Whispers of Desires: A Sense of Duty {Book 1}

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 2: 𝕬 𝕻𝖆𝖎𝖓𝖋𝖚𝖑 𝕽𝖊𝖏𝖊𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

The man and their father entered the drawing room. The girls stood up together and bowed in greeting.

"Girls, how good it is to see you all looking so beautiful," their father said warmly, his eyes taking in each of them in turn. "It has been too long since we have all been together." The man beside him nodded in agreement, a small smile playing on his lips.

"We are well, Father," they responded politely. Their father gestured to the man beside him. "This is Caius, son of the royal advisor. He is here today to formally ask for Nia's hand in marriage."

Nia's heart skipped a beat. This was the moment she had been dreading. She glanced at Caius, noting his striking features and confident bearing. His dark hair was neatly trimmed, and his eyes were the colour of the ocean on a summer's day. He offered her a small smile, but she could see the determination in his gaze.

Caius stepped forward and bowed. "It is an honor to meet you all," he said, his voice smooth and confident.

Their father turned to Nia. "My dear, Caius has come to speak with you privately. Girls, let us give them some time alone." Looking at Caius, Tanisi leaned in closer to Adanna.

"Well, Adanna, do you think he is handsome enough for our dear sister?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Adanna rolled her eyes. "I suppose he is passable. But looks are not everything, Tanisi. We will have to wait and see what Nia thinks." The sisters glanced at each other and then back at Nia, curiosity and anticipation evident on their faces.

"Yes, Father," they all said in unison as they curtsied and made their way out of the room. Each sister paused to wink or whisper words of encouragement to Nia as they passed. When they were gone, Nia and Caius were left alone in the drawing room.

Nia's father paused at her side and whispered, "I know you represent our family well, Nia. This union would be most fortunate." He gently squeezed her hand before following the others out and closing the door. Nia stood alone with Caius. She lifted her chin and met his gaze directly. "Welcome, sir. Shall we sit and become acquainted?"

"It would be my pleasure, my lady." Caius took a seat across from her.

"You are most welcome here," Nia replied politely. "I trust your journey here was without incident?" She smoothed out her dress as she sat down, trying to appear calm and composed.

Caius chuckled softly. "Duke Nari, your father's estate is not that far from my father's estate. And let me tell you, getting lost would not have been so bad - seeing you now makes any journey worthwhile. Your father mentioned your beauty, Lady Nia, but he left out the captivating sparkle in your eyes."

"You are too kind," Nia said quietly, lowering her eyes.

"Tell me, what interests you? What do you enjoy doing?" Caius inquired.

"I very much enjoy reading and writing," Nia responded.

Caius' eyes glazed over briefly at her answer before he smiled tightly. "Ah, yes, reading and writing. Quite fascinating, I am sure. Though, I must confess, I find them to be rather... tedious." He paused, trying to choose his words carefully. "Perhaps you might enjoy attending social events with me, or even hunting in the woods outside the city. I find such activities to be much more engaging."

"I do not find such pleasures to be dull, my lord," Nia said politely, trying to hide her irritation. "But it is true that I find my interests more... fulfilling. Perhaps we could find a balance between our pastimes. Sure, there are social events that you would find engaging, and I could accompany you to those. Or, if you are open to it, I could share some of my writing with you. It is said that knowledge is not truly known until it is shared."

Caius considered her words for a moment. "You are an intelligent and articulate woman, Lady Nia," he said, his voice softening. "Sure, that we could find common ground. Perhaps, over time, I could even come to appreciate the joys of reading and writing. For now, allow me to tell you more about myself instead."

He started talking about his accomplishments and hobbies. Nia listened patiently, chiming in occasionally with a simple "Yes" or "I see." She felt no particular fondness for him but held her tongue and maintained a polite demeanor throughout their conversation. She could not deny that he was handsome in an aloof sort of way, but there was something about him that left her feeling somewhat uninspired.

Finally, Caius paused and looked at Nia critically. "You know, you are exceedingly boring. I cannot help but feel that our conversation has been a complete waste of time. You are nothing like I was led to believe you would be." His words stung her, but she remained outwardly calm.

Nia looked at him in shock. "I... I apologize if I have failed to meet your expectations, my lord. It was not my intention to bore you. Perhaps if we had more time to get to know each other, I could be more interesting. Or perhaps, you could try to understand that not everyone shares the same interests as you."

"I do not think this match will work after all." Caius rose from his seat, looking down at Nia with a disappointed expression. "In simple truth, you are far too plain and dull for me. It will take a miracle for someone like you to find a husband." His words cut through her like a knife.

"Sorry you feel that way. I truly did hope that we could find common ground," Nia said, her voice trembling slightly. "Perhaps...perhaps it is not meant to be." She forced a small smile, trying to hide the hurt that he had caused.

Caius turned away, not meeting her gaze. "I will inform my father of my decision. I am sure he will understand." He walked briskly out of the room, leaving Nia alone. She took a deep breath and sighed, feeling a mixture of relief and disappointment wash over her. This was the seventh suitor who had called her boring and uninteresting. She had a duty to find a husband, to secure her future and that of her family, but it seemed that no one seemed to understand her.