Chapter 121 - Dhampir Knight

Theora felt so upset after finding out about Orion's lie that she barely talked during dinner, letting her roommates socialize with the De Boreal knights. Their more experienced peers were kind and obviously trying to make them feel welcome, but she just wasn't in the spirit for a cheerful dinner with them. When Selvie, who had noticed she was unusually quiet, asked her about her mood, Theora explained in a few words. Her friend frowned.

"Most nobles have several residences," she said. "Maybe he works in another of the De Boreal residences?"

"Maybe," Theora muttered, hardly believing it.

"He could also be working for one of their vassal families," Keffen uttered from Theora's other side, having heard everything. "He wouldn't be the first guy to slightly exaggerate his job to impress a girl. He might be working for House De Banksea, for example."

"Yeah. I'll try and ask around. There's bound to be someone who knows about him."

Theora was still utterly confused. If he wasn't working for the House De Boreal stables, how did he have access to a horse like Mischief? She was no horse expert, but even she knew that the horse she usually rode was an excellent battle horse. Mischief had the body and attitude of a horse that had been purposely bred for military work. Chevin always said so. Had she missed something? Maybe Orion wasn't a stable hand? He had mentioned he worked for House De Boreal, but maybe he was in a different field. She wasn't very aware of the different positions that existed, but the manor was incredibly huge. At least a hundred people had to be working there, even without including the knights and stable hands.

As promised after dinner, Seilman took them to the residence to give them an initial tour, and the more she saw, the more Theora's jaw dropped.

This residence was huge. It was large and beautiful, imposing without feeling intimidating. The walls were white, but partially covered with green ivy and some more of those colorful flowers that sprouted everywhere. She counted four stories, all with large windows, and from the second floor, there were balconies, too. The roof was made of red tiles and perfectly kept clean, with no ivy up there and no soot from the large chimneys either. Once they walked inside, entering the kitchens after Seilman, who greeted each member of staff by their first name, they entered a large corridor, and Theora was stunned again. It was beautiful and nothing like the cold, intimidating noble residence she had envisioned. The walls were high and bright with a nice cream color, and long carpets covered the wooden and perfectly waxed floors. Each room had warm-toned and carefully crafted wooden furniture, with gold accents or details here and there, and lots of plants everywhere. Theora realized the House De Boreal's love for botany didn't only apply to outside plants. Inside, too, there was at least one large potted exotic plant in every room, more than there were water-based paintings or other pieces of fancy decor. As they walked by a room that Seilman mentioned as a drawing room (the third they walked by), she peeked inside and saw a couple of maids who were dusting the books on a large floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, a brown and white dog at their heels.

"They allow dogs inside?" she whispered to Selvie, but Seilman heard her.

"The Duke lets his favorite dogs inside," he smiled. "They're very well-behaved, and the dog trainers bring them back to their kennels every evening."

Theora was astonished as she spotted another dog following a butler into a room and another coming to sniff their legs before it wandered off, unimpressed with a bunch of strangers touring the house. This place felt like a mix of an indoor garden and a menagerie, not a noble's residence. It looked fancy only in regards to all the little details such as how carefully crafted each piece of furniture was, but it was unpretentious. The staff was an impressive balance between welcoming and polite, too. Everywhere their little group went, they got smiles and polite bows, but Seilman didn't introduce them to any of the maids or servants they saw, nor did he greet them with more than a polite nod or a wave. Theora felt like there was a marked difference between the indoor staff and the knights, some strange polite distance between them.

"Are we supposed to remember the staff's faces just in case?" Elexei asked.

"That would be good, but it's not part of your job," Seilman replied. "There are knights assigned to the security of the residence that control who goes in and out. All of the staff is carefully checked by the butlers and head maids who have worked here for years, so any unfamiliar face would be noticed immediately. They know we're expecting knights from the Academy though, so they know it's our job to watch you guys."

The tour lasted for another half an hour, and the more she saw, the more Theora was both excited and nervous about working there. The residence was absolutely gorgeous, and it was clearly maintained to high standards. It had the atmosphere of a place that showed wealth in subtle ways, such as being able to afford enough maids to keep every surface spotless and dust-free at all times. There weren't many fancy paintings or statues, but Theora noticed that the staff's uniforms were all very high-quality and clean. Every room smelled a delicate mix of oranges, jasmine, and pine, and while nothing screamed obvious wealth, every piece of furniture was made with the finest leather, wood, or fabric. The House De Boreal didn't need to show off its wealth, it spoke for itself in subtle ways.

The family itself was nowhere to be seen, however. When Reid asked about it, Seilman gave a stern nod.

"It's a bit complicated," he said. "The Duchess doesn't like strangers, so she has her own aisle with her own staff. She is only accompanied by knights when she goes out, but frankly, she's not difficult at all. We just seldom interact with her. The young master is a bit more outgoing, he will come train his sword fighting with us sometimes, but truthfully, his schedule is so full that we also see him a bit less often. The young lady, on the other hand, has a lot more free time, but she's often hanging out with her cousin from House De Banksea, Lady Aloysia. ...You'll definitely meet her."

He didn't say it out loud, but from his tone alone, everyone could tell he didn't think favorably of the said cousin. That's when the memory finally hit Theora. She had heard of House De Banksea from her cousins before, as the ones who blocked entire shops for her own use using the House De Boreal name... And now she also decided she most likely wouldn't like Lady Aloysia either. Theora had yet to meet Lady Venilla, but she hoped the nine-year-old wasn't like her cousin.

"How old is Lady Aloysia?" Selvie asked, probably thinking the same.

"She'll soon be fourteen," Seilman said. "She's made her unofficial debut, so she likes to attend tea parties, but she also likes to spend time with Lady Venilla. Since the lady is so young and a young duchess, it's a bit hard for her to meet children her age, so Lady Aloysia became her companion."

Theora remembered from her classes that most of the young dukes and duchesses were around her age, like her cousin Philippa or her older half-brother Antonis. Even the youngest Prince was several years older than young Lady Venilla... If her brother was always gone, it ought to be quite lonely for the young girl.

"This is her bedroom," Seilman said in a low voice. "For those taking the first shift tomorrow morning, we only expect you to stand outside until the maids wake the young lady up, so I'll introduce everyone now so she's not surprised."

An older maid, which by her different uniform Theora assumed had a special role, was waiting for them outside the bedroom, a younger maid two steps behind her. She and Seilman exchanged a nod, and she knocked at the door.

"My lady, you have visitors."

They opened the door, and Theora, impressed, stepped into the biggest bedroom she had ever seen. It was all in very cute pastel tones, mostly orange and pink, with soft fabrics, the furniture a lighter wood color than the rest of the house, and tons of toys. The room was a long rectangle, with the longest side which they had entered on facing the opposite wall full of large windows. As it was the first floor, this room didn't have a balcony, which might have been for safety purposes given how young the lady was. Theora noted another smaller door on the same wall, perhaps for the maids to enter in quietly, and another which probably led to an ensuite bathroom. Pushed against the far wall was a gigantic canopy bed, with white curtains, soft pink sheets, and an army of pillows and plushies. This entire room was a little girl's dream come true, and although she had never been quite girly, Theora felt her younger self perk up with a pinch of envy.

Their 'target' was presently seated on the floor, playing with a large doll house that was almost as tall as she was. Two young maids also were with her in the room, one standing next to the lady and another doing some embroidery work in a corner, next to the window, who immediately stood up to bow at their arrival.

"My lady," the older maid gently called. "These are the young knights from the Academy that will be looking after you for a few days. We talked about this recently, remember? They came to introduce themselves before we get you ready for your bedtime, and they will start working for you tomorrow."

The young girl was partially hidden by her giant dollhouse, so it wasn't until she got up with her maid's help that Theora finally saw her. She looked surprisingly normal for a young duchess, Theora thought. She was wearing a cute dress that went down to her knees, with tights and little indoor shoes. Her hair had only one little braid behind her ear, but otherwise, her auburn waves were left free around her face. And she had quite the cute face, very round, covered in freckles, with big hazel eyes.

"Hello," she greeted them shyly, before remembering to do a little curtsy.

Immediately, all the knights gave her the knights' bow they had learned a while ago, fist over their heart and a bow at a forty-five-degree angle.

"How are you, my lady?" Seilman greeted her with a smile.

"I'm good, thank you," she said, pressing her lips together.

"Can I introduce the new knights to you, my lady?"

Venilla glanced at the older maid, who gave her an encouraging smile, before she turned back to Seilman. She was far more nervous than them, playing with her fingers in front of her dress before remembering she had probably been told not to do that and throwing them behind her back to hide them. Seilman started by introducing Darim, who bowed again, and then, one by one, all of the trainees introduced themselves; Venilla followed the introductions with curious eyes and little nods as they went. When Theora's turn came, she saw the little girl's eyes open wide. It was easy to guess that she had just noticed Theora's purple eyes.

"I'm Theora, my lady. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"...You have pretty eyes," Venilla mumbled as if she hadn't meant to say that out loud, blushing as soon as the words had come out.

"Thank you, my lady. So do you, my lady."

The young girl blushed even more, her cheeks taking a rosy pink shade under all the freckles. Finally, they finished the introductions and left the room quietly, the older maid closing the door behind them.

"She is adorable," Selvie squealed the second they left the corridor.

"She is," Theora said. "I think this mission is going to be a nice one."

"Wait until you've met her cousin," Kleis scoffed. "I've heard about House De Banksea; Aloysia is going to be a handful..."

"I've heard about it too," Theora grunted. "But we're just meant to follow where the young lady goes, right? The older cousin might not be too much trouble."

If anything, Theora suspected the maids would be the ones to endure her temper; the bodyguards were hardly supposed to speak to Lady Venilla at all, unless it was necessary. Kleis shrugged, visibly unconvinced.

Their introductions done, and since it was already late, Seilman escorted them back to the knight's quarters, and they were placed to stand at attention for their last instructions.

"Tomorrow morning, you'll come exactly the way you came today," Seilman instructed them next to Darim. "The knights in charge know who's supposed to show up. Be there at least half an hour before your official shift time. We need time for inspection. You will wear your trainee uniforms, but we will give you jackets of House De Boreal and lend you weapons. Don't hesitate to ask questions; I'd rather you ask dumb questions than have to pick up any mess. I went to the same Academy as you, so I have high standards for your bodyguarding skills, and I will not hesitate to snitch if you mess up, either. Don't act up; obey the De Boreal knights and follow orders, and this mission will be a breeze. Got it, kids?"

"Yes, sir," they all replied in unison.

"All right. See you all tomorrow, three-thirty at the latest, for those who are on the first shift."

He gave Darim a good handshake, and after bidding goodbye to some more of the De Boreal knights they'd be working with in the upcoming days, they followed their Captain outside of the De Boreal residence. Theora felt a bit excited about this mission despite the fact that this should be an easy one, as Lady Venilla was hardly a target of interest for anyone. Still, she couldn't help but feel enthusiastic about her first real bodyguarding mission and being in such an amazing place. The De Boreal residence was nothing short of gorgeous, and she felt a bit proud to be given the opportunity to work in such a nice house for the next few days. She was also hoping to resolve the mystery of Orion's place of employment, if she was given time to ask some questions around. Moreover, she wanted to see the world in which a young duchess was supposed to grow up. The fact that Venilla was holding the same title that she should have had if her birth and parentage hadn't been hidden wasn’t lost on Theora. She had never given much thought about that other life she could have lived, completely different from her upbringing in Wordin Valley, but now, she was curious to see it for herself. Although it was a different noble house and a different girl, Theora was more than eager to see what young Duchess Venilla's childhood was like, if it was anything like what her own as 'Theora De Crescent' should have been.