The Duke's Unwanted Wife

“Why? They’re the ones who wanted to destroy your mines. Why should I save them? No, I’ll send their decomposing bodies as a warning to their families.”    

“Please, your grace……”    

“They trespassed MY land and attempted to attack MY people and I’m not supposed to take that as a declaration of war? Letting them slowly die is already mercy. I refuse to show mercy to those rude enough to ignore my authority.”    

“Your grace, I know they have offended you. But we will not be the reason your grace has to fight against the kingdom. Please, your grace, we plead for mercy,” they cried, falling on their knees. Natalia could see their sincerity and knew they were doing this for her.    

“Fine, I won’t let them die. However, they will not have their legs either.”    

“Thank you, your grace! Thank you!”    

She got them out with a snap of a finger. Their legs resembled twigs, unable to keep their weight up. One of them sauntered up to her and pointed an accusing finger at her face.    

“How….how dare you?!”    

She glared at the finger and it ignited spontaneously, causing the man to scream. He couldn’t put it out no matter how much he tried and watched his finger burn to a crisp.    

“I can kill you with a single thought. You’ll have to address me with much more respect, okay? Or do I need to break your arms too?”    

“No! No! Please! I beg you!”    

“Speak. Who is your master?”    

“I am a vassal of the Aubray family. I was just following instructions.”    

“How interesting. Your family openly defies the Queen’s instruction and trespasses the land of a Duchess. I will make sure to take that up with her. But I’m quite tired of seeing your faces now. Goodbye.”    

She snapped her finger again and they were gone. She turned to the miners who were still on their knees.    

“Why do you look like I’m about to execute you?”    

“We defied you and have dishonored your authority, your grace. Please punish us as you see fit.”    

“Well…it is annoying if you keep interfering in my decision so I’ll let it go just this once. I will tolerate no more exceptions. Am I understood?”    

“Yes, your grace! Thank you, your grace!”    

She left the same way she arrived and they discovered that the supposed threat in the mountain mines were gone so they could work again. They thanked her again even though she couldn’t hear them again and went back to work.    

She returned to the castle and Sebastian was waiting for her. She took off her coat and hung it on his arms as she walked into the castle.    

“Have you suddenly become a doting husband and have come to reprimand me for walking out on your wife?”    

“How clever. I’m here to ask you how it went. Your hair is damp.”    

“Is that so? The mountains were as cold as ever and don’t worry, I handled it my way.”    

“What exactly does that mean?”    

“I left their legs useless for daring to trespass my land. Do you know of an Aubray family?”    

“That’s a bit kinder than what I’m used to you doing. You, what changed?”    

“You’re just stupid. Tell me about this family. I want their rank, assets and the extent of their influence.”    

“The Aubray family? They’re the biggest exporters of Mythril in the kingdom. They’re quite influential in the kingdom’s high nobility and since they’re the biggest exporter, their assets are bountiful. Each family member occupies a significant place in each ministry and so, no one dares to mess with them.”    

“I see. They’re probably going to start sending me threats and coerce me because of what I’ve done. Too bad for them though, it is quite hard to defeat me, so I’ve heard.”    

“What do you want me to do?”    

“Use your influence, Prince Consort. I will take this matter to the Queen but she must do well to defend me because she authorized this monopoly.”    

“I will do as you say, ma’am. Now can you talk to Temara? She’s panicking and overreacting even after I told her that you weren’t angry at her.”    

“Who said I wasn’t?” Natalia asked as she opened the door to her office. The pile of documents seemed to be higher than she remembered. She sighed, taking her seat.    

“You were!? I had no clue. Okay, I’ll handle that. You look like you need all the help and time you can get. I’ll be back soon, okay?”    

“Please, take your time.”    

He rolled his eyes and left. As she sorted through the documents, she began to find the insignia of the Aubray family on various documents, official or unofficial. Like a twist of fate, the head of the Aubray family was the minister of rites, the first person to oppose Natalia. It would take a complicated plan to offset such a deep rooted influence but it wasn’t exactly impossible. She just had to do it while not looking like a traitor. What a funny challenge!    

“I am not flying.”    

“Why not? It’s not hard to do.”    

“You seem to have forgotten that I am not a bird and I do not possess the facilities needed for flight. I can only jump very high and very well.”    

“Isn’t that flight?”    

“Aren’t you the most informed person on what flight is? You are quite literally a bird!”    

“I am not a bird. I am a werephoenix. I do not identify as those puny creatures.”    

“So prideful for something with wings and tiny legs,” Marvis mumbled resentfully. The two were stuck at an impasse once more, an occurrence more common than should be when they were supposed to be working together.    

“Well, if you cannot fly, how would we make it to the capital?”    

“I thought you had a brilliant plan that was supposed to work that out. This is why I was flatly against it at the beginning. It’s too risky to just wing it. I’m not an eternal phoenix that just can’t die.”    

“Somehow, that sounds offensive. Ugh, you leave me no choice. I’ll do it.”    

“Do what?”    

“Do this!”    

Before Marvis could respond, he was soaring through the skies hung upside down by a giant green bird.    

“AAAGGGGHHHHH! AMAIKA! WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE GODS ARE YOU DOING?!”    

(I’m taking you to the capital!)    

“Are you foolish?! We can’t just enter the capital however we like!”    

(I am unable to die, Marvis. It’s painful but I won’t die. You, however, in the split second you get to jump down, I want you to fly like a bird)    

“Have you gone mad?! This isn’t worth it, Amika! Let’s just turn back and go back to Lia. Even if you cannot die, just the simple fact that it is painful is enough. I will not watch another one of my kind go through mindless pain!”    

(Listen to me, MARVIS! My pain is nothing compared to theirs. I will leave a piece of me with you alongside the dragon pendant. You must make it to the ancestral grounds unscathed so you can release the dragon. The piece of me with you will make sure I reincarnate by your side. This is our one and only chance!)    

“I don’t want to do this! I……can’t! Please don’t make me do this.”    

(This is exactly why I don’t like you! Ugh, I’m doing it either way. Make the jump and fly like a damn bird! I’m going to drop you directly above the ancestral grounds)    

Marvis clenched his teeth and accepted his fate. Amaika was very stubborn and would do whatever they wanted. He just got ready to be dropped. When he finally caught a glimpse of the capital, he could finally see why the capital city of the Empire was described as the most beautiful city on the continent.    

Marvis almost lost his mind when Amaika let go. He let his instincts take over and he half transformed in the sky, gliding in the sky. He almost resembled a bird for a few moments until he began losing altitude. His body was strangely drawn to a part of the large expanse of land and he followed his instincts, hoping to ignore the fact that there was a bright blinding light behind him which was surely an effect of the werephoenix forfeiting their life.    

He caught on a tree and fell securely to the ground by jumping from branch to branch until he reached the ground. He tumbled over and stopped right in front of a large crypt with two bronze werecreature guardian statues. They were so lifelike that it felt like they were going to attack immediately if he took one more foot forward.    

He raised his nose to sniff and could actually smell some humans coming closer. Taking the dragon pendant out of where he stored it, he applied pressure to crush it, immediately throwing it away from his body.