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That day he told Eileen nothing.
To Baroness Elod he also ordered to keep her tongue behind teeth so she wouldn't give away the truth to the daughter.
For if Eileen learns that he deserted to save her and for this was whipped by the emperor, she will certainly burst into tears.
From the very beginning of their acquaintance Eileen, eternally in tears, could burst into tears because of any trifle.
And most of all the reasons of her tears remained for Cesare a mystery.
Now her favorite plant would wither, now on his body another wound would appear—such trifles.
For him it was so small that it didn't evoke even the slightest impression, but Eileen sobbed as if the world had collapsed.
Not understanding the child, Cesare simply resigned himself and memorized situations.
Only to preserve the illusion of this little one who considered him an angel, even if for this he had to apply a bit more weight.
So he perforce got used to hide much.
In the past and now.
Cesare always shielded from Eileen the truth.
Cesare looked at Eileen who, it seemed, was about to burst into tears.
She with all her might restrained tears, but her golden-green eyes already shone from moisture.
*‘Interesting, if I lick her eyelid, will she be very surprised...’* Unlike the extremely serious Eileen, Cesare indulged in stupid thoughts, concurrently conducting a finger over her wet eyelashes.
Eileen trembled but didn't pull away.
Seeing how she with difficulty swallowed a lump in her throat, he thought if he’d overdone it with teasing, but to do anything was already impossible.
One way or another, she had progressively to get used.
So that in the future, when she learns all the truth, it wouldn't become such a shock for her.
For his secret was initially limited in time.
"Eileen." Cesare stroked Eileen with his smooth hand, without a single scar.
Feeling the warmth of her skin under the palm, he whispered: "Apply the ointment to me."
He softly pushed her, and Eileen moved plump lips.
Having lead big eyes here and there, she murmured something inarticulate: "But you have neither scars nor wounds..."
Apparently, she required considerable courage to object.
Cesare raised a brow and immediately parried: "It means must create one." He looked around to the sides in search of a suitable knife, and Eileen fluttered like a nestling.
"No-no!
I will apply!
Only don't do that!" Her frightened look made him smirk.
Eileen hastily washed her hands and cautiously applied the ointment to Cesare's palm.
The ointment spread over the smooth skin.
He intently watched how Eileen, concentratedly, rubbed in the opaque whitish ointment.
Having felt his gaze, Eileen timidly raised her eyes.
Their gazes met, and Cesare, as if only having waited for this, asked: "Want me to apply to you too?"
Eileen rounded her eyes and asked again: "Where?.."
As a boy teasing a beloved girl, Cesare mischievously grinned: "Lower down."
***
Eileen returned to the Grand Duke's residence completely devastated.
The strange behavior of Cesare in the laboratory receded to the second plan.
All because of his words that he would apply the ointment "lower down."
Of course, after the tumultuous first wedding night in that place a light, quite light burning remained.
But certainly not so much that ointment was required.
And even more not there!
One thought alone of his fingers being able to penetrate there made her redden.
On the way back in the carriage Eileen very diligently explained to Cesare why ointment was not needed by her.
Fortunately, he didn't torment her more and easily gave up.
"And Senón?" Scarcely having turned up in the residence, Cesare first thing asked about Senón.
Sogno, taking his outer clothing from him, answered: "He just left the palace."
"Damn it.
Will have to wait.
And I wanted to show him the new laboratory." Having caught her puzzled gaze, Cesare explained that before showing the laboratory, he needed something to discuss with Senón.
The matter concerned Morpheus.
"Will have to wait a little.
Sogno."
"Yes, Your Grace." Although he simply called the name, Sogno immediately understood what Cesare wanted.
The old butler softly smiled and addressed Eileen: "Mistress, will you not grant me a little time?"
Cesare set off for the study to deal with unfinished affairs, and Eileen remained with Sogno—until Senón arrived, they could talk a little.
Sogno told Eileen of several important things.
"As you know, in a few days you are to officially set off for the Imperial Palace to accept the name Erzet." Eileen so far still remained "Eileen Elod." According to imperial laws, only in seven days after the wedding the wife officially accepted the husband's name.
On the seventh day Eileen had to turn up in the Imperial Palace and personally receive from Emperor Leone the name Erzet.
The reason for such a weekly delay, despite the already held marriage oath, was connected with the myth of the founding of the Traon Empire.
According to the myth, the founder of the Traon Empire was an exiled prince.
Suckled by lion's milk in the steppes, the prince swore to found his own state.
The first land where he planted his banner became the current Central Square of the capital of Traon.
God blessed the birth of the new king, having sent him a winged lion which became the symbol of the Traon Empire.
The blessed country quickly bloomed and soon proclaimed itself an empire.
The emperor, nonstop expanding his possessions, once fell in love with a woman.
Exactly she stopped his unrestrained thirst for conquests.
The emperor laid aside the bloody sword and remained in the capital for her sake.
He wanted immediately to make her empress, but received a prophecy: God bidden to wait seven years before taking her in wives.
However the young emperor broke the will of God and immediately arranged a luxurious wedding.
Happiness was not long.
On the next morning after the wedding night the empress passed away in the emperor's arms, emitting blood.
The emperor, having hugged her body, set off for the temple.
He brought the winged lion, sent to him by God as a sign, in sacrifice of whole-offering, and all night prayed, not tasting either food or water.
His prayer was clear: He repents of his foolishness and implores to return the beloved from the dead.
And if God doesn't hear his prayers, he will destroy all the people God loves.
On the seventh night God answered the emperor: if he passes seven trials, the woman will be returned to life.
On this it took seven years.
But in the end the emperor overcame all trials and resurrected the empress, after which they lived in love and accord until the very last day when they died in one hour.
Since then the inhabitants of the empire replaced seven years of waiting with seven days.
"The dress for the ceremony is already ready," Sogno said, having interrupted her meditations on the myth.
Eileen nodded, then, having hesitated, asked: "And what are my duties as Duchess?"
There were surely a multitude of them, but Sogno so far had mentioned nothing.
Feeling he unlikely would say directly, she asked a clarifying question, starting from what she’d heard: "Now when I am a Duchess, probably, there will be many invitations... and such of the kind."
On Sogno's face a shadow of confusion fleeted.
Apparently, duties indeed were, but he was in no hurry to speak of them.
Eileen clenched her fists.
"I want to be useful as a Duchess.
Though Your Grace, possibly, doesn't consider so..."
"Not at all, mistress." She shuddered from the still unaccustomed address, but waited for continuation.
"His Grace simply considers that you need time for adaptation, and bidden to explain everything progressively.
I should have told you earlier, but this old man hoped you could rest at least a little longer..."
Knowing that Sogno related to her with grandfatherly warmth, Eileen thanked him for the care.
Sogno looked at her with approval and said: "Important letters have arrived for you.
Do you not want to look through them?"
Sogno admitted that letters had begun to arrive even since the very morning.
He also told that a study had been prepared for the Duchess, and his voice sounded slightly agitated.
Not hiding joy, Eileen readily agreed: "Yes, I will look at them."
However, having seen the first letter, she immediately regretted this.
It was from Ornella.
The young lady Parbelini, future empress of Traon, was exactly that person with whom Eileen least of all wanted to have deal.
With the thought *‘well, it’s started’* she glanced at the envelope from Ornella, but decided first to check the remaining letters.
At random having taken a thick envelope, Eileen gasped, having seen the sender.
"The professor?.." The letter was from the teachers of the University of Palerchia where Eileen had studied.