The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 204: The Knightess’ True Identity

Chapter 204: The Knightess’ True Identity

The atmosphere in the grand hall was heavy with silence as they gathered. Kiev observed Anna and Kyren, their hands intertwined since they entered the hall. The display of affection piqued his curiosity.

If the grand duke indeed had such strong feelings for her, why did he settle for making her his concubine instead of marrying her legally?

The question lingered in Kiev’s mind, but he hesitated to confront him, as it might spark another argument. For now, he intended to be patient and wait for the matter to be adequately resolved.

Soon after, Anryr arrived, having completed the necessary arrangements. The knight had placed Clara in the guestroom provided by the steward, and Elis had assisted in positioning the knightess comfortably on the bed, taking into account her condition.

Thanks to the knowledge that the maid had acquired from Rafe and Ayden, she was well-prepared to care for Clara during her recovery.

The grand duke and his wife, accompanied by their ’guests,’ were led to the guestroom on the first floor. Outside the room, Elis and Noah stood, ready to receive their following instructions.

Anryr pushed open the door, and Clara turned to gaze at the newcomers from her bed. Kyren and Anna entered first, followed by Kiev and Callis. The steward closed the door promptly, understanding that this was a private moment for them.

"Your Highness! What is all this about?" Clara asked Anna, her curiosity piqued.

The princess held the hand of a towering, muscular man with jet-black hair and captivating blue eyes. Another couple accompanied them, standing alongside the couple.

Observing the man holding Anna’s hand, Clara deduced that he must be the grand duke. He was undeniably breathtaking and had an irresistible allure.

However, the grand duke was not the sole captivating figure in the room. The man beside him also radiated an enchanting charm. His long, silky white hair cascaded down his shoulders, and his eyes gleamed like rubies. The woman accompanying him shares the same striking appearance, and their faces bear a remarkable resemblance.

"Clara, this is my husband, Kyren Raychard, the Grand Duke of Gerhard," Anna introduced Kyren to the knightess.

The grand duke nodded in acknowledgement as Clara bowed before him.

"Husband?" Callis let out a chuckle and was about to say something. But the princess abruptly interrupted her. At the same time, Kyren prompted a menacing glare to the Mederian Princess, but she just rolled her eyes, displaying her indifference to his intimidating demeanour.

"We called for you because I need you to identify someone," Anna stated, turning her gaze toward Kiev.

Clara furrowed her brow as she studied the person referred to by the princess. She hadn’t met this man before, as she was sure she would remember someone so charming. Yet, there was an undeniable sense of familiarity about him that she couldn’t ignore.

Kiev smiled upon witnessing the knightess’s perplexed expression.

He spoke in a familiar melody, "Hello, Dame Verns. We meet again."

Clara’s eyes widened upon hearing his enchanting voice. Of course, she remembered it all too well. She scrutinised his appearance from head to toe, and a peculiar sense of majesty emanated from him.

Other than the fear she had initially felt upon their first encounter, everything about him felt the same. While she hadn’t seen his whole face back then due to the robe he wore, the angular jaw, exquisitely sculpted chin, and luscious pink lips were unmistakable. He was indeed the same person she had met two years ago.

"It’s you!" Clara exclaimed in disbelief.

"Do you know him?" Kyren asked anxiously.

The knightess nodded fervently.

"But how? I thought you told Noah that you had never seen his face," Kyren interjected, recalling the knight’s previous words during the fight at the compound.

"Actually, I did catch a glimpse of him, but I couldn’t see his entire face because of the hood of his robe. However, his chin, lips, and voice were similar," Clara explained.

"He can’t be the same man!" Kyren countered.

"Let her clarify it herself. What happened to you, Dame?" asked Kiev.

"The Bargesians army arrested Her Highness and me. We were apprehended in their barrack located in the middle of Huntbel Forest. In an attempt to escape, I burned down the barrack. Her Highness managed to leave, but I was caught under the raging fire from a fallen pole. My back got burned, and my right leg was broken from the incident," explained Clara.

"I’m sorry to hear that," said Kiev. He then seized the opportunity to address his question. "Dame Verns, do you remember what we talked about when we met last time?"

Clara nodded again. The conversation they had two years ago remained vivid in her memory.

"I remember every word of it," she affirmed.

"Then, you would still remember it when I say "Thank you, Lady Ammara, Warrior of the Sunik tribe."

"I do."

The revelation surprised the others, including Callis, who had been unaware of it.

"I don’t understand. Why did you call her Lady Ammara?" Anna inquired.

"Because that is her real name," Kiev responded, capturing her attention.

"Is this true, Clara?" the princess turned back to her escort and asked.

"It is. My real name is Lady Ammara Cerva, and I was born into a noble warrior family. I changed it to Clara Verns when I left my tribe," Clara began her story, her voice filled with despair.

"I know you are a tribeswoman. You mentioned it before, though not in great detail. But why didn’t you tell me your real name, and why did you change it?" Anna questioned, seeking understanding.

"I didn’t tell you because it would only bring danger upon me if my tribe knew I was alive. Only Nessy knew about it, and your betrothed learned it from her," Clara explained.

"What happened? Why did you need to hide your identity?" Kyren asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I was a murderer. I killed an innocent man, and I was consumed by shame. I fled from prison before I could face execution," the knightess confessed.

"It can’t be!" Anna exclaimed. Disbelief was etched on her face.

"It is the truth. I became a fugitive on the run. I arrived in Ardel and discovered a tournament taking place to select new knights. I decided to participate and miraculously emerged as the victor, defeating all other contenders and even outwitting a high-ranking knight who challenged me afterwards," Clara recounted. "That is how I became a knightess and your escort. But because of that, the other knights despised me even more. They couldn’t believe someone like me could become a knightess."

"But why would you commit murder? It doesn’t align with your character. You are the kindest person I’ve ever known. Even Nessy was stricter than you," Anna expressed, her confusion evident.

"I made a terrible... terrible mistake." Clara sighed, the weight of her past bearing down on her. "My tribe sent me to war. After months of being away, I returned to find out that my only family, my younger sister and my mother, had died."

"What happened to them?" Callis interjected, her curiosity piqued.

The knightess continued, her voice heavy with sorrow. "The tribe leader informed me that there was a man within our tribe who had committed those atrocities. He had r*ped my sister, killed my mother for trying to save her, and then murdered my sister as well. Consumed by rage, I confronted him, and I repeatedly stabbed him with my spear to death. It turned out that the real perpetrator was the tribe leader himself, who had framed an innocent man. He deceived everyone, claiming that I had gone mad due to the prolonged battles. I was so angry that I ended up killing him as well. As a result, my people captured and imprisoned me. But I managed to escape. The rest was as you all already know."

"Oh, dear!" Anna gasped, her hand instinctively covering her mouth in shock.

"Nessy discovered that I had been hiding my true identity. I don’t know how she found out, but she did. The guilt of taking an innocent life was eating me alive, and she was the only one who comforted me and reminded me that it all happened because I was deceived, not because I wanted it to."

"I never expected this," Anna exclaimed in disbelief and sympathy for her loyal knightess.

"I know you must hate me now for keeping this secret from you. But please, trust me, Your Highness. I never wanted to hurt you. When I saw you for the first time, you reminded me of my sister, so much so that I wanted to protect you from all danger. That was also why I despised how your family treated you and kept you confined in the castle," Clara expressed, her voice filled with remorse.

"I’m not mad at you, and I understand that this is your secret. Perhaps that was why Nessy didn’t tell me about this. But why did she inform him?" Anna inquired, directing her gaze towards Kiev.

She was trying to comprehend the motives behind her nanny’s actions.

"That’s because your nanny wanted to take her to Sabel Island as well, to live with us after our marriage. I initially didn’t plan to accept her. It was Nessica who pleaded with me when I came to Ardel for the first time. So, I asked for details about her... to ensure she could be trusted. Only your nanny and I know her true identity," Kiev explained to Anna.

Clara nodded weakly. Recalling the event, a surge of sadness invaded the knightess’s heart.

"Why didn’t you come back to get us? You said you would return as soon as possible. If you had come back earlier, Nessy wouldn’t have died, and Her Highness wouldn’t have suffered so much!" Clara’s voice quivered with disappointment.

"I wanted to! But..." Kiev began to explain when Callis interjected.

"There was a war! My brother had to go to the battlefield. When he returned, we went to Ardel to find you, but the king informed us that Princess Anna had died, and you were nowhere to be found," Callis interjected, providing the excuse.

"Since you’ve been to Ardel, then that means you already know that Lord Ronan betrayed us for the throne," Clara stated.

"Yes, I do," Kiev replied. "I understand there is a lot of resentment within you, and likely within Princess Anna as well, due to what happened. But I don’t intend to initiate a war for the sake of revenge. All I want is to have her back and take her with me to return to Sabel Island."

"Why wouldn’t you? Don’t you feel angry for what he did to us?" Clara questioned, her expression tinged with frustration.

"I am not from this continent, and my king does not permit me to interfere in the affairs happening here. The only thing I am allowed to do is take Princess Anna back with me," the prince explained calmly.

"You can’t do that! She’s married to me!" Kyren protested.

"No, she’s not! She is only your concubine! Her escort here has identified me, and with all the evidence I have shown, I have the upper hand in claiming her as my betrothed," Kiev asserted.

"What? A concubine?" Clara’s eyes widened in shock as the truth of Anna’s marital status was revealed.

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