| Completed | "I've never been more certain of anything in my life, Kitten. You...were made for me."
Elijah Wright, the Duke of Kent, grew up learning all about duty, responsibility, and honor. When his father died, it was time for him to step up an...
Elijah Wright, Duke of Kent, begrudgingly did as he was told. The tailor had been fitting him for his upcoming wedding for the past two hours. He cringed at that word. Wedding. It was now six days away, and he continued to get more nauseous the closer it got.
After his father, the former Duke of Kent, died last year, it was time for Elijah to follow in his father's footsteps. His father's very large footsteps. Which is why his mother set up this ridiculous arranged marriage to Lady Elizabeth Coleman of Sussex. Elijah had met her three times since the agreement. She was a blonde, with brown eyes and an oval face. She was attractive and nice, but it still felt...wrong.
Elijah wasn't a saint. Growing up, he chased after women frequently. But when his mother told him he needed to get married for the sake of duty, everything changed. He didn't want to marry a stranger. For the first time in his life, the thought of finding someone to love him, the real him, seemed to be what he craved most.
The servant's voice announcing his mother's entrance drew his attention. "Excuse me, Your Grace. The Duchess of Kent."
"Good morning, Elijah. How is the sizing going?"
Terrible, he thought. "Good morning, Mother. It's going well.. How are you?"
She walked over by the window, her yellow morning gown dragging behind her. "I'm well. I just got word that Lady Elizabeth will be here two days before the wedding."
The Duke's stomach churned at the statement. "Oh? That's sounds wonderful."
His mother turned to him with a raised eyebrow. She always had a knack for catching his lies. "Elijah, please try to make an effort. This is about-"
"Duty," he interrupted. "I know, Mother." He splayed his hands out in front of him. "I've been standing here for countless hours getting poked and prodded. I am fully aware of what's required of me. Doesn't mean I have to like it."
His mother walked up to him and brushed his hair from his face. "It will be better for you, my son, if you go into this with an open heart. I know Lady Elizabeth is like a stranger to you now, but I'm sure you will grow fond of each other as time passes."
Elijah scoffed at her statement and stepped out of her reach. "Fondness. I don't want fondness, Mother. I want..."
"What do you want, Elijah?" She asked after a few moments of silence.
Elijah walked to the large window while he thought about his answer. He knew what he wanted. He wanted to meet someone who didn't want the Duke of Kent. He wanted someone who made him laugh and someone who wasn't afraid to talk to him about things that mattered. He wanted someone who made him feel...alive.
"Well?" His mother pressed.
"It doesn't matter what I want, Mother. It only matters that I do my duty."
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