Married to the Villainous Duke

Chapter 32

It's already evening and Nikolaidis is just coming back after finishing his inspection of a village near the border of Blanchard. He's worried that Estelle still hasn't eaten dinner yet because she's waiting for him to come home.

The Grand Duke's carriage slows down as it approaches the entrance of Blanchard Castle. Nikolaidis looks out the window to see if his wife is waiting outside for him but he's surprised to see that a dozen Imperial Knights are at the front door instead. What are they doing here?

He steps out of the carriage and the squad commander approaches him, "greetings, Grand Duke Nikolaidis. We're here to escort you to the Imperial Palace."

"Have I been summoned by his majesty? Did a country declare war against us?"

I haven't heard any news of bad relations with our colonies nor with any of our neighboring countries but war can break out even during a seemingly peaceful time.

"You are summoned by his Royal Highness, Crown Prince Henrik, for questioning. You will be temporarily detained and must be handcuffed while we take you to the Capital."

Another Imperial Knight approaches them, bringing handcuffs. Nikolaidis was confused but he remains calm. I didn't do anything against Crown Prince Henrik. I even declared that I would be loyal to him.

Nikolaidis knows it's better to comply than to protest. He puts his hands out in front of him and lets the knight do his job while asking, "what crime did I commit against his Royal Highness?" 

"You are suspected of committing treason against Crown Prince Henrik and, his Imperial Majesty, the Emperor," the squad commander answers.

"The Grand Duke never committed such a thing!" Stefano, who had just arrived riding on horseback, shouts.

The orange haired man gets off his horse and speaks to the Grand Duke breathlessly, "sire, there were malicious flyers spread around Blanchard and in the Capital this afternoon while we were inspecting the village. These flyers said the Crown Prince must be removed and you should become the next Emperor."

Nikolaidis clenches his jaw upon hearing this. He was beginning to lose his cool, "preposterous! I never ordered for such a thing to be done!"

"You can explain yourself during the investigation, Grand Duke," the squad commander says and begins escorting Nikolaidis into a windowless metal carriage.

Wait! What about Estelle? Is she alright? Nikolaidis scans the surroundings and spots his pregnant wife watching him by a window from the second floor of the castle, tears in her golden eyes. An Imperial Knight stands beside her, preventing the Grand Duchess from going anywhere.

Niko looks at Estelle, telling her through his eyes that everything is going to be alright. My love, don't worry. We both know I'm innocent. I'll come home soon so take care of yourself and our little one while I'm away...

~•~ ~•~ ~•••~ ~•~ ~•~

When Henrik lost his older brother 12 years ago, he felt strange. He cried when he was told that Maghnus died after having been sick for days because of the Wonheim Death. 13 year old Henrik was confused but he was so sure that the feeling in his heart wasn't sadness because he already knew what sadness truly felt like.

He had lost his mother just a few months before because of the same disease. His heart felt like it was being crushed into pieces when he found out his mother died. That was sadness.

But this? This was different.

The answer came to Henrik weeks later. It was on the day of his coronation as the new Crown Prince of the Ghesquire Empire. As his father, the Emperor, placed the shining crown on his head, realization hit him like an arrow hitting its target.

Relief. It was relief that he felt.

His older brother Maghnus was smart, skilled, brave and kind. No matter how hard Henrik tried, he could never be as good as his older brother. But, the greatest reason that Henrik was jealous of his older brother was that Maghnus was loved by everyone. Henrik could see that their father favored his older brother more. Even his younger sisters, the twins, made it obvious that they liked Maghnus more than him. It was only their mother who showed no favoritism. Henrik felt that Empress Athanasia gave affection to all her four children equally.

Now, without his older brother, a sense of relief came over him. He felt this way because he could finally have everyone's love and attention. He is now the new Crown Prince and the next Emperor of Ghesquire. He believed it was his inherent right to be loved by all. Alas, the young Prince was wrong. Everyone still treated him the same way.

Why hasn't anything changed?! Am I not the one and only Crown Prince of the Empire? Everyone should love me!

What Henrik didn't know was that in order to be loved, you should be kind and see others as an equal rather than as someone below you. He didn't realize that his own actions and attitude was making it difficult for people to love him. The pampered Prince was selfish and always looked down on other people, even before he became Crown Prince.

Henrik was displeased but he comforted himself with the fact that, most importantly, he was next in line to become the Emperor. Becoming the most powerful person in the entire Empire was the only thing that could satisfy and fill the emptiness in his heart.

However, when Henrik was informed that Nikolaidis Carvelho, a mere knight who is said to be the only surviving son of a fallen noble house, was going to be awarded the title of Duke of Blanchard and this was specially decreed by the Emperor himself, the Crown Prince knew his path to becoming the next Emperor might be threatened in the future.

Henrik could clearly see it. The way the Emperor looked at Nikolaidis as he crowned him the new Duke of Blanchard. It was the same way his father looked at Maghnus years ago. It was a look Henrik never got from his father no matter how much he tried.

Still, Henrik didn't let his anger and jealousy get to him. After all, he was the Crown Prince and a trifling Duke is not in the direct line of succession. Henrik knew Nikolaidis didn't have enough influence nor power to compete for the throne.

But out of nowhere, his worst fear became a reality when he overhears his father and his uncle, Grand Duke Marcos, talking privately one afternoon.

Nikolaidis is going to become the next Grand Duke?! If Nikolaidis becomes Grand Duke, he would become third in the line of succession, following only after my wife...

Without the knowledge of others, the Crown Prince had been secretly monitoring Nikolaidis over the past year. It started when Nikolaidis became the Duke of Blanchard and Henrik hated every information that reached his ears.

Nikolaidis successfully turned Blanchard from an average territory into a prosperous Dukedom within months.

Nikolaidis married the daughter of House Beauvoir. They're the richest noble family in the continent and have a strong influence among both the nobility and the common people.

Nikolaidis successfully controlled the large rebellion in the southern border.

Nikolaidis this! Nikolaidis that!

All of those I can tolerate but Nikolaidis becoming the Grand Duke? I will not stand idly by!

However, things didn't go the way Henrik planned. His attempt to assassinate Nikolaidis failed.

Of course it would fail! How could a group of mercenaries kill the best swordsman in the Empire? That was a stupid decision! Why can't I be smart like my brother? Why did the gods give me this mediocre brain and body? Why have you forsaken me gods of Ghesquire?!

At last, today, the gods seemed to have finally listened to Henrik's prayers. An unknown group spread treasonous flyers around the Capital and in the Dukedom of Blanchard. Nikolaidis was the only suspect behind such act as the flyers were in favor of the new Grand Duke. It was the perfect reason to execute Nikolaidis.

I don't know the person who ordered those flyers to be spread but I'm thankful to them. I can finally get rid of the only obstacle to my throne.

I will kill you, Nikolaidis Carvelho.