“Good luck.”

Those words rang in his (The Grand Duke, His Grace, Therdeo Lapileon) head as he urged for his horse to dash faster.

You had came to him before the hunting contest started. He remembered smiling faintly as you adjusted his hair, noticing the servant of Princess Dodolea’s looking eerily similar to himself.

But things have seemed to go elsewhere.

The contest was going great. He had covered many areas and taken down a few mammals. It was a breeze until he noticed the smoke coming from the main campsite, where you and other spectators were staying until all contestants returned.

“Where is that smoke coming from?”

“Your grace?”, one of the guards inquired, confused by what was going on.

He was about to respond, until another guard yelled for him.

“Y-Your grace! There was an accident!”, they hollered loudly.

His eyes only widened in horror, his expression going dead, as they all immediately started riding their horses in the direction back to the main camp. The sounds of the wing and gravel echoed loudly as he smacked his riding crop again, getting the horse to gallop faster.

My wife. My wife— (Insert name).

Those were the only things that be kept replaying over and over in his head. By the time they had gotten back, he was met with the sight of you on the ground from afar, some guards surrounding you and trying to get you to wake. He immediately ran forward, his eyes trained on you.

“Your grace! Your grace!”, the guards yelled over each other. “Why’d she stop breathing?!”, one questioned. “Go and get more medicine, now!”

“What on Earth—“, a man started, about to say something, before Therdeo quickly dashed forward, taking you into his grasp and moving a bit, shielding you with his body. Feeling the weakness, he only recalled the same that happened when you had passed out due to their toxic blood. He panicked and hugged you to himself, his eyes wide.

Skip.

The last thing you saw before finally blacking out, was him about to swing his sword on the princess’s servant.