"I'm letting you go because you are my wife's family but if you think of trying anything again... His voice dripped into something deadly, "I will make all of your lives living hell."
Untied from the ropes by a guard, mother and daughter ran away from there with their tails tucked inside, too terrified to look back.
But my eyes were still flaring with rage, I needed to get to the bottom of this fast, "MALVIN."
Malvin, my childhood friend and assistant, stood in front of me, shaking legs, "Find everything."
He quickly nodded and fled.
Left alone, I muttered under my breath, "She is my prey, no one gets to tormenf her except me."
-Alyshia's pov-
Lying on the bed I stared at the porcelain white ceiling. Today was such an eventful day, so many things happened at once.
Riding the carriage with Shahr, meeting the emperor, leaving the hallroom, meeting my so-called and the most eventful moment of my life, my so-called family getting dragged by guards.
"Hehe." A giggle escaped my lips before I could stop it.
- knock knock -
Someone knocked on the door... Great, I had just slept, now I have to get up again. With pouty lips, I opened the door.
Front of me stood Shahr, as soon as the barrier, the door, between us was removed he jumped onto me. His hands brushing my cheeks, chin, my hair, his eyes scanning my whole body from top to bottom.
I almost screamed. He was so heavy that I almost lost my balance. My legs trembled as I tried to take his weight, and before I could fall, two firm hands saved me from falling.
"Are you okay? Sorry, I was checking on you, I'm sorry." He apologized. But that was not the main issue, the main things was why were we still in the same position?
Why was he not getting up, why was I still in his arms.
My feelings started to rise again, heartbeat fast, palms sweating, eyes flickering. Does it only happen to me? Why do Shahr seem unfazed?
I wanted to have a healthy married life with Shahr, not fall in love with him. Falling in love will only make things worse for me, I don't want to end up like my mother.
"What are you thinking?" Questioned Shahr.
His voice snapped me back to reality, "please get up." I gestured him.
Upon realising that we are still in the same position, he got up quickly and nervously looked at me.
"Sorry, I didn't notice." He said, scratching the back of his head.
My head tilted, I wondered how worried he was to forget that what kind of position we were in, his hand wrapped around my waist, my hands tightly gripping his arms, we in half falling position.
"How are you?" He asked again, "and sorry for earlier again. I know I might have scared you, I was just worried about you. Your cheek was swollen badly."
My heart fluttered, I saw butterflies flying around me. He must have been really worried.
"I'm fine," I gestured with a gentle smile.
He let out a sigh of relief.
"Duke." As I gestured, his nervous eyes fixated on me, as if he didn't want to miss a thing I would say, it made my heart flutter even more, "What happened to Layla and my stepmom?"
His expressions darkened at once. Chest rising and felling, eyes blazing he stepped closer, "I let them go. Only because they are your family."
Relief washed over me, I was worried that Shahr would do something to them. Yes, I hated them, despised them, but I didn't want Shahr to dirty his hands for me.
I felt someone's gaze burning into me. When I looked up, his eyes were soft and full of compassion.
"Your cheeks are still red. Did the maids apply ointment on you?" He asked.
I nodded.
"Seeing your pretty little face swollen is aching my heart. I shouldn't have left you alone." Tears escaped his eyes.
It made me stunned, the fearsome duke crying that too for me? I almost ran to him and hugged him but I held myself back, I don't want to end up like my mom, I kept reminding myself.
"Please don't cry." I said. He nodded, wiped away his tears.
"Let me show you around the duchy." He said trying to change the topic.
I smiled hesitantly, and gestured him, "the maids showed me around yesterday."
His smile faded right away. Pouty lips, complaining eyes, he looked at me and asked, "Why did you go with them? I wanted to show you around," complaining like a child.
I didn't know what to say, so I stayed quiet. Silence surrounded the room, both of us stood there quietly but soon the silence broke and Shahr said-
"You haven't visited the training ground yet, right? Because it's dangerous around there that's why women are forbidden to go there."
Shaking my head left and right, I asked, "won't it be dangerous for me too?"
Shahr's lips went up as he saw this, "No, that's because I would be with you. I will you protect you."
"Well, if the empire's best knight is with me I'm sure nothing would happen to me." Just as I finished the sentence, I noticed Shahr's cheeks flushed red.
Before I could ask anything, he spun, and with his back turned around me, he said, "well, let's go then." And strode off.
Confused, I quickly followed him.
We walked side by side to the training ground, there was pure silence between us. When I sneaked a peak at him I noticed his cheeks visibly getting redder, I wondered if he was sick.
After we reached the training ground, I was stunned by how many knights were practicing there.
When everyone noticed the Duke's presence and looked at us. Their eyes drifted onto the small lady standing beside the Duke.
As they realised it was the Duchess, they all crowded around me like pigeons crowd around food.