The Duke's Unwanted Second Wife

”Roman, where were you?” Eilika asked, having just finished going over the expenditure ledger a few minutes ago. ”I’ve been looking for you. I thought you and I could go outside to play.”

”Mama, I went to your chamber, but I didn’t see you there,” Roman lied softly. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her what he had just overheard from outside his father’s study. He carefully placed his sketchbook on the table, stiffening slightly as he felt Eilika’s gentle hand touch his head.

”Baby, what’s troubling you? Won’t you share it with me?” Eilika asked, bending down slightly and resting her hand under his small chin.

”Nothing, Mama,” he replied, forcing a bright smile to his face. Perhaps growing up in the house of a Duke had already taught him far too well how to hide his true emotions.

And after what he had heard, he felt that telling Eilika would not be right. What if she began hating him for being the son of a woman who had deceived so many people? As far as he could make sense of his father’s words, his biological mother had done terrible things.

”Roman, won’t you tell me?” Eilika asked gently. She dropped to her knees in front of him, resting her hands tenderly on his shoulders.

”Mama, nothing happened. Truly,” he answered. ”It’s going to rain outside. Can we really play?”

He firmly decided not to tell her. ’I don’t want Mama to leave me,’ he thought to himself. ’So hiding this won’t be wrong.’

”It’s not going to rain just yet,” Eilika remarked with a warm smile, standing up and taking his small hand in hers. ”Besides, you were asking me how to make a paper boat, and I intend to teach you today. Come, let’s make a boat and go sail it in the stream.”

Roman smiled and walked out with Eilika into the estate grounds.

As they sat together in the open garden, Eilika first demonstrated how to fold a paper boat. ”Now, you give it a try,” she said gently.

Roman nodded, his small fingers carefully folding the paper step by step.

”No, unfold this side first... Yes, just like that,” Eilika instructed, guiding his hands.

”Look at that! See what a fine boat you made,” she remarked, beaming with pride. ”Come along! The stream is just ahead.”

Lifting the hem of her gown slightly, she began walking down the garden path, while Roman happily ran ahead of her. Behind them, the maids followed at a respectful distance.

They reached the stream, where Roman waited for Eilika to show him what to do next. She lowered herself near the bank and placed the boat she had made into the current, giving it a gentle push by swirling her hand through the water.

”Look, the boat is floating forward,” Eilika told him with a smile.

Roman carefully imitated her, while Eilika kept a close watch on him. Using his small hands, he cupped the water to create a gentle wave, letting his boat drift ahead with the stream.

”I think this is what they were talking about, Mama!” Roman clapped his hands together as he stood up, walking along the bank to follow the boat’s path. In his class, some of the other children had spoken about playing with paper boats in the rainy season, but he had never quite understood the fun of it until now.

Eilika kept her pace steady behind Roman, watching him enjoy the simple joy of the moment. However, she was well aware that he was keeping something from her. ’I hope he feels safe enough to tell me soon,’ she thought.

Roman eventually stopped after a short distance, panting slightly from the run. ”Mama, the boat has gone so far away,” he said, lifting his head to meet her gaze.

”Yes,” Eilika replied softly. ”And now it will journey ahead to meet many other boats down the stream.”

”That’s wonderful!” Roman remarked, his eyes lighting up as he imagined the sight.

”How about we play a game of blindfold next?” she suggested.

”Yes! I love that game,” Roman said happily, taking his mother’s hand firmly as they walked back together toward the main garden center.

~~~~~~

The moment Queen Victoria roared those words—”I am the Queen!”—the guards who had been stepping forward froze, their boots glued to the stone floor.

Before anyone could react, she slid a dagger from the loose sleeve of her gown and unsheathed it. Within a second, the sharp blade was pressed directly against her own neck.

”I dare Your Majesty to pass an order against me!” she bellowed, her voice echoing wildly through the grand hall. ”If you do, I will die right here, in front of everyone! Let the world know how you treat your own Queen for the sake of a pathetic mistress. A woman who continues to ruin my life even from beyond the grave!”

”Mother, put that dagger down!” Ciaran shouted, taking a frantic step forward, while King Nyxen merely frowned at her desperate display.

August stepped up, stopping directly in front of the Queen. ”All you care about is your own life, Your Majesty. You have no concept of remorse for the horrors you have caused. If you truly wish to die, then go ahead. Do it!” he provoked, locking his gaze with hers.

”August, stay quiet!” Ciaran commanded.

”I will not stay quiet! If it has come to this, then so be it,” August declared, turning his fierce gaze back to the Queen. ”Crown Prince, your mother murdered mine. And I believe if yours dies today, everything will finally be put right. The innocent lives she destroyed will at last receive justice.”

He sneered at the Queen, taking another deliberate step closer. ”Do it, Your Majesty, the great Queen. Slit your throat and prove to everyone present in this hall just how terrified you are of facing the truth of your crimes!”

August grabbed her wrist, forcing the edge of the blade even tighter against her skin. Sylvian and Ciaran lunged forward, shouting in unison for August to release their mother.

”Do you fear death? Can you see it looming over you? I bet you can!” August hissed, his voice trembling with fury.

The sheer terror in his eyes caused Victoria to shudder, her grip on the weapon slackening. Seizing the opportunity, August wrenched the dagger from her hand, only to be struck across the jaw by a sudden blow from Ciaran.

”Ciaran!” Nyxen’s voice boomed through the hall, halting the conflict instantly as the two princes stood chest-to-chest, glaring at each other with pure hatred.

Victoria collapsed to the cold floor. ”I killed that bitch! I ordered her to be poisoned!” she shrieked, breaking into a maniacal laugh that echoed off the high stone walls.

The entire court froze, turning toward her in horror. August wiped a smear of blood from his split lip, his gaze locked on the fallen Queen.

”That woman was a curse on my marriage! I gave everything to you, King Nyxen. I agreed to be your strength, and how did you repay me? You brought another woman into our lives and cast me aside! You even sired a bastard with her!” Victoria screamed, her laughter turning to bitter venom.

”I hated her from the bottom of my heart, and I hate her to this day. Look at yourself in the mirror, Your Majesty, you are the reason she died! If you had never brought her to the palace, none of this would have happened. And because Alistair discovered the truth, I ordered my brother to eradicate the Spencers!”

She had confessed the truth that had been buried for years.

”I curse you and the bastard you had with her to die in so much pain that even death wouldn’t come to either of you!” Victoria shrieked, her voice echoing maniacally as she thrashing against the cold stone floor.

”Take her to the dungeons. Release Xavier’s family immediately and throw him into the cell alongside her. Lock this maid away as well,” King Nyxen ordered, his voice cold and devoid of any emotion. ”Their punishments will be decided in tomorrow’s court session.”

With those final words, Nyxen turned on his heel and swept out of the chamber hall.

The guards stepped forward, dragging a screaming Victoria away along with her two accomplices. One by one, the shaken ministers bowed and filed out, leaving only the three princes standing in the silence of the vast hall.

August turned to leave as well, refusing to look at his brothers, when Sylvian spoke up.

”Forgive me for doubting you, August,” Sylvian said, his tone laced with grief and bitterness. ”However, stay out of my sight. Because of you, this family has been torn apart completely.” He sharply turned on his boots and walked out.

”As if I’m dying to play a happy family game with you,” August muttered under his breath, turning his back on them.

Ciaran glared at him, his fists clenched, but he said nothing before turning around and swiftly leaving the hall.