I was a virtuous wife

Chapter 19: A fond memory

*Clang* *Clang*

A monstrous metallic noise was heard from the training center. It was the sound of two swords clashing vigorously. 

"P-please....go eas- ack!"

One large swoop and the knight's sword flew into the air while he fell embarrassingly to the ground soiling his uniform. A sharp blade was pointed at his neck marking his utter defeat. 

"Have mercy commander Liondale !", the knight screamed. 

Ethan tousled his wet platinum hair and wiped the sweat on his damp forehead. He had a stern look on his face. 

"Get up"

"Please commander.... this is already the fifth time we're sparring. My body is exhausted."

"Tsk. Next !", he called out. 

All the knights who were in the training grounds were tense. Ethan was already someone who was known for his spartan-like training but today he looked extra ferocious. 

"Commander !"

Just then knight Mir Klein, the trusted aid of Ethan arrived to the training grounds. 

"I have something to report."

Ethan made an annoyed face and sighed. He didn't like any interruptions during his sessions but he thought that Knight Mir might've had something important in his hands.

"The sparring ends here but don't slack around ! I expect everyone to have finished 20 laps around the grounds before I return."

["We are safe !"], collectively thought the young knights. They would rather run around under the burning sun than to get hit by their commander's blows. 

"What happened ?", asked Ethan as he undressed his training uniform. He picked up a towel and wiped his naked torso. 

"There has been an anomaly in the Vonton house, sir."

Ethan flinched. Knight Mir also detected the cautious air and treaded carefully. 

"We received report that Sierra Vonton will be living at the Alden house for the upcoming soc-"

Just then, knight Mir had goosebumps seeing the expression on Ethan's face. His eyes grew dark and cold like an icy killer. Mir knew that Ethan was on edge because of the report he received on Duchess Alden. 

"Continue."

"Y-yes, sir. Our informant reported that Sierra Vonton will be staying with the duchess during the social season. We suspect that it was planned by the young lady and Duke Alden to accommodate their affair."

After returning from the harvest banquet, Ethan ordered Mir to obtain a detailed report on anything suspicious regarding Duchess Alden's life. In that report, he found out about Duke Jonathan Alden's affair and was visibly enraged. Mir didn't know the exact relationship between Duchess Alden and his commander but he knew that Kierra Alden was someone important to Ethan Liondale. 

"Monitor the Duke and Sierra Vonton some more. I want all the details about their meetings and the people who know about them."

"Yes sir !" 

"Also, keep an eye on the Duchess."

"Sir ?"

"Report to me at once when you suspect that she knows about her husband's infidelity."

"......Yes, sir."

He wanted ask why his commander wanted to know about the Duchess finding out about that but he didn't after seeing Ethan's face. He had his ironclad expression as usual but his face had a hint of softness which was rare to see. 

After Knight Mir left the room, Ethan loosened his tie and leaned on his chair. He was in deep thoughts and furrowed his brows in exhaustion. 

["What should I do now.... Kierra....."]

He recalled of how visibly disturbed she looked during their encounter at the banquet. Her lips were smiling but her eyes certainly weren't. 

Kierra was the kind of person who would never show her deepest emotions. The sadder and uglier she feels, the more would be her effort to hide it. But she looked frustrated and uneasy at the banquet. That meant, she was feeling frustrated enough that she let her iron mask slip. 

Suddenly the sight of a young Kierra smiling with a shy face flashed through his mind.  It was the first time he had ever seen her smile like that and he still remembered it vividly to this day. 

It was Kierra's 10th birthday that day but Sierra's condition became serious so everyone's focus was on Sierra. No one even wished her happy birthday and she was thoroughly neglected. She acted like she didn't care but he knew that it bothered her. 

So he snuck into the maid's kitchen and made her a small cake with the words "Happy birthday Kierra" written on it. He also made a haphazard bouquet out of some small wildflowers which Kierra liked and tied it with an emerald green ribbon, her favorite color. 

He led her to the small treehouse at the back of the house which was their little hideout and surprised her with the cake and bouquet he had made. 

To be honest, the cake was burnt and the icing was runny. The bouquet was also messy and he couldn't tie a perfect bow. But as soon as Kierra saw what he had prepared for her, she burst into tears. 

Ethan was taken back. Till then he had never seen Kierra express such strong emotions before someone else. But he understood her. She was just a small girl who even though acted like an adult, wanted to be a normal child with love and warmth. 

She ate the cake deliciously with her tear stricken face and even complimented Ethan for his baking skills. And when he said "Happy birthday", she finally broke into the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Her emerald green eyes glimmered with tears and her pale cheeks turned pink. It was like a thorny bud was finally blossoming into a beautiful pink flower. 

"Thank you brother Ethan.", she said shyly. 

It was the first time Ethan thought that Kierra was beautiful. He never saw a smile so captivating from her again but that moment lingered in his mind all these years. He wanted to protect that smile. He wanted to make her smile. 

But Kierra's reality was far from what Ethan had expected. He was conflicted. Kierra would surely be enraged when she finds out that her husband was cheating on her with her sister but would she leave him for that reason alone? Kierra was a practical person. She would weigh all the factors before making a decision. She wouldn't make a choice based on her emotions even in the worst case scenario. But will she still make a decision with her mind rather her heart in this case ? Will that make her happy ? 

He wondered what she would do. He wondered what he should do. 

End of chapter 19.

Thank you for reading this chapter and hope you guys have been enjoying the story so far.

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