She Died!

The maids quickly set to work, dusting and polishing the room while the Duchess waited, holding the sword like a lifeline. She could not shake the guilt that weighed on her heart.

Her husband had given up this precious artifact for her sake, and she hadn't even known. She would make things right. The Holy Sword of the North should never leave this vault, it was her responsibility as the Duchess of the North to keep the inheritance intact.

Her fingers brushed the blade of the sword, marvelling at its craftsmanship and the power it seemed to radiate. She thought about her past.

When she first married her husband, it was an arranged marriage. She did not have a say in it. She had three sisters and two brothers. Her father was quick to marry off his daughters.

Everyone said she was lucky to be engaged to the Northern Duke! She didn't think so at the moment. After all, it was a marriage she didn't want in the first place.