The Lord in Blue

Chapter 3

When I wake up, I'm back in my room. The sun is not completely out yet, but the light already hurts my eyes. And my head. Oh, my head. How I wish I was the lady from the painting. She doesn't have to worry about her head hurting like this.

I spend the rest of my day in bed, sleeping, grunting every time a servant comes into my room to bring me food or something to drink.

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The next morning I finally feel like a normal person, though one who doesn't want to think about what happened at the Summer Ball. About the Lord Mount I met on the road being Lord Mason Mount, my cousin's lover and the perfect man for me according to her. So I leave my room to go to the library. I need a good book to keep my head busy.

On my way there I cross paths with some of the ladies, who start whispering and laughing the moment they see me. I catch some of the things they say. "There isn't champagne on the countryside, she's not used to it." "She's too old for parties." "She just fainted to be the center of attention."

"They are just jealous, you know?" a male voice says behind me.

"What?" I say as I turn around to see who is talking.

"Yesterday you achieved everything they wish for and more. You got the Golden Boy's attention and he carried you on his arms like heroes do with the princesses in fairy tails."

"The Golden Boy? Who is that?" I ask, confused.

"Lord Mount, of course! Most ladies are here with only one goal: marry him." Lord Mount... carried me... in his arms. What? "They are always around him like flies around a big piece of shit. It's so fun to watch."

"Did you just call Lord Mount a big piece of shit?" I say, half shocked, half laughing.

"I've called him worst, my lady. Benefits of being best friends" he says while smiling. "I'm Lord Rice. We were about to be introduced the other night, but you were done with all of us and decided to end the day."

"Oh, I'm sorry" I say, blushing. "Nice to meet you, my lord."

"Nice to properly meet you, my lady. Now, tell me. Where were you heading?" he asks.

"To the library. I'm in need of a good book."

"Oh, books. I've always wanted to get into reading, but I get bored after just a couple of pages" he says while running a hand through his hair. He has such a beautiful hair, so fluffy. I am very tempted to touch it.

"If you get bored after just a few pages it's because you haven't found the right genre for you yet" I say. "I can help you if you are interested."

"I would love that" he says.

We walk together to the library, and he talks all the way there, once we are inside the room, and while going through all the shelves. But I don't mind it. I like hearing him talk, and more than once he makes me laugh.

"Here" I say, handing him a book.

"The Sagas of Ragnar Lodbrok" he reads.

"It's about a very famous Viking and his sons" I explain to him. "It has a bit of everything, I think you'll like it."

"Alright... I'll give it a go" he says. "What about you? What book are you going to read?"

"I'm looking for one I used to read a lot as a kid when I needed to get away from reality, but I can't find it anywhere" I say as I move to another shelf, still not being able to find the book I'm looking for.

"What is it about?" he asks. He's moved to a window, already reading the first pages of the book I gave him. And I can't help but stare at him for a bit. He's very handsome. Is there anyone ugly in this court?

"It's a long story, many things happen" I say, still looking at him. "But basically, it's all about two little men who carry a magical ring, and their journey to a volcano where they have to destroy it."

"Wait, what?" he says with a confused look, making me laugh.

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From that day on, Lord Rice and I start to go for walks through the garden, talking about his book or about the most random things, many of them about him and Lord Mount. Or Mase as he calls him. He apparently has gone on some business trip, and that's why I haven't seen him since the ball.

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I'm sitting in the garden, enjoying the sun with my eyes closed while waiting for Lord Rice to go on our daily walk, when I notice someone approaching me.

"My lady?" I jump when I hear his voice. It's Lord Mount. What is he doing here? "I hope I haven't scared you, my lady. I just came back from a trip and Dec, sorry, Lord Rice, told me you usually meet here before going for a walk."

"We do, my lord" I manage to say.

"Would you mind if today it was me who joined you?"

"I... Sure" I say.

We start walking in silence, both of us looking anywhere but at each other.

"I have something for you" he says after a while.

"For me?" I finally have the guts to look him in the face. He's grown a bead since we last see each other at the ball. He was handsome without it, but now... Again, I feel myself blushing. Looks like that's all I do when I'm next to him.

"The day before I left Dec told me you had been at the library together and that you weren't able to find a book about a ring and a volcano. Could it be this one?" he says, showing me a huge book that he had manage to hide somewhere, its title in golden letters.

"How did you know it was this one?" I ask, surprised that someone like him could know a book like that.

"The Lord of the Rings was one of my favorite books as a kid. When Dec told me about it, I instantly knew what he was talking about, so on my way here I stopped at a library and got a copy for you."

"I... I don't know what to say, my lord. You are too kind." He bought me a book. My favorite book. And he has read it as well. "Who is your favorite character?" I ask him. He gives me a little smile while he starts walking again.

"Am I too predictable if I say Aragorn?"

"You definitely are, my lord" I say, smiling back.

We spend the rest of our walk chatting about the book. About what we like and don't like, about who are the best characters, what we would do if we were them. We walk pass other lords and ladies who definitely are staring at us, but we barely see or hear them. It's just us.