A starry night sky does not guarantee that there would be no rain on the next day. Ayan moved away from the window, peeled back the coverlet of the bed before sinking into the warm mattress. She loves soft and comfortable beds, she wasn't used to the ones the aristocrats favour in this world which is why she redecorated their chamber with her tastes. 

Their chamber. Remembering how Clayton broke etiquette by having only one room for the both of them made her flush pink. He always had his way with rules, subtly circumventing the old belief, short of challenging them when he's in the mood. Most couples, those who are in the upper aristocracy especially, were often bound in matrimony for political, financial or bloodline reasons, seldom by love but for this relationship to work harmoniously, the couple has to maintain their own spaces. This is why separate rooms are recommended. 

Although having only one room with your spouse is not entirely taboo, it would still raise a lot of eyebrows. Showing too much affection can influence your image and it is not well-acceptable in a society where one is expected to master their own emotions. Clayton cared less, however. Nothing in this world can separate him from his wife, thus the spacious chamber in another wing of the house has now become a workroom and a place for her clothes, hats, etc.  

Ayan was about to drift into sleep when the door of the adjacent room where they bathed opened, revealing Clayton in his silk trousers and naked torso. The water droplets rolled from the tips of his wet hair down to the hard muscles of his chest before quietly disappearing at the edge of his waistband. He looked cool and fresh from the bath but she was steaming that her face turned from light pink to hot red. 

Towelling his hair slowly, Clayton noticed his little wife's thieving gazes from the corner of his eyes and his lips rose into an imperceptible arc. He deliberately turned slower, giving her ample time to appreciate every crevice and line on his body before walking straight to their bed. Clayton sat himself a few inches from her and played with her hands. 

"How was your week, my love?" He murmured, purposefully making his voice deeper. 

Ayan snapped back to reality in a fluster, "I, I met a few new acquaintances." 

"Hm." He groaned, drawing her closer and closer to him. "Did you have a lot of fun?"

"I have." She smiled cheerfully, vaguely noticing that his face was getting nearer. "Lady Dianne invited me and Beatrice to her home for tea. And my, it was pleasant— uhm… she's the duchess of Hellenberg and the lady of the imperial family's protection knight captain."

"Sir Raymund Hellenberg. I have heard of him." He smiled fondly, urging her to speak more. 

"She's a very lovable lady. After that, the three of us made arrangements to stroll around Park Lane and later booked a ticket to listen to Madam Porter's singing…" 

Before she knew it, Clayton had already pinned her down and kissed her mouth.

"Did you miss me, love?" His voice was exceedingly husky as he nipped her ear. "Do you know how much I miss you?"

She had no answer for him. There was no need for one because he was kissing her again, passionately this time. Parting her lips, plunging his tongue urgently, tasting and duelling with hers. The heat came abruptly. 

"I could not stop thinking about you while I was at the camp. I figured I have to speed things up to return to you and the boys." He said softly. 

Ayan was out of breath, lost and aching at the same time. The ribbon of her negligee came undone and was smoothly peeled off her velvety body. Clayton's throat went dry at the sight of her yielding. The feverish calloused hand came, touching her with reverence. Then down, he gently parted her legs. 

"L-Lights…" she whispered. 

She thought Clayton had not heard her but she understood after hearing his chuckles. Soon his finger eased inside her, making her toes curl and eyes flare. 

"Just leave the lights." He replied just before kissing her again so intensely that she forgot about the embarrassment of being seen from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes.  

 

Three hours later Ayan found herself stretched out on one side of the bed, Clayton on the other and a silver tray with food in between them. Dinner was skipped and the servants were all resting, fortunately, she never lacked anything in the fairy ring so now the two of them are wide awake with hunger and currently filling their stomachs. 

Ayan made a turkey and vegetable focaccia sandwich and handed it to Clayton. 

"A ceremonial hunting competition will be held before the imperial banquet tomorrow." He said, the food disappearing in two bites. "Everyone who received the invitation must adhere and join." 

She nodded her head before taking a bite at a potato and bacon dipped in melted raclette. Clayton reached over to wipe the stain at the corner of her mouth and licked off his finger. "It was rumoured that the valley owned by the imperial family in the northwest is filled with unexpected treasures that is why many are vying to get into the good graces of the great houses. But you, my love, have effortlessly won over one." He pinched her cheek gently and chuckled. At the same time, a trace of worry flashed past his eyes. 

"You didn't think this would be easy, did you?" 

"I'd hope not. The news must have spread and it is inevitable to keep jealous eyes from watching but, I'll make sure to keep you safe." 

Ayan patted his hand for reassurance, "I know you're worried, however, I also do not want you to keep thinking about me all the time while doing your duty. We're partners, aren't we? We had great teamwork when we were in the mountains, have you forgotten?"

Clayton appears to think about it for a moment. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that Ayan couldn't help but giggle. 

"I'm not so fragile Clayton to have you worry about me every step of the way. Who kept the boys safe while you were out to hunt? I killed two feral staghorses. A cursed raptor—"

He almost laughed at the way she'd slipped in her achievements, obviously hoping to ease his emotional burdens. He had to give her points for cleverness. Although it barely reduced his anxiety, it's undeniable that his lady indeed could protect herself. Going several months back when they were crossing the mountains, it was her who begged him to train her and he agreed at the spur of the moment. Perhaps it was due to the determination he saw in her eyes. And now it further cemented his belief that what he did was right. 

"The imperial family," Ayan bit her lip, "There are a lot of things going on in the empire so why conduct the royal hunt? Seems a little strange to me."

Clayton gathered her into his arms and spoke atop her head, "The imperial family, before they are rulers, are also men and they have been plagued by the same problem as the rest of us face on a day to day basis. However, their fights were never as ordinary as ours. To maintain the crown, a lot of blood has to be spilt."

"But how could that happen? They received the blessing of the ancient dragon and only the one who bears the mark can become emperor." 

"My dear, greed knows no bounds. The clan is no longer pure and our emperor understands that. That is why this time, he throws in a gamble to get the only chance to cut the head of a snake before it could bite them."

Ayan was startled at the revelation. Did Clayton mean there is a traitor within the imperial clan?  

Early the next morning, the family is all packed and ready to head to the hunting ground. Gladius Valley is a vast rural estate owned by the imperial family northwest of Ava. From here it will take almost two days to reach the place. The ride there on three large carriages was a pleasant one, a short but convenient convoy compared to other aristocrats who were travelling along with them. 

Across Ayan sits a young boy in a green turban. He has flawless tanned skin, agile ruby eyes and a soft face. The image is not some large concession for the tribal priestess who could fit into any role she was given. If anything, her role as a pageboy of the children gave her a lot of room to freely explore.  

 

Birds chirped happily on the thin branches of birch jutting out on the periphery of the lake. The endearing nature’s song and sweetness of the breeze did enough to liven the somewhat charged atmosphere at the arrival of the monarch and the distinguished guests from the faraway island. In the modern world, people strongly forbid hunting for sport. However, in this parallel ancient plane, hunting was quite literally the sport and privilege of the upper classes. Today’s invitation for this excursion was given to Ayan by Lady Dianne who has grown particularly fond of her after their official meeting. She impressed her so much they were given a room inside His Majesty’s ridiculously large estate, Yvelisse palace.  

The Duchess, as she is formally known, is a woman of beauty and unparalleled elegance. Her soft ash blonde hair is neatly pulled back by a beautiful pair of silver clips inlaid with aquamarines, the colour of her intense sea blue eyes. Lady Dianne rarely comes out to attend gatherings but whenever she comes, it never fails to attract plenty of attention. 

"I cannot thank you enough for saving the life of my little boy," the duchess said fondly as they walked around the lake. 

This matter had to be traced back several days before arriving in Ava where they were besieged by a flock of furies. One of the travellers who got caught with the miasma was the duchess' convoy; her son, who was already suffering from contamination for a long time nearly died as his condition worsened. If it wasn't for Ayan who cleared the blight, she might be wearing mourning clothes by now.

She had been meaning to find their saviour to personally thank her, but unfortunately, aside from her bright red hair, there was no other information she could grasp. It wasn't until the rumour about Ayan Rozenberg swept the Circle that she rekindled her hope of meeting the benefactor who gave them another chance. Upon knowing her current plight, Lady Dianne was in distress. How could a person blessed with holy mana suffer this kind of humiliation?! It's preposterous. The duchess was displeased. 

And how to properly show her displeasure is to abstain from sending out invitation cards for the royal hunt. As society knows, the Duchess Hellenberg along with the other ducal houses has the privilege to invite families from the Circle to be one of those very lucky participants of this season's much-awaited excursion.  

Aside from House Blackwood whom they have a long time friendship with, only the Rozenbergs and two more made it to the duchess' list, much to the aristocrats' chagrin. 

“Arius is fully recovered now. It was as if he never suffered at all.”  

“It pleases me to hear the child is doing quite well now, Your Grace,” Ayan replied smilingly. 

“You’re a mother as well, you surely understand my heartache.” The duchess said. “Speaking of it, the fruits you brought him from your last visit were kept under lock and key. The naughty boy wouldn’t even let us have a bite.” 

Ayan couldn’t help but laugh, “Please tell him to eat while they are fresh. If Your Grace likes the taste, I can ask a footman to deliver a new batch to your mansion.”

“Truly, dear?” The duchess exclaimed. 

“My greenhouse is filled with these plants for the whole household to use. Many were also planted on the two estates Clayton bought so there is absolutely no problem with supplies. I would love to have people taste them as they are not only delicious but good for health as well.” 

“Marvelous! I cannot wait for them to arrive.” Remembering her son’s delighted smile when he first took a bite at the succulent berries made her so emotional. “That boy, the days of worrying about his health came to an end. We can finally see him grow like the other children.” 

“Does Your Grace know when and why the child was contaminated by blight?” Ayan asked curiously. 

Lady Dianne shook her head. “It suddenly came like a storm. He was lively one moment, the next we found him writhing on the floor crying from pain. He never left his chambers since.” Pausing, she looked at Ayan. "Have you noticed something different?"

“I find it rather peculiar.” Ayan did not hide it, “Arius' case was more serious than the rest. Although he exhibited signs of someone at the last stage of contamination, there were no hints of possession.” 

Normally, people infected by blight will fall into frenzied madness and eventually become demons. But Arius just remained a weak sickly child awaiting his end. A slow, painful torture not only for the boy but for his loved ones as well. So far, according to Duke Hellenberg's investigation, the places where Arius usually played had been swept clean but they found no clues as to where he contracted the curse. And to be thorough, the involvement of a foul play was not ruled out. A secret investigation amongst their staff, friends and colleagues was also conducted but until now the culprit remained a mystery.  

“Everything is going in the right direction,” Ayan changed the subject, not wanting to linger on much horrifying thought. 

“Yes, Arius can now grow up peacefully.” The recovery of the child not only brought life back to their home but also repaired her relationship with her husband. 

Thinking about the changes, the duchess had a small smile on her lips.  

All these years she thought she loved one-sidedly. It wasn’t until she heard his painful admission that she realized how foolish and blind she was. Hearing everything he said and knowing how he truly felt for her brought her to tears. Not once in her life did she have great expectations for her love to be reciprocated. Coupled with doubts and insecurities she nearly lost hope in all the years of waiting. If Arius hadn't survived she could have given everything up. Fortunately, the child lived. Fortunately, she returned. 

She gazed gently at the young woman beside her and marvelled at the miraculous coincidences fate arranged. 

A long time ago when she was a little girl, she had walked on this same trail. Here she often met the person who willingly listened to her woe and eventually gave her the courage to break away from the mould her parents forcibly shaped her into. She with a decadent smile and free spirit became her inspiration. 

Now the person is gone but another one came. 

Fondly holding Ayan’s hand, she said gently, “Aside from helping my son, I also wish to spend more time with you, dear. I feel that our meeting is predestined and you can rest assured that while I am here, no one can bully you.”

The only worry the duchess now had was how would the grand duchess react once they crossed paths. They circled the lake twice and Lady Dianne judged it was high time they returned to the field where the tents are set and the rest of the nobles waited for the king to announce the beginning of the hunt. She prayed that Tatiana Havenstorm played her usual old lady airs and passed on joining the “blasted excursion”— as she would often call it. 

It was supposed to be a quick way back but they bumped into quite a lot of acquaintances— almost half of the noble ladies, along the way. 

Georgina Eidloth walked towards them, chin held high and deliberate leisurely strides. Beside her were common acquaintances, Countess Baxter and Baroness Malory serving the queen's side. Then there is also Miss Simone Dhall and pale-faced Lucille Guildford from wealthy merchant families. Of all places they have to walk into, this has to be the one. The duchess had no doubt it was done with purpose. 

The women up front had their eyes on Ayan. while they were looking at her, she was also looking at them. It appears that the royal hunting event is no different from a morning tea time. The women were in their gorgeous ensembles, dressed to the teeth with all kinds of flounces and feathers. On the other hand, she and Lady Dianne wore particularly comfortable styles following the occasion. While it's true that the royal hunt mostly allows men to participate, the ladies may also join by hunting a few small preys such as rabbits and birds. There is a special zone near the hilly side of the lake that was specially prepared just for them to enjoy. 

“Your Grace,” Georgina Eidloth greeted after offering a curtsy and followed by the ladies behind. 

Duchess Hellenberg nodded her head subtly and continued to move forward with no hint of stopping for a brief talk. As to how these people got in without her invitation, she only has to look at Countess Baxter who works directly for the queen to know the answer.  

“Have you taken a good look at the woman beside Her Grace?” 

Baroness Malory, who was the older of the four ladies, spoke meaningfully, “It seems the infamous  Mrs Rozenberg is not as simple as everyone thought. It only took a week to be able to capture the eyes of the duchess.” 

Simone Dahall stopped abruptly, "Might this Rozenberg be the one in the rumor?”

Her inquiry piqued everyone’s interest. Simone smiled innocently and explained that she heard about it from a friend. Countess Baxter and Baroness Malory exchanged glances. They understood that the higher tier of society was far detached from them. Simone was a friend of Lady Dianne so she might have gotten the news through her. 

“Care to enlighten us, Miss Dahll?” Countess Baxter encouraged with an overly friendly smile. 

Simone’s face visibly lit up after they took her bait. “I heard the descendants of the long lost Duke of Thornwood territory returned and they are expected to attend the empress dowager's 60th birthday." 

"Ah, the old family Rozenberg. Are you implying that they are related to the young commander Clayton Rozenberg?" the countess raised an eyebrow skeptically. 

Baroness Malory had to cut in, "I don’t think those are two related things. The Rozenbergs of Thornwood is a very old clan while Clayton Rozenberg no longer bears any title.” As the adopted mother of Lady Lucia Neu, she had long heard the background story of Clayton Rozenberg’s family from her. “They have relinquished their title in the Lattice Kingdom, although they may share the same surname there is no blood relation at all. Clayton Rozenberg is a mercenary now, at most he can be called a freeman. There are a few people in the empire who bear the Rozenberg family name but most of them were at least titled individuals so if anyone were to claim the ducal coronet, it must be one of the natives. Not some foreigners." 

The ladies nodded in understanding. The baroness was right, how could Clayton Rozenberg be so lucky? 

Simone didn’t care who claimed the title, her purpose was to make a small conversation and let her presence be noticed which was effective. Lucille Guildford beside her on the other hand was the opposite. She remained silent and rather looked deflated. 

“Shall we head back now?” the girl murmured. 

Everyone turned in the direction where the duchess and the foreign woman disappeared. 

“Most of the guests have arrived at the field. Lucille was right, we might as well get back to join in the fun.” Lady Georgina said smilingly. 

“Pay them no mind, Ayan.” Lady Dianne smiled when they returned to the duke’s tent for a rest. They haven’t gone far so they heard what was being talked about. “Most of the women here had too much leisure time since they are forbidden to intervene with the matters of their households so they waste time in pointless pursuits such as gossip.”  

The brief statement has given Ayan very crucial information: The noble ladies of many houses have no real power in their hands. Even if they broke their mouths talking about other people’s affairs, they have no means to actually cause harm. 

“In a little while, I will present you to Her Majesty.” Lady Dianne smiled, “That is if you will allow me.” 

Ayan was caught off guard. Introduce her to the empress?! 

“Surprised?” Lady Dianne said playfully. “Although I said that most women here have no authority, that does not apply to me. Asturia is ruled by monarchs, the emperor and the empress. By their side standing as trusted aides are a few great lords who help manage the hundreds if not thousands of lesser lords in the realm. And such Hellenberg House is one of the oldest allies of the imperial family.” 

Ayan could barely hold her expression. She realized earlier how big of a tree she had accidentally leaned on when they were given access to the emperor’s stately home but hearing this now was almost a miracle her knee did not give in.   

“You look funny, by the way.” Lady Dianne said with a grin. 

Ayan then raised a hand up to quickly pat her face. The action only made the duchess laugh. 

“Dianne, I heard you came to attend.” The vivacious voice outside the tent called. 

The duchess stopped giggling at once, her face rapidly losing colour. 

“I know you are inside, girl. I heard you. What is taking you so long?” The tent flap suddenly opened then entered a tall imposing woman with a cane. “Why so sluggish, dear— oh,”

The whole tent fell into a deathly silence.