The Duke's Unwanted Wife

The feeling of something warm on her hand woke Natalia up. It was still very early in the morning but it was uncomfortable to feel something looming over her. She immediately opened her eyes and reached for her dagger, cautious. However, she was flabbergasted to see a huge wolf in the cave.    

    

Its head was two times bigger than hers, its body huge enough to dwarf her even though she was of significant height. The wagging tail felt like a hurricane, blasting cool air to her face. The warm thing she felt on her hand was the tongue that drooped happily from its mouch.    

    

“Mar….vis?”    

    

The wolf gave an excited howl, circling around her. He nudged her hand with his snout, panting even harder. She was amazed as it was the first time she had seen a werewolf transform. Even Amaika didn’t transform in her presence. She curiously slid her hand through his fur, feeling how soft and silky it was. It felt even finer than all the fine materials she had ever gotten in her life and she was someone who lived in extreme luxury.    

    

{I came here because I sensed you were in danger but what is this?}    

    

“Oh Madaline, he transformed. He’s a little cute.”    

    

{Are you blind?! One leg is all he has to use to crush you to death. A little cute?!}    

    

“Don’t be so serious, Madaline. Try touching him first. I can even fall asleep on such soft, silky coat. It has such a nice shade of blue too,” she commented, her eyes shining. The wolf seemed excited to be pet, lowering his head to let her reach his neck and throat. Madaline, who knew exactly what this meant, chided both of them but didn’t separate them. The childlike excitement in Natalia’s eyes was one she had never seen before.    

    

{As long as you’re happy. I’ve set a barrier to protect the both of you since he can’t do much of that in this form. Most werecreatures can maintain intelligence in their other forms but I don’t think he can control his transformation properly}    

    

“Maybe it’s because he almost died like I did. We…..are more similar than I thought even though we used to be enemies. I never did find out what happened to him after the war. No matter how hard I worked, I was never able to defeat him. To think he suffered a fate more cruel than I did….”    

    

{I don’t think anyone has a fate crueler than yours. Speaking of which, Natalia, once you get to Polivia, I want you to stay as safe as possible. I want to try to ascend just like you wished}    

    

“What made you change your mind?”    

    

{I can read the karma of the world, you know. I….don’t like what I’m seeing. As a mother, it is my duty to keep my children and you safe. I didn’t want to consort with those gods up there but one cannot escape their fate. After the ritual, I will do my best so please….don’t try to kill yourself again}    

    

“I understand,” Natalia responded. She sighed, diappearing into thin air. Natalia buried her head in Marvis’s fur.    

    

“Her worry always makes me feel guilty but safe. She truly is a mother. I…..like this feeling. I want to feel this more in the future. This happiness…..” her voice slurred and she feel asleep like that. The wolf yawned, dropping his knees. He adjusted the body resting on him into a comfortable position and slept properly. The two stayed like that till the sun rose high in the sky.    

    

Marvis felt his body was a little heavy. He opened his eyes to see the young lady lying carefree on his naked body. He immediately scrambled to his feet, dashing out of the cave to where his clothes were. He didn’t even recall when he transformed but seeing himself like that, he understood.    

    

When Natalia woke up, he was already packed and ready to go. She was someone who usually woke up early but because she slept so well, she was up later than usual. He didn’t mind since it was partially his fault and there was no way he could tell her she had the displeasure of sleeping over his naked body. He would surely get speared in the gut for that.    

    

“We can cover a lot of ground today if we move fast. I would take care of that by crossing the mountains so we can find the road and catch a carriage going to the gates of the kingdom,” he said after she washed her face.    

    

“Hmm? Okay. Thank you in advance,” she replied, a little confused. He smiled and started strapping everything to his body. Her confusion increased when he picked her up as well.    

    

“W-Wha….?!”    

    

“Hold on tight, my lady!”    

    

He launched into the air, carrying a frightened Natalia. He was much faster than before, reaching about half of his true speed. He crossed the mountains that humans would spend days traveling with ease, reaching the path that connected the roads and the mountains in just a day.    

    

Once Natalia was out of his arms, she fell to the ground and began vomiting all she could store in her stomach. While he did it in an apologetic sense before, he felt more guilt especially with the way he carried and dropped her. He wanted to apologize out loud but spotted a carriage coming their way. He waved to stop it and helped her on her feet. It was rare to see a carriage traveling this late, much less one with a family crest.    

    

“Have you lost your mind?! How can you stop the carriage of the Everon family like that?! Her grace is rushing to get back into the city and you just jumped into our way. Do you want to get killed?!” the coachman barked at him.    

    

“I’m so sorry I stopped you like that. You see, my pregnant wife and I were trying to get into Polivia but we are stranded by the road. We know the dangers of traveling like this thats why we just need to follow you until we get to a safe place. Please…..”    

    

It was very suspicious but Natalia’s pale face made their story convincing. She couldn’t figure out why he was lying but she played along, leaning on him pitifully. The coachman however wasn’t buying it and was intent on sending them away. He did so rudely but as someone who had traversed the road for so long, he knew just how cunning bandits would be. Just when they were reaching the end of the rope, the carriage door opened.    

    

“What is the cause of this chaos? The carriage hasn’t moved in a while,” a dainty voice came from the carriage.    

    

“Your grace, I apologize for the delay but these two insist on hitching a ride in our carriage even though I told them it belongs to you. I would send them away soonest, your grace!”    

    

“Wait. Why are they delaying us?”    

    

“Your grace, we are but a poor couple trying to get into Polivia. My pregnant wife is weak from the long journey and we can’t make it on foot any longer. If it is only to ride in front of your carriage, then we will be glad,” Marvis said once again. There was only silence from the carriage for what seemed like forever until she finally spoke up.    

    

“You may ride in front of the carriage while your wife rides in here with me. It isn’t a long journey into Polivia anymore. It’s too late to linger here.”    

    

“Thank you for your kindness, your grace!”    

    

Natalia entered the carriage while Marvis rode in front with the grumpy coachman. He smiled as they rode on their way, sending the bandits that were really closeby and the wild animals away with his aura. Inside the carriage, Natalia wasn’t so comfortable and happy.    

    

The woman in front of her…..was familiar. She was the current Duchess of Everon, Duchess Vera Everon. She was a delicate and beautiful lady with an iron will. She was more daring than she looked and she happened to be one of the ladies that accompanied the first princess of Polivia to Ducroft.    

    

“I never imagined I would be meeting your grace again like this,” she smiled.    

    

“I just returned from Ducroft, giving my condolences to the new king on the death of his wife but here you are, still alive and well. You are also the pregnant wife of someone else apparently but I’m sure you have a reasonable explanation for that, don’t you?”    

    

“There are certain things you shouldn’t pry into, Duchess Everon but thank you for lending us your carriage into Polivia,” Natalia replied.    

    

“Who is that man? A personal knight? No, he looks like a beastman,” she guessed, her eyes burning with curiosity.    

    

“It’s rude to call a werewolf a beastman. He’s the only reason your carriage has not yet been attacked by bandits or wild animals. Be grateful.”    

    

“I shall apologize for my rudeness when I see him again. Shall we go straight to the royal palace?”    

    

“No. I’m not ready to see Sebastian just yet. I am also curious to see how the Dukedom of Everon looks like.”    

    

“Very well. I shall show you to the best of my ability, your grace,” she smirked.