The Duchesses

Chapter 9 : Who Are You Trying to Fool?

Until Medea was done telling her story, Aurora didn't realise she was holding her breath. The amethyst eyes don't take their gaze off the blonde woman. Given that Duchess Smith is the one who developed feelings for Medea, her reaction is understandable. Aurora cannot believe Duchess Natalie confessed to her in that manner, only to vanish into thin air in her life. That is until they ran into each other again at Natalie's coming-of-age ceremony, where she was formally introduced as the Duchess of the Light.

"That is why they never address the issue, treating it never existed at all," Aurora connects the dots.

When Natalie's parents died suddenly, Medea remembered the look of despair on her blonde face. According to rumours, her parents were assassinated by a relative. To this day, people don't know the answer. However, the Smiths' workers doubted Natalie's abilities because she was too young and had started her training as the heir late. Because of this, her authority as head of the House of Smith has diminished to some degree. Nevertheless, she exceeded the nobles' hopes by vanquishing a relative, bringing them to trial, and securing their death sentence.

"Yes, I was in love with you, but no more. After all, we can't clap with just one hand. Regardless, I believe there's not a wise man without fault in this matter, Duchess Valimos," the Duchess of Light admits her feelings for Medea, but she is past that.

It feels peculiar to talk about this topic with Natalie as if they have already past that. Did she really get over what happened between them?

"Why?" Medea is still in doubt about it.

There are some fragments she left off from the story, but she knows Natalie. That blonde woman never let things easily like that.

"I was envious of Marquess Alwyn since you spent more time with him, probably teaching him swordsmanship. Which leads to him as the finest Knight within the Empire after you. My emotions get the best of me, and what you did was hurtful. Nonetheless, for the sake of our beings, let's be an ally and get this over. Ares tried to annihilate me twice already," Duchess Smith shrugs it off as if it is nothing.

Yet, Aurora can feel Natalie's heart shredded inside her body with her words alone, perplexed slightly by it. Like it is screaming for help for the excruciating pain she felt all this time.

"Did Natalie really be in love with her in the past? Or did something I still don't know about this ambiguous relationship?" Aurora wonders.

Duchess Valimos, on the other hand, is still perplexed by this action.

"It is great to secure an ally like you, Your Grace," Medea extends her hand for a handshake with Duchess Smith while Natalie reciprocates.

As an ambitious woman, Medea needs the throne now, and with Natalie's help, ascension is much easier. In that sense, it is necessary mainly to defeat Ares. In other words, Medea will use Natalie's influence to help her win this war. Aside from that, she knows deep down that Natalie does not deserve to be treated in this manner again. She is no better than Ares in treating her as a tool. Moreover, Medea is important to Aurora for her to survive in this world and avoid her disastrous state.

They're more likely to use each other for survival than to rekindle old friendships. Even if Medea is interested, now is not the time. However, Aurora is too concerned with her own survival to notice. Therefore, neither of them is holding their breath that the tentative beginnings of their relationship will blossom once more. The two women are so engrossed in their conversation that the air is eerily silent. They were utterly unaware that Lord Apollo and Marquess Hector were approaching them.

"About that night--" Medea can't finish her question because her eyes finally catch their glimpses.

Because both men disliked each other, it was inevitable that their expressions of disdain for each other's relationship would resurface. That is until Lord Apollo cut them off in their conversation.