Chapter Text
He gazed around at the luxurious walls of Croix Castle. Not a single space remained empty, adorned with majestic sculptures, oil paintings and fancy golden lamps. Large, shiny windows decorated every side with borders of a pattern matching that of the grand jeweled chandelier hovering above him. With every step, his filthy boots, came in contact more with the expensive carpet made out of fine sheep wool as the servants bowed down at his presence.
He often wondered what Croix Castle would be like on the inside, denying any thought that assumed it would be just as lavish as it was on the outside. Yet, as he walked through the exquisite corridors he scoffed at the picture of his pathetic fief in his head. Compared to the duke's castle, anyone could regard his as an obscene barn.
Including her.
He returned to the castle of the Duke he once worked for as a peasant in the smithy, but this time as the Vice Commander of the renowned Remdragons Knights, who'd been invited, along with some other knights, for the celebrations of their recent, successful expedition.
He escaped the first banquet even before it could start, not wanting to rack his mind over having to please the nobles who'd be lined up against him, gawking his face like they'd seen an ogre dressed in a posh suit. That was one reason. The reason which turned into an excuse to give his commander. He for a fact knew very well that couldn't have been the reason to his absence. He'd ignored the nobles as much as they'd ignored him in any other palace. The food at Croix Castle was rumoured to be great, even the other knights who despised the Duke admitted so.
Then why?
Because woman seated beside the Duke wasn't the woman he had spent hours trying to look presentable for.
♤♤♤
He showed up to the next banquet. He only heard a few knights say that the Duke's eldest daughter may make an appearance today. Whether or not it was true, he didn't want to miss out on the slightest chance of seeing, even from afar, the sight of the girl who'd been the reason to his sanity all these years.
So he sat there on the long table amongst the other Remdragon knights, surprised at his appearance. Even their commander, Triton sent him an assuring look whereas the white haired mage just glanced at him suspiciously.
A sudden sense in him alerted as he looked aside to see the Duke entering with a bold grin and his youngest daughter next to him dressed in an elegant gown. He almost frowned till he saw a smaller figure, following her father with her head hung low.
His heart stopped the moment he caught a glimpse of her delicate face. She looked up, eyeing her surroundings with a nervous expression, only for a second before she looked away. Yet that second was enough for him as he admired her small face, her big round eyes that were the peaceful shade of grey he'd imagined his whole life. Swallowing in a hard gulped he stared shamelessly at her red hair tied up in a bun, only imagining whether they'd be as beautiful and wild as they were in his dreams, where they were let out free and open. His eyes, glued to her figure watched as she sat down on a seat next to her father.
He let out a breath as he noticed her tense expression, as she sat still, silently. He wasn't sure why but this isn't what he expected. The entire journey to the Castle, from the second he'd known he was coming back to this wretched place, all he could dream of was seeing her adorable smile, her contagious laugh, those big eyes filled with life and joy, yet when she sat there his heart couldn't help but wonder why it looked like that life had been ripped out of her.
He barely even listened as his Commander told him they needed to get up and greet the hosts of the event. He followed his limbs that followed his Commander until he realized he could see her clearer. She was getting closer, he was walking towards her.
"What a lovely surprise. The talk of the town has made their appearance."
"Pleasure to meet you. Triton, Commander of the Remdragon knights." He said as he bowed, as Riftan mimicked.
"Riftan Calypse, it's a pleasure."
He said, ignoring the foul looks he received from the Duke as he tried to get a glimpse of the red haired girl who hid behind him while his commander was busy with the introductions with the other woman next to him. As if the old man caught on to this actions he moved aside.
"Pardon me for the late Introduction, this is Maximillian, my eldest daughter."
At the sight of her wide eyes, meeting his, he could only manage to suck in a breath as he acknowledged her beauty up close. Her eyes, that he'd seen as an unsaturated Grey his entire life, infact had a hint of blue in them. The eyelashes that traced them, were just a few shades darker than her enchanting hair. Her cheeks were sprinked in soft reddish dust, mesmerizing her pale skin even more. And staring at her rosy lips, he could only wonder how incredibly soft they'd feel against his.
His reverie was broken when he saw her eyes widen, looking at him in fear as if she'd seen a ghoul. Following a series of panick-striken blinks, she quickly shifted her gaze else where before mumbling.
"I-Im M-Maximilian Croix, p-pleasure to m-meet you..."
Just like that, his interaction with the woman of his dreams shattered the thin expectations he held close to his heart for 10 years.
Did you really think she'd remember you? A filthy peasant blacksmith who saved her a decade ago?
The next few days were spent by him repeatedly recalling the frightened expression on her face when she saw him. He had never imagined the girl, who'd chased at a monster with a mere stick in her hands at the ripe age of 6, to show fear at a single glance at him.
On the other hand, it was her beauty that hypnotized him. She looked lovelier than any of his hallucinations in a way he wondered if it was truly possible for a woman to look so ethereal. 'Maximillian...', he said her name in his mind. Even her name was so beautiful, just like her. And when she spoke her own name in her honeyed voice he could only wonder how sweet his name would sound on her tongue. He couldn't help but be pulled to her like a magnet in every shape and form, even though he knew, he knew it would be impossible for a noblewoman like her to look at him any different than how her father did. In the end, he was still a low-born pagan-blood fool, with his southern origins plastered all over his skin. She would never consider him to even be on the same level as her feet.
His father had always told him to never look up. Looking up would only make him wretched. And he'd always inscribed those words deep into his mind, devoted to them aimlessly. Yet when it came to Maximillian, he couldn't help but hope that one day he'd be even close to worthy for her.
Perhaps that's why he was hiding behind a tree, watching her as she sat in the same garden as she had a decade ago, with a small, grey cat on her lap.
He felt his heart stop in his chest at the sight of her smile. Her big silver eyes turned into adorable crescents as she giggled, watching cat get tickled by her own fingers. Her cheeks were flushed in red and he could clearly see her freckles, a lighter colour, sprinkle around her cheeks. Her fluffy red hair freely fell over her shoulders, making her look even more majestic and wild. He could only dream of how soft her curls would feel on his fingers.
He wondered how it was possible for someone to look so effortlessly beautiful. He expertly hid himself behind, watching as this goddess simply existed. He tried his best to register the image of her like this in his mind for as long as he could. If only he could plaster such a heavenly sight of her in his mind, he was sure he could easily manage killing every monster on the continent.
After all, she was all he ever desired. All these years she was the cause of his ability to remain sane. She lived in her cruel father's lavish castle, unaware of how she had been the happiest memory for this filthy knight. Unaware of how every action he'd taken in his life revolved around being worthy enough for her.
Without even knowing it, she had stolen every inch of his heart and he had no intentions of wanting it back.
All he could do was thank himself he made it back to his chamber without pouncing on her. He was convinced if he stayed a second longer, he wouldn't have been able to fight the urge to run up to her and scare her away by telling her how much this unknown southern knight was obsessed with her.
He assumed he'd be safer in the dining hall with all the other knights around, but oh he was so wrong. Once again, he'd been hypnotized by simply her existing in the same room as him. He stared at her for as long as he could recall, admiring her enchanting beauty, wondering how those red curls would look free and open as if he hadn't seen it just a couple of hours back.
Oddly enough, the weary and dull expression returned to her face as he could only stare and wonder what the reason behind it may have been. He wished to track it down and put an end to anything that made her unhappy. If it was upto him, he'd do anything just to see her smile the same way she had a few hours back.
Lost in his thoughts, he sighed in dissapointment as he watched her being escorted by four maids as she left the hall. The banquet hadn't even started and the reason to him spending two hours on looking presentable had already left. He nearly diverted his attention back to his glass of wine until...
he noticed the Lord of the Emerald Knights take the same exit as her.