Chapter 31: Unconditional Love

Rihannan smiled weakly. “No, Mary. I’m used to living here. Besides, what’s the point? I have no family in Arundell. What about you, Mary? Do you miss home?”

“To be frank, Miss…” Mary replied cautiously. “The last time the Count passed away, I thought you’d go to Arundell for a visit. And… there’s… also… your mother’s grave…”

Like Mary, the marquis, Rihannan’s uncle, and Dimitri grew replete with surprise realizing that she had no intention to visit Arundell and attend her father’s pitiable funeral. But regardless, they quietly put the matter aside and did not probe any further. Though unaware of the details, they did notice Rihannan holding a certain dislike for Arundell.

What it was, they did not know.

‘What had happened in Arundell?’ they’d ask themselves.

When Rihannan first arrived in good ‘ole wild and barbaric Chrichton (as Mary liked to call it… in private), she was in great pain. Nightmares often struck her in the dead of the night. Her dream, a great torment, was of Leticia offering her the poison over and over and over… it occurred repeatedly, the dream.

Leticia would look down at her lifeless body, a wicked smile plastered on her lips. She’d look at Rihannan without a modicum of mercy on her face, look at her cold body sprawled across the floor, her toes and fingers deathly cold.

Rihannan closed her eyes and heaved softly. “Mary… I know. Someday… I’ll have to go…”

There’ll come a time when she’d have to return to Arundell. But not now… not now. She needed time to heal, time to erase her hatred, her nightmares, and her sufferings. She needed time. Only then would she be able to tread on Arundell’s soil.

“Let’s go, Mary. We’ll be late for dinner.”

Rihannan touched Mary’s shoulder, passed her by and entered the carriage.

Mary sighed and jumped inside the carriage.

When they arrived at the mansion, Dimitri awaited them at the front gates. He was sitting atop a horse. Grunting, he hopped off his ride and hurriedly pushed aside the servant standing to the side of the carriage door.

“Rhia, it’s me!” Dimitri hollered.

As Rihannan stepped out of the carriage, Dimitri immediately grabbed her waist and lifted her up. She seemed weightless like a doll.

“Did you play with that bad-tempered princess today? I’m sure that must’ve been quite the hassle.” he said merrily, stroking and caressing her head. It was a habit, treating the girl who was eighteen years of age (and soon heading towards her twenties) as if she was still that innocent, little girl he once knew.

“You’re correct. I was with her and Princess Helena is a nice person. And stop that.” Rihanna slapped Dimitri’s hand.

“You were sent there because they think that you’d be of some use to them,” Dimitri frowned. “Anyways, I don’t like you coming in and out of the palace like that.”

Dimitri had every right and reason to speak such things. Chrichton’s custom of orders was similar to Arundell’s. The king’s words was absolute and law. To disobey is to rebel. If anything ever happened to the king, all fingers would be pointed to anyone working inside the royal palace.

Dimitri opposed the idea of Rihannan working in the palace, even more when asked to live there. Nothing good ever came about when associating with the royals. Regardless, they could not refuse the king’s order.

Eventually, Rihannan was ordered to play with Helena. They complimented each other well.

Young Dimitri at the time was distraught. He grabbed Rihannan’s hand and hid in the gardens to hide. He did not want anyone to take her. But… eventually, he had to let go.

To Dimitri, Rihannan was his life. He took care of her like she was his own sister. She was his favorite and he did his best to make her feel like she belonged in Chrichton. He had no sisters; he envied others who did, Maybe that’s why he placed that familial love onto her. And, perhaps, he wanted to fill the gap of her broken heart from losing her mother at a young age.

Young Rihannan thought the situation rather strange. It had been a while since she received unconditional love.

Eventually, the day came to an end. Dimitri suffered from a severe cold while Rihannan was ordered to play with Princess Helena.