The Duke has been away for over two years. The thought of returning home wasn't really on his mind for the past years, and would rather be in the war longer than seeing the Count's daughter again. He doesn't like her one bit, and her family on top of that.

But the past months has been different. He desperately wanted to go back, so they worked hard day and night to secure their victory.

He wanted to see her. The woman behind the letters. The woman that gave them the chocolates. The woman that he hates. The woman that is his wife.

But he have to hold that thought for a couple more months because of the tasks he had to do, and the winter has started too.

Kaya ng tumigil ang pagpatak ng nyebe ay agad siyang nagpadala ng mensahe ng pagbabalik nila. The King was trying to hold them a little longer, but he didn't listen. He told the King that the only task he was given is to win the war, and nothing else.

Wala silang inaksayang oras at hindi tumigil sa paglalakbay ng ilang araw para makabalik kaagad sa Vehallard.

The third horn echoed when they reached the manor.

Nang huminto ay agad siyang bumaba sa sinasakyang kabayo.

The servants and the Knights have formed to welcome their master. And in the middle of that crowd is a familiar woman.

Agad siyang lumapit dito.

He was wearing his full armor, and under that armet, he can see a woman with silver white hair biting her lower lip. He took his armet off to have a better view of her.

She didn't say a word, and looked at him as if waiting for something bitter to happen. It's something he didn't expect. The daughter of the Count is a proud and cunning woman, like her father, and would always want his attention. The first thing he thought she would do is to cling to him, like she always did in the past. But it did not happen. Instead, her deep grey eyes trembles, as if it wanted to cry.

"Have you been well, wife?" He asked, after parting his lips to her cold shaking hand.

Her eyes widened, like of a cat.

There was a long moment of silence, before she was able to utter a word.

"H-ha?"

She pulled her hand away.

"T-that's not what you're supposed to say..." Is what came out from her mouth next.

"Then what am I supposed to say?" He was confused, so his eyes squinted at her.

Morrigan gasped, and covered her mouth, when she realized she utter those words out loud.

"I-I'm sorry, w-what I meant w-was... W-Welcome back Y-Your G-Grace!" She panicked.

His wife's eyes trembles as if she's lost. 

Her reaction was new to him.

The only thing he could remember from those silver eyes are hostility, jealousy, and greed.

He was... fascinated.

.

.

.

.

Luke opened his eyes, and immediately move out of bed.

Mabigat at pagod pa din ang katawan niya kahit ilang oras na siyang nakapag pahinga. He still wanted to be envelope by the warmth of his bed, pero may naramdaman siyang kakaibang presensya, at nasa malapit lang ito. It's not one of his Knights, it's unfamiliar. It's not from a monster either.

There's only two rooms in the south wing of the second floor. The Duchess, and his.

Bangggg!!!

Marahas niyang binuksan ang pintuan ng silid na malapit lang sa kanya. 

"Your Grace?" The woman standing in the middle of the room was startled.

He examines her for a bit before he strode in towards her.

"Is there someone here?" He asked, awkwardly grabbing her wrist.

The presence was definitely in this room just now.

"W-what?" She looked around. "I just got here. I was just about to change my dress." She added.

'Change her dress?'

Lumingon siya sa mga Knights na sumunod sa kanya at kasalukuyang nasa labas ng Charoite room. They all nodded in unison and immediately dispersed.

'Is someone trying to peek on my wife while she change her dress?'

"Y-Your Grace..."

Lumingon siya sa asawa.

"My hand hurts." She pleaded pitifully.

Pero sa halip na bitawan ang maliit na pulsong hawak niya, he grabbed it tighter and led her out of her chamber.

"W-wait... Your Grace..."

He opened the door to his chamber and led her inside.

"Stay here." He commanded.

.

.

.

.

The Knights gathered at the training grounds hours later.

Parehong umiling sa isa't isa si Sir Marcus at si Sir Ross na halos sabay lang na dumating. They inspected the whole area for hours, but found no one.

"Your Grace."

Napaangat ng tingin si Luke na kanina pa naghihintay.

The Commander shook his head.

His forehead creases.

"It seems the security of the Duchy fell too low."

Agad na lumuhod si Sir Ross sa harap ni Luke.

"I apologize Your Grace! This won't happen again." 

"Of course. There won't be next time." He warned in a chilling voice.

After giving the commanders instructions, he immediately leave them and went back to his chamber.

Pagbukas ng pinto ay agad niyang nilibot ng tingin ang paligid. Hindi niya natanaw ang babaeng iniwan niya kanina. He thought she would be sleeping on his bed by now, pero wala siya dito. Tiningnan niya ang sofa, at wala rin ito dito.

Napakunot siya ng noo. He clearly told her to stay.

Lalabas na sana siya ng silid when he noticed a woman crouching beside the door

He sigh.

"Wife?" He came closer and called her almost into whisper, so he won't startle her like earlier.

Pero hindi ito kumibo. He can hear her soft snores.

'She must be tired.'

He carefully lift her to his bed.

Kanina pa niya iniisip na mukhang nawawala siya sa sarili. 

In the past, he doesn't like it when the Duchess goes to his room unannounced, he doesn't even allow her in his study, but now he was the one who led her in. And worst, tuck her in his bed.

"Sleep well, wife. You have a lot of explaining to do."

✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽

Agad akong napasinghap ng magising at makita kung kaninong kama ako natutulog. Agad akong bumaba upang tingnan kung nanjan ba ang may-ari ng silid. Buti nalang at wala.

Saglit akong napaisip. Sigurado akong nasa gilid ako ng pinto kagabi at hinihintay si Luke na bumalik. He'll be mad if I sit on his sofa, so I sat on the floor beside the door. Pero bakit nakahiga ako sa kama nya ng magising?

Binuksan ko ang pinto at agad na sumilip sa labas. Nang masigurong walang ibang tao ay agad akong tumakbo papuntang silid ko, pero bago ko pa man mabuksan ang pinto ay...

"Your Grace?"

Agad akong napalingon.

"Phew..." Buti nalang at si Adellei lang pala.

"Y-Your Grace!" Halos magtatatalon ito sa tuwa ng lumapit sa akin. "Did you... Did you just came out of the Duke's room?" Halos kuminang ang mga mata nito sa tuwa.

"Huh?!" Agad akong napatingin sa paligid ng sabihin iyon ni Adellei. "Hali ka nga rito!" Agad ko siyang hinila papasok ng kwarto ko.

Nakangiti ito ng muli kong harapin.

Anong problema ng isang to?

"Oh no!" She gasped.

"What?" Agad kong tanong.

"Your Grace, did you went to His Grace's room wearing that? If... If you have called me I could have prepared you a lingerie and-"

"SSshhh! Sshhh! Stop!" Agad kong pagputol sa kanya.

Napahilot ako ng sentido.

"What ever you're thinking, drop it."

"But-"

"Ssshhh!" Muli kong saway sa kanya. "Just prepare my bath." Utos ko.

Gusto kong makausap si Sir Ross upang tanungin ito tungkol sa nangyari kagabi. Kapag nahuli nila si Drystan ay tiyak na malaking gulo.

"Yes Your Grace!" Bakas pa din ang tuwa sa mukha nito.

It would be troublesome if other maids saw me leaving the Duke's chamber early in the morning. Buti nalang at si Adellei lang ang nakakita. Alam kong iba ang iniisip nito, but I can easily correct her.

Matapos maligo at magbihis ay agad akong pumunta sa training grounds. Usually, at this hour ay nag-uumpisa na ang training ng mga Knights, kaya tiyak na nasa training grounds si Sir Ross.

At hindi nga ako nagkamali, he was there talking with the Knights, but there seems to be something odd.

He is not wearing his uniform.

"Sir Ross!" Agad akong lumapit sa kanya.

"Your Grace..." He bowed.

"You're not wearing your uniform." Agad kong puna.

"Umm..." Lumingon siya sa mga kausap na Knights kanina, and dismissed them.

"There's something I'd like to ask, about last night's incident." Saad ko.

"I'm sorry Your Grace, but I think I can't answer you about that." Sagot nito. "How about inquiring Sir Marcus instead."

"At bakit si Sir Marcus? Pwede mo namang sagutin ang tanong ko." That guy hates me. So it's better to avoid him.

"Umm... I'm under a month probation, My Lady."

"What? Why?" Now that he mentions it, may dala siyang bag sa likuran.

"It seems I've neglected my job, and put Her Grace in danger last night. I apologize madam." Lumuhod siya sa harap ko.

"W-what? No! There must be some misunderstanding."

"No, His Grace was right. If something happened to Her Grace last night, I..."

Pano ko ba ipapaliwanag sa mga to na wala naman talagang panganib na nakaambang sa akin kagabi? Hindi ko naman pwedeng sabihin na si Drystan yun. Mas malaking gulo kung malalaman nilang may ibang lalaki sa loob ng kwarto ko. Oo handa ako sa eskandalong dala ng  diborsyo ni Luke sa akin, pero hindi ako handa sa eskandalong madidiborsyo ako dahil nagpatuloy ako ng ibang lalaki sa kwarto. 

Bakit naman kasi pinalala ni Luke yung sitwasyon!?

Bakit bigla bigla nalang siyang nagkakaganun, eh wala naman siyang pakialam sa akin dati.

"I'll talk to His Grace, so please wait here." Agad akong umalis para puntahan si Luke sa opisina nya.

"What? Your Grace, no!" Sinubukan akong pigilan ni Sir Ross pero hindi ako nakinig sa kanya.

Bangggg!!!!

Marahas na bumukas ang pinto ng opisina niya.

Agad na bumungad sa akin ang gulat na gulat na mukha ni Luke, Sir Marcus, at ng Head Butler na mukhang mayroong binabasang mga dokyumento.

'Oh my gosh bat ko tinulak ng malakas yung pinto?'

"I'm sorry, wait..." 

Muli ko itong isinara.

Nababaliw na ata ako. Kung hihingi ako ng pabor sa kanya, dapat kalma lang.

Maingat akong kumatok ng tatlong beses.

"I wish to have an audience with His Grace, Please?"

Walang sumagot.

"Your Grace, it's really okay." Bulong ni Sir Ross.

Nope, hindi pwede! Hindi ako pwedeng maiwan na mag-isa na walang kakampi sa loob ng isang buwan.

Biglang bumukas ang pinto ng study, at lumabas ang Head Butler.

"Please come in, Your Grace." 

"Thank you." Sagot ko.

Lumabas ito ng silid ng makapasok ako.

Naiwan ako sa loob kasama ni Luke at ni Sir Marcus na kasalukuyang masama ang tingin sa akin. Hays kaya hindi talaga pwedeng mawala si Sir Ross dito.

"Speak, wife."

"Ummm... Your Grace, can you lift the probation for Sir Ross? It wasn't his fault."

"I can't."

"What? But why?"

Sa halip na sagutin ako ay ibinaba niya ang mga dokyumentong hawak. Pamilyar sa akin ang mga dokyumentong yun. Those are the documents signed by Viscount Theo months ago.

Tumayo siya mula sa pagkakaupo at lumapit sa akin.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked.

What? 

Bakit niya tinatanong?

"I did, but that's not what I came here for."

Iritado siyang bumuntong hininga.

"I can't lift the probation, wife. The security of the Duchy is very important, which the Vice Commander neglected."

"He did not!"

His gaze suddenly hardened.

Oooppsss. I think My words came out wrong.

"It's all my fault, so please punish me instead, Your Grace."

He raised an eyebrow.

Am I that irritating?

"It's because Sir Ross has been assisting me this past months. I couldn't have done anything if he didn't help me. So... it's my fault that he wasn't able to focus on his responsibilities." 

Why is he not saying anything?

Did I offend him? More than I already did?

"Please?"

Gusto ba nya akong lumuhod sa harap nya at magmakaawa?

I stole a glimpse on Sir Marcus, and he's glaring at me. Yup! I can't stay here in the Duchy without a back up. I really need Sir Ross.

Bahala na! Mariin akong napapikit. I'll kneel if I had to...

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Huh?" Agad akong napadilat ng maramdamang may mahigpit na nakahawak sa braso ko at hinila ako pataas upang pigilan sa gagawing pagluhod.

I couldn't believe that an obscene word came out of his fine mouth.

His grip around my waist tightened.

"You're going to kneel for the sake of another man?" His cold voice penetrated my ears, his face just few inches away from mine.

__________CHAPTER 14____________

Chapter 14 is out! Thank you for reading!

Happy 6k reads LDTDT! 🤍🤍🤍

'Please gone wrong' lang ang drama ng Duchess nyo 😅😂

See you on the next UD. 🤍🤍🤍

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