(Font Italics: in Sophie's P.O.V)
I wanted to decline this dinner invitation because I didn't want to see the Grand Duke and his side of the family, the Griffith Clan. It was a Griffith clan dinner and he summoned me for the first time. I wouldn't say I liked his side of the family. They were against our marriage and they wanted the Grand Duke to marry this lady named Cecilia. Lady Cecilia was the daughter of the Griffith's family friend. They were complimenting Lady Cecilia with high regard so that she could marry the Grand Duke, but the Grand Duke chose me. They investigated me and discovered that it was a contractual marriage. At first, they were strongly against it but didn't have a choice. They didn't spread it to the public for they knew it would take a toll on their reputation. So they just reprimanded the Grand Duke, pushed Cecilia to be the Grand Duchess, and made me a concubine. But the Grand Duke declined their request, they didn't have enough power to go against him for they were afraid of him. And they know what he's capable of.
I arrived at the dining hall and my vision was quite a blur from crying. Mary helped me fix myself and made my face decent enough. When I entered the hall, all their eyes looked at me. The Grand Duke assigned me a seat next to him and there I sat beside him. I didn't look at him nor give a greeting. I just sat there and took the utensils. All of them just continued their conversations, as I forced myself to eat.
"Such impolite woman didn't even dare to greet us." I heard one of the Elders whisper to his husband, but I know she deliberately made it clear for me to hear since I was just a seat away from them.
The Grand Duke heard it but he didn't bother. I stared at my plate and listened to their conversation. They were talking about problems in their territory and a few stories about their families. They didn't dare to talk to me and of course, it's nothing surprising. They always treated me like an outcast. I eagerly wanted to finish my food fast so that I could leave, but my appetite betrayed me. I didn't want to eat anymore. I feel nauseous and tired. I just want this day to end.
"You know, I just realized that this is the first time we ever had dinner together, with the family," he said.
My eyes slightly widened when the Grand Duke initiated a conversation with me. I looked at him and gave him a fake smile.
"It's good that you finally realized it, Your Grace. Perhaps you also realized that this is the first time we have had dinner since we married." I said in a sarcastic tone.
"Did we not have dinner before?"
"I certainly don't remember that we had."
"You must be mistaken, we certainly did." he insisted.
"You're right, perhaps my memory deceived me." I just gave it up. The Elders were listening to our conversation and were practically waiting to attack me verbally.
"Oh dear, it seems the Grand Duchess is at the brink of her sanity. She's slowly forgetting things." A snide remark from the Grand Duke's Uncle, who was now a Baron, was Baron Cohen.
With his remark, some of the Elders giggled and even agreed with him. I gripped my spoon so hard that it could bend at any moment.
"Is it almost 2 years? It's almost 2 years since we got married, right?" The Grand Duke shifted the topic and continued to talk with me.
"Yes, it is. Our second anniversary will be in a month." I answered briefly.
The elder of the Griffith Family, Elder Therese, looked at me discreetly and then asked; "Isn't it part of your agreement that you should at least have an heir by now? Have you considered giving us an heir, Grand Duchess? Two years should be enough time to stop lurking in your bed."
"Indeed, Grand Duchess. Look at the state of you, you look so thin. Can you even bear an heir with that body?" the daughter of Elder Therese, Baroness Ruby, said with a smirk on her face. The Grand Duke didn't defend me or even scold them. They all agreed and even said some comments but I didn't bother answering them.
I've had enough of them. I stood up and slammed my table napkin on the table. All their eyes looked at me, some were stunned, some were confused and some were slightly angry. However, the Grand Duke was looking at me with concern. That was the first time I saw him look at me like that but if it was the old me, I could've been happy. I could've been happy that he showed concern.
"I'll take my leave, Grand Duke. I don't think my company here is needed anymore." I said to him and then left. I heard some commotion after I closed the door behind me but I didn't care anymore.
I was heading back to my room when suddenly someone grabbed my arm. It was the Grand Duke. I shoved his hands away and looked at him angrily. He's the last man that I wanted to see right now.
"Why did you just leave like that? You do know that your reputation between the Elders isn't in your favor right now. You're being disrespectful, Grand Duchess." He said irritated.
"They disrespected me first! Why should I even want to gain their favor when in the first place they never liked me!" I yelled, the Grand Duke was kind of stunned because I never raised my voice at him. Back then even if he reprimanded me, I never yelled at him nor even fought back. This was the first.
"Why are you being like this? Did something happen while I was gone?" He asked.
"I have a question, Your Grace. Did you receive my letters and request for an audience with you?"
He was a bit confused about my question but managed to answer me.
"I did, but what is its relevance?"
"Did you even respond to all of it? Or did you even read it?"
"No, I didn't. I was busy on the battlefield and preoccupied with the paperwork at the Royal Palace."
"Pardon me, Your Grace but this is quite relevant to me. First of all, we may be married for political and contractual purposes but I fulfilled my duties as the Grand Duchess. A few months ago, we had conceived an heir."
His eyes widened and was slightly excited, but it all faded when I continued; "But due to your negligence to your wife and to these people that you entrusted your wife with, it leads to me losing OUR CHILD."
"What?"
"I do not know what or why these people have it against me, but due to their maltreatment, I lost a child that could be a year old by now. I didn't even get to know what gender might the baby be but I know that child would've been beautiful. And yet here you are saying these things to me as if I am too irrelevant to you and ordering me for an heir like it's easy."
"You lose our child? When did this happen? Is this why you're refusing to eat and take care of yourself?"
"I lost the baby a few months after I knew about it."
He was now angry and raised his voice at me; "Why didn't you tell me beforehand? You should've told me about it."
"I DID!" I snapped.
"I did it several times, Your Grace!" I paused for a moment and gripped my fist too tight that I could feel my nails. I was restraining myself from slapping him and blaming it all on him. It was his fault. It was never mine, it was ALL HIM.
"I've sent letters and ordered those maids to call you but you never responded. I asked for help several times, Your Grace. But what did you do? I lost my child because of you! If you just took a little time to listen to me, I would've saved my baby." I cried. I couldn't hold back my tears anymore. It was hard for me to control it.
"I didn't know you were pregnant. If only I did I could've - -" His gaze softened and tried to touch me but I took a step back to avoid it.
"Could've what? Stop it?" I scoffed at that thought.
I pushed back my hair from my forehead and I sighed deeply before I could answer again; "From the moment I stood in this castle, you knew I was being maltreated! You knew I was being bullied, but why didn't you do anything?! Was it because we were just married out of contract and thought that I wasn't significant enough to have your attention?"
"No, it isn't like that. I was waiting for a shred of evidence that could be used against them. They are not easy to dispose of, they've been here in the duchy since before I was born."
"Waiting? Seriously, Your Grace. When it comes to me, you never put your priority. You always say that you wait. What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for me to die? Is that what you want? Are you waiting for me to get killed and then marry that woman you're supposed to marry?"
"No, listen to me for a moment, Sophia! You're being hysterical. This isn't always about you!"
I slapped my hand to his face and a loud slap echoed through the hall.
"NO! I WILL NOT LISTEN TO YOU ANY LONGER. YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME! It is time that you will listen to me!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. Because of the commotion, the maids from afar came running towards us to witness our argument, and some guards were joined too. There was also Sir Albert running towards us from a distance.
"I have always listened to you. I have listened to your orders and I did it in respect of you because you saved my lineage. But I have been asking for help and wanting to tell you all the things that they've done to me. I wanted you to punish them and set me free from this hell. I thought that you were there for me because I thought you were a kind person who could never turn a blind eye to someone who's suffering. But then, you didn't care for me. I've waited for you for almost two years and then you're just going to tell me to wait? What did that waiting do, Your Grace?" I urged him to answer me, but he just looked at me with a sad look on his face. It was the first time that I saw him looking at me like that. His golden eyes which were once vibrant and glowing, were now dull colored. As if its brilliance lost its light, his eyes wane as if it shows how sad he was to learn about the death of our child. But I look those eyes with hatred and disdain, it took him almost 2 years just to realize his mistake. Whenever I see his face, all I can remember is his negligence and coldness towards me. Nothing more, nothing less. My heart is now numb from the pain they've inflicted. I don't feel love and joy from him anymore. All of my feelings for him died when I lost my child.
"Forgive me, Sophia. I didn't know." he knelt in front of me and held my hand. I closed my eyes and tears continued to fall. I shook my head and gently removed his hands from mine. I bowed and leveled myself to him just to whisper to his ears.
"Too late, Your Grace. Our child is gone."
I left him there and Sir Albert ran towards him just to help him stand up. I turned my back on them and returned to my room and never opened it for a few days.
I woke up sweating and breathing hard. It was Sophie's memory that got me breathing hard like this. As if I had been in a slumber for years, I realized that every memory that I unlocked was draining my mana from my body. My throat was so dry as if there was sand on it. I was very thirsty and I could even feel my lips dry from dehydration. I saw a jar of water, took it from my bedside, and gulped it in one go. After I drank all of it, I nearly threw the jar when I saw the Grand Duke sitting beside my bed. My eyes widened and I looked at him angrily. His golden eyes glistened as he looked at me in surprise.
"Don't scare me like that, Your Grace!" I told him.
"I should be the one telling you that," he said with an irritated tone of voice. His eyes have dark circles as if he wasn't sleeping for days. Then it hit me and immediately asked him, "How many days did I fall asleep?"
"Two days straight, since the dinner," he said. I couldn't believe what he said. Two days? That one measly memory took me two days to see it? What in the world?
"I thought you were in a coma again. I was- - I was afraid that you wouldn't wake up, so I stayed beside you and constantly checked if you were breathing," he said looking at me with such concern like in Sophie's memories.
I couldn't believe my eyes. The Grand Duke showed concern towards his wife. What's gotten into him?
"I'm fine now, Your Grace. You don't need to worry, besides I never asked you to." I said with a smile.
He was about to say something, but he was interrupted by a knock on my door. It was Doctor Dom.
"Your Grace, may I have a word with you?" Doctor Dom said after he knocked on my door.
The Grand Duke sighed and stood up, he went out of my room and talked with him. As he exited, Mary came into my room and was looking at me with teary eyes.
"Your Grace, I'm so glad you're finally awake. We were so worried about you! The Grand Duke hasn't been sleeping since you didn't wake up." she said.
"Really? That's something new." I scoffed.
Mary looked at me like I just said something terrible, she shakes her head and said; "You know, this isn't the first time he did this, Your Grace."
"What do you mean by that?"
"When you were in a coma, he was always staying here in your room. He guards you day and night and can't sleep from watching you. Sir Albert almost cried and carried him to his bed because he had been neglecting his health for months. He also took care of you, whenever he had the time. He wouldn't leave your side during those days. It was hard seeing him like that. It was as if guilt was eating him away."
I didn't answer for I was also surprised to hear that. Does this mean he was guilty for what he'd done before? I couldn't shake the feeling of accepting his forgiveness even though I knew it wasn't mine to decide. But now I am Sophie, is it right for me though to do it? I should've asked Sophie's consciousness about this when I saw her again.
Minutes later, the Grand Duke arrived with Doctor Dom and both of them looked at me with concerned faces. They were all looking at me like I was about to die from a terminal illness. Wait, what if I was going to die due to a terminal illness? Does Sophie has it?!
With that thought, I waited for Doctor Dom to tell me about my condition. He sighed before he spoke; "Your Grace, we need you to visit the Arch Tower and replenish your mana."
I blinked and asked; "Am I going to die?"
They all looked at each other and then at me; "Goodness no, Your Grace. What made you think of that?" Doctor Dom said.
I sighed in relief and Doctor Dom continued to explain to me about my condition. It was all about magic or mana that needed to be replenished only in the Arch Tower. The Grand Duke already arranged the journey for us to go there by tomorrow and all I could ever do was just nod and smile. I have no freaking clue what they were talking about. Moments later, Mary and Doctor Dom all left my room and it was only me and the Grand Duke alone.
He just stood there a few feet away from me and was just reading some papers that Doctor Dom had given him. I looked at him and inspected his looks. He is indeed a beautiful being that I just wished we met in a whole different scenario. His long silver hair was tied in a ponytail and his eyes were still glistening like some kind of jewel. He caught me staring at him and then I was flustered to the point that I said something out of the blue.
"I want a divorce, Your Grace."
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