The carriage came to a halt as the heavy wheels crunched over the smooth stone of the mansion’s circular driveway. Drizzle was beginning to fall again. Sadie jumped out first with her usual boundless energy, followed by Kurt, who stretched his sore limbs.

However, the small, cloaked figure of Hope remained huddled in the corner of the seat as her hands gripped the seat until her knuckles were white.

"Hope? We’re here. What’s wrong?" Kurt asked, leaning on the carriage.

"It’s probably just nerves, bossman," Sadie whispered.

"Really? Uhm... What are you so nervous about, Hope? You saw the garden. You saw the fountain. It’s a nice place, don’t you think?"

Hope looked up, her eyes wide and swimming with a fresh layer of anxiety.

"What if... what if the Lady doesn’t like me?" she whispered. "What if she says I have to go to that place far away after all?"

Kurt opened his mouth to reassure her, but he didn’t need to. The massive oak doors of the mansion swung open with a bang.

"Rosie! You’re back!"

Diana practically flew down the steps and path. She had changed into a slightly more comfortable. Ignoring the light drizzle, she threw herself at him, her arms wrapping around his waist as she snuggled into his chest.

"I missed you~ The house was far too boring. Now come, let’s continue where we last left."

Kurt let out a nervous, strained laugh, his eyes darting toward the open carriage door. He gently tools Diana’s hands off his waist and gestured with his head.

"Diana... we have a guest."

"A guest?" She pulled back, furrowing her brow in a look of adorable confusion. She turned her head and peered into the shadows of the carriage.

Inside, Hope looked like she wanted to phase through the floorboards. When her eyes met Diana’s piercing red gaze, she immediately ducked her head, her face turning crimson with embarrassment.

Diana blinked, the recognition dawning on her. "Oh! I remember you. Hope, wasn’t it? What is she doing hiding in there?"

Kurt sighed, pulling Diana a little closer so he could speak softly.

"Ana, there was a complication. Her grandfather... he was the priest, Peter. He’s gone. She’s an orphan now, the orphanage I was thinking of taking her to has reached its full capacity. They were going to ship her off to a special institution." He paused, looking at the small girl. "She’s been through so much. And we’ve become somewhat close, so... I decided to bring her here. I told her she could work as a junior maid."

Diana leaned back, looking at Kurt with an unreadable expression.

"She’s nervous, Ana," Kurt whispered so that Hope couldn’t hear him. "She’s terrified you won’t accept her. She thinks you’ll throw her out."

Diana’s expression softened instantly. Without a word, she stepped up into the carriage, and knelt on the carpeted floor, bringing herself down to Hope’s level.

"Hope. Come out from the corner. Let me see you." She called out gently.

Hope hesitated, then slowly shuffled forward until she was standing directly in front of the most powerful woman in the continent. Her breath hitched, expecting a stern lecture or a cold dismissal.

Instead, Diana reached out and pulled the girl into a warm, gentle embrace. She smelled like expensive perfume and home.

Hope froze, her small heart hammering against her ribs.

"There is no need to be scared of me, little one," Diana whispered into her hair.

"I saw how brave you were on that island. You looked out for the other children when we were taking them back to the ship. I would happily accept someone with your spirit into my home."

She pulled back just enough to wipe a stray tear from Hope’s cheek. "Besides, if Rosie is okay with it, then I am too."

And just like that the dam finally broke. All the built-up anxiety poured out of Hope in a series of shuddering sobs. She gripped Diana’s robes and cried on her shoulder.

Diana didn’t pull away. She just held her, stroking her back. "No more tears now. This is a happy moment, not a sad one, ok?"

After a minute, Hope sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. She looked at Diana and offered a tiny, watery, but incredibly bright smile. "T-Thank you... u-uhm.... bosslady."

"Bosslady?" Diana glanced at Sadie who was whistling beside Yuna and Isabel, who they themselves had just arrived.

"Hope. Please ignore the blubbering’s of that maid and call me Ms. Valentine." She chuckled, stepping out of the carriage and helping Hope down to the stone path.

Diana looked over at the three maids who had been watching the scene with varying degrees of emotion. "Sadie, Isabel, Yuna! Come here."

The three maids hurried over, bowing low.

"Hope is under your care now. You are to look after her, teach her the ropes of the mansion, and see to her every need. She is a junior maid but treat her as family."

"""Understood, Ms. Valentine!"""

Hope looked at the three women. Her eyes landed on Yuna, who was standing perfectly straight with a professional expression.

"You’re so pretty..." she said innocently.

Yuna’s serious mask shattered. Her face turned a vivid shade of pink, and she immediately looked away, clicking her tongue sharply.

*Tsk* "Flattery will not get you out of your chores, child," she muttered, though she didn’t look nearly as grumpy as she sounded.

Sadie and Isabel pounced on the girl, each taking one of her hands. "Don’t mind her, she’s actually a big softie!" Sadie laughed. "Come on, kiddo. Think of us as your big sisters. We’ll show you where the best snacks are hidden!"

The four of them disappeared into the warmth of the mansion, leaving Kurt and Diana alone in the drizzle.

Kurt pulled her inside the carriage and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Ana. Truly. I know I just dropped a child on your doorstep without asking but seeing her smile like that... it means a lot."

Diana wrapped her arms around Kurt’s neck, pulling him down for a quick, soft kiss. "I told you, Rosie. Anything for you. If she makes you happy, she stays. It’s that simple."

Kurt smiled, but then he remembered the encounter at the pier.

"By the way... I met someone interesting while I was at the docks." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Oh? Who?"

"A man named Everett. Apparently, he’s Emy’s brother."

The change in Diana was instantaneous. Her arms dropped from his neck, and her cheerful mood vanished, replaced by a weary, frustrated sigh. She rubbed her temples, looking suddenly exhausted.

"Everett... Did he cause you any trouble? Did he try to pick a fight?"

"No," Kurt said, though he flexed his hand as he remembered the crushing grip. "We just greeted each other with a handshake."

"Ugh, he’s insufferable." Diana groaned "Everette Herst is Emelie’s older brother, yes, and he has been incredibly persistent, bordering on delusional, about joining our two houses through marriage. He’s been chasing me since our days at the academy. I’ve rejected him more times than I can count, but he treats every ’no’ as a ’maybe later’."

Kurt tilted his head. "Really? I wonder where that confidence of his stems from?"

"It’s because of Emelie’s rising popularity and the political climate. Seeing just how talented Emelie is, my father has been... well, he’s been slowly pushing the idea into my head. He believes that with both of our families being joined, our heirs will practically rule over all Eldoria. Maybe the whole world. But I have stayed firm. I’m not a factory that produces little chess pieces for any political interest."

Kurt nodded as his understanding of the situation deepened. He saw the flicker of worry in her eyes. Not of Everett himself, but of the pressure from her own family.

Diana wrapped her arms around him again, pulling herself flush against his body as if trying to shield him and herself from the outside world.

"Forget about him, Rosie. I’ve already chosen my man, and I don’t care what anyone thinks."

Kuer smiled as he trailed his hand down her hair. "I think I’d better meet your parents soon, then. The sooner they see that I’m not going anywhere, the sooner they can stop bothering you about Everett."

Diana bit her lip, a look of genuine concern crossing her face. "My father... he can be difficult, Rosie. He’s obsessed with the family legacy. He won’t make it easy for you."

"Heh, let him be difficult. Whatever happens. Whatever he says or whoever he sends, I am never letting you go. I’ve fought through hell once this week; I can handle a few overprotective siblings and stubborn parents."

Diana’s breath hitched. A deep, dark blush spread across her cheeks, and her eyes went misty. She looked at him with a hunger that had nothing to do with "hunger".

"Rosie," she whispered in a tremble. "I... I need you. Right now."

"Wait, right n–"

SHWOOSH

Before he could finish the sentence, the world tilted. The smell of rain and roses was replaced by the scent of lavender and expensive silk.

In a blink of an eye, they weren’t in the driveway anymore.

Kurt found himself standing in the center of the master bedroom. There was a fire roaring in the hearth, casting long, flickering shadows against the curtains. Diana was still wrapped around him, her eyes glowing with a predatory, affectionate light.

"I’ve waited long enough, Rosie. It’s time you made good on your promise~"