The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 38: Small Changes

Jessamyn gulped. His eyes had reddened out of anger. She didn’t know what to do. If only he said what he was mad about, she might do something about it.

This was the story of her life. Everyone found one reason or another to get mad at her. Maybe she deserved their hate. Maybe she was contemptible. She thought Jerrick was the exception when she was young but he too hated her without telling her why.

She was repulsive and that was the reason she stayed away from civilization. But she wasn’t even left in peace there and dragged back here, only to get hated more.

I miss you, Joar...

Naturally, she thought of the one person who never hated her even when she hurt him. She became quiet and shrunk back to her shell.

Her eyes clouded as she looked at the floor. Oddly, her tears didn’t fall. Maybe she had run out of tears. Thinking about Joar, she remembered something.

Right!

She left her shell and looked up. She still didn’t dare to break her shell. She might need it sooner or later.

Jerrick’s face was not that angry anymore. She thought maybe it was because of her gained confidence.

"I am hungry," she said rubbing her belly.

If she didn’t know what he was thinking, she might try and change his mood. If she didn’t like to stay in a place, she could move elsewhere. She didn’t have to either bite her tongue and bear with it, or act uncouth in a public place. There was always another way.

"Can we get something to eat?" she smiled, a smile she had learned to bring up on her face at will.

Jerrick saw the twinkle in her eyes and relaxed his fists. He had almost lost himself to anger some time ago. It was not right for him to assume what she might be thinking.

His hands shook remembering her lying motionless on the bed while whining in pain. He didn’t want to see her in that position ever again.

What if she chose black because it reminded her of her late husband? She clearly stated that she hadn’t moved on from his passing. It was he who insisted on her moving on, which means it was his responsibility to help her do so.

William was right. He shouldn’t be thinking of marrying her when he lost his temper making a mountain out of a molehill putting meanings behind her thoughts without knowing for sure.

She made it clear she didn’t need him. It hurt, but it was the truth. He needed to accept it.

"What do you want to eat?" Jerrick asked, his smile blooming from his heart.

Jessamyn exhaled sharply seeing his sharp features relaxing. It worked!

"I smelled wonderful freshly baked bread back in the food street," she said.

"If you liked it, why didn’t you tell me?" Jerrick asked.

"I..." Jessamyn bit her lips.

She could have. But she didn’t. Was it because she didn’t think he would listen? Yes. She begged him to let her go and he went as far as to arrange the wedding. He didn’t listen to her about that serious issue. Would he have listened to something simple?

Joar used to tell her that no one would know what she was thinking unless she told them. He never had to hear what she wanted though. He knew it somehow.

But Joar was right. She should be open about her wants. She was not at the Beaumont mansion where all her wants and needs were ignored. She had grown up. Sometimes, people listen to her. She would know only if she tried.

She sighed. Guess, I need to change more.

"It’s fine. Let’s go," Jerrick said and walked to the front.

Jessamyn watched his relaxed pace and smiled. She walked with a larger gait to reach him. Holding his horse, he walked with her, matching her pace as she looked around with the excitement of a child.

"Wow! I didn’t see that before..." Jessamyn stopped and took in the view.

Above the hustle and bustle of the market, stood a mountain like an iron statue—Sideria Ridge.

"It really looks like a dragon," she said. "The snow on the ridges looks like the scales of a dragon."

She had read about the lore of the Sideria Ridge. The mountain was said to be an ancient dragon that fell into an eternal state of sleep after it lost its mate. Myths are myths but people opposed building mines on that mountain when they found iron there stating the lore.

Iron was an important ore of their time; almost as valuable as gold since they were attacked by their neighboring kingdom—Altania, often. The King wanted to hoard iron for his weaponry but the natives in and around Sideria Ridge refused to let anyone related to the King get anywhere near the mountain.

It was also called the "Iron Mountain". It was said that giants used to live around Sidera Ridge. But no one had seen them in a long time too.

When the Theodulf family lost their ability to shapeshift, it caused a domino effect no one thought about. Ayberia and Altania split after that. Those two kingdoms used to be a single kingdom in the past.

It was as if the Theodulf family had kept the Kingdom together for years. The loss of their bloodline caused a devastating turn of events.

All because one woman cheated on her husband! She turned the Theodulf name—the name that ruled the Kingdom from behind the scenes—their sovereignty—into a laughing stock.

The Theodulf family was known for their silver hair and eyes. Another wonderous thing was that throughout the generations, the Theodulf family had only one heir, never a girl, always a boy, who inherited their titles and wealth. It was as if they procreated solely to get an heir and didn’t mind after that.

Her eyes landed on Jerrick. Jerrick looked entirely different from the paintings of the Theodulf family with his brown hair and green eyes. He would look weird with silver hair and eyes.

But then her heart clenched. He had a son and lost him. She then shook off that unsettling thought. Jerrick might bear the Theodulf name, but he was not one. He had a chance to have more children.

Jerrick’s smile widened seeing her. Her eyes had the spark he missed for long. Finally, she had found something that piqued her interest.

"I’ll bring you there one day soon," he said. It was a promise. "You can see Montrose and the ocean from the top of the ridge..." he pointed leaning to her eye level. "You see that one resembling a horn? That one has the best view."

His cheek was almost touching her cheek. He didn’t notice it at first but when he turned to look at her, his heart skipped a beat. He could see every little hair on her eyelashes. She was looking at the mountain with awe.

But then her smile fell and she looked at him with her eyebrows furrowed.

"What?" he asked.

She looked angry.