Duchess Not By Choice

10

It's been a year since the incident at the palace. All of the La'more family were arrested and placed in prison for disobeying the King's order and the murder of my father. Some maids came forward and confessed. Theodore was behind the murder. When I found out, it broke my heart, but thanks to my new family, I was okay. I asked the King to spare Ivy, so the La'more family is not lost completely. Since I wasn't a La'more anymore and the western empire needed a Duke. When Ivy marries Damon Vasselot, he will become the Duke. After losing both of her parents, Ivy fixed herself for the better. Currently, I was in Vincent's study room, where I handed him a letter from the King. He opened the letter and began reading it. Once he finished reading, he set it on the desk and signed.

"What is it?" I asked.

"The king ordered me and Castevés knights go to the West forest to kill the monsters there that are doubling in numbers and getting closer to the Capital," He explained. Before he would be ready to go and kill monsters since he wasn't leaving someone behind, but now he was. He was worried he would bring me pain if he ended up dying in battle. I knew why he was reluctant to go. I walked around his desk, pulled his chair back and sat on his lap. I grabbed his face, making him look at me in the eye.

"Don't worry about me. I know you will come back to me alive whatever it takes," I assured him, "Besides, you can't decline, it's the King's order." He nodded and hugged me, which I returned.

The following Day

I was outside with the maids and everyone, except the mother-in-law and sister-in-law, bidding a farewell to Vincent and the Castevés Knights.

"I want all of you to come back alive to us," I ordered the Castevés Knights.

"We will, mad'am!" They shouted. I nodded as they got on their horses. I turned to Vince, looking sad.

"Promise, you will come back to me alive," I said, sadly. He hugged me, which I returned, wrapping my arms around him.

"I promise I will, no matter what it takes," He whispered to her, tightening his hold. I nodded. They released the hug. I leaned on my tippy toes and kissed him.

"I love you," I said, releasing the kiss. The maids were squealing at the display of affection, while the knights were teasing.

"Sir, showing affection, that's a first," a knight teased. Vincent turned and glared at the knights, who stopped their teasing, before turning back to me.

"I love you too," he replied with a smile as he stepped back and got on his horse. The knights and him waved goodbye. The maids and I waved back as they watched them head out on their journey. Once they were out of our sight, we all went back inside and to their respective jobs. As soon as I stepped inside, I fainted after walking only a few steps.

"Duchess!"

"Dria!" Lily shouted, running to me along with the other maids, "Call the doctor." She instructed a maid as the aide, who is in charge while the Duke is gone, to pick me up, taking me to our room. After an hour, the doctor came into the room. He quickly went to the bed and started checking pulse. He felt that my heart rate was unusually higher than normal. He frowned.

"Does she eat more than she usually does? Also, does certain smells irritate her?" He asked.

"Yes, for some reason, she is always hungry. Yes, she doesn't like the smell of some food she usually likes. You don't think?" Lily answered. The doctor nodded.

"Yes, I think she is pregnant, but I will be able to confirm it when she wakes up, which will be in a few minutes. She may have fainted to stress," The doctor replied and suggested, "I suggest to lessen the stress in her life." As he stepped away from the bed, I started waking up. I opened my eyes and sat up. I looked around seeing Lily, Devin, the aide, and Howard, the family doctor.