DEVOTED TO HEAVEN

CHAPTER II

Looking at his reflection in the window, Vante adjusted his black tie, weakly letting the air out of his lungs. Turning to his right, he saw Alusia's father. There was a faint smile for him. The old man immediately spotted Vante and happily drew towards him:

"Vante! There you are." the man's broad smile graced his face.

"Here I am." Vante joked pleasantly. Of course, Alusia's father was always full of cheap humour. However, Vante did not condemn him for that. This type of humour was popular at the time. Of course, it was also because Alusia's father was the person who cared the most for Vante after his father died.

He had no right to judge him.

"Lord Frinton will join us for breakfast. I would be grateful if you would take care of him."

"Of course, Mr. Bingley." Vante bowed his head slightly, paying his respects to Alusia's father. Instead, Alusia's father gave the brown-haired guy a friendly pat on the shoulder and walked towards his office.

Indeed, Mr. Bingley never looked at Vante as his right-hand man. Rather, he saw him as a son. Perhaps because Vante's father had been one of his close friends to whom he had given a better life. After the death of the father of this young man, Mr Bingley decided that Vante was the right man for the job. However, even if Vante had declined this position, the man would not have expelled him.

Vante's attention was drawn to the view outside the window: a dark carriage pulling into the courtyard.

Lord Frinton, yes.

Indeed. It was the same blond man who had danced with Alusia at the feast yesterday. Vante walked towards the large door, which one of the maids was about to open. But Vante kindly informed that he would welcome the guest himself.

Before Lord Frinton knocked, the brown-haired man opened the tall, oaken front door:

"It is a pleasure to see you, Lord Frinton." said Vante, paying his respects to the young man standing before him.

"It is..." the blond man began his sentence, but stopped abruptly.

"Just call me Vante."

"It is, Vante."

The brown-haired man walked the guest to the dining room, where Alusia was already seated. Vante could see the girl's eyes brighten when she saw him. But just as quickly, all the brightness disappears when she sees the blond guy. Vante felt sorry for both of them. Really sorry. Perhaps because somewhere in his heart he was a hopeless romantic. But the main reason was probably that he liked Alusia, and he didn't like Lord Frinton a bit. Or to be more specific, he absolutely hated him.

However, just a few minutes later, Alusia's father joined in. At his request, Vante left the dining room. Of course, he didn't want to do that at all. To leave Alusia alone in a place where she doesn't want to be? He didn't like it. If only Alussia had asked him to stay, he would have stayed.

Vante would do anything for her.

With that thought, the brown-haired guy walked towards the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Alusia was listening to the same boring conversations that Vante has to listen every day. Her eyes kept stopping on the clock at the end of the room. She counted the seconds, the minutes. Kept counting intensely. She waited until she could tell Vante how much she disliked this breakfast.

And finally, the hour came. Lord Frinton had to go. Here were the goodbyes, the emotionless smiles, and look, she is running down the corridor looking for Vante. Sometimes, however, she would stop by one of the servants to ask if they had seen him. That is how she came to the kitchen.

Alusia was a little confused when she entered. She saw one of her maids against the cold, brick wall. Indeed, she was pinned down. To be more specific: she was being pinned down by Vante himself. Her hands were tangled in the boy's long hair and her clothes were slightly unbuttoned. Meanwhile, Vante's arms were resting around the maid's slim waist while his lips were leaving light kisses on her neck.

Alusia giggled, quickly turning away. Was she jealous? Not at all. It wasn't the first time a black-haired woman had found Vante... in this situation. So, she considered the whole thing rather amusing. Vante and the maid in his arms heard the girl and immediately jumped apart. Somewhere in the distance Alusia heard Vante's slight curses.

The black-haired girl was already waiting for the boy at the entrance to the kitchen. Her fingers played lightly with each other while she tried to hold back her laughter. A few seconds later, the maid came out of the kitchen, blushing red, trying to button up her uniform. Vante came out after her. He was trying to fix his hair:

"Come here, I'll fix it." Alusia chuckled, and walked closer to the brown-haired man, running her hand through his hair. Vante said nothing. He just watched the girl.

"Miss Alusia, what you saw..." the words finally left his lips.

"It's not the first time." the girl shrugged her shoulders. "Still, Vante. You should choose more careful places." she smiled and put her arm around the boy's. As always.

Vante was surprised by these words. He suspected that Alusia had caught him before, but he didn't believe it. It seems she didn't mind it though.

Somehow, everything now looked right. Alusia clung to Vante's arm and mumbled that she didn't like her father's idea, while her greenish dress lightly trailed on the floor. Vante listened quietly. And so, they walked. Yes, that's what seemed right to Vante:

"Vante, but he's a good man" the black-haired woman sighed. Vante just nodded.

"But..."

"But?" Vante got curious and stopped.

"But I don't see my future with him." Alusia sighed.

Now they were standing outside. They were surrounded by white rose bushes, and in the distance, they could see the forest. A path led to a swing. Vante gently took the girl's hand and led her towards the swing, which was swaying in the wind. Alusia sat down and gently grabbed the ropes that held the swing:

"And why?" the brown-haired man broke the silence and started to sway Alusia slightly.

"Hm?" the girl seems to have forgotten what she was talking about just a few minutes ago.

"Why don't you see your future with him, Miss Alusia?" he asked, and pushed the swing a little harder.

"Well, he's...boring?" she frowned slightly.

"Boring?" Vante's eyebrows rose and after a couple of seconds she could hear his sweet laughter. Alusia chuckled too.

"Please don't laugh, Vante." she mumbled, trying to control herself.

"Then what do you think is not boring, Miss Alusia?" he smiled.

"You, Vante." Alusia turned her head slightly, looking at the young man standing behind her. Vante's eyes widened. Amazement crossed his face. "I envy you. You can express your opinion, plan your future, even sleep with whomever you want to. Everything has been decided for me." her slightly sad gaze left the brown-haired man.

Vante gently stopped the swing and walked around it, squatting down next to Alusia. He really didn't know what to say. Comfort doesn't fit here, does it? But now he didn't seem to want to say anything encouraging. He just needed to see the girl's eyes again. That was enough to finally give him the courage to express his feelings:

"Miss Alusia." he began, but paused slightly, swallowing the saliva that had accumulated in his mouth. "Let me show you what it means to live a life of leisure."