bad impression of me." He stood up and fixed his suit. "I need her good impression." He tilted his head and smiled at Pilmer.
This made Pilmer strange—the duke is unusual. He doesn't really smile that much, and he never had that look when the topic was about ladies. Even if it was lady Iris.
It was odd that he witnessed a crack to his master's character.
***
"Milena!"
Grand Aunt Dawn called out for Milena. Carefully checking her dear old wardrobe that are filled with Dawn's old glamorous clothes that she hadn't worn in a while.
"Milena!"
"Coming!"
Milena went out from her room to Dawn's, to see what her granny is up to. Once Milena stepped in Dawn's doorway, she was greeted by a large amount of fabulous gowns that were scattered from Dawn's closet to her bed.
"Granny…" Milena she called excited, slowly getting her way in trying not to step the gowns.
"Alright, Milena…" Dawn gave a heavy sigh—flashing a smile as she look down on her clothes then to Milena. "These are my clothes that I had worn when I still had your figure."
"I forgot that you had these kind of clothes." Milena sat by the bed's corner. "Why do you still keep them?" She asked while she grabbed one gown, admiring it's intricate details.
"I was a materialistic girl back in the day."
Dawn traced her hands on a blush pink tulle gown, and a soft slight grin formed on her face. Her eyes lingered on the gown—reminiscing her younger days.
"I was beautiful, respected, and intelligent."
"But you still are." Milena consoled her grand aunt by returning a smile.
"Oh." Dawn sighed. "But things were different back then."
Dawn blinked to her senses—awoke in reality. She couldn't help but only fantasize her young days, she would smile everytime nostalgia starts lingering. How she wish to be young and beautiful again.
But now, Dawn may be living differently from what she had experienced when she was young. Somehow, Dawn's current life isn't suffocating from what she had lived before.
Dawn looked at Milena, adoring her youthful look, Milena's beauty is in no comparison to Dawn's younger look—as she recalled. Beauty has it's own structure and build, that is what Dawn thinks, every beauty is different in their own ways, that is why her beauty isn't comparable to any.
Dawn brushes her fingers to a light pink silk gown. She stretched her hand to give the gown to Milena.
"I haven't worn this dress once. My father gave it to me when I was seventeen. I am sure it'll fit you perfectly."
Milena reached the silk gown, admiring it's details—the smooth fabric shone bright from the sunlight.
"It is beautiful indeed." She said after receiving the gown.
Later that day, Milena went off to the market square to finish off some errands before preparing for the fundraising event.
She checked if their rented stall if there was anything to be brought. Fruits stacked up nicely, linens folded neatly, vegetables are still in good condition, and the jars of jam were preserved nicely. Gladly, there was none that needed to be brought.
Gilbert checked the letters that were sent to them yesterday, that are now piled up. He scrolls each letter. He stops at one letter that had an official seal, immediate he called Milena.
"Yes, Gilbert?"
Milena looks at Gilbert—who was just writing. She then places the pen inside the pocket of her apron.
"Well, a letter just arrived."
"Oh, is that so?" She said with a hopeful crack.
"Yes, it's from the Solrielle estate!" He excitedly announced.
Milena gasped and immediately ran to Gilbert and snatched the letter.
"Oh my…" She checked the letter back to back. "It's from the duke!"
Milena opens the letter with no hesitation.
[To the provisioning company]
First thing she read. She swiftly hugs the parchment—taking a deep breath before scanning in to the meat of the letter.
[We appreciate for the growing concern of your crops. By this case, the department of agriculture would take action to this matter. By this means, we will investigate other co-op companies to see if it was our land's problem. This investigation may lead up to two or three months.]
The duke has responded to my letter!
Milena celebrated silently in her mind, she felt excited by the thought of it!
Only then the memory her clumsy interaction with the duke at the coffee shop suddenly lingered in her thoughts.
Her iris shifted into smaller balls, she froze mid conversation—and looked at the distant view of the market square. Gilbert, who was in front of Milena, thought that she was having a seizure. He took both of his hands on each corner of Milena's shoulder and started shaking her to jolt her out.
"Stop!" A quiet shout came to her awoke.
Gilbert stopped shaking her.
Milena blinked faster. Now finally! She came to her senses.
"Gilbert."
"Yes?!"
"You have seen the duke, didn't you?" Milena curved her lips awkwardly and Gilbert only gave an intense nod. "Give me one word that describes him."
"Well…."
Everytime the shipments arrive at the estate, Gilbert would most likely catch a glance at the duke. He would only see the duke everytime he departs or enter the estate.
Gilbert thought that the duke has a mediocre personality, and that—if he were an ordinary civilian, he wouldn't be that much compelling to others.
Duke de Venstein is rather silent. Yet, his presence alone is enough to make command. His green eyes were like lazers everytime you make contact with those orbs.
So one word that describes him….
"Intimidating." Gilbert answers.
"Intimidating, right?" She nods as she stared at Gilbert in search of approval.
"In my judgement, the duke looks like it." He looked gazed at Milena for a moment, suddenly he felt flustered. "Well, what does the letter say?" He asked to avoid awkwardness that was only visible to Gilbert.
"Nothing else." Milena folds the letter. "They'll just investige every other co-op companies if they had the same issue."
"Well… The duke really take care of these matters."
After their conversation, Milena and Gilbert took a ride on a dray back to the farm before the clock struck to three. The wheels crooked, the smell of soil came to them, and the wind flowed like a whisper.
Milena sat on the back corner of the dray, clothe gathered her legs to avoid dust. In her hand was a letter from earlier, she kept her gaze on the parchment that was sent by the duke, as she peeled the crimson wax seal that was left from the envelope.
Upon arrival at the Ferlin farm, Milena jumped out of the dray—setting foot on earth, then straight ahead went to their cottage.
"Milena! You must prepare already!" Alena scolded her older sister.
"Alright, calm down." Milena laughed.
Milena took off her apron and placed in on the hatstand. She took her hair pin off, revealing her long wavy golden rose hair. She went upstairs to her room to prepare for the event.
As she entered the room, her flamingo silk gown was hanged beside the window. By the floor— are a pair of soft pink ribbon heels that matches the silk dress.
During the past few days, Milena had been busy with her school works, especially preparing for the banquet. The school works alone were stressful enough to handle in a week, but fundraising banquet had doubled the stress she had been carrying on her shoulder.
However, she was able to handle both problems equally with her own techniques, gladly.
Not until she remembered something during the preparations of the banquet.
It was the duke.
It was when Bastien had reached a list of guests for the banquet to Milena during the student government's meeting. She checked thoroughly each guest's name, until she reached the sponsor's list. She then stopped at a name—a name with command alone.
Duke Laurus Alric De Venstein
But she didn't thought of the duke that much. She only didn't because she consoled herself that the duke would never recall her face, a mere citizen like her is a forgettable one for a proud noble.
By the time Milena had finished, she had never been this stunning as before. Her ocean eyes shone brighter than diamonds, he rose gold hair had been parted in the middle with soft waves pinned in the back to reveal her features. Her borrowed jewels from Dawn looked like the stars that twinkle above the moonlight. The silk gown goes perfectly to Milena's body, making it so feminine, a see-through pink scarf wrapped around her white gloved arm.
She felt pretty. Yet, the shyness in her made the blood run to her cheeks. She had never worn makeup like this, she still appreciated the way it enhances her look—from the eyeshadow to the light blush down to the warm red lips.
All she had to do was leave. Milena bid her goodbyes to her family, who is watching her glow with grace.
Dawn seen her grown into a beautiful young lady, there was definitely no mistake on letting her use her old gowns.
Milena stepped foot onto the gravel surface, she went up to ride their carriage, who was driven by Gilbert.
"Take care Milena!"
She can hear Alena from behind. She turned and returned a broad smile waving back at them before sitting properly once the carriage started to move.