The Duke's Unwanted Wife

“I can. I’m still recovering my magic but quarter is enough to teleport.”    

“I’m stil worried. You’re so tiny, you may fall apart.”    

“I am fine, Madaline. If you’re so worried, send a fairy with me, preferrably Cheese. I know she’ll love my hair.”    

“It still surprises me how much you know about my fairies. Cheese sleeps a lot and cannot control her strength when she activates it. Is that fine?”    

“Yes, it is. I can handle it.”    

Madaline summoned the fairy and it appeared in her hair almost immediately. Natalia chuckled while Madaline just watched, mildly surprised. She didn’t understand the fairy’s fascination with her hair but it wasn’t like it bothered her. The clothes Madaline gave her were comfortable, made from materials she was sure existed only in ancient times.    

Natalia snapped her fingers and teleported. She appeared in front of huge gates she saw the last time she visited the manor of the Hazel Family. She was stopped by the guards and one came down to see her. She could see he was condering sending her back home.    

“What can we do for you, miss?”    

“I am Natalia Adamantine, the granddaughter of Dame Violet. I have come to see my granddmother.”    

“Young lady, do you know it’s a serious offence to impersonate a noble?”    

“I know it is. That’s why I brought this to defend my claim,” she said, raising an adamantine medallion she asked a fairy steal from Sebastian. At this point in her life, she had not yet received a medallion. She only received one after getting engaged to Fredrich.    

The guard took the medallion, and told another to send it to the main house. The guard took her into the guard station that was close to the gate, offering her snacks while she waited. While it was embarrassing to take snacks at her age, she was already feeling hungry. The small body was a little too much for her to handle. While munching on the snacks, the guard that went in came back with the head butler of the Hazel Family.    

“Lady Natalia, the family head has asked me to escort you to the main house. Please, follow me.”    

She stood up and thanked the guards for the snacks. While she walked away with the head butler, she heard them talking about how cute she was. She only look like a child because of malnutrition so being called cute was less of a compliment and more of an insult.    

“How did you make the journey all the way here on your own, my lady?”    

“I didn’t. I had some help. I already showed you the medallion but if you doubt me, then you can go ahead and send me back.”    

“I don’t doubt your identity. After all, I was the one who took care of your mother when she was younger and you look exactly like her. Although, I’ll have to wonder why a young child like you didn’t make a fuss and you aren’t curious about the property.”    

“I don’t have the luxury of curiousity. Please take me to Dame Violet.”    

“Yes, my lady.”    

They made it inside the main house and the servants watched curiously as they walked to the drawing room where the Dame was waiting. Seeing the walls larger than she wanted them to be, she was only annoyed further. The head butler opened the door and she walked in, seeing the woman seated on the couch with a cup in hand. She was younger than she remembered.    

“I was wondering if it was true that my granddaughter really did come to see me. I can’t believe my eyes.”    

“Hello, Grandmother. I’m Natalia Adamantine.”    

“I can see. You remind me of my daughter so much. How is she?”    

“My mother has been suffering for the past nine years because she gave birth to me with her frail body. And I’ve been locked in the basement of my family mansion since I came of age to use magic. Since Grandmother decided to abandon us, I have come to challenge you.”    

“You are a brave one, child. It’s hard to believe you are 9 years old with how small you are. I thought that man would at least take care of his children but I was wrong about that as well. This old woman will take responsibility for her mistakes. What do you want from me, young one?”    

“First, I want you to take my mother back and treat her with the best healers. Second, you have to rescind the order that prevents the Hazel family from communicating with my mother. Third, now that the Empire and Ducroft are at war, the agreement between you and his majesty can be considered void. I want the Hazel family to support I and my brother openly, of course, that includes support from the Merchant Association.”    

“How did you know about the Merchant Association, Natalia?”    

“I know so many things, especially the location of the vault whose keys you currently have. If you don’t answer my requests, I am going to reveal the location of the vault to every single kingdom. That would put the Merchant Association in danger, no?”    

“You…how did you become so cunning? And how could you possibly know the location of the vault if you have never left your home before?”    

“I figured it out all on my own. The Vault is on North Pawal Island, right?”    

Dame Violet and the head butler looked at each other with surprise and panic.    

“I will do as you ask. Just please don’t do anything that dangerous. Head Butler, please prepare a suitable room for my granddaughter. Call me the head of the knights when you are done.”    

“Yes, your grace!”    

Back in the Adamantine household, a frail woman held upright by a mature looking boy with fierce eyes walked to where Natalia was held as a child. Arriving there, they immediately saw the hole. Sebastian noticed the bloody footprint while his mother almost cried from the stench.    

“Natalia! Natalia, it’s mommy! Where are you baby?”    

“Don’t yell, mother. You might faint again. I’ll tell father than she has escaped.”    

“You have to find your sister, Sebastian. If she dies, I can never forgive myself.”    

“Why do you care so much about her? She’s the reason you’re like this. She’s the reason father married that wench. Isn’t it better if she’s dead?”    

“That child has no fault. Because of me, she was locked in here and had to suffer for so long. Because I was not strong, she was taken away from me. Your sister is a victim of your father just like you and I. She’s always been so afraid to call me mommy but she said it recently. Now, she’s gone…” she burst into tears, collapsing on the ground. Sebastian kneeled in front of her, awkwardly trying to comfort her. The food they brought was long forgotten. They stayed there for most of the day, waiting and hoping she would come back.    

When she didn’t, their mother began to weep again. Sebastian could see she was running a fever but there was nothing he could do but escort her back and call a physician. She collapsed by the doors of the mansion and was carried in by the nearby footman.    

Sebastian ran to call a physician in the dead of the night, falling over several times when he failed to look where he was going. Eventually he found one and brought him back to the property to treat his mother.    

“I have done everything to stabilize her but I cannot do more. The lady will live through the night but I cannot say about beyond that.”    

“Mother…”    

“I have left some tonic recommendations to the servants. I will be coming back to check on her in two days.”    

When the physician left, Sebastian wanted to spend the night by his mother’s side but was dragged out to prevent him from catching anything. Even though his mother suffered so much, his father didn’t come to see her once. The hate he held for the man in his heart grew. Thankfully, her condition stabilized over the night but she didn’t have any strength to rise.    

“Mother…”    

“My dear son, look at your eyes. You aren’t sleeping and eating well. Mother will worry for you if you keep acting like this. Stay strong for me, okay?”    

“You…You can’t die, okay? You can’t leave me, mother, okay?” He shakily said, holding her frail hand.    

“Mother won’t leave you, my love. I’m going to be there to see you get married and carry your children. So don’t worry about me and grow well, okay?”    

After spending the day with his mother and neglecting his lessons, his father finally had enough. He came into the room, his rage halting when he saw his frail wife smiling at his son. She had never smiled at him before and even on the occasions they were intimate, she never gave anything more than a straight, somewhat cold look.    

“Go with your father, my love. Mother will remain here, praying that the gods brings my daughter back.”    

“What do you mean?” He finally spoke. None of them answered them, Sebastian walking past him to the hallway.