Aristocrat | ✓

CHAPTER ONE

"Manfred, are you done packing your bag?" I heard my mother's voice say as the door to the bedroom chamber creaked open. A smile formed on my face as she walked in. Her brown hair was tucked under her white scarf. Her lips were drawn in a forced smile as her honey-colored eyes followed my figure around the room as I picked things. I looked a lot like my mother, only that I was a few inches taller than her. I was already three and twenty, but I remained small.

"Yes," I said, picking up the small bag I had packed before walking up to the door. I gave my mother a side hug, letting her squeeze me tight for a silent few seconds.  She let me go, putting me at arm's length before smiling.

"Don't forget your cloak," my mum said as I brushed past her and into the common room. It was winter, so the few chickens we had, and our dog were inside. Father and all three of my siblings were out in the market trying to sell the few crops we had managed to harvest in the fall. I had two sisters and a younger brother who was barely seven, but he was working in the fields already.

"You don't know how thankful I am that you're doing this," My mother said, following me to the main door. I slipped on my shoes, giving her a smile as I took the cloak from the hanging pin and draped it over myself. A carriage heading to the Lord's castle was waiting outside for me. I wasn't sure if my mother was just paranoid of me leaving or if she was trying to make me stay intentionally.

"Thank you. If I'd gone, I don't know what would happen to your siblings," she said, clasping her hands together before closing her eyes. Her brown hair was tucked under a scarf, and her long lashes touched her chicks as her thick brows furrowed as she said a silent prayer. "You're saving us all," she muttered, opening her eyes before throwing herself at me again.

Our crops failed and we hadn't been able to pay our tax. Usually, in a situation like this, a family member would be sent off to the castle to do housekeeping, gardening, or craftsmanship work. My mother was supposed to go—the lord's former caretaker had just left, and my mother was supposed to replace her, but I was going in her stead.

"It's okay," I said, reaching to pull my mother into a hug. I loved her. She always did the best for us, and I would remember her through the next two years that I would be working in the castle. I hugged my mother for a bit more, before letting her go for the last time and slipping through the wooden door.

It was the middle of winter, and the air outside was dry and cool. I hugged myself, shuffling through the snow in the direction of the carriage waiting for me. The sight of the black horse and bored heavy-set driver would have scared people, but I simply smiled at him. He tipped his hat at me as I climbed in. I stared out into the passing scenery as the carriage started moving. The stamping of horse feet and rolling wheels were the only sounds in the air for miles. We passed through the main town, and soon we had made it out into the stretch of unoccupied land that led up to the castle.

Anyone else in a situation like this would be devastated to leave their loved ones for two years, but I was excited. My heart pumped blood that rang in my ears as the dark castle in the distance got closer with every horse step. I hadn't taken my mother's place out of the sheer kindness of my soul, though that had been part of it. I also had ulterior motives of my own.

You see, I'm in love with the Lord of Barcombe. I've probably been in love with him for five years, but only took notice three years ago. You might ask how I've fallen in love with someone I barely even knew or saw. It was through a series of very specific encounters where he showed me his kindness and goodwill.

Lord Evenus was someone of little words and even fewer appearances. All I knew was that was six and thirty now and liked to hunt when he wasn't away from Barcombe. He hadn't always been the Lord here, but he had inherited this place from a retired Knight at just eighteen and had made it what it was today.