Please read chapters 1 – 13 first if you have not done so. This is not a stand-alone story. Link to other chapters in comments.
——————————————-
## Fourteen
“My lady Mirja,” duke Leopold said taking her hand, kissing it.
“My lord Wissgretch,” Mirja said curtsying deeply.
She looked up at the young duke. He looked nervous. She decided to make it easy for him. She stepped in and went up on her toes to give him a light kiss on the lips.
“I …” he began.
“Shall we sit down?” Mirja asked.
The duke nodded and they sat down on the sofa. They were once again in the hummingbird chamber and the little birds chanted their soothing songs through whatever magic made it possible.
“How have you been?” Mirja said with a smile.
The angular faced duke looked at her and she almost thought he was going to cry.
“I … I’ve been completely lost without you. My uncle forbade me to see you again, you see. But I defied him!”
He almost shouted the last words as if to make them real. Mirja just smiled.