The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 244: Resentment And Remorse

"Mynah, my love," Jerrick’s voice was tender as he enveloped her in a warm embrace. "Are you feeling better?"

She nodded, the weight of the evening’s events pressing her head against his chest. "I am. It’s just... a lot on my mind."

He kissed the top of her head, his lips lingering as if to offer some of his strength. Leading her to the settee by the fireplace, he urged gently, "Tell me everything. What happened this evening? What scared you? Surely it was not just that man, was it?"

"Have you had dinner? Should I bring something for you?" Jessamyn’s voice was soft, a mix of concern and affection.

Jerrick wasn’t in the mood to eat, but he could see the worry etched in her eyes. She wouldn’t open up if she thought he wasn’t well. It was the way she loved—selflessly, always putting him first.

He washed and had dinner, each bite a testament to his love for her, ensuring her peace of mind. Later, he poured her a glass of warm milk and sat in front of her by the window, his eyes reflecting the soft moonlight.

"What scared you?" he asked, his voice a steady anchor in the sea of her thoughts.

Jessamyn took a deep breath, recounting the events and her sighting of the woman in the crowd. She didn’t want to make him wait, knowing how much he valued the truth. Jerrick listened intently, his expression growing more serious with each word.

"Who was that woman?" he asked his voice low, almost a whisper.

Jessamyn pressed her lips together, her thoughts tangled with the memories. She took a sip of the milk, its warmth soothing her nerves. "Will you tell me about William’s soulmate—the one who got a sword through his heart?"

Jerrick’s reaction was immediate, a visible shift in his demeanor. His expression was a mixture of bewilderment and utter sorrow. He must have realized that what shocked her was the return of that woman.

"I know she must have betrayed him for him to awaken," Jessamyn added, her voice tinged with sympathy.

Jerrick stood up, walking to the window, his silhouette cast in the dim light. "What can I say? She was from a lowly family. He fell for her. His aristocratic friends bullied her, thinking she was unsuited for him, and did an unthinkable thing to her. William was devastated and tried to atone, but she left him cruelly."

"Cruelly?" Jessamyn’s voice was a soft echo, filled with curiosity and compassion.

She had no clue what those aristocratic people did to that woman, but she knew of the bullying that crossed morality. They probably treated her like an animal; worse than an animal. That woman must have been someone with immense pride. She didn’t kill herself and chose to live. How was that cruel?

"She told him that she would kill herself if he looked for her. She was a prideful woman, and William knew she wouldn’t bluff about something like that. He never looked for her after she left him. He lived life thinking she was dead, as that was the only way he could move on. He probably believes she is dead," Jerrick said, his voice laden with sorrow.

Jessamyn felt a pang of sadness for William. This was the reason he didn’t want to marry. She thought Jerrick might be wrong to believe that William thought that woman was dead.

He knew she was alive, and that was the reason he did what he did—humiliating aristocrats by mindlessly sleeping with their women.

She wanted to ask why he left her with his cruel friends and why he didn’t have better friends. But what did she know? He had changed a lot. Not all for the better, but he might have been a different person back then. Being a Theodulf, he would have faced this type of situation one way or another.

"The curse needs to be broken," she mumbled, the weight of centuries of pain pressing down on her heart.

How many men with the Theodulf lineage have lost part of their souls to this curse and were forced to live in pain for the rest of their long lives? That was cruel.

"She’s back?" Jerrick asked, his voice tinged with both worry and resignation.

Jessamyn nodded, her eyes drooping with exhaustion, lacking the energy even to look at him. "With a whole lot of resentment in her heart, vowing for vengeance..."

Jerrick let out a deep breath, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "William is filled with remorse... This is not going to end well, is it?" he asked, his tone heavy with the foreboding of impending doom.

Jessamyn finally looked at him, her gaze filled with sorrow and understanding. She nodded slowly. "William will not believe my words. If I say anything, you’ll lose him, and... She’s going to cause great devastation, Jerrick. I hope the prophecy was wrong, although it rightly predicted her arrival..." Her voice wavered, laden with the burden of a dark future.

Jerrick’s heart ached at the thought of the havoc that woman might unleash. If he knew the extent of her plans, he would want to stop her, even if it meant losing William in the process. The conflict tore at him, the need to protect his friend battling with the need to protect his realm.

He reached out, taking Jessamyn’s hand in his. "We’ll find a way, Jessamyn..."

Jessamyn nodded, though her eyes remained clouded with doubt. "If at all... If it comes up... Will you tell him that she was the one the council asked me to welcome into my fold and protect?" she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation.

She knew William wouldn’t be able to accept a single word against that woman, but maybe he would consider it if he knew the council was involved. She hoped it would make him more vigilant around her. After all, she wouldn’t be the same woman he once knew.

"She’s working for the council?" Jerrick asked, his brows furrowing in concern.

"More than likely..." Jessamyn sighed, the weight of the truth pressing on her. "I’m supposed to act friendly with her. The council will be watching me..." She sighed deeply, the task ahead seeming insurmountable.

The thought of pretending to befriend someone she didn’t like was nauseating. True, the woman had endured trauma, but that didn’t justify harming innocent people.

"That’s enough worrying about the world for today," Jerrick said gently, lifting her and carrying her to the bed.

"You did well with that man," he said, kissing her forehead tenderly. This was a day to celebrate. "You proved you are the brave wife of the valiant archduke," he said, his eyes shining with genuine pride.

"Really?" Jessamyn’s eyebrows arched in surprise.

He was praising her from the heart, and she was deeply touched.

"What else did you think?" she asked, a smile forming on her lips.