The Duke's Masked Wife

"Priscilla, go with them."

"What?" Pricilla screeched at her husband who clearly lost his mind. "Our son wants to punish me for something I did not do and you want me to go with these men? Is this your way of getting rid of me?"

"I cannot fight them all," said Edmund. Edgar had a good amount of skilled men by his side and as someone who hadn't fought in years, Edmund knew he would only injure himself if he tried. "Even if I do, Edgar would come to take you himself and I cannot bring myself to fight my son."

"Good choice," Reed clapped his hands. He preferred his captive coming willingly rather than all the kicking and screaming.

"You can't fight your son but you can watch your wife be taken off to be hurt? I am not-"

"Do you want them to drag you out of here and be embarrassed in front of the servants or walk out with your head held high? Think about that reputation you cherish so much and go quietly. It won't be long before someone passing by notices something is wrong. Go," Edmund said, stepping to the side for Priscilla to leave.

"Edmund, I do not want to die," she cried, refusing to let go of him. "I did not order Alfred to be killed. I swear it."

"You won't die," Edmund confidently spoke. "Alfred won't let him kill you and Alessandra seems to have the heart that won't let him kill his own mother."

'Well, they don't know what Edgar's plan is but sure,' Reed thought. He sighed, missing his old peaceful job at the gates. He got to put his feet up and send the pest away. Now he was stuck doing this and seeing his brother way too much.

Priscilla didn't like Edmund's plan but if he wasn't going to protect her, she would only end up being manhandled by these men if she ran. "You are a disgrace of a husband," she muttered before walking out from behind him. "Do not touch me," she said to the men Edgar brought to her.

"Only if you do not run," Reed replied. He let her walk in front of him so if she tried anything foolish he would swoop her up and take her to the carriage himself.

Priscilla tried to keep herself together as they passed her guards sitting on the floors with wounds. She thought Edgar's men had killed them but it seemed they had just wounded them to stop them from blocking their way in. She was furious that mere guards were being spared yet she was leaving to be tortured by her own son.

Priscilla eyed the familiar carriage she spotted outside with hate. After everything she did for Edgar, this was how he wanted to treat his mother. His own flesh and blood? She was truthful about not ordering Alfred to be killed so why was she the one being sent off to pay for it? If she wanted Alfred dead yesterday, she would have the job completed.

Priscilla walked up to the carriage, not waiting on anyone to open the door for her, and stepped inside. Her eyes quickly went to Edgar who sat alone looking away from her. "Edgar," she called to him but got no answer.  "Are you satisfied with embarrassing me in front of my servants?"

"No, I wanted to kill you. Do not make me regret not doing so. You should count yourself lucky. It is not every day that I let a prisoner ride with me. Be quiet or I shall tie you to a rope and let you walk the way back to my estate," said Edgar, refusing to look at his mother.

"No," Priscilla stated, refusing to be silent when her life was on the line.  "We are having a conversation right here right now so that I can place some sense into your head. I did not order him to be-"

"But you were going to. Alfred already told me what the two of you spoke of. Had the two of you not spoken, you would have wanted to kill him and it is because you wanted to kill him that you alerted the man named Federick. I do not know what I am more hurt by. The fact you wanted to kill someone who raised your son or you have no remorse when you claim to have called it off," said Edgar.

"I am sorry-"

Edgar didn't care for your apologies and said, "You are not. You are only apologizing because you were caught. Had I not correctly guessed that it was you, you would have never mentioned this person disobeying your order and attacking Alfred. Save your apologies as they are worthless now. You are something special to hate him when you should be thankful for Alfred being in my life."

"Thankful? Thankful to the man who my son listens to instead of me? The man my son loves more than me? You are my only child, Edgar. It has ached my heart for years to see you care for him more than you do when it comes to me. My only child belongs to me!" Priscilla exclaimed, letting out her frustration.

"Thank goodness you never had another child. The company might have been nice but I'd hate for anyone else to share the loneliness I suffered from for years. I hated being alone as a child but then I sought after it as I grew older because I did not want to deal with people like you. Then there were the annoying plans you had laid out for me. The wife, the children, and the lifestyle. Each one of them was irritating."

"I wanted the best for you just like every other mother did," said Priscilla. What was so wrong with creating the right path for him?

"No. You wanted me to fall in line with the pretty image you created amongst your peers. Hoping I wouldn't damage your reputation. I met a woman who I fell in love with but you couldn't put your own desires aside to welcome her to our family. It was the least you could do for me. Does it not hurt you that I have to hide my wife from you to protect her?" Edgar asked, finally turning to view the woman who was once his mother.

"It hurts me that you went against the woman I picked out for you. How could you not be upset that you have not gained anything from this marriage? Once a Baron's daughter, she has now gained the wealth of a Duchess. Your wealth," Priscilla stressed the last part. "Your children will have nothing to gain from their mother."

"They will gain her heart. A heart I wish you had."

Priscilla gripped her dress out of anger and annoyance that this conversation wasn't going her way. "You always make me out to be the bad guy when you are far from being a good person. You have killed people others care for."

"I do not hide that I am a bad person. I do not hide anyone I have killed and I am allowed to call you out for being a terrible mother. I will fix your antics with your punishment," Edgar replied.