The Duke's Masked Wife

"Alessandra, I missed you at breakfast," Hazel said when she met with Alessandra on the stairs. She, Linda, and Alfred were puzzled by Alessandra and Edgar not attending breakfast with them. She considered Alessandra lucky to have probably been still asleep after a heated reunion with Edgar. "I needed your presence to help me wait for Tobias's return. You have a way of brightening up a room. Is everything alright?"

"Edgar is not well because he left without a coat. It was bound to happen at some point. Alfred has sort of taken over caring for Edgar," said Alessandra.

"It must be hard for you to compete with Alfred. While Alfred is caring for him, you should take a moment to eat. I can help you," Hazel took two plates from the tray Alessandra was holding to ease the weight. "If you don't mind, you can join me in my room to eat. Linda left after breakfast but she will try to return later. She has to check up on her family. They'll be divided with what happened to Grant."

"Do you think more of her family supported what Grant was doing?" Alessandra asked.

Hazel thought about it for a moment. "You know, looking back I can see how many people were in support of what he was doing than I realize. Some of her relatives would have loved for her to become Queen. She was scolded so many times for liking  Edgar instead of Tobias. It is cringy to look back on the two of us saying we'll marry two Edgar and Tobias.  Younger Linda would freak out if she knew years later she would be close friends with Edgar's wife."

"I am trying to remain positive by thinking that things happen for a reason. Like you, me, and Linda became friends. No offense but I doubted we would have become friends if you were around for the princess selection. You and Edgar are meant to be together and I would have been upset that my friend's crush was stolen. I got to know Edgar better when I married Tobias and just wanted him to find someone which is why I immediately took a liking to you. Linda will find someone when she gets away from her father," Hazel chuckled.

"I think it is sweet to have a father who cares deeply about his daughter and wants her to marry someone good for her," Alessandra said, having a different opinion about Linda's father. It was normal for everyone to care more about money than love.

"You say that until you have a daughter and Edgar is like a big shadow behind her keeping anyone away from getting near her. I hope you and Edgar have a house full of daughters so I can see how he is when it is time for all of them to get married. Are you prepared to be holding him back from hurting the young men trying to win their hearts?" Hazel asked, enjoying the look of horror on Alessandra's face. "He's already so protective of you. It is not hard to imagine how he will be with children."

"I suppose life wouldn't be easy for the daughter of a man who controls an army," Alessandra now saw why Linda's predicament might be suffocating. "Still, it is nice to have a father who cares for you. The only thing I worry about is being a good parent but there are good people around me to help when the time comes. I will also be there for you if you need help."

"I'm afraid when I do have children I might not be able to let them out of my sight. As soon as the doctor thinks what Julia had been giving me is out of my body, I am going to pin Tobias to the bed for days," Hazel whispered and chuckled when Alessandra blushed. "Don't worry, he will enjoy it. Before winter ends, I will bring good news to this kingdom. It would be wonderful if you and I could have a child at the same time. I would like for our children to be as close as Tobias and Edgar are. Minus Edgar always sending Tobias away."

"Who is sending me away?" Tobias asked, walking up the stairs to where the two women stood lost in conversation.

"Tobias!" Hazel exclaimed, running down the stairs to meet her husband.

Tobias opened his arms wide for Hazel to come to hug him but as her happy expression to see him was quickly replaced by anger, he closed his arms. "My love-"

"Don't my love me, Tobias. I have been worried about you since yesterday and then I was waiting for you all night long until I fell asleep. How could you not send at least a palace guard to inform me of what you are doing or call for me back to the palace now that you have dealt with Grant? Do you want to drive me insane?" Hazel asked with her frustration evident in her voice.

"I should probably take these," Tobias nervously smiled, taking the plates of food from her hands. It wouldn't be the first time she tossed food at him. "A little help here, Duchess."

Alessandra shook her hand. "I am not getting involved  in your conversation."

"You certainly are Edgar's wife. Always leaving me out on my own. I came as soon as I could Hazel. I'm going to take you back to the palace with me when I leave. I wanted to clean out the palace as much as I could before you return. Aren't you happy you are going home earlier than the seven days I prepared for you to stay here? At least take these please Duchess," Tobias held out the plates to Alessandra so he could properly deal with Hazel.

Alessandra walked down the stairs for Tobias to put the plates Hazel previously had back on the tray. She didn't question how Tobias had gotten through the gates or where he had come from since she would have seen the front door open and him coming inside.

Tobias came from under the stairs and judging from the fact he had once snuck into her bedroom when he heard the news about Edgar's marriage, it was safe to assume he had snuck out of the palace to come to see Hazel. He would have used the gates and come through the front door if he didn't mind anyone knowing he was there.

'How does he get in if he does not use the front gate?' Alessandra wondered. Edgar's home wasn't easy to get close to and if Tobias had a secret entrance he used over the years, Edgar had to know about it by now. Unless Edgar left it be so Tobias could come to his home as he liked. Edgar had a backward way of doing things to show he cared for people instead of just saying it.

"Sally, is there someone at the gates?" Alessandra asked, looking at the familiar note in Sally's hand as she walked down the stairs.

"The captain of the town guards requests an audience with Edgar," Sally handed Alessandra the note.

"Oliver?" Tobias asked as he had overheard who the guest was. "Wait a moment. Where is Edgar? He is never too far away from his wife?"

"Edgar is not feeling well so I have made him stay in-"

"Now you tell me," Tobias said, stepping away from Hazel to go up the stairs to find Edgar.

Hazel was appalled by Tobias leaving her to check on Edgar. "Tobias!" She called to him, following him up the stairs.

Alessandra remained by Sally's side not wanting to go upstairs yet as someone was going to get really angry with too many people visiting him and creating noise.  "Edgar is going to end up throwing the King and Queen out of our home," she sighed.

"This house has become quite lively compared to when we first arrived," Sally said, enjoying what all the different personalities of Alessandra and Edgar's friends brought to the house.

"It has," Alessandra replied. A loud bang was heard coming from upstairs where Tobias and Hazel had run off toward the bedroom she shared with Edgar. "I think Edgar is no longer resting."