ABERLEEN ARC: Sitri Paxley

"Diana."

Aamon's voice.

I slowly opened my eyes and gave a small start of surprise. I was sitting up on Orion, leaning against Aamon. The sun was setting, and the skies were shot with brilliant hues of orange, red and gold. Around us, the trees seemed to thin out slowly. Where were we?

"Was I…was I out long?" I asked, looking up at Aamon.

"The whole day," Gusion answered from where he rode beside Aamon.

The whole day…

I glanced at the bracelet on my wrist. "I dreamed about Mila," I murmured.

"Did you, now?" Aamon asked. His elegant voice rumbled deep in his chest. There was no hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"She was happy," I said, running a finger along the bracelet. "She was…She was telling me to smile."

We all fell silent, lost in our thoughts and in the sound of the cicadas around us. "Say," I began. "Are we nearing Castle Aberleen now?"

"We aren't headed directly to Aberleen," Aamon said quietly. His arms tightened on either side of me as he adjusted Orion's reins.

"I thought—"

"We will stop by Thorncrest Hall for the night, and take a carriage to Aberleen tomorrow," he interjected, cold eyes fixed on the dimming path ahead.

I tilted my head so I could look up at Aamon again. The hood of his cloak was drawn over his face, but I could make out the icy blue of his eyes. "Thorncrest Hall?" I asked, racking my brains for any mention of such a place in the game. I drew a blank.

"It's a countryside manor belonging to our mother's family," Gusion answered. "Well, I guess, it's pretty much Aamon's now, since her side doesn't really have any male heirs or children."

"Oh," I said. Huh…That was something not mentioned in the lore at all. Surprising. For a moment, I wondered, what else might be in this world that was left out of the game lore?

"Wait," Gusion said slowly, as realization hit him. "By any chance, Aamon…Did you leave Sitri at Thorncrest?"

"Naturally," Aamon said, turning to him. "Do you really think it would be wise, leaving her with the likes of Vassago?"

Gusion visibly shuddered. "Heck no," he said, scoffing. "That idiot's bound to teach her the wrong things in life."

Sitri Paxley…

The youngest of the seven Paxley siblings, she had been a newborn when her parents, the former Duke and Duchess, had vanished in a sandstorm. If I recall, Aamon practically had to raise his youngest sibling when he was eighteen. In fact, he probably had to raise all his other siblings at that age, along with taking over as the Duke of Castle Aberleen.

I glanced up at Aamon, and he looked down at me. He was quite close. "What's Sitri like?" I asked, tilting my head at him.

"I'm surprised you're curious," he said.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "I may be your fake fiancée, but I am still your fiancée," I told him. "What kind of fiancée doesn't want to know her future in-laws?"

Aamon stared at me for a moment. "Gusion," Aamon said, turning to his brother.

"This, again." Gusion rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You practically raised some of us, Aamon, the fact that you can't even describe your own siblings wounds me." He said this with so much drama, Aamon almost looked as if he wanted to roll his eyes.

"Sitri is the youngest," Aamon said. "Despite this, she is quite…precocious for her age."

"Don't let that fool you, she can be a mischievous little sprite," Gusion offered.

"Thank you, Gusion," I said, smiling at him. "Go on…"

"She adores Aamon," Gusion went on. "Of course, he practically raised her. Vassago's an idiot who spends most of his time with one woman or another, Berith is just…Berith. I—"

"—was busy causing trouble," Aamon interjected. I chuckled and tried to muffle the sound with the back of my mind.

Gusion rolled his eyes. "I was busy," he said, clearing his throat. "Amy…well, Amy is Amy. And Eren was too young. So Aamon was almost a father figure for her."

"Is Sitri the only one of your siblings at Thorncrest Hall?" I asked.

"Yes," Aamon said. "The others prefer Castle Aberleen."

"And which do you prefer?" I asked, tilting my head up at him.

"I suppose wherever my darling fiancée is."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I was being serious, not sarcastic."

"My preference doesn't matter."

"Fine, be secretive," I huffed, turning away from him. It wasn't that hard of a question, was it? I paused. Or maybe it had been a bit too personal?

At that moment, the trees seemed to thin out and in the light of the setting sun, we could make out a gravel road that led up to a tall brick wall that gave way to imposing wrought iron gates. Beyond, the gravel road continued, lit by magically powered artificial lights.

"Halt in the name of the duke!"

Aamon's horse stopped as several guards seemed to appear out of the shadows. They wore black armor. Some of them carried longswords, while others at the back had drawn bows and arrows.

"I am the duke." So saying, Aamon threw off the hood of his cloak, and levied each of the guards with an imposing stare.

All at once, the guards set their weapons aside and dropped to their knees, their right fists held over their hearts. "Your Grace, we beg pardon," one guard at the head of the company said. "We were not made aware of your arrival. We pray you forgive your humble servants."

"At ease."

As one, the men immediately stood straight. "Open the gates for His Grace at once!" the captain of the guards barked. "Send word to the manor, the master of Thorncrest has returned."

"That won't be necessary," Aamon said as the gates swung open.

Gusion rode up beside Aamon and me, and I realized that he was fully visible. "Aren't you going to, I dunno, Camouflage me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at his brother.

"Again, not necessary." Aamon gently spurred Orion on, and the horse dutifully trotted through the gates.

As we rode through, I got my first view of Thorncrest. It reminded me of a grand English countryside estate, with its old stone walls and high windows. Twin canals bordered the gravel path before us as they led up to the manor. An elegant stone fountain surrounded by rose bushes dominated the front of the manor, its waters sparkling in the light of the setting sun. The pathway had been lit with magically powered artificial lights.

Trees of spruce and evergreen were scattered here and there with artistic abandon. Beyond the fountain, a set of sweeping steps led to the entrance of the manor, also lit by magically powered lights.

It was timeless and elegant, the kind of place you would expect the likes of the English Queen to reside in during holiday.

"It's beautiful," I said, staring at it. "You own that?" I inclined my head to look up at Aamon.

"And Castle Aberleen," Gusion said. "You know, Aamon may or may not also own parts of Lumina City now that you mention it."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you," I told him.

"Like Gusion said, the manor belonged to our late mother's family, passed down to me," Aamon said as we slowly approached the manor. "The Elders of House Paxley hold no sway here, nor will they find any loyalty from the people of Thorncrest."

Oh. I guess that was the reason he felt it was safe not to Camouflage Gusion.

We stopped in front of the fountain, and Aamon quickly dismounted. At once, a groom came forward to take Orion's reins. Aamon turned to help me off, but at that moment, the manor's great oaken doors swung outward, and a little girl ran out to greet us. She appeared to be about ten, with raven black hair, and rosy cheeks. Her tiered skirt swayed as she ran enthusiastically towards us. As she drew closer, I saw her eyes. They were not the icy blue that Gusion and Aamon possessed. Hers was the blue of the deep ocean. Her smile was wide, and, with a pang, I was reminded of the way Mila smiled.

"Big brother Aamon!" the little girl cried as she launched herself at Aamon.

Aamon scooped her into his arms, lifting her off the ground to give her a hug. I stared at him. His smile wasn't cold, cunning, or even sarcastic. He smiled at her with genuine warmth and affection. I couldn't help but stare at this side of him as I dismounted from Orion, giving him an affectionate pat as I did so.

"Sitri, I've told you that you mustn't run that way," the duke admonished gently as he set her down.

"You can tell who his favorite sibling is," Gusion said as he slid off his horse.

"Big brother Gusion!" Sitri laughed brightly as she ran up to Gusion, throwing her small arms around his waist. "You've come back!" She flashed a toothy grin up at him.

"Hey there, bud," Gusion said, giving her a gentle pat on the head.

"Stop causing trouble, okay?" the little girl said, puffing out her cheeks. "That way, you won't have to go away again."

"Yeah…" Gusion blushed in embarrassment.

I stared. The scene was such a sharp contrast from how Gusion and Aamon acted around each other, that I couldn't help but chuckle. At once, Sitri turned her ocean blue eyes towards me.

"Big brother, who is this?" she asked, tilting her head at me.

To my surprise, Aamon placed a hand firmly on my waist and drew me towards him. "Sitri, this is Lady Diana," he said, smiling at his sister. "She is my fiancée, and the future Duchess of House Paxley."

I stared at him, a bit surprised. I was used to the sarcastic way he said 'fiancée', but he'd never called me 'duchess' before.

Sitri's eyes widened in surprise, and her smile was delighted. "Hello, Lady Diana!" she said as she gave me a little curtsy. "I'm so happy my brother will finally have a wife! That means I get a new sister!" She paused and looked up at me from beneath her long lashes. "Is it…is it okay if I give you a hug?"

Oh.

My.

God.

Did Aamon really raise this little girl? She had none of his mannerisms, not an ounce of his sarcasm, apathy or even his cool demeanor. To put it bluntly, she was an adorable ray of sunshine. No wonder Gusion said she was the sweetest Paxley sibling. I could slowly feel myself being wound around her little finger.

I broke away from Aamon and spread my arms wide. "Of course, you can, Sitri!"

I staggered a little as her weight hit me, small arms going around my waist. I gave her a brief hug and smiled down at her. If I had not gotten into a good surgical residency program, I most likely would have been in peds.

"Your Grace!"

Gusion, Aamon and I turned to the entrance of the manor where a middle-aged man and woman were walking brusquely down the steps towards us. The man was dressed in the black and white garb of a butler, with a monocle in his right eye, and a handlebar moustache. Beside him, the woman wore a starched black dress with a crisp white apron. Her salt-and-pepper hair was wound in a tight bun atop her head.

"Ah, Oswald," Aamon said, turning to the butler. "Tabitha."

"Your Grace, a million apologies!" Oswald exclaimed as both servants immediately bowed low. "We were not informed of your arrival; your letter never came."

"That's because I did not send a letter," Aamon said simply. "I had intended to make haste for Castle Aberleen, however…" Aamon gestured to me and Sitri. "The journey has tired my fiancée greatly. I wanted her to be able to rest well for the night."

Both servants' eyes widened in surprise as they turned towards us, seeing me for the first time. "Fi-fiancée?" Oswald stammered, his monocle nearly popping out of his eye.

"Your Grace has a fiancée?!" both servants exclaimed. "Your Grace has found a duchess?"

"Thorncrest is to have a mistress at last?" Tabitha said, sighing with pleasure.

I smiled and waved awkwardly at them. Though, I think, I should have…curtsied? Oh no, how do you even act in this situation?

Both butler and maid bowed deeply at me, and I blushed scarlet. "My lady, allow us to introduce ourselves," the butler said, placing a hand on his breast. "I am Oswald Boris, the head butler of Thorncrest, and this is Tabitha Cron, the head maid. We are pleased to make your acquaintance and hope you will take good care of the master and the manor."

I glanced towards Aamon, feeling like the proverbial deer caught in headlights. I may or may not have imagined Aamon's small chuckle as he turned to the head butler. "That is enough, Oswald. Have the servants prepare our rooms. It has been a long journey."

"At once, Your Grace!" Both the head butler and maid immediately walked off towards the manor.

"Big brother, do you have any new stories to share?" Sitri asked Aamon.

"I have a great deal, Sitri," Aamon said, but before he could elaborate, Gusion cut in between us and scooped Sitri into his arms. The little girl let out a loud giggle as Gusion strode beside us.

"Come with me, bud," he said, grinning at Sitri. "I have a lot of stories to tell you, too." He leaned back towards me and Aamon, and, in a whisper, said, "You're engaged, act like it." And with that, he ambled off. Sitri let out a loud laugh as Gusion charged up the stairs.

I felt Aamon's fingers intertwining with my own as we walked up the steps after Gusion and Sitri. I resisted the urge to let go of his hand as we entered the threshold of Thorncrest. But before I could take a step, he tugged me backwards. I let out a loud gasp of surprise as I felt myself fall back. In one swift motion, he caught me and lifted me into his arms, just like how he did the first day we'd met.

"Aamon, what are you doing?" I hissed as he entered the threshold.

"Is it not tradition to carry you over the threshold?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That…that…" My cheeks were burning. "That's after the wedding!" I suppose he couldn't be perfect in every aspect, otherwise the entirety of the Land of Dawn would implode.

"…I see." He gently set me down on my feet.

I froze. We found ourselves in an opulent foyer. The walls on either side of us were lined with mahogany, polished to a high shine. Likewise, the white marble floor had been polished so meticulously, I could see my reflection in it. A tiered chandelier glimmered with crystals, their lights throwing tiny rainbows around the ceiling. But that was not the reason I had frozen.

In the small time it had taken Oswald and Tabitha to run ahead of us into the manor, they had managed to wrangle all the household servants. The maids, in their immaculate uniforms, lined one side of the walls, while the butlers and footmen lined the other.

I blushed and glanced briefly at my travel-worn breeches and cloak. I felt oddly underdressed.

"Welcome back, Your Grace. Welcome, Lady Diana," they chorused.

I glanced sideways at Aamon who strode forward, unperturbed.

Somehow, this whole fiancée thing was going to be a bit harder than I had initially thought.

"I can honestly bathe myself."

I raised my hands and smiled awkwardly at the two maids Tabitha had assigned to help me get dressed for dinner. The two maids glanced at each other. One of them held a steaming pitcher of hot water, and the other held several towels. Somehow, being assisted by these two was awkward compared to being assisted by Sara.

"My Lady, we don't follow?" one of the maids asked.

"You don't need to attend to me," I said. "I can bathe on my own."

One of them shook her head. "Unthinkable, My Lady," she said. "We are here to assist you."

"Well, how about we compromise?" I asked. "Leave everything here, let me bathe myself, and you can help me dress?"

"Very well, My Lady," one of the maids said as she emptied her pitcher of warm water into the bathtub.

I sighed as they left, closing the door behind them with a soft thud. Yeah, this whole fiancée thing was definitely going to be much harder than I had thought.

"Wow! Was Miya very pretty?" Sitri asked, her eyes wide as she listened to Aamon.

"Yes," Aamon said. "But of course, Diana is more beautiful."

I glanced at Aamon and felt my cheeks warming. The temptation to roll my eyes at his statement was too much. The maids had dutifully picked out a simple lace sheath dress for me to wear that evening, leaving my shoulders and my arms bare. I'm not sure if they did it on purpose, but the color of the dress seemed to match perfectly with the blue and silver suit Aamon wore. They had let my hair hang lose over one side. All this just for…dinner.

Gusion, Sitri, Aamon and I were seated in the opulent dining hall. Aamon and Gusion were regaling Sitri with stories of our time at the Lunar Temple. Of course, they left out Balmond and Dyrroth. Sitri listened with rapt attention, her eyes growing wide at the mention of Estes and Miya.

Sitri giggled at Aamon's remark, and turned to me. "Lady Diana, you look very beautiful tonight!" she said, beaming. "But I wish I could have seen Miya and Estes. They sound lovely."

"Perhaps one day, Sitri," Aamon told her. "Now, tell us about your day."

Sitri smiled happily as she launched into her activities for the day. She had built a kite and flown it the whole morning. She had spent time in the kitchens, learning how to bake cookies from the chefs. She rode her pony in the afternoon with her riding instructor. She hadn't had her lessons for that day, and so had spent most of her time outside.

"I hope you didn't strain yourself too much, bud," Gusion said from where he sat opposite me.

"No, I had so much fun!" Sitri exclaimed. She turned to me. "Lady Diana, would you like to try the cookies I baked?" Her blue eyes were wide with anticipation.

"Of course, Sitri," I said, smiling at her. "And please, just call me Diana."

At once, a waiter appeared at my elbow, bearing a covered tray in his hand. With a flourish, he uncovered the tray to reveal several heart-shaped cookies dotted with chocolate chips. Thanking him, I picked one out and took a bite.

"It's delicious," I told Sitri. I could feel a burst of chocolate in my mouth.

Sitri beamed at me and urged her brothers to try them. They dutifully did so, showering Sitri with praise. "I want to bake for everyone," Sitri said, smiling. With another pang, I was vividly reminded of Mila.

"Maybe you can teach me," I suggested. "I don't know how to bake."

"Really?" Sitri asked, her eyes widening. "I'd love to!"

I felt Aamon's eyes on me, and I turned to him just as Gusion began regaling Sitri of our time on the road. "What?" I asked.

"It is quite comforting to see my fiancée rather fond of children," he said with a small smirk.

I blushed. This guy. Honestly. But then again…Engaged peopled do flirt with each other, I suppose. In that case.

"How many would you like, darling?" I asked, throwing a teasing smile his way. I hadn't been much of a big flirt back home, but I managed.

"As many as possible," he said, without missing a beat.

I flushed. Fine, he won this round.

"I can't wait to be an aunt!" Sitri said as she turned towards Aamon and me.

"Would you like to be an aunt now, Sitri?" Aamon asked. I choked and turned towards him. I swear, he was enjoying watching me squirm. Gusion glanced between us, an elegant eyebrow raised.

"Really?" Sitri asked.

"Maybe in the future," I said with an awkward chuckle. I glared at Aamon. He smirked at me before returning to his dinner. I leaned towards him, and whispered, "I thought Vassago was supposed to be the flirt in the family."

"He is," the duke said, eyes meeting mine. "That doesn't mean I can't enjoy flirting with my fiancée."

I rolled my eyes at him and proceeded to ignore him for the rest of the dinner.

I set the brush down and stared at myself in the vanity mirror. The maids had helped dress me into a simple white shift for sleep. Try as I might to persuade them that I could dress myself, they hadn't budged. I had won the battle with the hairbrush, though, and both maids had dutifully left me to it. I suppose this was how things worked for nobles. Still…

I strode towards the window. I opened it and leaned out, feeling the cool night breeze on my skin. I stared at the grounds spread out before me, silently amazed that this place existed when the lore made no mention of it at all. Honestly, I was a bit excited. What other places existed in the Land of Dawn that I didn't know of, I wonder?

I closed the window and frowned when I felt a cool draft. I turned. At the other end of the room, there was a door that led neither to the bathroom nor the closet. Huh. I'd never noticed that before. Maybe it led to a balcony of sorts?

I strode towards it and swung it open.

My eyes widened in shock.

It led to another bedroom, much more opulent than the one I was in. But that wasn't what had frozen me in my tracks.

Aamon stood in the middle of the room, dressed in nothing but a pair of white pants for sleep. My eyes fell on his bare chest and arms, perfectly chiseled, and honed through years of training. He turned to me, surprised.

I blushed.

"I—I…Ididn'tknowthiswasyourroomI'msorry!" I slammed the door shut, and pressed my back to it, heart hammering in my chest. Oh god, I had just seen Aamon Paxley half-naked. In all honesty, those fanarts of him didn't do him enough justice. What the heck was I thinking? Mind out of the gutter, Diana!

Behind me, there was a knock on the door, and I nearly yelped. "Diana?" Aamon's voice called. "May I come in?"

Oh no, please go away.

The handle turned, and I jumped away from the door as Aamon swung it open. He had mercifully thrown a robe on, but it hung loose on him. I could see the contours of his chest and—

I forced myself to meet his eyes. "I'm—I'm so sorry, I didn't know that was your room," I stammered. He was so close, I could make out the faint scent of lemon and peppermint.

He ran a hand through his hair. "Ah, I see no one told you. But then, it should be obvious, I suppose," he said.

"What is?" I asked, backing away from him.

"Why do two people engaged have adjoining rooms?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

I stared at him. "Oh," I said, as realization hit. My cheeks burned hot. "Rest assured, I'm going to lock that door. And I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on you like that."

"I'd prefer it if you didn't lock the door," he said, staring at me.

"Wh-what?" I stammered. "Need I remind you that our engagement is fake? I mean, you sometimes get too physical, and I do let that slide because it means absolutely nothing and you're just acting, but I am not sleeping with you!" I realize I said all this way too fast. My cheeks felt as hot as a lightbulb.

"What do you mean?" he asked, arching an eyebrow. "I prefer that door unlocked in the event someone attempts to attack you, it would be easier for me to help you."

…Oh.

I had a medical degree, so why did I feel so stupid all of a sudden? "Right," I said, trying to salvage whatever shred of dignity I had left.

"However, I am not opposed to the idea, if that is your preference," he said with a small smirk.

This bastard was teasing me. I snatched the pillow from my bed and threw it at his head. Hard. "Get out!" I snapped, blushing.

He easily caught the pillow. "Goodnight, Diana," he said with a small sarcastic laugh as he closed the door behind him.

I hate him.

The sun shone brightly the following morning. The servants had gathered in the courtyard to see us off. Aamon, Sitri, and I would be taking a carriage to Castle Aberleen while Gusion would follow on horseback, Camouflaged. The trip, Aamon had said, would take a few hours, and then we would finally be at Castle Aberleen.

The maids had dressed me in a simple blue pleated traveling dress and kid gloves. Aamon had discarded his suit from the night prior in favor of his usual jacket, leather shirt and white pants. He held out a hand to help me onto the carriage, and I blushed, remembering our conversation the night before.

"Smile," he whispered as I placed my hand in his.

"I just really, really want to smack you," I whispered back as I made a move to climb into the carriage. He smirked at me, amused.

"Your Grace!"

Aamon and I turned. One of the maids had run out of the manor at full speed. She was out of breath, her white cap askew.

"Speak," Aamon said as the maid stopped in front of us.

"The—the young miss Sitri," she gasped. "Her illness has returned."

Without another word, Aamon dashed towards the manor, and I quickly followed.

The door to Sitri's room flew open with a bang. Sitri was sitting up in bed, still dressed in her sleeping shift. She was gasping for breath and sweat dotted her forehead.

As soon as Aamon and I entered, she turned to us. "Big…big brother," she gasped. "S…Sorry."

"Sitri!" Gusion shouted as he came up behind us.

"Save your breath Sitri," Aamon said gently as we approached her. Aamon turned to the maid in the room. "Has a healer been called?"

"Your…Your Grace," she stammered. "The healer left just yesterday to attend to a family matter. He was confident that miss Sitri would be fine."

Aamon swore softly. I stared at Sitri. She was coughing now in between her gasps. And I could hear…Wheezes?

"Aamon, may I take a look at her?" I asked, turning to him.

He stared at me, then nodded. "Sitri, I'm going to put my ear on your back, okay?" I asked. Aamon and Gusion both helped me get Sitri into an easy position. Normally, I would use my stethoscope for this, but seeing as I was without one…this would have to do.

I gently leaned my ear against her back, right where her middle lung field would be for her age. I could hear a high-pitched whistling sound with every breath she exhaled. "How long has she had this?" I asked Aamon as I pulled away from Sitri.

"Since she was little," he answered.

"Mostly when she gets too tired or plays too much," Gusion added.

"I…shouldn't have…shouldn't have…" Sitri gasped, turning to Aamon with pleading eyes. "S-sorry…big brother."

"Don't talk, Sitri," Aamon said gently.

I stared at her and frowned. "I think she may have asthma," I murmured. "Normally, in my world, I would run some tests to check her breathing, but…" I shook my head. "But I'm sure she has asthma."

"Can you help her?" Aamon asked.

"I'll do my best," I said, turning to him.