'Tillian Valentine?!'
Aideen felt shivers running down her spine as that name registered in her mind like a bad omen. Such a strong reaction to that name was not baseless.
While Aideen never had the chance to meet Tillian Valentine directly, she, like everyone else in Geraldion, had heard a handful of rumors about the man.
The last living member of the Valentine family, which had ruled over the kingdom before Aideen's father, Euris Ruan, started the rebellion, obliterating the Valentines and capturing the throne.
The princess found herself at a loss on how to react upon discovering that she now resided within Duke Tillian's castle. The circulating rumors about the duke were anything but positive, causing genuine fear to grip her.
"Being sent up North to live with Duke Valentine feels like stepping into a horror tale, the kind people use to send shivers down children's spines. Even Count Crueder used to wield it as a threat, warning me that this would be my fate if I dared to disobey him. Now, here I am..."
The phantom of madness had haunted the Valentine family ever since the rebellion. It was widely acknowledged that insanity formed the core motivation for Euris Ruan's desire to eliminate them. He, in fact, spread rumors suggesting a mysterious curse afflicted every male member of the Valentine family, driving them mad upon reaching the age of twenty-five.
The fear of being governed by a deranged monarch permeated society, making the prospect of a mad king a nightmare no one wished to endure.
'What was the name my brothers used to call him? Mad Dog, was it?'
Indeed, the epithet "Mad Dog" was bestowed upon Tillian when he reached the age of fifteen. According to Aideen's brothers, Prince Yanad and Prince Valon, during their initial visit to the young duke, Tillian commanded his massive black Dobermans to attack them. The ferocious dogs left numerous severe bite marks on the bodies of the royal siblings.
'Only another mad dog could be fond of such vile creatures!'
Aideen echoed Yan's words in her mind, shifting on the bed and pressing her knees against her chest. Her body continued to shiver as she delved deeper into her knowledge about the duke and the desolate part of Geraldion known as "The North."
'Tillian Valentine is renowned as one of the strongest individuals in the entire kingdom, primarily due to his solitary guardianship of The North.'
The princess turned her head slightly toward the wall on her right, where she assumed the window was situated, allowing the howling of the harsh wind to become slightly louder and clearer.
'The wind here sounds like a howling animal.'
The North remained a realm enshrouded in mystery.
It was a land synonymous with desolation, characterized by cold weather, frequent heavy snowfalls, unforgiving winds, and the presence of mysterious yet hostile magical creatures that roamed the terrain, spreading terror across the kingdom.
And Duke Tillian Valentine found himself alone in the daunting task of subduing the creatures, ensuring they did not advance further into the kingdom or escape the borders to wreak havoc on neighboring lands.
'He must truly possess unbelievable strength to manage this land all by himself. That only makes him all the more intimidating.'
Aideen's body succumbed once again to severe trembling. What could such a formidable man possibly have in store for her in this remote place, where nobody would ever care to visit? Why did the Mad Duke bring her here in the first place? Was it an attempt to seek vengeance for his family? Yet, the Ruans would never lift a finger for someone as useless as Aideen, so why bother?
The deluge of unanswered questions only served to heighten the woman's anxiety, with its sharp claws tightening their grip on her heart.
Bella maintained a respectful silence, providing the princess with the space to collect her thoughts as the abrupt revelation of her relocation to The North by Duke Valentine sank in. However, when she observed Aideen's body trembling almost uncontrollably, a sense of unease finally overcame her.
"Your Highness, is everything alright? Are you cold? Heavens, you're trembling so much!"
In response to the princess's physical distress, the maid swiftly retrieved a large knitted blanket from the armchair stationed near the window. She hastened back to Aideen, intending to wrap the blanket around her shoulders. Startled, Aideen jumped off the bed, nearly losing her balance. The unexpected height of the bed caught her off guard, and she exclaimed,
"Bella!"
"Yes, Your Highness?"
Bella froze in place, still holding the blanket spread in front of her body, her eyes wide. Aideen continued, her voice now quieter but full of confidence, her hands still clutching the blanket around her body.
"I would like to meet His Grace as soon as possible. When can this be arranged?"
"You do?"
***
Tillian marched into the castle through the massive, tall door of the back entrance, continuing his heavy steps through the dimly lit hallways of the first floor. The black, thick fabric of his winter cloak fluttered around his body like an ominous living essence.
His personal assistant and loyal fighting companion, Stanis, marched right behind him, resembling his dark shadow.
Having just completed their patrol around the castle's territory to ensure the safety of its tenants, both men felt rather tired. However, despite the late hour and growing fatigue, neither the duke nor his assistant anticipated resting anytime soon.
"The trading papers have been returned by the Kingdom of Davoor; King Yuraon has granted us permission to send the trading caravans through his kingdom as well."
Stanis opened the door to the duke's office and waited until he entered the room, following right behind him and closing the door.
Remaining silent, Tillian removed his heavy cloak, unveiling his tall body and pale face. He sank into the soft embrace of his large desk chair, letting out a long, tired exhale as he closed his eyelids, allowing his bright red eyes to enjoy a few seconds of rest. Once he felt ready to speak, he ran his big hand through his thick blonde hair, brushing it away from his forehead, and nodded.
"Excellent. Including Davoor in our trading agreement will benefit them as well. The new king simply chose to stall signing the papers to assert his authority. After all, he is still just a child."
Stanis scoffed as he placed a tall stack of papers in front of his lord and continued,
"The mage... It seems he's growing impatient. Now that the princess is here, what are your intentions, Your Grace? Shouldn't we proceed immediately?"
Tillian turned around in his chair and fixed his deep eyes on the darkness beyond the tall, narrow window framed with two long, thick velvet curtains. He then pressed his right hand against his left wrist, his fingers subtly sliding over a thin red silk ribbon carefully tied around it, and finally answered,
"Give it more time. Neither of them is going anywhere now."