The Duke's Imposter Sister

Chapter 12 – A Branded Life (2)

Byrenhag didn’t really have a summer season and generally maintained a temperate climate throughout the year. Summer days could be hot and dry when the sun was shining, but the day was long while the night was short. When Gris prepared for her daily walk, she could feel that it was a warm day compared to the last few days. She removed the cloak around her shoulders and draped it over one arm.

She raised her head to gaze happily at the the clear, cloudless sky. The scent of wildflowers was everywhere. She actually felt blessed.

It had been so long since she had felt calm and secure.

Gris walked pass a servant standing by the garden bench and climbed up the hill. Soon, she faced a split in the road. If she walked straight, she would shortly arrive at the lake, while the path to the left led to the front entrance of the mansion.

Gris looked behind her and could see that Bellin followed her silently in the distance, like a predator or a guard? And I thought you kept to yourself, Gris thought. Maybe Stephan had ordered Bellin to keep a close eye on her while he was away.

Gris imagined herself running along the path to the left and continuing through the metal gates but she suddenly wondered, running to what? To freedom? Or peril?

She decided to walk straight ahead and quickly arrived at the lake. The calm waters shimmered in the hot sun as their greeting.

Gris could see wooden steps leading towards a gravel shore by the lake. It had a seating area and appeared to be a rest stop for the servants.

If there was a heaven, Gris was convinced this would be the place. Feeling slightly drowsy, she walked down the stairs and sat on the stone chair by the water.  She placed her cloak on the chair and wrapped it around herself.

She took a deep breath and was about to close her eyes when she spotted a butterfly. It was a striking black butterfly with no other pattern on its wings, dark as the night.

She suddenly felt pity for the butterfly. Shouldn’t butterflies be colorful, isn’t that how they camouflage themselves? she wondered.

However, if it was pitch black, it could be easily spotted by predators. Her pity grew and she spoke out loud to herself.

“You are a bit like me, aren’t you?”

I am chased by men and you have been detected by me. 

“I hope you survive. Don’t get caught by your predators.”

She wasn’t sure if she was talking to the butterfly or it was something aid out of pitiful situation. Just then, she suddenly heard a tearing sound of metal. The mansion gate was flung open and seconds later, a flag bearer holding the insignia of Byrenhag sprinted through the gates.

This inevitably meant that Sir Byrenhag was returning after a victorious campaign in Chateau. The servants near the gates hastily organized their welcome for the homebound soldiers.

Gris also decided it was time to return to her room and started walking toward the Mansion.  Then, as she took a step forward, a lump of soil from the back legs of a horse running past smacked her in the face. She closed her eyes and let out a small cry.

“Ugh!”

Gris stepped backward in reflex and shut her eyes tight. Her nose stung from the force of the impact. She continued to step back when she suddenly realized there was nothing solid under her feet.

When she looked behind, it was too late. She had lost her balance and was already falling into the lake.

“Hel–”

Splash! Gris was soaked from head to toe in the ice-cold water. She heard Bellin urgently calling her name.

“Ma’am! Lady Yuliana!”

Through her slightly opened eyes stinging from the chilly water of the lake, Gris saw ripples of water on the surface. She used all her strength to swim up to the surface, but she couldn’t move her arms due to the tight bandaging underneath her dress. The water beneath her was pitch black, and she had no idea how deep it was.

It was then she heard the galloping of a horse in the distance. The cold water relentlessly filled her nose and mouth.

At that moment, she felt strong arms swoop her up, and she could finally breathe in much needed air. When she recovered her consciousness, she found herself lying by the lake.

“Hah!”

Gris gasped to fill the air in her lungs. When she wasn’t gasping, she coughed up water that had invaded her system.

“Ma’am, are you okay? Oh, dear! What do I do?”

Bellin wiped her face with a towel and patted her back to help her cough up more water. With her efforts, Gris slowly recovered her breath and her vision started to clear.

Now that she could see, she realized a man dressed in brown, completely drenched like her, was sitting in front. Pieces of armor were scattered around him.

“Phew, what a relief. Are you fine, young girl?”

Droplets of water were falling from his brown hair. He appeared to be the savior that had scooped her out of the lake. Gris stood up slowly and placed her arm on his chest and said hesitatingly.

“T…Thank you. I… I am fine.”

The man introduced himself after a few breaths.

“I apologize for the belated greetings. I am Quentin, the first chief of the Saint Johannes knights.”

Gris brushed her hair away from her cheeks and replied quietly.

“Thank you for helping me, kind Knight.”

Next to Quentin was another man, wearing armor and black gloves, covered all over in dried blood.

He was so tall that Gris only saw up to his chest at a glance. Gris held her head up high to see his face. It was a man with dark hair.

The man had dried blood on his right cheek as well. Perhaps it was the traces of red all over his body or his fierce eyes, but he looked like a black wolf returning from a successful hunt.

Flinching, Gris lowered her gaze and took a step back. On the chest of his armor suit was a carved Sainte kneeling down with her hands clasped in prayer. Surrounding the Sainte were five swords pinned to the ground, with the first sword larger than the others.

This meant that he was Head of the first, among five other families, protecting the Kingdom of Nordvaltz; he was the Head of the Byrenhags.