Chapter Ten– A New Understanding

The warm glow of the setting sun filtered through the heavy velvet curtains, casting a golden hue across the plush furnishings of the Duchess's private chambers. Amelia lay back against a mound of pillows, her arm outstretched as the physician applied a cool, soothing ointment to her burns.

Alistair stood by the window, his face a mask of stoic concern as he watched the physician work. Beside him, young Ethan, his nephew, hovered anxiously, his eyes red from crying.

"It's just a minor burn," the physician assured them, his voice calm and professional. "With this ointment and some rest, the Duchess will be just fine."

Amelia smiled, despite the stinging sensation on her arm. "Thank you, doctor," she said softly, her eyes shifting to Ethan. "See? There's nothing to worry about."

Ethan's face crumpled with guilt, and he shuffled closer to the bed. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, tears welling up again. "It's all my fault."

Amelia reached out with her uninjured hand and gently lifted his chin, forcing him to meet her gaze. "Ethan, accidents happen. It wasn't your fault. I'm just glad you're safe."

The boy sniffled, his eyes shining with gratitude and relief. "I promise I'll be more usefull next time."

She nodded, her smile warm and reassuring. "It was only half bad."

The physician packed up his supplies, bowing respectfully before he left the room. As the door clicked shut, Amelia turned her attention back to Ethan. "Now, why don't you go get some rest? Tomorrow is a new day, and we'll have plenty of time to spend together."

Ethan hesitated, glancing at his uncle for reassurance. Alistair gave a curt nod, his expression softening slightly. "Go on, Ethan. The Duchess needs to rest too."

With a final, hesitant glance at Amelia, Ethan nodded and left the room, the door closing softly behind him.

Alistair moved closer to the bed, his usual air of detached indifference replaced by something almost resembling worry. "You shouldn't have done that," he said quietly, his voice a low rumble. "You could have been seriously hurt."

Amelia laughed lightly, a sound like tinkling bells that seemed to ease the tension in the room. "It was just a bit of hot soup. Nothing I couldn't handle."

The Duke frowned, his eyes darkening with a mix of confusion and something else he couldn't quite place. "Why did you do it?"

She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of amusement and sincerity. "Because Ethan is important to you. And now, he's important to me too. We're a family, Alistair, whether we like it or not."

He stared at her, his mind reeling with the implications of her words. Family. It was a concept he had long since abandoned, a relic of a past he had buried beneath layers of duty and responsibility. But here she was, this strange, enigmatic woman who had turned his world upside down, reminding him of what it meant to care.

"Get some rest," he said gruffly, turning away to hide the confusion in his eyes. "You need to heal."

Amelia watched him as he moved to the door, her heart aching at the sight of his rigid posture, the way he held himself so tightly. "Alistair," she called softly.

He paused, his hand on the doorframe, but didn't turn around.

"Thank you," she said simply. "For caring."

Without another word, he left the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

As the night deepened and the castle settled into a quiet hush, Alistair found himself lying awake in his own chambers, unable to shake the image of Amelia's selfless act from his mind. He had seen countless acts of bravery in his life, had performed many of them himself, but none had ever affected him quite like this.

Why did he feel this gnawing sense of guilt, this inexplicable concern for her well-being? She was his wife in name only, a woman he had married for convenience and strategic advantage. Yet, in that moment, she had become something more. She had shown a depth of compassion and courage that he had never expected, and it had stirred something deep within him.

He turned over in his bed, staring up at the ornate ceiling, the intricate patterns blurring as his thoughts raced. What was it about her that made him feel this way? Why did he care so much?

The answers eluded him, slipping through his grasp like sand through his fingers. All he knew was that things were changing, and he was no longer sure where he stood.

As the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, Alistair finally succumbed to a restless sleep, his dreams filled with the haunting image of Amelia's smiling face and the echo of her words.

Family.

The word lingered in his mind, a promise and a challenge all at once. And as the new day dawned, he couldn't help but wonder what the future held for them all.