The Duke
Stirring from her slumber, Gwyneth did not expect to wake up to a sunflower and a carefully sealed letter resting beside her head.
She felt grateful that she had woken up earlier than her handmaids. If they saw these strange gestures, what would they think of her?
Placing the flower and the letter on her laps, she sat on the edge of the bed staring at them with both curiosity and fear.
How did they get here?
She took hold of the letter, tilting her head. "Hmmmm..."
Maybe this was a letter from the man she was supposed to meet today?
She was reluctant to open it. She refused to let herself be the reason behind the death of another man. She did not want to have to go through the pain of losing her husband again.
She knew it would happen again.
Why?
Her sister, her parents, every person in that ballroom. Their deaths confirmed that the entity had not abandoned her. He had an existence. And he had a name!
Taking a deep breath, she opened the letter and took off the seal.
'A woman of pure heart, a woman of immortal heart. My woman, my Sunshine.
My feelings are rigid. Deep, dark, deadly. They transcend beyond the realm of mere obsession. I long for your soul, your heart, your body. The entirety of your existence.
I alone, and no one else, am to taint you. And as long as you continue to disobey me, blood will fall on your hands again and again.
Remember that.
Sirius.'
Gwyneth threw the letter to the floor, swallowing in terror. "This—what is this?!"
Her mind was racing, her chest heaving violently with fear.
She was not sure if those words were a warning or not, but anxiety was pounding through her body nonstop.
She had never received such a gesture in her previous life. And he never existed so clearly or revealed his face like he did now.
He was with the vampires....
She had only heard vague rumors about vampires in her previous life. With the exception of trade and other resources that fueled the Kingdom, her small home was cut off from the outside world.
Come to think of it, her home. In her present life, she had never heard anyone mention it. Her father also owned every document pertaining to human civilisations but there was no sign....
Wait!
They were half-mages.
Straining her hand around the flower, Gwyneth forced herself to stand.
She was still reeling from the message.
She also desired to get rid of her curiosity about her previous life.
After all, they murdered her. As a result, she bore no concern for them.
"Your Highness!" Her handmaids all called at once, opening the door.
Gwyneth stole the letter with lightning speed and hid it behind her back.
Her handmaids noticed her quick movements, but they still smiled back at her as she smiled at them.
"Good morning, Your Highness." They bowed to her.
"Good morning." Gwyneth whispered awkwardly.
"His Majesty has given us the order to get you ready for today. You are to meet the Duke of Willmore."
Gwyneth's eyes grew wide. She was seeing such a distinguished man? "No. I will not go." Without hesitation, she declined.
Her prompt rejection surprised her handmaids. They had frequently assisted in pursuing the men who approached her to ask for her hand in marriage. However, things were different this time. This time, it was King Elias who was determined to get her married. And it was a close friend of his.
"Your Highness, if we do not get you ready, we are going to be in big trouble. Our time is limited to an hour."
Gwyneth gritted her teeth. Of course, Elias had threatened them.
"Aside from terminating you from your jobs, what else did he say to you?" She knew there was more to it than that, so she asked.
Her handmaids lowered their heads in terror. "He is going to harm our families."
Gwyneth's gaze quivered. She moved to her shelf and nestled the letter and flower in between the neatly lined books on it.
Her midnight blue eyes flickered slowly as she turned back to her handmaids.
Why was Elias so fixated on getting her married? Yes, rumors circulated about her, but they had no effect on the king!
She needed to focus on more pressing matters, like finding Gerald's body, which he had never seen fit to discuss.
Without further consideration, she let her handmaids get her ready for the day. And, their silence throughout their treatment revealed that Elias had done more than just threaten them.
They cloaked her in a blood-red gown with iridescent crystals adorning the hem and the edges of the garment.
Gazing at her own reflection, she experienced a sense of beauty. She was stunning. But that was the only thing about her that people saw and decided to take advantage of.
She was not going to meet her demise as she had in her previous life. This was going to be different! And she was going to chase this man away, just like she always did!
Her handmaids guided her to the dining room, where she ate breakfast alone and quietly.
She ordered them away, feeling a twinge of guilt because she could sense their fear.
When she was finished, she went for a solo stroll through her sunflower garden. And watered them all by herself, taking her sweet time.
When she was five years old, she had planted them with her uncle Gerald. Whenever they decided to blossom, they always passed away mysteriously. And because she was always hoping to see them bloom, she replanted them without getting bored.
Finally, on the night of her eighteenth birthday, they bloomed, and it was remarkably strange because they bloomed not in the sunlight, but under the moonlight.
They flourished in the shadows.
Darkness.
After watering them all, she headed straight for the library, where she saw her beloved brother waiting for her at the door.
"Brother," she said, bowing courteously. While he gave a nod.
"What are you doing?" He questioned, raising his brow.
"This is where I come to read books. What else is there for me to do at a library?" She asked, her face neutral, her voice stern.
Elias frowned at these words. "Your Handmaids..."
"I sent them away." She interjected. "Elias. You can not force me to get married."
Elias sneered. "Do you believe I am here to argue with you? Your marriage is not your decision to make. I will ruin your life if you disobey me."
Having had enough of his meaningless threats, "Where is Uncle Gerald's body?"
Elias clamped his lips shut. His eyes widening a bit.
"Are you keeping a secret from me?" grinned Gwyneth.
Madame Danna was even buried with dignity after her body was discovered. All the bodies were discovered, with the exception of her uncle.
"Is getting married and forcing me to leave Descaera primarily motivated by his disappearance? I will not go. Above all, not through marriage."
"You talk too much for a princess." Suddenly, from behind her, came the sound of an unfamiliar voice, growling with disgust.
Gwyneth tensed up, but forced herself to look at the dapper man. He was about the same height with Elias, fierce brown eyes, and a smile that was dancing on his lips despite his harsh tone.
"Who are you to tell me that?" Gwyneth asked, her eyes blazing with a deep sense of offense.
"Gwyneth!" exclaimed Elias.
"Do not scream at me!" Gwyneth retaliated, giving him a furious glare. "Do you want to trample over me? Pity. You can't, and you never will."
Elias clenched his jaw in fury. Extremely insulted by her boldness. "You think I am beneath you?"
As he asked that question, Gwyneth's gaze was drawn to his locked fists. It was obvious he wanted to do more than scream at her, but he couldn't.
Why was that?
"She really is as gorgeous as they say. She looks nothing like you." Once more, the unknown man spoke. This time, his tone brimming with praise.
It was almost as if, unlike Elias, he found her remarks humorous rather than offensive.
Elias took a long breath. He turned to look at the man. "I am sorry for my sister's behavior, Albert."
Gwyneth was astounded by his calm demeanor. She returned her attention to the man named Albert. He greeted her with a bright smile. Not one of those creepy smiles that...
She cleared her mind. "Who are you?"
As though he was the one she had asked, Elias answered, "This is Duke Albert of Willmore. The man you will marry."