For years after the birth of Lucas, the d.u.c.h.ess has been in constant unrest, being the center of ridicule. The rumor of her husband cheating with a lowly peasant spread like a haywire upon the empire. She was incapable of bearing a third child due to the complications of her last delivery. Servants shortly talked about how the d.u.c.h.ess was now nothing to the duke given that she was not able to provide the duke a daughter he yearned for.And they were right.
"Alphonsus." says the d.u.c.h.ess after a long silence. "Why?"
The duke did not speak, emerald eyes gleaming with tears. "I"m sorry, Adalia."
The d.u.c.h.ess" gaze drifted towards the duke, down to her belly.
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"Is it because I could not give you the daughter I promised?" She says. "Is it because I could not fulfill the prophecy your father pa.s.sed down to you?"
"I"m sorry."
"Is it so? Are you "sorry"?"
"Are you leaving me, Adalia?" The duke knelt towards the d.u.c.h.ess, his hands wrapping around the back of her belly, burying his face on her womb. "Please don"t leave me. I made a mistake. I wronged you, but you are my life."
The d.u.c.h.ess smiled sadly, as she caressed the soft, platinum-blond locks of the duke. "How would I? I love you."
The duke tightened his embrace.
"What is her name?" The d.u.c.h.ess asks, her voice breaking.
The duke weakened.
"Rose."
**
"I don"t want you to alter the memory of my wife." The duke says, his palms holding the hand of the d.u.c.h.ess tightly.
"Although mother agrees, we do not." Lucas says. "We will not let it happen. Be it war with the king."
Sheila sighs. "d.u.c.h.ess?"
"Dear," the d.u.c.h.ess says, "thinking about it, the spell will not last, won"t it?"
"It won"t." Sheila a.s.sures. "We are only doing this for precautions. Magierstadt is clever. We will need to cover the loopholes of the plan the king is putting into actions. Don"t worry. We dedicated ourselves, the clairvoyants, to research."
"We will protect the d.u.c.h.ess to any harm." Captain Roth says.
"I still do not agree to it." Lucas says. "I will not let my mother partake in such dangerous plans."
"Luke, I am agreeing to it," the d.u.c.h.ess says. "Beth. Alphonsus. This is my decision."
"Mother, this will tarnish your name greatly!" Bethrion argues. "Do you know what happened to Maria Unsterblich when she bore the Forsaken? Her life was ruined. She was the center of mockery, rumors about her having an affair with a Heilen slave! Don"t you think the same will happen to you?"
"And what is the difference between Maria and I?" The d.u.c.h.ess asks her son and then turning towards the duke. "Wasn"t I the center of ridicule many years ago?"
Lovellia stared at the d.u.c.h.ess with sympathy. Even Sheila eyed the d.u.c.h.ess with pity.
"Mother..." Lucas says.
"What is the plan?"
Sheila approached the d.u.c.h.ess and then wrapped her arms around her gently.
"A daughter."
**
Several years ago...
"The child died." The duke says, as he stared at the ceiling. The d.u.c.h.ess was lying beside him, their fingers intertwined.
"Your child and... Rose"s?"
The duke nodded, staring into obscurity.
"Is it okay if I speak frankly, Dear?" The duke tightened his grip on her hands, with her trembling palm. "I cannot... hold it anymore."
"You can,"
The duke sighed.
"Rose was beautiful." He says. "Breathtaking. Sublime. She was the epitome of innocence. Her auburn hair, like her name, Rose."
Silence.
"I... love her." The duke says. "I love her still. I love her so much, Adalia."
"Mmhm."
The d.u.c.h.ess loosened her hand and turned away from the duke. He embraced her from the back.
"The child died." He says. "A daughter."
"Mmhm..." The d.u.c.h.ess mumbles, sobbing silently.
"Addy?"
"Alph?"
"Do you still love me?"
"I do," she says silently.
He hugged her tight.
"But from now on," she says. "I wish for your silence."
**
"I know what happened," Sheila whispers to the d.u.c.h.ess. "and everything will disappear along with it. You will finally be happy and loved, d.u.c.h.ess Adalia."
Orwell stares at how Sheila"s embrace parted and then it left the d.u.c.h.ess" eyes widening for a while, until her gaze softened, and then she smiled.
"Thank you." The d.u.c.h.ess says.
Sheila smiled. "You will have a daughter named "Faustina Feuerlon,"; a child you and the duke loves deeply. A child hidden from the public due to her declining health."
"But this Faustina is a Heilen, am I right?" Bethrion asks. "This will tarnish mother"s name."
"We will use a magic that shall dye Faustina"s hair." Sheila says. "Any request, d.u.c.h.ess?"
"Auburn." The d.u.c.h.ess says. "The same color of a rose."