The Queen Who Shares Love
S2 Chapter 5 The Duchess's Anger

'Is she Ariana's sister?' ask Leonard in heart.

Ariana's lips twitched something.

"Mothers... Mothers.... Mum..."

"Relax Ana, I'm safe. Don't worry, I'm with Dad. It's not your fault. No one's blaming you, Ana." Duchess Hillbright still smothers Ariana while pecking her sister's head.

Ariana's breathing began to settle. His shoulders are no longer shaken. He was unconscious. The Duchess did not want to stay here for long, carrying her sister to the camp. Leonard followed him with questions constantly spinning in his head.

***

Ariana lay in bed. The duchess sat beside him while continuing to hold her sister's hand full of worry.  Leonard took off his armor to the Duchess' tent. Leonard's feet stepped on their own nearing these two brothers.

"So you're Ariana's sister?" ask Leonard.

The duchess stood up full of anger gripping Leonard's shirt. "Are you unable to kill by unsheathing the sword? That's way more effective than slashing it."

"Whatchu mean? Most importantly, Will killed me and Ariana survived. Basic no thank you." Leonard attempts to release the Duchess's grip but is unable to.

"Thank you? I'm thanking you? Even though you survived, you awakened my sister's bad memories!" shouts Duchess.

"If you don't want that to happen, you shouldn't have brought him into this crackdown!" 

"I never wanted Ana to be here!" The Duchess pushed Leonard.

He turned around while pressing his forehead. Breathe in to calm down.

Leonard also guessed the reason the Duchess lectured Ariana. Ariana came to this crackdown without telling Duches. "Why did your parents endanger Ariana?" 

"Get out!" duchess orders without seeing Leonard's face.

"I was just worried and wanted to see Ariana. Can't it?"

"I said get out! Before I kill you with my hands!" The Duchess turned towards Leonard. Highlight the eyes of Duches not kidding, he intends to kill Leonard if it continues to make him angry.

With a heavy heart Leonard left the tent. He's waiting outside. The entire team has been repatriated by Duchess Hillbright. The rebellion was over, they had won and there was no more work. However, Leonard will not move on from there before making sure Ariana is okay.

***

Ariana's eyes opened slowly. The warmth in his hand felt right up to his heart. Duchess Hillbright breathed a sigh of relief while smiling towards Ariana.

"Thank God you're okay, Ana."

"I'm sorry for worrying you, brother."

"Here you go, you rest first." Duchess Hillbright stroking her sister's cheeks. 

"Are you going to tell me that I came to the suppression of the rebellion on Father and Mother?"

Duchess Hillbright shook her head slowly. "I won't tell them. You better say it yourself. I don't want to make them hurt to hear it's not from you."

"At least I wanted to help them, but I was always a burden. I'm not as good as big brother or Rion, you two always make me jealous."

"No, that's wrong. You have your own advantages Ana, that is, blessings. You can cure others."

Ariana closed her eyes. Tears flowed in his temple. Duchess Hillbright wiped away the tears as she kissed her sister's forehead.

"After this you should talk to Mom and Dad. I'll accompany you" the Duchess added.

Ariana shook. "I'm afraid, they must hate me, brother."

"They never hated you for what happened back then, Ana. Trust me. Even I hurt Mom once but she forgave me."

Ariana opened her eyes a little curious. "What did Brother do?"

Duchess Hillbright smiled as her bait worked. "I'll tell you if you want to see Mom and Dad."

Ariana was silent about her decision. He longed for both of his parents. Unfortunately the anxiety that his longing was unrequited and he was not accepted made him doubtful. Duchess Hillbright looked at Ariana softly. Highlight her sister's eyes that were as soothing as her mother's. The assertiveness that her brother possessed came from her father. It was like facing his parents. 

"After that come to my house, Ana. We're leaving together, I haven't visited them in a long time."

The two smiled at each other. The duchess told her sister to change clothes. At the front door of his tent, he stopped.

"I'll give you some time to talk to him. After that I hope to let her rest" the Duchess said without looking at Leonard beside her.

The Duchess continued her steps towards the empty tent. Leonard approached Ariana. Ariana tries to get up, but Leonard forbids.

"You just lie down."

Silence was between the two of them. Leonard was confused as to what to start a conversation with. Asking the situation of Ariana seemed strange, Ariana was shaken to fainting is certainly not okay. Asking why Ariana was shaken was also a little late, because it was possible that Ariana would be remembered with bad memories.

"Thank you for saving me, Leonard" Ariana said.

"No need to thank me, I'm just repaying your kindness."

Nobody starts a conversation anymore. Leonard opened his voice for the first time.

"So your sister Duchess Hillbright?"

"True, we have the same mother, our father is different. Even so he loves me so much and I love him the same."

"It seems I've misunderstood and vilified your brother in front of you."

"My brother was so hard that many people didn't like him, but he was very kind to people who knew him."

The sound of darkness is heard. Leonard and Ariana turned around. Duchess Hillbright has returned to her tent. He looked at them both in turn.

"You better rest, Ana. Then, you get out there's something I want to talk to you about."

"Good, Brother." Ariana obeyed her brother, shutting down.

Leonard followed Duchess Hillbright. They stopped outside the tent. Duchess Hillbright looked at Leonard sharply.

"Do you like my sister?"

"No, I don't think of her as a woman. I was only worried about him in return for healing me," replied Leonard who was a little upset that he misunderstood the liking of children.

Duchess Hillbright observed Leonard's eyes looking around for lies in them. His efforts have not borne fruit. Leonard was honest.

"I won't let you, if you approach my sister. He doesn't deserve someone like you."

"What kind of person am I? Just because I come from a commoner, I shouldn't approach nobles like you?"

"I mean your nature. Barbarians, don't think long, want to win alone, and more I can't name."

"Yes I was like that because I was never educated like you. Those of you who have everything will not know my suffering."

Duchess Hillbright sighed heavily.

"It is more easily ignited and considers itself to suffer the most. You don't know what Ana and I went through either, so don't compare our fate to yours."

"You're all sickening royals except Ariana. He has a good heart unlike yours. It's possible that your father's bad qualities are down to you."

The Duchess' jaw tightened. He clenched his hand trying to calm himself down so as not to hit this person in front of him.

"It's just free to talk to you. Go home. And this is your payment for saving me that time. Didn't you ask for it?" Duchess Hillbright gave Leonard some money.

Leonard was about to return it but the money was very much. He could pay his debt and start a new life with that money. 

"I won't thank you. I'll use this money to avenge what you did that embarrassed me."

The Duchess ignored Leonard's rant. He turned back to accompany his sister. Being near Leonard left him uncontrollable, his anger constantly surging every time he heard these mercenary remarks.

Leonard clutched the money, then headed for the capital to pay his debt immediately. His life will change from now on.