As Violetta and Lucien entered the grand foyer of the imperial palace, the sound of their footsteps echoed against the polished marble floor. The opulent space was a testament to the wealth and power of the empire, with towering columns, intricate frescoes adorning the vaulted ceiling, and gold-gilded accents everywhere the eye could land. Lucien's hand settled at the small of Violetta's back, his long fingers splaying across the delicate curve of her waist. He pulled her flush against his side, the hard, muscular length of his body a solid, comforting presence as they walked.
Violetta leaned into Lucien, her slender frame molding against the firm contours of his own. She could feel the heat of his body radiating through the fabric of his waistcoat, a warmth that seeped into her very bones and set her nerves alight with a constant, thrumming anticipation. Violetta's hand rested on Lucien's forearm, her fingers curling into the crisp, starched fabric of his shirt sleeve as she held onto him, a silent acknowledgment of the intimacy that existed between them.
as he guided her towards the courtroom.
As they made their way down the long, cavernous hallway, the whispers and murmurs of the nobles gathered there reached a fever pitch. Eyes widened and jaws dropped in shock as the Duchess of Velyssia, the most eligible and enigmatic widow in the empire, was seen on the arm of a man - a man who was not her late husband. Gowns rustled and silken skirts swished as the crowd parted to allow the couple to pass, a sea of curious and appraising stares following their progress.
"Did you see that? Is that Duchess Velyssia with a man?" a matron in a garish purple gown gasped to her companion, her fan fluttering rapidly before her crimson-painted lips.
"Indeed, it is! And quite a man he is, too," the other woman replied, her voice a low, impressed murmur. "Tall, handsome, and with a presence that demands attention." She eyed Lucien with a look of open admiration, her gaze lingering on the broad expanse of his shoulders and the lean, muscular lines of his body.
"Wonder who he could be? Surely, the Duchess hasn't finally decided to marry again after all this time?" a young lordling piped up, his eyes wide with astonishment as he watched Violetta lean into Lucien's touch.
"Shh, lower your voice," his friend hiss, glancing around furtively. "But you may be right. Look how she leans on him, how he holds her as if...as if he owns her, body and soul." The young lordling finished in an awed whisper, his eyes wide with a mix of envy and admiration as he watched Lucien's hand possessively grip Violetta's waist. "Perhaps we shall soon hear an announcement. The Duchess has kept us all in suspense for far too long." He smirked, a gleam of anticipation in his eye as he awaited the impending revelation with bated breath.
"I always thought it would be Duke Vrost who would finally convince the Duchess to marry again," Lady Harrington declared, her voice dripping with a mix of envy and admiration. "He's been so very...attentive to her these past years."
"Indeed, he has," Lady Elizabeth agreed, nodding sagely. "Why, I recall a ball last season where he danced with her three times in a row. Three times! And in public, no less, not to mention her danced with her yesterday too." She fanned herself vigorously, a look of scandalized delight on her face.
"Well, he's not the only one who's been...admirers of the Duchess," Lady Charlotte interjected, a sly smile playing at the corners of her lips. "I've seen Lord Blackwood and the Earl of Worthington vying for her attention as well. Though I must say, neither of them can hold a candle to the man she has on her arm now." She tilted her head towards Lucien, a look of open appreciation in her gaze as she took in his tall, imposing figure.
"Quite right," Lady Harrington concurred, her eyes narrowing as she studied Lucien with a critical eye. "He's a handsome devil, isn't he? And there's a certain...air about him. A power, a presence." She sighed, a look of grudging respect on her face.
Lady Charlotte heaved a wistful sigh, a look of open envy in her eyes as she watched Violetta and Lucien disappear into the courtroom. "I do envy the Duchess, I must confess. To have so many handsome, eligible men vying for her attention..." She shook her head, a rueful smile playing at her lips. "It's enough to make one feel quite...inadequate."
Lady Elizabeth nodded, a look of sympathetic agreement on her face. "Indeed, the Duchess has always been the epitome of beauty and grace. It's only natural that men would be drawn to her like moths to a flame." She paused, a sudden thought striking her. "But you know, this marriage could be a blessing in disguise for the rest of us."
Lady Harrington cocked her head to the side, a look of curiosity in her eyes. "Oh? How so, Lady Elizabeth?"
Lady Elizabeth leaned in closer, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. "Well, think about it. Once the Duchess is married, all those handsome, eligible men who have been so...occupied with her these past years, will be free to turn their attentions elsewhere." She smirked, a gleam of wicked anticipation in her eye. "Why, I daresay we may have a chance with some of them now. The Duke of Vrost, Lord Blackwood, the Earl of Worthington..." She ticked off the names on her fingers, a look of calculating interest in her gaze.
Lady Charlotte's eyes widened, a slow smile spreading across her face as the implications sank in. "You may be right, Lady Elizabeth," she murmured, a note of excitement in her voice. "Perhaps this marriage will be the start of a new chapter for us all. A chance to...catch the eye and the heart of someone worthy of our affections." She smiled, a look of renewed optimism and a touch of sly ambition in her violet eyes as she turned to follow Violetta and Lucien into the courtroom.
As Violetta and Lucien entered the grand courtroom, a hush fell over the assembled nobility. All eyes turned to watch the striking couple make their way down the aisle, their footsteps echoing in the sudden silence. Violetta made certain to lean heavily on Lucien's arm, her lithe body molding to the hard, muscular lines of his own. She gazed up at him with a look of such blatant adoration and desire that it drew gasps and whispers from the onlookers.
Duke Cassian Vrost stepped forward to block their path. His gaze flicked over Lucien, taking in the other man's tall, powerful build and the way he held Violetta possessively against him. A muscle ticked in Cassian's jaw, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Lucien with a look of open hostility.
"Duchess Velyssia," Cassian greeted her, his deep, resonant voice tinged with a note of concern. "Who is this man?" he demanded, his gaze never leaving Lucien's face. The air between them crackled with a sudden, palpable tension.
Violetta smiled up at Lucien, a slow, sensual curve of her lips that spoke of a woman deeply in love. She pressed herself even closer to his side, her breasts cushioning against his arm as she gazed at Cassian with a look of calm, almost pitying amusement. "This man, Duke Vrost," Violetta murmured, her voice ringing out clear and strong in the hushed courtroom. "Is my Lord Husband. Or will be, very soon." Her words were a declaration, a pronouncement that echoed through the room and set the gossiping nobles into a frenzy of shocked whispers.
Cassian's eyes flashed with a mix of anger and despair at Violetta's words. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, the knuckles turning white as he struggled to maintain his composure. "Duchess Velyssia, you cannot be serious," he argued, his voice a low, urgent rasp. "You cannot marry this...this stranger."
Violetta's smile widened, a look of indulgent amusement playing at the corners of her mouth as she gazed up at Cassian. "Oh, but he's no stranger to me, Duke Vrost," Violetta murmured, her voice a low, intimate purr that carried a hint of dark promise. She paused, her gaze flicking over to Lucien before returning to Cassian. "In fact, I would say we are quite...intimate."
Violetta tilted her head, a silent invitation for Cassian to look closer. The Duke's eyes narrowed as he looked closer, his gaze zeroing in on the delicate, purplish mark that blossomed at the base of Violetta's throat. The love bite, a clear and unmistakable sign of Lucien's possession, was a startling contrast against the creamy expanse of Violetta's skin. Cassian's eyes widened in shock, a look of realization and a touch of betrayal flashing across his handsome features.
"You've gotten that far, have you?" Cassian asked, his voice a low, incredulous rasp. "I see." He stepped back, a look of grim acceptance settling over his face as the truth of Violetta's words sank in. Violetta had given herself to this man, had allowed him to mark her as his own. There was no denying the evidence of her surrender, clear for all to see.
Violetta nodded, a look of gentle understanding in her violet eyes as she gazed at Cassian. "Yes, we have," she confirmed, her voice soft and low. "But I didn't come here to discuss the intimate details of my relationship with my future lord husband." She paused, straightening her shoulders as she met Cassian's gaze head-on. "I came to see my brother, the King, to gain his blessing for our union and to request him to announce a date for our marriage." Violetta's voice rang out clear and strong, a declaration that echoed through the courtroom and set the assembled nobles into a fresh wave of excited whispers.