The Duke's Passion

"I just had to close this tiny gap, sweetheart, and everything is over."

I held my breath as I watched him inch closer. My heart was thumping so loud it was painful. Why, Stefan? Why would you look at me with such desperation in your eyes? When I got a whiff of his breath, I snapped back to my senses and turned my head to the side.

What the hell was I thinking at that moment? He was too close and we could have… I panted for air in disbelief at myself. 

He drew away. "Let's chat again some other time. Thank you for sharing your time with me." I jumped when he suddenly placed his hands on my shoulder, making me faced him.

"I apologize for startling you," He said, smiling weakly. "I had lost my senses in a brief second of fallacy. It won't happen again, I promise." His eyes locked with mine, closed-lipped.

"You also promised not to use the power of sire again," I mumbled sarcastically to myself and backed away. "Don't apologize, Your Majesty. It is I, who should apologize." I bowed lightly, keeping my head clear.

My eyes slowly raised and caught two large shadows approaching. My mind buzzed for a second, thinking what would these people think if they saw me and Stefan alone in the garden.

I snapped to my senses when a hand grabbed my waist and pulled me in a direction. "Light steps," He said, and I instinctively jogged lightly, making less noise as possible.

Wait. Why were we running away? I couldn't ask such a question as he suddenly pushed me behind a thick bush.

"Ah…" I winced, falling onto my knees and palm. If not for my training, I could've fallen face first and broke my nose.

When he said, "Stay there," I shot him a glare before I turned to look at who were the people coming. All I could see was the approaching shadows, but when I heard a familiar voice, I instinctively grabbed Stefan's hand and pulled him to hide.

He looked at me, stunned, but before he could ask what I was doing, I put my finger in front of my lips and shushed him. 'I swear I will snap your neck if you make a noise!' was what I wanted to tell him. Fortunately, Stefan seemed he understood me and just smiled.

'What were Rufus and Silvia doing here?' I wondered, dusting off my palms as I sat down, my back against the thick bush. I moved my gaze to Stefan, and he was just staring at me with a smile. He seemed strangely pleased, but I ignored it.

I didn't want Rufus and Silvia to see me with Stefan… but now that I thought about it, why did I pull Stefan when it was fine if it's just him? I winced once again as I realized I acted without thinking.

Should I tell him he could go now? I pinched the bridge of my nose in distress.

"This is far enough, your royal highness," Rufus uttered and the sounds of their footsteps came to a halt. "May I know what important matters we need to discuss that you led me in here?" His tone was colder than ever. Was he angry?

"Did you…" Silvia trailed off. I fought the urge to take a peek.

"… miss me?" 

I gasped and covered my lips with both my palms. I knew it! Something was going on between them. I didn't get the chance to ask Silvia about it with our conflicting schedules, but I noticed it the first time. Silvia's strange gaze and Rufus' extra cold treatment towards her. 

"Your royal highness, this is the important…"

"Ruru, did you miss me? That's all I want to know." Silvia cut him off in a stern tone. Even without seeing her, I could tell how fierce she appeared standing before Rufus.

I wondered what Rufus would say? Did he miss Silvia? Silvia seemed she was truly fond of him, but… I gazed at Stefan. Even though Silvia was his sister, he's still his wife. 

Stefan didn't seem affected by this conversation, as he was just smiling at me. Why can't he stop smiling? Did he drop his head somewhere?

"I… didn't." It didn't surprise me when I heard Rufus' indifferent response, but my heart ached for Silvia. This situation felt so wrong, but I couldn't tell which was right and wrong anymore. 

Silvia was married to the king. Even though there was no love between them, he's still her husband, not just his sister.

"You're a married woman, and the king's wife, your royal highness," Rufus stressed firmly. "Please, think about your honor."

"Ruru, you're aware I married Stefan because if I didn't, he will marry me off somewhere far away. How can I aid my king if that happened?" 

"Even so, we will be nothing but allies once the matter about the undead is resolved."

"Ruru!" Silvia yelled. "Why are you so heartless? Why can't you look at me? Am I just foolish to marry the man I detest just so I can help you and Hell when the time comes?"

There was a long silence between them. My jaw tightened as I gazed at Stefan. The smile on his face was gone, but it didn't seem he was surprised or displeased. It was as if he had known all along.

Even though I didn't like him, my heart ached for him. I shouldn't have forced him to hide. If I didn't, he wouldn't be forced to listen to this conversation.

"I will take my leave first, your royal highness. I hope you won't do this again," Rufus uttered, and I heard his armor clicking as he walked away.

"I hate you, Ruru," she spat out. Her voice shook, and the soft clicks of metal stopped. "For letting us go easily, I hate you for that."

"I deserve the hatred and will atone for it, your royal highness." And then Rufus resumed in his steps.

I didn't dare move or peek to see if they're gone. Instead, I stared at Stefan, who bore this air of nonchalance. I didn't know who was in the right or wrong, but no matter how I look at it, I couldn't understand what this man was thinking.

If he knew Silvia was planning to turn her back on him, why did he marry her? No, that's not the point. I had known all along that not a lot of them were loyal to him, but after overhearing this conversation, I understood what kind of situation the king was in.

Surrounded by people he shared a mutual gain, Stefan had to constantly look over his shoulder. He couldn't trust anyone completely, knowing his people could be someone else's people in a blink of an eye. Was that the reason he entrusts the current matter to Sam? 

Although Sam was someone he couldn't trust, Sam didn't have the slightest interest in the throne or power.

"Lilou." 

I snapped back from my trance when he spoke. "Yes?" My eyes searched for him.

"I'm sorry you have to hear that," He apologized, and it somehow annoyed me. "Don't worry about it, it's..."

"Punch me in the gut, then you have a reason to apologize." I blurted out, and I pursed my lips in a thin line. His eyes slightly widened, before the side of his lips stretched, and he chuckled.

'Really, Lilou?' My mind muttered in disbelief. I ignored my inner thoughts and stared at him. I have never seen him laugh candidly, and I could not help but smile faintly. Right now, the man before me didn't seem that bad, nor he looked like the king. 

He... he seemed more normal, and I felt relieved for reasons unknown. "So don't apologize for something you didn't do, Lexx." I muttered unconsciously, without realizing the words I uttered.