Restrain & Passion

by PurpleCat_writes

Summary:

Maximilian Croix is the not so loved daughter of a duke. When a handsome soldier become the talk of the town she would never imagine she could have the chance to dance with him.

Notes:

This was written as a Christmas gift for my friend Hiphaphooray who asked for a Regent au of Under the Oak Tree. Enjoy !

 

 

1. A noble family

 

 

Duke Ision of Croix was exactly as expected of the heir of the second most powerful family in the kingdom, just behind the royal family itself. There was no one more noble in their appearance and manner than him and he took great pride in this fact. As such he expected no less than perfection for the rest of his family. He chose his wife carefully, a beautiful young woman with renowned noble ancestors and treated her well. Sadly she disappointed him greatly as she died just after giving birth to a daughter. The duke did not despair and married again ; this time a distant cousin of his late wife. She gave him a second daughter but survived and the duke thought with philosophy that they only had to try again until a boy - a future heir - was born. Alas it seemed as if the family was cursed. Five years later, after several miscarriages, his second wife died without giving the Croix family the heir it was desperately in need.  

 

Deeply hurt in his pride, the duke focused on the education of his daughters, hoping that he could - at least - marry them off advantageously in the future. He made sure they had the best teachers and learned etiquette, embroidery and dance perfectly. However, despite his numerous attempts, he could not make his first daughter noble enough. Maximilian Croix had red unruly hair, freckles on her pale skin and - her worst flaw - a stutter. At the age of 8 it became clear Maximilian was not to become a perfect lady despite her father and teachers' efforts. Hopefully her little sister was the opposite ; her beauty was the epitome of noble standards with her golden hair, blue eyes and fair skin. While the first enjoyed running outside and playing with dogs and cats, the second was calm, reserved and smart. Roseta was everything her father ever wanted so he soon put all his interest in her, casting aside his eldest daughter. 

 

 

2. The captain

 

 

Years passed and the daughters of the Croix duchy were approaching the age of marriage. But for the eldest, this was hardly a concern. Her father had made it clear that she would never be fitted to bear the family name so she was not expected to enter society and seek a suitor. She would spend most of her days reading or helping the servants around. She was not exactly mistreated ; after all, she had learned with time how to avoid her father's wrath. If she kept quiet and did not make a scene, she could do almost anything she wanted.

 

When her little sister entered society she could even accompany her sometimes. Most people did not realize her presence as they were too enthralled by her sister’s perfection. Maxi was accustomed to it and accepted her sister’s superiority in everything as it was a fact. It did not stop her from enjoying balls. She would rarely dance but she enjoyed the music and the pretty dresses. 

One day, while Maxi was strolling in the local village market, she heard an interesting rumor. A new nobleman was supposed to arrive soon in the neighborhood and everyone was talking about it.

 

• I heard he is a soldier, said a woman selling fresh bread. 

 

Seeing her customer visible disdain as the mention of his occupation she added :

 

 

• Oh but not just a simple soldier ! They say he was knighted by the royal family themselves ! 

 

 

Another woman approached them. She acted like she was divulging a secret but she was talking so loudly, Maxi could hear her clearly.

 

 

• I know for a fact he is a captain in the infantry. He served during the battle of Ethylene. My cousin was here as well, he told me they won thanks to him !

 

 

 

• A war hero in our neighborhood ? How interesting ! 

 

 

 

• And you know the best part ? He said he wasn’t married yet !

 

 

The duchy was large and full of noble families but people always love to see new blood, especially bachelors. Young women and their parents would watch closely this new addition. Even Maxi was intrigued by this news, she wondered if she would be able to see the mysterious man at the next ball. 

 

3. The ball 

 

 

A few weeks later, Maxi’s wish was fulfilled. A prominent noble family invited everyone to a ball and of course it included the freshly arrived captain. Everyone was dying with anticipation and all the mothers with daughters at marriageable age were ready to battle. Maxi was surprised to see a spark of curiosity in the eyes of her usually stern sister. 

 

Once arrived at the ball, Maxi was amazed by the hall decorations and everyone’s apparel. Everything around her was looking so dazzling that she felt a little bad about her own dress. She was wearing a simple white dress with delicate laces she got from her sister. It was last year's fashion but the fabric was of high quality. But soon enough she forgot about all these concerns as the awaited guest arrived. 

 

Surprisingly he did not arrive alone as he was accompanied by several fellow soldiers. Everyone started exchanging awkward glances. No one knew exactly how the famous captain looked so they tried to guess which one he was. Curious, Maxi approached  and with only a glance she could tell. Only one of them had a strong presence, enough to make everyone around him silent. He was taller than most and he looked dashing in his uniform. But behind his black hair, his piercing dark eyes lacked any sympathy. People started approaching him but most of them lacked the courage to bear his cold gaze. Maxi herself almost made eye contact but quickly turned her head. She found him extremely good looking but terribly scary at the same time. 

 

Busy to make sure to not get noticed by anyone, Maxi found a quiet place at the back of the ballroom. She expected to spend the rest of the evening looking at the dancer while drinking and eating discreetly. She was enjoying a sip of wine when she suddenly felt a presence next to her. Somehow the captain had the same idea as her and was trying to hide himself from the swarm of mothers and their daughters ready to present themselves. A few of them were still tailing him, undisturbed by his abrupt manners and clear disinterest. 

 

Maxi was amused to see this man, clearly built for battle, act like a hunted beast once surrounded by women. But she quickly lost her smile as he suddenly approached her.  

     

 

• It seems you find my misfortune rather amusing. 

 

 

His voice was deep and monotonous. It was hard to say if he was actually angry at her. Intimidated by his presence, Maxi stepped back but he swiftly extended his hand and asked : 

 

 

• Would you dance with me ? You would make it up to me by giving me a good reason to stop listening to these people. 

 

 

Maxi tried to mumble a refusal but before she knew it, he was already leading her to the dance floor. She had never danced like this before, his partner was clearly a great dancer but stiff at the same time. Maxi noticed he was barely touching her and his dark eyes were looking at her with such intensity, she felt like a doe in front of a gigantic wolf ; she had no way to escape. After what seemed to her like an eternity, the song ended and she was released. He quickly left her without a word and she was left alone flustered. Everyone was glancing at her, she was the first woman to dance with the sought guest this evening. And she did not know but she would be the last.

 

4. The letter

 

 

After this awkward situation, Maxi made sure to not be seen for the rest of the evening. When her sister announced she was willing to leave early, Maxi felt relieved. She was happy to distance herself from that intense and scary man. Alas, after the ball, he became the favorite  talking subject in town. Maxi then learned a little more about him : he was born a commoner but his feats of arms during the war earned him a knighthood. His name was Riftan Calypse. He came with a few of his subordinates, noble born people who became his friends during the war. 

 

She was ashamed to admit she would listen every time someone would mention him. She was still fascinated by him even if he made clear during the ball that he despised her. Luckily Sir Calypse didn’t join any ball after that day much to the great displeasure of every young woman. Time passed and as Maxi was starting to forget about this encounter, she received a curious letter.

 

It was written in a clean and regular handwriting she did not recognise and the more she read the more dumbfounded she felt. 

 

… In this room full of people I could only see you. And when I found myself so close to you, I could not help myself. How could holding your hand be harder than wielding a sword ? …

 

How could she receive such a letter ? Surely the servant must have been mistaken. Roseta was the one who usually got these kinds of declarations of love and admiration. The letter was not long but did not contain any obvious clues about the sender nor the recipient. After thinking about it for a while she decided to keep it a secret. She did not want to show it to her sister. What if the letter was indeed intended for her sister ? Maxi wanted to keep a little hope that it was not a mistake.

 

A few months passed without any new letters or clues and Maxi went on with her life without thinking about it much. She would still listen to any news about the famous captain Calypse but the fact he was avoiding any social gathering made the people less interested in the subject. That was the case until suddenly he did something that would excite everyone in the duchy. 

 

The first person who passed on the information to Maxi was one of the maids she was close to. 

 

• My lady did you hear ? They say the mysterious captain asked someone’s hand ? 

 

 

• Re-really ? What a su-surpise… I thought he di-din’t like to talk with wo-women.

 

 

 

• When even someone like that needs to get married. 

 

 

 

• Do you know … who is hi-his fiancee ?

 

 

 

• That’s the strange part, no one knows ! At least yet …

 

 

What a strange situation indeed, how could everyone know a man proposed but not to whom ? Maxi spent most of her day wondering about this mystery but she was never close enough to the truth.

 

It was completely by chance that she was able to find out. She was having dinner with her family when she heard her father talk about possible suitors for Roseta. It was a recurring subject so she did not pay it too much attention at first. Until she heard her own name.

 

• ... There is no way I will listen to a second absurd demand this year ! One was more than enough. How could a commoner dare ask for the hand of one of my daughters. Maximilian may be nothing like her sister, she’s still a Croix ! 

 

     

Maxi was so surprised that she asked her father without thinking

 

 

• A de-demand ? …For me ? 

 

 

Her father gave her a mean look ; he hated hearing her stutter. But he answered : 

 

 

• That imbecile Calypse, who else ? I’m glad he left for the war, people like him belong in the battlefield, not in a mansion. He smirked and added : I had a hard enough time to silence everyone about this. I don’t want to hear about it anymore.

 

 

Maxi’s mind went blank. How could it be ? There was nothing in his manners who could have made her think he could have but an ounce of interest in her. Later that day she found the mysterious letter she had carefully hidden in her desk. She read it again and again, wondering if it was related. The letter did mention a dance and he was the only man she danced with that day but still, she could not believe it. The most painful part was she could not ask for answers. Riftan Calypse had left for the war, selling his mansion he had just bought. And according to the rumors, this war would be a long one.  She was doomed to suffer alone, racking her brain for hours every day trying to understand how this happened. Sometimes she would wonder if he would ever come back from war alive. Even so, would he be willing to answer her questions ?

 

5. A Christmas celebration

 

 

Three years passed and Maxi started to slowly forget about this until her father announced her sister’s engagement. She was finally at a marriageable age and the Duke of Croix had found the perfect suitor, not other than the crown prince, second child of the king. Maxi tried to be happy for her little sister but she could not help but think how she should be the first to marry as the oldest. After her little sister's marriage it would be even harder for her to find someone. And it had to be someone good enough in the eyes of her father. When she remembered how even sir Calypse was not good enough for him, she knew she would never marry. 

 

Maxi used to love Christmas, it was a time when everyone was cheerful and there were many occasions to socialize. But this year was different. Her father wanted to use the opportunity to celebrate her daughter's engagement. The celebration would be even grander than usual but Maxi did not have the heart to help organize the party. A few weeks before, the end of the war was announced. The kingdom was victorious and while everyone was busy celebrating, Maxi was feeling more and more anxious. 

 

At first she was elated to hear sir Calypse had survived. Not only that but he had such a significant impact in winning, he would be rewarded with a title. But soon rumors started to spread about how he should soon marry a woman befitting his new social status, like the princess. Maxi was sure he had forgotten all about her and he could not blame him.  

 

Time passed fast - as it always does around Christmas - and the day of the party arrived. Maxi looked at her beautiful sister with envy. She was dazzling in her bright blue dress, reminiscent of her eyes and for once, she was smiling. Even if it was an arranged marriage, Roseta seemed happy and Maxi could not help but wonder how happy she would have been if her father had accepted sir Calypse’s request. 

 

The party was in full swing, everyone was drinking and dancing with the end of the war, they had every reason to celebrate. Maxi used the opportunity to slip outside. The weather was cold but she found it calming. She gazed at the winter garden for a while, enjoying some alone time until she suddenly heard a voice.

 

 

• Maxi …

 

 

She recognized the deep voice right away. She only heard it once but it had left such an impression in her heart that she could not forget it. Turning around, she found herself in front of the one person she was longing for all these years. Still, she was still full of anxious thoughts and could not let herself feel happy. 

 

• S-sir Calypse ?  How could you … ? Wh-why are you … ?

 

Instead of answering he approached her and took her hand, lifted it slowly to kiss it. 

 

• I am sorry Maxi... It took me so long to be worthy of you.

   

Maxi was lost. How could he still love her after all these years ? What did she do to deserve such devotion ? Her lack of self esteem forbade her to believe it could be true. He did not let go of her hand and lifted his head to meet her eyes. His gaze was burning with desire for her and it made her easier to accept reality. 

 

 

• Sir Calypse… 

 

 

 

• Riftan.

 

 

 

• R-Riftan… How could you carry such f-feelings towards me ? 

 

 

She felt is incomprehension and added : 

 

• I mean … We only met once .. at that party and yet .. You say you want to m-marry me ? 

 

Riftan softly chuckled. He then explained everything to her. How they actually met when they were kids, at the time where he was nothing but a commoner, roaming the street. She could barely remember but for him it was clear as yesterday. How he helped her when she was attacked by thieves and how she thanked him by bringing him food and flowers the very next day. After that moment he would look at her every occasion he had and he slowly fell in love with her. He did not dare to approach her again as he was nothing. When he engaged in the army he would never have dreamt of coming back. But after he was knighted by the king he nurtured this crazy thought of seeing her again. When her father refused her hand he realized how foolish he was. Once again he left the war but this time with the secret wish to become worthy enough to ask for her hand again. 

 

Maxi was trying her best not to cry. She was overwhelmed by these new emotions she could not quite understand. Riftan then put his knee on the ground. 

 

 

• Now I can finally confidently ask you .. Maximilian Croix, will you marry me ?

 

 

Maxi could not hold her tears anymore.

 

 

• B-But.. My father.. He would ne-never… I can’t accept …

• Don’t worry Maxi, I made sure he would not be able to say no before I came to you. 

 

 

 

• Ho-How ?

 

 

 

• I asked the King directly for your hand and since he owes me a great deal he agreed. And since your sister will soon become part of the imperial family, your father had no choice but to accept as well. 

 

 

Suddenly feeling anxious, he added :

 

 

• So ... Will you …marry me ?

 

 

Maxi could not believe anyone could feel as happy as her. Between two sobs she could mutter a “yes”. Elated, Riftan took her in his arms carefully, like she was a fragile bird and covered her in kisses. 

One would be surprised how fast marriage preparation can go when two people are so eager to marry. Indeed it was done before spring and there was no happiest couple in the kingdom. Maximilian Calypse left her father’s mansion without regrets and with her husband's care and love she would be able to build confidence. She found herself doing things she never knew she was capable of. And when they finally had children, they loved them dearly.   

 

The end.