Love your Enemy (Ruby Rose fanfic)

ONE (Iselen POV)

I take a deep breath but regret it immediately when feeling the stabbing pain in my side. I grit my teeth trying to hold back a moan so I don't scare the driver of this car while leaning a hand on my ribs... Damn, sometimes I forget someone shot me a few weeks ago... and someone stabbed me too, also they tried to blow up the Humvee my comrade was driving... Perks of being a soldier but that's over now. I relax on my seat and look through the window, the sun is setting and it's drizzling but I can still see gorgeous hills, lush forests, a city in the distance with a stunning castle, the bell tower of a church... My new country, my new home... Actually is very similar to the region where I was born in Spain, mountains aren't that high here but grass shows the same emerald green shade, trees are the same size and the sky is as grey as the sky I know, covered in clouds very often too, unfortunately.

"Too bad it's raining your first day here but weather improves when spring comes... don't despair, milady. I'm sure you'll love the landscape in summer..."

"Don't worry," I answer to the driver with a tired smile. "I'm used to this weather, we always joke in my grandparents' house saying we're half amphibious..." The guy chuckles and seems relieved, no one wants me to get a bad impression of my new home given that, if I decide to reject the inheritance and leave, they won't have anyone to help them. Actually, it's too late for that although I could take the money and go live in a Caribbean beach, no one can force me to stay here in the cold, rainy Scotland... except for my sense of duty and my great uncle was aware of the fact that I have a strong one, unlike my cousins. That's why he chose me, old fox...

The truth is that I love the rain. I've spent a lot of time serving my country in distant lands where it's awfully hot and the sun heats up your helmet till the point you're able to cook an egg on it, carrying heavy equipment on my back, running from here to there under enemy fire, waiting for planes while joking with my comrades, training to exhaustion, jumping... That's what I'm going to miss the most, I'm not a Captain of the Paratroopers Light Infantry Brigade anymore but I can still skydive whenever I want although the excitement won't be the same. We're one of the army's Special Forces, the most disciplined, we always comply with standards and procedures scrupulously, we're always ready to be sent to the most dangerous locations behind enemy lines.

But that's over for me... Because of my injuries I won't be able to give 110% of my ability as I used to do, I'd still be good at my job after my physical rehab, but not the best one and that's what they all expect from me... otherwise I'd put my comrades' lives at risk. I couldn't stand being relegated to a desk covered with paperwork either. Besides, members of the brigade must keep skydiving regularly, no matter the post they hold, and I run out of breath now after climbing some stairs, I'm in no condition to practice HALO jumps. The life I've led for the last ten years is over now, it's time to start the next phase trying to do my best, of course... I'm not trained to wallow in my misfortune but to take what I have and bring my mission to a successful conclusion.

"We'll arrive in 15 minutes, Your Grace..."

I blink confused for a second till I remember suddenly: I'm not "Captain" or Iselen anymore but "Her Grace the Duchess of Falkland" by order of Her Majesty the Queen, who graciously allowed me to inherit the title at the request of my late great uncle despite I'm a woman... just because there's no one with a better right and because they didn't want such an important and old title to get lost forever after all these centuries. My powerful ancestors Lindsay would turn in their graves if I reject this inheritance... In fact, I almost did it because I was still serving my country but now... I don't have anything better to do, actually, than managing the land and castle. The problem is that I know nothing about agriculture, or how to deal with such a valuable artistic heritage, investments, race horses or etiquette to talk to fellow aristocrats... I hardly know anything about Scotland besides some basic history lessons from high school. I tried to do some research while I was recovering in a hospital, I've read as much as I could about the area and local customs, but I don't think it'd be enough.