The Crow Targeting Me - Chapter 2

The farther north they traveled, the rougher the roads became. Snow would pile up, melt, and turn into a muddy mess, making the path nearly impassable. Had they continued using the capital’s finely crafted carriages, they would have broken down long ago, leaving them stranded. Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—they had switched to the sturdy northern carriages built for such conditions.

Fifteen days had passed since joining the Barsian knights. Finally, the carriage came to a stop.

“Pardon me, Lady Elena. We have arrived at Barsian Castle,” announced Sir Arthur, clearing his throat to make his presence known as he opened the door.

Elena took his hand as she stepped down from the carriage and found herself facing a crowd gathered at the castle gates to catch a glimpse of her. Taking a deep breath, she returned Sir Arthur’s fur-lined cloak, which had been a lifesaver during the journey.

Arthur had been right. Even wrapped in his heavy cloak, Elena had shivered the entire way. The northern weather was far harsher than she had imagined.

Steeling herself, Elena took her first step toward the castle gates. The snowy, muddy ground immediately sullied her silk shoes. There was no avoiding it. Accepting her fate, she lifted her head high, meeting the curious and suspicious gazes of those gathered at the gate.

Amidst a sea of black hair and dark eyes, Elena’s soft blonde hair and blue eyes stood out starkly. The stares she received were a mixture of wariness and curiosity, sharp and biting like the northern wind.

Elena walked forward with pride, as though she were impervious to the cold.

“The Grand Duke of Barsian is awaiting the lady of Selum. Please, follow me.”

She followed the steward who had come to escort her into the castle. Unlike the imperial palace, which flaunted wealth with ornate decor in every corner, the northern castle appeared to prioritize practicality above all else, its design tailored solely to withstand the cold.

“Was your journey comfortable, my lady?”

“Thanks to Sir Arthur, it was uneventful,” Elena replied.

Despite her composure, the silk shoes she wore were no match for the chill seeping up from the stone floors. Her gaze kept drifting toward the steward’s thick leather boots. She didn’t realize how distracted she was until they reached the great hall.

“The lady of the House of Selum has arrived!”

The steward stepped aside, and the doorkeeper announced her presence in a loud voice. Instantly, the murmurs within the hall ceased.

Elena felt the weight of countless eyes pinning her in place, sharp as needles. Trembling from both the cold and nerves, she slowly began to cross the enormous hall, her every step echoing in the sudden, oppressive silence.

It was as if the entire hall had stopped breathing. With each step Elena took, she could hear the soft rustling of her silk dress brushing against the floor, painfully loud in the oppressive silence.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally reached the tall chair where the Grand Duke of Barsian was seated. Elena knelt gracefully and bowed her head.

“I greet the Grand Duke of Barsian. I am Elena Selum.”

“Rise.”

When Elena straightened and looked up at the man before her, she instinctively flinched.

The Grand Duke was far more refined and striking than she had imagined. His jet-black hair and even darker eyes seemed to swallow all light, a presence so intense it was almost overwhelming. If anyone could truly embody the title “King of Ravens,” it was this man.

And his gaze—oh, that piercing, ice-cold gaze! Could the freezing winds of the north be any colder than that? Elena wondered.

“Your attire is hardly suitable for someone about to become the mistress of the north,” the Grand Duke remarked.

Amidst the northern crowd, clad in thick black furs to ward off the bitter cold, Elena stood out like an alien figure. She was dressed in a gown of pure white silk, a traditional wedding dress from the south. Its only flaw was that it was utterly impractical for the freezing northern weather.

The Grand Duke’s eyes stayed on her, clearly expecting a response.

“The chill of the north could not dissuade me from showing proper respect to Your Grace,” she replied, her tone calm despite the tension in her chest.

To her surprise, the Grand Duke laughed. Rising from his chair, he stepped closer, and it was only then that Elena fully grasped the sheer size of him.

She had to crane her neck just to see his face, and his broad shoulders seemed capable of easily embracing three women of her size at once, with room to spare.

“Prioritizing fashion over survival. Truly, my bride is a southern lady through and through.”

Elena’s cheeks flushed bright red. Even the doorman, standing at a distance, must have noticed her embarrassment.

She stood frozen, unable to respond, overwhelmed by the situation. She hadn’t expected the Grand Duke, who had such a composed and polite demeanor, to so easily twist her words and turn them against her.

“How many of these northern winters my bride will endure… I am most curious.”

The Grand Duke’s words carried a weight that felt ominous to Elena.

“You must be weary from your long journey. Rest well before the wedding.”

He gestured toward the steward, who stepped forward and approached Elena.

“This way, my lady. I will show you to your room.”

Elena offered a polite bow to the Grand Duke before turning to follow the steward. As she walked, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the retainers gathered in the hall were mocking her.

To be treated like this from the very first meeting with the Grand Duke—Elena couldn’t help but sigh. She thought of the Crown Princess, realizing that her own position wasn’t all that different from the poor woman’s. A part of her longed for her nanny’s comforting presence, while another part was relieved that her nanny wasn’t there to witness such indignities.

“This will be your room, my lady,” the steward said as they arrived.

Elena scanned the room with her eyes. Dark-colored tapestries hung on the walls, likely to block the cold drafts, and there were a few pieces of furniture scattered about. The room was bleak, to say the least, and it reminded her more of the underground dungeons of the imperial palace than a noblewoman’s chamber.

“We have prepared everything with the utmost care in anticipation of the mistress of Barsian’s arrival,” the steward added.

Was he serious? Elena scrutinized him, searching for any sign of sarcasm. But the steward’s expression was one of genuine pride, and Elena decided not to press further. She would have to adjust to the standards here, whether she liked it or not.

“Allow me to show you the bedroom. This way, please.”

Behind the reception room, there was another space that appeared to be the bedroom. The first thing that caught Elena’s eye was the bed in the center of the room, draped in crimson curtains.

“This chamber connects to the Grand Duke’s bedroom as well,” the steward explained.

The arrangement—his and hers quarters positioned symmetrically—was not unlike what Elena had seen in the south. Nodding in acknowledgment, she asked, “The key?”

The steward gave her an awkward smile.

“If you’re asking about the key to the door connecting to His Grace’s bedroom… the Grand Duke himself has it.”

It seemed he had no intention of giving it to her. Elena masked her displeasure and nodded calmly. The key was something she could deal with later.

“And this young lady here will serve as your maid. Her name is Mary.”

“I greet the mistress of Barsian. It is my greatest honor to serve you, my lady,” Mary said with a bow.

Elena flinched slightly at the title. She was indeed about to become the mistress of Barsian, and she would need to get used to no longer being addressed as the young lady of Selum.

A single maid, though… It was already becoming clear to Elena what kind of treatment she could expect in this place.

“Rise,” she instructed.

Mary straightened herself after bowing low. She was a freckled girl, her youth evident in her transparent curiosity as she gazed up at Elena. It was almost endearing how openly the girl studied her.

“I’ll be relying on you,” Elena said softly, gently taking Mary’s hands and meeting her eyes. Mary’s face lit up with delight, her eyes sparkling.

“I’ll leave you to rest now,” the steward said, bowing. “If you need anything, please ask Mary. She’ll prepare whatever you require, even a bath, if you wish.”

“I’ll get it ready right away!” Mary chirped, darting off before Elena could even respond. The sound of her quick footsteps made Elena smile faintly.

After the steward left, promising to escort her to the wedding when the time came, Mary soon returned with warm water for a bath. She then helped Elena change out of her traveling clothes.

“Do people really wear things like this in the south? If you dressed like this here, you’d freeze solid!” Mary exclaimed, marveling at the white silk fabric Elena had been wearing since she left the south.

“The south has a very mild climate. But we don’t get snow,” Elena replied.

“No snow?!”

Mary bounced on the spot, her excitement bubbling over. Seeing her reaction, Elena laughed softly, and Mary looked at her with suspicion, as if convinced her mistress was teasing her with an impossible tale.

Well, it didn’t matter. Mary wasn’t about to visit the south to confirm it herself. She shook her head, dismissing the thought. Like their southern counterparts, northerners took it for granted that they would live and die in the land of their birth.

“Is the water warm enough, my lady?”

As Elena sank into the cylindrical wooden tub, she felt some of the exhaustion from the month-long carriage ride begin to melt away. There were no dried petals or fragrant oils floating in the water as there had been in the capital, but this simple bath was more than enough for her.

“Mary.”

“Yes, my lady?”

Mary, who had been covertly toying with the ends of Elena’s long golden hair under the guise of checking the water’s temperature, jolted as if caught in the act.

“What kind of man is the Grand Duke of Barsian?”

“You may touch my hair if you like,” Elena added, noticing Mary’s flushed cheeks. Embarrassed but delighted by the permission, Mary didn’t pull her hand away. The rare sight of Elena’s hair color clearly fascinated her.

“I don’t know much about him,” Mary admitted. “I’ve only seen him from afar. I’m sorry I can’t give you the answer you’re looking for.”

“It’s fine,” Elena replied.

“Well…”

“Well?”

Elena waited for Mary to continue, but the girl shook her head as if to say it was nothing. It made sense—what could a servant truly know about her master? Elena hadn’t expected much of an answer in the first place.

The Grand Duke of Barsian… He was a man who seemed the complete opposite of the sunny, lively men of the capital. He was as cold and sharp as the ravens he was named after. Elena wondered if she could grow accustomed to someone so different, let alone come to accept him.

Of course, there was no choice. By tonight, she and the Grand Duke would belong to one another. As Elena watched a bead of water trickle down her shoulder, she closed her eyes and let out a slow breath.

After her bath, more maids joined Mary to help prepare her for the wedding. While drying Elena’s hair, Mary’s eyes lit up at the sight of a golden comb meant for decoration.

“Would you like to use this for the occasion? But wait, isn’t this the same comb you were wearing when you arrived at the castle?”

As Mary started rummaging for other accessories, Elena gently stopped her.

“No, this will do. It’s my most treasured possession.”

“Was it a gift?” Mary asked, her voice brimming with curiosity.

Elena smiled faintly, thinking of her nanny.

“It was a gift from the woman who raised me. We parted ways on the journey here…”

Her smile turned bittersweet. In this foreign place, where she was utterly alone, she wanted to cling to the comb as a reminder of her nanny. Mary seemed to sense this and didn’t press further.

Once the preparations were complete, the maids brought a mirror to show her the result. Instead of examining her face, Elena checked to make sure the golden comb was properly secured in her hair. Somehow, having it there made her feel as though her nanny was by her side, giving her a small but much-needed boost of courage.