The Duke's Unwanted Wife

“It’s here! It’s finally here! I’m free! I’m free!” Vivia yelled, screaming happily around Natalia’s room. They watched her dance around the room and smiled, as her happiness was contagious. Even though she was confused, Adelie watched quietly. When Vivia realized the children were watching her, she finally stopped and turned around, coughing to hide her embarrassment.    

    

“Ahem! This young lady has gone from being Lady Adamantine to Lady Hazel. To me, that is wonderful news. But to you children, it might be a little more difficult. So, whatever you choose to do, I will abide by your decision.”    

    

“We’ll stay with you mother. You have the power to choose our spouses and I’m sure you won’t make the wrong decisions concerning our lives.”    

    

“Of course, my dear daughter. As you are my adopted daughter, Adelie, you are my daughter as well. Whatever your decision is, mother will help you.”    

    

“Thank…you…” Adelie mumbled in reply.    

    

Being the adopted daughter of Vivia meant she had access to a private tutor and a room of her own. She also had the Hazel family name unlike Natalia and Sebastian. The two had the honor of learning with their grandmother, who Adelie can only refer to as Family head.    

    

“There’s another letter, mother. What’s that about?”    

    

The expression of joy almost completely disappeared from Vivia’s face. She sighed, taking a seat in front of her family.    

    

“The royal family has summoned us for a visit. The Queen said she was calling me as a friend. I don’t know when I became friends with that cunning woman.”    

    

“The Queen is not a bad person. It might not be bad to be friends with her.”    

    

“You don’t understand. She’s…”    

    

“There’s more to the letter. The Queen’s birthday is coming up. It’s a week celebration. She invited the Hazel famil as well,” Sebastian said, showing the letter to them. They confirmed the contents of the letter and Vivia released an exasperated sigh. Her sense of freedom was curbed again.    

    

“Mother, why don’t you take us to your favorite place to shop for dresses? Sebastian can come along too.”    

    

“But I don’t want to…Fine, I’ll come. Just don’t treat me like a woman.”    

    

“Oooh, my children are so precious,” Vivia exclaimed happily once more, hugging all of them at the same time. Adelie was surprise she was caught up in it but she appreciated the warmth. It was the first time a noble had ever been kind to her in her entire life.    

    

Natalia appeared in Aldie’s hollow once more and found that the werecreatures had slowly been able to adapt to the environment. The fairies were helping and they were working in sync. Madaline was closing a portal to the outside world as Natalia appeared.    

    

“How’s the overall safety looking like?”    

    

“Sylph is handling most of it but so far, they haven’t stepped out of line. It’s been more peaceful around here than I expected. How is it on your end?”    

    

“No elaborate problems I can’t handle. Where’s Amaika?”    

    

“They’re taking care of the children. I thought it might be a lot to handle but they ae doing it expertly. I’ve been making preparations to take them to the heavenly court as soon as possible.”    

    

“I’m glad everything is going so well. Are you monitoring the gods in the heavenly court, especially Uriel and Thiton?”    

    

“They haven’t made any moves according to my spies. If they try anything like you said, we’ll be there to stop them. Do you need something?”    

    

“No, nothing. I just felt bored that the event I anticipated hasn’t yet happened. Do you think it will not because of the changes I made?”    

    

“I don’t know. I do know it’s hard to fight against fate. Just because you think you can control it, doesn’t mean it can’t try to fight back again.”    

    

“You’re right. I just wish there was something…why’s my hand wet?”    

    

“Maybe it’s because a particular werewolf is licking your hand,” Madaline replied, chuckling. Natalia turned to see a blue wolf licking her hand affectionately. The wolf probably escaped from the group of children under Amaika’s care to play around the hollow. The wolf was a small one but it taller than her, even though she was growing into her size.    

    

“Hello. Your fur is very beautiful,” Natalia commented, petting his head. He stood there, his tail wagging energetically. She smiled, continuing to pet him until she heard a familiar voice.    

    

“MARVIS! GET BACK HERE, YOU RASCAL!”    

    

The wagging of his tail stopped and he started running. Natalia watched Amaika race past her to chase Marvis. They could still keep up in their human form and they seemed intent on catching the juvenile wolf.    

    

“Oh dear, they’re at it again,” Madaline sighed, slapping her forehead.    

    

“Don’t tell me this is a regular occurrence?”    

    

“It unfortunately is. That boy like to make a break for it while he can. He hates sitting in one place and he loves to torment the adults around him. There is no one that can tame him, not even his parents. Amaika only goes after him most likely because you asked him to. The problem is, despite being so brutish, he’s very intelligent and knows how to adapt quickly.”    

    

“I’m glad he’s doing very well. I could never have imagined that he was such a troublemaker when he was younger. Perhaps serving under the imperial prince to protect his people made him tamer.”    

    

“Perhaps. Are you not going to try to speak to him?”    

    

“No, not now. I don’t want to take him out of a world that brings him comfort.”    

    

“Don’t you think it’s better to introduce him to a lifestyle like yours earlier? If you plan to make him your spouse, you need to acclimate him to the ways of nobility. You don’t want them to look down on your lover, do you?”    

    

“...fine. I’ll do it only if he agrees to it.”    

    

“Why don’t you try talking to him first? Try taking him back home with you and see if you can play around the…”    

    

{Mother! Mother! We have a problem!}    

    

“Hmm? What is it?”    

    

{There was an ambush and the Grand Duke has been hit!}    

    

Madaline turned to Natalia and saw she was ready to go. Madaline nodded at her and she disappeared, appearing in the middle of a violet battleground. The ground was dyed with blood, covered with the bodies of several men from either sides. The fight was still happening passionately as the soldiers of Ducroft were pushing against the soldiers of the Empire.    

    

The Grand Duke was resting against a tree, impaled in several parts by poisoned spikes. It was the basilisk’s poison that was easier for her to spot first but then there were a myriad of other poisons. It was no wonder he wasn’t able to survive for long. If the soldiers of the Empire pushed past the boundary, none of them would be able to survive.    

    

Natalia made a quick decision. Using her magic, she made several spiked trees appear between the boundary maintained by the kingdom’s soldiers and the Empire soldiers. The trees were then set on fire to prevent crossing. Like that, the kingdom’s soldiers were able to retreat and rest, treat their wounded and bury the dead.    

    

They noticed a small hooded figue with a glowing hand over the Grand Duke and immediately sought to attack. However, they saw the Grand Duke raise his hand to halt their advance and they backed down.    

    

“May I ask why you’re saving us, young lady?”    

    

“I’m only being patriotic to my kingdom, that’s all. If you die, it would become such a huge problem for the kingdom. We can’t have that.”    

    

“I’m sure there are many who would prefer my death.”    

    

“But you have a wife and child waiting for you back home. Does the opinion of everyone else matter over theirs?”    

    

“You’re right, it does not. Thank you for saving my life, young lady.”    

    

“Oh, you’re humble. I thought the men of the Kristen family are incapbale of humility. It would seem I was wrong.”    

    

“No, your assumption was right. War was quick to humble me. When I realized that there was a possible I wouldn’t go home whole or alive, everything became meaningless. Everyone dies, noble or commoner.”    

    

“What great sentiments. It would be great to teach your child that.”    

    

“HAHAHAHA! Yes, I definitely will.”    

    

With the help of the soldiers, they were able to take the foreign objects out of his body and put clean clothes over the wounds. She also provided war supplies to the soldiers, courtesy of the Merchant Association. She left tonics with a soldier the Grand Duke trusted and disappeared just like she appeared.    

    

Because of the strange thorny trees she created, blocking the two sides, the war was forcibly halted and the two sides had to come to a formal agreement so the war wouldn’t erupt into a full blown one beween the two superpowers. Because of the Grand Duke’s and the Merchant Association’s persistence, the two sides came to an agreement and instead of continuing the war, a treaty that would’ve taken a few months to complete was completed. The war finally ended and the Grand Duke returned to his home.    

    

A few weeks after, nobles from around the kingdom and the delegates from other nations arrived at the palace for the Queen’s birthday and the celebration of the treaty between the Empire and the kingdom.