The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 182: Eve Of The Wedding

"Bernard thinks you have my eyes?" Jerrick inquired, his tone curious as he leaned in close to Isadora. His presence was overwhelming, a mix of authority and enigma.

Isadora instinctively took a step back, folding her arms defensively across her chest. "Probably, that was the reason Milady took me in," she replied, trying to maintain her composure under his intense gaze.

Jerrick’s brows arched in amusement. "Then why did she take me in?" His question hung in the air, laden with a deeper meaning.

Isadora pouted thoughtfully, aware of the complex history. "Well...," she began, uncertain. She knew her lady had taken in the archduke when he was very young, a lost soul in need of guidance.

"She likes to pick up stray cubs," Jerrick said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"Well, there are a lot more strays than us two," Isadora retorted. Her lady was indeed kind-hearted, but she didn’t indiscriminately take in everyone in need. She offered help, but not always a home.

"Then we are lucky, don’t you think? Or perhaps..." Jerrick bent to meet Isadora’s eye level, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Do not overthink." He flicked her forehead lightly.

"Oww!" Isadora yelped, rubbing the sore spot. She glared at him but found herself captivated by his eyes—deep, piercing, and oddly beautiful. Perhaps Bernard was wrong; her eyes didn’t seem to hold the same intensity.

"Convince William to marry," Jerrick said, straightening up. "And..." His gaze drifted to Jessamyn’s door. "Convince her to take more walks in the forest. It’s good for her. She need not hide herself in the room..."

"Did you kill Emily?" Isadora asked bluntly, the question hanging heavy in the air. "I heard she was nowhere to be seen."

Jerrick raised his hand, and Isadora instinctively took a cautious step back. But instead of a reprimand, he gently patted her head.

Isadora relaxed, finding courage in his unexpectedly gentle touch. "She never loved Imogen... Milady hated that woman with every fiber of her being. Imogen was the reason for her suffering growing up. And if you..." Isadora wetted her lips nervously.

"If you investigate, you might find that woman messing with Milady’s life even after her wedding. I feel...William asked me to relay this to you, but this is what I feel too. If you respect Milady, you won’t keep that woman’s portrait here..."

"William told you that?" Jerrick furrowed his brows, intrigued. "Again?"

"Yes. He’s...pretty busy these days, reading books in languages I don’t know how to read... Old books..." Isadora explained. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"I’ll talk to him after the wedding. Now, go! Bernard will be waiting!" Jerrick shooed her off with a smile. But as Isadora’s figure disappeared, his smile faded. He looked toward Aurelia Castle, a shadow of concern crossing his features. "What are you up to?" he muttered to himself.

-----

Days passed, and Jessamyn sat by the window each night, watching the moon grow rounder. The maids whispered about the divine blessings supposedly showered upon her by the goddess. Most of Imogen’s portraits were gone, especially the one in her room.

She was grateful for that.

At times, she heard the howl of a wolf at night. Sometimes, it would be the grand duke—his call had a sense of friendliness.

And a few times, she heard the other call—the one that pulled at her heartstrings. She would almost jump out of the window to answer that call of yearning. But she managed to let her self-control win each time.

She knew it was him calling for her to have some mindless fun and nothing more. But it was her heart that was corrupted. It was best for her to keep away.

That night, she sat staring at the moon, her thoughts a storm. "Everyone’s saying you care for me. Is it true?" she asked the moon bitterly.

"You never protected me from Emily. You never answered my prayers to change her heart. You watched as I lost my baby. I begged and begged; I knelt in front of you and cried the whole night. You didn’t give my son back... You took my husband from me. What care do you have left for me?"

Her eyes filled with hatred as she gazed at the moon, convinced that the rumors spreading around the kingdom were Jerrick’s doing, not the work of a heartless goddess.

The couple of days before the wedding had been a whirlwind of activity, with Jessamyn meeting and greeting their well-wishers. As she was about to become the mistress of Roche, the people from the town presented her with gifts, formally welcoming her into their community.

When they left for Elodia, they were sent off with much fanfare and joyous ruckus. The journey was filled with laughter and anticipation, but Jessamyn’s heart was a restless sea of emotions underneath it all.

This was it. She was going to become someone else’s wife. That someone else was Jerrick. Maybe it wouldn’t be bad, she told herself, trying to quiet the doubts that gnawed at her.

They took separate carriages, and though they stayed in the mansion Jerrick owned, she didn’t see him much. Their paths crossed briefly, their interactions polite and formal. Jessamyn couldn’t help but wonder what the future held for them. She knew Jerrick well enough, but the distance between them felt vast, an invisible barrier that neither of them seemed willing or able to cross.

Isadora’s curiosity about Jerrick’s wedding gift was a constant source of amusement. She was determined to find out, sneaking into his room more than once. Jessamyn laughed at her friend’s antics, though she was careful not to get involved.

Isadora’s attempts were fruitless; she was caught red-handed one evening but managed to escape with a sheepish grin and a stern warning from Jerrick.

Jessamyn had her own speculations. She thought it would be a ring. He had given her a brooch as an engagement gift, so a ring or a bracelet seemed appropriate for the wedding. Imogen had received a ring from him, and Jessamyn doubted he would think twice about giving her one as well.

But in truth, she didn’t care much about the gift. Material things held little significance to her now. The weight of her guilt and the shadows of her past overshadowed any excitement she might have felt for such trinkets.

On the eve of the wedding, she sat by her window, gazing at the moonlit sky. The air was cool and still, the silence broken only by the distant sounds of laughter and celebration. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm within her.

Should I run away?

She knew it would be useless. Every time she tried to be apart from Jerrick, she only faced danger which she was only able to overcome with his presence.

It was almost too good to be true and made her skeptical. But she trusted the care she saw in Jerrick. He was trying his best.

She went to bed.