The Grand Duke of the North

Chapter 5

Varas was lost in thought. Why was he sitting here, swallowing his desire with a woman he had rightfully paid for right in front of him? And yet, he still couldn’t bring himself to reach out to her.

Trampling over someone’s body or their emotions had never bothered him. Using people for his own purposes without feeling a thing? That was his norm. It was nothing unusual, just a part of everyday life. This woman was no exception. From the beginning, he had brought her here for one reason: to bear his heir.

Before the wedding, his only thoughts about her had been how he would deal with her. Should he give her some freedom, and if so, how much? He didn’t want her to become a nuisance for him. Or was it best to keep her confined, since it could be annoying to see her around? And how long should he wait to have a child?

Even when considering all of these things, he still never saw her as a person. In fact, he’d mostly decided to keep her confined—not that he felt anything for her in particular, but she did have a way of getting under his skin.

His thoughts had started to change—or had they? Up until the wedding, she would immediately look away whenever his eyes landed on her. He had only observed her from a distance before, but everything had changed the moment she looked him in the eye on their wedding night. Now, whenever his eyes landed on her, he couldn’t look away. He couldn’t understand why. What had she done to him that night, or had something changed within him?

A soft snore escaped Selene’s nose. Varas suddenly felt uneasy. Yesterday, fine—he could understand. But how could she fall asleep with him sitting right next to her today, especially with him this close?

He stared intently at her face. At this point, it seemed she really wasn’t afraid of him. She didn’t seem to hate him, either. Maybe she even saw him as human.

Could she possibly see me as her husband? Surely not. If that were the case, would she have so boldly rejected him when he first offered to escort her? Selene hadn’t “boldly” rejected him, but Varas felt like she had.

A few strands of hair fell across her face. He raised his left hand to brush them back but quickly clenched his fist instead. She was beautiful, and his hands were far too grotesque to touch her.

Could that be it? Was this the reason I couldn’t touch her? I guess I really do find her beautiful.

He felt that he couldn’t lay his bloodstained hands on her. The realization dawned on him that he had never found anything beautiful. He hadn’t even so much as paid any woman mind before.

What should I do?

He should just take her. He needed to claim that flower for himself, even if it meant plucking it. Afterward, he would likely have to keep it locked away. What he found beautiful, others would find beautiful too.

***

Selene awoke with a start, startled by her own snoring. Varas was still by her side, gazing at the fireplace in silence. Feeling the warmth spreading through her body after what seemed like an eternity of sleep, she took off her coat and spread it out on the floor. She then slowly shifted onto it, curling up into a ball.

Sleep began to overtake her once again. It was cold outside, but the room was warm and cozy. The crackling of the burning logs was soothing, and the coat beneath her was so soft. Varas sat quietly next to her, keeping her company as she drifted off once more.

Is this a dream?

A small, content smile curved Selene’s lips, and a drowsy murmur escaped her without her realizing.

“This is peaceful.”

Varas looked over at her. He silently scoffed. Peace? She had no idea what the man sitting next to her was thinking about or what might happen to her at any moment, yet she thought this was peaceful.

You can only have peace when you hold power, you naive little sugar bunny.

Selene made that soft snoring sound again.

When Varas first announced he would buy a grand duchess, Zarth was outraged. He had asked why the Archduchy of Belias of all places needed to purchase a bride. He had suggested that Varas choose from the princesses instead. Varas Belias, the Grand Duke of Belias, was the greatest knight and commander on the continent, backed with the emperor’s full support. Plenty of countries were eager to send their daughters to marry him, too concerned with appearances to make the first move but ready to jump at the chance if a proposal were made.

However, Varas had rejected Zarth’s suggestion. He admitted that he couldn’t treat a noblewoman with the respect she deserved, no matter how high her status. He thought that the time spent courting her, getting to know her, and treating her with respect would be exhausting. So, he had brought this woman along instead, someone he could treat however he pleased without the concern of sparking conflict between nations. After all, no one would know what happened inside the walls of Belias.

If a foreign princess or even the daughter of some lesser noble from another region suddenly stopped sending letters after marriage, her family wouldn’t sit idly by. That would lead to a lot of unnecessary hassle. The list of potential headaches was endless. However, Selene would cause none of that. She had no family, no nanny, and no maids. She was completely alone in this world.

Varas glanced down at the foolish woman, who was murmuring about peace and dozing off, oblivious to his thoughts. He recalled how she had trembled outside, freezing from the cold. She’d looked so pitiful then.

I’ll let it slide tonight since you’re already sleeping, but don’t think for a second that you’ll get off so easily starting tomorrow.

Gazing down at the delicate curve of Selene’s eyelashes, silent threats flickered in his eyes.

Day 3

Selene woke up as the cold air brushed against her cheek, realizing someone had opened the door. The figure who entered placed a tray—likely breakfast—on the table by the window and added a few logs to the fireplace. After watching the flames flicker to life from the newly added logs, Anna stood and bowed deeply.

Seeing Anna, who was old enough to be her mother, acting so formally made Selene uncomfortable. She frantically waved her hands, flustered.

“Oh, you really don’t need to do that.”

Anna chose her words carefully as she gazed upon the grand duchess, a woman her lord had brought in.

“Is that how you plan to treat those who come to pay their respects?”

As she spoke, Anna observed the duchess’s reaction. At first, Selene seemed startled, then blushed as she lowered her head. Anna had heard that she was a commoner, so she expected something like this to happen eventually.

After a moment, the duchess slowly lifted her head. Though her face was still a bit red, her expression had changed.

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but I grew up as a commoner, so I’m not well-versed in etiquette. I’m still learning how to respond to different situations.”

It was clear that she genuinely didn’t know what she was doing. Still, Anna didn’t find her response too off-putting. Her tone was steady and controlled, which made it suitable for interacting with others. Anna bowed once more before leaving the room.

Once alone, Selene sat by the window and enjoyed a simple meal. Yesterday, she’d had no appetite, but today, perhaps because she was genuinely hungry, the food tasted delicious. She quickly finished eating and then sat idly gazing out the window when a wave of sadness crept back in.

Reflecting quietly, she realized that no one had actually ordered her to stay inside. She had just assumed that that was what she should do based on what she’d read in the original story.

Deciding she needed some fresh air and sunshine, Selene planned to eat her lunch outside when Anna returned later.

***

Just in time for lunch, Selene put on her coat and set her cloak by the door when someone knocked.

“It’s Anna.”

Selene quickly picked up the cloak. “Come in.”

Anna entered with a tray and was surprised to see Selene getting ready to leave.

“Are you going somewhere?”

As Selene draped the cloak over her shoulders, buttoned the front, and tied the ribbon, she replied, “Yes, I’m going outside for a bit. Staying indoors makes me feel confined, and I’ve been feeling a bit down.”

Anna paused momentarily, thinking about what to do, but Selene was already dressed and ready to go. Luckily, Anna had a way to buy some time.

“Are you not going to have lunch, then?”

“Ah, right…” Selene glanced at the tray Anna was holding, the former’s expression showing a hint of disappointment, as if the thought had just occurred to her. “It’ll be too hard to take all that with me, won’t it?”

Hearing that, Anna assumed that the duchess was hoping to have a picnic. While she could bring out some finger foods if asked, she didn’t feel the need to mention it. Instead, she could guide the duchess to a place where she could enjoy some fresh air.

“There’s a table in front of the corridor. If you have your meal there, it might feel a bit like a picnic,” she quietly suggested.

Selene’s eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly. It seemed like a pleasant spot to enjoy a meal with a view of the courtyard.

After she agreed, Anna excused herself and went downstairs, saying she would get the table ready. The table was set on the terrace between the corridor and the courtyard, already covered with a cloth and adorned with small glass jars filled with pretty stones. Since flowers were scarce, it seemed they were using the stones for decoration.

As Selene approached, Anna pulled out a chair for her. The former sat down, and the latter went back to fetch her meal.

***

Anna stood by the table, observing the grand duchess’s clumsy movements. She wasn’t sure what or how much she should teach her. If the grand duchess was going to live solely in the inner keep just as a woman to bear an heir for her lord, there was no need to teach her anything at all. But after quietly observing things over the past few days, she sensed that might not be the case.

Anna could tell the difference between human and animal blood, and her lord knew that as well. And yet, the bloodstains on the bedding were clearly for show, likely meant to convince the maids from the outer ward. Even though he hadn’t consummated the marriage, it seemed he was trying to avoid rumors. It seemed out of character for her lord to concern himself with such delicate matters unless something was seriously affecting him. Anna had many thoughts about why Varas hadn’t consummated the marriage in the first place. More than anything, she thought about the fact that the duchess had influenced her lord’s actions, even if only slightly.

It felt like a small seed of hope had taken root in her heart. Could that seed possibly take root and grow? Could the duchess stop her lord’s rampage?

There seemed to be a stirring within his heart, and Selene was at the center of that change.