The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 64: Settled Heart

Jessamyn opened the window for him. She was surprised he came for her. He had never come inside her room before that.

Although she was glad to see him, she was afraid too. If someone caught him in her room, both of them would be punished. He was not pleased she was looking at the door and not at him.

’I was worried for you and visited. If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll leave,’ he said.

She grabbed his hand unconsciously.

’I’m not mad at you...I’m sick...’ she said so that he didn’t misunderstand.

’Sick?’ He was worried and tried to pat her down. ’You do look pale...’

She wriggled here and there not allowing him to touch her. She was still feeling weird after he touched her with passion the other day. He glared at her without stopping his efforts.

Just as she was struggling, the maid entered her room. Jessamyn panicked and hid him under her bed. She begged him to stay there until the maid left. He was not pleased with her and she was worried they might get caught.

The maid placed the watery gruel on the table. When Jessamyn complained about the pain, she looked at her pitifully and told her that she was not allowed to give her any medications. Just by the reaction of the maid, Jessamyn could say that she pitied her; the maid wanted to help her but was forbidden.

Asking her to finish her meal, the maid left. Jerrick came out from under the bed. He didn’t look pleased at all. His face twitched seeing that bowl of gruel.

’Why are they feeding you like a beggar?’ He asked.

Overcame by embarrassment to talk about her bodily function to him, she told him that she had a stomach ache. He thought it was stomach flu, but when he noticed the blood on the sheet, he panicked.

’I am not leaving you until you tell me what’s wrong with you,’ he insisted. ’I am not hiding the next time someone enters the room. So, tell me the truth.’ 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

She tried to negotiate with him, but he didn’t budge. In the end, she had to explain everything to him. She thought he would be disgusted for that was what other women told her but he listened to her intently.

’They shouldn’t feed you like a beggar, still’ he said. ’Does it hurt very much?’

She nodded and curled up on the bed. He asked her to eat but she was bored to eat that same gruel for days for all meals. She downed it, however, because she was hungry. He watched her and sat by her feet for some time as she fell asleep.

She didn’t know when he left but she woke up feeling relieved. She opened her eyes as she smelled something delicious only to see him by her feet, massaging her legs.

’You woke up,’ he smiled. ’Here, eat this...I brought this for you...’

She was stunned seeing the spread of delicacies in front of her. There were leafy vegetables, meat and berries.

’Drink this,’ he offered her a bowl. ’It’s tea, not medicine.’

From then on, he brought her food whenever possible and every month, he would bring that herbal tea for her. He told her his father was a physician and that was how he learned medicine but didn’t elaborate.

From then on, she would go to him for any illness. He had the best medicines. That was until he left to join the military. He said he would join as a physician’s assistant, but later wrote that he was recruited for the infantry.

Jessamyn rolled on the bed covering her stomach. After her wedding, she got pregnant immediately. The pain was unbearable after the stillbirth; she also had a broken bone, but Joar found the best medicines for her and looked after her like a baby. She didn’t get those awful cramps again until they returned three years ago, thanks to Emily.

Why am I thinking about the past?

Jessamyn ran her tongue over her teeth as the lingering taste of the medicine remained. She wouldn’t lie; she had thought about that medicine every time she suffered and felt guilty for thinking about him. She punished herself by enduring the pain.

She didn’t know why she drank the medicine now though. Maybe she was tired of being in pain. To be honest, she was a little sad to know that even the maids of the castle knew the recipe for that medicine. She used to think only she had the privilege.

But she wasn’t sad anymore as she thought about it. It was only natural for him to take care of the woman he loved and held in a special place in his heart.

She had now learned that everything she got in the past or the present was the byproduct of his love for Imogen. She who was ignored by everyone in the past, thought it was all for her, not knowing he cared for her only because of Imogen.

It was hard for her to accept in the past, but maybe it was not that bad. Thanks to Joar, she knew what true love felt like. She need not feel jealous of Imogen anymore.

Jessamyn’s fingers unconsciously ended on her lips. The way he touched her and kissed her...

She never let her heart lean to believe he was one of the scum men who played with the hearts of women for their enjoyment.

She still couldn’t think of him as a scum.

Maybe he was not one of those scums, but he thought she would be an added accessory to Imogen. Maybe that’s why he thought he owned her. Everyone else treated her that way too.

But he gave her a clear answer.

Heh! Why did I even think he was different? He is no different from the other males who want to dominate me just because they think I am beautiful.

I don’t have to be bothered by him anymore.

She also decided to use the perks. What was the use of her holding on to her pride? If she was getting those perks because of Imogen, she didn’t want to let her pride stop her from enjoying it.

Imogen is dead!

Settling her heart, she fell asleep.

-----

Isadora decided to go to Jessamyn’s room after putting the boy to sleep. She opened the door softly to check whether she was asleep. She needed to eat something.

Her heartbeat almost stopped seeing someone else in the room. She patted her heart, realizing it was the archduke. He was sitting bending over Jessamyn, his tall frame covering her entirely.

Isadora tiptoed to have a closer look, wondering if he was doing something untoward to her lady.

She almost stopped when she heard the soft moan of her lady.

What is going on here?