"Regef come in please, i'm sorry to ask for your help so early in the morning" I had asked regef to check on lord gavin, he said he was fine but I just couldn't let it go.
"It was my honour your grace" he bowed.
"Stop that Regef, you helped me so much over the years I'm so grateful to you, please call me clarisa like you used to"
"Yes my lady... i examined him and his injuries were worse than you thought, he had fractures that were healing and bruises on his back and abdomen. They looked to be 1 week old or less, he also had some muscle tears from overexerting himself like he repeated the same motion over again"
"He must have been doing the same exercise over and over again" I looked at theo horrified as he pats my back. I knew it was bad but I didnt know it was this bad.
"Yes your grace, I already healed him completely, so he should be all good now."
"Thank you regef, I'm always so grateful for your help."
"Your grace, i know this may be improper behavior but I have a favour to ask of you."
"Go on, I'll be happy to grant your wish."
"I would like to accompany you to runan your grace, you see I'm in love with someone in your company" he blushed shyly as i stared at him, he must have fallen for stella but she is already taken. I laughed gently turning to a smiling theo.
"If that is what you want, but you have to tell me who it is." He blushed shyly, looking down
".... the person I like is sarah" he blushed again and I laughed gently.
"Runan is always open to a talented mage such as your self, we will be happy to have you" theo spoke breaking me from my silly laugh. I'll need to speak to Clark, i know getting a 5th circle mage is quite hard, I wouldn't want to rob him of a talented employee.
"So all those times you came to check on me, you were really just coming to catch a glimpse of Sarah?" He looked away nodding gently as i laughed again.
"Don't tease him too much dear, his face is about to explode"
It made so much sense now, even on days I wasn't hurt. He would always look for a reason to hang around, I wonder how Sarah feels about him.
"My dear?" Theo turned to me, as i yawned tired just thinking of the exhausting day.
"If I may your grace, I'm glad you are doing so much better now. Although I could always heal you when you were hurt but there were some wounds i could never heal. I'm glad that those wounds seem to be slowly healing." Regef smiled as he walked out the room.
The funeral began by 4pm and the estate was starting to fill with nobles from all over. Unlike the funeral of the count, the countess had actual people mourning her loss.
"My dear" Theo hugged me, i was getting cold feet as I knew exactly how the people here saw me. To them I was the villainess of dumont, the one who led the countess to her death and the evil of the empire. I didn't want to go out to their hate and scorn but I had to be there for Clark.
We still hadn't had a conversation yet but his face from yesterday told me all I needed to know. He was glad to see me and grateful I was here beside him.
"I'm fine my love, I have you by my side."
Theo and I walked to the funeral procession and joined with Clark and Arabella. Clark gave me a thankful smile as the whispers began.
Theo squeezed my hand gently as Arabella linked arms with me, I was finally no longer alone. I had family that would be with me through it all.
Lots of them stared at theo wo during who he was, some speculated he was probably a knight sent with me, while others were shocked that the beast duke was handsome.
Theo just held my hand gently as the whispers got louder, it made me feel sick but I had to tough it out till the end of the service.
After she was put to rest a small banquet was held in the outer building. Only a select few were allowed to attend the main funeral as the rest waited in the banquet hall.
Clarisa!clarisa!!clarisa!!!clarisaaaaaaa!!!!!! How dare you? How dare you? How dare you? Huh!! Smiling? Happy? Then what about me? What crime did I commit? You ruined my life.... now you smile and that bastard beside you.... how dare he smile? How dare he smile at the woman that forced me to marry him? That father pudgy bastard..... i'll kill him..... I'll kill him.... i should have done that long ago... I'll free the world of his ugly self.
"Can you imagine this? Laughing so loudly with a man, how unsightly. " machioness Deborah had come to my side, everyone knows how much she hates lady clarisa, this can be my way of getting on her good side. I should take that tramp down.
"I know right, well she married a beast so it's understandable she can smile brightly near a pig. I wonder how she can stand being close to a beast, must be the blood of villain running through her... they must make quite the scene to behold together. The villainess and the beast" i made sure to say it loudly enough for her to hear as i hear people around gasp as she turns to me.
I locked eyes with her and she smirked, that damn wench after ruining my life, i never asked the prince to date me. He was the one who came onto me, so why was I the only one who got ruined? Why was I the only one who had to face consequences?
"Interesting conversation you are having there lady...." this damn lady... how dare you forget my name?
"Baroness Alisa stiles, you grace" did she forget my name after ruining my life, her smiled wiped from her face and it was replaced with a scowl. She was already ugly now she had this horrible look on her face, I hate her so much.
"Baroness? To think a mere baroness would try to look down on a duke and duchess." She was no longer smiling as she looked down on me towering me completely, It was a bit unnerving but I stood my ground.
"What!! Your grace i never intended to look down on you." Of course if you make such a big deal out of nothing everyone would turn on you, i smile brightly as i bowed. 'What will you do now your grace' a crowd was starting to gather as murmurs and whispers began, most were in my favour so I have nothing to lose.
"The quality of nobles in the empire must be lacking, I'll need to have a talk with his majesty."
"Your grace, don't you think you are taking a simple joke too far." I lifted my head and turned to machioness Deborah hoping she would back me up but she had walked away in the chaos.
"So talking about the personal life of the duke and duchess, the protectors of the empire and imperial family, is all a joke to you?." No, this is bad, the crowd is turning on me. Although everyone says it in secret, no one is crazy enough to say it to them.
"I'm sorry your grace, i misspoke." How utterly humiliating.... it's all that pigs fault.... had her not been smiling with her.... ill have to teach him a lesson when I leave.
She turned around walking away as I sighed in relief. Everyone was staring at me as I felt so much shame, lady clarisa suddenly turned around and I flinched, what does she want now?
I felt the sting and fell down before I realized what had happened, she had slapped me so hard I fell to the ground.
She stood towering over me as I held my now stinging cheeks.
"Also, my husband is not a beast, he is the most adorable man in this world." She gave a satisfied smile before walking away, she mumbled something under her breath, I turned around to check if no one else just heard her but it seems I was the only one who heard it.
How dare this evil wench? Me? An abuser? Me? Who did I abuse? When? I can't stand her.... she makes me angry..... I want to rip her hair off but she is the duchess.... I hate her so much.....
I walked out of the hall embarrassed as everyone had turned on me, not even caring that it was all the villainess's fault.
"I'll have my revenge" clarisa dumont I'll have my revenge, I'll kill you.... I'll kill you.
It was already dark out but the lamps illuminated the estate like it was daybreak... damn dumonts flaunting their wealth.
I saw something silver shine in the distance, I turn to it and a beautiful man was standing there. He looked like if goddess uberta was a man and descended to the world.
His silver hair shone gently under the bright light, he was tall and fit. He was dressed in black attire, even from far away I could see it was of the finest quality. He turned to me and our eyes met, his finely sculpted face and those blue eyes, he was looking at me. Does he feel the same way too? He must feel how i feel, right?
"Lady Alisa?" I heard my name from behind, I turned around to see machioness Deborah. I turned back but he was already gone.... nooooo.... my soul mate, he was someone I hadn't seen before. Who was he? I need to know, but I'm married. I'll leave that pig behind.
"Lady Alisa?" I turned to her again, she had been talking to me but I don't care for that, when I needed her help she had left me stranded.
"I'm sorry lady Deborah, but I'll be leaving first." She looked offended but I couldn't care, I need to find my future husband, my fate. I took off leaving her behind, he was standing there so he must have walked in that direction, I ran for about 10 seconds before I saw his beautiful silver hair come into view.
"I'm sorry sorry for what my wife said your grace" it was a voice i knew so well, a voice that irritated me to death, that crazy man.
Just looking at the two of them together made me realize I was crazy to have married him, but it will be okay soon.
"Where is my wife lord gavin?" Huh? Wife? Your grace? There is only one person in the empire who is referred to as your grace.
"Her grace went back to the main building your grace."
"Thank you lord gavin, you can retire for the evening."
Her grace? His grace? Is that.... Is that.... the duke?
I burst out laughing as I couldn't believe my rotten luck, after ruining my life she went ahead to marry my fated husband. Lady clarisa really has done it this time.
"Lady Alisa." I heard him call to me but I turned around and left, I have things to put into motion and once I'm done I'll be free from the pig and the duke my fated one will be mine and lady clarisa will be gone for good.