Duchess Not By Choice

1

A man was pacing back and forth in front of the room where there was screaming coming from. His wife was giving birth to their child. He was hoping for a daughter, so he can treat her like a princess. He never had a sister to care for and protect. The screaming stopped and was replaced with a baby's cry. The man stopped pacing. He heard the door open.

"Duke Lamore, come meet your daughter," the midwife said as she opened the door wide for him to come in. He walked into the room, making his way to his wife who was holding their child. She looked up and smiled at him. He smiled at her.

"Felix, meet your daughter," his wife said, handing him his daughter to hold. He looked at his daughter who had her eyes closed. He caresses her cheek with his hands. At that moment, his daughter opened her eyes and he fell in love. He smiled at her as she grabbed his finger, holding it tight.

"You're so adorable, you will have all the guys falling for you," he said to his daughter. The wife smiled at the scene that was happening in front of her.

"What should we name her?" She asked.

"Alexandria," Felix answered, still looking at his lovely daughter, "Alexandria Ruby Lamore."

"That's a beautiful name," the wife replied and started coughing. Felix turned to look at his wife and saw she was pale. He quickly handed his daughter to the midwife and sat down next to his wife, holding her hand.

"Ruby," he worriedly said as she continued to cough.

"Felix, please protect and care for our daughter," Ruby weakly said.

"I will," he smiled as she caressed her cheeks. She smiled weakly at him, before closing her eyes.

"Ruby! Wake up! Call the doctor here!" Felix shouted. A maid quickly got the doctor. The doctor came inside and went to check her pulse. It's still there, but it's slowly decreasing.

"What's wrong with her?" Felix asked, still holding his wife's hand.

"I'm sorry, she will no longer be with us," the doctor said sadly.

"What do you mean?! You are a doctor! Fix her!" Felix shouted at the doctor. The doctor flinched back.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do. Duchess Lamore already had complications during her pregnancy," the doctor replied, "She had pre-eclampsia, which is a sudden spike in high blood pressure. If not caught on time, it can develop into a more severe eclampsia, leading to seizures or comas. The Duchess hidden this fact pretty well. By that time I found out, it was too late."

"What? Why am I just hearing this now?" Felix asked angrily.

"The duchess made me promise to not tell you and make you worry," the doctor explained. Felix signed,

"Thank you, you all are dismissed."

The doctor and the maids in the room left the room with Alexandria. Felix turned to his unresponsive wife and began crying silently while holding her hand to his head.

"Oh, Ruby," He whispered, "Don't you worry, I will protect and care for our daughter until my last breath." He kissed her forehead still crying. He sat in the room, being with his love in her final moments.