It was a hell of a ride. Maybe it has been a long time since Ortezca had ridden a carriage but because of the incident that almost took her life, she was pale, nervous all throughout the journey back to the capital. She does not even know what stresses her the most- the reality that she is going back to the capital where unpleasant people were, or the carriage ride. Every rattle of the wheel of the carriage makes her anxious. The duke pretends not to notice it at first, but he was fed up.
"Stop fidgeting. I know it has been long since you had ridden a carriage, but there is no reason for you to get scared."
'That is because you do not know what happened!' Ortezca wanted to scream at him but since she is now a commoner, doing that might behead her.
"....i will try...your excellency." She mumbled.
After 4 hours of carefully trekking the snowy plateau, valleys, and forests, she could now see the kingdom getting nearer. She gulped and looked at her hands. 'Now is not the time to get weak! I came here to negotiate! I do not care if i do not get better, i just want what is best for the livelihood of the village!' Ortezca balled her hands into a fist with determination. The duke smiled. 'What a strong woman,' he thought.
The carriage reached the main gate and one soldier immediately rushed towards it. "Are you duke Rudevich suvvell?" The soldier asked as he huffed.
"Did something happen?" Duke Suvvell asked as he went off from the carriage.
"The kingdom is in state of poverty. The stock of food had also been consumed already," "what is the decision of the king?" "...he went off in a vacation along with his harem when you went off to somewhere, your excellency..."
'That fatass! How can he leave the country in this state!!!' Rudevich is now fuming with anger. He has to do something. But how? He only knows anything as long as it is the battlefield. But governing such a big kingdom? He can not.
"...please let me help." A voice from the carriage spoke. The soldier and rudevich glanced at her.
"Lady Holminne!!?" The soldier cried out. He could not believe his own eyes- the once most beautiful woman in the kingdom had became thin and paler, but still beautiful. It was like the god of death decided to be her escort and even made her his goddess of death.
"Do not go out of the carriage." Duke Suvvell said.
"..." ortezca remained silent. Duke suvvell then turned to the soldier. "Whatever you had seen today will remain as a secret. Please inform the Holminne ducal house that i had returned and will visit them in two hours. Do not mention that the lady has returned." The duke said and went back to the carriage before the soldier could reply.
The carriage arrived at the Suvvell ducal house. It was beautiful and big. The garden is covered with thick layer of snow. What grabbed ortezca's attention was a tree in the middle of the garden- without any leaves and the trunk was so black that it looked dead. She decided to check it later when she settled in the house.
Even though the house was so big, there were not so many servants. There was his butler, cook and his wife and their 6 year old son, two maids and the coachman who takes care of the horses too.
"Your excellency, you came back. Welcome home." The butler said and bowed to Rudevich, who was smiling but stayed just beside the carriage as if he was waiting for someone to get off. And indeed there was. To the butler's surprise, it was the banished lady of the Holminne ducal house- lady Ortezca Holminne. She was a bit groggy and absent minded as she went out of the carriage. She did not even notice the outstretched hand of the duke.
"My word, what has happened to you?" The butler exclaimed as he rushed towards the pale, thin but still beautiful lady. He cupped her cheeks and found out that she is sporting a high fever.
"My lord, help this old butler send the poor lady to the guest room." The butler said and Rudevich carried ortezca. The three went immediately inside the guest room, where the two maids were ready with the clothes and basin of water and cloth.
"I shall call for the doctor. My lord, please leave this to us. You still have some important matters to attend to, right? As the head of the ducal house?" His butler asked. Rudevich glanced at the sleepy Ortezca, nodded at the butler and went out of the room.
He has no time to waste- he got many things to do- and building a good atmosphere for his fiancee to be is his top most priority.
YOU ARE READING
The Unlucky Villainess Small Fief
Historical FictionOrtezca Holminne had too many things happened to her- Her engagement to the crown prince was annulled. She was disowned by the ducal house of Holminne with no support coming from them. She was thrown in a middle of nowhere in the secluded part of t...
