Her power

I woke up to the smell of Jazmine, lurking in every corner of my room.

My lids flickered at least twice before my eyes opened completely. 

I sat up. The white, flawless curtains swaying from corner to corner hooked as I saw Maria.

 "Your grace," she began, as she bent a little lower than usual with a radiating smile covering her lips.

She was dressed in a beautiful brown dress that exposed her cleavage and rolled her hair just like the women in Vy did. 

 "Maria, why are you dressed like that? "Although it is beautiful," I said as I sat up, but specters of what had happened did not leave my mind. 

 "Thank you, your grace," she gently again with a grin 

 "Your… grace?" my brows knitted slightly. 

 "Yes, your grace. You are the duchess now. You've been asleep for three days since your reveal party," she explained calmly while she fiddled with her fingers below her chest. 

 "Three days?!" 

I remembered a lot of things except sleeping for three days. But why and how?

I felt a strange surge overtake my body and my eyes shut. I saw a figure coming towards the room, but I couldn't see whom clearly. 

 "Someone is coming, go to the door…" I said to Maria. 

 "Your grace, there is no one at the door—"

 "Check… the door, Maria," I instructed, and she headed to the door with no further complaints. 

I heard muttering as I stepped down from the big bed. I sat on the couch by the windowsill as Maria returned with a fainter smile. 

 "Your grace, someone is here to see you," she said. 

 "Who?"

 "Miss Athena," she said. The name was unfamiliar to me. I could not guess even if I had tried. 

 "Let her in," I said as I rose. 

When the lady walked in, I remembered who she was. The same lady that reads minds. It was a surprise to see her and my expression did not lie either. 

 "Your grace," she bent hesitantly, keeping an unshaken wry smile. 

 "You are?"

 "Athena, house of Willem. The duke is my cousin—Lord Gilbert's and Lady Tilly's daughter," she briefly explained. 

 "No. I mean, who are you? Really?" I asked firmly. 

 "I see that… you have revived. I remember the skittish lady at the initiation, having too many conversations in her head," she reminded me sarcastically. 

 "What is it that you need, Miss Athena? I had barely risen and was unprepared when you walked in," I said. 

 "Your grace, I mean no disrespect. Actually, I came to know how you are faring." she plastered a smile that I considered fake. "Also, on behalf of the grand council members, the guests, the relatives, the dowager duchess and… the duke," she said. Her face loosened. 

 "I see. The duke too." I swallowed up as my eyes looked away swiftly and back to her. I let out a small smile as she spoke up. 

 "It is okay if you are uncertain, but I am telling you nothing but the truth, your grace. I wish to make your acquaintance," she said. 

 "Your grace? I shall set up your bath." Maria left us to speak. I sat back down as Athena drew closer and sat next to me. 

 "I want us to be friends, truly," she confessed. "Of course, only if you consent," she added, studying my movement. 

I nodded. "It is not a common thing to me, but I could use the help of a friend," I said. 

 "Me too," she snapped. "Did you know that, here in the castle, you and I are the youngest females in the family? The others have been married off. I am… still unmatched because I have a bad taste for men and I always end up with the wrong and dangerous ones," she said. I chuckled wryly. 

 "You were eager for me to get initiated earlier. I thought that you had a motive before now," I pointed out. 

 "Motive you say," her eyes rolled. "Nothing like that. Did you not know that we are not allowed to speak with strangers—especially foreign guests…"

 "You were tight—"

 "Yes, yes, did you expect me to give my head to the dowager? She rules, she speaks, and she decides what is, and what is not," she explained.

 "I see," I said. 

While I went to wash my body, Athena waited in the chamber reading from my various collections of books.

Maria helped me get dressed in a beautiful dress and adorned my hair like women with titles in Vy. Athena and I walked down the hall while Maria and Athena's maid followed us. Alongside guards but they kept their distance. 

 "Truly, how do you feel? You've been unconscious for days. I did think that you could not survive the ritual," she said. 

 "I am clueless. Am I the first bride to experience what I have experienced?" I asked her innocently. 

 "No, but you are simply the first human, I think…" she snapped, but I was shocked and confused. 

 "Aren't you human?" my gaze was sharp. 

 "We are supernatural beings," she said, and at this point, I was completely dazed. 

 "I do not understand. Or… is that why you can read minds?" I asked again. 

 "Funny enough, I can no longer read your mind, and I'm about to find out why," she snapped with a small smile. We made our way towards the dining room. 

 "For centuries, it has been said that anyone who joins the family gets accepted by the Great Ramos and will get something in return," she paused as she stood right in front of me. "Your grace, it is quite unlikely for ordinary humans to… have something. Most die during the ritual process, but you are... fine and alive. It has everyone speaking among themselves, it barely or never happens. So I wonder, what is your specialty in the clan, and what has kept you alive?" she asked, but I had no answer to give. 

 "Do not be scared, we will carefully find out why," she said as we furthered to the table. Everyone was seated, at most, the relatives, including the dowager and the duke. 

 "Dowager Duchess Willem. Your grace." I bent before the dowager and her son.

 "Your grace," the dowager began. "We are delighted to have you join us to break the fast. How do you fare?" she asked. She was nice. 

 "I feel strong, thank you for your concern," I said. 

 "Are you not feeling… weak or strange or—"

 "Mother, Ava, is strong. She is proof." Alaric interjected and she remained silent. 

Now I am curious to know what I have suddenly become. 

The duke pulled out a chair for me as I sat. Athena was next to me. I would need her around to figure out my left from right, I said to myself. 

 "Good, very excellent. Please, let us eat. I am very famished." she said. The violinists played a chill harmony while we ate. 

 "It is good to have you with us," Alaric began with the same cold, Stoic ambiance that he'd been carrying about since my arrival. 

Yet, he knew nothing about my child. Our child, I should rather say. 

 "Thank you for your concern, your grace, I am better now," I said. 

 "That is good. Good. I was thinking maybe… out of your busy agendas, you could spare us a moment… to bond. I mean, promenade the gardens of Vy. It is a beautiful view," he said.

 "It sounds… it sounds excellent. I think that we should… stroll then. But I have never done anything like that," I said truthfully. 

 "I know."

 "You know? I mean, you know that I do not, or I have not?" I asked. 

 "I am aware of both. Lord Fletcher has informed me a little about you," he explained. Just when I thought that he had recalled our past meeting in Western, it was such a pity that my uncle had debriefed him about me. I was becoming hopeful. Maybe I could use this opportunity to find out what had truly gone wrong between us. 

 "Duchess Ava, are you okay?" he asked me. I was snapped out of my thoughts. 

 "Yes. I think so, your grace," I said. 

 "I understand," he said. He beckoned to his guard. He whispered to the man and the man left. 

 "Family? I shall take Duchess Ava for a walk in the gardens. To bond, of course," he said, and they chuckled sweetly. 

 "Beautiful start. I do hope that the… the consummation happens soon," the dowager said.

Did she not know the cost of this union or was she only pretending? I wondered. 

Athena nudged my arm as I turned to her with a slight smile. 

 "That is a good start. He is interested in you. I see," she said under her breath with a chuckle. 

 "He can hear you, Athena, you speak so loudly." I snapped shyly, rubbing my neck. 

 "Yes, Athena, your words are not a secret," Alaric said. Athena and I chuckled lightheartedly. 

Alaric rose, taking my hand in his as he placed a light kiss on it. 

 "The air is better outside, I hate to suffocate you," he said, and I rose immediately wearing a smile, but the thoughts about who he was to me still bothered me. 

Maria flashed a smile at me from a short distance and I smiled back. 

 "Thank you, your grace," I said as we walked before his mother interrupted. 

 "Alaric, stick to the arrangements…" his mother sternly said as I grew more and more confused. What arrangement was she talking about?