✧ Lovelorn ✧

XIII ✘ A Peaceful Life

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Andrew Skotadi was the illegitimate child of Duke Lidius Skotadi's younger sister, Gwendolyn Skotadi. Andrew's mother was famous for living a loose and lavish lifestyle. She is a fine woman at the peak of her career, with a killer body and beautiful blue hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was a powerful mage as well, second only to Duke Skotadi hinself. The woman goes by many names- the life of the party and a social butterfly. There is just no party without her.

That's why it's a huge inconvenience when she got pregnant with Andrew. Gwendolyn Skotadi was a woman, not a mother that's for sure. She wasn't ready for the responsibility yet, plus Andrew's unnamed father had ran off to god-knows-where, never to be seen again.

Andrew's life had really been inconvenient. He was not like other children. He didn't grow up in a warm household with tender, live and care. For one, his mother had hidden him from society's prying eyes and barely given him the attention he needed.

She rarely returns to their mansion and when she does, she's either drunk or with her countless lovers and suitors. She was the woman who gave birth to him, not his mother. But despite the emotional neglect, she did provide for his needs.

Then Duke Lidius Skotadi had been looking for a successor. His mother had all but thrown him to her brother. Duke Lidius is looking for a successor because Clara, his only daughter, had been engaged to Gardenia's Crown Prince (although it is not widely announced yet). After the kidnapping incident, Duke Lidius had been more zealous in searching for a successor since he didn't want to remarry.

Apparently, Andrew made the cut because he's the closest to the main family and because of his blue eyes. It's also a bonus that he was born with powerful ice magic. His magic was so powerful that his body could barely contain it. Andrew could barely control his own magic. He had once frozen half of his room and his mother had people to thaw it for days. That incensed his mother's desire to kick him out of the house because not only was he a mistake but he was also dangerous. Duke Lidius, however, thought that he had a promising talent.

So Duke Lidius decided to adopt him. His mother was overjoyed, and even helped him pack up and dress up on the day he leaves. There was no "I love you" or "I will miss you" or even "Take care" but he remembered that she looked him in the eye as she fixed his tie. She said: "Forget about me, and be the next Duke Skotadi, my son." As she kissed his forehead. It was cold, it was unfeeling but that was the most he could get from his mother.

For a kid getting separated from his mother, he didn't bawl his eyes out. For a mother getting separated from her son, she was overjoyed. She waved happily as his carriage ran off the estate. He wanted to say that he saw a single tear trickle down her face, but maybe that was just a trick of light.

"Andrew. Are you listening?" Duke Lidius called out. Duke Lidius was a powerful and intimidating man, with a hard jaw and striking blue eyes. He was a man you would not like to disappoint. Recently, Andrew heard that Duke Lidius basically plummeted the economy of the Oriel Fief. And Oriel Fief was a powerful fief in its own right. Andrew mentally shuddered, before straightening his back and swallowing thickly.

Such a powerful man...... and this person would be her new father.

"I-I was listening." He cursed himself for stuttering.

"Well then, this would be your new room now Andrew," Duke Skotadi said, opening the mahogany door of what would now be his room. Andrew walked inside the room, noticing immediately the open window and the magnificent view of the garden maze outside. His room had a canopy bed, a lampshade on top of a bedside table, an almost empty bookshelf and a chair and table. It was a LOT bigger than his old room, that's for sure.

"Thank you." He replied politely while placing his string bag on the bed. The rest of his luggage would be brought in by the maid and helpers.

"Make yourself comfortable. I'll come back and introduce you to your sister." At the mention of sister, the cold Duke Lidius melted. He smiled warmly

He came back a few minutes later, with the person who will become his older sister. She had cropped blue hair that fell past her chin and cold blue eyes. She had a stark resemblance to Duke Lidius, only she had softer features. If he would compare the father and daughter, Duke Lidius was a raging tiger and Clara was a small kitten with sharp claws.

When she saw him, she froze, as if seeing a ghost. And her bracelet is also glowing lightly. What's with that?

"Here Clara, meet your step brother," The Duke said kindly, pushing Clara forward. She snapped from her reverie, then gazed at him from head to toe before giggling lightly.

"Andrew is a shrimp like this?" Clara scowled, giving him a once over. Clara stood a good three inches taller than him, and he reached just up to her nose. She wasn't even wearing heels.

He saw what a real Skotadi should be. When he met Clara, he knew what the Skotadi heir should be. Bright, confident, kind and powerful. She had blue eyes, like him, but she had pale blue hair. Andrew suddenly felt self-conscious of his dark hair. Of all the things his bastard father had to give him, it was inky black hair. That's why he hates his unnamed father eith a passion. Even if the man had been absent for the most part of his life, the man finds ways to make his life more miserable.

Andrew is now considering going bald.

No, he'll just dye his hair maybe.

"Clara. He is one year younger than you," Duke Lidius sighed, assuming a soft and gentle tone. "And boys grow slower than girls. Wait for a few years, Andrew will be taller than you."

"He's aunt Gwendolyn's son right?" She tilted her head to the side, like an innocent kitten.

"Yes. I adopted him," Duke Lidius affirmed. "Please treat him nicely."

"Sure, I'll treat him nicely!"

She ran up to him and hugged him tightly, like a child would to a bear. He'd never been hugged before so he froze, hands hanging limp by his sides. Clara, his older sister, smelled like pastry, flour and vanilla? Or cocoa? He doesn't know. But she smells like cake.

"I've always wanted a brother!" She grinned brightly, tightening her hold on him. "Let's get along Andrew!"

Andrew gulped. He had this unmistakable feeling. It wasn't in the way she talked, or the way she smiled like pure evil but..

For sure, his peaceful life is now gone.

And Duke Lidius stayed by the sidelines, wiping a tear in his eye.

Ah, there's no greater joy for a father than to see his children get along so well.

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Eyo~~ Mika-chan here (Ｔ▽Ｔ)

New Year comes with a New Character~ Introducing, *drum roll please* Andrew - Ice King- Skotadi!!!

Had I ever told you guys how much I hate proof reading?- Well, I do. I could barely go back to the first few chapters of Lovelorn. I'm sorry for the typos, wrong spacing and all the wrongs you've seen in the past few chaps. They're eye shattering, but thank you for still sticking with me all these chaps~ As always, thatnk you for alllllll the love and support.

Just a little trivia, "Skotadi" is a Greek Word that means "Darkness". When I was sketching the basics of Lovelorn, I was thinking What would Clara's surname be? Then Skotadi popped up in google translate, and it means darkness too. Most of the names of my characters have a deep meaning more often than not. I honest to god didn't expect Lovelorn to be this... this.... long ♡(◡‿◡✿) thank youu♡♡

Lots of Love, Mika♡♡