"M-My Lord... Miss Marianne... seems to not be feeling well... I have been watching her from the door to make sure she is fine as My Lord suggested... but... she is curled up under the sheets...without moving..."
The Duke felt nauseous to the news the maid delivered. Despair devoured him in an instant.
In the past, a similar situation happened, after Marianne declared her unwillingness to et her Father.
She would stay in bed all day and refuse to eat anything, without moving an inch from her position. It was hell to see his daughter like that, and not be able to do anything for months on end since she dismissed any type of communication with him.
The only one she allowed to stay by her side... was Paul.
The Duke would never forget the day he finally got to see her face again.
That day she stepped out of the room... her voice was gone... and the now common empty eyes and expression... were seen for the first ti.
Orland heard how his world cracked and began to crumble apart, at the horrifying possibility of completely losing Marianne this ti.
’... it... can’t be...... My daughter–’
"M-My Lord... she ate very well at breakfast..."
Paige’s voice woke him a bit before falling into the grief his thoughts were driving him.
"My Lady ate a lot of confectionaries... I think she might have developed a stomachache..." Said Paige, glancing nervously at her Master.
The young maid was incredibly anxious about Marianne’s state. She has been serving the Miss ever since she was fifteen.
Seeing a slight change in her Ladyship lately, Paige felt happy to see the Miss... finally living.
During these four years of service, she watched how the Miss lived monotonous and lifeless days. Without leaving her quarters, if not for dinner or the Young Master’s call, the lady would never leave the fixed spot by her window. However, she was always "healthy", this was the first ti she had gotten "sick". Paige was only around two years older than the Lady, so her affection towards Marianne had grown to one of an older sister, making her worry sincerely about her wellbeing.
Saying the key phrase "She ate a lot of confectionaries", returned the colour to the Duke’s face. The pure fact that Marianne ate a lot, was enough to know that this was not the past repeating itself.
Trying to gain control over the pained expression that ca from relief, he told the maid to prepare a special tea, made of different herbs he listed.
Through the years he studied for an explanation for Marianne’s condition, Orland researched dicinal herbs in hopes to find a concoction that helped his daughter in any way, as minimal as it could be. He wasn’t an expert but he knew his way around the topic. So, using his accumulated knowledge, he listed herbs that would help her body without leaving a bitter taste. Then, the Duke asked for sothing to write on.
Soon after, a servant ca with the requested tools and assisted the Duke, who was to write sothing with nowhere to lean.
Orland wrote a simple but sincere letter.
[Dear, you must be very tired.
Rest well and eat your als so you don’t get sick. I’ve heard this herbal tea is very good for the body so please drink it while still hot.
Don’t get sick sweetie.]
When only a line was left to write, he hesitated.
’....I want to write "Daddy"... but... what if she doesn’t like it..?... Even if she won’t say it out loud... she will still read it in her mind... it counts if it’s like that.... right?’ He smiled in bitterness.
Orland knew that his daughter was old enough to not call him "Daddy" or "Papa" anymore. It was excessive to ask her to address him thus and thus. Not even Theressa, who was two years younger than Marianne called him that way.
However, He couldn’t help but to wish for it.
More than ten years have passed since the last ti he heard her say "Daddy" to na him. The day she had declared that she didn’t want him near her anymore... Marianne referred to him as "You"... like he was no more than a stranger to her.
From then on she never again addressed him in any way.
Until the day she went to his office, she had never directed a word nor a written ssage to him in all those years. The fact that she wrote "Father" on the paper to address him that day... was enough to make his heart stop beating.
For the longest ti, Orland had prayed for Marianne to co back to his father.
The little girl was lovely and petite like flower buttons and could be easily lifted by her dad. The child that would smile brightly while calling him "Daddy" with the sweet pure voice he had almost forgotten... was now calling him "Father" in a formal manner.
Even in the midst of joy... the word felt like a cold and sturdy wall that established a line in their relationship.
That is why his desire to be called "Daddy" again was so strong. He felt that doing so would break the wall that separated them.
’... Even if I’m able to hear it in the future... will I be able to recognise her voice...?...’
Orland was well aware that ti never stops. Furthermore, for a growing child, the passing ti cos with changes.
The voice of the child he desperately wanted to hear... will most likely no longer exist...
Marianne was an adult now, her body had matured, leaving behind the small child. The voice he would hear from her now... was unknown to him.
[Your Father.]
He quit the idea of writing "Daddy".
For the sake of protecting the little progress made in the last few days, the Duke decided to use "Your Father" to end the letter.
’... For now, let’s not worry about it being too formal... Let’s slowly change it to "Dad" first.’
Determined to et this first goal, Orland entrusted the letter to Paige and asked her to take good care of Marianne.
Now, turning to the other family mbers that waited in silence, the Duke inford them of Marianne’s absence and commanded the carriage to depart.
It was ti for them to assist today’s main event.
*******
The Emperor was not supposed to participate in the event.
Nonetheless, he had especially sent a carriage for Lady Marianne. He had two goals by doing so. One was showing his esteem, and, the other one, was teasing his old friend.
It was customary for the one who received this kind of gift from the Emperor to have a private eting to express their gratitude. This was well known by his friend. So, now, Francois would be able to see the lovely Lady once again and make fun of Orland in one strike.
Unfortunately, the one who ca to express their appreciation was Orland himself.
Once Francois saw that the Sylfinnier that ca into the Audience Hall wasn’t the one he expected, his brain beca slower by confusion. Thanks to this, he took too long to notice a significant detail, the one entailing that, besides the Crown Prince, there was no one else in the Audience Hall.
"Uh... Duke...? What brings you to my presence...?"
"..."
Orland looked at him with a serious face. As he did, the fact that it was only the three of them in the room made him smirk subtly. Then, he proceeded to inform the Emperor of the reason for his visit.
"... Your Majesty, I have co to your presence in the place of my daughter Marianne, to express her respects for your... thoughtful present."
The smile that the Duke displayed as he said those two last words, was the signal that made Francois aware of his current situation. His face twitched in alarm and blinked in disbelief.
’Even if your son is here... I’ll give you the lesson you need... my DEAR friend.’
Orland’s eyes transmitted his thoughts to him easily. That unmistakable gaze was way too well-known for him not to understand its aning.
Averting his eyes, his lips beca a line as he closed them tightly, gulping down with a dry mouth.
"...I... s-see... Ahem... Did she have a comfortable trip to the Main Palace?"
"... I apologise, but, unfortunately, she did not leave the Guest Palace."
"... What...? Why?" Frowning, he turned back to look at the Duke again with a serious face, forgetting the previous discomfort. The possibility that she dared to refuse his grace was offensive.
He is the Emperor of the Frotschter Empire, who in their right mind would dare to decline his favour?
Knowing the kind of idea that had occurred in Francois’s head, the Duke sighed and promptly answered his question.
"She is not feeling well."
Aware of what these words could implicate, the Emperor cald down imdiately. He had seen his friend several tis fall into despair over that child’s health... to the point it beca painful to watch how he had to swallow that grief in order to keep appearances.
Now that he had finally t that daughter... his heart beca heavy with sadness, for both Father and daughter.
"Tell what happened."
Adopting a solemn attitude, Francois did not hesitate to express his concern.
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