The vault was a grand room hidden deep within the estate, its walls lined with relics and treasures from generations of Northern Dukes and Duchesses. The podium where the sword once rested stood empty, a stark reminder of its absence.
The maids quickly set to work, dusting and polishing the room while the Duchess waited, holding the sword like a lifeline. She could not shake the guilt that weighed on her heart.
Her husband had given up this precious artifact for her sake, and she hadn't even known. She would make things right.
Her fingers brushed the blade of the sword, marvelling at its craftsmanship and the power it seemed to radiate. She thought about her past.
When she first married her husband, it was an arranged marriage. She did not have a say in it. She had three sisters and two brothers. Her father was quick to marry off his daughters.
