The Duchess' Enchantment

Chapter 2

Golden rays peaked through the slightest gap between the pleated crimson curtains, as a lovely rosy hue was cast across the sky. Icicles precariously clung to the edge of the window as light shone through the frost covered streets, bringing about a flurry of activity with it.

Though Annalise had been awake for some time, she knew that she would not be able to sneak out again, largely due to the guards being stationed around the manor, though she longed to be able to feel the gentle breeze and view the magnificent winter wonderland that Inverloch was sure to be in, during this time of the year. Normally, the townsfolk would be celebrating the coming of winter with massive feasts and campfire sing-a-longs, but because of their current conditions, she knew they could not. She longed to once again experience those magical sing-a-longs, and hear chief Dupree tell the story of the renowned lovers and cry freely when time came for their tragic demise. She was allowed to attend all the town's people's festivities, when she was younger, because her mother had been one of them after all. Her mother had insisted and her father was quite happy to, because they had been very close to the people of Inverloch, and beloved by their Duchy, even if social circles of the 'elite' did not deem it appropriate.

It has been quite a scandal when the upper society heard of her parent's marriage. A love marriage such as theirs was atypical in society, and rarely took precedence over arranged marriages, at least in the aristocracy. As a young girl, she longed to meet someone who looked at her like she was their entire universe, the very same way her father looked at her mother and how her mother reciprocated it. And they had been a happy family, Her parents, she and her little brother. Annalise tried not to dwell on her parents for too long, it always brought tears and she could not afford to lose her composure, especially now, from the information she gained from the townspeople.

The people. How would her father solve such a situation? He was always levelheaded, calm and fair, but every bit the loving and generous man to his people. She wished she knew what her uncle was planning with her and how he planned to present her. She knew he was conniving and cruel, and had no respect whatsoever with women, even his wife. It always shocked her how different his marriage was, compared to her parents. While her parents loved each other, Her uncle and aunt seemed to dislike each other greatly, however they tended to play the happy couple card in front of society, so as not to be shamed. She also knew that Annalise, as the daughter of the late Duke, was set to inherit the Duchy, as her uncle did not have a male heir. Well, more specifically, Annalise's husband would be set to get her Duchy, solely because of her gender.

Annalise knew that with all the townspeople's troubles, her duchy would not prosper as before. Without the people to sell their goods and services due to the high tax, they would not be able to get capita and thus the money they needed for the people's wellbeing. If they couldn't afford to rent their houses and shops, their economy would suffer. Of course, Lord Branstein, her bastard born oncle never exactly cared for the people's wellbeing, but rather how much money he could make off them, would never see sense in lowering their taxes and spending less lavishly. As far as he was concerned, anyone less than his rank did not deserve to live comfortably and was thus oblivious to the life of the working class.

The Duchy was truly prosperous when her father reigned, more so than ever before. It was because he truly understood and cared for his people, and actively invested in improving their lives and bringing peace and happy times to his Duchy. The key words being peace and happy times because it was atypical for any aristocratic man or woman to care for their people. Just like it was atypical to marry a commoner or advocate for women's rights and education. She wished she could do all what her father did and more to her people, but her power would always be restricted because of her gender. Her gender. Such an insignificant reason, yet to the society it seemed paramount.

And her mother, though common-born, carried herself with such grace and self-assurance that most would be fooled into thinking her high- born. Yet in intimate family moments, Annalise knew that her mother would not hesitate to swoop into the mud to rescue some poor common child that fell in, or climb a tree to rescue a cat, or any other animal that needed saving. She never cared for any material things, because she would always say that people and relationships matter more, a very interesting and barbaric form of thinking, as seen by the upper class. Her mother would sing her to sleep and tuck her into bed, which most high born parents would never do; She had grown up that way and believed in love and compassion, not lording power over another, and Annalise had never ever seen her mother abuse her power. After marrying her father, her mother had outranked a vast majority of nobles in their country, Salleria, something both high born men and women were extremely uncomfortable with but she held her own with poise and manners, while they never failed to remind her of her humble origins.

Annalise sighed deeply, staring aimlessly at the cornflower blue walls of her bedroom chamber. She wished that her parents were still alive, because if they had been, the Duchy would never have been in such a state. And she would never have been in this position, at her uncle's mercy, because as a young unmarried woman, she could not have control over her Duchy or her finances and inheritance. No she'd have to marry for that, and even when she did, well they would be her husband's, not hers.

She needed to get started with her day, and find some clues to what her uncle has been planning to do with her. The gears in her mind turned rapidly, quickly formulating several scenarios concerning her uncle and his thinking. She smiled, knowing that her uncle's temper would work in her favour and while it was in hindsight a horrible idea to make him angry, it was the only way she would get any sort of information from him, unless he decided to tell her out of his will, which she very much doubted. He spent a majority of his time pretending that Annalise and his wife did not exist, unless he wanted something from them. She smirked mischievously. She had a plan to plot after all.