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The first time you saw her was the night of your social debut.

Your mother was more excited than you about the debutante ball, she knew that that evening there would be the best parties to get married to, and she was hoping for you to fall in love with your “prince charming.”

How naive of her to believe that you would marry one of those starched snobs.

You hated everything about the ball, you had to wear on of those uncomfortable dresses, smile, be kind and respect the label.

“Oh… look at you my child! Now you really look like a grown up woman!”

Your mother was looking at you with tears in her eyes.

“Come on mother don’t be sentimental, it’s just a ball.”

You tried to say.

“Oh Y/N don’t be silly, this isn’t just a ball, this IS the ball. Oh I still remember mine…”

Before she started to tell you the same old story you stopped her.

“Well mother, it’s time to go or we’ll be late.”

Everything was like you expected it to be. There were noble and rich families all together in the same place.

“What a living hell.”

You thought.

Entering the ballroom, you immediately heard the sound of the little orchestra playing a walzer.

“Here you are my dear daughter, I wish your father was here to see you.”

“Mother…”

But you didn’t have the chance to say anything else that a woman approached you.

“Lady Y/L/N in a few minutes the ball will officially begin so hurry up, you’ll have to be on the dance floor in five minutes.”

“Wonderful thank you.”

You said ironically, but the woman was already gone to hear your response.

“Come on Y/N you can do this… just one dance and then you can hide behind a curtain.”

You were in front of your “knight” ready for the music to start. He tried to smile at you, but you just gave him your harshest gaze but, just a moment before the music started to play, your eyes met with two beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

You knew who the woman was, you could tell that from her lilac dress and her cane.

The music started but, for all the time that you were dancing, you could feel the Duchess gaze on you. You tried to ignore her, but you miserably failed.

When the music finally ended, after a quick bow, you decided to hide behind a pillar, hoping that your mother wouldn’t find you.

“What a strange place for a beautiful young lady like you to be.”

Hearing the voice you jumped for the scare, but you suddenly tried to calm down a bit when you realized that it was JUST the Duchess.

“Did I scare you?”

She said playfully.

“Just a little your grace.”

You said smiling at her.

“Who are you hiding from?”

She was visibly amused.

“From my mother, your grace.”

You were trying to avoid her gaze, but she was like a magnet.

“May I ask why?”

You looked at her a bit uncertain, but the fact that you knew all the rumors about her, gave you the courage to answer her question.

“Well, your grace, my mother is trying to marry me to one of these gentlemen, but at the moment I’m not that interested.”

You emphasized a little on the word “gentlemen”, because of course your opinion about those men wasn’t that good.

“Oh I totally understand, when I was your age I hated these events, all those men that were trying to propose. They’re just like vultures, and the only thing that they want is your dowry.”

You didn’t know what to say, so you just gave her your brightest smile.

“Oh, how rude of me, I didn’t even ask your name.”

“Don’t worry your grace, I’m honored that a woman like you wants to talk with a girl like me… anyway, my name is Y/N, Y/N Y/L/N.”

She gave you an enigmatic look.

“Well lady Y/L/N you shouldn’t have such an unfair opinion about yourself. Right now you are the only person in this place that I didn’t find disappointing, so you should be proud of yourself.”

Then she came a little closer.

“I’ve been watching you for a while and, after this little talk, I want to ask you something.”

You didn’t know what she could possibly ask you, so you just looked at her a bit confused.

“I want to offer you a job.”

Your eyes widened for the shock.

“A… a job?”

“Yes, as my lady-in-waiting.”

You tried to figure out if she was making fun of you or if she was serious.

“So what’s your response?”

She placed a soft gloved hand on your arms, looking directly into your eyes.

“I know that this could sound a little weird, but you don’t have to worry. If you choose to work for me, you won’t have to get married, unless you want to, and you’ll be free to leave whenever you want.”

You knew that this was a very important decision, and that you should have thought about it very carefully, but in that moment all you wanted was freedom.

“All right your grace, I accept your offer.”

You couldn’t believe your own words.

“I knew it… you won’t regret it.”

And she was right, after five years you still “worked” for her.

Your relationship with the Duchess started to change an year after your first meeting.

You always knew that men didn’t attract you, you knew that since you were a child but, being the Duchess lady-in-wanting, made you realize how much you were in love with the fair sex and, in particular, with the noble woman.

Your first kiss has been something special. She came home after an important meeting with a Lord, and you could tell that she was really upset. You tried to talk to her, but she locked herself in her studio.

After a few minutes you started to hear hushed sobs coming from the room, so you decided to softly knock at the door.

“Your grace? Your grace please let me in.”

“No, go away!”

You could tell from her voice that she wasn’t okay.

“I’m not going anywhere, please…”

After a moment she finally gave in and opened the door. Her puffy eyes met yours and, after you closed the door behind you, you held the woman in your arms.

“I’m here… I’m here.”

You said while with your hand you were gently brushing her hair. Both of you remained in that position for a while, until the Duchess' breath finally slowed down.

“I hate those men.”

She said with a raspy voice.

“I know your grace… I know.”

Slowly she lifted her head up, increasing the grip around your waist.

“Y/N… may I kiss you?”

You didn’t answer, you just kissed her. Her lips were so soft and salty, and you couldn’t help to smile while the woman pulled you closer.

“I think I love you…”

She whispered these words with a shaky voice.

“I think I love you too… Mina.”

From that moment on you became her favorite. Your relationship wasn’t a secret, but the Duchess reputation was enough to keep both of you safe.

Your mother never believed the “rumors” about your relationship with the Duchess but, even if you didn’t get married, she supported you as long as you were happy.

Now it has been five years since your first meeting, well to be precise, today was the fifth anniversary, so that morning you prepared a little gift for your lover.

“Lady Y/L/N, her grace wants to see you.”

You were reading a book in your private library but, hearing those words, you went straight to the Duchess studio, with a little smile on your face.

Knocking on the door you patiently waited.

“Come in.”

She was reading some papers, but the moment you entered the room she lifted up her gaze.

“Lady Y/L/N please take a seat.”

You sat down in front of her desk.

“You wanted to see me?”

“Yes… what is this?”

She said while putting in front of you a piece of paper.

“A letter?”

You said trying to hide a smirk.

“I’m not stupid Lady Y/L/N I know what a letter looks like.”

“I’m sorry your grace, I’m not sure I understand…”

She looked at you with a spark in her eyes.

“Oh I think you do… but anyway I’ll ask you the question in another way. What you wrote in this letter… did you mean it?”

You looked at her with pure love in your eyes. Through those years you became the person she trusted the most in the world. You’ve seen her when she was strong but also when she was broken. You loved every part of her so, for your anniversary, you decided to put your feelings down into words with that letter.

“Of course Mina… I love you.”

Everything happened in a heartbeat, the moment before she was sitting in her chair, and the moment after she was passionately kissing your lips.

No matter how long it’s been, you’d never get used to her kisses. You loved her with every fiber of your body, and you knew she felt the same way about you.

“I love you too Y/N.”

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