My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge
Chapter 230: An Unforseen Challenge

Chapter 230: An Unforseen Challenge

In Coeurvalle, the first pieces of recorded history showed that small farming establishments littered the valley. Eventually, people from a different region tried to move in but the farmers fought for their right to land that they had been settled in since the time of hunter gatherers.

With times changing and more people moving into what was seen as a fertile valley with decent access to fresh water, the farmers who fought and won the rights to the lands that were always meant to be theirs realized they needed to establish themselves more seriously.

Village leaders became nobility with the highest influence as more people settled. The family with striking red hair and deeper connections to the land they lived on held the highest claim and they became the Royal Family, passing on their striking genes for hundreds of years. All lines of King Stephano and, three more generations of kings called Roi Etienne before that had fiery locks.

As a kingdom was established, Coeurvalle Castle was built to house the small Royal Family, but as their wealth and reach grew, so did the palaces.

With each generation, they found a new need for something else. Marriages formed through politics rather than love required separate palaces for couples. One king’s desire to populate the world with bright red hair resulted in a need for a dozen bedrooms outfitted with royalty in mind.

On top of these structures built, much was gilded, and, many times, things were torn down and rebuilt. It seemed that the heart of the palace remained the same which included the throne room, meeting room, library, king’s palace, and main hall. The rest evolved as traditions and styles changed.

As Leonor and Desmond walked down the long hallway and towards the throne, Leonor remembered how amazed she was that something so old could still hold and look strong. The grey brick was unaffected and it was all pristinely taken care of.

Not a spec of dust could be seen on the chandelier that stood at the highest point of the room. Even the stained glass windows showed the beautiful, golden autumn sun so clearly.

She could only imagine the ladders it likely took to keep such a large place in order.

However, thoughts of history and managing such an incredible castle were pushed to the back of her thoughts when the long walk to the throne ended.

Desmond bowed with a strong fist against his heart, his gloved hand meeting the Royal Family’s sigil as he paid his respect. Leonor curtsied with one of her hands over her chest as she greeted the king appropriately for someone of her title greeting someone above her.

Even though she would have much preferred to sprint forward and run into the arms of Stephano and Quinn, she saw the hall lined with guards and knew she ought to remain appropriate.

On top of everything else, it was a bit awkward to see King Stephano after she called him a liar and ignored his letter regarding her being the head mage of Montclair.

Despite the couple’s efforts to behave appropriately, King Stephano made sure to express his familiarity from the get go.

"Desmond, Leonor," the King greeted. "I hope that traveling wasn’t difficult."

It felt like Stephano could read her as his hazel eyes turned to her and a grimace of a smirk appeared. He clearly had much more he wanted to say.

"Not at all difficult, Your Majesty," Desmond spoke first. "Though the summoning was unexpected, roads from Montclair to Coeurvalle are well taken care of."

"I’m pleased to hear that," Stephano said with a light smirk. "Now if you could tell me why your dear wife ignored a letter from the King. I would love to hear an excuse for such insolence."

Desmond’s head snapped up and he had the urge to stand in front of his wife as if Stephano would ever do anything to harm her. Even if he meant nothing by it, Leonor wouldn’t appreciate the insinuation that she was disloyal to the King which could be punishable.

Leonor knew that he was mostly kidding but being told such words in front of other people made her eyes widen and her face feel instantly hot.

"I would never, Your Majesty," Leonor argued, though her head was bowed. Her tone may be defensive but her posture was anything but. She didn’t want to be perceived as insolent again. "It felt like an unnecessary formality considering there wasn’t an answer for you. Quinn’s letter to you about my indecisiveness felt appropriate."

"Or perhaps did the lady feel that it was difficult to talk to me after calling me a liar?" Stephano continued his unfair questioning.

He further took jabs at Leonor, finally being able to unload his guilt on her after stewing in it for such a long time. His response to being called a liar was within the letter of asking for her guidance as a mage for Montclair yet that part was completely ignored. Rather than worrying about having a bad relationship with a duchess who was supposed to be one of his most trusted, he was petrified at the thought of losing his only friend besides Quinn and Desmond.

The two men were forced to be Stephano’s friends considering he chose them and their lives would forever be involved with his. His friendship with them was a placement and a burden rather than something that simply happened the way it was with Leonor.

Leonor looked horrified, but she felt the need to continue defending herself. It was just like Stephano to attack her in such a way when he was feeling bad about something. He punished those close to him whenever something happened that affected him more than he wanted to admit.

"I don’t want to speak out of line, Your Majesty," Leonor uttered.

She wanted to call him a liar to his face now that he was pushing her buttons. She had since forgiven him and understood why he hid Desmond from her, but being dealt a blow like that in front of everyone made her unbelievably defensive.

"Leonor," Stephano spoke simply and he finally stood up from his throne, allowing the fur cloak that had been placed over his shoulders since he had been cold to fall from him and onto the throne. "I jest."

Her sapphire eyes immediately turned fiery and she was reminded of a time when his smug face was taunting her during a mana spar.

While offensive magic wasn’t Leonor’s specialty, it didn’t stop her from holding up a hand that started to glow blue.