"Master Lucius apologizes for neglecting his duties as a husband to milady. The work of a Grand Duke & the nation's Prime Minister leaves him very little time to dedicate to matters outside those of the state. However, he would like to begin said husbandly duties regardless of the delay by first inviting the duchess to share dinner together this evening."
By the time Theophilus left after his abrupt announcement, Madeline was once again panicking at the sudden development as she raided Stephanie's closet for an appropriate outfit to wear for tonight.
"We are in a state of EMERGENCY! How can Sir Theophilus tell us this late?! We have to choose your dress, coordinate it with your makeup & hair, and see which accessories would look best with your ensemble. There's too much to do and there's far too little time to do it!!!" The brunette was practically running around like a headless chicken as she fretted over all the preparations that she must take into account.
"...should have said it a minimum of at least three— No, at least FIVE business days before the actual event so we can have time to prepare everything perfectly! May Lady Lindell (gods bless her soul) forgive me for not being able to make milady the most beautiful bride during her first official meal with his grace…"
"Oh, stop fretting so much, Maddie. Mama wouldn't make this much of a fuss if she were still here. In fact, she'd be over the moon while she fixes up my hair and talks about how her and Papa ended up together!"
"Well, I suppose...but be that as it may, we really must choose an appropriate set to wear for tonight if we want you to make a good impression on the duke. He too must see how charming of a lady Miss Stephanie is. That it is his extreme fortune to be married to you so that he may love and cherish you as he ought to be doing in the first place!"
Whenever Madeline gets into one of her tirades, the young duchess knew that there really wasn't much she could do to stop her faithful companion. Despite how opposing their personalities may seem at first, the both of them had been together long enough that they'd managed to influence one another. Their stubbornness when concerning things they were passionate about being one of the qualities they'd cultivated within each other.
"I'm sure he'll appreciate anything I wear as long as it's appropriate for the occasion," Stephanie smiled softly, feeling as if she had a grasp on her husband's personality despite the lack of contact they had with one another thanks to their respective duties.
Though naysayers painted him as some sort of uncaring demon bent on destroying his enemies and preventing anyone from stealing his spotlight, she saw him for the man who simply worked tirelessly for the betterment of their nation especially when no one else seemed to be up to the task.
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"Shall I fetch the dark red velvet doublet or would you perhaps prefer the silk black tunic? You also have that deep moss-green waistcoat that used golden buttons—"
"...A new dress shirt will suffice, Theo."
"...At the very least, do comb your hair before meeting your new bride. At the rate you're going, I believe the crown prince will have already been wed to his own princess while you're still fumbling to speak with the duchess of matters outside business."
The deadpan expression Theophilus' face spoke volumes of his frustration.
"And need I remind you that his highness is only a child of six summers so unless you want a child to surpass you in terms of experience then I highly suggest you begin your husbandly duties soon at the latest and now at the earliest."
"...Noted"
Gods only know how the steward managed not to tear his own hair off at how unhelpful his hopeless lord was.
"I sincerely hope for the future of the duchy that your response means you grasp just how vital it is for you to actually build a relationship with the lady—"
"Your concerns are duly noted, Theophilus. I assure you that I very much understand my duties as both a husband and a lord and I have no plans of neglecting either," Fed up with his subordinate's incessant fretting, Lucius halted his writing and ran a hand through his thick crimson locks. "I am merely...allowing Lady Stephanie to acclimate herself to the manor and focus more on her studies before initiating any sort of intimate contact expected of married couples. Such activities can be done at any time we so much as wish to do so, but our duties to our people come first and if you haven't noticed, she is quite concerned about being unable to take up her responsibilities when she still doesn't possess the education and training needed for it."
Lucius would be damned if he initiated any sort of intimate contact just because they were married in the eyes of everyone else. At the very least he wanted them to...cultivate their relationship first. Enough so that the lady herself wholeheartedly wanted to consummate their union and not because she was pressured with the expectations pressed upon her as a wife. The best he could do in the meantime to prevent any malicious rumors about him being displeased with her was to preoccupy her with her studies.
Grand Duke Oswynn wasn't unhappy with his new wife who was so obviously from a class way beneath his own despite the noble title conferred to her maiden family. It was the duke himself who provided her with the best tutors so that she may learn the manners & etiquette to be expected of a grand duchess. That was why neither were really seen together at all, seeing as both were too busy with their respective duties and responsibilities but that didn't mean they were displeased with each other either.
"...Don't give me that shite excuse. We both know you're just too scared of a wee lass who happens to be your wife because you think she'll cry if you so much as stare at her for too long"
.
.
.
"Fu—"
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Stephanie was nervous.
Of course who wouldn't be when they were spending their first dinner together with their new husband? As someone who'd never even had any suitors or had any romantic liaisons with any man, this moment was as nerve-wracking as it was exciting if she was being honest.
However, her worries seemed to fly away from the moment she walked into the ornate dining room and beheld the imposing figure of Duke Oswynn in close quarters. He looked absolutely dashing in the clean fitted dress shirt that hugged each muscle that bulged against the fabric in their struggle to be freed from their confines—
"Your tutors told me that you were progressing through your studies splendidly...Good job."
She blinked, breaking out of her momentary stupor and felt the heat swiftly crawling to her full cheeks. "A-Ah, thank you, my lord. It is both my duty and an honor for me to become educated enough so that I may bear the name of Grand Duchess Oswynn with pride—"
"...Lucius"
"...Pardon?"
"Not 'My lord,' 'Lord Oswynn,' or 'Duke Oswynn.' Simply Lucius will do"
They were husband and wife, so of course it was only natural that she address him by his given name at the very least. Besides, it felt...too stuffy to hear her always calling him by his title as if they were mere strangers who'd only just met on their wedding day when that was far from the truth.
Not that Stephanie knew that fact at the time.
Regardless, she was quite pleased at the moment if the smile that bloomed on her face was any indication, momentarily forgetting that she was caught unawares earlier due to allowing her mind to travel to uncharted territory...
"Then please just call me Stephanie!" She exclaimed, accidentally slamming her fists on the table in her excitement, tableware clattering noisily as they banged against the smooth, polished surface.
"I'm SO sorry! I was just so happy that you allowed me to call you by your given name that I...got ahead of myself….But I'll be sure to fix! I'll ask for more etiquette lessons so that I won't make this sort of blunder again!!!"
The young woman was absolutely mortified, redness reaching all the way to the tips of her ears faster than a pervert who caught sight of an unguarded women's bathing area.
"𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦—"
"Pfft--"
She blinked confusedly, wondering if she heard right before catching sight of Lucius who'd raised his hand to his lips as if to cough into it.
"Ehem, there's no need for any apologies. Rather, I believe I should have done this from the start and it is only due to my own negligence that it took so long for us to properly...be acquainted with one another." The ginger's strong eyebrows were furrowed as his wine-colored eyes stared into her own ordinary ones. "If you allow it, I would like for us to have dinner together whenever it is convenient for the both of us. I will immediately send Theophilus over when I am available to inform you."
He looked so serious while speaking of dinner that any other person would have thought he was discussing matters of national security instead, but honestly speaking she merely thought it made him look oddly adorable for a man so infamous, feared, and respected throughout the kingdom and even outside of it.
"Of course, you are free to refuse should you have any prior engagement or are simply not feeling up to sharing a meal with me at the time—"
"I want to have all my dinners with you too!" Came Stephanie's hurried outburst, revealing her own sincere wish to learn more about the man who'd essentially saved her from certain difficulties in the future.
If he hadn't accepted the royal decree from his highness, most likely a final boon for her family's service to the kingdom (specifically her grandfather's sacrifice for the former king), Stephanie would most likely have been forced into a marriage with those greedy sons of lower nobility who wished for nothing but a broodmare and to add her dowry and inheritance to their wealth.
Regardless if it was because of his duty to his king or pity for an orphaned young lady with not a drop of nobility in her veins, the last remaining descendant of House Lindell can never thank him enough for being her salvation. She is able to spend her days freely improving herself without a single worry, all because he deemed her worthy or at least felt that she wouldn't bring down the Oswynn family's name despite her blood.
"I too would very much welcome supper together should your schedule allow it...Nay, if I may be so bold...I look forward to it even!"
Raised in a humle household, wordplay and mind games was something she was never taught since such tricks were only used by the elite of society. If you wanted to say something, it was best to say it outright rather than beating around the bush.
Lucius who was used to the secretive manner of speech which the aristocracy used or even the crude manner of his soldiers, such sincere admission was quite novel for him. Those of his status would probably find his wife crude and even uncivilized, perhaps even calling her immodest for being able to display her feelings without any filter, without any fear of them being used against her or being looked down upon.
But they were one of the things that made Stephanie who she was.
And Lucius wouldn't have her any other way.
"Excellent. Shall we begin our meal then?"
The Grand Duke hid his slightly upturned lips as he took a sip of his wine, spotting from the corner of his eyes her own beaming smile as she partook of the hearty meal placed before her.
Yes, he wouldn't have her any other way.