The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 195: Familiar Faces

Chapter 195: Familiar Faces

"I understand you both are surprised and happy to see each other, but please refrain from embracing too tightly," Ayden interjected, addressing Anna and Clara with concern. He wanted to ensure that the knightess’s delicate condition was not exacerbated.

"Dame Verns has undergone leg surgery and is still recovering," he said.

Anna exclaimed as her eyes scanned Clara’s body lying on the bed, "Oh, dear! You’re injured!" She immediately empathised with the knightess’s pain and discomfort.

With a reassuring smile, Clara replied, "I’m fine now, Your Highness. Please don’t worry about me. Mr Amares and Ayden have been caring for me, and I’m improving."

Anna pondered momentarily, recalling the day of her proclamation when Ayden and Rafe were absent. Her eyes widened in surprise as she connected the dots.

"Oh, so you’re the patient Kyren mentioned the other day, the one he asked Rafe and Ayden to take care of. I would’ve never thought about it!"

Rafe nodded, confirming Anna’s realisation. "Yes, that’s correct. His Highness must not have wanted you to be anxious, so he decided to wait until your return to the mansion to reveal. Also, Dame Verns still required more of our attention during that time, so he didn’t want to burden you with additional worries."

A soft smile formed on Anna’s lips as she reflected on Kyren’s thoughtfulness. "He is truly considerate. He always thinks about me."

"Is His Highness, the grand duke, treating you well, Your Highness?" asked Clara, seeking clarification.

She had heard tales of the intimidating yet handsome grand duke but had yet to meet him and was curious about his relationship with Anna.

"Of course! No one could’ve treated me any better than him! He has always been protective and caring," Anna responded.

Seeing how the princess’s eyes glimmered when mentioning Kyren, the knightess’s heart felt relieved. She could now put the worries in her mind to rest.

Curiosity piqued, the princess inquired Clara further, "What happened to you? What caused your injury?"

The knightess’s voice conveyed gratitude and somberness as she responded, "During the fire, I broke my leg and suffered burns. I couldn’t escape on my own, but someone came to my rescue."

The memory of the harrowing event lingered, but she remained resilient and grateful for the assistance she had received.

A figure arrived at the treatment room door—It was Emily. As she entered, she was greeted by the heartwarming sight of Clara and Anna’s union, their tears flowing freely. Overwhelmed with joy, she couldn’t contain her excitement.

"Oh, Your Highness! You’re finally back!" she exclaimed, unable to hide her enthusiasm.

Anna turned her head towards the voice that had addressed her as ’Your Highness.’ Her wet eyes caught sight of a young woman with light brown hair and eyes standing before her. She took a moment to collect herself and identify the person.

"She’s the one who saved me from the raging fire, Your Highness. Her name is Emily Baker. She was a maid for Lord Troys, a vassal of His Majesty, your father. She, too, was caught and locked by the Bargesians in the barrack," explained Clara as she introduced Emily to the princess.

"Bargesians? Barrack? What is all this about?" Ayden questioned, his confusion evident.

He felt out of the loop, realising that he was the only one who seemed to not know about it. Being preoccupied with Clara’s well-being, he had been kept in the dark. Emily and the knightess also refrained from divulging the information at Noah’s request.

Feeling curious and concerned, Ayden sought clarity on the matter. He had witnessed the effect of the incident involving the knightess but had only been given limited details. Despite his inquiries, Clara had politely requested that he wait for Noah’s approval before receiving more information.

Ayden’s gaze shifted between Anna, Clara, Emily, and Noah and then to Rafe, hoping for an explanation. He sensed that something significant was at play.

Noah’s expression flickered when the word ’Bargesians’ was mentioned in the conversation. He would have spoken up and told Clara about last night’s incident if it hadn’t been for the grand duke’s decision to comply with the princess’s request.

Rafe’s reminder to avoid causing any unnecessary distress to the knightess also echoed in his mind. The two reasons were enough to make him keep the information from her knowledge.

"Oh, I’m sorry, Ayden! I didn’t mean to hide it from you!" Anna apologised, realising that the assistant healer had been left out of the loop.

"Don’t worry about it. If you feel like telling, I would be more than happy to listen. I can wait," Ayden reassured her, understanding the circumstances.

"Perhaps you don’t remember me. It’s all right. It was a brief encounter anyway," Emily interjected again.

Anna’s gaze shifted back to the young woman, her memory now fully restored.

"I know you! You’re the woman in the cell next to me!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up with recognition.

A smile spread across Emily’s face as she replied, "Yes, that’s right! I thought you wouldn’t recall meeting me!"

Anna’s tears finally subsided, and a sense of relief washed over her. The bond they had formed during their time in captivity had left an indelible mark on her memory.

Turning her attention to Clara, Anna asked again, "How did you end up here?" The knightess smiled, knowing that the story she was about to share would shed light on their extraordinary journey.

"Sir Brooks, is it fine if I tell Her Highness about it?" asked the knightess, asking permission from the knight.

"Go ahead. I’ve already reported everything to His Highness. There’s no instruction from him to keep the matter," allowed Noah.

As the knightess thanked Noah, she proceeded to recount the harrowing tale of the fire that had engulfed the barracks and Emily’s heroic act of saving her life. She detailed their months of hiding from Brone’s army and their eventual encounter with Noah in the Huntbel forest.

The princess listened intently, her eyes filled with admiration for Emily’s bravery and the remarkable twists of fate that had brought their paths together. The story also captivated Ayden and Rafe, both surprised by the revelation and the extent of the challenges Emily and Noah had faced.

Throughout the retelling, Noah remained calm and composed, his expression unchanged. He had become accustomed to concealing his emotions, masking the turmoil that lay beneath the surface. But deep down, he felt a certain level of relief that he had completed his mission and, at the same time, fulfilled his promise to Clara.

"Oh, I’m so glad that you’re safe!" Anna expressed her relief. Turning to Noah, she expressed her gratitude. "Thank you, Sir Brooks, for saving them! You don’t know how much this means to me."

The knight’s response was humble. "I was just carrying out my duty, my lady. It was His Highness who ordered me to investigate."

"But it was Sir Brooks’s brave effort, determination, and intelligence that saved us and brought us here. He even went back to Gerhard’s castle to retrieve the necessary medication for Dame Clara," Emily praised, her face beaming with pride.

A glimmer of shyness coloured Noah’s expression. Not often did he receive appreciation for his actions, which touched him deeply.

"Indeed, Sir Brooks’s actions are commendable," Rafe said, acknowledging the knight’s bravery and resourcefulness.

Even Ayden, who held some reservations towards Noah, begrudgingly admitted, "I have to agree. Sir Brooks’s actions were impressive."

Noah’s gaze shifted between his comrades, gratitude and humility filling his eyes. The recent turn of events had starkly contrasted the strained relationship that had developed between him and the other members of the knighthood after the accusation was made against him in the r*pe and murder case. The false allegations had caused a deep rift, leaving Noah feeling isolated and misunderstood.

However, as he performed his task to investigate Anna’s situation and returned from Ardel, he noticed a subtle shift in the dynamics within the group. Garin, one of the knights, had shown some leniency and understanding towards him. And now, he could sense admiration and appreciation from Rafe and even Ayden.

The realisation filled Noah’s heart with a mix of emotions. He had yearned for acceptance and understanding, and slowly but surely, it seemed to be coming his way.

The acknowledgement of his efforts meant more to him than he could express. It allowed him to regain a sense of belonging and reminded him of the importance of trust, loyalty, and the bonds forged within the knighthood.

"There is another person that I would like you to meet. Her name is Miss Elisabeth Canton. She’s a maid from Gerhard Castle, and I’m very thankful to her too," Said Clara, telling the tales of the thoughtful and gentle Elis who helped her.

"A maid from Gerhard Castle?" Anna asked. She was interested to hear the name of the place. It was Kyren’s home, and it would be her home too... soon.

"Yes! She has been a great help to Dame Clara’s treatment!" said Emily excitedly.

As the young woman shared the tales of Elis, the maid who had provided invaluable assistance during Clara’s sickness, Anna’s eyebrows raised in curiosity.

A maid from Gerhard Castle piqued her interest, and she eagerly listened to Emily as the woman recounted their journey, from the arrival at the deserted camp to meeting Armel and their subsequent travels to Gerhard Castle. Elis had joined them there and had been instrumental in Clara’s care.

"Oh, so you’ve met Armel! Why isn’t he here, too?" Anna inquired.

Emily turned to Noah, seeking an explanation for Armel’s absence. The knight also didn’t elaborate much about the teenager’s sudden departure from Gerhard’s Castle last time. The only thing he told her was that Armel had left on his own accord.

Noah withheld the actual reason, deeming it unimportant. "He had his own destination, so we split paths after our layover at Gerhard’s Castle. I haven’t seen him since then," he replied.

"I see... I wish I could see him again. He’s a nice and friendly person," Anna expressed a hint of nostalgia in her voice.

Just as Anna finished speaking, a barking sound filled the atmosphere, drawing the attention of everyone in the treatment room. A voice followed, shouting in an attempt to restrain the source of the noise.

"Little one! Wait! You can’t go in there!"

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