Become The Duke’s Wife Or Die - Chapter 54

Nightmares haunt Lyra’s slumber, trapping her in a world she finds hard to escape.  The effects of the sleeping pills that had been given to her had paralyzed her, as well as made her unable to fight back or wake herself up in the climax of the terrifying shadows that had assaulted her during the sleep.

Her breathing was irregular repeatedly, her body was drenched in sweat, his face was frightened and worried.

She dreamed of the execution stake, as well as the face of Duke Kleo chasing her with a sword, ready to kill her.

“Forgive me, My Lord!  I will never make the same mistake again!”  she screamed silently, running through her trapped brain.

Duke Kleo’s figure sprinted to approach her, successfully tripping her leg and causing her to fall to the ground, locking her movement and squeezing her arm.

His face turned into a monster that had fangs at the same time emitting countless inhuman grins.  A second later he drew his sword at her body, tearing it tragically without stopping.

She struggled, trying to protect her own body, treading empty air, gasping, and woke up when Ella and Gena woke her pale and trembling.

“My Lady, wake up!”  shouted Gena like a shriek as Lyra’s eyes widened, shuddering like a deer in the light. “Get up, My Lady.  You’re having a bad dream,” she continued, pulling Lyra gently into a sitting position.

Ella grabbed a glass of water that was available on a nearby table and drank it to Lyra.  “Nothing will harm you, My Lady.  You are safe here.”

Lyra looked around in various corners after downing the water given to her, finding herself already in her room in the northern part of the palace.  Even her dress had been changed to pajamas even though her body still had wounds that hadn’t healed, which gave her a sign that what happened yesterday wasn’t just a dream, one she hoped for.

Her slender hands ruffled her long, beautiful hair.  “What has happened?”  she asked the two maids, asking for an explanation.  Her body seemed to be holding her hands in a way curled up in a sitting condition.  “Did something happen last night?”

Ella glanced at Gena, looking doubtful.  “What do you remember, My Lady?”

Lyra’s mind wandered, gathering various information that had been hidden for a moment in her head.  “I remember you fed me last night.”  Her gaze fell on Ella naturally.  “Then I fell asleep, unable to remember anything anymore.  I should be in prison.”  Now her gaze wanders around, seeing various beautiful paintings and luxurious rooms with lots of charming accessories.  “But why am I here now?”  she asked again.  “Has….  Has he forgiven me?”  Her pupils widened as wide as the hope she had cracked.

Gena and Ella looked back at each other as if communicating via telepathy.  Now it was Gena who spoke, “We didn’t get any instructions other than to help you clean up, My Lady.  Looks like you’ll be picked up after you’re done getting ready.”

There was an important piece of information in Ella’s hand, which she barely managed to save that morning.  But she thought there was no need to act rashly before things were evident.  Now she would just look, hoping that Lyra would survive as she wished.

Lyra looked down, grimacing like crazy.  A tear rolled down her moist cheek.  “He’s doing this again,” she said as if complaining.  “He treated me with great respect even though he wanted to kill me.  He even still provided two maids to serve me but before noon I might have lost my life.”

“My Lady!”  interrupted Ella and Gena at the same time, too horrified to hear that.

“Never give up, My Lady,” Ella said determinedly.  “You have been able to melt His Grace’s heart all this time, right?  You can control his anger.  So I’m sure you can do it today too.”

“I agree with Ella, My Lady,” commented Gena.  “Moreover His Grace has special feelings for you, we can all see that.  I heard you think that His Grace just wants to punish you tragically, by giving you a blessing and luxury stuff before executing you.  I don’t think His Grace is the type of person who likes to make small talk, who goes to the trouble of doing it all just to execute you.”

“You will certainly be acquitted, My Lady.”  Ella squeezed Lyra’s fingers, patting the back of her hand.  “You just have to go along with His Grace’s wishes and seduce him a little.  We know you can do it.”

Lyra closed her eyes very tightly as if something terrible would attack her if she loosened her eyes.  Frustration filled her head as well as various fears that clashed with the feeling of wanting to give up.

Finally, she tried not to think about bad things while she was in the room. She decided to look cheerful so she could prove to Duke Kleo that he could never truly punish her.  She would fool him even though it probably wouldn’t save her life.

Ella and Gena rushed to help her clean up, helping her put on the most beautiful dress in her wardrobe, one she hadn’t even worn for any event during her time at Wereal.

They also did her hair, applying light makeup as usual.

“Can you apply the mourning makeup on me?”  she asked in a daze, stopping the two maids from their work, looking at her sadly and guiltily.

“Unfortunately we can’t do that, My Lady,” Ella answered softly.

“Because the best makeup for mourning is not wearing any makeup at all,” continued Gena.  “While His Grace asked us to keep your makeup on as usual.”

Suddenly Lyra started crying again, covering her face with her hands, unable to stand the sight of her face in the mirror.  Her fragile back shook violently as her heartbeats increased sharply.  “Why did he do this to me?  Why is he torturing me like this?  The rumors are true!  He is indeed a very cruel noble!”  she stated as she sobbed, lamenting her never-happy fate.

A few minutes passed in tears and sorrow until finally, Mrs. Melisa came in to check on them, carrying orders from Duke Kleo for Lyra to go with her somewhere immediately.

Lyra’s crying stopped for a moment, turned her face back into the mirror, and was ready to put on another make-up.  “Make my face up so pretty!”  She asked in a trembling voice to Ella and Gena, the two maids she had considered like her close friends.  “I want to die beautifully.”

The request made Ella and Gena unable to hold back tears.  While doing Lyra’s makeup they continued to sob, not much different from Mrs. Melisa, who repeatedly looked up so that her tears wouldn’t fall.

“May you always get God’s protection, My Lady,” she whispered from a distance, seeing Mr. Bertus approaching, carrying another order from Duke Kleo.

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