Through the night, Milena was having her time chattering with her school mates. She was being praised for her works and looks, and how she handled the preparation very well. Though, she liked being praised for her academics, but if she was being told she looked stunning or beautiful, it would make her confidence go away and her shyness would take over her.
As she watched the people mingled around her, she couldn't help but think they were all enjoying in this successful banquet—almost like she was forgetting something—forgetting that she ought to meet the duke.
Suddenly, in the middle of her conversation to her friends she felt a tap om her shoulder. She turned around to see Pilmer. She was confused at first, and thought she have never met this man before.
She distanced herself from the crowd to allow her and Pilmer have a private conversation.
"Hi, did we meet?" She asked with a broad smile.
"Yes… I believe so, we have met."
"Oh." She tried to recall herself meeting this stranger. "I'm sorry, I can't remember."
"No, it's okay. But the duke was expecting to meet you tonight."
The duke….
That's right… She remembered him, he was the one who gave the duke his handkerchief after refusing hers at the coffee shop.
"Right, the coffee shop. You were there." She recalled.
"The duke is in the VIP room." Pilmer started to escorted her.
"Wait." She stopped at her first step. "Is it necessary to meet him there?"
"The duke is waiting for you." He avoided her question.
Pilmer continued to escort Milena, and this time, Milena didn't ask any other questions further, and allowed herself to be escorted by him.
Each steps on their way to the VIP room, Milena couldn't think of anything else, other than the near future of her and the duke meeting. All she did was pray to the deities, that her meeting with the duke would be a positive success.
As her steps are getting closer to the door, her heart pounded loudly and loudly—it was almost like she can hear her pulse.
Then finally, they stopped in front of a door. Milena ended her prayers, telling herself 'good luck' as if she was about to take a bar exam. Pilmer turned the knob, and finally the door is now opened. An extravagant room, full of carvings and yellow light, and the smell of cigarette was the first thing she had noticed.
There he was, Duke Laurus, sitting on a white long couch with his legs crossed, inhaling a cigarette.
When the duke realized they arrived, he just paused for a long moment before he crushed his cigarette onto an ashtray. He looked at Pilmer who had finished escorting Milena in the VIP room, he stood tall and obedient. Laurus then, looked at Pilmer and nodded—dismissing him and can now leave. As soon as Pilmer understood, he walked out the room and shut the door carefully, leaving Milena and Laurus alone. There was a loud silence between them—a silence that made Milena uncomfortable. And it made her more uneasy on how the duke was unbothered by the awkwardness that was in between.
Laurus pointed to the smaller couch with his head, commanding her to sit down. Without a word, Milena went to him and greeted first before settling.
"A pleasure to meet you, your grace." She finally said, then she bowed. "Milena Ferlin." She continued.
After she introduced herself to Laurus, she sat down to the couch that she was silently instructed to. Quietly and carefully she sat, she had not prepared what to address to the duke, only sitting quietly, yet he summoned her. Could there be a purpose for this moment? It would be a waste of time if she spent her night like this, at least she thought.
Laurus straightened his back, but he still looked relax—even around a stranger. He looked at her with eyes like glaciers—cold and striking. Milena couldn't handle the situation, she pretended that she was comfortable with him. And yet, Laurus could tell she was anxious by the situation.
He liked it on how he could read her mind.
He turned his head to her, studying her look and appearance. He didn't doubt it, Milena was ethereal, she's blooming as a peony.
"We meet again, finally." He broke silence.
Milena placed her chin up, thinking of a reply.
"Yes… We meet, your grace." She said softly.
This was the first time he heard her voice, it was as light as a feather—it tingled to his ears, even though a shake hid behind her tone.
"First and foremost, I would like to ask forgiveness of what happened to the coffee shop." She said with an awkward smile.
"If that never happened, what do you think would happen?"
"P-pardon…?"
Laurus raised his eyebrows, declining to repeat the question.
"Things would be normal….?" She answered, uncertain of her word.
"Ferlin." He sipped the wine that was prepared earlier. "I know about you company… Tell me about it."
Milena assumed that the reason she was being summoned was because of the letter she had sent to him. She gladly smiled at him, fading the awkwardness away that was hid behind her masked expression.
"I have read the letter a while ago…" She clasped her hands together. "I am grateful that the issue is being taken care of."
"Now, tell me about your company."
"Well… Technically, the company isn't mine." She corrected him. "But we harvest a variety of crops and send supplies to your estate and to the market share."
He nodded as he raised his eyebrow, he wanted to hear more and Milena noticed his silent command.
"And… It was our first time to face such crisis like this. Half of the harvests were decaying. We only salvaged a few good ones in our harvest, that is why our last shipment was smaller than usual.
Laurus liked the emotion that came out of Milena, she was like a cloud that bursted a rainbow.
"Thanks to you, I had express my concerns on other farming companies."
"I'm glad." She let out a gentle smile at him.
Right in front of them was a coffee table, and on top of them was three boxes stacked on each other. Milena had noticed them, but she didn't assume it was for them, so she had ignored the presents.
Laurus, on the other hand, uncrossed his legs and leaned in. He took one box that was on the top of the stack, the smallest among all, and handed it to Milena.
"Here." He said.
Without a doubt, Milena grabbed the box and gently pulled it away from him. She couldn't understand why, but she was intrigued of his random kindness.
"Is it for me?" She asked.
Laurus nodded. "Open it." His voice gentle.
Milena looked at Laurus first before slowly looking down to the small box that was sitting on her lap. She pressed her lips together, finally she opened them.
It was the bookmark, the clear resin book mark, with flowers trapped inside them.
"It's beautiful…" She smile at it.
Laurus had taken attention to her smile, and how her coral cheeks flushed. But then slowly, his eyes went down—and down. Then stopped by her chest. Her breasts—pressed together, formed a soft line cleavage that was beneath sheer pink scarf, concealed, but evidently visible. Her breaths were a bit fast, he can read how anxious she feels at the moment.
"For what is this….?" She asked before realizing.
Milena noticed where his eyes were, at that moment she felt her poise fading, she thought that she was being violated. However, she didn't have the self-esteem to speak up, it was because she felt powerless alone with the Duke.
Laurus then, blinked back to his senses, and he looked back at her face. Meanwhile Milena covered her cleavage with her hand.
"Thank you…" She said, without looking him in the eye.
Laurus had noticed a slight change in her expression, she is now covering her chest.
"I believe, I must go."
"Stay." He comanded
His emerald orbs stared deeply into hers, it was telling her to obey to his orders. So, she sat properly when she gazed back at him.
"You haven't opened the other ones yet."
"I apologize." She looked down.
Laurus pushed the two boxes towards Milena, and when she noticed, she immediately took two boxes from the table, and placed it on top of her lap. She opened one and it was a sage green journal. She then opens the last one, it was three fountain pens with a provided ink. Milena knew that these items were expensive, by just looking at it. It was overwhelming Milena too much, these items were like jewels—rather the best thing to describe.
"Thank you." Her voice, now more timid.
Milena had closed the boxes and stacked them together, placing it back to the coffee table. She placed palms on her lap and sat up straight—forcing to show a smile.
Milena thought that this was an end to their meeting, though she had never been confused like this. She wondered why was it necessary to prepare meeting like this, she isn't as important as the nobles.
"Thank you, Duke De Venstein. But I don't really comprehend why you ordered us to meet like this." She said.
Laurus sat quiet for a moment, she took the wine glass that was placed on the coffee table.
"It was an apology gift, miss Ferlin." He swirled his wine.
Milena chuckled lightly. "But I was the one who must apologize. In fact, it was unnecesarry to have prepare such presents." She replied.
Realizing of what she had said, the Duke was the one who is exerting efforts to hand out an apology. She was the one who spilled him, yet he is the first to make up.
"A lady shouldn't be burdened by guilt for a mere accident. You didn't do ut on purpose, didn't you?"
"No…" She shook her head.
"Then you deserve it." He sipped his wine.
Milena, now flustered, her head is conflicted by which impression she most go with the duke. Would it be intimidating or kind hearted? Perhaps, he goes with both. He was too odd for her, and too cold to have a conversation with, yet Milena could only feel conflicted with her emotions, whether or not if she must feel comfortable around him. After all, he is the leader of the province she lives in.
"Well… I must go now, your grace." She smiled at him. "Thank you for the wonderful gift." She stood up and grabbed the boxes.
Laurus placed his hand above her knuckles, ordering her to stop. Her hand was cold, probably she felt anxious, and her skin was smooth as a tile. And she could feel the warmth of his hand that is placed right above hers.
"Please…" He stopped her. "I will have my assistant handle it for you."
Immediately, Milena placed her hands behind her back, suddenly the sheer scarf fell to the floor, her cleavage was now more visible than before. As she was about to grab her scarf, Laurus was already on foot, handing the scarf to her. He wasn't looking at her cleavage, but this time he was looking at her lips.
Those warm red lips. He wondered if they were soft and light to touch them.
Her lips parted, but she no words came out. She was just standing there, momentarily forgetting to take the scarf.
Laurus took a step forward to her, they were now close and only two inches apart. He could smell the sweet perfume from her, a smell that he had never been familiar from anyone. He then draped the sheer scarf around her her shoulders, covering her cleavage just as it is before.
"You may go." His voice deep but gentle.
Milena took two steps back, and expressed her gratitude for the very last time before stepping out of the room. And when she did, she walked away with grace, leaving the duke behind. Laurus didn't dare to look at her direction, he thought it wouldn't be necessary, so intead he just went straight back to the couch and lit another cigarette.
But something in him had just spark. He couldn't point at it yet, he was uncertain and he didn't like how his head was rumbling.Yet he stays still and composed on the outside, people wouldn't suspect what was going on in his mind.
'Milena.'
His head said out loud, he didn't know why. But he find himself liking the name, what it would be like if his tongue curled when he calls that farm girl.
He chuckled to himself. "I want to see her again." Surprisingly he told himself.