The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 140: Escape From The Palace

Chapter 140: Escape From The Palace

Night fell, casting a serene atmosphere over the palace.

Following a delightful dinner with the royal family, Anna gracefully returned to her chamber. The day had been an exhilarating success for her as she had orchestrated the release of her dear friend, Meredith, from captivity.

Accompanying her, Kyren, though reluctant to depart, eventually yielded to the servants’ insistence, who conveyed the king’s message for him to return to his own chamber.

As if concerned for Anna’s safety and peace, King Kyden took additional precautions by placing guards outside the princess’s room, ensuring her undisturbed rest. Kyren, in turn, let out a sigh, his face reflecting his dissatisfaction with the arrangement.

With a sullen expression, he made his way to his chamber, situated on the opposite end of the corridor from Anna’s. Inside his place, frustration welled up within the grand duke as he silently cursed his brother’s orders.

How could he possibly find solace in sleep tonight without the comforting presence of Anna’s supple body, which felt akin to a soft pillow against his own?

The yearning in his heart only intensified, leaving him restless and longing for the tranquillity that only her presence could bring.

This was too cruel!

Despite Kyren’s best efforts to bargain with the determined king and queen, attempting to assure them that he would conduct himself appropriately and refrain from misbehaviour, the couple remained resolute. No one, not even Anna, came to his defence, leaving him feeling disheartened and unsupported.

The grand duke collapsed onto the luxurious, expansive bed, hoping its comfort would alleviate his heavy stress. Yet, no matter how soft the sheet, it couldn’t ease the ache within his soul, knowing that his Anna was merely a few rooms away.

In an attempt to find solace, he called upon the servants to prepare a warm bath in the washroom. He immersed himself in the soothing waters, hoping it would bring him some measure of relief. However, the emptiness persisted, and the night stretched out before him, seemingly endless and lonely without Anna by his side.

Suddenly, a fiery thought raced through his mind, igniting a spark of hope within him. His eyes widened with newfound determination. Hastily, he leapt out of the tub, drying his body with a towel and swiftly donning a robe.

He rang the bell again with a sense of urgency, summoning the servant to his side.

"Yes, Your Highness. How may I be of service?" responded the servant dutifully upon arrival.

Kyren leaned closer and signalled for the servant to do the same. In a hushed tone, the grand duke whispered his request into the servant’s ear, the words causing the servant’s eyes to widen in astonishment.

"But... but, Your Highness! If His Majesty were to discover this... I would face severe reprimand," the servant stammered, fear evident in his voice.

Kyren’s gaze remained resolute as he reassured the servant, "I will assume full responsibility for this matter. And as for you..." With a deliberate motion, the grand duke produced two golden coins from the nearby table. "This will be your remuneration if you are willing to cooperate," he added, extending it towards the servant.

As the servant looked at the money, his eyes widened, and his jaw almost dropped at the sight of the Durrham coins.

The sheer value of it far surpassed what he could have ever imagined. It dawned on him that even a year’s worth of his salary would not come close to equalling this generous amount.

"Most definitely, Your Highness! My loyalty is always with you! I will carry out the task immediately!" the servant grinned widely.

Kyren’s lips curled into a disdainful smile, a testament to his experience of navigating places and observing human nature’s weaknesses. Having spent considerable time among a diverse array of individuals, he knew all too well how easily people could be swayed and tempted by the allure of money.

Anticipation danced in his eyes as he contemplated the events that would unfold.

Tonight would be exciting for him and his wife!

***

Anna settled onto the chair before the ornate dresser, her slender fingers delicately combing through her luscious auburn locks. Dressed in a comfortable nightgown, she had taken the queen’s advice to retire early for the night, with the promise of a shared breakfast awaiting her in the morning.

As she sat there engrossed in her task, a faint rustling noise emanated from the nearby dressing room, catching her attention. A tinge of nervousness crept into her heart, causing her to rise from the chair.

Her voice trembled slightly as she called, "Who’s there?"

Uncertainty clouded her thoughts as she contemplated whether she should summon the guards stationed outside. Anna hesitated momentarily, considering the possibility that she might have mistaken the sound for something innocuous.

Shaking her head, she retreated, convinced her imagination had played tricks on her. But before she could make a move, a dark silhouette emerged from the dressing room, swiftly closing the distance between them.

A strong hand firmly covered her mouth, covering her startled scream. Anna’s eyes widened with fear as she struggled against the intruder’s grip, her muffled cries echoing within the confines of her chamber.

"Don’t scream! It’s me, Kyren!"

Anna’s heart washed with relief and astonishment as she recognised the familiar voice. The figure loosened his hold and stepped back, revealing her husband standing before her.

"Kyren! What in the world are you doing here? And how did you manage to sneak in?" she exclaimed.

A mischievous grin spread across the grand duke’s face as he responded with a hint of pride, "Well... my dear wife, I lived in this palace before, didn’t I? I know all the secret passages like the back of my hand."

Anna’s expression quickly shifted from surprise to sternness as she scolded him, "You are blatantly disobeying His Majesty’s order! You must return to your room immediately!"

"I did not! He specifically mentioned refraining from intimacy but never explicitly forbade me from coming to your room," he reasoned, his voice infused with a touch of playfulness.

Anna’s lips formed a firm line as she crossed her arms over her chest, clearly unamused by Kyren’s clever interpretation of the king’s words. Her gaze shifted to the grand duke’s attire, noticing the distinct difference from his usual garments. It resembled the uniform the royal knights wore, a sight that piqued her curiosity.

"What’s with this attire? Why are you dressed as a royal knight?" Anna asked.

A mischievous glint danced in Kyren’s eyes as he explained, "This is a disguise. I thought taking you out with me would be an adventure."

The princess’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Out? You’re disguising yourself to take me out? But where to?"

The grand duke’s smile widened further, his enthusiasm contagious.

"To Eric’s party, of course! We absolutely cannot miss it. As esteemed guests, it’s our duty to attend," Kyren insisted, his voice brimming with anticipation.

Anna’s concern deepened. "But what about the guards stationed outside? His Majesty instructed us to spend the night at the palace."

Kyren’s eyes sparkled with confidence as he reassured her. "We won’t be disobeying any orders. We are merely stepping out for a short while and then returning. We’ll be back before anyone even notices."

Anna hesitated, her worry warring with the desire for a night of celebration. "Are you absolutely sure about this? His Majesty will not be pleased if he finds out."

Kyren’s voice carried an air of conviction as he responded, "Trust me. He won’t be angry. After all, he’s my brother. Besides, don’t you want to attend Eric’s party too? You even knitted those adorable socks for his baby, remember? It would be a shame to miss the celebration."

"Of course I do. But I left the present at the mansion, thinking we’ll return after meeting Their Majesties."

Anna’s excitement about attending the party mingled with a touch of disappointment at leaving the gift behind. Upon receiving the invitation letter from Damon, she had dedicated time and effort to knitting it.

Kyren, perceptive to her thoughts, reassured her with a warm smile.

"Fear not. I have already arranged for the gift to be delivered. Drystan will take it to Eric’s sister-in-law’s place. However, it would be more meaningful if you were there in person."

Anna’s hesitation lingered. "But how do we manage to leave without the guards noticing?"

Kyren’s smile widened as he reached into the bag he had placed on the table.

"Here, put this on," he said, his voice filled with a hint of mystery.

Curiosity piqued, Anna looked at the bag and asked, "What is this?"

As Kyren unveiled its contents, the princess’s words trailed off, her lips parting in astonishment.

"It’s a maid’s outfit. We’ll disguise ourselves. I’m a royal knight, and you are the palace maid!"

Anna’s realisation dawned upon her, a mixture of surprise and amusement colouring her voice.

"You’ve planned this all along!"

Kyren chuckled sheepishly, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

"Well, it was a spontaneous idea that crossed my mind. I thought it would be thrilling to have our first night out in Gantz. What do you say?"

Anna hesitated momentarily, weighing their adventure’s risks and rewards.

"All right, let’s do it. But how do we even leave this room undetected?"

A mischievous glimmer danced in Kyren’s blue eyes as he replied, "The same way I got in, definitely!"

"But what if the guards are aware of this secret passage? His Majesty might have stationed his men around the palace."

Kyren’s confidence remained unshaken as he reassured her, "Don’t worry about the guards. Your husband is quite skilled at evading their watchful eyes. The passage would lead us to the east wing. We can get out of the palace in the east garden. A horse should be ready for us right outside the wall by now. We’ll make our escape without a trace."

A naughty smile slipped Anna’s face, thinking of their adventures ahead.

***

The men sat on the veranda, their glasses filled with spirits, savouring the taste of the delectable dinner they had just enjoyed. It had been a while since they had indulged in such fine food and luxurious accommodations since they departed from Ardel on their journey to Gantz.

Engrossed in their conversation, they discussed their accomplishments and various topics on wealth and women. As they shared laughter and stories, their eyes were drawn to two figures stealthily making their way through the dimly lit east-wing garden before them.

"Well, well... Look at that," one of the men remarked, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "It appears a royal knight is having a clandestine rendezvous with a palace maid!"

Curiosity piqued, another man inquired, "Where? Where?"

A voice filled with a touch of sarcasm interjected, "Why bother? Is it because you haven’t been acquainted with the company of women lately that a simple romance between two of Cassian’s king’s servants intrigues you?" Brone’s assistant voiced his teasing, prompting a slight pause in the conversation.

However, the group’s attention remained fixed on the fleeing couple, their gazes filled with curiosity and speculation.

Anna’s emotions were a whirlwind of nerves and excitement as the thrill of their escape coursed through her veins. She hadn’t anticipated this adventure would evoke such a rush of anticipation. Kyren, too, couldn’t help but wear a smile, relishing in the moment’s exhilaration.

Unable to contain her apprehension, Anna turned to Kyren and asked, her voice laced with worry, "You can tell I’m nervous, can’t you?"

Kyren’s eyes sparkled with affectionate amusement.

"Of course. But what’s the worst that can happen? If we get caught, we’ll face the consequences together. I wouldn’t mind spending time in prison if it meant being by your side without interruptions. That could be quite exciting, too."

Anna’s cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and exasperation.

"Kyren! Your words are not helping!"

"Really? How about this..."

Kyren suddenly leaned in and gently kissed her lips, their connection momentarily stealing her breath away.

"Does this help calm you?" he asked when their lips parted.

"Kyren!" Anna blushed, swatting playfully at his arm.

A satisfied grin played on the grand duke’s face as he teased, "I can sense you enjoyed that. How can they expect us to sleep separately? It’s utter nonsense!"

Anna rolled her eyes.

"Enough with the distractions. We should continue moving before we end up being late!"

"All right, no time to waste now. We’ll scale the wall. I’ll carry you," Kyren declared with determination.

Anna’s eyes widened in surprise. "Now? Are you sure?"

The grand duke nodded.

"Yes, it will be faster this way."

Without a moment’s hesitation, he swiftly scooped Anna up into his arms.

The Bargesians nearby couldn’t help but watch the couple intently, their curiosity drawn by the unfolding scene.

"Wow, would you look at that," one of them whispered in awe. "This couple is really bold. They’re already kissing, and he’s carrying her towards the wall."

Another Bargesian joined in. "Wait a minute! Is he going to leap over the wall while holding her?"

"That can’t be! The wall is too high!" said Brone’s assistant.

A sceptical expression crossed his face as he walked over to the railing, squinting his eyes to view the couple in the distance better.

His initial doubts soon transformed into astonishment as he witnessed the royal knight, with the maid cradled in his arms, effortlessly soar over the towering walls. His surprise mirrored that of his fellow Bargesians, their jaws dropping at the display of such agile skill.

"Did you see that? He actually jumped over the wall!" exclaimed a Bargesian, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"Sh*t, he did!" shouted another. "Those rumours about the northern warriors and their exceptional skills are not just rumours after all!"

A voice filled with arrogance retorted, "Huh! We are far superior to them."

"Watch your words," warned Brone’s assistant sternly. "Remember what Lord Morro said? The walls have ears. Now, all of you, get inside, you drunkards!"

As the group reluctantly dispersed, Brone’s assistant couldn’t shake off the impression left by the display of incredible leaping skill by the royal knight. He pondered on the matter, realising that underestimating the abilities of these northern warriors would be a grave mistake.

Another thought began to gnaw at him from the brief glimpse of the couple.

Why did the palace maid appear so strangely familiar?