The Duke's Masked Wife

"Edgar took a trip with his wife and all of a sudden you want the two of us to enjoy a ride around the town? It makes me feel like going forward we will only have good dates when Edgar has some with his wife," Hazel said.

Tobias looked up from the documents he brought along to complete while with Hazel. "Sweetie, that makes me feel hurt. I always prepare good dates for us. You know, there are a lot of couples who do not enjoy going on dates after they get married. I have made sure we are not like them."

"Every date you have prepared for me since we wed has been inside the palace. Now all of a sudden your precious best friend has taken a trip out with his wife, you proposed we go around the town. Are you bored now that Edgar is out of reach for you to annoy him?" Hazel asked as from the day Edgar left Tobias appeared restless.

"First off, I love that someone other than me refers to him as my best friend. He's in such denial about it. Secondly, that is not true. I always thought about taking you out of the palace but I have been busy."

Hazel looked down at the papers in his hands. "Tobias, you're busy right now. Honestly, we could have just stayed in the palace if you were not going to give me all your attention. I'm starting to wonder if it was a mistake to marry you and not say yes to one of my other suitors."

Tobias placed the documents down now that Hazel found them to be annoying. "I guess signing off orders for the borders will have to wait. Hazel, are you trying to have me throw those men in jail? I thought you were having fun. I truly did not plan this because of Edgar."

"I hope so. I am starting to think you also have a crush on him," said Hazel. She remembered a long time ago Tobias told her about one of their male friends falling in love with Edgar.

"Hazel, I told you never to repeat what I told you. You weren't supposed to know that but you brought up the whole no secrets between us thing. Edgar will kill me if he knows I told you about this. No, I do not love Edgar that way. As cruel as he could be, he's one of the few people I trust in my life. Our lives. If something were to ever happen to me I could expect him to ensure your safety."

Hazel looked out the window at the shops they were passing by. "Nothing will ever happen to you, Tobias. Though to be careful we should get rid of those snakes in the palace. If they bring another woman to convince you to bed them I will personally have my father kill them. I heard someone recommending Linda to become your mistress because her father controls a large part of the army."

Hazel would not be able to sit still in the palace if her best friend and husband had to sleep together to make the next king because she could not.

"You don't have to ever worry about me and your best friend. I met her at the same time I met you and never felt anything. I still don't and I don't care who her father is. The only woman I care to make an heir with is you. How many times must I tell you this? You were the one to stop me from having those women banished from the palace even though you are upset with their presence," Tobias reminded her.

"I always thought it shouldn't matter if they are in the palace or not. You should not be tempted to sleep with them if you are truly loyal to me," Hazel explained her reasoning. "There's something wrong if I have to remove women from in front of you."

"Hazel, I don't want to have this conversation with you again. I've proven time and time again that I am only loyal to you. Many kings before me had a wife and mistresses but my father did not. I watched my father love one woman and since I met you I planned on doing the same. You get upset with me because those women are there and kick me out of your bedroom," said Tobias.

"We are not even supposed to be in the same bedroom," Hazel folded her arms and mumbled.

"I am not waiting for a specific day to sleep with my wife because some man who is far from being a God thinks we will have a powerful prince. I am going to your bedroom whether it is for us to make love or just sleep together. I'm still in the process of getting rid of that foolish tradition," Tobias muttered, highly annoyed by the rule to sleep separately and having to sneak into her bedroom.

"While you're at it, get rid of the rule that checks for the bride's purity at the end of their first night with their husband. You wouldn't have killed someone if that rule did not exist in the first place. I don't want any royals after us to have to go through that," Hazel felt disgusted just remembering how determined they were to check their sheets.

Tobias grinned as he realized something. "When I killed that man who walked towards our bed, that is when you completely fell for me, didn't you?"

"No, I fell for you before that. I thought you were a psycho when it happened though I appreciated it. I saw why Linda's father warned me not to just see you as this happy personality you walk around with. Underneath it all is a man who should be feared. Wait! Stop the carriage!" Hazel yelled as she spotted a familiar place.

"What is it?" Tobias grabbed his sword. He stood up and looked around for what had suddenly caused Hazel to yell but found nothing.

"Tobias, do you honestly think I would see danger and stop the carriage? It's that famous dressmaker's shop," she pointed at the large shop in the middle of town.

"You yelled for that? We have a royal dressmaker to tend to only you. Do you dislike her? Should I fire her?" Tobias sat back down now that he confirmed there was no danger.

"No. I have a request from the Duchess to fulfill and this is a perfect time to do it now that I am here. You can stay inside if you wish. Open the door please," Hazel said to the guard outside. She grabbed a handful of her dress on each side to step off the carriage without accepting help from the coachman.

"Like hell, I'll stay behind," Tobias followed her out with his sword. They were traveling with many guards but he did not completely trust anyone to protect his wife. "What request could the Duchess have made with you concerning a dressmaker? Does she want you to buy her one? Edgar is not broke."

"Get out of my business, Tobias. Thank you," Hazel said to the maid who had run to place an umbrella over her head. "It truly is chilly outside the palace but the sun is still shining down on us so much. Everyone has to be careful not to get sick."

"You have to be careful not to get sick," Tobias said as he took off his jacket to place it over her shoulder. He ignored the comments and looks from the people gathering around now that the king and queen were here. He looked at the sign for the dress shop Hazel was going in and read, "Mrs. Potter's dress shop."