To Love A Duke

Unhinged

Song Recommendation: Set fire to the rain by vitamin string quartet

It’s the fever mi Lord, that or a strong felt emotion that makes men soft in the head!

“Aye My Lord, the grains are yielding just fine, thanks to the bridges you had constructed last summer, the people can bag the grain over without much stress” The young man of five and twenty said to Orion as he helped them dig a trench around a crop farm later that day. He needed to expel some of the energy he felt and this seemed a good way

“ Good to know, and how many barn so far have been marked?” He asked Graham the one in charge of farm rent. Another farmer passed and tilted his hat in salut

“About two dozen my Lord, it may take a while to complete but we would be rounding up soon”

“Funding is not the issue yes? I want it finished as soon as it can, we can’t afford to loose anymore cattle, the people rely on it for their daily feed” Orion said to the man, attacking the soil with the Sharp head of the shovel in deep sure movements

“Aye my Lord, it will be done” Graham replied

“ Your grace ” came the voice of another man digging the trench at the other end “Good to see you in excellent health my Lord, how does her grace do?” He asked referring to Artemis. The older man was a farm owner who toiled the farm since the days of his father.

“She’s in good health” he replied as he kept digging

“Popping out some heirs soon then” the man said and then laughed nervously. Orion said nothing merely looking him over and facing his shovel and soul. Graham gave the man a gesture or signal of some sort and the lanky old man stalked the way he had come scratching on his head profusely.

They worked in silence for a while then Graham cleared his throat like a man who had practiced hours for a speech in parliament.

“The people of the village wonder if the cliff dive ceremony will be held this year” Graham said shoveling his portion of the Land.

Orion sucked in a breathe.

The cliff dive ceremony.. an event he loathe

“Why-ever would they wonder at such, it hasn’t been held in 10 years and I fully intend to keep it that way” Orions replied harsher than he intended , his jaw clenched and his fist tightened almost painfully over the shovel. The cliff dive ceremony brought a rush of unwelcome memories and emotions he could barely contain. He felt it all, the Fear, the anger, the guilt and the blood, so much blood. He swallowed sweat making his Palms sleek with sweat. He threw down his shovel and fisted his shaking hands.

“Your pardon your grace, I merely ask on behalf of the people, the women think it a culture to be preserved and that perhaps with the new duchess present—” Graham said letting the sentence trail off

“No there won’t be any cliff dives this year, or next year, and in the years to come” Orion said almost in a growl. Graham swallowed and retreated.

Orion had fought had for years to keep the nightmares at bay when they resurfaced he had started watching her sleep to remind himself that she was truly here with him and not at the bottom of a stony lake, covered in her own blood. He wouldn’t admit it but he had followed her and watched her swim every time she had gone to the hot pond alone because he simply had to see for himself that she would be alright. Old fears threatened to tear him apart. Memories from that terrible night ten years ago plagued him continually. They would hunt him forever he knew that, but he could live with it as long as she was safe, as long as he didn’t have to watch her dive over any cliff again. He pushed the images to the back of his mind, and picked up his shovel, shoveling harder and harder, straining his muscles more and more, until he didn’t relieve the gruesome memories, until the rush of guilt and fear her felt had Dulled until all he felt was numbness from the physic labor. He suddenly had to see her, had to know she was okay, had to make sure she never found out about any cliff dives. So he bade the farmers a good day and hurried back to the mansion, his horse almost k kicking down a man as he rushed home, he took the stairs three at a time and was almost running to her room, he got there and bathed in but she wasn’t in it, the sheets were tidied but and the room held no sign of her. He left in quick strides headed for the library, she hadn’t been there either. where was she? He was already panicking when he reached the 10th floor, then he heard her voice and he stopped in his hurried tracks, he could breathe again, his chest constricted painfully in his chest at the sound of her voice. He leaned on the wall weak with relief. If she ever disappeared from his life the moon May as well disappear from the sky.