Please be Patient, Grand Duke - Chapter 1.2

“What are you doing here in the rain?” she asked.

The child, pouting, pulled out a bundle of cloth that had been blocking her ears and hid it behind her back.

“My mom is at work… Who are you?” retorted the child.

“Work?” Anastasia snorted. The sounds of a woman groaning and a man cursing flowed from a window covered with a thick curtain above.

Canillia lived in a broken home. A brilliant jewel born in a muck. That was what people in these slums called her. In the past, an eye-catching, beautiful woman with a full figure had been hidden in Louvre. With nowhere to go, she had bounced around from house to house, receiving bread and sleeping in the streets. Always frightened, like someone had been chasing after her.

Then one day, she had given birth in the same street. On that rainy day just like today, next to a decaying dog carcass she had given birth to an angel with emerald eyes. People had felt sorry for the woman who wasn’t even able to produce breast milk for her child because of starvation. The woman took care of the child as well as she could.

However, raising a child in the streets was near to impossible. The harsh winter had shown that. The child had come down with a fever in the severe cold. She had gone to the doctor.  Men hardly refused her because she was beautiful. The doctor had saved the life of the baby and took her in. That had been twelve years ago.

“Your name is… Lia, right?” asked Anastasia.

The child nodded. “How do you know me?” she asked.

“After hearing… about your mother being terribly sick, I came looking for you,” said Anastasia.

“…Mom? My mom is sick?” said the child. Her eyes grew wide at the news. She turned around wanting to run back inside to where her mother was. Tears prickling her eyes, she was about to knock on the door when a guard’s hand hit the back of her neck.

The child fell down unconscious. The guard lifted her up. “The child seems terribly young to be twelve years old,” he said.

Anastasia looked at the unconscious body and nodded. “let’s get out of here,” she said, “I hate the stench and the noise here. Tell them to be ready.”

“What about the child’s mother?” asked the guard, cautiously.

Already walking back to the carriage, she halted her steps and turned. She stared at the window from where the groans were still heard. The corners of her mouth raised in a cold smile. “What would happen if a fire broke out on a rainy day?” she asked, coldly.

The guard’s skin prickled with goosebumps at her words. His eyes widened. “I am just joking,” she said, chuckling, “Just know that if you run away with her… Let’s just hope that doesn’t happen.”

The two shadows were swallowed in the dark and several windows opened. The people looked out seeing no signs of the much-awaited sun. Instead the torrent of rain had intensified. They closed the windows again. The night was getting darker and deeper.

***

A nice fragrance. The place felt light. Was this heaven? If it was, she never wanted to wake up but Lia’s eyelids fluttered open because hands were shaking her awake. They were unceasing.  

“Argh!” The frightened child screamed out and sat up. A horror seeped into her eyes scanning the room. An unknown place. The best place she’d seen in the past ten years was Lauren’s attic–where Lauren sold clothing. A cute dog named Paulie had been there, and a variety of fine-colored fabrics hung in the attic. When Lia had seen the clothing flapping in the wind, it had filled her with joy. The colour and the softness made her feel like a princess in a castle.

This place wasn’t Lauren’s attic. A fancy room she’d never even imagined. The bed was about ten times her size, and the windows stretched from the floor to ceiling. And she couldn’t hide her surprise at the books piled up on the luxurious carpet and the big fireplace.

This must be heaven, she thought. She had never seen a place this beautiful.

At Lia’s innocent wide-eyed reaction, a woman holding a tray smiled and put it down upon the table.

“You’re hungry, right? Fill your tummy first before you wash up. The smell… might be a bit intense,” said the woman, handing her a bowl of soup.

She swallowed  as she looked down at the soup in front of her. But she couldn’t eat it. She wanted her mother. She wanted to go home. She couldn’t stay in this fancy and unknown place. Maybe she was dreaming. Did I fall asleep in the middle of the street again? She thought. I remember talking to a gorgeous lady. She said mum was sick, then…

“Why aren’t you eating? Aren’t you hungry?” asked the woman, looking worriedly at her.

Lia shook her head and sat up on her knees. “Ma’am, where is this place?” she asked, “Where am I? Where is my mom? Who was the lady who was talking to me earlier?”

“After you eat this soup, we will get you washed up,” said the woman, “Then the lady will come see you.”

“But why?” asked Lia, “Why am I here?”

“Because…,” said the woman and hesitated.

A knock interrupted them and the door swung open. A boy with emerald eyes and honey-colored hair stood at the threshold, smiling at Lia. It was his first time seeing someone so beautiful. Lia looked at the boy walking towards her and hid her dirty hands.

“Hi Canillia,” he said.