The Duchess - Gruvia

Chapter 07

Once he looked the way his bride was coming, Gray's eyes opened wide as he looked at her. He knew that blue hair with those crazy curls, the deep blue eyes, and the whiteness of her skin... He froze in his spot when he fully realized exactly where he remembered seeing the woman walking towards him from. It was the girl! The girl he talked to the night before! The girl he wasn't supposed to meet until that moment.

Oh. Shit.

If he said something, then the marriage would fall into pieces and he couldn't do that. He had the honor of the Ice Lands to protect. And it wasn't like they knew who they were talking to. It was a coincidence, right? Right? Did she want to meet him before the wedding and set that meeting up somehow?

No. When his eyes met hers, Gray could see the surprise written in them. She knew that he was the Duke as much as he knew that she was the Marchioness. It was a coincidence. He sighed in relief. At least his future wife didn't have some kind of agenda.

The blue haired woman had a frown in her face as well. Jose Porla stepped beside her and was leading her towards where Gray, the priest and the judge were waiting.

Once they stepped closer, Jose offered the hand of the blue haired woman to the Duke, who took it and leaned to kiss it.

"Duke Fullbuster, this is Juvia Lockser, Marchioness of Rain." Jose said.

The Marchioness was about to say something, but Gray couldn't let her ruin the marriage by saying that they met before. It was a tradition they couldn't break, so, he did what any other person would've: he lied.

"It's nice to meet you for the first time, Marchioness." He hoped that she was smart enough to understand what he was saying. She also knew that they shouldn't have met, even if it was by accident; it could ruin not only the marriage, but also the relationship between the two lands and neither could afford that; the Ice Lands needed the blue diamonds as much as the March of Rain needed to sell them.

The Duke kissed her hand, like any other lord would do, staring at her eyes pointedly. Luckily, she got his message.

"Y-yes, Duke Fullbuster-sama." Juvia said, nervous and bowed to him. "L-likewise."

She was so surprised to learn that the man she met on the balcony was the man she was going to marry!

Was that... Fate?

Maybe that's why they met the night before? Maybe it was the universe's way to tell her that she had to marry him. Maybe...

Master Jose interrupted her thoughts when he spoke with a silky voice.

"Shall we sign the papers?" He said, making both the Duke and the Marchioness look away from each other.

"Yes, we shall." Gray nodded and offered his arm to the blue haired woman. She took it, shaking a bit as he noticed. Well, it was a bit crazy but he felt better knowing that she was as nervous as him. At least he wasn't alone in this. He looked to the Judge, an old man. "We will sign the papers now. No need to say anything fancy, save it for the Outside Wedding." The older man nodded and reached for the papers.

Once he found them, he put it on the table in front of the couple and Jose Porla, who didn't move away.

The Judge offered a quill to Gray. The Duke let go off Juvia's arm and bended a little so he could sign his name. He didn't hesitate.

Gray Fullbuster gave his word that he was going to marry that woman, and the gods help him, because he was doing it.

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