Tale Three: Send her away

As the servants move quickly to clean the blood. The Duke was also in the hallway. Standing at the corner, seeing to it that the castle was not tainted with a single splatter of red fluid.

"Tomorrow make it so that all the servants shall receive letters of recommendation to the new noble families they shall serve, and along with it is a hefty sum of gold coins. I want them gone by tomorrow morning, " the Duke uttered to his aid, Arthur Marshall.

The man beside him pushed his glasses on his nose bridge. "And how about the servant's family who just died, Your Grace?"

Duke Caelan clasped both his hands behind him. He briefly glanced at Arthur. "50 gold coins shall suffice. They have no connection to their daughter's wrongdoing, however, we shall see to it that their mouths are shut."

"Understood, Your Grace."

Arthur excused himself and went rushing back to his personal office to start with what the Duke had instructed for him to do.

"Your Grace, the duchess is expecting your return to your bedchamber. She wishes to have a word with you." Duke Caelan turned to see the butler who was a few meters away from him.

The old man looked rather fine after seeing the commotion earlier.

"William, you should see the physician before you retire for the night."

The butler named William bowed his head down. "Thank you for your concern, Your Grace. But I have seen worse than what Young Master Alpheus did. As you must have heard from your late father, I was an assassin before I came to serve your family and what I have witnessed from my previous work was far more brutal than what I have seen earlier."

Duke Caelan nodded his head and did not further pressure the old man.

The night was already deep, yet the Azarra castle was still in a chaotic state. Servants were running around with buckets filled with water.

Duchess Eurania, who was already dawned in her nightgown, was sitting at the edge of the bed. Her shawl slowly slipped from her shoulder when the door made a squeaky sound as it was pushed open.

"You wished to speak a word with me?" The Duke started. He then removed his cape as he walked closer to his wife.

"I have heard from my servant that Ophelia had witnessed what Alpheus did to her servant. I am afraid that what has happened will cause trauma to her if she further stays at the castle."

The Duke sat beside his wife. He held the duchess hand and squeezed it. "Tell me what you have in mind. I will make it happen today." 

Duchess Eurania held her head high as she looked at her with a serious gaze."Send her away. Send Ophelia to the East. Let her stay at the villa near the shore. I am sure she will find peace and comfort there."

The Duke nods his head. He did not object further to the Duchess's plan. He thinks as well that Ophelia needed a break. 

"I also have something to tell you. I know you are in-charge of the servants welfare, however, I have taken matters on my own. I have told Arthur to write a recommendation letter for the new family they will be serving. We will hire new servants as soon as possible and I want to ask for your per—."

"That won't be a problem to me. Do what you want to do as long as you make sure that Ophelia is sent away before daybreak arrives."

Again, the Duke nods his head and lets go of the Duchess's hand when she wishes to retire for the day. 

The Duke attended to his wife and once he had made sure that she was in deep slumber, he went out from their chamber and followed the hallway leading to where Naraina is staying. 

When he saw that the door was ajar, Duke Caelan did not bother to knock and witnessed a sight he never had dreamed of happening. Alpheus was sitting in his chair. Head resting on the bed while his hand was tightly intertwined with the small hand of his sister. 

Duke Caelan controls his steps as he draws closer to where his son is. He watches him sleep and the memory from ten years ago slipped into his mind. 

The night he learned about Naraina's identity, he immediately thought of how his first born would react. Alpheus is a smart child. He is always curious and thus feeds his curiosity by asking questions. 

And as they grew older, Alpheus remained indifferent towards his sister, Naraina. Thus, making the Duke think that he does not have a bit of interest towards the child. 

However, what he thought was wrong. Alpheus does care for his sister. Because if he doesn't, he would not have the courage to act on his own and yell at his own father, the Duke. 

Duke Caelan heaved a low sigh at the thought that his son is much more merciless than him. He had not expected the scene he had witnessed from earlier.

He had learned to savagely kill from the battlefield, but contrary to him, Alpheus—who is not yet a knight and is still learning his swordsmanship—had already killed a person…for her sister. 

He will admit that he had never been a good father to the both of them, yet that does not mean he had forgotten to take care of them…well not at least on Alpheus' part. 

The Duke's gaze landed at the child lying down on the bed. Her complexion had returned to its original color however, her furrowed expression shows that she is still in so much pain. 

"I'm sorry," he mumbles between his breaths before turning around. He held the door and watched his children for a brief moment before he closed it. 

"Inform the butler to meet me at my office."

The guard saluted at the Duke and left to get the butler. 

Duke Caelan strode back to his office. His aid quickly stood from his seat and greeted him the moment he entered the room. "Your Grace! How may I help you?"

"Nothing. You may continue what you are doing." Duke Caelan motioned his hand for Arthur to take his seat again. 

Five minutes passed, and the butler arrived. 

"Your Grace, I was informed that you need me."

Duke Caelan moves the papers he had written and watches the butler with careful gaze. "Before daybreak arrives, see to it that Naraina had already left the castle. She will be traveling to the North where she is to stay at Viscountess Calenthine's manor."

"But Your Grace, the child is yet—"

"Do as I say. She will recuperate there." The Duke firmly cuts off what the butler is about to say. 

"Ophelia, on the other hand, will also travel to the east as per requested by the Duchess. She will stay at the villa near the shore. See to it that enough servants will accompany her."

The butler nods his head. "Is there anything you want for me to do, your grace?" 

 "And make sure to wake Alpheus up. I don't want him to know that his sister is gone."

After the butler had left. Duke Caelan resumed what he had been writing. A letter addressed to his majesty, the King.

The sky was still glooming yet the Azarra duchy was already awake. Servants who had witnessed and knew what had happened last night were already leaving the duchy with their luggages and a letter of recommendation. 

Two carriages were also stationed outside of the castle. One engraved with the duchy's crest while the other was plain which was commonly used by mediocre noble families. 

Naraina was sleeping soundly as the guard—who was guarding her bedchamber earlier—carried her towards the wooden carriage. A servant was following behind them. 

Duke Caelan remains rooted at the castle's entrance. He watches his daughter disappear from his sight the moment the guard had placed her inside the carriage. 

"Tell them to protect Naraina in case they might encounter some barbarians," he whispered to his aid, who immediately heeded to his order. 

The carriage door shuts. The moment the carriage started moving, Duke Caelan felt someone beside him. 

"I never have instructed you to send her away." Duchess Eurania's voice was low and cold. 

"The Calenthine manor is the best place for her to recuperate," he uttered. His eyes are still glued at the gate yet there is no carriage to be seen.