The Duchess - Gruvia

Chapter 03

Excitement and fear washed over Juvia while looking outside the tiny window of the quarters she shared with her old aya; they had finally arrived at the Ice Lands.

From where she was standing, the Marchioness could only see the docks and she was surprised when noticed that things weren't all white like it was in her thoughts. The port had ships from all over the country, as the flags were signing. She observed four ships from the Duchy of Summer their flag with the symbol of three yellow Suns side by side; two ships with the official brand of the Duchy of Spring: four tulips with a yellow background.

And of course, she could see lots of ships with the flag of The Duchy of Winter: two white icebergs with a dark blue background.

The Marchioness could also see the different people. There were some with white hair, yellow hair, pink hair and she even spotted one with green hair! Back at the March, everyone had dark hair and wore grayish clothes, while Ice Land people wore colorful coats.

"This is the Ice Lands..." Juvia whispered to herself and she felt butterflies in her stomach. That was the land she would live from that moment on. Would she be well accepted there? Or people would treat her badly?

"Girl." Marge, the aya, said. "Don't let your hopes up too much. You don't know these people."

"Juvia knows, Marge." The Marchioness said still looking outside. "Juvia knows."

#

"Enter." Juvia's soft voice was heard through the door and Jose Porla opened it. The man smiled widely when he saw the young girl. She was wearing a dark blue dress with long sleeves, which had white fur by the wrists. Her hair was still in her usual curls but this time she was wearing a hat over it.

"You look nice, child." Jose said and entered the room, offering a stare to the aya, who immediately ran away from the room as she always did when that man appeared to talk to the Marchioness; and with reason, since everyone knew how fearsome he could be. He was a powerful man, after all.

"Thank you." Juvia smile widened with the compliment. It wasn't usual for people from the March to say nice things to one another; they usually kept their opinion to themselves. Actually, they usually kept everything to themselves. "Juvia is so nervous..." Jose looked at her severely for a second and she corrected herself. "I am so nervous about our arrival."

"I know, child." Jose walked towards the young woman and put a hand on her face. "This is the moment everything's gonna change for us."

Juvia nodded understanding what he was saying. Since she was a child, she knew that whenever she married, it would be to benefit the March and its people, and that was the reason she was born in a noble family.

The Marchioness believed that everything happened for a reason, and the marriage was a part of a bigger plan from fate, destiny or whatever people would like to call. She had to believe in something, otherwise, what else would be the reason she lost her parents so early? What else would be the reason her father ignored her? What else would be the reason Jose Porla raised her?

Destiny had to have a bigger purpose to her.

"And Juv..." She stopped herself before Master could give her a look. "I will do everything in my power to make the March grow with this wedding."

"You are a good child." Jose smiled, pleased with her and deep inside, Juvia was happy to fulfill his expectations as if she were again five years old. "You remind me of your mother."

She always liked to hear him say that. It reminded her that she had a mother once; that she had a family, even if she had them for a few minutes when she couldn't even remember.