Gardenia Of Blooming D.e.s.i.r.e

Grand Duchess had just arrived yesterday from her trip two weeks trip to Roagelt, the capital of Golden Camellia Empire. However, her expression looked quite delighted. As she received information that Gaum Cresthold, Second Prince and ambassador of Kingdom Rhea declined her offer of partnership as he already strike a deal with someone else.

Normally, Grand Duchess would be angered, but she smiled in delight because she knew that his son already strike a deal with Gaum. There was no way other house could afford the cost of maintaining Kingdom Rhea's expenses, except the royal family and Grand Duchy Stormhill.

"Milady, Milord Grand Duke has been waiting in the south garden pavilion," Grand Duchess raised her brows, it was quite rare for her husband to have a tea time together. Grand Duchess went to the pavilion and saw her husband sitting alone.

She sat on the opposite seat and faced her husband.

"Husband, it's been a while since we sit together, enjoying the beautiful morning, right?" Grand Duchess smiled. Grand Duke cleared his throat and nodded silently. He wasn't really in the mood to entertain his wife's antics.

"How is everything going for you? You must tell me if you stumble upon something, I can contact my colleagues to help OUR business," Grand Duchess said while emphasizing on the 'our'.

"Everything is good," Grand Duke replied shortly.

"It's quite a pity that Aster cannot join us. He has to prepare for his trip to Dionde city, I ought to assist him as he will be replacing me for a while there."

"He is already seventeen, he should be responsible for his own action, including his task for Grand Duchy," Grand Duke rebutting Grand Duchess calmly. He leered at his wife, and as expected, his wife's face turned ugly in an instant.

His wife, Grand Duchess Camellia Di Arlingdon, was an extremely beautiful lady even in her forties now. She still hadn't showed any wrinkle or any sign of aging, while he already had few strands of white hairs. However, this beautiful noble lady could turn erratic if someone messed with her only son.

"Oh? You disagree? I thought it is a good idea to teach Aster how to govern the business administration in Dionde city, I could give him instruction while I'm following him to the city," Grand Duchess' sweet tone turned sour and her golden circle dissipated slightly.

"I instruct you to stay in Grand Duchy for the time being, we also have many issues regarding the overloaded letters coming to Grand Duchy because of your words before," Grand Duke scolded her. His tone also turned cold.

"I can just order someone to copy the same script I wrote and send it to all houses that is interested with Aster," Grand Duchess replied lightly.

"You are going to ignore all of them? But they will keep persistently sending the same letter until Aster engages with someone, either you visit them one by one and decline their constant pursuit, or you write personal letter to them!" Grand Duke raised his voice.

"Aster is still seventeen, I shall not let him engages with someone! It's too dangerous!" Grand Duchess also raised her voice.

Grand Duke laughed mirthlessly, "Funny that you said it's too dangerous, who was the one sending Aster to the royal family for two years? He could end up dead there!"

"I did it for his own good! He needs to learn or he will get eaten by the game in Golden Camellia!"

"Tch, so that's how you teach him? It's ridiculous that you think it will do him any good." Grand Duke scowled.

Grand Duchess felt very insulted, since she knew her son the best. Learning from the harsh environment was the best way to mature Aster's understanding about hidden politics.

"Silence! Harion, you know that I am his mother, right? I know the best for my son!" Grand Duchess snapped. She gnashed her teeth when she saw Grand Duke looked away in contempt.

"And I'm his father," Grand Duke replied softly, "Let him go to Dionde city alone, he has plenty of bodyguards anyway."

Grand Duchess calmed down. This was why she never let her stupid husband stayed for too long in Grand Duchy, because he will start spouting nonsense like this. It was so bewildering in Grand Duchess' mind that Aster would be going to Dionde city alone without any supervision from her.

Grand Duke sighed, he invited his wife in the south garden pavilion to have time together, since they were so busy on their own. However, whenever they met, all in their conversation was about disagreement of everything, especially about Aster.

Grand Duke stood up and opened his hand to take his wife for a stroll, "Let's just have a stroll in this south garden, I got tired with our arguments."

"You finally said a sane thing," Grand Duchess grabbed his husband's hand and they went inside the south garden. It was nine am during mid summer. Thus, the temperature and the air were nice.

They walked in awkward silence, but Grand Duchess opened her mouth first, "Do you find another woman while you are away doing business?"

Grand Duke frowned, he found it unpleasant to talk about, "As I said when we were married back then, by the sacred Oath of Gardenia, I swear my fidelity to you."

Grand Duchess giggled happily, "So do I."

"Besides, with what you did to both of us back when Aster had just born, there was no way I could find another woman," Grand Duke said unpleasantly. However, Grand Duchess didn't seem to mind.

"I was just preventing any competition for Aster," she replied calmly.

"Fine then, but I still couldn't forgive you for--" Grand Duke's lips was pecked by Grand Duchess' sudden kiss. Their soft peck turned into small kisses, then Grand Duke embraced his wife tightly and deepened the kiss for a good while.

Grand Duchess panted slightly, her pale face turned beet red, "Isn't it good like this? We have a perfect life."

Grand Duke was disoriented for a moment until he regained his rationality. However, even if he regained his rationality, he still had to admit that he never lost his love to his wife even with all the insane thing happened to them.

"I love you..." Grand Duke said sincerely.

"I never lost an inch of my love on you too, just like the Oath of Gardenia, 'To my loved one whom I would give my passion and purity'. I shall love you forever." Grand Duchess replied tenderly. She rested her head on her husband's broad chest and lamented, "It would be nice if we can spend time like this forever, but..."

Knowing what would happen soon, Grand Duke sighed, he caressed his wife's hair gently and said, "I am about to say the same thing..."

"Then, I'm going to say it first. I just ordered my men to exploit your farming business near the riverbank in Eriet town, you should inspect it before it get completely destroyed," Grand Duchess said. She smiled to her husband.

"I already asked my men to heat the conflict about land dispute between our partner houses, House of Roc and Tairot. If you didn't solve the dispute soon, there will be a clash between them and your alliance will be damaged. With this, you will be unable to follow Aster to Dionde," Grand Duke said.

"So do you, I've received your agenda about silently following Aster to Dionde under the pretense of business. That means none of us could follow him there," Grand Duchess replied.

Grand Duke and Duchess stared at each other while maintaining their embrace, they were in another silence, but this time, it was like a mutual understanding.

Grand Duke picked a gardenia flower, he puts the gardenia on Grand Duchess' lips and they shared a deep kiss once more with the gardenia between their lips. The petals of gardenia started falling one by one due to their intense kiss until all petals had fallen and their lips met again.

Their eyes opened slowly, Grand Duke's deep eyes stared at the beautiful eyes of Grand Duchess and their eyes glinted, sharing mutual oath of deep love in Golden Camellia tradition.

'To you, I share my Gardenia Kiss.'