The Duchess - Gruvia

Chapter 10

He smirked. "I was thinking that after lunch I could take you to a ride in the forest. It's an easy path and there's a lot of open space for you to train your riding skills. I am a little tired of these walls and I guess that you are too. Wanna go?"

Juvia almost chocked on her toast when she heard his proposal. "Really? Can we get out?" Her eyes were so hopeful that the Duke couldn't help but to smile at her.

"Sure. It's been a while since Black-Rust and I went for a ride too. And you can take Honey for a stroll too." He took a sip of his hot chocolate.

"Yes!" The Duchess was a little too excited, but then calmed herself and repeated, like she was taught to do: "Yes, Juvia would like that."

"Good." The black haired man nodded. "Are you going to help in the kitchens again?"

Ever since the blunette found herself with nothing else to do, she asked to help the main cook, Mrs. Hilda, a large boned woman that seemed to have a never fading frown that was a little too rude and not too happy (like the other women) about having the mistress of the house in her kitchen, but let Juvia peel potatoes and was a little too happy to make the Duchess clean the dirty utensils before letting the blunette go to get ready to eat with the Duke.

Juvia wasn't familiar with the treatment at first, but didn't mind much, as long as she didn't have to stay sewing all the time. During the afternoon, she would spend it with Lucy and a new friend; a maid called the Levy – the same one Gajeel scared half to death when they arrived –, she would go to the room both women were and they would talk about books, because the maid loved them; or they could walk around the castle and once in a while it was Juvia's turn to do it on her own (Gajeel didn't have to follow her around anymore, he was training to become a member of Gray's guard, so to return to be on Juvia's duty again).

"Yes. Mrs. Hilda needs her potatoes." Juvia smiled and Gray nodded, he was afraid of the cook, he admitted, and as long as the woman didn't have any complaints, it was fine. She seemed happy to do something around the castle.

"So, after lunch, we get prepared and leave, alright?" The Duchess smiled widely and returned her attention to the food.

#

Juvia was so excited! As she went to the stable to meet her husband, the woman was almost jumping in happiness: she was finally getting out of those walls!

Wearing pants was foreign to her but apparently women who wanted to ride there, it was better than a dress and she couldn't agree more: the white tight pants and the high brown boots were strange for her to wear – Marge always told her that she had too wide hips. And even though her dark blue coat was warm enough and covered her too big breasts and reached under her knees. She wore a hat too, with a butterfly pin on it.

She wondered if her husband would like her looks. The young woman was becoming vain about her looks: she wandered if Gray liked her appearance.

"Hi, Gray-sama." The Duchess greeted her husband, who looked up from his black horse. He was wearing a thick coat as well, and for a man what to wear for a ride wasn't much different from day to day clothes, at least in Juvia's perspective.

"Hey." He smiled at her. "Honey is ready for you." He nodded towards the stable boy, who was bringing the yellow horse for her. Juvia thanked him and caressed her pet, whispering sweet words. "I... I haven't seen you in those before."

Juvia frowned and then looked down to her pants, blushing. "Oh. These are better for riding."

"Yeah." He cleared his throat, and then stepped closer to her, offering a hand. "Can we?"