1.1 - He Returns After the War

Earl Miller's mansion was noisy everywhere they went. The servants had no break, as preparations for the arrival of their lord's two eldest sons, who were coming long after his departure, had to be ready before they arrived. The owners of the house, the earl and countess, were eager to see the faces of their two children and how they were doing.

Countess Miller was excited next to her youngest son James, who was visibly shaking to see his older brothers again. Earl Miller was proud of his sons who came back victorious from the three-year war. Everyone was happy that they survived and that they didn't have any serious injuries or cripples.

However, no one was feeling such emotions as intensely as Brandon.

The twenty-year-old man had a mix of complicated emotions that intertwine with each other and have no beginning or end. His expression betrayed none of them, thanks to his years of working alongside the earl and countess and professional experience, but inside him he was quivering with emotion to see the one he loved after three long years.

Her fingers itched and her heart beat faster at the thought that he might see him. It was a feeling that made him feel anxious with every passing second and no warning of arrival came.

Brandon couldn't help but feel that way.

He had been waiting for him all this time, remembering the promise they had made on the day of his beloved's departure. At the time, it was still in the early hours of the day and the sun was rising in the east, when the door to her room was opened and a body in black clothing walked inside. A teenager in his eighteenth year appeared with a smile and their eyes met instantly.

He was the second child of the Earl and Countess Miller, Phillip Ulysses Miller.

The newcomer in the room approached the owner and hugged him, burying his head in the gap between his neck and shoulder. His nose breathed in Brandon's pleasant scent and basked in the warmth being transmitted to him.

Brandon didn't say anything. He simply accepted the other's arms around him and enjoyed the feeling of being welcomed there. He hadn't even been able to sleep that night, worried about the journey and the dangers Phillip might face during wartime.

"Good Morning." Phillip's good-natured voice greeted Brandon's ears and tickled his neck from his breath.

A smile appeared on the young man's lips. He had a wish that his days could start like this, with him by his side, hugging him and wishing him a good day. It only made him feel a little sadder about what was to come.

"Good Morning." The answer wasn't that loud, but Phillip heard it perfectly.

Neither of them spoke any more, only the feel of their two bodies against each other was comfortable enough not to put into words. Phillip was the first to pull away, staying beside Brandon on his bed. His lips curled up in a smile as he saw the look of displeasure on the redhead's face that he had walked away. He lifted his hand and brought it to the other's cheek, stroking it with his thumb lightly.

The sun's rays were starting to come in through the bedroom window, starting to light up Brandon's room slightly and making it more visible to see the smile on his face. Brandon's green eyes sparkled as he felt the caress on his cheek, but soon they turned dark. He didn't want to break that comfortable, silent atmosphere between them, but the time they had together was limited. Begrudgingly, his voice came out with regret and hoarse from not having spoken for hours at dawn.

"Do you really have to go, Phillip?" He didn't answer, just stopped the affection and withdrew his hand. He looked at him silently before speaking.

"You know I do."

A sigh came out of Brandon, he knew the answer but wished it was something else or there was a way he wouldn't have to go. His hands took Phillip's and began to play with his palm and fingers. Brandon looked down at the hand in his lap, he didn't want to look at Phillip and show he was sadder than he would be. He knew it was necessary, it was an order from the emperor. If it weren't for the war, he wouldn't have had to go to battle the neighboring kingdom, Torzik, who had declared war on them purely out of arrogance.

For centuries past, such a kingdom has boasted of being the strongest in military might and that it did not conquer the continent only because of not wanting to. And now, the foolish and proud king has declared war on the empire, simply because he thought he could fight one of the main political powers on the continent. So, the emperor's summons to the noble families and their knights to fight was made through a letter that reached a week in the Miller estate. He summoned at least one of his sons and at least half the forces.

And unfortunately, Phillip was one of the most notable knights on the estate, being assigned to boost the soldiers' morale, along with his brother, Ferion, the heir to the earldom. Phillip watched Brandon quietly, playing with his hand. He couldn't say he didn't understand, as he didn't want to go either. He moved and took the soft hand that was playing with his, drawing the attention of green eyes that were unclear due to the lighting.

"I will come back." His speech came out with conviction. He spoke confidently to calm the one in front of him. "I know I'll be back."

"I believe." Brandon smiled at his speech. And he also nodded, agreeing with that. He wanted to believe that he would come back, for him too.

"Brandon."

"Yea?"

"Can you wait for me?"

The question or request was asked, sounding serious in Phillip's voice. Brandon watched him, silently, before smiling and nodding several times before exposing his thoughts aloud.

"Of course I will. And you too, right?" Although he didn't want to sound like it, there was still a little bit of insecurity in the question.

"Okay. I will too. I promise" He promised. They both smiled at each other.

Phillip took the redhead's hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back as if making a promise, and brought his body closer to Brandon's, to kiss him on the lips. That was the last kiss they shared, before Phillip left the room to leave the mansion.

And so, in the three years since Phillip left, Brandon had been at work. He worked as an assistant to the earl on territory affairs and to the countess on household care, social life or simply as company, and sometimes took care of James, which was not a job in itself for him.

His work was diverse and he was no ordinary employee.

However, when he saw the horses arriving at the property along with the other servants and the Miller family, he couldn't help but think that such a wait had been wasted on the sight before him.

Ferion led the way, leading all the others behind him. The knights had happy and excited expressions to be returning to their homeland, and they were looking forward to being able to see their families again and have some peace. And Phillip, beside Ferion, came with a girl ahead of him on the same horse.

The man had changed a lot since the last time, three years ago.

The remnants of his adolescence were gone and his face looked much sharper than before, making him more manly than before. His body was more muscular over the heavy garment he wore and he was also a hand taller. However, it wasn't him that caught her attention.

'Who is she?'

Brandon's heart sank and his breath caught. The previously happy thoughts stopped and the redhead thought about nothing but surprise. Of course, his professionalism prevented him from showing the shock and sadness that was building with every moment in his chest. The image showed nothing overt, but Brandon knew how to recognize Phillip's expression after so many years together.

He had always been observant, even more so after starting to get involved with each other. And, as if that wasn't all, he knew what it meant to come with someone noble on his horse after a battle. If she was an ordinary person, she would just go on a new horse or be accompanied by a rider.

As they got closer, the woman's appearance became more evident. Her blond hair was straight and down to just over her shoulders. Her skin was white, but it got paler as it went down her neck. However, that wasn't what caught Brandon's attention. What he was looking at was the smile growing on her thin face at Phillip, and how he responded with an even bigger one.

'Wouldn't you wait for me?'

Maybe it was a piece of glass he heard break in his mind, not his heart.

Ferion got off his horse and walked over to them, greeting his father first, his mother and a smiling James who hugged him tight, glad he had returned, and received a caress of his purple hair. Lastly, a nod to Brandon, to which he returned with an equal and a smile on his face. As shaken as he was, professionalism was important. Even more so, in the situation I was in.

After Ferion, Phillip appeared. He had his hands on the unknown blonde girl's waist. His face flashed a smile for his family and loving eyes for the person next to her. It was obvious they were together. That they were a couple.

Both were side by side and anyone who saw that scene would say that the two matched. His black hair and her blond ones contrasted with each other, along with his black eyes and the woman's light ones. Like day and night, they looked beautiful on the sunbeams themselves.

"Who is she? Will she be the young master's mistress?"

"Is it someone he saved or a prisoner he brought in?"

"She is beautiful. They make a good couple."

The servants in the distance whispered how well the two looked together. Also, they created theories of who she was and how they met. Brandon really didn't want to hear that, but it didn't break the expression on his face for a second.

'For now, be polite, Brandon. Let's think about it later.'

"Son, you're back." The earl congratulated him, a smile on his lips, and hugged him tightly, as if to prove he had been there.

"It's good to see you too, Dad." He happily reciprocated.

His eyes then went to his mother who was watching him intently. She closed the fan in her hands and approached him joyfully, placing her hands on her cheek, caressing and squeezing them.

"You look great. Finally, you're back." She said and hugged him too.

Countess Miller moved away and returned to her position, discreetly watching the woman beside her son. Phillip stopped in front of James and smiled at him too. However, unlike when he did with the eldest, the boy looked at him and greeted him in a more polite, but excited way too.

Discreetly, Phillip glanced toward where Brandon stood. He had seen him with the servants a little in the distance. The redhead was standing there, with a smile on his face and semi-circular eyes, as if he didn't see anything. His face, although he was smiling, remained hiding all the emotions felt in his mind.

If before the age of three he was more expressive and honest in his face, now looking at him you couldn't tell what he was thinking. Time wasn't the only change for Phillip.

However, it wasn't just his behavior that changed, his physique as well. Brandon's shoulders were wider and he was taller, though shorter than Phillip. His arms were more muscular, but his figure remained lean and elegant. His auburn hair was cut more noble and redder than before. Brandon got more handsome. And he was a hit with the maids of the house and the ladies who came to the tea party.

"Now, let me introduce her." Phillip circled the waist of the woman he'd brought. "This is Johannes Attwater, my bride."

"Nice to meet you, sir and ma'am. Young master." She picked up the edges of her simple dress and bent down. A typical greeting for nobles.

The fact that she was wearing a simple dress didn't hide her apparent beauty. She was beautiful, no one could deny that. If she dressed up and looked like a real lady, she could be as beautiful as a fairy.

Nobody had said anything. The earl looked at the two in surprise. He was aware that the two were in a relationship, but he didn't think they were engaged. The countess was wide-eyed, not very noble demeanor, with the fan in her mouth, to hide her open mouth at what she'd just heard. Little James just stared at the woman, then frowned; for some reason he didn't like her.

From there, even among the employees, only Ferion and Brandon did not express their feelings. Ferion sighed, as if expecting him to make such a statement, and looked at him as if he were annoyed.

'What? Fiancee?'

Brandon, on the other hand, didn't do anything, his mind was in chaos, unlike the calm that his face conveys.

"I-I see…" The earl was the first to respond, stuttering in surprise and pulling himself together as he coughed. "You, get your bags and put them in your rooms. The knights are dismissed and we can discuss soon. For today you are free."

With the earl's words, the people quickly came to their senses and dispersed to do what they were supposed to do. The butler and head maid, who were at Brandon's side, quickly distanced themselves and went to command.

"Darling, you must be tired from the long journey. Why don't you go in and go back to your room? Rest well." The countess said as soon as her husband finished speaking. She put her hand on Phillip's shoulder and began to guide him into the house, with the girl close behind.

"Haaa…" A sigh was heard from the count, whose hand was on his forehead to soothe the headache that was sure to come. He turned to Ferion. "How did this happen?"

He didn't even need to specify what it was, the eldest son had perfectly understood what his father was referring to.

"I don't know. A few months before the war ended, some soldiers said he was with a woman. But I never thought he would have gotten engaged until he told me just before we got back."

"This is troublesome…"

The earl was about to continue the conversation, but he noticed that his youngest son was close to him, facing him. He turned to Brandon who was standing, the redhead at some point stood beside James, and waiting for some order, after all, it was still time for his work.

"You're dismissed Brandon. But take care of James if you can." The earl asked, he would have a lot to go into detail with Ferion about the war and what happened to his second son.

"Of course sir." Brandon bowed, before smiling at James and seeing him return it as well.

"Let's go, James?"

"Yes! I have so much to show you."

"Is it about your studies? I heard your teacher was praising you last time."

"It's the new spells I learned in class. You'll like it."

The boy spoke excitedly, shaking his head and his purple hair forward as he waved.

Brandon smirked at his excitement. He turned a little and looked back, where the earl and Ferion had started to walk into the house, probably the study. After that, he turned to the young master beside him. He didn't notice the look Ferion had sent him as he turned around.