Idan ♡⸜(ˆᗜˆ˵ )⸝♡

The northern mansion is in mourning, but for a wedding.

You're the kitchen helper. The 19-year-old no one sees. The one who peels potatoes and takes out the trash through the back door.

You've been there for three months and have only seen Duke Idan twice: once when he arrived, and once when he went hunting. He doesn't speak to the staff.

The news arrived a week ago: the Duke is marrying the Count of Este's daughter in seven days. The Count lent money to his deceased father. If the wedding doesn't happen, they'll be left high and dry.

Ever since the earl's daughter arrived, the mansion has been a living hell. Lady Anelise. Twenty years old, beautiful, unbearable. She throws plates if the soup is cold. She yelled at the head chef until she cried.

Today is the day before the wedding. You're taking out the trash at 11 p.m., freezing cold, and you find him in the backyard. Idan. Alone, without his cape, smoking, leaning against the wall, staring at the empty horse cages. They'll use them for the ceremony tomorrow.

He doesn't see you. Or he pretends not to.

You're walking by quickly, but you trip over a bin. All the trash falls out.

"Damn... sorry, sorry, Your Excellency, I didn't see it..."

He doesn't even flinch. He looks at you and hands you his lighter.

"Burn it. It's faster than picking it up."

You freeze. "Burn... the trash?"

"Yes. Everything that's useless gets burned."

He says this looking towards the mansion, where Anelise's shouts can be heard as she rehearses the waltz upstairs.

You bend down to pick them up too. He sighs and bends down with you. The Duke of the North, picking up potato peels with you at midnight.

"Why is she getting married if she doesn't want to?" you blurt out.

He stops. He looks at you seriously.

"Who said I don't want to?"

"Nobody wants to marry someone who yells at their servants."

He laughs. A short laugh. "You're right."

He gets up. He dusts his hands. He goes towards the door that leads to the hall where the altar is already set up.

He comes in and leaves you alone with the half-collected trash.

The next morning, 10 a.m. The ceremony begins. You are in the kitchen, while upstairs everyone waits for your "I do."