The Duke's Unwanted Wife

She surprised herself with the childish voice that came out of her throat. Although she grew healthily, she didn’t remember looking so malnourished and small. She was 9 years old and yet, she looked like she was just 5. The puddle not too far from where she was chained confirmed that. It was also where she drank water from.    

She closed her eyes and inhaled. Exhaling, a visible puff of breath came out, turning dark. It solidified and hit the ground. She smiled, channeling her mana through the chains that held her small body to the ground. They broke, disintegrating.    

In the past, she had to use her newly gained enchantment magic to break out of them, bleeding and losing her senses in the process. Now, she was glad that it was a few days before she got her magic. Even better, it was during that time where the Empire was invading at Beldania. This meant the Grand Duke was still alive. Natalia smiled eerily, standing up.    

Where she was imprisoned was far away from where others were so people wouldn’t be able to help her. Meals were delivered only once a day and that was early in the morning. Looking up at the sky, it was mid-afternoon. When she ran away in the past, it took time before they were able to come for her.    

“Nataroth?”    

{You have awoken, Natalia. How do you feel?}    

“My magic is slowly returning to me but this much should be enough to teleport. Do you want me to awaken Egerth now?”    

{No, not yet. I feel more compact now even when I didn’t think it was possible to revive me. If Egerth remains dead, then it is possible that I can revive myself and bring my lover and my children back to life. The revival of a god and reversal of time is against the laws of nature after all}    

“I understand. We will both be patient. This time, I won’t fail.”    

It was her third chance at life. Having lived the first and second in failure, she came back to a time she could prevent most of the horrid incidents from happening. The first thing she wanted to do was rush to meet Marvis and Amaika before the crown prince got to them but there was another thing on her list of priorities, saving the Grand Duke.    

Teleporting with a small body for the first time was disorienting. She keeled over almost immediately after she landed, vomiting everything in her stomach, which wasn’t an awful lot. She leaned against a tree to catch her breath. She knew exactly where she was, landing in the Forest of Telra, where the entrance to Aldie’s Hollow was. It was where Marvis saved her in his second life. It was foolish, hoping he would be there. But she was not there for him.    

She was able to enter Aldie’s Hollow quite easily. The buzz of activity of the fairies grinded to a halt a few seconds after she entered, the fairies panicking and flying back into the giant shell. She stood there patiently, waiting for Madaline to show up.    

The fairy mother was…bigger than she remembered. She was still the size of a small child but she loomed over the tiny Natalia. Instead of attacking her straight away, she stood there, staring curiously.    

“M-Madaline?”    

Madaline fell to one knee, hearing her speak.    

“Welcome back to the land of the living, my liege.”    

“Madaline, Nataroth cannot really talk to you right now. Are you…a god?”    

“Yes, I ascended a few years ago.”    

“But you’re not in the heavenly court?”    

“I could not bear to go there. But if my liege is alive, then, I’m glad…” Madaline responded, tears falling from her eyes. Natalia was aware of the blind devotion Madaline had to Nataroth but she was also aware that Madaline was naturally affectionate to those she cared about. She cared for Natalia even before she knew she carried a piece of Nataroth’s soul. Madaline was a kind fairy.    

“I have much to tell you, Madaline.”    

“I would imagine. I never thought my liege would be reincarnated into the body of such a small child. You’re so tiny yet so gutsy. How have you not snapped into two? In fact, how did you even travel here?”    

“I still have a lot of magic so I teleported.”    

“Teleported?! Oh my! How are you even still standing?!”    

“I’m fi…”    

Madaline swept her off her feet with no trouble, beautiful wings unfurling from her back. The fairy mother was the most splendid fairy of them all, capturing the heart of many when she appeared before the world. Part of the reason why so many fairies were hunted was because they wanted to capture her but now that she was a god, it would be close to impossible.    

“If you were able to ascend, does that mean the king of dragons doesn’t bother you anymore?”    

“How…did you know about that?”    

“I told you, I have much to tell you.”    

Madaline suddenly smiled and kissed Natalia’s temple. Before Natalia could ask why, she felt her eyelids becoming heavy. She fought sleep, not knowing if she would still be able to save the Grand Duke but the magic of the fairy mother was too strong and she couldn’t triumph, falling asleep right away.    

When Natalia woke up, she realized she was sitting inside a giant nest. It had dozens of soft feathers that was softer than any bed and arguably, Marvis’s fur. Having gotten a tour of the hollow before, she knew this was Madaline’s room. Before she could look around for Madaline, she heard her voice.    

“Are you awake or do you need to sleep more?”    

“You’re using the common language with me. It’s always strange when you do that. Is something wrong?”    

“Always? I thought since you were a mortal, it was better this way. You may not know this but using the fae language is taxing on young mortals.”    

“That must explain the countless nosebleeds I got while learning it.”    

“You are mistaken. Fae language cannot be learnt. It is written down in mortal books, yes, but it is a horrid, inaccurate translation. Natural talent and blessing from the gods is required to be able to speak the language.”    

“Oh. No wonder you were surprised when I said I was able to learn the language. Well, I have rested enough.”    

“Let’s be grateful for that. I think you have frightened me more than enough with your abrupt sleeping and waking. I thought you were going to fall into the chasm below, sleepwalking around my bed.”    

Natalia laughed awkwardly, peeking below. If she truly did fell, she might be going for another life, where she might wake up not even being conceived.    

“So, what is it you came to tell me?”    

Natalia sighed and stated narrating both lives to Madaline. As she listened, Madaline couldn’t help the tears falling from her eyes. To think one person had suffered that much in two lives, it was too much, even if it was destiny.    

“I understand. You go ahead to save the person you want to save. I will reach out to the werecreatures and gather them in the forest.”    

“Wouldn’t that put you and the fairies in danger?”    

“My fairies aren’t as weak as they appear to be. Just a few of them would be able to lead them here to Aldie’s Hollow. Harboring all the werecreatures here might be a little hard as some of them might be imperial spies but as a god, inspiring belief wouldn’t be so hard. I just happen to know one of the great spirits, Sylph, personally. I can easily deal with that.”    

“If you say so, then I believe you. I will leave this in your hands.”    

Meeting Madaline was relieving for Natalia. Always having someone to depend on, she had come to learn in both lives, was extremely important. Madaline was someone she could trust with her life and she was glad she was able to be with her again in this life.    

“The Grand Duke died because he was bombarded by the Imperial army. However, I think the King had something to do with his death. If I’m correct about the date, there’s still a month before he is proclaimed dead. I’ll have to constantly be on the lookout until he safely reaches the Castle on the Edge. But a child cannot remain on the battlefield.”    

“You’re right. I will tell Leilin to send a fae to keep a constant eye on him. If his life is ever threatened, then you would be able to save him.”    

“I will thank you in advance then. Since that is settled, my next destination is the northern part of the Empire.”    

“Why do you want to travel that far, especially since both the Empire and your kingdom are at war?”    

“My grandmother lives there. If I can convince her to take my mother back and take care of her, perhaps in this life, I can save my mother.”    

“You’re constantly thinking of saving everyone. You may have lived two lives but now, you’re still a child. You need to eat and rest. The journey is still far too long and we cannot have you exhausting yourself before you get halfway, okay?”    

“Okay.”