Snow Fall (Book one)

Chapter three

      "I believe what you're trying to say is that you won't consider the Emperor's offer?" A man with silver hair said, shaking his head. He looked at Hugh with intense hazel eyes. "It's a rather good offer Hugh." Hugh shook his head in defiance and rubbed his temples as his childhood friend stood in front of his desk. "Just think about it Hugh. She's the perfect candidate to be the Empress to the crowned Prince. The temple of Winter said the Goddess will bless the marriage herself. What more could you ask for? She already stands out with her hair and the eyes she has, which are much brighter than yours."

      "Marcus I don't know why you're even trying. She's too young to even be considered, she's only seven." He told Marcus, trying to defend his daughter, but Marcus wasn't having it.

      "Come on Hugh. I tried to offer him my daughter, but he rejected it, specifically said your daughters name." Marcus told Hugh, leaning on the front of the desk on his hands. "The crowned Prince is ten, what more could you ask for? They're only three years apart in age. Unlike you and your wife." Hugh looked up at Marcus with eyes that could murder. " Your what? Thirty-eight now? And she's thirty if I remember correctly. You had Gracelia when you were thirty-one and your wife was twenty-three, maybe twenty-four. I don't pay attention to age much, too busy helping the Emperor and all."

      "Marcus I said no, and that's the end, I have enough on my mind as it is." Marcus seemed to perk up at those words.

      "Tell me old friend, what's got you in a mood? Hmm? Maybe your precious daughter isn't so precious anymore?" Hugh slammed his hand on the desk, in his mind he could see Gracelia in a red dress next to the crowned prince and it disgusted him.

      "Leave her out of this! I am her father!" Hugh told him, angry. "I do not wish to talk about it with you when you came here to propose my daughter be engaged to the crown prince." Marcus shook his head in disbelief.

      "My lord! Duchess Juliana is here to see you!" Hugh sighed and Marcus looked over at the door.

      'Great. Another thing to add fuel to the fire.' Hugh thought to himself. He looked at Marcus. "No word of what you said to my wife!" Marcus put his hands up in defeat. "Enter." After he said that, Juliana entered with a flustered expression on her face. Hugh quickly stood up and put his hands on her shoulders. "Are you all right?" He asked her with worry in his voice. She waved her hand at him.

      "I'm fine. I've just been thinking is all, and I came here to talk to you about it." She looked over and saw Marcus. Pulling away from Hugh, Juliana curtsied to Marcus. "Good Morning Chancellor Marcus." Marcus bowed to her and looked over at Hugh.

      "Just think about it, I won't be so nice next time. I'll try to keep it a secret." Hugh glared at him as Marcus left the room. Julianna looked from the door to Hugh.

      "What was that about?"

      "Nothing to concern yourself about dear. Just some problems with one report I sent in, I fixed it. Now what is it you need to see me about?" Hugh said, sitting on the couch, he motioned his wife to sit next to him, Juliana walked over and sat down.

      "I've been thinking about what Gracelia said she wanted." Hugh scoffed.

      "You can't be serious Juliana." He put his head on his hand and looked at his wife in disbelief.

      "I was thinking, what if we let her try to learn? Maybe it's just a phase, she'll see it's too hard for her delicate body and quit and go back to being our little girl." Juliana said, trying to find any loopholes she could grab onto.

      "What if that doesn't work Juliana?" Hugh asked her.

      "Then you train her like she's a man, she'll see she can't even compare to the other knights." Hugh looked at her and smiled.

      "I think that might work but what if she hates me for it?" Hugh said, suddenly not smiling anymore and genuinely worried about his only child hating him. Julianna put her hand on his knee.

      "She'll get over it, she's a child. She'll see later on down the road that what you did was the best for her. You showed her she can't live up to a man's status." Hugh laughed at that remark, Juliana looked at him in confusion.

      "I remember when you said the same thing to your younger sister about becoming a high-ranking official. That she wouldn't be able to because that's a man's status." Juliana smacked his knee.

      "Well now look at her, she's married to a Duke as well and has two children with a third one on the way." She told him, trying to find any reasoning that her daughter wouldn't quit after a day of training.

      "Fine, I guess we'll try it I suppose. But if she doesn't quit after the first day then you will have to take care of the matter as her mother and head of the house." Hugh told her, putting a hand on her cheek. Juliana nodded her head in understanding.

      "I know, when the time comes, I'll figure it out." Juliana leaned in and kissed her husband. She had to make Gracelia see she would never become a knight.

~~~~~~~~

      Gracelia sat on her bed staring out the window, arms over her chest with her back to the door. Adelina stood next to the door, not sure of what to do, after being told what had happened with the young mistress she didn't know what to do or say. All the other maids were too afraid to stay in the room with Gracelia because she was a wild child that didn't listen to rules. Adelina watched the young girls back as she saw her slowly break down. Adelina knew that Gracelia wanted so bad to be like her father, a hero of war. However, the silence was deafening to Adelina before she could say anything Gracelia broke the silence.

      "What's so wrong about wanting to be different? It's not fair." Adelina sighed, went over to the young mistress and sat beside her on the bed.

      "I know my lady. Maybe you could try again? Maybe I could try to reason with your father to, perhaps? My family made his sword he carries around that's why he offered me the job to be your nanny." Adelina put her arm around the young girl.

      "I doubt it'll work Ade. Father's just too stubborn to see things my way. He sees it like he's still at war and I hate it! I don't want to be a fragile girl who runs and hides at the sight of a fight. I want to help, I don't want to be useless." After Gracelia said that, she cried. Adelina pulled her closer, letting Gracelia cry into her lap. Rubbing Gracelia's hair always seemed to calm her down when she was a small child. When she suddenly heard the door open, Adelina quickly stood up. Gracelia rubbed her eyes and stared out the window at the sun, trying to dry her tears. Hugh came in through the door and rubbed the back of his head. Adelina quickly bowed.

      "Hello my lord. What may I help you with?" Adelina asked him, curious why he was in his daughter's room.

      "I need to speak with Gracelia in private." Adelina looked over at the young mistress and headed for the door, she passed by Hugh and slowly shut the door.

      "Gracelia." Hugh started.

      "What?" She said back.

      "We need to talk, may I come sit next to you?" He asked his daughter, he wasn't used to her being angry at him like this. Gracelia didn't answer, so he sat at the edge of her bed, away from her.

      "What is father?" Hugh flinched, she only called him father if she was angry at him.

      "About what you wanted for your birthday. Your mother and I were talking and well," Hugh rubbed his temples. "We will let you try but if it gets to hard you have to quit, understand?" Gracelia quickly stood up and ran to her father. She threw her arms around him with a smile.

      "Thank you papa! Thank you! I won't let you down! I'll try really hard to be as great as you!" Gracelia climbed onto her father's lap and sat there hugging him, Hugh slowly put his arms around his daughter, hoping his wife was right. Adelina opened the door just a crack and saw Gracelia sitting on the Duke's lap and smiled.

      'I hope they worked everything out.'  She thought to herself, she slowly shut the door. Not knowing what the Duke and Duchess had up their sleeves to try and make Gracelia quit on the first day of training.