The Scoundrel's Tribute

Wrong bet

Rene

Dina slept resting her head on my lap while we headed back to the Dukedom after the birthday party. Lady Lucy couldn't stop asking for forgiveness but I didn't care. I told her everything I had to and I was happy that Dina enjoyed the day despite the incident. I caressed her hair gently and she smiled in her dreams. She really looked like a little angel. Suddenly, I felt someone's eyes on me and I looked at Victor, who had been looking at me for a while now.

- Spit it out Lord Victor. - I said in a low voice and he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

- Who are you? - he asked and I rolled my eyes.

- Duchess Rene Rankin, nice to meet you, I guess. - he scoffed.

- You have changed a lot and this is suspicious. Did something happen? - he asked and I shrugged.

- You won't believe me if I told you, so I won't.

- I'll try my best. - he said and I smiled at him, which caught him out of guard.

- Let's say that, I've grown up and realized what and who is important. - he shook his head in disbelief and I chuckled softly.

- See, I told you, you won't believe me.

- Because you are clearly lying.

- Do as you please Lord Victor. - the carriage stopped and Victor got out to check what was going on. We were in the middle of the forest and the sun already setting. I didn't hear anything from the outside so I peaked out and saw that all of our knights were knocked unconscious, Victor as well. Eight men in black capes gathered the unconscious knights and Victor together. They tied them to a huge tree and stuffed their mouths. Luckily, none of them noticed me peaking through the curtains. Dina woke up and looked at me with fear.

- Duchess... What's - I covered her mouth and showed her to remain silent. I opened the hidden container under the carriage seats and told Dina to get in.

- But...

- Dina, stay here and don't make a sound. Everything is going to be fine. I told you, I'll chase the clouds away. - I closed the top of the container and cast an invisibility spell on both Dina and myself. When the assassins ripped the carriage door open they couldn't see anyone.

- Are you sure this is the right carriage?! It's empty! - one of the two who were standing on each side of the carriage asked.

- Yes! Where could that b***h go?! - the other asked. They got in and I almost touched one of them. His dagger was hanging on his side and it was the perfect opportunity. I grabbed the dagger and stabbed it into his side. He hissed in pain and fall out of the carriage.

- HEY! What's wrong with you? - The other asked and as he reached for his companion I've grabbed his dagger as well. Before he could realize what happened, his throat was sliced in silence. He fall out of the carriage and I heard the remaining people approach. I opened the container.

- Dina, run into the forest and hide.

- Duchess... They'll catch me!

-They won't see you. Just hide behind those bushes and stay silent as you did so far. Everything is going to okay! I promise. - she nodded with teary eyes and silently ran to the forest.

- What happened to them? - the assassins asked finding their dead friends and I smiled cracking my fingers.

- What was this sound?! - their leader asked and soon, green fog surrounded them.

- Dear Goddess, it's been a while I used this spell! I didn't know that it will work this efficiently! - I said and the leader pulled his sword out.

- Duchess Rankin. We have no business with you, we just want the child. You are free to go. - I smiled and asked.

- We? - he looked around and saw that his men disappeared. They kept calling each other lost in the mist I created.

- Hand over the child! This is for your benefit! - he said and I grinned. I saw my eyes sparkle in the reflection of his and remembered of my second life. When I lived for revenge and I've got unleashed. In that life I was mad at Dmitry for not loving me and for killing me in the first one, but I was still in love as well. These two feelings plus the shock of being alive again, were enough to drive me crazy.

- I know what's best for me. - I said and disappeared into the mist. He tried to stab me but ended up stabbing his men, each assassin stabbed their own because they thought it was the enemy. Only one remained, the leader. I've lifted the mist up and hit him with the handle of a sword from behind. Once he lost consciousness, I tied his hands together and walked to Dina. Luckily she was facing towards the forest the whole time and didn't see anything. When I touched her shoulder she shivered in fear and gasped.

- Little Lady, it's me. - I said and Dina threw herself into my arms. She cried and hugged me.

- I was so scared! - she said and I pat her head.

- Everything is fine, Little Lady as I promised.

- LITTLE LADY! - I heard Victor shouting and I held Dina's hand walking back to the carriage. The knights gathered the corpses and cleaned the clearing up. They also captured the assassin's leader whose eyes widened at seeing me. I winked at him and he tried to scream but his mouth got muffled. Victor ran to Dina and hugged her.

- Oh thank God you are safe and sound Little Lady! What happened? - he asked and Dina looked at me before answering.

- The Duchess saved me.

- The...the Duchess? - Victor asked and Dina nodded. He looked at me with disbelief.

- How? - he asked and Dina answered.

- She hid me first in the secret container and then told me to hide here, until she chases the clouds away. - Victor looked at me and picked Dina up, who released my hand hesitantly.

- We will need to talk, Duchess. - he said and I nodded knowing that I won't escape from this so easily. But Dina was safe and this time at least, I knew who sent these men. I spot a crow on a nearby tree, I whistled to it and once it landed on my arm, I cast a spell on it, sending the crow to my uncle. I wished I could see his face when a talking crow is going to appear in front of him. The message I sent was short and precise. "Wrong bet Uncle." Back in the carriage Victor didn't say a word and Dina kept clinging onto my arm. When we arrived home, Dmitry ripped the carriage door open and Dina flew into his arms.

- DADDY! - It was already very late and I knew Victor sent a knight ahead to inform the Duke.

- Dina! Are you okay?! - he asked checking his daughter for the slightest injuries. He sighed relieved when he couldn't find anything. I got out and said.

- Not a single scratch, as promised. - knights surrounded me and I lifted my hands.

- Daddy! What are you doing?! - Dinara asked and Dmitry kept holding her in his arms while he said.

- I need to talk with the Duchess.

- But why do yo need the knights for that? - she asked innocently and Dmitry said.

- This is a matter between the adults. - Dina ripped herself out of his arms and ran to me trying to hug my side. I stopped her because my dress was drenched in blood.

- Little Lady, excuse me but you'll get dirty. A Princess shouldn't get her hands dirty, neither her clothes or her pretty face. Leave that to me and to your father, okay? - I felt Dmitry's eyes on me burning with anger and curiosity. Dina nodded and stood in front of me.

- Dad, don't yell at the Duchess, she saved me. She is a good person! - Dmitry and Victor's jaws dropped along with the present Knight's.

- I won't yell with her, love. Go with the nanny and wash up before dinner. - Dmitry said and she nodded. Before leaving she said.

- Thank you... Rene. - I smiled at her and bowed.

- That's my duty Little Lady.

- Dina, you can keep calling me Dina.