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"DUKE ERGI," astrid nodded stiffly, "may i ask, why have you come to pay me a visit?" she asked, the duke only grinned and kneeled, extending his hand over to her. astrid rolled her eyes and gave him her hand ─ he pressed a soft kiss on her knuckles and astrid pulled away icily.
"i wanted to greet you, princess," the duke explained
"very well, since you have done that, excuse me," astrid said, briskly brushing past the duke and entering her palace of pearl as her ladies began to follow behind her while the duke chuckled and began to follow her and finally caught up to her.
they walked down the halls in silence, but then ergi spoke again, "why don't you act a little more cordial and invite me for some tea?" he asked, a smirk on his handsome features.
astrid held back a mean remark, but instead smiled stiffly, "very well ── duke ergi, would you like to stay for some tea?"
ergi grinned, "i would love to, princess,"
she turned to duchess kalliste, "please prepare some flowering pomegranate tea and light treats,"
duchess kalliste frowned and said, "your imperial highness, since it is late at night, i fear the tea would only keep you awake later. how about some mulled wine?"
astrid turned to duke ergi, "how would you like some mulled wine instead of tea, duke?"
ergi smirked, "i would like it very much,"
astrid sighed, "then please prepare very light mulled wine and light treats," she turned to duke ergi, "excuse me, for a moment. please, make yourself comfortable in the midnight parlour ─ i'll join you in a moment,"
duke ergi smiled and nodded as one of astrid's ladies-in-waiting led him to the midnight parlour. ergi looked around and was quite surprised at the beauty of the room. the walls had been painted a midnight blue color, pink velvet sofa's were placed around the room along with gold glass tables. the room had also been decorated with many feathers, gold furniture and crystal chandaliers.
ergi sat himself down, as duchess kalliste ─ a forty-year old woman, who looked like she had stayed in her late twenties, with her glossy brown locks that was always tied into a tight bun and her rosy complexion ─ it was easy to forget she was a forty-year-old and a mother to older children now.
the duchess placed the tray of mulled wine down, "your grace, this is her imperial highness's most treasured mulled wine," she told him before leaveing and returning with a tower of delecatble treats, mini sandwhiches, cheeses, crackers, olives, everything that went well with wine, the duchess had prepared.
a few moments later, astrid joined him. ergi swallowed as his eyes trailed to what she was wearing ─ a simple long sleeveless lilac silk nightgown, with lavender embroidery at the train of the gown, a square neckline and she wore a long-sleeved sheer robe over top of her dress. astrid noticed him staring and rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "enjoying what your seeing?" she asked irratbly, "you've seen me with no clothes on, so i assumed you'd be alright with this,"
she strode over to the sofa opposite where ergi was seated and sat comfortably before pouring herself and ergi a glass of mulled wine. she took a long sip and decided what to day next, "how do you like it so far?" she asked
ergi shrugged, "it's been fine. i prefer the western kingdom more. but i have to say, your palace is much better than the main one itself,"
"that's because my father had built it personally for me as a coming of age gift and an engagement gift," astrid told him, "it's made entirely of pearl ── the eastern empire harvests so much pearl to the point father could build an entire palace for me," astrid laughed bitterly ─ the memory of her dear father still fresh in her mind.
"you said it was an engagement gift. who were you engaged to?" ergi asked
"wouldn't you like to know," astrid snipped, but she did end up telling him, "his name is kosair ─ he's the empress's older brother and was meant to be the male empress,"
"why didn't you guys get married?" ergi asked
"when i stepped down in favor of sovieshu, i also pulled off the marriage," astrid said, "kosair and i are still good friends, and if i ever intend to marry, i would prefer it if he were my imperial consort," astrid shrugged, she frowned as ergi quickly chugged the glass of wine, "what is wrong with you? you never drink so recklessly," astrid asked
ergi hook his head, "i just find it so amusing that you can speak of your other lovers in front of me so easily,"
astrid bubbled with anger and placed her glace of wine down, was ergi claude really jealous? after what pain he had caused her? he had no right to be jealous. "why? are you jealous? i was merely telling you the truth,"
"of course i'm jealous. here you are, speaking so casually of your lover─"
"i have every right to speak casually of my lover," astrid cut in, "i don't know why you're jealous since you were the one to end things," she stopped herself from going any farther. she got up and sighed, "i'm tired, i think i've had a little to much to drink. odessa, show the duke out," with another wift glare, she left for her bedroom.
𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆.
so, we just hit 1k views on dynasty! tysm for everyone's love and support and look forward to future chapters cuz reyna is just going to get even more badass<3 also, who would you want to be reyna's love interest? i was thinking to give her an entire harem of handsome and seggsy men, but comment what you guys would like to see happen!! <333
