4 days later.

Tarion. Duke of Oseberg

My boots splashed in a puddle of yesterday's rain as I found a cave hidden between thick foliage. Far from the city, I push aside leave and continue walking in the dark. I increased the luminance of my hue, and a light step took me hundreds of meters through the cave. Another step, and I leapt hundreds more through the dark tunnel. Like a skipping stone, I streamed across the long groove made by ancestors of the umbra feet. Seven pulses bounced off the rocky wall, which became unnaturally smoother as I tread further into the cave where thousands of Umbra, throughout the generations, had learnt the steps.

A stone wall blocked my wall. Smooth and black like the obelisk that carried my family's names. I placed my palm on the cold stone, and a soft green light radiated letters from my fingers. The meter-thick slab crumbled into itself, and the entrance to the Umbra headquarters opened for its master.

A sword stabbed through the entrance. Mana armoured left patted the blade away and splashed?

Very cheeky. I thought with a grin.

A sabre swiped the back of my neck, clinking against a water blade of my making.

“Quite the welcome. I'm pleased to see your improvement, but you didn't need to be so impatient. I can spar with you later.”

I turned back to the dark tunnel where a captain kneeled.

I barely sensed him. My bodyguard, my shadow, has grown tremendously.

“I… apologise, your Grace.” Kurt bowed his head deeper. Without my inspect, I could never tell from his hue he had grown to sixth-circle golden grade.

Scary Man.

I knelt, smiling as I held Kurt's shoulder.

“As I go to battle with my lifelong enemies, will you protect my back as always?”

The stone soldier sported a large smile brighter than summer sunshine. Kurt beat his chest in salute. “YES, YOUR GRACE!”

“Good, good. Okay. Now-” I stood in a rush. “Show me to my brother.”

Lightning rained all around the crystal-lit training room, and I couldn't be prouder of its conjurer. Joshua raised his hand up for the last strike.

“My butler was to wait on you. Not be your sparring partner.”

The injured sparrers turned sharply at the sound of my voice.

“Tarion!?”

“Brother!?”

Joshua turned back to his sparring partner. “You call him Tarion?! You never call me by name, even if I ask…”

“Ah…” Charles scratched his tawny hair. “I have known him longer, is all.” He apologised with a smile.

“Don't be jealous; it's unbecoming, brother.” I made my way past the monument and around the training circle to the steps. I paused, looking at my brother’s new fitter body, long red hair, and fiercer eyes.

“Did you beat my record?”

“Of course not, you monster,” Joshua said with a smirk. “But I did my best.” A thread of mana floated to me, crossing more than a hundred meters. No strain showed on his determined face.

“I see… Continue your progress, Sixth Circle. When times get tough, I can't wait to have you by my side.” I went up the stairs before I could see his reaction. No time to dilly dally.

“Tarion.” Charles ran to me. Another scary man. A gentle giant that could withstand a shower of lightning. A sixth circle pill maker. When does he have the time?

“Sir. A bath?”

"Yes, my friend. I need to look presentable this evening.”

Weeks in a musty tent made a simple bath feel like heaven. Lying in the soothing bath, I felt I could finally relax. Old and new scars soften in the soapy water.

“More shampoo. No time to clean my hair with an army at my door.”

“Yes, your Grace,” said a maid carefully cleaning my matted hair. I asked a maid who was shaving my facial hair. “Beatrice?”

“Still down south. Coordinating the mercenaries according to Susan's direction.” She stopped shaving. “Unless…”

“It's alright. Leave the smelly lot to her. I trust her judgement. Our prisoners?”

June continued with her close shave around my neck. “Your treasurer and former lawyer have been released as promised. They will serve their probation at their family homes.”

I nodded.

“And…”

“She isn't starving herself anymore.”

"Mmm. Expect new a prisoner coming soon.”

“Understood, Your Grace.”

Not even five minutes in the bath, and I grow bored of the comfort. As my injuries ache less in the water, I remember the comrades I left to come back, the cold bucket showers, and the late-night drinking parties I suffered soberly.

I have not changed.

I missed it the same way I missed the dust and hot sun, the heavy equipment. The rifle in hand.

Vanessa. I need to meet her. See her once more.

“June. Get my finest.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“For what occasion, your Grace?” She asked after she finished giving me the smoothest shave I have ever had.

“I am attending a celebration. A party in honour of my victory. A party I wasn't invited to.”

Clothed and presentable, I sat in my coach. Watching the city speed by in the summer evening, I spotted smooth, cleaner walkways and people with chubbier checks. More smiles.

You have done well in my absence. I open up a box to see the shiny gift inside. Hopefully, she will like this small reward.

“For her?”

The box closed, mana formed a knife in my hand. The intruder tried to peek at the box. His bloody hand nearly touched.

“Shiny. Nice gift,” the mage grinned with his ravenous eyes on the box.

“Dirty it and more than your hand will bleed red.”

“Oh? Ha. Sorry.” Vel pulled back his left hand to pat a head on his lap.

Fuck.

“How long?.” I asked the mad mage.

“Since the beginning,” he said, sitting on my right, calmly stroking the bleeding head of a seeker. He seemed totally concerned about my growth. By leaps and bounds, I have gotten stronger, yet he was relaxed in my company. He slouched on the carriage seat, his disguise fallen, and rune crown out.

“I thought you would be more cautious.” Vel picked at the deadman's hair. “After all, we are partners.”

“Partners? What the fuck gave you that idea?”

“Well. We both need to protect the one we love.” Vel grabbed the head by its short brown hair. “I need no more distractions. Bring anymore, and I view you as one.”

His chest rose up and down. His movements are limited and stilted. Voice quiet, as if to hide discomfort.

“I take the silence as a yes. Oh, I nearly forgot. I also came with a warning.”

“The cult?” I interrupted the mage.

“Ye-yes…”

“Vanessa is aware and has taken precautions.”

“She- Kellen…”

“Thank you for the warning, but we have it under control. Now leave. I have a party to attend.”

“Tarion! If you mess it up again!”

I looked back into the street. “Trust her as I do.”

The mage sighed. “You have gotten braver.” And with a pop, he disappeared. Leaving a head behind to soak its blood on my expensive seats.

Seekers are on the average seventh circle, and for one to give him that damage…

My heart pulsed with excitement.

The next time we fight, I shall survive.

Hand on my chest, I felt my heart pump. On that night, what did he do?

Charles called from the driver's seat. “We have arrived, Your Grace!!”

Vanessa. The duchess.

“Your Grace.” A young lady curtsied. “Your attendance is such an honour. I had heard you preferred to be a homebody.”

“No, Lady Masse. The upkeep of the city had kept me very busy. But I wouldn't dare miss a ball held in my illustrious husband's honour.” I looked at the noble of dark hair. “And yours.”

“Oh, yes...” A mixture of emotions flashed on her soft face. Her green eyes showed fear and longing. Her Joy. The same emotions I felt whenever his name is mentioned.

I reached for her quivering hand. “They will both come home safe.” Lady Masse wiped her coming tears with a napkin.

“Your Grace. May I be open?”

“Go ahead. I haven't had enough honesty in a while.” I swiped off a gold cup of wine from a servant.

“I was quite frightened of you at first.”

I stopped mid-sip. “Of me?”

“Of course! The wife of the awakened duke turned tyrant who killed anyone in his sight. Commoner or noble, it didn't matter. When you came to the salon to brandish your husband's power, my fear turned to terror.”

“Ah, completely forgot that.”

“Behind your back, many of the ladies thought you were overconfident, hanging on the cloak of His Grace. Climbing so high above her station that she will struggle to breathe.”

“A commoner.”

Lady Masse nodded with guilt. If this is what they thought of me, imagine if they knew I wasn't the favoured daughter of a merchant but the bastard of a prostitute.

“That was until you saved the Duke. From then we saw more of you and how you really changed this city. I saw… we all saw what you are doing for Osberg.”

She surprised me by bowing.

“Lady Masse. I-”

Many more ladies of nobility flock in, bowing as she did and leaving their partners stunned.

“We saw the stress you have undertaken from fixing the mistakes—the rot we had ignored for so long. We only ask of you one thing, our duchess. Share your burden with us.”

I felt like letting tears fall down like a fountain. So many months of hard work had exhausted me. Although my body was as strong as steel, my soul was withering under the obligations and the responsibility I felt as the governor of such a large and beautiful city. My dear husband was a hand to always hold. His voice always encouraged me to better myself and withstand the position he gave me. But this? Their ask was what I needed all along.

I pulled up my expensively tailored red dress and curtsied to the crowd of stunned women. “It would be an honour. For Osberg.”

“For Osberg!!” the crowd bellowed, shaking the chandelier above.

“For Osberg indeed.”

A slimy voice brought down the moment.

“Good evening, Your Grace.” A blond man who didn't deserve that face sauntered over to me. With his gold and white cassock gleaming brightly in the ballroom, he held out a hand. “May this teacher have a dance?”

My eyes flicked around for a better option, for I couldn’t suffer his sight outside our lessons. Jen ran for me, weaving past the servants, though I felt she arrived too late.

I sighed, “S-”

Giving the cardinal a dance before me?

I nearly dropped my gold cup. My heart could have jumped out of my chest right there.

“LORD OF THE OSBERG KNIGHTS, GOVERNOR OF OSBERG CITY AND OF THE OSBERG DUKEDOM. DUKE TARION GREYSTONE HAS ARRIVED!!”

A pale beauty walked down the ballroom steps. At the sight of the cloaked warrior, every soul kneeled. Heads no longer hanging down in fear, they braved the brightness of his being.

Jen, in her bright blue dress, smiled as she took my cup. “Go on!”

My feet moved by themselves.

“Grace? Grace!” As the priest called for me. Jen came to my rescue, holding off the pervert.

I rushed to my love. I collided with him, hugging him tight in case he may fly away again.

“Tarion!” my cries muffled in his dark Alarian silk shirt. He squeezed me back. Without my circles, I would have been crushed in his embrace.

A kiss on my forehead and then my lips made me hot. “That Voice, your sweet smell. Your beauty… I do not know how I survived without it.” I feel his nose go to my bare nape.

“Tarion!” I hissed in a whisper. “There is an audience.”

Tarion pulled back. His red eyes squinted with cheekiness. “Ah, right. I don't mind. But for you, Dame, I will calm down. We will have plenty of time alone later.” Hand in hand, we faced the audience. Aided with the power of mana and wind, Tarion's voice boomed.

“I have come back after tasting the sweetness of victory!”

A huge roar of praise erupted from the nobles. “I am honoured by this. I feel your support, and so do my treasured soldiers still out there.” Another loud cheer. “So today. The celebration is for the soldiers who march for a calling beyond our dukedom but for the people of Friedland. For the heroes who march for justice! Hooray for the Osberg Guard!!”

They responded with a cheer almost deafening.

Tarion clicked. “Musicians! Play!” Pipes blew and strings and strung, commencing the party with renewed vigour.

In front of the jovial nobles, my husband bowed. “A dance, my lady?”

I nodded with the biggest smile on my face.