The Duke's Unwanted Wife

“....I…don’t know. It scared me to see you like that. Everytime I look at you, it feels like you would just disappear. It’s worrisome.”    

“I understand your hesitation. While I can't promise you that nothing like this won't happen again, I can tell you I'm not as fragile as you think. It took a few months for the basilisk's poison to break my body down at least. How long does even the smallest bit of Basilisk's poison kill someone?”    

Marvis didn't answer the question. He was just relieved she was still alive. It was entirely out of her control, fainting like that but he couldn't help getting worried too. She seemed very calm about it but he knew it wasn't normal to be like that. She was used to suffering and knew how to recover from it.    

An unmistakable metallic scent filled the air. It came from the person on the bed who was looking down at her body with shock. Alarmed, Marvis scrambled to her side. She raised her hand to hold him back, an embarrassed expression on her face.    

"It's….my monthly flow. I was worried since it didn't come but this is quite normal, I can assure you," she explained, looking anywhere but his face. He immediately ran out of the room and called the first female servant he saw. Once he explained the situation to her, she gathered other servants and went to attend to Natalia. As he walked back, he ran into Sebastian and Amaika walking in the direction of her room.    

"You….can't go in right now."    

"Just because my sister considers you an ally doesn't mean you can order me around, Sir Jane. I meant it when I said if that happened again, I would not hesitate to take your head," Sebastian said coldly, glaring at Marvis.    

Sebastian wasn't a threat that could be ignored. Even though he was primarily a scholar, they could tell he was not someone who was frail in the physical department. Not only did he tower above almost everyone he was around, his magic potential was dangerous. He was only a little weaker than Fredrich which meant he was evenly matched with Marvis.    

"I'm not picking a fight. It's embarrassing but I can't remember what happens after I transform these days. However, she is currently experiencing her monthly flow and the servants are attending to her so…."    

"Oh," Sebastian calmed down almost immediately. Amaika stood silently by his side, almost like they weren't there at all. Marvis looked at them to acknowledge them. Werephoenixes were revered for their knowledge so it was a custom to respect them.    

"If that's so, then follow me. There are certain things we need to get."    

"Huh? Oh, please wait for me!"    

Marvis matched up with Sebastian's strides and they made their way outside the palace. Taking a carriage, they made their way into the capital town. Marvis couldn't possibly guess where they were gone but with how serious Sebastian looked, he couldn't possibly ask. The carriage dropped them in the marketplace according to Sebastian's instructions. Even the stubborn Amaika seemed to know where they were going.    

They stopped in front of a medicine store, entering it. The overpowering scent of herbs and spices made Marvis hesitant to enter. However, Amika entered without hesitation so Marvis braved it and entered the store. Amaika made a precise order and waited patiently for it to be brought. Once they were done, they came out and continued walking, heading straight for a cafe. This time, it was Sebastian who entered and ordered cakes and sweets, ignoring the curious ladies looking at all of them. They said several things that Marvis couldn't understand but from their faces, he could tell it wasn't polite in the least. It wasn't in a bad way but their flushed cheeks said more than he needed to know.    

Their next stop was a linen store. The both of them worked together to choose several fabrics and materials, making precise orders for what they wanted. They took their time but it was faster than he expected. Still, it wasn't their last stop. Their last stop was a boutique with the trendiest clothes he normally saw on the young ladies of Polivia. They entered the boutique without hesitation, ordering a private room and tea for the three of them.    

"Um….?"    

"Have you still not realized? We're obviously shopping for things for Natalia. She gets extremely unstable during this time of month so we appease her with everything she likes. We've picked everything else so you're going to choose a dress for her out of this catalogue," Sebastian scathingly said. It was ridiculously on the spot but Marvis couldn't say no. He took the catalogue, swallowing the tea in his mouth with a lot more spit.    

The dresses all looked the same with a few minor differences. He was entirely a novice when it came to Polivia's fashion or Natalia's preferences. She was a noble lady which meant it was significantly harder to do something as simple as picking a dress. He prayed to the spirits and picked one dress randomly. It was a turquoise short gown with embroidery patterns unique to Polivia. It had intricate details that the noble class definitely appreciated so he was on track.    

"Hmm, good for your first time," Sebastian complimented with obvious reluctance. He went ahead to choose other dresses and had them packed up. Marvis had been to Ducroft many times so he knew their society was male dominated. However, it was obvious that even though she was younger and a woman, Natalia was the more dominant sibling. Sebastian bent to her whims and would do anything to please her. Many saw their relationship as perverse but the werecreatures knew how normal this was because affection was something normal and even important in their society.    

They finally began making their way home. They found their carriage and boarded it, all the gifts they bought packed in the luggage compartment. They made it back to the palace without any incidents, heading straight to Natalia's room. They heard someone scream and they immediately rushed in.    

"I SAID that it won't go together! What else do you want me to explain?"    

"But my lady it….."    

"For the love of….have you no eyes?! How can you carelessly mix those colours together?! Have you thought about other applications?! These things are not meant to be overlooked!" Natalia screamed at the dressmaker. Princess Temara already beat them to it and was sitting beside the bed with an awkward expression.    

"What's going on here?" Sebastian intervened.    

"And what took you so long?!" Natalia turned her rage at him. He sighed, bringing the cakes he bought for her. The moment he brought them out, she simmered down almost immediately, accepting them with an arrogant expression. Her emotional fluctuations were a real problem that took experience to handle.    

"Look, whatever you want her opinion on can wait till tomorrow. You can obviously see she's not in the right state to be doing all of this," Sebastian said to the dressmaker. The man looked at the Princess for support but she also shook her head.    

"I had no idea you loved Almond cakes, Lady Natalia. I would've brought them for you as soon as I got my hands on some. It was quite a problem when you refused all our medicine and treats," the princess sighed.    

"I'll handle this, Princess. She's quite picky and irritable this time of the month. Even if you got her an Almond cake, she would definitely refuse it. It may sound weird but I prefer her like this. She's more honest and more expressive when she's like this so I finally get the opportunity to take care of her. Would you leave this to me, your highness?"    

"Of course. I'll be in my room if you need me," Princess Temara smiled, leaving the room. Marvis and Amaika followed her as she left.    

"Your highness, you don't have to be jealous of the both of them. I can assure you they are just siblings who love and protect one another," Amaika suddenly said.    

"Oh my, was I that obvious? It wasn't my intention. I just wish he would look at me that way. I guess it's a bit too much to ask."    

"Lord Sebastian isn't someone who freely expresses his emotions but I can assure you that you have a place in his heart. Whenever he does something, he always puts you into consideration. I don't know what you see as Love but to him, it isn't any different. I think you need to stop worrying too much about what he thinks about you. He may be intelligent but he's much too slow to matters like this. Don't you think it's embarrassing that at his age, how younger sister is choosing a wife for him?"    

Princess Temara burst into laughter. She covered her mouth in an attempt to hide it but it made her face light up as opposed to the polite smiles she was giving then.    

"Since you are his wife to be, he won't look at any other woman. You can't expect the love he has for his sister to be the same as the love he has for you, right?"    

"You're right. Thank you, Amaika. You always make me feel better."    

"Always a pleasure, your highness."