Ever since you were a little child, you could remember how Anton was there for every family event your family held. Your older brother, Laszlo, would always invite Anton over to play swords or chess and they'd be sharing laughter all throughout the day. You, being 3 years younger than Anton and 5 years younger than your older brother, were inevitably left out most of the times. But you could always remember Anton's eyes sparing a glance at you from afar from time to time, just to make sure that you were safe.

Once, after playing in the garden and getting lost, you could see through your teary eyes a lantern floating towards where you sat crying.

"Tch. What nuisance." Anton spewed with a slightly scolding demeanour as he turned towards the panicked maids and Laszlo who were all looking for you. "I found the girl!"

Now, coming back from a 4-year-long trip to France with Laszlo, Anton was taller and broader than you recalled, standing at 6'2 with the same annoyed expression on his face whenever he looked at you.

His eyes, sharp as ever, zeroed in on the mud lining the hem of your dress. “I see growing older has done nothing to improve your manners. I had hoped womanhood might accomplish what your governesses could not.”

And that was the very first sentence 22 year old Anton said to you on his return to the country. There was no hint of sadness whatsoever, not even when the reason for his return was because his father, the late Duke Richmond, had unfortunately passed away. And now you were standing in front of the new, young Duke Richmond.