The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 198: My Betrothed

Chapter 198: My Betrothed

As Kyren’s attention shifted towards the incoming voice, Kiev seized the opportunity to strike. He punched the grand duke’s chest with a powerful blow, causing Kyren to lose his balance and fall to the ground.

In a swift motion, Kiev positioned his sword at the grand duke’s neck, asserting his dominance over his fallen opponent. The sudden turn of events bewildered the knights, as they had never witnessed their lord succumb to an adversary before. This was an unprecedented situation.

Kiev then shouted, declaring his claim over the princess, "Hand over Princess Anna to me! She’s mine!"

"Never!" yelled Kyren.

Witnessing the precarious situation, Eric warned, "Move your sword from His Highness! Otherwise, I won’t guarantee the safety of your sister!"

As the situation intensified, the knights continued restraining Callis, with Garin twisting her arms behind her back and Eric holding his sword against her neck. Luke and Alex remained vigilant, drawing their blades against the princess while Drystan caught Armel, disallowing the teenager from running away.

Kiev gritted his teeth in annoyance and spat out, "What a loser! Using a woman and a boy as hostages! Is this the so-called act of valour of the Knights of Gerhard?"

His frustration and anger were palpable as he raised his discontent.

In response to the knights’ actions, Kyren, fueled by his sense of chivalry, demanded, "Let them go!"

Embarrassed, he disallowed the princess and the teenager to be used as pawns in their conflict.

"But, Your Highness!" countered Garin.

"I said, let them go! I won’t let you humiliate me like this! This fight is between me and him! A mere woman and a kid shouldn’t be involved in it!" bellowed the grand duke.

Blazing with fury, Callis scoffed at Kyren’s dismissive words.

"A mere woman?" she huffed. "You have no idea who I am and what I can do to you..."

Luke quickly intervened, scolding the princess for her defiance.

"Shut up!" he reprimanded her, his voice dripping with contempt.

But Callis refused to be silenced. Her spirit burned bright, and she was not one to back down easily.

"Cheap b*stard!" she cursed to the knight, her words laced with venom.

"Mind your words, Callis," Kiev cautioned. "A princess shouldn’t be vulgar."

Alex’s eyes widened as he heard the prince’s words.

"A princess?" he exclaimed.

Anna, who had been watching the fight between Kyren and a stranger, was bewildered by what she saw. Without hesitation, she rushed forward, yelling "Stop!" again at the top of her lungs.

Elis, who had accompanied Anna, was also taken aback by the unexpected commotion at the mansion’s compound. She never imagined the puppy would lead them into a dangerous scene.

Noah, who had been casually walking alongside Rafe, following Anna from behind as advised by the healer to give her some space, swiftly unsheathed his sword and rushed forward to intervene. Simultaneously, observing the chaos, the healer hurriedly came closer to get the princess.

Rhen dashed towards Callis, who had been freed from Garin’s grasp but was still surrounded by the knights. Overjoyed, the princess sat down and lovingly embraced the puppy that had come to her.

"Oh, my sweet Rhen! What a smart boy! You brought my sister-in-law to us! I’ll surely give you a good treat after this!" said Callis proudly as she hugged the little dog approaching her.

"Sister-in-law?" Drystan creased his forehead in confusion.

As Kiev’s gaze locked with Anna’s, a spark of recognition and intrigue flickered between them. His striking red ruby irises bore into her, and time seemed to stand still for a moment.

Anna couldn’t help but feel a mix of fascination and surprise as she beheld the remarkably handsome figure standing before her. Somehow, as she looked at him, she didn’t think he was dangerous.

Elis, on the other hand, remained aloof and unaffected by Kiev’s presence. Her attention remained fixed on the ground, refusing to meet his gaze.

Seizing the opportunity, Kyren deflected the prince’s sword with his gauntlet and rose to his feet, gripping his blade tightly, prepared for another round of combat. The two adversaries were locked in a tense standoff, ready to resume their intense sword fight.

"What is going on here?" Anna’s voice rang out as her thoughts returned to the current situation.

She sought answers to the chaotic scene unfolding before her eyes. However, before she could receive a response, Noah leapt forward, confronting Kiev, while Kyren moved to shield his wife from any harm.

Realising the imminent danger, Anna implored Noah, desperately hoping to prevent further violence.

"Sir Brooks! Wait! No fighting! Please!"

Rafe, who had just arrived by the princess’s side, recognised the gravity of the situation. He knew they needed to retreat to safety.

"My lady, let us seek refuge in the mansion. This situation could escalate into something dangerous!" he advised.

"Mr. Amares is right! Let’s go, my lady!" exclaimed Elis.

Kyren turned. He was surprised to see the maid as he had never met her in the mansion. She looked familiar to him. However, it wasn’t a proper time to ask and go into detail. Asserting his authority, he commanded Anna to follow the healer’s guidance.

"Go with Rafe, Anna."

Callis, who had been involved in the scene, raised her head, her red-ruby eyes widening as she caught sight of Anna, now positioned between the grand duke and his healer while Elis was behind.

A shock washed over her as she noticed the healer up close before her, her lips parting in surprise. Slowly, she stood up, her heart racing.

"Oh, my!" Callis gasped, her voice filled with astonishment as her eyes fixed on him.

Her hands instinctively released their grip on Rhen. The dog, which fell to the ground, whined softly, sulking before running off to Armel, seeking comfort.

Anna’s eyes suddenly caught the unexpected presence of the teenager. Surprise and curiosity filled her gaze as she addressed him.

"Armel? You’re here?"

"My lady! Help me! I’m caught in this fight!" pleaded the teenager in anxiety and desperation.

Anna’s mind swirled with confusion as she observed the unfolding scene before her. An internal conflict arose within the princess, torn between following Kyren’s order and her sense of justice. The sight of a teenager and a beautiful woman being apprehended struck a dissonant chord within her.

In her understanding of the knights and their commitment to chivalry, Anna knew that violence against women and youngsters was not a tolerable act. It contradicted the principles and values they upheld. This divergence from the expected behaviour left her questioning the situation at hand, searching for answers to reconcile the conflicting images before her.

She directed her question towards the knights, seeking an explanation for their actions. "Why are you surrounding this woman and arresting Armel?"

Kyren, growing increasingly concerned for Anna’s safety, raised his voice, urging her to retreat. "Go back, Anna! These are bad people! They’re after you!"

Her husband’s warning took aback the princess.

"We’re not bad people! We’re her family! And we’ve come here to take her with us, to return to where she belongs!" Callis, interrupting Kyren’s words, vehemently denied being a part of any malicious intent.

Anna, still bewildered, expressed her lack of recognition, "What are you talking about? I don’t know who you are!" She then turned to the teenager and asked, "Armel, what is happening here?"

"I know nothing! I met them on my way home after Sir Skyler ordered me to leave. They demanded me to lead them to you!" replied Armel anxiously.

"Ordered to leave? Sir Brooks! This is different from what you told me!" Anna’s face flushed with confusion.

"My lady, I can explain. But for now, please leave!" Noah responded without looking. His eyes vigilantly fixed on Kiev.

Anryr, who had just arrived, stepped forward and urged the princess to follow the knight’s order.

"My lady, please heed Sir Brooks’s advice for your safety!"

Anna’s eyes shook. Deep within her, she knew there was more than meet the eyes of this, making her keen to see the truth.

"I understand if you’re confused now. You’ve never met us," Callis responded, highlighting the apparent gap in the princess’s memory.

Still gripping his sword and remaining vigilant, Kiev stepped closer, prompting Noah and the knights to surround him again. In an attempt to jog Anna’s recollection, the prince switched his sword to his left hand and raised his right hand, revealing a golden ring adorned with a unique and intricate design on his ring finger.

"You might not know us, but do you remember this ring?" he asked.

Anna squinted her eyes, trying to discern the ring’s details from a distance. However, the distance limited her visibility and prevented her from confirming resolutely. She took a step forward, but Kyren swiftly caught her.

"Don’t listen to him! Get inside now!" urged Kyren, concerned about her safety.

"Kyren, just let me confirm this. That ring... it does look familiar," pleaded the princess.

Though she couldn’t grasp its exact appearance from a distance, something about the ring resonated deep within her, hinting at a connection she couldn’t ignore.

"He’s dangerous! Why are you so stubborn?" Kyren said with anger.

But Kiev, with his red-ruby eyes, gazed upon Anna and persisted, "Princess Anna... look at this ring carefully. You’ll be able to recognise it."

Tensions were high as the prince made his way closer to the princess, prompting Noah to issue a stern warning.

"Don’t get closer, or I’ll slit your neck!"

The gravity of the situation was not lost on Eric, who cautioned his fellow knight, "Be careful, Sir Brooks! Don’t underestimate this person!"

Witnessing Kiev’s display of strength when he had punched Kyren, succumbing the grand duke to the ground, had made it clear that he posed a significant threat. The knight couldn’t shake the fact that the prince possessed the ability and strength equal to the grand duke.

Noah averted his eyes, grappling with his doubts as he observed the condition of the other knights. Eric’s warning carried weight, making him more cautious.

Impatient, Kyren pushed Anna behind his back and shouted to Anryr and Rafe to take her to the mansion. But Anna, on the other hand, pleaded, "Just let me identify the ring, please! I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it before!"

Attempting to convince them of his benign intentions, Kiev said, "Look, I am not a threat to the princess! Let her take a look at my ring! She’ll recognise it!"

"Why would she recognise your ring? She said she doesn’t know you!" the grand duke snarled, his voice laced with scepticism.

"Because this is our engagement ring," the prince retorted firmly, his tone unwavering, "and Princess Anna is my betrothed."