The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 110: [Bonus - ] Who We Are

Chapter 110: [Bonus Chapter] Who We Are

The man before her looked back, his expression unreadable, silently contemplating his response.

Seeing the princess’s bewildered expression, Rafe found himself at a loss for words, mirroring her confusion. The situation was awkward, leaving an uncomfortable silence.

After a moment, Kyren opened his mouth to speak.

"Anna...," he began, his voice filled with regret.

"Why? Why did you keep this from me?" Anna’s voice cut off his words with a mix of hurt and frustration, her eyes searching for answers that seemed to elude her.

The princess turned to Rafe, her tone accusatory. "And why didn’t you tell me, Rafe? I thought we were friends!" Her gaze bore into him, demanding an explanation.

The healer, overwhelmed by guilt, struggled to find the right words. He met Anna’s gaze briefly before lowering his eyes, weighed down by his silence.

Sensing the tension in the room, Kyren finally broke the silence, his voice filled with remorse.

"I instructed my men not to inform you. Please don’t blame them," he interjected, his sigh betraying the weight of his own choices.

"I never intended for you to find out like this. I was on my way back to tell you. Remember, I mentioned at the port I had something to share with you today, didn’t I?"

Anna shook her head, her confusion deepening. The unexpected revelation had broken her trust and left her grappling with a whirlwind of emotions.

"I can’t believe this! All this time, you’ve been keeping it from me! You lied to me!"

Her frustration escalated. Her face turned red at the flush of blood circulating to her cheeks.

"How could you do this to me, Kyren? How could you?"

The grand duke, attempting to downplay the severity of his actions, responded, "It was just a white lie. It’s not that important."

Anna’s eyes filled with tears as she retorted, her voice shaking with emotion, "It is important to me! Every word you’ve said holds significance to me! How can I trust you again when you’ve been deceiving me right to my face? Am I some kind of joke to you? Were your men laughing at me behind my back, knowing I was being fooled?"

The sneer on Anna’s face only fueled Kyren’s frustration. He fired back, "And what about you? What about your own lies?"

Confusion clouded the princess’s expression as she shot back, "What are you talking about?"

Kyren’s voice dripped with disdain as he responded, "You lied to me too! You never revealed to me that you are the Princess of Ardel!"

Anna’s heart skipped a beat, her shock palpable. Her voice faltered as she asked, "You knew? Since when?"

"Since our walk at the marigold field! You told me your surname was Varryn, didn’t you? Do you think I don’t know what the alias of Adhemar IV is?" Kyren replied determinedly.

Anna’s mouth hung open in a perfect circle, her shock rendering her momentarily speechless.

"Since that moment," the grand duke said, his gaze unwavering, "I’ve known your true identity."

The memories came flooding the princess’s mind, and suddenly everything made sense. No wonder her husband had playfully remarked that her surname sounded like a king’s name and how she looked so pretty, like a princess at that moment. She had failed to catch the hint, oblivious to the deeper meaning behind his words.

Anna’s world shattered around her as the weight of her own deception and Kyren’s revelation unfolded before her.

She turned to Rafe, her eyes searching for any sign of surprise or confirmation. But none prevailed.

"You knew about this, too?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief and incredulity.

Rafe met her gaze with a guilty expression.

"My lady, only Sir Navin and I were aware of your true identity, apart from the commander," he confirmed, revealing the limited circle of individuals privy to the secret.

Anna’s heart sank further when she realised that her close confidante also knew about her. The weight of the revelation began to overshadow her relationship with the grand duke.

"So, it seems we are even. We both concealed our true identities from each other," Kyren acknowledged. His expression dyed with a combination of resignation and justification.

"I did mine out of concern for you, knowing your deep disdain for the royal families," he continued. "However, I can’t fathom why you chose to hide yours from me. It’s worth noting that you, too, have lied," Kyren scoffed, unable to hide a hint of bitterness.

Anna’s eyes widened, her brows furrowing in response to her husband’s words. She felt a pang of anger surge within her.

"I didn’t lie!" she protested, her voice carrying resentment and hurt.

"I was never a princess, not even from the beginning. I was never raised or treated as one. How can I claim a title I never truly possessed?"

Tears welled up in her emerald eyes, mirroring her inner turmoil.

Kyren, undeterred, countered her statement. "That doesn’t change the fact that you possess Ardel’s royal blood, Anna," he stated firmly, his voice unwavering.

Anna shook her head. Deep emotions overwhelmed her. The truth of her lineage collided with her upbringing, leaving her torn between the two worlds and struggling to admit her own identity.

Her voice trembled as she responded to Kyren’s accusations.

"No, you don’t understand!" Anna’s voice quivered.

"My father never acknowledged me as his daughter, and the queen, my stepmother, didn’t even care about my existence. They kept me hidden away, locked within the castle walls since I was a child. I was like a prisoner in my own home!" The weight of her words emphasised the depth of her pain. "The only solace I had from my family was in Ryan, my brother, but they wouldn’t even let me get close to him. I had to sneak in just to see him!"

Kyren’s expression softened as he listened, his empathy growing with each word. He began to grasp the extent of Anna’s suffering, the isolation and rejection she had endured. Like a waterfall, the tears streaming down her face pierced his deep emotions.

"You don’t know what it was like to live in such seclusion," Anna continued through her tears. "I only had Nessy, my nanny, and Clara, my knightess, only came into my life three years ago when I was sixteen. Now I’ve lost them both." Her voice was full of sorrow. "That engagement I told you... I believe it was a way for them to discard me, to cast me aside as if I were nothing."

Rafe, overwhelmed by the weight of Anna’s revelations, felt a surge of sympathy and compassion for the princess. He could only imagine the depths of depression she endured under such circumstances.

Having witnessed Anna’s emotional outpouring, Kyren’s resolve wavered.

"I see now that you have been through unimaginable hardships. I never intended to inflict further pain upon you," he admitted, his voice full of remorse.

His heart began to tremble at his wife’s profound tears.

Anna’s tear-streaked face turned towards Kyren as she tried to compose herself. Her voice, though still shaky, carried a newfound vulnerability.

"That was part of the reason I hesitated to reveal my true identity to you from the beginning," she confessed, her pain mingling with a glimmer of hope for understanding and acceptance.

"What’s the other reason, Anna?" Kyren pressed, his voice filled with curiosity and concern.

The princess hesitated momentarily, her gaze shifting away as she wrestled with her decision.

"No, you don’t have to know," she finally replied, her voice dwindling.

"Why?" Kyren’s tone grew more insistent, and his desire for understanding became evident.

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes once again, threatening to spill over as she mustered every ounce of courage to find her voice.

"Because if you knew and discovered the truth, you would march upon Ardel’s lands with your knights," she explained as her voice shook with fear and desperation, "and you would stain your hands with the blood of those who hurt me."

Kyren’s frustration mounting. He leaned closer as his voice laced with anger.

"You’ve been hurt? Tell me, Anna. Who are they? You don’t have to be afraid. I am strong enough to avenge you," he declared with determination.

Anna’s voice trembled as she responded, her fear palpable. "I don’t want that. I don’t want to be the reason for initiating a war," she pleaded.

Kyren’s anger intensified, his frustration boiling over.

"This is insane! You’re protecting those who don’t deserve it," he retorted. "Are you going to cover up for the Bargesians too? The ones who were after you?"

Anna’s eyes closed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Kyren’s words cut deep as he revealed his knowledge of yet another painful Chapter in her life. She now realised he knew so much, except for Kaizer Ronan’s ultimate betrayal, which remained hidden.

"I am not protecting them! I’m protecting you, your knights and the innocent lives that could be lost," Anna countered, her voice filled with conviction. "I don’t want more bloodshed, more pain. I’ve experienced enough of that."

Kyren’s frustration deepened as he struggled to comprehend Anna’s selflessness.

"Why do you keep putting others before yourself, especially when you’ve endured so much pain? My men won’t hesitate to fight for you if it’s a matter of honour. You are my family," he insisted with exasperation.

Tears kept trickling from Anna’s emerald eyes.

"Your men have families, too! As much as I meant to you, they also meant the world to their families. Would their families be happy to see their sons, brothers, and fathers fighting for a mere Ardelian like me? Think about it. I am a descendant of the Ro’an Empire’s traitor. In the eyes of your people, I am worthless and despised," she confessed, the weight of her words resonating in the air.

"You are not a traitor. You are my wife," he declared, his words punctuated with determination and tenderness, hoping to convey his unwavering support for her, regardless of her lineage or the perceptions of others.

"As you said, I can’t change the fact that I possess Ardel’s royal blood, the traitor’s blood!" Anna’s voice quivered with a mixture of frustration and resignation.

"Anna!" Kyren interjected, his tone pleading, desperate to salvage the conversation.

"Stop!" Anna’s voice grew sharper, cutting off any further discussion. "I don’t want to talk about this anymore."

"We’re not finished!" Kyren’s teeth clenched, his determination unyielding.

"Don’t talk to me, Kyren!" Anna’s voice trembled with anger and sadness, her emotions running high.

"You’re testing my patience! Tell me who they are! Tell me who has hurt you!" Kyren’s voice grew stern as he reached out to grab her hand roughly.

"Don’t force me!" Anna yanked her hand away, her eyes blazing with fury. "From now on, I’m not talking to you!"

With those words, she turned and stormed off towards the grand staircase. Her footsteps and cries faded along with her figure leaving him.

Standing at the hall’s entrance, Anryr was taken aback by the intensity of the argument that had unfolded before him. He watched as Anna took off, her emotions visibly raw and unsettled. Fearing the wrath of the grand duke, the steward quickly left.

Kyren sank onto the settee, his face buried in his hands. The weight of frustration was unmistakable in his expression, etched deep into his features.

The implications and consequences were vast, and the uncertainty hung heavy in his mind.

"Commander... I mean... Your Highness," Rafe, previously standing in silence, tried to say something but was quickly cut off.

"Get lost!"

***

After a while, the four knights entered the mansion. Their attire was dishevelled from the recent commotion. Panting, they made their way into the main hall, intending to report that the royal knights had arrived and that the riot had finally subsided with their assistance.

However, their steps came to an abrupt halt as they were met with the sound of shouts and yelling emanating from the main hall.

Rafe, the healer, emerged from the place with a sombre expression etched upon his face. He appeared devastated as if he had been caught amid an intense battle and succumbed to a crushing defeat.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Drystan couldn’t help but ask, concern lacing his voice, "Did His Highness strike you? Is that why you look this way?"

Rafe shook his head, his eyes reflecting with distress.

"No... it’s worse than that," he replied, his voice full of defeat. "His Highness unleashed his anger on me, using me as a target for his frustration. The couple has a colossal fight, and he feels she’s shutting him out. He’s filled with despair, not knowing what to do. My ears are still ringing from his relentless nagging and angered shouts."

The knights exchanged glances. Their brows furrowed with concern.

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