A long table stood in the middle of a hall. On both sides of these tables were people she was unfamiliar with, some of whom had white hair like the Duke's. An empty chair at the head and near the head of the table. Aurora felt awkward in her new clothing. Gazes turned towards her, and she peeked down at her new shoes. Leather boots with a fur inside. To help keep the cold at bay, she was told. It was easy to get sick this far in the North. Keeping the feet warm helped avoid sickness. They were surprisingly comfortable, and she was thankful for the extra layer to protect her against the cold stone floor. The cold was the first large con in her new life in a castle. Unsurprisingly, stone was a lousy insulator.

Heating wasn't what it was in her past life. There was no central heating in this world, so she had been dressed in several layers. The layers were still not enough to keep her warm. Her room was much warmer than the dining hall she found herself in.

The maid, who had been with her from the start, ushered her to the open seat near the head of the table. Aurora avoided their gazes. She had never loved attention, which was a big problem in her last life. Social anxiety had plagued her for most of her life, making it hard for her to form friendships and experience everyday social affairs. In this world, the anxiety had seemed to subside, but at that moment, it had returned to her in full force. The gazes of those around the table burned holes into her.

Aurora sat down at the table. Concentrating on the tableware in front of her. It was surprisingly gentle and beautiful, which was not what she had expected from the monster of a Duke.

Moments later, the door opened, and the man himself walked in. Everyone scrambled to their feet, and she followed suit. Women curtsied, and men bowed. Aurora also attempted a sloppy curtsy. He made his way to the head of the table. His aura washed over her. It tried to push her down. Aurora considered crawling under the table to escape from the suffocating atmosphere. But even the thick wooden table, which must have weighed a ton, stood no chance against that devil. Something told her in her bird brain that nothing stood a chance against the man.

He sat down, and everyone followed suit. Even now, you're shaking like a leaf, she remembered his earlier words. Of course, her instincts and every fiber in her body screamed that the man was dangerous.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

People talked around her. Servents bought food. Aurora could feel paranoia growing in the pit of her stomach. Her heartbeat was elevated, words twisted around her, and the room seemed to bend in her peripheral. Walls were closing in on her, and it was hard to breathe. She hadn't felt anxiety this bad since high school. She cringed and forced a deep breath.

A loud ding brought her back to the present moment. The panic attack that was setting in lifted. It was the Duke. He had been clanking a spoon against his goblet. The room fell silent.

"We have all gathered here to celebrate the return of my party, but I also have someone to introduce," he said.

His voice was clear. Breaking through the walls that had come up around her. It rang out through the darkness of her mind. She looked up at the man. The walls that had been coming in on her returned, and she could finally see the room in a much brighter light. He motioned at her with an open palm, and she stood up.

"This is Aurora,"

"My lord, who exactly is this?" a feminine voice rang out from the other side of the room.

"A child," he replied.

"Of course, I see that, but—" the woman who spoke out was beautiful. She was wearing a dress with cascading lilac sleeves, her hair was chestnut brown, and her eyes were vibrant ice blue. Mesmerized, Aurora stared for a long moment.

"I found her," he responded.

Aurora watched as faces twisted from blank to confusion. Some even looked bewildered at the response.

"My Lord," another voice spoke out. This time, she looked across the table. On the other side, near the head, sat a woman with black hair. She was older, maybe in her forties. She had darker skin, just like the Duke, and the same red eyes. The woman was as large in stature, and Aurora could tell she had a rather muscular build. The dark-haired beauty gave off a similar aura to the Duke, just not as suffocating. Aurora imagined that she would have easily dealt with a shadow wolf. She was a beautiful woman but far from the beauty that the Duke was. Aurora deduced that the woman was probably his mother. His face and hair were definitely not his mother's, but his size and skin were.

"Did you steal this child?" She asked what most were probably wondering.

"No, the child is an orphan. I had rescued her."

The Duke cleared her throat, "Anyway, the girl is under my protection." He looked at his mother, "Watch over this child. Use her as your entertainment so you won't be as bored when I am gone."

Surprisingly, the duchess had a warm smile. "Of course," she replied.