Becoming The Duke's Possession[COMPLETED]

Chapter 17

Napalunok ako ng laway pago pumasok sa dining hall. I am too nervous that my legs won't budge earlier.

Habang palapit ng palapit sa dining table ay lumilinaw na sa paningin ko ang tatlong tao na nakaupo doon. I recognized Rufus right away as he nodded his head at me. That beautiful woman must be Lady Ruelle. Rufus' younger sister. Faye told me that Lady Ruelle is 24 year old so this child beside her must be her son. Wow. He looks exactly like a little version of Rufus and a boy version of Lady Ruelle.

"Greetings. I am delighted to join you at this dinner. I am Zanelli Wynfir." Nagyuko ako bilang pagbibigay galang. As a Duchess I shouldn't be doing that because we only bound to bow or curtsy to those higher than us, however, this is me showing respect to the Duke's family.

"I'm Ruelle Wynfir." she plainly said saka ibinaling sa iba ang paningin niya. She did not bother showing me her indifference. But I still force a smile.

"And I'm Lucius! Nice to meet you, Duchess!" The young child smiled widely at me. Somehow this dark feeling that is starting to form inside me stops as this child welcomed my presence heartwarmingly.

"Come on now, wife." Tumayo si Rufus para hilain ang upuan katabi ng kanya.

"Thank you," I whispered.

Nagumpisa na kaming kumain at pagsilbihan ng mga tagapagsilbi. Napatingin ako kay Rufus na nilagyan ng malaking parte ng karne ang plato ko. I lean closer to his ear and whisper.

"I thought your father would join us here?" 

"Pfftt-" sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. I'm just asking what's so funny about that. Don't you know how nervous I was when I hear he was joining us? My mind just exploded from overthinking. What if he does not like me as his daughter-in-law? What if he'll threaten me to divorce his son instantly?

"Aherm! I'm sorry I should have introduced him earlier." His playful face turned into serious mode.

Napakunot ang noo ko. Did the former Duke already left the Duchy?

"Father, I would like to formally introduce my wife. The mother of this Dukedom. Zanelli Wynfir." Napatingin ako sa paligid. Where? Perhaps, is their father invisible or only visible to them? I never heard of someone who has that unique ability though.

Napatingin ako kung saan dumapo ang mata ni Rufus.

Nilapag ni Lucius ang utensils na hawak niya. Saka pinunasan ang gilid ng labi niya ng linen napkin. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko, hindi ko namalayan na nabitawan ang hawak kong tinidor at kutsilyo dahil sa pagkabigla.

"Oh sorry you must be shock, young lady." Said the child.

"Tsk. Why do you always have to pretend as a child." Lady Ruelle irrirably hissed. 

"Cause I am!"

"Father, from others perspective you look like my son! Do not blame me if I don't get married at 30." Lady Ruelle said. Annoyed.

Hindi makapaniwalang napatingin ako kay Rufus, puno ng pagtataka. What is happening in this family?

When Rufus reach the legal of age 21, he became the youngest Duke that ever recorded in the history of this empire. That is because the previous Duke Lucius Wynfir became a child overnight. Something happened that turned this Dukedom upside down. Not everyone knew, only Lucius wife, children and their Imperial majesties  has the knowledge about the incident as a reason why they let Rufus succeed the Dukedom in such as young age and became the head of this family.

Sinara ko ang folder na binigay sa akin ni Dasha

"I didn't told you this before for it is out of my consent. My apologies Duchess." Dasha said.

Kahit naman sinabi niya sa akin dati ay hindi ko din matatandaan lahat ng iyon, because I pay no attention to her history lessons. Maybe I learned something but why would this head of mine forget most of the important things?

"Thank ,you Dasha."

"And I wont be serving you for a while, Your Grace." 

It's a shame to have the person you can trust the most be away from you. But what can I do about that? It must be the Duke's order.

"In my stead, His Grace will be putting a knight with you starting today, Duchess." 

A knight? I never expect that Rufus will let someone like me have one of his most trusted knight. After Dasha left, I heard a knock on my door. If they were Cornelia and Faye they would knock first then tell me that they're coming in. But this person outside needs my permission first.

"You may come in."

The door opens and a familiar man meet my eyes. Agad naman siyang nagyuko at bumati. From the uniform he's wearing I could already tell kung anong sadya niya sa akin.

"Good day, Duchess. I'm Miriel Gernier. I intend to serve as your Grace's knight, if you feel displease, the Duchess can kick me out anytime." He humbly said. Now I know why he looks familiar. He was that knight when I was almost attacked by a bandit inside the carriage last time.

"I'm at your care sir Miriel."

Rufus must have had a reason to put a knight beside me. I am not against his Idea but this will also mean that he has eyes on me and I will never be free as before. I sighed. 

I am the Duchess now. I shouldn't be thinking such nonsense. Any harm that may occur to me will impact His Grace the Duke. I am now his person, his most loyal servant. Bago ako tumungtong sa lupain na ito ay ipinangako ko sa sarili kong pagsisilbihan ko si Rufus, that I will be with him until I die as long as I have the means of his protection. 

Lihim na napangiti ako. 

Instead, the Duke exceeds my expectations. I thought that I will be just a maid serving him from below but he had taken me as his wife. It's not what I planned but i guess things turned out this way for the better. It is more than I expected it to be.

I was dazed looking up at the sky. The Duke saved a space room next to my chamber as my office. I am so done with this papers. They are not expecting me to manage everything this time because I'm still learning. 

Dawn hand me over all the paperworks regarding this household's inner businesses such as budgets and whatnot. He thanked me for marrying the Duke, but now his work was cut short. Poor Dawn. His dark circles are even bigger than his eyes now.

Maya maya pa ay sunod sunod na pagkatok ang narinig ko mula sa labas. 

"Come-" hindi pa man din ako nakapagsalita ay bumukas na ang pintuan saka iniluwa noon ang isang tagapagsilbi. Sa likuran niya ay si Miriel, I told him to stay outside maybe he guarded the door. 

Bumaling ang pansin ko sa tagapagsilbi na naghahabol ng hininga.

"May I know what is it that you're cutting your breathing short?" I asked.

"Your Grace! Forgive me but Cornelia--she was being punished by lady Ruelle!" 

Agad na napatayo ako. Bigla akong kinabahan. Why is the lady punishing my personal servant?

"Lead the way." I command her. Mabilis naman siyang tumalima. Malalaki ang mga hakbang at tanging ingay ng mabigat kong yapak ang naririnig sa buong pasilyo. Does Cornelia got in trouble because of her foul mouth, though she's not a bad person she just have a frank choice of word. Did she offend the Lady this time?

 Napakumos ako ng kamao. I'm getting a bad feeling from it.