Few months before the ball……….

From the window of my carriage, I looked at the streets of Drakenhoff, the capital of the Drakenhoff Duchy. The relative wealth of the city was clear, as the Duchy was the Silvan Kingdom’s only source of maritime trade many traders gathered here.

“Then there is the Royal Port situated right in the middle of Duke’s own territory which was directly administered by the King and the homeport of the Royal Navy.”

While I was observing the surroundings, I was also explaining the geography and politics of the Kingdom to Al-Ishraq who was sitting in front of me, and Hassan who was sitting next to me by my side. Hassan wore his brown robes and headcover.

“This is the place,” Hassan whispered.

However, the carriage stopped a step after passing the building.

Hassan opened the door and exited first, then he nodded to me and Ishraq. We entered a multi-story building next to the one we were looking at.

As soon as I entered, I was welcomed by three men wearing the same clothes as Hassan. They directed me to another room.

“There is an entrance to the Palace of Decadence from here”

One of the men directed us to a large underground storage room. Within were large barrels of alcohol. Suddenly an entire rack of barrels began sliding to the side, revealing a pathway to the neighboring building.

“It would be an issue if people saw the lord entering a brothel. So, we bought this building and got some people to build a secret pathway connecting the two. All of it was built by foreign workers who were all sent back after being paid. This could also be used as a base and meeting place without getting the brothel in trouble.” Ishraq explained our activities in the city.

We had built a network of high-class brothels across the Duchy, and our merchant friend Ali has been bankrolling their expansion. The Palace of Decadence was the largest so far and was built in a theater that was closed recently.

Just as we entered the building we were assaulted by a strong scent, a mix of various fragrances. In front of us was a wooden door that was opened from the other side by one of Hassan’s men.

“Greetings, my lord”

An old woman awaited us from the other side. She was covered in expensive clothing and jewelry, her skin was wrinkled and her smile revealed missing teeth in both rows.

Asma Al-Qadiya, the creator and head of my network of prostitution and spying.

“Things are going well, I presume”.

“Business is booming, in both ways. Now, come my lord.”

I followed her, carefully listening to her speech.

“We are getting even more coins than expected. If anything, we need more girls, foreign ones. They want browns and those girls from Shang are cutting open their purses.”

We climbed up a staircase and reached another room. We were right above the main entrance and I saw many young men and even older ones entering in droves. Most were clearly nobility but there were also some merchants or their sons.

“We already have a few guards and servants in the Ducal Palace caught in the net.” Asma briefed me on the progress of a specific mission I gave them.

“The little bird is under observation, everywhere she goes our eyes are on her. We are ready for the next stage of the plan. But there is an issue with the old goose. His servants are few, old, and secretive. We need to send our own men inside the palace.” Hassan gave his report.

The old duke, Sirius Drakenhoff. He has abdicated his authority but continues to make decisions in the house. He has increasingly become a recluse in recent years. Getting on his good side was essential to our plans.

“Do as you please but avoid excessive risks, we can’t risk an incident yet. Now……… let’s catch a pet bird.”

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I sat in front of a mirror letting the maids do my hair. This was one of the few instances I get to leave the palace and I need to make the most of it. The birthday of my best friend and because of me, it was to be celebrated almost in secret and under heavy guard.

I accidentally let out a sigh,

“Did I do anything wrong, my lady?” the maid asked nervously.

“Oh, no nothing like that. Please carry on.”

The responsibility of the blood I carried. I knew what I have to do…….but does it need to be this suffocating? I don’t see other noble girls being imprisoned in their palaces like me.

After the maid finished my braids which went from the front to the bun on the back of my head, I stood up. My dress was dark green with gold-colored patterns. I was then escorted by maids to a carriage within which was an armed knight in full late amour as well as a maid and a butler.

The windows were covered by curtains, and I did not know where I was until we reached our destination. The knight opened the door and exited first. Then after a red carpet was laid in Infront of the carriage I stepped out.

I was at the entrance of a massive mansion on the outskirts of the city. It was owned by the Drakenhoff house and to have a birthday within was a “gift” to my friend. I knew it was a lie but it was beyond my control.

From the main entrance a girl came running, a girl only a year younger than me, she wore a cream color dress. She was like a princess today.

“Maribelle, please accept my blessings for your twentieth birthday.”

“Thank you, my lady. I am honored to be blessed by you.”

She was being far too formal today.

“Get rid of the formalities. You know I hate it when you do that.”

“We are still outside, my lady. I will do as you please inside.” She said with a smile.

I followed my friend into a small but luxurious room where many of my friends were gathered. All were daughters of minor nobles who were direct vassals of my father. Even Maribelle was a daughter of a baron. I was kept out of the reach of any powerful nobles like the counts, so I won’t be taken before the opportune time came.

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The girls chit-chatted and gossiped, and I was also excited to know more about Maribelle’s upcoming wedding.

Turns out she will be marrying another baron’s son.

“When our eyes met I knew it was love at first site”

Maribelle went into a story, detailing how he met his soon-to-be husband. Marrying for love is a privilege of the lower nobility. Something that will most likely be denied to me.

Maribelle took my hand and said,

“Alicia, can you come with me for a second?”

“Of course,” I said as I followed my friend outside of the room to a veranda.

“You see, I doubt we will be able to meet again after we marry”

She looked at me and said with sadness on her face.

“Don’t worry, I will try to convince them to allow you to visit the palace.”

“Perhaps, perhaps you will also find one and we could meet again after your marriage.”

That caught me off guard,

“My marriage…? I don’t even know anyone ready to marry me.” I asked.

“The rumor is that the duke….your father is planning to let suitors court you. You will soon find a good man. Both of us could meet again with our families.”

With that Maribelle ended our private chat. “Let's go back”, she said.

“I will follow you, soon. I just want to look at the garden for longer.”

As she left I wondered if I would be finally free of my grandfather’s control or will I be transferred to an even worse prison.

As I became lost in thought a sudden call brought me back to reality,

“Good morning,……………Alicia, it’s you, forgive me, I couldn’t recognize you, my lady.”

It was a young man around the same age as me, probably a few years older. His hair was black and slicked back and wore a red and black coat. His eyes were sharp and looking straight at me.

“Excuse me, do I…know you?” I blurted out in surprise.

“My apologies, it seems my lady doesn’t remember me. I am Alden of House Zauber, we met a long time ago when we were little…before my exile to the orient.”

I couldn’t remember such a person, but I was intrigued. He was handsome and his gaze felt like it was peering into my soul.

“Your exile?” I asked inquisitively

“After an unfortunate incident with the heir of count Strauss I had to relinquish by rights of Zauber Barony. I entered a self-imposed exile to eastern lands….. it's a rather long tale.”

My curiosity piqued and it appeared that there were no guards or servants following me.

“How long was your exile”, my curiosity took over and I walked closer towards him.

He gestured, welcoming me towards the garden as he explained.

“I think it was around ten years ago, probably less. I was only fifteen then.”

The two of us walked in the garden, his story continued as I kept asking for more.

“So you traveled with this merchant called Ali Abdul……….. "

"Why was Hikmat Al-Ishraq imprisoned…….."

"How did you escape prison...............”

As his story continued, I was left with more questions and a desire to know more. But time was not on my side.

“I am sorry but I must go and I can’t keep you for long. Your servants will look for you soon.”

I felt sad, as he said it. It was good to have such conversations and I was curious to learn more about his journeys.

“I will meet you again, my lady. I assure you” he said as he took my hand and kissed it.

After we parted I returned to my friends, but my thoughts were occupied with the young noble and his adventures.

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Almost a week had passed since the party and I still thought about him. I had asked my father about Alden of Zauber. He remembered an incident but them being such a remote vassal of Viscount Hagen he didn’t care much. I simply explained that I have heard some gossip about his adventures in foreign lands.

Then one morning a letter had been dropped in my room, it only contained a single sentence.

Meet me in the garden at eight in the morning, alone. – Alden

I was excited and soon after breakfast, I went for a stroll in the garden.

Is saw no one, I wondered how he even managed to smuggle a letter to my room.

“Good morning, my lady”

Suddenly heard his voice behind. I turned around and saw him leaning on an apple tree, his arms crossed.

“Alde…” he did not let me finish and in a sudden motion he dragged me to him,

“We will be in trouble if we are seen.” He said before releasing me. We sat down behind the tree which covered us from anyone looking from the palace.

“So…what…..”

I was too excited and shy to the point I was stuttering and blushing. He tried to reassure me and instead he began by asking questions from me,

“So what were you doing in that mansion the other day?”

I calmed down and replied,

“It was my friend's birthday, so we had a party for her.”

“That’s nice. I haven’t even reunited with my friends yet.” He said as if sad.

“But you must have made many friends during your journeys”, I asked.

“Hmmm…..well, there is Ishraq…….and did I talk to you about the time I traveled with a band of mercenaries? They were good friends.”

“Did you actually go to war?”

“Well, that is what a mercenary does. In fact, the kingdom that hired us was already conquered by the time we made it there. So we ended up getting hired by the same people we were supposed to originally fight.”

The conversation went on about his journeys, fights, various friends, and enemies he made. Soon the conversations went from about him to me.

“Is your grandfather that strict?” he asked

“He wants to make great plans and not having a grandson, I am supposed to be his greatest treasure. Or so he says.”

Our conversation kept going as I hungrily listened to various tales. His occasional questions about me gave me a chance to vent my frustrations to someone. I always needed someone to talk with and he was now here with me, listening to my problems. He sympathized with me. As a result, our conversation kept going on until noon when he said he must go.

“Can’t you stay a little bit longer?” I asked, making puppy eyes towards him.

“Do you want your grandfather to know what is going on?” He asked with a smirk,

As he turned around to go, I became curious about something, so I went for one last question,

“How beautiful were the girls in the eastern lands”

He turned towards me and looking me in the eye, he said.

“I have traveled all the way to Shang Empire in the far-east and I have never seen a girl as beautiful as you”

My heart fluttered and felt warming up. Am I in love? I wondered.

Our secret meetings continued; I did not know how he kept sneaking into the palace, but I didn’t care. Our secret meetings continued for days. Not always in the same place even. On some days he would appear from a pillar, outside a greenhouse or behind a large tree.

“So you never had any lovers in your journeys?”

“I didn’t stay in one place for long. Almost all my companions were men or older women.”

I questioned more and more about his relationships. I wanted to know if he had someone. He asked more and more about me. First, our fingers touched, then they slide through each other as we held hands. Somedays I kept my head on his shoulder as gently stroked my hair. Soon we were talking while cuddled in each other’s arms. My farewell began to include a kiss on his cheek.

I wondered, would this last forever? Soon I will be married off to someone, someone powerful. My choice would not be allowed to go beyond the ones presented to me by my grandfather and father, that is if my father had a say in it at all.

I wished Alden could just take me away on an adventure, or at least out of here if only for a moment.