The Duke's Passion

  Sam didn't hug me back, nor did he push me away. He just stood there like a statue until the maids arrived. Sam and Fabian proceeded with their plan while the maids bathe me and prepared me for my wedding night.

However, what the…

"You want me to wear… that?" I barely managed to speak after a long silence, as my nightdress was shockingly revealing.

Although I had nothing to hide from Sam anymore, imagining myself wearing something that could purposely incite his… hunger felt embarrassing. The heat of my face just looking at it while the maid held it up kept increasing.

"Your Highness, it's your wedding night! Of course, you must wear it." The maid encouraged excitedly.

"Lena," I sighed as I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Can you bring me something like my old nightdress? I don't think my human morals can bear wearing that."

"But, your highness," she frowned, looking so dejected by my request. 

This girl… I remembered just a few days ago, Countess Soulton introduced me to the new personal maid assigned to me. It was Lena, a young vampire girl who was full of energy and enthusiasm. 

At first, I was wary of her, thinking she was a spy sent by the king. I tried to get her trust first if her intention was to get mine. But the more I get to know her, the more I realized Lena was just someone who was perfectly suited to keep me company for me to adjust in this fancy asylum called the palace.

Lena just had this bright attitude and carefree nature. It was hard to picture someone like her as a vampire, as she sees me on equal grounds — even regarded me higher than that. Still, I couldn't fully trust her. No, I couldn't fully trust anything in here — even myself.

"Just take that thing away." I sighed as I remained adamant. "Wearing something conservative or revealing doesn't matter to the third prince. So, I might as well wear something I'd be comfortable with until then."

"Your Highness," Lena blushed as she covered half of her face with the revealing nightdress. "I suppose your highness is right."

Uh… I said too much, huh? Another sigh slipped past my lips as I waved, and Lena got me another nightdress for me to wear. Once I changed into a sleeveless chemise (with Lena thinking I should still show more skin), she started brushing my hair in front of the mirror.

"Well, even if I'm the prince, your highness is too stunning in everything she wears!" Lena exclaimed, praising me to the heavens like usual.

I brushed my hair over my shoulder. "Lena, if your purpose is to boost my morale, there's no need."

"But I'm stating the truth, your highness!" Lena pouted as she clenched the hairbrush up. "I've never seen a human to bear such regal aura like you!" 

Regal… a word I'm so familiar with, but something that also left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I stared at myself in front of the mirror while Lena kept chatting excitedly behind me. Half a year ago, I was nothing but skin and bones. A dirty peasant who couldn't even dream of ever living life in comfort — what more, a grandiose life. 

But now, I'm here, staring at myself, with my personal maid cheering me up with everything she could, in an old yet classic bed-chamber of the third prince, after marrying a royalty. From a peasant, I'm now part of the royal family. 

It sounded like a dream… but that didn't feel like it. I wasn't in cloud nine to enjoy the luxury. But rather, I felt like I've coveted a position I shouldn't even dream of having. Now, I'm being punished. 

"Your highness," I blinked back to reality after hearing Lena's concerned voice. My eyes searched for her worried expression in the mirror before I smiled gently.

"You may go now. Thank you for attending to me," I expressed as I slowly turned and faced her.

"Your highness, you mustn't worry too much," Lena muttered with genuine worry in her voice. "The man who cherishes your highness will always protect you. You can worry less and rest tonight."

My heart warmed up as I reached for her hand. "Thank you, Lena. But you shouldn't refer to the third prince as 'the man'."

Lena just gave me a slight smile before she excused herself quietly. For reasons unknown, Lena would always have a brief sadness in her eyes. At first, I thought she just held the same prejudice against Sam, so she kept referring to him as 'the man'. 

Tonight felt a little different, but I didn't dwell on the thought. The only man who loved me was Sam, my husband. He may be eccentric and a bit... well, he's twisted, but I loved him deeply.

I walked towards the window and slid the curtain aside for me to see the moon. It was shining especially bright tonight. 

"I wonder how Sam and Mister Fabian's sparring is faring?" I murmured while staring at the cloudless night sky.

****

"My lord, you've died for the 20th time now," Fabian announced, pointing a sword a centimeter away from Samael's throat. "Did you even want to spar?"

"Fabian, I said, I need my life to be in danger," Samael imparted as he cast Fabian a bored look. "I could've died twenty times, but I didn't. I should've asked Rufus to spar with me instead since he'd surely want to kill me after all the work I passed to him."

"My lord," Fabian drew the sword away and took a step back. "Can I ask you a question?"

Samael quirked his brow as he tilted his head. "Did you purposely bore me so you can ask a question?"

Fabian just smiled so Samael continued, "Are you, perhaps, curious how I got Stefan's approval so easily? And why Stefan seemed overly concerned towards my wife? Or why does my wife look at him with such pain in her eyes?"

Fabian didn't speak as he sensed the killing intent shrouding Samael.

"Male —" Before Fabian called forth Maleficent, he halted as he turned his gaze towards the figure approaching them.

"Your Majesty," Fabian bowed with his palm across his palm.

"I came out here to relieve some stress." Stefan held his wrist, massaging it as his hand made a slight circular motion. "But it seems I'm not the only one."

"Stefan." A manic smirk resurfaced on Samael's lips. "Do you want to spar?"

Samael turned and met the murderous glint flickering across Stefan's eyes. and then, they both whispered,

"Catharsis."

"Lancelot."