Light And Shadow

The Duchess

With Kian, Phillan, and Philly alongside him, Eli rode around the borders of Chester Forest. As per his lord's in structions, Kian checked the terrain and confirmed the location of the watchtower. All that was left to do was collect the wood and commission the personnel to com mence construction.

"I think it's highly likely that Count Polit is the mas termind behind the raids. What are your thoughts?" Eli asked.

"I concur. Attacking Westfield would've been a piece of cake for them, since they can wander in and out of the Chester forest freely."

Reports showed the village closest to the forest had been subjected to multiple attacks, until nothing re mained but barren lands. The men were beaten within an inch of their lives, while the women were brutally vi olated. A pungent smell of rot emanated from the gutter, and to top it off, the attacks had occurred during the rain ing season. The remaining inhabitants, a mix of slaves and serfs who'd been pushed to the outskirts, were left with no roof to cover their heads, while swarms of flies covered their dirty bodies. Truthfully, this place could barely be called a village. It was the most harrowing place in his dominion.

Turning their horses around, Eli and Kian advanced toward the open field. Meanwhile, the twins couldn't help but plug their noses at the acrid smell of decaying corpses, as they grimaced at the sight before them.

"Will any of these people even be able to work?" Eli frowned. 

"Well, wouldn't they try anything to avoid starva tion?" Kian replied.

"Since they're slaves, they wouldn't have dared to come alongside the commoners, for fear of being stoned. Isn't that how it always is? If slaves can't provide for themselves, they die."

"Is that it?" Eli muttered, as he brooded. He tried to imagine what Edna would do if she were in his place. He felt like he would anger her should he try to reason that these people were beyond help because they were slaves. It was far more likely that she'd give a long sermon on the rights of humans and responsibility of a lord. An un bidden smirk crept up his face. Imaging her reactions re minded him of the days before he'd abandoned his family name.

"But could the duchess pull off such a feat?"

"To be frank, I'm not sure either. But for some reason, I have faith that she could do anything that she sets her mind to."

Kian audibly swallowed, and buried the burning cu riosity he felt toward Eli's apparent awe for his wife. Whenever Eli mentioned the duchess, his dark blue eyes betrayed a fluttering shadow of passion.

"Don't you think it's a little odd? You said the duchess was born out of wedlock. Bastard children are not given proper education, and consequently they grow up illiter ate. I'm unsure of what you've seen that has given you such a deep-seated faith in her, but could she simply be acting on nothing more than noblesse oblige? Anyone could do that."

Eli stared back at Kian's inscrutable face and simply smirked. He'd already anticipated all the possible reac tions toward the news of his wife's humble origins.

Even the ever-serene Kian appeared shaken by the news that the duchess was an illegitimate child. For someone like Kian, who was well-educated, the existence of someone like the lord's wife was an absurdity. She's ei ther a timeless genius or

"Kian, she is my wife. Uttering such nonsense is beneath you. Your brainpower is better put to use else where," Eli warned him with a shake of his head, inter rupting Kian's thoughts.