The Duke's Passion

686  Of all people...

 "What do you mean, Claude? Claude is still young in this timeline and I even checked myself. Don't tell me you took that child in here?"

Tilly and Samael looked at each other in silence before they set their eyes back on Stefan. Just like them, they initially believed there was only the adult Claude. So it was natural for Stefan to think there was only the young version of Claude.

Samael planted his hands on his hips, eyes on Stefan. He looked at him for a minute without a word, as if he was etching his brother's face deep in his brain.

"That… we should talk about privately," he breathed out solemnly, quirking a brow when Klaus let out a muffled grunt. "He's awake. He's been wild whenever he's conscious, especially whenever he hears Fabian's voice."

"Fabian sings for him, so he gets used to it," Tilly added, pursing her lips when Samael and Stefan cast her a look at the same time.

"Of all people…" Stefan, who somehow got a vague idea of how dire the news Samael wanted to talk with him privately, didn't dwell on it. "It'll be better if it's Dominique or Alistair since they had practiced critical thinking, unlike that one."

Both Samael and Stefan let out another deep exhale as they looked at Klaus, who was grunting weakly before he wiggled in panic like a worm. They shook their head mildly, both in despair at how they could calm Klaus without resorting to violence.

While the two were thinking about routes to talk to Klaus, Tilly was darting her eyes between Samael and Stefan. The corner of her lips curled up subtly. These two might not admit it, but just by looking at them, they appeared to have quite a unique relationship. Tilly wasn't an expert, but she had seen Lilou and Samael's different relationships with people and she could tell this was one of the good ones.

'Too bad,' she thought as her subtle smile faded, setting her eyes on Stefan's back. 'This circumstance… defies the natural law of order.'

********

Back in the mansion, Lilou and Fabian were doing housework, since she was simply following her routine. This place would be full of dust if she didn't clean it. Stefan sometimes helped her, but Lilou only get mad at him since he was doing more damage than the actual help.

So it was a little new for her that someone was actually helping her in doing house chores.

"Mister Fabian?" she called, holding the broom with both her hands while Fabian was wiping the windows in the hallway.

Fabian paused and turned his head in her direction, smiling politely like usual. "Yes, my lady?"

"Lilou," she corrected, but he simply kept his smile. "Is it true you were raided last night?"

"Yes. An hour after you left the estate."

"But you don't seem like…" she trailed off as she pondered on how she would put it.

"Alarmed? Disconcerted?" he continued when he noticed her struggle to word it. His lips stretch wider when Lilou nodded.

"Yes, I think that's the term."

"My lady." Fabian peeled his eyes away and set them on the window. His eyes fell on the driveway in front of the mansion where Samael and Stefan were standing beside the carriage.

"Being raided and facing countless enemies is the easiest part. It was either kill or get killed and it's clear everyone's option is the former," he remarked solemnly. "What is even more alarming and disconcerting is a person's silent inner war. The collateral damages were those who were close to us. Worse, ourselves."

Lilou pressed her lips into a thin slash as she gripped the broom tightly. Her mouth opened and closed, but her voice was stuck in her throat. All she could do was stare at Fabian's side and sigh faintly.

"I'm not saying this to force you to accept His Grace or us. However, my lady, even if you can't remember and our presence makes you uncomfortable, please do not shut your heart and mind." Fabian slowly faced her with a polite smile. "His Grace will not force you to do anything if you don't want to, but give him a chance and see for yourself why you, even if he isn't your type, married such a person."

"Forgive me if I am overstepping my bounds and offended you." He bowed slightly and when he raised his head once again, his squinting eyes opened slightly. "Very well. I will clean the other room. Please rest. I can take care of the house while I am in here."

Lilou noticed the glint in his eyes when he glanced at the area she had cleaned behind her. "You just don't like the way I cleaned?" she asked as she turned around, seeing nothing wrong with the floor she swept.

"Of course not. I simply don't want to exhaust yourself."

She glanced back at him and sighed. He definitely didn't mean that, she thought. But Lilou didn't have the energy to do house chores since she barely slept a wink.

"Well then, I will leave the cleaning to you. I'll go to the kitchen —"

"Please leave the cooking to me as well."

She frowned. "I'm not a bad cook."

"It's not me who said that."

"Did you bully me in the past?" she blurted out as it seemed Fabian was quite meticulous, especially in the matters of the house. Even though this place wasn't theirs, it felt like he was declaring it was his territory.

"Of course not, my lady." Fabian laughed, averting his eyes because 'bully' was a big word.

Lilou pouted but figured she should let him in charge. So, she didn't dwell on it as she nodded, walking back to her room only to find herself standing in the garden.

She gazed heavenward, shielding her eyes at the sun blazing brightly yet warmly on her. It looked peaceful, with clouds moving calmly in the clear blue sky.

"Such pleasant weather," she mumbled, slumping on the grass out of habit before collapsing on her back. "Why did I even cry so much last night? Now I'm sleepy."

Lilou stared at the clear blue sky, blinking ever so tenderly until her eyes felt heavy. Before she realized it, darkness embraced her like how it embraced an old friend whispering to her;

'Everything I did and all that I went through... I will go through them again just to be with you.'