Bloodied Lilies

Chapter 18

After another week, Adelia was able to walk throughout the manor grounds without aid. Her abdominal and back wounds had mostly healed, leaving behind angry scar tissue.

She feared she'd gotten rusty in her skills after so long without polishing them but as quick game of bird hunting in the nearby forest proved she'd not yet lost her touch.

Today was a quiet day. Leo had not come down for breakfast and the servants tried to make themselves more scarce than usual. They all wore grim expressions and Adelia felt that asking them what was wrong would only worsen their moods.

She was approaching the dining hall for lunch when she heard Marly muttering to Alcoy.

"Ya say he refused his lunch?" There was a metallic shuffling sound of cutlery moving about. "He ain't eaten any breakfast either. He'll collapse at this rate. He's been on edge since last night."

"I took it up to him but he said he wasn't hungry," Alcoy said.

They were talking about the duke.

"Is everything alright?" Adelia asked, making her presence known.

Adelia saw Alcoy startle and resettle as he saw her.

"Ah, milady. The master's not eatin'. Not breakfast, nor lunch," Marly replied with a sigh. "It's like this every year when this day comes round."

"This day?"

"The death anniversary of the previous master and mistress," Alcoy explained.

"He... doesn't talk about them much." In fact, Adelia knew very little about Leo's parents aside from that family portrait hanging on the far wall.

"A difficult topic, it is," Marly said, shaking her head. "The master was different when they was still round. He always gets in a mood thinkin' bout them."

"Should I try?" Adelia asked. Both Marly and Alcoy stared at her. "Taking his lunch up, I mean."

"He already refused it twice," Alcoy sighed. "He might be irritated if we try again."

"But that might just work, I think," Marly interrupted. "The master's usually soft with ya, milady. Worth a chance, I reckon."

"But-"

"It'll be fine," Marly said to Alcoy. "He's not been nasty to Lady Adelia since she got hurt defending 'em. Let me heat up his meal and ya can take it up, milady."

Alcoy frowned. "Are you sure, milady? The master's moods can get rather harsh."

"I'll be okay," Adelia reassured.

Marly returned with the warmed meal and passed it to Adelia. Alcoy offered to accompany her to Leo's room but retreated as soon as they reached his door.

Despite her words, Adelia was worried. Though not for herself.

The duke was moody and often fell into irritable states but locking himself away and not eating at all wasn't something she'd experienced before. It bothered her.

She hesitated a second before knocking on his door.

"I've told you to leave me be," Leo's irritated voice came through the door. There was an edge to it that would make anyone with good sense run. But Adelia had already lost her senses being the married to the duke for so long.

"It's just me," she told him.

Silence followed. It went on long enough that Adelia thought he wouldn't ever answer until he said, "come in." His voice was so weak that she could barely believe it was belonged to the duke.