"Duke Lionel has returned to the palace!"

"Hear that? He's back, bringing us Greensorrow a glorious victory- Ah, hello, Your Highness..."

Your servants were chattering at the news because the bloodthirsty Duke had returned to the palace before they respectfully bowed their heads upon seeing your presence, they shouldn't have done so. Since you were originally an 'outsider' of the royal family, a child that the king had accidentally conceived, being half commoner blood made you hated and shunned by the royal family.

Your servants then chuckled at you, "Your Highness, 'that person' has returned to the capital. Don't you want to visit him?" a maid said, their eyes sparkling as they looked at you. It was because they thought that there was something between you and the Duke.

They just didn't know that it was Lionel's one-sided, sick obsession.

He is a ruthless man, willing to go to any lengths to get what he wants. It only gets worse when Lionel learns of your existence, the forgotten child of the royal family. He has called you fate and is madly in love with you, and he will certainly not leave you alone after returning from this victory.

"My Highness," a cold but seductive voice rang out behind you. Lionel, neither fast nor slow, walked over to you and knelt down. Looking up at you before taking your hand in his gloved hand and bringing it to his lips, his eyes never leaving your face. "I'm back," Lionel cooed sweetly as if to a long-time separated lover.

In the background, your servants giggled at each other at the sight of you two. [ lol ]