Serenade In Shadows Beneath The Veil of Deception 3

Episode 3: The Duchess's Burden, The Duke's Battle.

As Jacinth leaped out of the carriage, an electric thrill surged through her. She dashed towards the main door, her laughter ringing out like a song. In a swift motion, she pounced on the girl waiting inside, both of them caught in a whirlwind of joy. Yet, there was a difference.

Jacinth’s voice bubbled with life, while the other one's laughter was a gentle silence, echoing in the depths of her eyes. The girl's delicate features spoke volumes—her smile lit up her face, and her eyes sparkled with unvoiced happiness, crinkling at the corners as if sharing a secret with the world.

Jacinth Ashbourne

I missed you, Rosie!

As Jacinth gently released her sister from the embrace, a playful spark lit up the younger one's expression. With a graceful motion, she raised her hands, her fingers dancing through the air as she began to communicate in sign language.

Primrose Ashbourne

𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵.

She wrapped her arms around her once more, holding her tightly in a comforting embrace. Marco observed the scene with a smile. After a brief moment, he offered a bow.

Marco Roosevelt

I shall take my leave then, My Lady.

Jacinth Ashbourne

I appreciate your efforts, truly.

· · ·

Jacinth Ashbourne

I can't... Keep doing this, Rosie. It's... Suffocating there... Every time... I recall this is not how it was supposed to be...

Primrose sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, her fingers absently tracing the intricate patterns on the faded bedspread as she listened to her sister Jacinth speak. The late afternoon light filtered through the thin curtains, casting a warm glow in the small room, but the atmosphere felt heavy with unspoken emotions.

Primrose couldn’t help but feel a mix of understanding but... Disbelief. After all, Jacinth had known Rafael for less than a month—a whirlwind that spun them into an engagement before Jacinth even had time to catch her breath. They had just one precious week together, dreams blooming before the harsh reality came crashing down.

Rafael died in a car accident, leaving everything in shambles before it could truly begin.

Primrose Ashbourne

𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬, 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳.

Prim takes a deep breath before putting her words into the sign.

Jacinth Ashbourne

Rosie, are you judging a relationship based on its duration?

She shakes her head, smiling softly, placing a reassuring hand over Jacinth's.

Primrose Ashbourne

𝘕𝘰, 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘉𝘶𝘵... 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦... 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯.

Jacinth felt a surge of anger rising within her as she sprang from the bed, her heart racing. She made her way to the balcony, seeking solace in the cool breeze. In this house, the only person who truly understood her was Primrose. Yet now, even she was pushing for Jacinth to accept Zander.

Why doesn't anyone understand her? Why couldn’t they see that her struggle was far from simple? Trembling slightly, Jacinth blinked back tears, frustration and hurt mixing in turmoil inside her.

𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘻𝘦. 𝘐 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺, 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦.

Primrose Ashbourne

𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐?

Primrose points between them, her eyes sparkling.

Primrose Ashbourne

𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘵.

Jacinth wiped her tears off, nodding.

Jacinth Ashbourne

Yes! Let's go.

. . .

Minister: Your Grace, reports from the western provinces suggest that bandits have grown quite bold of late. They’ve even taken to raiding merchant caravans—how quaint! I imagine the merchants will be thrilled to hear of the Duke’s swift action... 𝙞𝙛 it comes.

Zander sat at the head of the council table, his expression a mask of impassive calm. The minister’s words, laden with faux concern, echoed in the chamber, each syllable a calculated strike.

He knew exactly what this was—mockery, veiled in the thin pretense of duty. The minister’s tone was light, almost conversational, but the sharp edge beneath it was impossible to miss.

𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘵. 𝘛𝘰 𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘩, 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦—𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵.

Zander Von Edrington

Marco will see to the matter of the bandits. He has proven capable time and again, has he not?

Zander stands up slowly.

Zander Von Edrington

As for the murder at the eastern hotel, I will attend to it personally. I trust that will put your worries to rest, Minister.

The minister offered a faint smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Minister: Ah, of course, Your Grace. Marco is indeed… dependable, though I do wonder how much one man can shoulder. And your personal involvement in the murder investigation—how noble of you.

Zander brushed off the minister's taunts, feeling it was beneath him to respond. He started towards the door, but the minister's mocking voice called out once more, stopping him in his tracks.

Minister: And of course, Your Grace, we mustn't forget the matter of the Duchess.

The minister’s smile curled into something insincere.

Minister: Allowing her to return to her father’s house—so quickly, no less. It’s quite a bold departure from tradition, is it not? A Duke letting his wife leave him so soon after the marriage. That's so... Unusual for the Edrington household.

Zander Von Edrington

. . .

— End of Episode 3 —

“ 𝖬𝖾𝖾𝗍 𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗂𝖼 𝖺𝗌 𝖯𝗋𝗂𝗆𝗋𝗈𝗌𝖾 ”