The Duke's Passion

"Get your hands off of him, Fabian." 

I swung my Lakresha to make him fall back, which I did easily since it was Fabian. He wouldn't fight me in this. 

"Your Majesty, what are you..."

"Fabian, don't." That was all I told him while shaking my head as a warning, pivoting on my heel to face Stefan. This time, I raised Lakresha and hooked it around his neck.

"This person is mine," I announced under my breath, gazing at Stefan's back. My eyes then veered towards Law. My son... was now crouching down while Bey was panicking next to him. I caught Law's ankle, and it was bleeding while my son was pressing it with his little hands. 

"Stefan... how dare you..."

"Young Master..." I heard Fabian muttered in shock, realizing that Law was like someone who was tortured with slight cuts across his body. Fabian was smart to realize things quickly, especially since Stefan and Law's ankles were both bleeding. 

"Sweetheart." I raised my scythe when Stefan turned around to face squarely. His brow quirked as he smirked, leaning his neck against the blade until it slit the side of it a little. 

"Ah...!" Law squealed and touched the side of his neck, making my heart stop. 

"Young Master!" Fabian yelled from behind me, but he didn't run past me, as I felt Zero's presence. Even without looking, I knew he stopped Fabian. 

"Lexx..." came out a weak voice, withdrawing Lakresha and I dropped my hand. 

As soon as our eyes met, a subtle smile appeared on his lips. "It's been a while, sweetheart."

"Stefan, just what do you think you're doing?" my voice shook, suppressing my desire to rush to my son and tend to his wounds. All I could do was stand here, frozen. I couldn't kill Stefan nor retaliate against him. Hurting him also meant hurting my son and killing him also meant killing Law. 

I lost, miserably. 

The second I realized that Stefan's life was connected to Law, I already knew I couldn't fight them anymore. Whatever they wanted, all I could do was give in as long as they let my son live. I should've done that a long time ago. If I did, it wouldn't be like this. I should've given up my happiness, the peace, a lifetime with Sam. 

"Don't make that face, sweetheart." Stefan took a step forward and stopped when we're toe to toe. "My heart will break if you cry." 

It was futile. They had me on the neck. The greatest schemer always wins... Acheron was correct. 

"What do you want?" I breathed out, staring at the man who wouldn't let me go. "Lexx, please... not my son."

I looked down and Stefan cupped my jaw before placing a thumb on my chin to lift it up. He didn't speak while studying me in silence.

"How does it feel, sweetheart? Seeing that everything is slowly being taken away from you?" he asked after a while, but he wasn't smiling or showing positive energy. If anything, his eyes were empty and... full of sadness. Those eyes always looked at me with longing instead of desire. 

"I wonder what will you feel if I don't listen to your one and only wish, sweetheart. If I killed Law..." he trailed off when I dropped Lakresha and clutched his chest, staring at him while grinding my teeth. "... will you finally understand me?"

"Lexx, let's stop here," I said through my gritted teeth, clasping his chest even tighter. "No more. I lost. Whatever you want... just... not my son."

"Your Majesty..." Fabian called, but I ignored him as I didn't take my eyes off of Stefan. 

Stefan let out a shallow breath as he glanced over at me, setting his eyes on the people behind me. "Shall we stop here, Quentin?"

"Well, we had controlled the entire south and my former fiance finally yielded," Zero crooned. "But Luther and my people haven't returned."

"Well, then. You already know what I want." Stefan set his eyes back to me and smiled subtly. "Shall we go, sweetheart?"

My heart stopped beating altogether as I nodded with my lips closed. I promised my husband that I would protect our son and Minowa. I failed in protecting Minowa, but I wanted to do everything I could to protect Law and all those who were still alive.

"Mhm." I let out a low hum one could barely hear, gazing down in defeat. "No more, Lexx. No more. I understand now."

I slowly raised my head and smiled subtly. Stefan was someone whose feelings for me were something I couldn't doubt. He wanted me; may it be because of love or something he wanted to prove to himself. That was an unchanging fact. If I yielded now, even after so much struggle, this would stop. 

People could call it cowardice and ridiculous, but I knew what it was futile. Fighting would only mean endangering the people I loved — my son. Law's life... this precious life gifted to me was something I couldn't play with or risk. 

"Lilou," Stefan called as he cupped my jaw. "We'll stop fighting. So hush now."

"I know."

"Mother...!" I gritted my teeth as I gazed at Law's tearful eyes. Even Bey was tearing up, and all the people behind them. Adam stood by the door, his hand on the jamb and eyes on me. 

"Can I embrace him?" I asked in a low tone, but I didn't expect Stefan to be lenient. That was why when he said, 'no need,' I didn't argue. 

"Madam... are you... leaving... with them?" asked Bey in a shaking voice, and the sight of her was like stabbing me right through my chest. It hurts... but we're cornered. I understood Stefan's life as being linked with Law and it was something I couldn't fight. 

'For Law...' I whispered my reasons I kept yelling in my heart earlier. '... for Law, I will have to yield. No more, Lilou. No more. If Sam arrived here later… I hope he forgives me for my decision.'

In the end… no matter how much I struggled, it was all in vain. 

How pathetic.