The Duke's Unwanted Wife

"Agent of Darkness? That's a new one. Is that what I'm secretly called around here?"    

    

Denitra didn't reply, pulling out a halberd made of Adamantine. Natalia scoffed, finding it funny. The princess donned a Mythril armour sharpened with several magical gems like Adamantine. Her face was still uncovered by the helmet she wore so she could only be identified by her voice. The only thing that annoyed Natalia was that she could not see her face. She looked over at her servants and they grabbed Minister Mori.    

    

"Your highness, if you point that thing at me, it would be seen as a threat to my life. Not only can I reciprocate, your kingdom will be held in violation of the treaty. You may not care much for my life but what about your kingdom?"    

    

"Don't threaten me!"    

    

"I am not. I am simply telling the truth. Isn't that right, Minister Mori?"    

    

He nodded, lowering his head. She turned to the princess and could tell she was feeling frustrated and torn. She was well acquainted with those feelings. So, she decided to offer a truce.    

    

"Five minutes. You can fight me for five minutes and if you manage to inflict a single injury on me, then it is your win. I won't say anything about meeting me here tonight and I will even release a hostage from a few months ago. But, if you are not able to harm me in that time, then I will take another hostage….you."    

    

"No! Please take me as your hostage, your excellency! Please spare her highness! She's only being ignorant."    

    

"Sure, you'll probably have value as a hostage but that is only economically and politically. What I need is an emotional and powerful hostage. She fits that bill. What do you say, your highness?"    

    

"AAAHHHH!" She rushed at Natalia with her sword, stabbing through her. She smiled, thinking she had been able to defeat her when she heard her voice behind her.    

    

"See, minister, she already made her decision. I won't fight back. Just try to inflict an injury on me."    

    

"Don't play with me! You're just a silly woman who plays with the lives of people however you wish!" She struck again, missing Natalia again.    

    

They continued this cat and mouse game, becoming faster with every second.    

    

"I admit, I play with their money but their lives? I happen to value life, even yours, princess. That's why I want you to be my hostage. All you have to do is agree," Natalia replied, coming closer. Denitra saw this as her chance, but she missed again.    

    

"Stop playing with me and stay still!"    

    

"Fine, I'll stay still."    

    

Natalia stood still, true to her word. Denitra charged again with her weapon, aiming for her heart. Once the sword made contact with her clothes, it shattered immediately. Natalia grinned darkly.    

    

"It's time, your highness."    

    

In their study, the king and Queen were pacing. Arken sat on the chair with his head lowered. Their main concern was trying to find out just how Natalia knew they were inbreeding the royal children. Word didn't escape the noble class of their kingdom so the most likely option was that they had a traitor.    

    

"Was it Captain Morgan?" The king asked Arken. He was about to reply when the door to the corridor swung open. Natalia floated in like a fairy, dragging Denitra in unceremoniously.    

    

"How dare you…"    

    

"Attacking an ambassador with the aim to kill, ambushing and setting a trap for a foreign noble, your offences are serious, your majesty. Since I helped enact it, I am very familiar with the treaty. Based on this violation, I can request backup from the Merchant Association and very easily get rid of your anti-magic barrier. Berinda will be leveled in days. I'm sure you don't want that, your majesty."    

    

"What proof do you have?!"    

    

"Minister Mori here can testify just right. But do you really think someone like me has a need for proof? Berinda has become a prized prey surrounded by many, many predators. I can hasten the destruction of this kingdom in just a few days. You'd better cooperate, your majesty."    

    

"What…do you want?"    

    

"I just want this lovely princess as my companion back home."    

    

"You can't do that!"    

    

"I managed to ignore the several threats to my life over the years. I recently realized it was your precious princess that has been trying to get rid of me for years. This is my petty revenge. It must be because I'm asking. I'm taking her with me when I leave."    

    

"You can take me with you! But please, leave my sister here. Please!" Arken pleaded, bowing before her.    

    

"Brother! Don't do that!"    

    

"Do you really think you are worth anything to me? I don't care about some weak haughty prince. What I do care for is the abundance of magic this one has. She is the perfect candidate for my sister's temple maiden," Natalia said, smiling at the end. Their blood ran cold. Because they had several, they knew what a temple maiden was. The Queen fell to her knees and wept. Natalia ignored her and walked back out the way she walked in.    

    

Natalia branded the princess with a spell and sent her out of the room like nothing happened. She immediately ran back to her temple and tried to get rid of it. Nothing worked. Not even peeling away at her flesh. It was a simple spell, done in a flash yet it was so hard to get rid of.    

    

Left with no other option, she decided to pray to the goddess. Because she was favoured by Uriel, she quickly answered her call.    

    

{You look so distressed, Denitra. Why do you shed tears?}    

    

"I have been branded, your holiness! Please get rid of it for me!" She cried.    

    

{That is simple enough. There is no need to cry. Show me the brand.}    

    

Denitra raised her arm and showed it to Uriel. The cold grasp of the goddess always chilled her down to her soul but this time, she could ignore it since it was necessary. Uriel used her powers, trying to pull it out of Denitra's soul which it was branded on. As soon as she got one part off, Uriel felt like her hands were being burnt. She dropped Denitra's hand immediately and looked at hers in shock. As a god, there were a limited number of people that could hurt her. All those people were gods themselves.    

    

{Who…did you say branded you?}    

    

"Her name is Natalia Adamantine."    

    

{What did she use to brand you?}    

    

"She just cut my hand open and whispered a spell. I tried cutting my flesh but it didn't work."    

    

{This is no ordinary spell. I can't undo it at the moment or all my mana will be sucked away. I have to ask the one person that can understand this spell. Until then, be patient}    

    

"But she will drag me away as a hostage! Please, help me!"    

    

{I'm sorry, Denitra. Just endure it. See it as a trial of your faith. I will free you as soon as I get the spell}    

    

Uriel disappeared immediately after saying that. Denitra fell to her knees in shock, tears streaming down her face. It was the first time she had been betrayed by the same goddess she entrusted her life to.    

    

The meeting continued the next morning and the final draft came from the king. He gave her forty percent and the other details could be sorted out by the Merchant Association. He was probably hoping she would give his child back but she did no such thing. She signed the contract and immediately prepared to leave. Minister Mori, who was silent the whole meeting, followed her out of the hall. Once he got her attention, he fell to his knees.    

    

"Please take me instead, your excellency!"    

    

"No."    

    

"Her highness is…very important to our kingdom. She might as well be our lifeblood. Please, your excellency, reconsider your actions!"    

    

"Are you trying to say my actions are juvenile and I'm being petty trying to sabotage your whole kingdom? You're a historian, Minister Mori and you know history does not have a shortage of princesses taken as hostages to other kingdoms. This is also a patriarchal society. Is there anything about your princess that makes her so special? If you tell me, I might reconsider my actions," she said, her eyes twinkling with excitement. Minister Mori considered telling her but there was no assurance she would really reconsider after hearing the truth.    

    

"At the very least, please keep our Princess safe," he put his head to the floor. She rolled her eyes and walked away. The next day, she was set to go. The King and Queen were shocked to death to see the princess they sent away to be hid was sitting in the carriage already.    

    

"Oh, I branded her so she won't be able to run away from our master servant contract. Well then, princess, say goodbye to your parents."