The Duchess - Gruvia

Chapter 15

The next day when Gray asked for his cousin to visit so they could settle their fight, the moment the white haired man stepped inside the hall and saw the couple standing next to the other, he noticed a different air around them and he sighed in defeat.

"Great. I tell you to do one thing and you go ahead and consummate the marriage, making it almost impossible to annul it."

"How does he know?" Juvia whispered to Gray, her face turning red and Gray ignored her words, choosing instead to talk to his cousin.

"I am the Duke, Lyon. My wife is the Duchess and we are not going anywhere." Gray raised his chin. "I don't care if there is someone out there who would rather see me married to a Winter girl: I already have a wife and my people need to understand she's staying for a long time."

"Juvia is not afraid, Lyon-sama." The blunette smiled to her cousin-in-law when Gray put an arm around her waist. "This... this is Juvia's home. Perhaps one day the people will learn how to accept Juvia as their Duchess."

Lyon passed a hand through his hair and walked in circles for a few moments. "Alright. If you two want to be stubborn, it's fine. Just... be careful. I ran away from being Duke for years, I'd like to never have the opportunity of being one again, aye? Gray does a good job but that's not for me." Lyon smiled, tiredly, towards the couple. "If you two could stay alive for a couple of decades and have about ten children so there's no need to even bring my name up ever again, I'd appreciate it."

Gray snorted and Juvia smiled. "We intend to stay alive for a while, Lyon-sama."

"That's a relief." Lyon smiled to her and then looked to his cousin. "If you ever need anything, I will be at Snow Storm Castle, living my life like I've always wanted."

Juvia elbowed her husband on the stomach and he said: "If you'd like to stay here at Avalanche Castle for a few days, you'd be welcomed." He scowled. "My wife is a true believer that family must stay together."

Lyon grinned. "Lady Juvia is a smart woman: we need time to bury the past and move on." He stopped. "How about I do that in a couple of months? I just came into your house and tried to steal your wife and lands. Maybe a little time apart would be wise?"

As much as he tried to contain it, Gray laughed and Juvia never heard a more beautiful sound. "Yes, Lyon, time apart might be wise."

"Especially when you and your wife need time to enjoy married life." The white haired man winked at his cousin and Juvia's face warmed up. "I will be going tomorrow. I will let you know when I intend to come back."

"Or when we send you an invitation." Juvia offered and even with Gray rolling his eyes, Lyon nodded at how generous she was. "Stay for lunch today, at least."

"Thank you, Lady Juvia." He smiled and walked to where they were. He took her hand and kissed it. "Just remember that if you ever need to run away from my cousin, my Castle is open for you to go-"

Gray removed his cousin's hand from his wife's and put himself between them. "Alright, don't make me regret it my decision to overlook my want to kill you because Juvia asked me to."

The men continued their bickering while Juvia watched, her arm twined to her husband's and she felt happy, knowing that even though their relationship was far from being fully mended, it was a step towards the right path for it.

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If she were true to herself, Juvia absolutely loved the new intimacy she discovered with Gray and how good it felt when he kissed her, took away her nightgown and touched all the ways she never knew she'd wanted to be touched.