The Duke's Passion

686 Of all people...

"What do you mean, Claude? Claude is still young in this timeline and I even checked myself. Don't tell me you took that child in here?"

Tilly and Samael looked at each other in silence before they set their eyes back on Stefan. Just like them, they initially believed there was only the adult Claude. So it was natural for Stefan to think there was only the young version of Claude.

Samael planted his hands on his hips, eyes on Stefan. He looked at him for a minute without a word, as if he was etching his brother's face deep in his brain.

"That... we should talk about privately," he breathed out solemnly, quirking a brow when Klaus let out a muffled grunt. "He's awake. He's been wild whenever he's conscious, especially whenever he hears Fabian's voice."

"Fabian sings for him, so he gets used to it," Tilly added, pursing her lips when Samael and Stefan cast her a look at the same time.

"Of all people..." Stefan, who somehow got a vague idea of how dire the news Samael wanted to talk with him privately, didn't dwell on it. "It'll be better if it's Dominique or Alistair since they had practiced critical thinking, unlike that one."

Both Samael and Stefan let out another deep exhale as they looked at Klaus, who was grunting weakly before he wiggled in panic like a worm. They shook their head mildly, both in despair at how they could calm Klaus without resorting to violence.

While the two were thinking about routes to talk to Klaus, Tilly was darting her eyes between Samael and Stefan. The corner of her lips curled up subtly. These two might not admit it, but just by looking at them, they appeared to have quite a unique relationship. Tilly wasn't an expert, but she had seen Lilou and Samael's different relationships with people and she could tell this was one of the good ones. Fôllôw new stories at wuxiahere.com

'Too bad,' she thought as her subtle smile faded, setting her eyes on Stefan's back. 'This circumstance... defies the natural law of order.'

********

Back in the mansion, Lilou and Fabian were doing housework, since she was simply following her routine. This place would be full of dust if she didn't clean it. Stefan sometimes helped her, but Lilou only get mad at him since he was doing more damage than the actual help.

So it was a little new for her that someone was actually helping her in doing house chores.

She glanced back at him and sighed. He definitely didn't mean that, she thought. But Lilou didn't have the energy to do house chores since she barely slept a wink.

"Well then, I will leave the cleaning to you. I'll go to the kitchen —"

"Please leave the cooking to me as well."

She frowned. "I'm not a bad cook."

"It's not me who said that."

"Did you bully me in the past?" she blurted out as it seemed Fabian was quite meticulous, especially in the matters of the house. Even though this place wasn't theirs, it felt like he was declaring it was his territory.

"Of course not, my lady." Fabian laughed, averting his eyes because 'bully' was a big word.

Lilou pouted but figured she should let him in charge. So, she didn't dwell on it as she nodded, walking back to her room only to find herself standing in the garden.

She gazed heavenward, shielding her eyes at the sun blazing brightly yet warmly on her. It looked peaceful, with clouds moving calmly in the clear blue sky.

"Such pleasant weather," she mumbled, slumping on the grass out of habit before collapsing on her back. "Why did I even cry so much last night? Now I'm sleepy."

Lilou stared at the clear blue sky, blinking ever so tenderly until her eyes felt heavy. Before she realized it, darkness embraced her like how it embraced an old friend whispering to her;

'Everything I did and all that I went through... I will go through them again just to be with you.'