Clarisse's POV

Home. What is a home, truly?

Is it merely a place where one resides? Or perhaps it's where one is surrounded by loved ones? Is the answer ever that simple?

I'm not sure, but I do know that for a fact this place is my home.

Bellacrest... Devereaux Hall... This is where I belong now, right? Father?

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Early next day.

Word of what went down between her Grace the Duchess and Lucas quickly spread around Devereaux Hall in a ripple of whispers and hushed conversations.

"I can't believe it!"

"Right? What would Duke Aldridge say if he heard of what went down?"

Two maids gossiped in a corner, Clarisse rolled her eyes as she walked by them. Usually, Clarisse would have reprimanded them for idling, urging them back to their duties. But today, her mind was elsewhere. She had more pressing matters to attend to.

With a determined stride, she navigated the corridors until she reached a familiar door. Balancing a tray laden with breakfast, she knocked gently.

"Master Lucas? May I come in?" Her voice was soft but carried a note of concern. She waited for an answer.

A pause, then a faint, almost inaudible response came from behind the door. "...Yes."

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Clarisse pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was dim, the heavy curtains drawn, shutting out the bright morning light. Lucas sat on the edge of his bed, shoulders slumped and eyes cast down. Clarisse could feel the palpable sadness come out of the boy.

At least he's there, right? This boy somehow always goes missing on me. It does hurt to see him down like that, however.

"Good morning, Master Lucas." She said gently, trying to infuse her voice with cheer as she set the tray on the small table by his bedside. "I brought you some breakfast. I thought you might be hungry."

Lucas glanced up briefly, his eyes dull and clouded with unspoken emotions. He managed a weak smile, more out of courtesy than any genuine feeling. "Thank you, Clarisse."

She pulled up a chair and sat beside him, her hands folded in her lap. "You missed breakfast with the family." she remarked softly, not accusing, just stating a fact.

"I wasn't really in the mood." He mumbled, his gaze dropping back to the floor. "I don't feel like seeing anyone today, let alone HER..."

'Her', he must mean Duchess Seraphina.

Clarisse nodded, understanding all too well the weight of his words. "I've heard about what happened with the Duchess...." She said delicately. ""I'm so sorry, Master Lucas. If I had been with you, things might not have taken such a drastic turn."

Lucas winced, the memory of the harsh confrontation still fresh. He shrugged, trying to dismiss it, but the effort was half-hearted. "It's not your fault, Clarisse. I doubt you being there would have changed anything." He said quietly. "She doesn't like me, it's as simple as that... Perhaps I shouldn't be here after all."

"Master Lucas... Is that really how you feel? Is Duchess Seraphina causing you to feel you should leave Devereaux Hall for good?"

He shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "You don't understand, Clarisse. It's not just about one moment. It's... everything. I don't belong here. I'm just a stranger, an outsider trying to fit into a place where I'll never truly fit in."

Clarisse's heart ached at his words. She wished she could find the right thing to say, something to lift the heavy burden he carried. "You do belong here, Master Lucas. You're part of this family now. And I believe, in time, even her Grace the Duchess will see that too."

At least I hope so...

Lucas looked up at the celling, his eyes filled with a deep, lingering sadness. "Do you really think so? Do you really think I could feel like I belong in this place one day?"

"Yes, I do. I speak from experience."

Lucas's gaze turned to look at Clarisse's purple eyes.

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"What do you mean?" He asked.

Clarisse took a deep breath, her mind drifting back to memories long buried but never forgotten. "I wasn't born here, Master Lucas. Bellacrest was a distant place to me once, just as it might feel to you now. But life has a way of leading us to places we never expected to go."

Lucas listened, giving her his full attention.

She settled into her chair, her voice taking on a softer, more reflective tone. "I grew up in a small village far from here. It was just me, my father, and my little brother, Devin. Father was a kind man, always full of stories and laughter. He worked hard to provide for us, especially after my mother passed away giving birth to Devin."

Lucas listened intently, his own troubles momentarily set aside as he absorbed Clarisse's story.

"When I was 11, everything changed one day. My village... My home... Everything I knew was gone."

Lucas furrowed his brow, confusion mingling with concern. "What do you mean? How did it all disappear?"

"It may be hard to believe me, Master Lucas, but the truth is a giant demon attacked my village, destroying it and killing nearly everyone, my father included." Clarisse answered, sounding calm, though Lucas felt that she was pretending to be okay.

"What?! A d-demon?" Lucas stammered, wide-eyed. "How...?"

"That's a normal reaction, but it is true, I promise you. I don't know where that demon came from, or why it attacked everyone, but I know had father not been there to make sure Devin and I get away, I wouldn't be here right now." Clarisse continued her story, even though Lucas found it hard to process.

"And did your father....?"

"Yes. In an attempt to help more people flee from the demon, he too lost his life."

Clarisse closed her eyes.

I never got to tell him goodbye.

"I...don't know what to say." Lucas was lost for words. "I mean, a demon? That's..."

For a second, Lucas couldn't help but think of his village. Sure life there was hard, but at least they never had a demon show up.

"I managed to escape with my baby brother, who was only 2 years old, too young to understand what had happened. I was devastated, lost, and terrified about our future. I had no idea what to do with myself or brother."

Clarisse paused, the painful memory still raw even after all these years. "It was a dark time. But then, by a stroke of fate, a kind merchant found us and taken us to Bellacrest. He couldn't keep us, but he made sure we were safe. Eventually, we were brought to Devereaux Hall."

She glanced around the room, her eyes softening with fondness. "This place became our sanctuary. Your grandfather, the late Duke Ambrose Elias von Devereaux, took us in, gave us a chance when we had nothing. It took me a long time to adjust to this place, to feel like I belonged. I had to work and care for my baby brother at the same time. And now after 12 years, this grand manor feels like home now, somehow."

Lucas's expression softened as he listened, the depth of her story resonating with his own struggles. "It must have been so hard..." He said quietly.

"It was," Clarisse admitted. "So please, Master Lucas, don't give up on this place just yet. I can't say there won't be hard days in the future, but I'm also sure there will be many happy ones."

Lucas looked down at his hands, her words sinking in. It made him feel slightly better knowing he wasn't alone in feeling lost and displaced. "T-Thank you, Clarisse," He murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you for sharing your story with me...."

I wonder, should I have shared it? I know it's a heavy one. I don't like talking about it with people usually.

Clarisse smiled warmly. "Just know I'm here if you need any help, okay? And Master Lucas, please stop going missing on me! Last night I searched along with everybody for you! I almost had a heart attack when I learned you were missing!"

Lucas let out a small laugh, feeling a little guilty

"Sorry, haha."

"I have to go now, I have things I need to handle. Make sure to eat up, okay?" Clarisse said as she stood up and started walking towards the door.

"Okay, I'll eat up."

As she left the room, Lucas stared at the untouched breakfast. The weight of his solitude pressed heavily on him. He took a deep breath, trying to gather the strength to move forward, but the darkness clung to him, persistent and unyielding.

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Clarisse moved briskly through the halls of Devereaux Hall, her mind shifting from Lucas's troubles to her own responsibilities. There was always much to be done in the grand manor.

If you have a minute to rest, it means you have a minute to go do something that needs to be done...

As she turned a corner, she nearly collided with her younger brother, Devin, who was carrying a stack of linens. He was accompanied by a fellow servant, a brown haired boy around his age named Samuel, who was juggling a broom and a dustpan.

"Watch it, Clarisse!" Devin teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You almost knocked over my tower of linens."

Clarisse laughed, the sound light and easy. "Oh, Devin, you and your dramatic towers. I see you're keeping busy."

"Always!" Devin grinned, then shot a playful look at Samuel. "Hey, Samuel, when do you think our dear Clarisse will finally get married? She's 23 now, after all. As her brother I worry no man will want her soon enough!"

"Devin! What are you saying?!" Clarisse spoke out, slightly annoyed. This wasn't the first time Devin made a big deal out of her still not being married despite her age.

I know most women around my age are married by now, but... What if my husband said he doesn't want me to work as a maid here anymore? I don't know if I can handle that. I love this place.

Samuel, a good-natured 13 years old boy with a quick wit, grinned back. "Well, if she's still single when I'm older, I'll marry her myself! Keep her from being an old maid."

Clarisse couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "Oh, you two! You don't need to worry about me, I think I'll be just fine on my own, thank you very much. Besides, Samuel, you're too young to be making such grand promises."

Samuel chuckled, his cheeks reddening slightly. "Just keeping my options open, Miss Clarisse."

Devin shook his head, still smiling. "Well, we can't let you be the only one working hard, Sis. We've got our duties to attend to, too."

"Good to hear," Clarisse said, ruffling Devin's hair affectionately. "Just make sure you do them well, okay? And don't break anything!"

As Devin and Samuel continued down the corridor, Clarisse watched them for a moment, a mix of pride and affection warming her heart.

I'm sure that Devin, just like me, thinks of this place as home. I'm so blessed, really. If only you could see us now, father.