Villains also get Second chance

"Your majesty, Archduchess, is requesting for an audience"

"Let her in"

I walked in surprised that we have to waste time here, I was thinking that her carriage would be ready to go when I reach here. But here I was, asking the audience and waiting for her to see me. As i entered, i held my dress and gave her a courtesy bow

"Hail to the glory of empire, your majesty,"

"You may rise, duchess"

"Please sit"

I furrowed my brows when she asked me to sit, I thought we were going to the town.

"Your majesty, i thought we are going to the town" 

"We would have, but as you have heard that day Marianne my brother would come too."

She said and I sighed internally, I thought it was just to get permission,..

"I thought you both would come in the same carriage, or maybe together in different carriage. But I did  not expect that you both would not communicate at all, and he would be left behind while waiting for you."

"Oh, my, what can i say, your majesty. I have been very forgetful these days ``I lied blatantly and she chuckled.

"You don't like him, do you?" she asked amused.

"No"

She looked at me surprised when he heard my reply. What was she expecting! I would lie when she would ask me directly, as if I care who he was. I was bearing him just because of Cassius, who had asked me to be respectful towards him and I wanted to know why he was accused of treason later. Otherwise I would not have talked to him the way he tried to come close to me all the time.

There was a limit of acting naively all the time. Soon other would think i was dumb! But then again, it was in my benefit. If they would underestimate me, it would be easy to get hold of more and more secrets easily.

"You sure are one of a kind, Marianne. My brother is well liked in the opposite gender and he had always been proud of this fact. I can only take it as you are mesmerised by your husband, that you do not feel anything about other men."

"Your majesty, I want to remind you that I am married. And I wonder how you are discussing your brother with me."

"Oh, but I thought you were like me. I mean you are not happy in your marriage and you want to get rid of its shackles." 

"No, your majesty. We both have different conditions. The queen, his majesty's first wife is alive and he is spellbound with him, and once my friend said to me a glass can not be filled further if it is already filled to the brim."

She gave a self deprecating smiled and nodded, but then she looked at me contemplating

"But i have heard that the duke never gave you the right of a wife and he still had his first wife in his heart"

It was something I had thought about in my first life. In my second life I thought that Isabella was in his heart, but now I was not sure anymore. There are more secrets hidden than I had thought, and it was time that he would disclose them or else I would have to use my traps on him too.

"Marianne, if you do not want to talk about it, then i will not force you."

"It is not like that, your majesty. Cassius didn't love me, but i have Killian there, and the behaviour of Cassius is much better these days, but i would still stick to my point.

Rather than investing my affection on a man, I would invest my mind in work and would rise in power. I would be the strongest woman of the empire." 

"But at the end of the day, you will be alone. Just like we are today!"

"Love can not be in the form of a partner, your majesty. Killian is with me"

"Oh really duchess. Why is your voice not sounding as confident as it was before?

These days Killian had been changed, as if there was something that was still hidden from my eye. It was not like he did not care for me like before. It's just that he had started attacking himself from Isabella again.

"I am sure that i would live a happy life without a man, your majesty. Love is not something i desire more than my life"

"I wonder where this life word entered the conversation. You are talking as if you have lost your life once because of love."

These days, why was everyone able to deduce that! Even when they would not believe that I had lost my life, and it was my second life, they kept on asking me the same question. I smiled as I looked at her who was looking at me with intrigued eyes.

"Losing my happiness and freedom is enough to make me realise this fact, your majesty. I would not be a fool to wait for my life to be lost to learn this lesson."

She sighed but nodded.

"I understand duchess. But this place isn't that bad., after all, we royals are always subject to be used as political pawns."

"We are used because we chose to be chosen by your majesty. And you are the most powerful woman of this empire, if you are still used as a pawn then it is your deficiency, your majesty, not of the post of royalty you are blaming."

"I wonder what grievances my elder sister has that she is sounding so upset! She had all the luxuries and the best things of the empire that people can only dream of." We both were surprised when we heard the voice of Rosemund behind us with her unhurried footsteps. This was the office of the empress of the empire of some public administration office where anyone could waltz anytime they wanted. Her condition was worse than I had expected.

"Have you forgotten your etiquettes, duchess"

She asked, looking straight at me and I raised an eyebrow.

Oh my goodness, how arrogant you are! I hear every political faction is supporting your family. It looks like you are holding your head high because of them."