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Chapter 8.1

Anastasia swooned in her nightgown, and servants rushed to support her as the Marquis came racing into Kieran’s bedroom. Fortunately, Kieran was breathing now, and the doctor, who had saved the boy’s life, was in a cold sweat.

“What happened?” The Marquis demanded to know.

“The medicine is not working!” explained the shaking doctor in a high-pitched voice.

“Then get another!”

“We can’t get any more from the Empire, and the young Master’s lungs have been taxed for too long.”

The doctor checked Kieran’s breathing, and while air passed through his nose, no one knew whether he would wake up. The Marchioness went to hug Kieran, who was lying down looking like a corpse. She cried bitterly, and the atmosphere in the room was of deep gloom. It was then the Marquis discovered Claude standing at the back of the room and he took a step forward from the shadows and said, “Geore has Dr. Shmtri beyond the neutral lands. I will take Kieran to be treated by him.”

“But, Shmtri...”

Claude interrupted the Marquis, “Yes, I know he treats the Sergio family. However, Shmtri has a debt to my father.”

Claude’s eyes rested on Kieran’s pale hand and the Marquis was troubled as he stared back and forth between the two boys. He could not expect new treatments in the Empire.

“I will do anything for my son!” The Marchioness was screaming, and the servants turned pale, fearful she may faint.

Claude did not like to make such offers, but Kieran was interesting and smarter than the rest. He walked out of the room, as the choice was now theirs. He saw Canillian praying with his eyes closed in the corridor and the boy avoided his gaze, and Claude thought this one was interesting enough at times. As he passed the boy, the young child bowed to him.

“How old are you?”

Lia lowered his head with reddened cheeks as Claude turned around and asked him a question, and he replied softly, “I am twelve.”

“Are you at the academy?”

“Sir Theodore...”

“Then I will see you during the senior years.”

According to the Empire’s law, a boy from an aristocratic family had to attend at least one year of classes at the academy to inherit the family name, and those who did not attend the academy were considered useless. Nobles were passionate about teaching their children these days. Knowing that this was the Imperial family’s way to prevent useful youths from going abroad, ladies were trying to bring the best teachers to their homes. The Marchioness had placed Lia at Theodore, the best there was. She was sincere but yet she’d also slapped Lia. Claude walked away, thinking that it was not like him to concern himself with such things.

***

A bird flitting over the water made ripples, and it was the season where bright-colored new buds appeared here and there. Betty was rolling her eyes at the gold hair that moved in the deep parts of the river.

“Young master!” She called Lia many times, but the child was going in the opposite direction like she had no intention of coming up for air. “Young master Canillian!” Betty rolled her skirts as she would bring the child out herself.

Lia’s head shot out of the water when the maid’s feet touched the river’s surface and she was giggling as she pushed back her wet blond hair and said, “Betty! Stay there. I will get out soon.”

“Young master! I told you that you have to get a haircut today! It’s too early to be swimming anyway!”

“I know, but it’s warm now. Last winter was too cold. How can I not enjoy a swim now?” Lia’s eyes closed as she looked up at the clear blue sky and felt the warm rays of sunshine on her face, spring had always been special to her. She had spent four springs here at the Marquis’s mansion, and the girl had turned into a beautiful boy. Her emerald-green eyes, honey-blond hair, and delicate features made the young servants blush.

Betty covered Lia with a towel once she’d gotten out of the water, thinking that she was still a small child at sixteen. While Betty was relieved that the girl’s curves didn’t show, she was still worried.

“Let’s go. Madame will be back in a few days and you cannot have this long hair when she arrives home,” Betty spoke as she dried Lia’s hair that touched her shoulders.

Kieran had gone to the north with Claude four years ago. The Duke wrote a letter to Geore to ask for the King’s help, and Geore requested Kieran to study there as Dr. Shmitri treated him. The Vales had erupted, as that meant Geore was taking Kieran hostage. While the Marquis refused Geore’s offer, Anastasia pleaded with him to let Kieran go for a month. She wrote to Sergio and said that if Kieran’s illness showed improvement after a month of treatment that he could study there.

Lia did not know what went on between aristocrats but knew that an ill Kieran had gone with Claude to the north. She had not seen both boys for four years now and she prayed for Kieran to be well, as his death meant that she may have to live a boy’s life forever.