Episode 6 : Castle of Griblata
‘It’s cold…..’
Belladonna, who was looking at the distant sky, the occasionally falling leaves, the knights resting far away, and the servants who looked happy, slowly lowered her head.
Before she knew it, she looked at Escalion, who was breathing rhythmically, wondering if he had really fallen asleep.
He looks similar to the last time I encountered him on the way back to the west of the Pope’s Palace.
This man, who gave off a somewhat dangerous aura when he opened his eyes, seemed to calm down as he slept.
Strangely enough, it occurred to me that this sleeping man looked like an innocent child.
Belladonna unconsciously reached out and began to gently touch his prominent eyebrow bones.
‘Your eyebrows are really dark….’
Would it be twice as big as my eyebrows?
Admiring without thinking, she slowly moved her finger along his forehead and then down the bridge of her nose.
As she took a closer look, she seemed to understand why the maids kept looking at him and thier cheeks blushed.
‘I mean, he’s handsome.’
Her hand, which stayed on the bridge of her nose for a moment, moved downward little by little.
Belladonna’s slender fingers finally touched his thick lips.
‘It’s soft….’
Belladonna touched his lips as if she was somehow possessed.
Her hand, which was moving freely without knowing that she was scared, was suddenly grabbed, and it was an instant before he opened his eyes and lifted his upper body up.
Bella stopped right in front of my face and looked into his curves.
His golden eyes, which were staring at her, curved in an arc.
“My wife is a repeat offender.”
What, what!
Belladonna’s face suddenly heated up.
Escalion opened his mouth with a relaxed smile.
“Every chance she gets, she touches her husband, and she keeps groping me…..”
When did I!
Belladonna blushed, completely forgetting that she had been touching his face just a moment ago.
She twisted her body, trying to free his hands.
Escalion smiled even thicker and pressed his face to hers.
“You can’t stand it like that? At the latest, you will arrive at the territory within four days, right?”
Belladonna nodded vigorously with all her might.
no! no! I can bear it!
Then, Escalion suddenly raised his hand and cupped her cheek.
“I can’t stand it.”
I could feel the hot breath very close.
Belladonna was so shocked that she couldn’t even breathe and looked at him.
“………”
At that moment, Escalion’s eyes became serious.
Belladonna remembered his kiss at the wedding and she closed her eyes involuntarily.
I, I don’t know…..!
“Your highness! One of the horses pulling the carriage continued….Oops, sorry!”
At that time, one of the knights who was approaching from behind without thinking suddenly shouted before reporting to Escalion.
When he saw that the Duke and Duchess were close together in an unusual atmosphere, he jumped up in surprise and turned around.
Belladonna, startled by the sudden appearance of the knight, opened her closed eyes and looked up at Escalion in front of her.
He had a frowning expression on his face, as if he was annoyed.
“Hah……”
He let out a low sigh and slowly turned his head.
And then he glared at his knight with his darkly shining golden eyes.
“Do I have to go and take care of even one horse like that? If a horse misbehaves, you can console it, soothe it, or give it more food.”
“S-sorry. I will do as you command me.”
“…..What do you mean?”
With that said, Escalion turned away from her.
He stood up completely from his seat and Bella, still sitting on the blanket, glanced back at her and opened his mouth.
“Just rest for a moment. You will rest more comfortably without anyone bothering you.”
Bella also nodded her head slightly.
As he hurriedly walked away, following the driver leading the way, she cleared her chest and let out the breath she had been holding.
Wow, I almost got into big trouble….
***
The carriage journey to the almost ascetic territory did not come to an end until three days later, very late at night.
Even that would have taken much longer if he hadn’t taken the public portals placed along the way.
Belladonna looked out the now dark window at Escalion’s territory.
Griblata.
It was the name of his northern fiefdom, which had been given to him by the emperor himself, and the name of where she would spend the next three months.
“It’s so dark I can’t see anything.”
Escalion, who was sitting with her eyes closed in her seat across from her, slowly opened his eyes and exhaled.
“It’s better. There’s nothing worth seeing yet.”
Belladonna paid no heed to his words and looked out intently.
As Escalion said, it was very dark, but the residents of the territory diligently turned on the lights to welcome the lord, allowing us to see the simple and monotonous scenery of the village.
Even though it was late at night, the residents of the territory came out to the street in front of their houses and lined up along the line of carriages.
It was cute and nice to see them smiling brightly, talking loudly, and throwing flower petals at the knights even though it was dark.
‘It feels similar to where I lived in my previous life.’
Belladonna felt that the scene was somehow familiar, and she smiled without realizing it.
Although it was very difficult, there were also many memories.
“…….”
Escalion rested his chin on his arm leaning on the window frame and quietly watched her looking out the window.
What is so amazing and enjoyable?
It was worth watching as she turned her head back and forth and looked at every corner like a child from earlier.
The saint of Astanya seems to quickly give her heart to things like that.
He laughed, but he didn’t take his eyes off her. Even though it was a dark night, the sparkling blue eyes kept holding his gaze.
The carriage passed through the territory’s village and ran towards the castle located in the deepest part of the Property.
The sound of knights talking about something was heard from ahead, and the huge castle wall opened with the sound of old wood. Even so, the carriage went on for a while and stopped completely when it reached the castle gate.
“My lord, madam, thank you for your hard work on the long journey.”
The old butler who opened the door of the carriage where the couple was sitting bowed his head.
Escalion jumped down first and stretched out his hand to Belladonna. Belladonna got out of the carriage, holding his large, firm hand, which she had become accustomed to.
“This man is the butler of this castle. He is in charge of handling the castle’s overall affairs, so if you don’t know anything, find this person and ask.”
“My name is Wolf. I will do my best to help you adapt to this place.”
Belladonna nodded and gave him a bright smile.
In response to her smile, Wolf also gave her a soft smile in return.
He’s a very kind-looking grandfather…
“It’s very late, so please go to the bedroom. I will order hot water to be placed in the bathroom.”
“Yes, please distribute hot water and sufficient food to the knights and servants who worked hard.”
“all right.”
After giving Wolf other simple instructions, Escalion let go of Belladonna’s hand and strode up the stairs leading into the castle.
When he disappeared, Cindy and her maids came around her.
“Ma’am, you can come with us.”
Belladonna nodded and ran after them.
Belladonna entered the castle following Cindy, who was watching her back attentively, and encountered the high ceiling and the lobby, which had an atmosphere more elegant than she expected.
Wow, Escalion’s tastes are more refined than I thought?
Although she had never seen anything other than the Pope’s Palace as a luxurious mansion, even to Belladonna’s discerning eyes, his castle had a very nice atmosphere.
“sorry. Thanks to our lord, who has been single and living alone all this time…The castle is insignificant.”
What? This is insignificant?
Wolf, who was following them, opened his mouth.
“No matter how much we told him to renovate, he didn’t even listen…We also haven’t done anything special, so from now on you can rearrange and decorate this castle as you wish.”
But I don’t know what to do?
“I will call a merchant as soon as possible, so please take a look at it step by step.”
Wolf added in a polite tone.
Belladonna glanced once again into the spacious lobby. No matter how i look at it, it’s not insignificant…
“Ma’am, please go up to the second floor.”
Belladonna tore her gaze away from the lobby and nodded her head to Cindy before moving up the main staircase to the second floor.
Heavy carpets covered the stairs, and beautiful landscape paintings and ornaments decorated the surroundings. Plus, a neat vase placed in the right place…It was an interior that seemed difficult to say was in the hands of Escalion, a knight.
‘……It looks like someone already took care of it carefully before I arrived.’
Belladonna followed Cindy up the stairs with a puzzled look on her face.
“This way.”
Cindy went up to the second floor and pointed to a room with an open door on the right side of the hallway.
She entered the room, revealing an empty space with a large window facing outside, a bed facing the window, a dresser, a few small shelves, and an entrance to the bathroom.
“This is the space where Ma’am will stay from now on. I think you can gradually fill this place according to your preferences from now on.”
Belladonna nodded with an awkward smile.
“Are you very tired from the long journey? I will help you take off your clothes, so please go and sit in front of the dressing table.”
Belladonna sat down in front of the vanity chair that looked almost new.
‘It’s not like I’m just sitting there and laughs without any opinions…’
Bella sighed…
At the Vatican, she just sat quietly, smiled and laughed, and nodded her head, and everything was resolved. She wasn’t supposed to have any opinions at the Vatican anyway, and all she had to do was sit there and smile as the Pope told her.
‘But this place is completely different.’
Although it only lasted three months, Belladonna became the mistress of this castle.
Even if she didn’t want to do anything, it was obvious that the chamberlain and maids would ask her for her opinions on various things.
‘I guess I should convey my opinion even if it means writing on paper…’
Belladonna looked at herself in her mirror, wondering which method would be most effective.
The maids were busy taking off her headdress and unbuttoning the back buttons of her dress.
As she sat still, Bella became somewhat bored, so I unconsciously reached out to her and opened her dresser drawer.
Grumble.
“……..”
huh? what’s this?
Belladonna looked inside the drawer with a puzzled expression on her face.
In the space she expected to be empty, of course, necklace, carved with a gorgeous and sparkling ruby, was hanging there.
“………”
Also, a necklace that clearly showed signs of being used by someone...
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
As long as i don’t have ko-fi account because My country’s policies prohibit the use of PayPal. You can support me on PAYEER if you like❤️ here> [P1089750853]
