“What happened to my child?” the duchess roars as she enters Azura’s room.

“We are not sure yet, the tower informed us that they would send a suitable wizard to help. But she collapsed. after she returned with a gargoyle’s head.”

“Gargoyles weren’t those banished into the demon realm?” the duke questions.

“Can you get your priorities straight? Our daughter is unconscious with some unknown illness and all you are thinking about gargoyles.”

“Magnilda, I am as worried about Azura as you are.” The duke sighs.

“And you show that so proudly” the duchess mocks. “Rizontie gets those magicians here by morning.”

Magnilda Mae Neferpitou was always a levelheaded woman, when the duke announced their engagement, the North feels relieved as they never thought a rebellious man like the duke would even settle down with a woman so virtuous. But to her she had thought she had come second to that woman yet again, to marry her just to make his one true love jealous.

“What am I doing wrong Rizontie? Why does my wife look disappointed each time her eyes meet mine?”

“I am sure we will resolve this soon. Right now, let us  focus on helping Azura heal.”

___________________________________________________________________

“Your Majesty, how have you been?”

“I am disappointed in you, Sir Valen, I knew my father was a coward who could be swayed by a fool like Sir. Magellan. But you could have done better.”

“I apologize, Crown Prince; I could not go against the emperor. I am a mere sword to the throne.”

“This might demolish the little relationship we have with the north.”

“My son,”

“Don’t my son me, I am just settling in here and you have already destroyed the peace.”

“I apologize. Your mother was heartbroken that I did not think before acting.”

“Fine, let us talk to the duke and duchess and find a way to compensate them for this tragedy.” Sir Valen tried to resolve the argument.

“But Sir Valen, it would be hard to find the duke and duchess as they returned to their mansion after the report of their daughter collapsed.” A knight interrupted.

“What? What happened to gray eyes? Is she okay?”

“I have not been updated yet, though Sir Alisud was sent here to resolve the issue, they didn’t update us on her health,” the knight explained.

“Can I return to the mansion myself? I need to check if she is, okay?”

“Ah, it seems Your Majesty is fond of Lady Azura.”

He blushes red to Sir Valen’s words, fond of that rude girl as if.

“What? No, I am just indebted to her, since she is the one who saved me.”

They had talked to Alisud about what was to be done to compensate the north, but they had not decided on it yet. They had left some knights to help with the rebuilding of Brendina, while some imperial knights returned to the capital. The emperor and his sword along with the crown prince followed Alisud back to the mansion.

“Your Majesty, you returned?”

“Of course, I have returned Jalen, did you think I was going to go back home like this?”

“Oh, I just thought of his majesty, will return, since the culprit who sent him here has been caught. Ah, Sir Valen, it has been a while.”

“Jalen, you have grown. How have you been?”

“I have been well; it is great to see you again. I have also been appointed as his majesty’s assistant to his stay here.”

The familiarity between Jalen and Valen makes Kaldor puzzled. Kaldor had never seen Sir Valen close to anyone. who is younger than him, who is not him or his little brother.

“Ah, Jalen greets his majesty the emperor.”

“I heard you are my son’s assistance here in the north. I thank you for guiding him.”

“It is okay, your majesty, you need not to thank me.”

“Please allow me to show you to your rooms, your majesty, we will have another discussion when both the duke and duchess are present.”

“Um, Sir Alisud, can I see Lady Azura?”

“I apologize, your majesty, but Azura is a little uncomfortable having visitors when she is sick. I am sure she will see you after she recovers.”

“Is that so, then I suppose I will return to my room. Send her my regards.”

Kaldor could not sleep a wink that night, he could not stop his uneasiness over Azura’s unsolved health. A rude girl who can slay monsters at a youthful age but is unable to manage her own health.

“Huh, maybe I should just sneak in and see if she is okay.”

[Dumb idea indeed, but it is just a peak, no one would find out he cared enough to see if she was okay at night. Ugh, he does not know Azura’s room, he does not want to get lost in the mansion. But then again, it is just a peak. No one would know. Kaldor is not a coward who fears being scolded if he is caught. Let us see the rude girl.] (Kaldor’s thoughts.)

Maybe being a coward is something he should embrace it because he is now lost and is not as strong as the Knights in the north.

“What are you doing here?”

“Uh, her grace?”

“Your majesty, what are you doing near my daughter’s room?”

[Oh, he is not lost. That is good, but now he is face to face with the strongest knight in the north, which is worse than being lost.] (Kaldor’s thoughts.)

“I…. I heard that Lady Azura was not well, and I wanted to check on her.”

“Is that so? Azura is not fond of guests when she is unwell.”

“Oh,”

“But I am sure we can make an exception, follow me your majesty.”

“Thank you, your grace.”

Even when she is sick, she looks as graceful as ever, her silky hair, ah, it is the same as the duchess’s hair, though they are not carbon copies. It is clear where she gets her spirit and beauty from.

“Will she be okay?” the duchess's beautiful face always seemed to catch Kaldor by surprise.

“She will be alright. Azura is too stubborn to let an illness take her out.”

Kaldor could not help but blush at the duchess’s reassuring words, “Can I stay here a little longer?”

“You can, just don’t lose your way when you head back.”

“Alright.”

‘Why does it look like she is posing in her sleep?’ Kaldor thought. The duchess left a few seconds ago and he has been watching Azura sleep.

“You have a crush on my mom?”

He is startled by the healthy screaming Azura.

“Were you not asleep?” he stutters. “ Wait no, I do not have a crush on the duchess.”

“Oh, please, I could see how you looked at her.”

“That is because she looks like you” Kaldor replies, avoiding eye contact.

“Wait, does that mean you have a Crush on me? Oh, is that what people call masochist?”

“How do you know that word? It is not a word for a kid. And no, I absolutely do not have a crush on you. I can bet ten of my dragon scales on that” Kaldor screams, “Wait, ten is too much, maybe half of a dragon scale.”

“Please do not have a crush on me, it is bad to have someone as repulsive as your majesty to like you.”

“I do not like you. In fact, you repulse me as well. Your beautiful gray eyes are ugly. Huh, wait, I did not mean that.”

“Your majesty, did the battlefield traumatize you?”

“I just wanted to see if you were well. Now that you are well and being sassy, I will go back.” He watches as Azura laughed at him and continued to blush. ‘She is beautiful,’ he thought.

“Thank you for coming, your majesty, it was fun to wake up to your ridiculous blushing face.”

“Why were you pretending to sleep?”

“Well, I think my mother is disappointed in me, so I didn’t want to face her.”

“Why would your mother be disappointed?”

“You will never understand.”

“I would if you just told me, but I guess you do not want to.” Kaldor sighs at the sight. She sure is a complicated Girl, humans sure are fascinating creatures.

“So did you come here to see my beautiful ugly gray eyes?”

“Hey, I didn’t mean to say it like that, I mean ugly, ugly, you understand.” He continues to explain while Azura laughs at his misfortunes. “Can you stop laughing at the crown prince of the empire.”

“But your majesty is so cute when he flustered.”

“Cute, you think I am cute? Wait, no, that is not the point. I am not curious about what happens in your stupid head. I will leave before you say something stupid.”

He stomps off flushed red, ‘she thinks I am cute’ is all he could think of the whole night.

______________________________________________________________

“Ah, Magnilda, I was starting to wonder where you are.”

“Please save it Duke, I am not in the mood for your troubles.”

“But can’t I worry about my wife?”

“Just worry about your mistress and let me be.”

“What lover? Magnilda, why are you talking about this? Is it because I did not protect our daughter?”

“Hmph, I am going to sleep at the guest room tonight.”

“Did Belmar say something to you again? I told you not to let her get to you.”

“I did not bring Baroness O’Dea in this; you are the one who did it, because you are still very much in love with her.”

“Why would I marry you just love another woman? Why do you think I married you? Is this how you think of me?” The duke shuddered in pain, “Magnilda, where are you going? Answer me, you are the one who taught me to always talk things through.”

“Are you sure about that? Do you want to talk this through?”

“..”

“Fine, since you are so confident that you do not have a lover, why do you treat that brat better than your own? daughter? Is that because that brat is yours as well, huh, you love your other daughter more than you love our Azura?”

“What gave you that impression?”

“….”

“Mag, my love.”

“Do not please, do not patronize me, I heard you and Gena talking about her being yours.”

“Mag, please look at me.” He tries to reach out to her, but she flinches as he gets closer.

“Stay where you are, I can hear you just fine.”

“Gena was just talking about my bad past with the Baroness, she made a bad joke which a maid shouldn’t say if Olivia was my daughter, it would be adventurous.”

“Sorry, I stormed off before listening to the whole conversation.”

“I do not see her as my daughter, I reprimand Gena for her bad joke. She is close to the Baroness. I assume that is why she made that joke. Azura is an enough daughter for me.”

“I apologize for overreacting your grace.”

“Huh, why are you stepping back? when I approach? And why are you still being formal?”

“I just need time to think, please, have a goodnight your grace.”

He watches as his wife walks away, a heavy sigh, he had not felt so far from her since the day she nearly died. Even when she was always serious, he had always felt she was the closest human to him. The duke could feel a huge heartache. 

He knew his wife was not trusting. of his love, given he had proposed to her a week after his breakup with his first love, no woman would feel secure in those circumstances. And the Baroness O’Dea had always used her past relationship with the duke to her advantage. even when she herself is married.

“I really don’t expect the duke to love me, just make sure you never embarrass me”. That is what Magnilda had said. after the previous duchess introduced them. But the duke rejected the offer. since he already had someone in his heart, and since then Magnilda has protected her heart like she protects the north.