The Duke's Passion

The first morning was chaotic. The news spread faster like a wildfire, sending terror to everyone. Some noble head clans had made a scene in the Capital's plaza and encouraged the people for unity. But alas, only a few had the courage to go to the palace and come face to face with those 'rebels' who turned the place upside down. 

The outside of the palace was almost similar on the inside. 

Rufus and the Duke's knighthood brigade seized the palace. Some royal knights devoted to the king resisted but were subdued and thrown into the dungeon cell. Others chose death for failing to protect their king.

It was chaotic and it didn't settle down even after a week.

Yes. It had been a week since the tragic incident, but the only thing that changed was the bodies weren't inside the palace anymore. They were outside, waiting for their turn to get transported to a certain land where they would get buried.

"Your Majesty, you should rest. You hadn't had enough sleep for a week now." Kristina advised, gazing at Rufus, who sat behind the desk of his previous chief knight office.

"Don't call me that," he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose as he leaned back. "About the bereaved families of the knights... have you talked to them?"

"Yes. They didn't mind receiving compensation for the deaths of their family member. The only problems were those knights who came from the noble clans."

"What do they want?" asked Rufus, along with a deep sigh.

"Your head." 

"I see." Rufus withdrew his hand away and remained in his position for a moment. 

"They have the gall to bare their fangs. I would execute them all to show an example to hold their tongue," Kristina mumbled, displeased at how some nobles acted. She knew some of them saw this as an opportunity to feed their greed. She came from a noble clan, so she could tell.

"Kristina, I don't know why you came to hate the world, but we had executed enough violence. Causing more will be problematic and stressful," Rufus replied lazily, sighing for the umpteenth time. 

She only gazed down and pursed her lips. She didn't hate the world. What she abhorred were the hypocrites who wouldn't even conceal their greed despite the loss of a family.

Rufus glanced at her while tapping a finger against the armrest. "About His Grace?"

Kristina didn't answer immediately as she raised her head. Her eyes softened with bitterness as she shook her head lightly.

"Still the same."

"I see..." He nodded and kept quiet. Rufus had been too preoccupied with the important state of affairs, and could only ask Kristina about Samael's situation. 

"Fabian and Charlotte are still missing," Kristina added, to change the gloomy atmosphere.

"Don't worry about them. They're not missing."

"Right. By the way, Dominique finally woke up from his long slumber."

Rufus raised his brows. "What is he doing?"

"Yelling all day long. I pity the knights who were guarding him."

"Let him be for now. He will cool down his head after a while." Rufus waved nonchalantly before pulling him back from the chair. He gazed down at the documents he needed to work on.

"His siblings will visit him soon, so he'll be less lonely," he muttered before he resumed working in hopes his workload would decrease just a bit.

******

Meanwhile, in the late queen's quarters, Samael held Lilou's hands. He was sitting on the chair beside the bed.

"My brother-in-law, are you planning on collapsing? I'm afraid you'd die before her." Beatrice intoned, sitting on the divan inside the room, arms crossed. He didn't respond, as usual. 

"Lilou's wounds are already healing and she will wake up soon," she added in an attempt to be heard, but to no avail. "She has time, Samael. Don't act like she is dying."

"Because she is," came out a murmur while he stared at Lilou's face. "Back when I died, she had seen it and mourned for me for a long time. This... is karma, isn't it?"

Her lips parted, but no words came out. If Beatrice would be truthfully honest, she would say 'it was'. But she didn't need to voice it out, since he was aware of it. 

"I can't lose her," Samael muttered that she barely heard. "No matter how I think about it, I can't."

"I know it's hard, but this is her body and her life. Will you put her in a lifetime of torment just because you don't want to be alone?" 

"Yes." He nodded, brushing Lilou's cheek with his thumb. 

Samael had thought about it day and night. It was painful for him to choose between his child and his wife. But unlike the child whom he hadn't seen or formed a bond with, Lilou was more important. She might end up hating him, but he couldn't lose her.

"What a selfish bastard," she grumbled with a scoff, shaking her head lightly. "This is disappointing."

Beatrice had enough of Samael's nonsense. So, she assisted herself up to leave him alone. The purpose of her visit was to check on Lilou's condition, and she already confirmed the patient was alright.

"Didn't you say the longer the child remained inside, the more it will be hard to kill it?" she stopped by the door upon Samael's question. 

"Samael!" her voice thundered, pivoting her heel, and stomped her way towards him. Beatrice stopped beside him, casting him a look of dismay.

"Have you lost your mind?!"

"Uh, I did, I guess." Samael just cast her a brief look without strong emotion in his eyes. "It's my child, so I'll kill it."

"Hell!"

"Why?" this time, Samael also raised his voice as he glared at her. "Should I let her hate herself? Killing it means it will be my fault, not her. I'd rather receive all her hate instead of letting her live with that guilt."

Beatrice wanted to knock some senses into him, but it was pointless. He wasn't listening.

"I hope you are hearing yourself right now, Hell. You will understand how she will be disappointed..." She was unable to continue her sentence as her eyes veered towards Lilou. "Lilou?"

Out of instinct, Samael turned his attention to Lilou. His pupils dilated as he immediately bent over to her side.

"Lilou," his voice was filled with relief, but it was short-lived as she was just staring into the ceiling blankly. "Love?"

He tried tugging her shoulder, but nothing. There was nothing in her eyes, baffling and worrying him.

"Hey, what is happening?" he asked, turning his head to Beatrice.

"Lilou..." she whispered in worry, balling her hand into a fist.. "Keep the child; That is what's happening."