The current imperial family has been in power since the founding of the empire. There have been multiple attempts to pull them out of power but any rebellion or form of treason is met with total annihilation by the leandros family who are the protectors of the imperial household.
The current emperor, Emperor Calistor salum had a younger brother who was the grand duke. He staged a rebellion few years ago and his whole family and bloodline was wiped out by the previous duke, duke Oliver leandros. So the imperial family consists of the emperor, the empress lady Amanda salum and her son the crown prince mateo salum. The crown prince is married to crown princess Emma salum and they have 2 children micheal and Michelle salum who are twins.
Prince callus the son of the late concubine lady auriel de salum is the 3rd in line for the throne and the crown prince's younger brother.
In a beautiful rose garden, lady dressed in gardening clothes crunches down tending to the flowers. A maid walks in and she turns to her, her platinum blond hair swaying as her purple eyes focus on the maid.
"Your majesty, please let us do that. That is a job for commoners" she smiled turning back to the flowers
"There is nothing as a job for commoners miss chloe.... did you find out what I asked?"
"Yes your majesty, the duke and duchess will be having an audience with his majesty by noon before heading to the dumont estate."
"That sounds amazing, i would love to have tea with the duchess."
"I'll send her an invitation your majesty."
"Thank you miss Chloe.... i wonder what kind of person her grace truly is." She smiled sweetly as she hums pruning the flowers.
"Grandma" two little kids about 5 years old with platinum blond hair come running in jumping into her arms.
"Your highness"
"Your highness" 2 attendants run in out of breath.
"Please dont run"
***********
In the imperial office of his majesty the emperor.
"Lord sirius, when is the audience with the duke and duchess?" His majesty taps his quill pen on the table, looking worried.
"They will be here by noon your majesty" i understand his majesty's fear, if the duke and duchess have an issue with the imperial family, they may neglect their duty to protect, which may lead to the fall of the current imperial family.
"Make sure everything is perfect for their arrival, had i known she would become the duchess, I would have intervened between her and callus."
"No one could have guessed that she would become the duchess your majesty. It's no one's fault but the prince who decided to treat her so badly." His majesty drops his head in his hands.
"Make sure to keep prince callus far away from the palace during their visit. It would be best if they don't have more reason to hate the imperial family"
"Yes your majesty, prince callus has been ordered to stay in his palace till he is asked for"
"Announcing the duke and duchess of runan. Duke Theodore leandros and duchess clarisa leandros." The audience chamber opened to a blond man with a crown on his head standing with arms open. He had a huge smile on his face as he welcomed us in.
"Greetings your majesty" Theo just puts his arm on his chest not bowing, he turned to me smiling and i did the same. I guess being a leandros gives you special rights.
"Welcome your grace, please sit."
The emperor waved for everyone else to leave the audience room, trying to be friendly.
"Had i known you were this beautiful. I would have asked to see you sooner duchess clarisa. "
"Thank you for the kind words your majesty"
I had thought speaking with the emperor would be hard but with theo beside me holding my hand and his warm reassurimg smile. I lift my head straight maintaining dignity as the duchess.
"Please don't be so formal with me, I have told your husband to call me by name all these years but he refuses." He laughed heartily, he was so different from callus who never smiled and always had a mean scowl on his face.
"I'll keep that in mind your majesty"
"I heard about the passing of the count and countess, my deepest condolences lady clarisa, it must have been hard coming all the way here." Theo hadn't said a word all this while so I turned to him, he looked back at me smiling.
"I'm fine your majesty, we weren't that close and I'm sure your majesty is relived that the count has passed" he looked stunned for a second before laughing out loud.
"You truly are a gem a dime my lady and I can see how much the duke treasures you. Today I've seen more expression on his face than I have in the past 9 years. "
"Of course your majesty, anyone would treasure clarisa, look at my wife, she is worth more than any treasure." Theo kissed my hand and i felt so embarrassed in front of the emperor, but it made me happy. He wasnt scared to show the world that he was mine and it made me love him even more.
************
"Callus" estella walked into the training hall and callus and Charlie stopped their swords mid air ending their practice.
After cleaning their sweat. The moved to another room and tea and snacks were brought in.
"Estella you should have let me know you were coming" Charlie couldn't take his eyes off estella as she and callus had their conversation while he stood guard.
He was sworn to be the prince's knight but whenever he saw the prince and estella together he felt a strange pain in his chest.
He had loved her too but she chose the prince over him. He knew it would be best to let his feelings for her go but she was the one who pulled him from darkness.
He came from a family of renowned knights but his skills were subpar when compared to his brothers, no matter what he did, he could never catch up to them.
Estella was the one who made him know his worth, so watching her fall for his friend and lord made him feel terrible. What was he to do? The woman he loves, loves his best friend and it was wrecking him but he was a knight and he has his knight's promise to uphold
"Charlie, why are you standing there with no expression, come sit" she smiled sweetly at me but I knew there was no love behind the smile.
"I'm sorry your holiness, but I'm on duty"
"Charlie, you don't need to be so formal with me. Is it because you are a knight but we are friends right?" Friends? A word i used to want to hear but hearing it from her was gut wrenching.
"Leave him be estella, he must be brooding that I beat him again. He keeps forgetting that he can never beat me"
Aiden walked into the room as all eyes turned to him.
"Aiden welcome, how did it go?"
"From what I heard laughter could be heard from the emperors chambers during their meeting."
"That must mean good news right" callus questioned
"I told you callus, lady clarisa isn't like people said she is. You read the letter too, she said she didn't have anything against you or me and wished us happiness" Aiden sat beside callus as the maid poured him some tea.
"Then why did the emperor tell me to avoid places where we would meet? What if she just said thay but told something else to the emperor?"
"I don't think she is like that callus, had she wanted to, with her position now, she could have made things very hard for you" Aiden added.
"Thats right callus, don't worry I'm sure his majesty is just trying to be careful."
I was told that the duke was a very scary person and the duchess was a villainess who judged others by money but the people I met yesterday didn't seem like that at all. The duke looked at the duchess with hearts in his eyes and the duchess never looked at me like I was disgusting. I'm so used to people looking at me with disgusting that I can tell when they feel that way.
The emperor ordered me to make their stay in the palace comfortable but I dont think I'm needed. I only took the job because it gave me time away from alisa who hates having me around.
The duke and duchess walked out of the audience chamber and seeing them again today reminds me so much of how beautiful they truly are. The duke is quite tall but the duchess doesn't fall behind in height either. It was like they were both made for each other, her gold locks and his silver hair shining brightly.
"Welcome back your grace, as per your request, the carriage has been prepared for you."
"Thank you lord gavin, would you be coming with us" i looked up at them, as her grace smiled at me, it was a real smile not a pitiful smile or a disgusted fake smile but an actual smile to me.
"I'm sorry your grace but i don't think I'll do any good beside you"
"What are you talking about my lord? Please come with use. Would that be okay my love" she turned to his grace, I can't believe she just called him 'my love', it's something I can never imagine happening between me and alisa, maybe if I was as handsome as his grace she would say that to me too.
"If your grace would have me, i would be honored to go with you" honestly I don't want to go home, alisa would just scream at me again and probably throw more stuff, the place I was hit last night still hurts.
I had invited him to join us because he seemed to be uncomfortable in our presence. I wanted him.to become more comfortable but being in a carriage with him wasn't the best idea.
"Lord gavin, that looks like it hurts, are you okay?" Theos voice broke the silence as he gestured for a bruise on lord gavins hand, he quickly covered it up with his sleeves laughing awkwardly but i saw it.
"My wife gets angry..... i mean I'm fine your grace..... i get clumsy sometimes and end up hurt" how could I not know? It was a look i was familiar with, it was a look that stared at me for years each time I looked in the mirror. A look that still haunts my dreams.
He was being abused, I turned to theo and his face showed that he knew too.
"Lord gavin, if you ever need help, you can come to us. You arent alone lord gavin" i saw something flicker in his eyes before he looked down.
"I'm fine your grace thank you so much for your concern." I want to help him so much but I understand him, I've been there, the shame, the self blame, you doubt your worth, you wonder if people would believe you. Theo squeezed my hand gently and I turned to him shutting my eyes as I rest my head on him.