?An Unexpected Way?

*.·:·.?.·:·.*

Leyla knelt on her cabin floors, furiously scrubbing the floorboards clean before she sighed out tiredly, and swiped off some of the sweat off her brows. With the sunbeam light flowing into the room, she could see the fine dust particles floating all over her.

The cold was also beginning to subside in the air, signifying that winter was about to come to an end.

Despite that, Leyla couldn’t help but think about how strange Kyle had been when she’d returned to Arvis from Carlsbar. Even remembering the look on his face gave her endless confusion about why he’d been acting so weird.

It’s been a few days since it happened, yet still she reached no conclusion.

She had been successful in making the Duke drop her off in Carlsbar, and went home on her own. Upon her way home, she’d encountered Kyle on the road to Arvis, just as Kyle was just about to leave.

“Leyla..” he called out to her with a breathy voice. He looked calm to her, but something in his voice made her think like he wanted to cry for some unknown reason.

She wanted to go to him, and ask about how he is, but she caught sight of her shoes, and forced herself not to. These shoes were the ones the Duke had just bought for her, and it reminded her why she needed to get away from Kyle.

He repeated her name a few more times, it was almost like he was seeing her, but at the same time, it was like he wasn’t actually seeing her. It was like his mind was stuck somewhere. At one point it seemed like he was looking right through her and proceeded to look up at the sky.

His hands had been shaking when he ran them across his face. Whether it was from the cold or something else, she couldn’t tell. And then he left, without talking to her or looking back at her once more.

A few passerbys had seen them, looking over at them curiously, wondering what happened between them now as Kyle continued to walk in a daze passed them. They shot Leyla questioning glances as soon as they noticed his red-rimmed eyes.

All the while Leyla could only figure out he’d stopped by for something, as did the others who saw them.

But from their point of view, it didn’t seem like that last time Kyle had sought out Leyla.

Kyle had been Leyla’s broken first love, but before that he’d been like a brother and her best friend. But gone were the days they would have freely confided in one another, those unspoken conversations they’d exchange across the room with a simple exchange of glances.

By now Leyla had completely lost her ability to read Kyle.

“Leyla!” a new voice came, shaking her out of her memories.

Immediately, Leyla jolted back in attention and put down her cleaning brushes, before running towards the front of the house. It was the mailman! She immediately swung the door open, running out to excitedly receive the telegram delivered by her uncle.

She thanked him profusely for his hard work and he gave her a wave of goodbye. As soon as he was gone from her sight, she immediately went back inside and ripped open the envelope to read the letter Uncle Bill had sent her with a quick skim of her eyes. Immediately all the thoughts and worries flowed out of her, temporarily forgotten the more she read the letter!

Uncle Bill was coming back to Arvis in two days!

*.·:·.?.·:·.*

Lunch in the Arvis mansion was always a quiet affair, and it didn’t change even when Claudine was there, temporarily living under their roof. Soft clanging sounds of cutlery, and scraping sounds echoed along with light chatter among the three ladies in Arvis mansion.

The air around them was warm and pleasant as the beautiful spread of food was laid out in front of them. The sunlight streaming into the room made it seem as though spring had just arrived, despite the winter barely beginning its descent.

“I like it whenever Claudine stays in the mansion with us here,” Elysee praised the young girl, shooting a grin over her soon-to-be daughter-in-law. “Arvis feels so full whenever she’s around!”

“I completely agree,” Norma hummed, exchanging smiles with her companions, as Claudine gracefully set her utensils down and demurely wiped the food from her lips, “Having her around is very reassuring.” Norma finished.

“I’m very happy you both think so, my Duchesses.” Claudine beamed at them gracefully, “For a while I worried I was being burdensome, staying in Arvis for too long.”

“Nonsense, Claudine,” Norma assured her, before quickly glancing over to her grandson who had been quiet as he ate, “I’m sure had the wedding not been postponed due to unseen circumstances, you’d already be part of the family. Don’t you agree so too, Matthias?”

At hearing his name, Matthias finally looked up from his plate, and spared Claudine a glance, before giving the ladies his usual smile, a smile Claudine was all too familiar with. It was his polite smile, that although looked as though it held no ill-intentions, it sent cold shivers down her spine.

Only, Matthias wasn’t answering Norma right away. Instead, he grabbed a glass of water, and took a long, composed sip on his glass of water, making Claudine more uneasy about the changes with him. She had thought she’d stick to his usual style of giving short and succinct replies, but he wasn’t, and the conversation turned into different matters in Matthias’ silence.

Claudine wondered what Kyle was doing with the information she’d given him. Had he not confronted them about it?

Claudine’s hands, which were hidden beneath the table clutched tightly onto the table napkins, crumpling them in her tightened fists in worry. And then the topic quickly shifted about the recent rumors in Arvis.

The one about Leyla.

“I guess after what happened, the doctor’s son and the gardener’s foster child will always cross paths with each other.” Elysee sighed out with complete disinterest. Duchess Norma on the other hand, seemed to be excited with this information.

“Oh, you mean Kyle and Leyla? Oh what a lovely couple they could have been.” Norma sighed wistfully, “Had Mrs. Etman not done what she did, they would have been married by now!” she exclaimed indignantly on the wronged couple’s behalf.

“I remember seeing them as children, they really liked each other so much back then too! Got along swimmingly.” Norma continued to praise them, Elysee hummed in slight agreement.

“Yes, I can’t disagree with you on that.” Elysee told Norma, “Does this mean he’s ready to go against his mother’s wishes and elope with Leyla instead? Run away far from Arvis?” she asked a little more curiously than before.

Norma hummed and frowned at the thought.

“Do you think Kyle should start acting so callously now?” Norma asked back a little disapprovingly at the thought of Kyle going against his mother’s wishes. “Still, these are still just hearsays, we don’t know what’s really going on between them.”

Norma sighed and straightened out in her seat, before continuing.

“Besides, I think Kyle should give his mother a few more years to think about it. He’s still young, and has his whole life ahead of him. Time will tell whether he’ll really risk his relationship with his mother over a first love.”

Claudine blinked back in shock at the older matriarch’s words.

“I’m surprised you think that Duchess Norma,” Claudine piped up after she finished, “Don’t you like Leyla?” Claudine shot Matthias a discreet glance out of curiosity, yet he was still calmly eating his food as though he could care less about what was being talked about.

“Oh, I completely adore Bill’s niece!” Norma praised, “She’s absolutely a sight to behold and such a good-natured girl too, very agreeable that girl.” she smiled, before sighing out with a sad smile, “But marriage and feelings are a different matter, and it doesn’t matter if I like her or not.”

Norma proceeded to tell them that although Mrs. Etman was publicly shamed and ridiculed for her garish behavior which led to the engagement being broken off, no one could really fault her for her reasoning. Especially not with the upper-class mothers.

All mothers want only the best for their sons, Mrs. Etman was no different. She went about it the wrong way, but her heart was in the right place.

“Hmm,” Claudine nodded in understanding, “Though I really think Kyle wants to marry Leyla. He wants to be with her with all his heart.”

“I’m surprised you think so my dear,” Norma hummed towards her, “As your own family’s heir, shouldn’t you know by now that feelings don’t matter in marriages?” Norma asked her curiously. “Having an orphaned person as a daughter-in-law has no place in the Etman household in the first place.”

Norma didn’t mean it in any malicious way. It was just a fact in their society.

Claudine nodded at the older matriarch in understanding like the good girl that she was. She chanced a glance over to Matthias, to gouge out his own reaction to what his grandmother just said.

‘Just this once,’ She wished in her mind, ‘Let me see behind his mask.’

But Matthias was good at pretending. He only looked at his grandmother with an agreeable smile on his face. The fact he could pretend so indifferently unnerved Claudine deeply.

Yesterday afternoon, Claudine had been with the two Duchesses, and they all spotted Leyla walking weirdly through the woods as though she was trying to hide from anyone’s sight. What Claudine regretted most was how the other two Duchess had to witness how pathetic Leyla was acting, even though she was sneaking around just to meet up with the Duke.

‘Are you happy having the love of this kind of a man, Leyla?’ Claudine wondered as she looked at the Duke’s gentle smile that he would dole out to any noble woman, ‘No, does Matthias even know how to love someone?’

Finally, she averted her gaze from him, feeling that small pity she held for Leyla for capturing the attention of such a cold-hearted man. Leyla had already lost Kyle Etman, someone who undoubtedly loved her as though she was the only treasure in the world, and now she was subjected to the whims of a powerful ice king.

In Matthias mind, he saw no need to butt into their conversation. What his grandmother had said was a fact he wouldn’t dispute. And she was also correct in her assessment of Leyla, it was why he wanted her as his mistress. Because in doing so, he’d have her and not completely destroy the prospects of his future.

He was only doing what he must do.

All in all, lunch between them was an uneventful affair, ending with Claudine continuing to spend time with her soon-to-be in-laws for some tea, while Matthias opted to go out for a walk alone in the forest.

Afternoons in Arvis had most of the birds chirping overhead in the trees, echoing clearly throughout the quiet nature as the warm sunlight shed light all over everything.

Matthias took off in the familiar forest path, with an inexplicable sense of restlessness deep within his chest. Almost as though they were overriding his rational thoughts, filling his head completely with the idea of breaking off his engagement with Claudine..

And putting Leyla in that place instead.

Just up ahead, saw the unmistakable cabin that housed that person that restlessly filled his mind. He hadn’t intended to be here, but he wasn’t intending to turn around and go back. Instead, he pushed on with a renewed vigor in his steps as the sunlight continued to bathe him in its warm glow.

Spring really is coming.

*.·:·.?.·:·.*

When Leyla got back to Arvis, the sky had been covered with red and orange hues as the sun sunk in the west. She was pedaling as fast as she could, not wanting to reach home by dark. There was a brown paper back on her bike’s basket, rustling against the wind as she picked up speed.

She had gone out to buy some ingredients for Uncle Bill’s favorite foods as his welcoming feast. She could only imagine the stories he had for her upon his return when they’d sit by the table to eat the meal she would cook. She really was looking forward to seeing him again!

Maybe by then, she’ll also be able to find the courage to convince her Uncle to move away from Arvis with her. To start their lives anew away from the Duke.

Convincing him would take some time, but it wasn’t impossible. She knew with Uncle Bill by her side, all will be right in the world again. He kept saying that to her when she was young after all. He’d talked about his own dreams about moving away from Arvis when the work would get too much for him.

Of course, his moving away did not mean far from Arvis. He wanted to stay close, but within the estate grounds. She was certain she could convince him to move farther away. And once she could leave with him, she’ll look for a different job.

She’d teach new students in a new school, and forget about Arvis, and continue life with Uncle Bill and live happily ever after! Much like they did in Arvis before this whole thing with the Duke started.

The more she dreamed about what may be, the lighter the feeling in her got. She’d been thinking about this ever since she asked for a transfer to a different school far away from Arvis. She even got rid of the new clothes and shoes he’d bought her.

They were not what she was after all. They didn’t scream Leyla Lewellin.

It wasn’t right for her to be selfish and take them as compensation for what he’s doing to her. She knew how deep the poison of greed could get and wanted nothing to do with it. All she wanted is to erase every bad thing that fell on her that night in the gazebo, that night she first interacted with the Duke.

Until she’d erase the image of him entering her life, talking amicably with her fiance.

But before that, she must first organize all the things she’d bought, and then change into more comfortable clothes. And then she’d head out to feed their livestock. Things were going to get busier, so she had to be more productive.

She was finally within sight of her cabin, and let out a pleased sigh at seeing her home, and quickened up some more, eager to get home as she rode down the forest path. She should also start preparing for her dinner and get the house warmed up too!

She parked her bike in front of the cabin, grabbing the shopping bags with her as she opened the door to let herself in. In her excitement, she completely failed to notice the presence of her current companion..

“Welcome back, Leyla.” A cool voice from behind greeted her, a cold shiver shooting up her spine at the sound of that unmistakable voice. In her shock, she scrambled to catch the bag she had been carrying in her haste to look at her trespasser!

There, seated on her dearest uncle’s chair, was none other than Matthias, sitting in crossed legs, as he lounged back in his seat. He was looking at her in an intense gaze that made Leyla feel he was about to do something to her.

She wanted to believe this was all just a nightmare, that she was seeing things, but she wasn’t. He really was in her own home!

“Wh-why are you here!?” she squeaked out, stuttering in his sudden presence. Matthias only shrugged as he looked around.

“It’s my property, why should I not be here?” he asked her with a hint of a challenge.

“It might be your estate, but you’ve given us this place as our home!”

“And so what if it is?”

Leyla couldn’t help but scoff at his callousness and disregard of their privacy.

“It means you can’t just invite yourself to come in here as you please!” She immediately put the shopping bag down by the edge of the kitchen table, before going back to face him and firmly gestured towards the door. “Leave.” She demanded from him.

Matthias held her gaze as he slowly stood up in his seat, and stalked over to her with a smirk like a predator would to a prey. He took a once over at her body, before the smirk slid off his face at the sight of her shoes.

Once again she was wearing those awfully stained shoes, when it was clear he made her throw them away. Even her coat wasn’t the one he’d bought for her to wear. He clearly adored her stubbornness, sure. But something churned deep in Matthias’ gut at the thought of her disregarding what he’d just given her.

And he didn’t like that.

Leyla thought he was finally leaving and grabbed the door handle to hold it out for him as he left. But as soon as she tried to swing the door open, Matthias quickly whirled her back to face him, and slammed the door behind her, pinning her against the door.

Leyla’s breathing grew ragged as she looked up at him in fright. And then Matthias dipped his head down..

Taking Leyla’s lips into a searing kiss.

*.·:·.?.·:·.*