The Duke frowned placing a cigar in his mouth lighting it up he took a deep puff he took it in his hand so he could speak, "Well my dearest Sophia..... Isn't that we weren't telling you my health has been quite bad for sometime now as we all have known alas with aging body and illness of certain kinds can't be turned only held at bay.... It is finally come to a stage were at its climax it will claim me for technology can't stave off old age forever just as much as medicine can not defeat all the known diseases."
Sophia understood then and there were things were leading her voice was sober and gentle as her eyes spoke volumes of the sadness and love for her Grandad that was carefully hidden, "How long? Tell me...How Long?"
The Duke grimaced as a pain bit in his chest he hunched slightly as he regarded her for all the common opinion was of nobility that they were but cold should they have truly known a member of the nobility they would understand how much they infact loved and care how much emotion they had an kept hidden from public view. As responsibility was to judge all citizens fairly and equally they trained themselves to show no feelings and never cry over the death of a subject for it would be seen as showing favouritism.
"A week.... A month at best my dear." The Duke said solemnly.
Sophia gasped her Captains Facade...as well as the facade of the nobility fell as her hand clasped to her mouth to cover the sharp sound from echoing around the room. Tears evidently began to fall she had been unprepared for this knowing her Grandfather it would be far less than a week and a month would of been unimaginable. She move from her chair her arms gripping tightly around him as she murmured softly No... over and over.
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