The sound of Aster screaming broke the silence of the night. The guard who stationed around the palace rushed and gathered around the room of Young Lord. The guards saw the door had been opened and there were pool of bloods everywhere, two corpse with their heads decapitated laid on the ground, from their uniform, they were House of Thana guards. The Young Lord held a guard's hand and his expression was terror-stricken. Even in this middle of the night, the guards could see that Young Lord was trembling. He kept calling for help even though the guards had been standing in front of him.
"By God! What happened?" a guard asked Young Lord.
Aster's eyes finally focused on the guard and he couldn't hold back his tears. "Irion! Save Irion! His wounds are severe!" he kept pointing to a young guard who was red from head to toe. The guard noticed wounds in various locations around his body. Stabs, slashes, even would that almost hit vital points.
"Young Lord, my subordinate will take this man to the palace doctor," one guard with a red badge in his uniform approached disordered Aster. He held Irion's wrist and still could feel the pulse. He ordered his subordinate to take Irion to the palace doctor to treat his wounds.
"He lost so much blood, but it seems that his wounds weren't fatal, Young Lord should calm down.," he said.
Aster nodded, he let go of his hand from Irion and let the guards carried him to the doctor.
"My na is Herbert Gallace, I'm the commander of the palace guards who patrol during the night. Young Lord, please tell what happened."
Aster took deep breaths few tis, but he couldn't control his tremble. He opened his mouth and his voice sounded hoarse, "I--I don't know, there was a hooded man who opened the window even though I already locked it. He tried to attack , then--then Lady rse's guard and mine opened the door. They tried to protect but... th--their heads just rolled off like that!" Aster pointed at the two dead guards.
"Where is that hooded man? Did he run away?" Herbert asked.
"My--my guard, Irion, tried to protect while fighting that man. That man also got fatal wounds in his stomach, so he jumped from the balcony," Aster's tears welled up in his eyes, he continued, " My guard, he will be okay, right?"
"Yes, he should survive. His wounds didn't seem to hit vital parts." Herbert pacified this Young Lord. This Young Lord still trembling while sitting on the chair. His hands clutched the chair, like a small, frightened creature.
"Young Lord shall wait, I will order the maids to prepare a new room for you soon, I will take these two dead guards out of this room. There will be few guards outside, if you need anything, you can ask the guards outside." Herbert said.
"Y--yes, I will try... Thank you, um... Sir Gallace." Aster bowed. Herbert
Before Herbert could say anything, a guard rushed to the room and reported, "Commander! There was an assassination attempt to Lady rse! She has been wounded!"
"WHAT?!"
Aster seed to be dumbfounded, his expression changed fast and his already pale face beca even paler. "This... L--Lady rse..." Aster said.
Herbert wanted to ask about what happened, but he couldn't wait here. "Young Lord, please excuse ," he left the room hastily. Few maids and butlers arrived to Aster's room shortly after and escorted him to the new room. Aster hid himself in a blanket, and the butler who closed the door could just sighed. This pitiful Young Lord had been through harsh situations, he must've been traumatized.
Aster tried to hold his smile so many tis, after the door has been closed, he opened his blanket and his satisfied grin couldn't be hidden.
"Ah, a step closer to my Ramuja."
***
Aster looked really weak in the morning, Jain who carried his breakfast opened the conversation by asking; "Young Lord, is everything alright?"
"I didn't sleep for the whole night." Aster said while eating his breakfast.
"Pardon this servant's question, but is this because Young Lord has to face Lady rse after breakfast?"
"I need to be believable. That hag rse should see worrying so much about her, so I can erase any last trace of doubt within her heart about ," Aster explained. "How about Irion? He is fine, right?" Aster asked.
"Yes, Irion is fine, Young Lord."
"Then, everything is perfect." Aster said. He ate his breakfast and then prepared himself to et Lady rse.
***
Lady rse sat on her bed with bandage covered her fac. She had deep slash from under the right eye to her ear, it was fortunate that she didn't lost her eye. She seed to clutch sothing in her hand and refused to eat anything except for dicine.
'Beatrice...' Lady rse was unresponsive even when the doctor tried to replace her bandage. She finally reacted when the guard opened the door and saw a young man with curly bright blond hair, small nose, and eyes that could capture everyone's heart approached her. He had black eye bags under his eyes and his complexion was very pale, but his face was still very beautiful and refreshing.
Lady rse's lips curled up subconsciously. She said, "Boy, why are you here? The commander said that you were also attacked, but gladly, you are safe."
Aster approached Lady rse and kneeled besides her bed. He said, "L--Lady rse, I'm sorry..."
Lady rse raised her eyebrows, "What are you sorry for?"
"This... because Milady tried to help , you also being targeted..." Aster lanted. He had his eyes casted down, "Milady wouldn't get hurt if not because of ... and your guards... they are..."
Lady rse sighed. Aster was too pure, it is a wonder why would her sister targeted this kid. Lady rse rubbed Aster's soft hair intimately, but this ti, there was no feeling of lust within her. It was just the feeling of... motherly love.
"The guards served what their duty, their death wasn't in vain. About my scar, do you find it ugly?" Lady rse asked with half joking tone.
'Yes, you're a wretched ugly hag, I just give you the face you deserve.' Aster said in his heart, but he shook his head.
"How co I find you ugly. Milady, you're a kind person... People with kind heart was never ugly," Aster said.
"Cute boy, now that you say sothing sweet, how co I would be angry to you? I don't bla you," Lady rse said.
"Lady rse, did I do sothing wrong? Why am I being targeted like this..." Aster lanted. His shoulder drooped and he inadvertently placed his head on Lady rse's lap. "Milady, should I die? My problem just harms you..."
Lady rse slowly brushing Aster' hair and said, "Boy, we're nobles. It is inevitable that so people would want to harm us. But fear nothing, if your duchy can't protect you, I will."
Aster raised his head and looked up to Lady rse mangled face. He almost couldn't hold back his disgust, but he cald down and asked, "Milady, we've only t twice, why are you so kind to ?"
Lady rse stopped brushing Aster's hair. She thought about it again. She had only t Aster twice, and their first encounter wasn't a pleasant one. But she felt different attachnt right away to this boy after they talked once.
'Maybe because I wanted a son, soone that I can protect and love.'
'He didn't feel disgust to , even with this mangled face.'
Lady rse sighed, "Boy, I am sorry that I did sothing unspeakable to you when we first t. Please don't think strange things, because now, I just want to protect you..."
"Cute boy, I have no child, so I want to have one. You don't need to do anything, I will be on your side," Lady rse chuckled, "Well, you should invite to tea party or sothing for ti to ti, I just want to make sure that everything is alright for you." She said with light laugh.
"...?!"
Aster was speechless and his mind blanked. This answer from Lady rse was different from what he expected. He thought she would want his body like before. This...
A guard approached Lady rse and Aster then reported, "Milady, Her Majesty Empress would want your attendance in her chamber."
Lady rse's lighthearted smile turned into gloom instantly. She nodded and caressed Aster's cheek, "Boy, I'm going to et my sister. Hold no worries, I'm going to protect you."
Aster wanted to say sothing, but he felt like he was tongue-tied. Lady rse got up from her bed and followed the guard who escorted her.
'I... what just happened?!' Aster felt sothing was brewing inside his head. He felt... guilt.
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