Her brother was nowhere to be seen.

The courtyard seemed empty despite the gathering of soldiers, servants and a butler completing the last minute preparations before they were to leave for Zourian Kingdom. Rhine Falcon held back a sigh as she stood underneath the barracks, shielding her face from the glare of the sun. She would have chosen to cast something cold and freezing like [Frost Wind] but it would be a waste of a spell. Plus, it wouldn’t look that good if the soldiers saw her casting it while others laboured underneath the heat of the sun.

Her gaze fell on the butler; he didn’t even seem to be breaking into any sweat.

He was certainly worthy of praise despite inexperience, not that she’d expect less from a man that her father had hired to be their personal butler. It still boggled her on why the man was to accompany them on a diplomatic envoy though, didn’t he primarily serve her father…

The young man was conversing with some of the older soldiers, discussing things that her ears could not pick up… all because of the chattering soldiers nearby her. They were not men if they could spend so much time whispering to one another as if they were girls talking about a handsome boy. She kept a placid expression on her face, trying to pretend that she wasn’t hearing anything.

“That’s the girl right—?”

“She’s really pretty.”

“Ew, that’s weird of you to say.”

“Why’d you say that?”

“It’s like Hyde in a wig!”

Her fingers twitched slightly at the last comment, heavens forbid she freeze these soldiers right now and shatter them to pieces. She’d just have to placate herself by imagining them struck by lightning, hopefully by her doing. Perhaps it was the intensity of her thoughts, but the soldiers somehow picked up on her lingering gaze and suddenly bowed. Now that was appropriate behaviour, she held back a smirk.

“Ah! Good morning to you Lady Falcon.”

One of them suddenly took the opportunity to draw closer, a young man who bowed with more grace than the rest. Perhaps even more finesse than her brother could muster, not that his brother had much to begin with. Rhine lifted a brow. He did look less of a soldier than his companions, tousled blond hair and cerulean eyes that would suit a young lord.

“Hmm… good morning to you?”

“Cedric Darby, a humble soldier of the Falcon house, my lady. We are among the few soldiers chosen to escort the lady and her brother to their destination.”

“Oh, I thank you in advance for your services sir Darby. If I remember, the Darby family is among those our family levies?”

“You speak the truth; it is our family’s pleasure to serve you and your family, Lady Falcon.”

A harried cough erupted behind Cedric, from one of the soldiers he had been talking with earlier. She eyed the male who coughed with a frown, it was rather obvious what he was trying to say. The others beside him were trying to shut him up. Now that was someone who reminded her of Hyde’s relentless character. Rhine placed a hand underneath her chin and directed her gaze back to sir Darby in front of her.

“These companions of yours sir Darby… they are also to accompany us?”

“Ah yes, that is true. Shall I introduce them to you?”

“Please.”

“May I introduce to you, Frank Kelton—?”

“Hey! I’m Tom, I kick your brother’s ass quite often.”

The young man who coughed earlier cut off Darby and strode forwards. The former now seemed at lost with words. Was he trying to say that he wanted to kick her ass? Rhine crossed her arms and tilted her head. Dark unkempt brown hair along with a friendly or was that a leering grin?

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“Would you kick his ass if he wore a wig and maybe a dress?”

“Oh.”

Rhine couldn’t help herself, a small smile crossed on her lips. The male was as stunned as sir Darby before he cocked his head at her, eyes narrowed. She noticed his eyes were a lovely shade of green. Was he trying to figure out if she was actually Hyde wearing a wig?

“Heh you’ve got spunk, I like you.”

“I’d like to say the same to you… sir Tom?”

“W-wha? Why do they always like Thomas?”

“Well I’m just that amazing, sucks to be you Jamie.”

A protest erupted from the lips of one of their companions… a boy? Rhine was one who could dispute that women should be allowed to become soldiers, but this one looked a bit too feminine and small for a soldier. This Jamie didn’t even look much past sixteen. How could their father entrust them to this lot?

“Please excuse our rowdy nature Lady Falcon.”

It was not Cedric Darby who spoke but the man he tried to introduce earlier.Compared to his companions, this one truly appeared to be a soldier. He made his friends look like sticks and twigs. His arms looked like trunks, and this male truly seemed to have worked hard beneath the sun. Rhine waved a hand.

“Ah, it’s not a trouble. I am aware that most men still have the thinking of a child… sir Frank am I right?”

“Frank Kelton my lady, an honour.”

“Likewise.”

Rhine allowed herself to curtsy, they were not as ghastly as she expected. These were some of the people that Hyde spent a good portion of his time with… his friends, comrades. The word left a rather sour taste in her mouth that she pushed back. Now that she was looking at all of them, a smile played on her lips. At ease.

Now how would she excuse herself—?

“The Marquess and Marchioness Falcon with Sir Hyde approaches!”

The people around her seemed to straighten up without much prompting and her heart seemed to pick up in its pace as well. Out of all the people who could speak to their mother, only Hyde would have been able to get her out of a tantrum or fuss. Not that there were much people who’d attempt to talk with her in the first place. Her father included among those who cower when her mother was provoked, she bit back a snigger.

However, she’d acknowledge that fact, tuck it somewhere in the crevice of her heart and mind.

“Guess who’ll be seeing us go?” Hyde waved at her, and what did Rhine do? Well she crossed her arms but gave a curt nod at her mother as the three of them approached her and she did a proper curtsy. At least Hyde’s friends had enough wits to move away when her father and mother arrived.

“Good morning mother, are you feeling better?”

“Ah, there’s not much one can do except get up you know Rhine?”

“Hmm, I suppose. It is rather boring to stay at one place… rather limiting don’t you think mother?”

“Not at all, once you get a little older, you’ll start appreciating the comforts of having everything by your side.”

“You think so mother? I think it’s rather stagnat—”

A person arrived and Rhine held back her tongue. It was the butler who bowed in front of their father and Hyde, and to her mother and her as well.

“Good morning sir Howard, the preparations are complete. It is also good to see you that you are well Lady Eva.”

“Hmph. I don’t know what my husband is saying, but I’m perfectly fine. Now I’d like to check the carriages myself, who knows if you forgot something important? Say you forgot to add Little Blanc, Rhine’s prized possession.”

“Little Blanc?”

Rhine blinked once, and then again. Of course, her mother would bring that up! It was only one of the few things that her mother probably remembered about her, or the Marchioness intentionally loved embarrassing her in front of people by pretending to think that she was a kid. Either way, she frowned and looked away.

“It’s just a stuffed bunny… he was the replacement when my actual pet died.”

“Because silly little Rhine here doesn’t know how to take care of things.”

“Oh come on, I was… five? Six? How should I know that the dogs didn’t actually like Blanc.”

“Um…. Am I to ask a maid to get Lady Rhine’s prized possession?”

“No! ...Maybe, I think mother will still be checking if everything is in the carriage right?”

“I really will! Please excuse me.”

Rhine watched her mother approached the carriage and ordered the nearby servants away, before she went inside and did her own checking of the carriage and its contents. The young lady sighed to herself, as she glanced around the courtyard. The servants and soldiers were still bustling onto other tasks and duties. The butler, Gus, was now reporting to her father. Her brother was now within the vicinity, and he was chatting and laughing with the soldiers she had talked with earlier.

She looked at the grass beneath her feet, rubbing an arm absentmindedly. There was already a maid getting her Blanc…

The courtyard still felt quite empty.