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Eileen, watching his reaction, quietly objected.
"How can one make friends with a dog and a person?"
Cesare smirked in response to her purely logical objection.
Taking her by the arm, he continued the conversation carelessly: "One can.
Here the baron will prove it this time."
They unhurriedly went, exchanging empty conversations with Cesare.
The topic about father progressively came to naught.
Eileen mentioned she needed someone who could look after the brick house.
Cesare immediately suggested finding a person and added: "Today after the palace we’ll stop by on the way."
In ordinary conditions she would have gladdened at his suggestion.
For in the brick house remained things they didn't manage to collect, and one could have taken them concurrently...
But Eileen only firmly squeezed lips.
Not having received an answer, Cesare for a moment stopped and looked at her.
His open gaze required explanations.
"Today." How to say this to him?
Eileen for a long time mumbled before finally squeezing out a plausible phrase: "Is it not allowed to go on another day?"
Then Cesare slily narrowed eyes and asked: "Why?"
He perfectly knew the answer, but all the same asked.
For exactly it was he from the very morning who’d been tormenting her.
In the end Eileen reddened and was forced to answer: "I want... earlier to lie to sleep.
I am a little tired.
If only you are not against.
The brick house will go nowhere, it will be possible to go in later..."
"Sleep is possible not only in the bedroom of the Grand Duke's residence."
Eileen immediately understood what he had in mind.
Not knowing how to react, she stared at him with a lost gaze, then lowered head.
Her reddened ears were clearly visible, but now she even didn't try to cover them, making out she was correcting hair.
"Then I will sleep in the brick house..." Cesare took her by the hand.
Without words, smirking, he accelerated the step.
Eileen went following, her face blazed.
Walking nearby, they soon turned up at the main palace where the Emperor was staying.
The thought of meeting with His Majesty again forced her to tense, although before this she had finally begun to relax.
Entering the palace, Eileen headed not where she’d been last time, but to the official audience-hall.
There Leone already waited for the Grand Ducal pair Erzet.
"Finally the main heroes have arrived." Leone laughed, meeting Cesare and Eileen.
That one cursorily examined the tea and snacks prepared on the table and briefly answered: "Delayed a little."
"Where then to hurry.
I already thought you would show yourselves no earlier than sunset.
Did the people simply so let you go?"
"Where then.
Went by the desert side." Cesare's answer, thrown carelessly, for some reason made Leone laugh.
That one for a long time laughed, then, still smiling, turned to Eileen.
Cesare ignored the friendliness of the emperor, but Eileen couldn't allow herself this.
Like a clockwork doll, she bowed to Leone.
"Greet Your Imperial Majesty."
Leone satisfyingly smiled, looking at her polite bow.
He generously showered her with compliments: "With short hair and without glasses you definitely look like a true Grand Duchess.
Had to go so earlier."
Cesare slightly frowned.
Eileen, not knowing what to answer, only whispered "thank" and bowed.
Each time people praised her appearance, she became awkward.
"After the wedding only of you speaks the high society of Traon.
All newspapers and journals, even pulse ones, sing of the beauty of the Grand Duchess."
Leone had been present at the wedding, but she didn't remember this.
Generally, she forgot all who were at the ceremony.
Was too nervous.
The only thing that remained in memory—how Cesare was beautiful in his uniform.
"Brother." Leone, it seems, wanted to talk with Eileen about diverse things, but Cesare sharply interrupted the conversation.
That one, as if having understood something, sighed and called a servant.
That one brought documents on a gold tray.
Leone took the papers and laid before Eileen the marriage contract.
In it the emperor of Traon confirmed that Eileen becomes Grand Duchess Erzet and receives the castle Erzet.
The hand holding the pen trembled.
Eileen deeply inhaled, firmly squeezed plump lips and signed at the very bottom of the document.
The sharp pen tip softly slid over the paper.
[Eileen Elod Karl Erzet]
Having lowered the pen, Eileen for some time looked at the signature with a stranger's gaze.
The name "Karl Erzet" after her name seemed inappropriate.
When it went after Cesare's name, it looked magnificent.
But with her rounded name it seemed as if she were simply pinned somewhere.
*‘But nothing can be done.’* Even if all consider she doesn't fit in, now Eileen—is the legal Grand Duchess Erzet.
Even the powerful Duke Parbelini, even the emperor of Traon Leone couldn't deny this.
All, besides one person—Cesare himself.
*‘But if I try, I will manage.’* Then she would be able to remain nearby him as Grand Duchess.
Eileen again gathered spirit.
Just when she was mentally strengthening her resolution, Leone nodded to Cesare checking the documents.
"Already leaving?"
"Naturally."
"Might at least have played on the piano."
Having heard of the piano, Eileen widely opened eyes.
She had already forgotten when last time she’d seen Cesare at play.
He himself played when teaching her dances, but after this she no more saw him at the instrument.
Even during their stay in the Grand Duke's residence she didn't hear the sounds of the piano.
Eileen stealthily, completely unnoticed looked at Cesare.
With all her might trying not to manifest too obvious a desire, she only cursorily slipped with a gaze, as if by chance.
But, of course, Cesare immediately saw through her.
As soon as she turned away the gaze, her eyes met with his red ones.
And in that moment she involuntarily gave away her thought: "Piano..."
Words already not to take back.
Eileen couldn't continue, and Cesare, putting away documents, easily answered: "If my spouse desires."
His careless words surprised Leone.
That one for a moment rounded eyes, then, as if not in a state to resist, frowned brows and laughed.
"Thanks to the Grand Duchess we will hear a rare performance."
In the palace was a separate room with a beautiful grand piano.
Large windows filled it with light, and the black grand piano of itself was like a picture.
Before it sat Cesare in uniform.
Judging by the fact that the chair was to his size, he didn't set about regulating the height, only a couple of times struck the keys.
Having checked the sound, he glanced at Eileen.
That one, having as-if-bewitchedly looked at him, finally woke up.
He asked with a gaze if she wanted to hear something, but Eileen, all her life having fought for survival, didn't conduct an educated life like other aristocrats.
All pieces she knew were those played during dance lessons.
Leone, standing nearby, suggested a work instead of her.
"I liked what you played earlier.
How about it?" Eileen too was interested what piece this was.
She immediately directed at Cesare a piteous gaze, but he was in no hurry to begin.
Then unexpectedly began to play.
First a short piece which he performed during her dance lessons, and then that which Leone wanted.
Eileen heard it for the first time.
Light initially, the melody progressively became faster and more complex.
Cesare confidently touched the keys with long fingers, continuing to play.
It was not believed that these hands, holding a weapon, could so exquisitely slide over the grand piano.
She as-if-bewitchedly looked at his profile while he played, having lowered eyes.
Plunged into his music, she was struck.
"Cesare since childhood knew how to do everything.
Even I didn't know he plays so." Eileen, fully concentrated on Cesare, turned to the soft voice weaving into the music.
Blue eyes, full opposites of Cesare, intently looked at her.
Leone smiled and said: "Is he not the perfect brother?"