My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge
Chapter 262: Mage for the King

Chapter 262: Mage for the King

After an evening of conversation, all that was left was a miserable feeling in Leonor’s stomach about the possibility of an encounter between her and her father or sister.

While Stephano was confused, she knew very well why Quinn was responding the way he did. She hoped to talk to him and see if he could work on being more transparent towards the King who was suffering because of their lack of friendship at the moment.

It was clear that Quinn was dear to Stephano, but how dear was beyond her knowledge. In an ideal world, they would be the ones to give one another companionship. The biggest thing they had in common was no desire for anyone. Quinn didn’t want his feelings, after all.

Distracting herself with others’ problems only lasted for so long before the duchess had to return to her thoughts as the night went quiet and she was able to walk back to the Queen’s Palace with Desmond.

She wore gloves and a cloak to keep herself warm and was helped out of it when they were inside the Queen’s Palace and away from the wind. Yet she kept quiet, lost in her thoughts, and worrying Desmond all the while.

They made it to their room and Desmond shut the door. Before Leonor could escape his vicinity, he reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders, pulling her back to him and then wrapping his arms around her waist so he could press his cold nose into her warm neck.

She shivered and closed her eyes.

"What sort of conversation did you have with the King to make you keep sighing?" he asked quietly.

Leonor’s eyebrows lowered as she turned to face her husband. There were conflicting burdens within her. She wanted to tell him everything. Perhaps then he could understand the situation better.

However, would he judge Quinn for his heart? Something that ate Quinn alive every waking moment; was it Leonor’s business to tell her husband just because she wanted to hear his thoughts?

Rather than saying each word that crossed her mind, she leaned into Desmond and he lent her his well-built chest for her cheek as she hugged him tightly for a few moments. The medals he wore were freezing against her face.

It was uncomfortable but it somehow grounded her. He was the most important thing to her at that moment. As long as she had his everlasting support, she would be alright.

"It feels like you and I have found peacefulness within our union yet the obstacles around us are making things complicated," she explained as she pulled away, though she couldn’t bring herself to meet his eye at that moment. "I fear how I may act around my father or sister. I feel completely out of control when I’m around them. My emotions aren’t my own. I feel volatile."

Merely seeing her sister was enough to send her to Quinn, trembling like a leaf. It wasn’t something she could easily compose herself from. Her brain and body were locked because of her fear for them. With them came all the unpleasant memories.

The tenderness of her mother was lost to people such as them.

"Leonor..." Desmond uttered, brushing the flyaway strands of hair that had come out of her hairstyle as the early winter breeze rushed by them on their walk. "I will do anything to protect the peace we created. Nothing will ever come between us again."

"I believe you," she whispered. "I just want to convince myself of that when I’m standing before my father and he’s making me feel as if there aren’t years between us. The wounds in my heart feel so fresh."

"I want to hold onto you," Desmond said. "Let my presence convince you."

Leonor nodded and she went deeper into the room to get out of her clothing.

"Shall we take a bath?" she asked. "I’m cold."

"I will never say no," Desmond answered with a smile.

Each one of his precious smiles made up for all the time he didn’t smile. Leonor found them infectious. Problems could fall behind as long as her source of light continued to smile because of her.

Leonor disappeared into the large bathroom where a bath was already full and waiting for them. Their staff was so well-trained in their habits.

Their days grew monotonous.

Both started going to the main palace during the day while the war talks went on. Then in the evening, they would relish in one another by eating dinner together, bathing together, and eventually getting into bed together and making love most nights until they both had their fill.

Anything and everything past a certain point in the day was inside of a bubble they created. Nothing besides them was allowed inside.

It was warm and comforting for two people who had such cold times in their upbringing.

The Queen’s Palace would always remind her of a time when she realized how much she relied on Desmond for her happiness and warmth.

Yet the winter grew colder while she remained warm indoors.

She couldn’t quite place it, but things were changing around them despite their strong love remaining consistent in their little corner of the world.

Desmond could no longer hide the fact that he was using his time with Leonor as escapism. He enjoyed her body each night, finding it hard to hold back even if she did work herself with Quinn in the name of regaining her strength to be a well-rounded defensive magic user.

He did learn his lesson the first time she went training, but as they got comfortable that winter, her stamina did rise. The duke was able to enjoy it fully as they both escaped their worries.

Early in the morning a couple of days before the Winter Solstice Ball, Leonor was meant to train with Quinn, but she was interrupted on her path through the main palace.

Quinn had been called to the meeting room and apologized to Leonor saying they would have to postpone.

While she didn’t mind, she didn’t know what else she was supposed to do. Staying in the main palace wasn’t an option for her, knowing her sister could be lurking somewhere nearby.

Deciding she would go to the mage’s quarter and read for a while, she was shocked when she was stopped.

"Your grace, you’ve been summoned by the King to the meeting hall."

She recognized the guard’s voice. He was someone who often stood near the King. He was an older gentleman and certainly an officer.

Being summoned by the King was one thing, but being summoned by him in front of others in the palace meant she couldn’t get out of it if she tried.

Leonor turned slowly and offered a small, polite smile, wondering what she could possibly have to do with a meeting room full of biased noblemen certainly ready to tear apart the words of an outsider.

Her husband was trusted but she wasn’t Desmond and wouldn’t pretend to have the merit he did.

"Ah..." she uttered, trying to come up with a good excuse but knowing there wasn’t one. "I will be there."

The guard excused himself quickly, knowing of her familiarity with the palace. She was only a couple of doors down from the meeting hall after all.

Leonor looked down at the riding clothing she wore and knew there would be traditional old noblemen who would have an issue with the way she was dressed. She hadn’t gotten ready that morning with seeing the King in mind.

With a light sigh and no other choice, she walked forward.

The guard had left open the meeting hall door so she felt no need to knock before entering.

Right away, she felt overwhelmed by the men on either side of the large table. The moment they heard her riding boots echo throughout the space, their gazes snapped to her.

A space had been opened up next to Desmond who was only one seat away from the King. She felt grateful someone had set it up for her in such a way that only the person on her left side would be unfamiliar to her.

However, she knew the appropriate thing to do would be to greet the King first.

"Your Majesty," Leonor said, stopping next to his chair and bowing with a hand over her chest. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

The duchess wasn’t used to showing her respect without having to curtsy. She hoped it didn’t look awkward.

"With your agreement to volunteer your mana to this kingdom, we have much to discuss about the centralization of magical powers and how it may be relevant to what we’ve just learned about movement in Eirenguard," Stephano explained, his voice devoid of their familiarity. "Please sit next to his grace."

He was speaking as the King and she found him intimidating.

Leonor nodded and took a seat.

She was already on edge from the impending ball. The summon from Stephano wasn’t helping.

"I feel we can continue with these talks now that there are more mages present," Stephano said. "Please continue explaining your experience."

A man was wearing traveling clothing on the opposite side of the table next to Quinn. However, his striking blonde hair made her realize he was an Eirenguardian.

"Your Majesty," the man said. "Eirenguard’s secret weapon isn’t swordsmanship but a powerful mana stone that makes even the lowest level mage a weapon. If you don’t fight the battle with magic and rely solely on brute strength as your father did, you can guarantee your kingdom will not last another generation."

That certainly didn’t help Leonor’s anxiety either.