Street Mouse [Yandere Archduke x Female Reader]

30. Capital Lady.

It had been a little over a week since Frosino had left, and the castle felt lonely and devoid of excitement. Y/N couldn't help but wonder if the castle had been that dull before she had arrived.

She was currently setting out the last of her possessions in her new room. Even though she had wanted to stay in her cozy room in the servants' courters,  Tola said it was unbecoming for her to sleep there when she would be governing the Archdiocese of Crivell as the heir of the Archduke while he was away for the next three years.

As much as Y/N disliked being all the way up on the third floor of the castle, and so incredibly far removed from the other members of the household, she could not deny the loveliness of her new room. It was the largest of the bedrooms apart from the master bedroom that belonged to Frosino.

Upon first seeing her new room, Y/N was so taken by its beauty that she dropped the clothes that she had been carrying. After five years, the splendor of the castle could still amaze her. The bedroom was at least as large as the whole kitchen, if not larger. The walls were paneled in powder blue with white accents. The ceiling had elaborate carving in it, and white crown molding that went around the whole room. A navy blue canopy bed occupied one corner while the doubled windows had matching navy blue curtains. The room even had its own small fireplace.

Y/N coughed from the dust in the air and set to work airing out her new room and moving in her things.

. . .

Y/N sat behind Frosino's desk in a chair so large that it made her look miniature in comparison. She was in the midst of trying to decode the legal language on the bi-annual request of goods from Luccia.

The poor girl had a whole new respect for Frosino who had been doing this kind of work for years. She sighed, wishing that Frosino would hurry up and come back. Her eyes started to sting and the words on the paper began to blur as she continued to think about how much she missed him.

She missed having lessons with him in the library, she missed going on rides together and having picnics at their special place. She missed his hugs and she was even starting to miss his scoldings. Y/N had no idea how she was supposed to last a whole three years of this.

Sighing, she pushed the chair back, deciding to take a little break to get some fresh air. She was startled by a sudden knock on the door to the library.

"Come in," Y/N called uncertainty. The door to the library swung open and Tola entered, carrying something in her hands.

"A rider from the village just delivered an urgent letter Y/N," the housekeeper said as she crossed the room swiftly, and presented Y/N with a crip envelope with golden embossed detailing. Flipping it over, she saw that the seal was a deep green, and held the image of a four-winged swan.

Breaking the wax seal with the sharp letter-opener on the desk, Y/N drew out the important-looking cream paper. She took a moment to admire the beautiful handwriting and the emerald ink before she began to read:

To Frosino de Crivell, Archduke of the Archdiocese of Crivell,

I am writing your Grace on the matters concerning the noble house of Biustanini. Both the Dembocc and his wife, have met an untimely end.

The estate of Biustanini is being inherited by the closest male relative of Dembocc Rosso Biustanini, and since he is unwilling to house the daughter of the Dembocc Rosso, I appeal to you to take in the child.

Your mother's sister was the late Dembocc's wife, and all of the other relatives of the poor girl have turned her away.

Please your Grace, take pity on the girl and allow her to reside under your care.

Sincerely,

Miss Fiora, Governess of the house of Biustanini.

Postscript,

I am not sure how long this letter will tack to arrive. Just so you are aware, we are scheduled to arrive at Castle de Crivell thirty-second day of fall.

"Why, that's today!" Y/N gasped as she finished reading the letter. "Tola, some of Frosino's relatives are coming to live at the castle, we must prepare rooms for them to stay in, there is not a moment to lose."

. . .

The rest of the morning, and into the early afternoon was spent frantically cleaning out as much of the castle as they could in preparation for visitors. Y/N had donned a simple work dress that was starting to get a little small on her, all the same, it did its job as she frantically tidied.

After a few hours, the sound of a carriage going over the drawbridge could be heard. Y/N tossed the feather duster that she had been using to clean a staircase on the second floor and hurried down two fights to reach the entrance hall.

She took a deep breath, and smoothed out the wrinkles in the ill-fitting work dress. She realized that she really should have changed into something nicer in order to greet her guests, but there wasn't time for that now. Tacking a final deep breath, she pushed the great double doors open, and descended the stairs to welcome the new arrivals.

She was a little surprised to see that the carriage looked like a cargo couch rather than one meant for passengers. Y/N let out a sigh of relief at the realization that this was the carriage bringing the gifts that Frosino had purchased for her, and it had been a false alarm. Than two passengers disembarked from the carriage on the side closest to the stairs. 

The first was a tall woman, with dark hair piled on top of her head, a nose that reminded Y/N of a bird of prey, and eyes the color of obsidian. She gave off a menacing and imposing aura; she was not a woman that you would want to mess with.

The second was slight and petite, with elaborately curled blonde hair that framed her rosy cheeks. Her snow white arms were long and delicate. She was clad in a light green dress, covered in ribbons, ruches, and frills. Her blue eyes sparkled, like jewels, and were a chilling shade of blue.

Her cold eyes narrowed as her gaze landed on Y/N, and she called: "You, servant girl, fetch my bags and carry them to my quarters."

"I'm not a servant girl, but I would be happy to help you with your luggage and escort you to your room," Y/N said kindly as she reached the bottom of the staircase. "Welcome to Castle de Crivell, My name is Y/N Crivell. What is yours?"

The blonde girl drew herself elegantly up to her full height, which was a few inches taller than Y/N and stuck her chin out proudly as she said: "I am Abela of the house of Biustanini, daughter of the late Dembocc Rosso Biustanini, and lady Ila Biustanini."

A/N

Y/N is missing Frosino already, and we have two new characters at Castle de Crivell. Let me know any theories that you have in the comments below.

Until next time I'll see you on the other side

~J. C. Coltt.~