Duchess Not By Choice

7

Dria opened her eyes and smiled. That was the best sleep she had ever since her father died. She didn't want to get up yet, so she closed her eyes and snuggled farther back into the pillow and hugged the stuffed bunny that her mother made for her. She stopped when she felt hardness instead of softness. The pillow she was laying on was hard, not soft. She opened her eyes and looked at what she was touching, only to find a chest. She looked up to see the Duke's eyes on her.

"Morning," he greeted gently. He had walked up when she had snuggled back into him and was just staring at her, waiting for her reaction. He watched as she flinched back harshly away from him, falling off the bed. It happened so fast that he didn't have time to catch her.

"I'm sorry," She apologized, looking down. She was scared that she was going to be punished for sleeping on him.

"There she goes apologizing again," Vincent thought as he signed.

"You have nothing to apologize for," he said as they heard a knock on the door, "Come in." Lily opened the door and stepped inside.

"Good morning, my lord and Dria," she greeted as she bowed, before straightening. She saw Dria on the floor and looked at Vincent, who shook his head. She already can tell what happened.

"Good morning, Liliana," he greeted back as he got up from the bed, he grabbed his robe, putting it on, "Please, help Lady La'more get ready. That's what you're here for right?"

"Yes, my lord," Lily said as she walked to Dria, who was still on the floor. Vincent walked his way to the door, stopping.

"Liliana, I know Dria is like a daughter to you, but I restrain you from calling her by her first name. You may do so only in this house and when you are alone, but when there are guests and you are out, you are to call her my lady," He said.

"Yes, my lord," Lily replied, then the Duke left the room. She understood where he was coming from by saying this.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked Dria once he left.

"Yea."

"What happened? Why are you on the floor?"

"Well, I woke up and realized that I was sleeping on him and in the process of getting away I fell off the bed," Dria explained, blushing a little. Lily giggled.

"You have to get used to it though. He's your husband now. Something like that is going to happen more often," Lily replied, "Let's get you ready for breakfast." She helped Dria off the floor and made their way to the bathroom. After an hour or so, Dria was ready in the same dress she came in yesterday since she didn't have any other clothes. Lily walked her to the dining room, where the rest of the family was. When they walked inside, everyone was there, except the Duke. Dria was nervous since she could feel eyes on her.

"Is she wearing that dress she came in? Doesn't she have any other clothes?" She heard them said as Lily took her to sit on a seat to the right of the one on the short side of the table. Before she could sit, she was stopped.

"Stop, you can't sit there," the Mother said. Dria was going to move to sit somewhere else, but was stopped again.

"Please sit down. Mother, you know she can sit there. That seat is reserved for the future duchess, which is what she is," Duke said, coming into the room and sitting on that center seat to the left of Dria. The Mother didn't reply, just gave Dria a nasty stare. Then, the maids started bringing the food and setting it on the table.

"Oh, I haven't introduced everyone to you yet," the Duke said, "This is my mother, Catherine Castevés and my sister Sophie Barron." Dria looked at them to see a fake smile before slowly bowing her head to them as a greeting.

"Let's eat," The Duke ordered as he began eating, while slightly looking at Dria to see her action to the dish he had them prepare for. Dria looked down at her dish and her eyes widened in excitement to see pancakes. She hadn't eaten it for ages.

"Eat up, I heard that is your fave, so I had the chef prepare that for you," The Duke said. Dria looked at him, which he smiled at her and gestured to it. She smiled lightly at him, before eating it. When she took a bite, she made a tiny happy noise. The Duke cracked at her. She looked up at him shyly, before blushing in embarrassment. She continued eating again, trying now to make any noises again.

"He's nice. I could say less about his mother and sister," She thought as she continued eating. After a hour later, the Duke told her to meet him in the living room, which is where she is now. She saw Vincent sitting at one of the couches with another lady, and also two racks of dresses and room dividers. They looked up when she walked into the room.

"Good you here, I want you to meet Lady Belleve. She is here to take your measurements and help you pick dress designs that you will custom made for you. Also, she will help you pick dresses from these racks for to have while she makes your dresses," He explained, "Lady Belleve meet my wife Duchess Casteves." Dria nodded in understanding. Lady Bellece stood up and bowed at Dria, which she returned.

"Let's start with trying on dresses," Lady Belleve said as she walked to Dria, taking her hand and pulling her to the two racks of dresses. Lady Belleve started looking through the one of the racks for dresses for Dria to try on.

"What do you think about these two?" She asked Dria, pulling out two dresses and showing them to Dria. Dria looked at them. One was yellow, while the other was orange. They were very pretty.

"They are pretty," Dria answered with a slight smile.

"They are," Lady Belleve replied as she put the dresses aside and looked throguh the other racks, "What about these?" She pulled out three dresses from teh second rack.

"They are also pretty."

"Let's have you try them on," Lady Belleve replied, nodding to the room dividers. She walked to them with the yellow dress, leaving the other dresses on the rack. Dria followed her. She stepped into the dividers with Lady Belleve. Dria replaced her old dress with the yellow one with help if Lady Belleve. After 30 minutes, they stepped out. Vincent looked up and was mesmerized.

"How does she look?" Lady Belleve asked him, which he didn't hear, " Looks like he's mesmerized by your beauty." Lady Belleve laughed, making Dria blushed. Vincent snapped out.

"She looked nice. We will take this one," He answered slight blushing.

"Doesn't she? The yellow looks good on her brown skin," Lady Belleve agreed, "Okay, Let's try on the other dresses." They went back in. After two hours or so, they were done. Duke brought all five dresses. Within those hours, Lady Belleve also tooke Dria's mearurements. Now, Dria was looking those Lady Belleve's catalog at designs she wanted. She would pointed to the designs she liked and Lady Belleve would written them down. After 20 designs, she stopped. Lady Belleve went to discuss the payment with Vincent. Dria looked at men's catalog, while she waited. Vincent saw her looking at them trousers outfits.

"Make her some trouser outfits as well," He whispered as he handed a check to Lady Belleve, who smiled and nodded. Then, he walked to Dria.

"Come on, we need to also get you some shoes as well," He said. Dria set the catalog down and got up. She followed him as he walked away. Before she walked out the door, Lily put a long hooded cape on her, so she kept warm.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Dria asked her.

"No, it's going to be you two. Please, enjoy your time," Lily replied. Dria nodded and walked out the door as Lily closed it. Dria saw Vincent waiting for her by the carriage. She quietly walked to him. He opened the carriage door, gesturing for her to step in, while he held out his other hand for her to grab. She slowly grabbed his hand as she got inside with his help. She sat inside. He got inside after her, closing the door, and sat across from her. The carriage started moving.

"Oh, before I forget," Vincent said as he took something out of his pocket, which was a ring, "Here is your wedding ring. I already have mine on." He held his hand out for hers. She slowly placed her left hand in his. He slowly put the ring on her ring finger, before letting go of her hand. She took her hand back and looked at the ring. It was very pretty. It was shaped like a lotus flower with a diamond inside, which made her smile since it reminded her of her mother. Vincent watched all this unfold.

"I'm glad I went with a lotus design," He thought as he continued watching her rubbed the ring, while she looked out the window.