The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 205: Tug-of-war

Chapter 205: Tug-of-war

"There is an explanation to this, Clara!" Anna quickly interjected, trying to regain control of the escalating situation.

"You can hear the whole story from the grand duke later. But right now, she is coming with me!" Kiev declared.

His red-ruby eyes were full of determination. He reached for Anna’s hand and pulled her towards him. But suddenly, a powerful force pulled her back, causing the princess’s body to retaliate to Kyren.

"She’s mine!" the grand duke exclaimed, his grip tightening on Anna’s hand.

"No! She’s mine!" Kiev retorted, refusing to let go and tugged her back.

The pulling continued as both princes fiercely asserted their claims over Anna. The princess yelped as the grips and forces from both sides intensified.

"Stop it, both of you! You’re hurting her!" Clara shouted as she saw Anna struggling.

Callis, on the other hand, shook her head in dismay at both men’s actions.

Realising the harm they were causing, they released their hold on the princess. Anna’s face flushed red, and she rubbed her pained wrists, trying to soothe the discomfort caused by the forceful tug-of-war between the two princes.

"Could you please explain this situation to me?" Clara pleaded, feeling left out and confused. "Why do you say that Her Highness is a concubine? Sir Brooks told me that they got married at the border when His Highness and the knights were on duty there."

Kiev responded unwaveringly, "The King of Cassian declared it during the proclamation event yesterday at the plaza. I saw it myself upon my arrival. There is no way your grand duke here can deny it. The entire city witnessed the event."

Clara’s gaze shifted back to Anna, hoping for clarification. However, the princess seemed reluctant to answer, avoiding eye contact. The knightess’s familiarity with Anna’s behaviour allowed her to sense the truth.

"But why?" Clara’s heart broke as she asked the question.

She had believed that Anna had found happiness, surrounded by people who cared for her. She had witnessed the admiration in Rafe and Ayden’s eyes whenever they spoke of the princess. The same respect was evident when Garin and Noah visited her.

Anna finally admitted, her voice filled with remorse, "I... I was the one who decided to become his concubine. Kyren never agreed to this."

A heavy silence fell upon the room. The revelation left Clara, Kiev, and Callis in a state of surprise. Kyren sighed, regretting the decision that had led them to this point.

"I don’t understand," the knightess voiced her confusion. "Why would you want to become a concubine?"

Anna took a moment before giving a lengthy response.

Carefully, she spilt out the truth, "We have some kind of a situation, and it was unavoidable. As you know, Ardel and Cassian have had a long-standing conflict since their establishment, primarily due to their differing stances on the Ro’an Empire. Being an Adhemar only complicates matters further, as I am connected to the enemy’s bloodline, one of the lords who betrayed the last emperor. If I were to proceed as Kyren’s legal wife, it would not only cause uproar and objections from the people but also result in me living in isolation and constant fear of danger. I don’t want to return to such a life, Clara."

The knightess understood the history of the previous empire, yet she found herself taken aback by Anna’s unexpected decision to confront the predicament head-on.

Hearing the princess’s statement, she realised how differently she had been treated by the members of Gerhard’s knighthood and the mansion’s servants. Never once had they shown any disrespect towards her.

Moreover, the betrayal that had occurred in the past was a distant memory, and observing how the people from both kingdoms freely interacted with each other, though no political collaboration had been bonded, she couldn’t fathom that Cassians still harboured such resentment.

"I don’t understand," Clara expressed her confusion. "If the Cassians hold so much hatred towards you, why am I not being treated the same way here?"

"None of the mansion’s occupants or my men would disregard my wife and her persons," Kyren replied firmly. "They are aware of her circumstances, unlike the outsiders. The people I trust would never treat you in such a manner."

Kiev scoffed as if mocking Kyren.

"So much power for a grand duke, yet you couldn’t persuade the nobles and the rest of Cassians to do the same," he retorted. "I suppose that’s why you had to settle for making her your concubine instead."

The grand duke defended himself, stating, "That wasn’t my intention! It was His Majesty, the king’s decision!"

"Who cares!" The prince exclaimed, dismissing the explanation. "You failed to give her a good status as your woman and disgraced her to such a level!"

"My brother is right. Come with us, princess. You will be treated respectfully in Sabel Island, regardless of your bloodline. The people will welcome you wholeheartedly," added Callis.

Anna firmly refused the offer.

"I’m sorry... I can’t do that. Even though I am considered his concubine, Kyren sees me as his spouse, and I feel the same way about him. I can never leave his side."

Kyren interjected, asserting, "You heard her. She wants to be with me!"

Observing the exchange, Callis asked Anna curiously, "Is he forcing you to be with him?"

Anna quickly responded, "No! Of course not! I want to be with him!"

The Mederian Princess then continued probing, "Are you both in love?"

Anna looked at Kyren, her eyes filled with compassion. Before she could answer, the grand duke adamantly told the Mederian princess, "That is a personal matter. You have no right to ask!"

"This situation is indeed peculiar," Callis mused, her brow furrowed. "How did a princess from an enemy bloodline end up with the Grand Duke of Cassian? You both were foreign to each other before this, and as we know it, Princess Anna had been living in seclusion in Ardel’s castle."

She turned her attention to Anna and asked, "Can you shed some light on what actually happened? How did you become entangled with this man?"

Kyren, defensive and agitated, interjected, "That’s none of your business!"

Callis pressed on, determined to uncover the truth. "It is my business! You stole my brother’s betrothed!"

"Princess Anna, could you please tell me what happened?" Kiev inquired. "As your betrothed, I believe I have the right to know. Armel merely mentioned that you were married when he encountered you at the camp, but he failed to provide any details. Could you elaborate on what transpired after you left the barrack? How did you find yourself in Cassian?"

Anna’s nerves fluttered. She was deeply ashamed of the incidents that had befallen her—her abduction by the slave traders, the attempted assault, and the poisoning that had led to her marriage to Kyren.

"There were... extenuating circumstances... and Kyren helped me," she admitted hesitantly. "However, those events are of no consequence now that I am with him. How did you meet Armel anyway, if I may ask? He stated he met you on his way home."

She swiftly deviated from the topic in an attempt to mask her embarrassment.

"Our paths crossed quite serendipitously," Kiev explained. "His puppy bounded towards us while we were already in Cassian, somewhere outside of Gantz. He informed us that the dog had been gifted to him by a woman with emerald eyes, a unique eye colour we don’t encounter frequently. That’s how we discovered your presence here."

"That’s strange. It seems too good to be coincidental," Anna remarked, her voice tinged with curiosity and suspicion.

"I can assure you it is," Kiev responded firmly, hiding the fact that his sister’s magic caused it.

"You haven’t answered me. What exactly happened to you?" Callis inquired again, still persistent to find out.

"She already told you. It’s not that important," said Kyren firmly.

"It sounded more important now that you said it like that."

The Mederian Princess then turned to Clara, "Are you aware of what transpired?"

"I am," Clara replied, catching Anna off guard. Embarrassed, the princess quickly forbade the knightess, "Clara, don’t tell them!"

Her sudden resistance only heightened the siblings’ curiosity.

"Did you do something to her?" Kiev inquired, his gaze piercing Kyren with accusation.

"What the h*ll are you talking about?" the grand duke exclaimed in annoyance.

"No, he didn’t!" Anna defended her husband, her voice resolute.

"Then why won’t you tell us?" the prince pressed.

Anna’s hesitation and her silence fueled Kiev’s anger. His usually fair complexion flushed with indignation.

"Wait! Let me explain!" Clara interjected, trying to calm the situation before another argument occurred.

"But Clara..." Anna protested.

"Your Highness, let us not conceal what happened. I understand you may be embarrassed, but avoiding the truth will only raise more suspicions and lead to misunderstandings," the knightess advised.

Anna sighed, her shoulders slumping in resignation.

"If you’re uncomfortable telling it yourself, allow me to explain. Sir Brooks, who brought me here, has informed me of everything that occurred and why His Highness married you," Clara said, hoping to clear the air. Reluctantly, the princess had to agree.

The knightess relayed the story from Noah to Kiev and Callis, casting a pall over their expressions.

"I see... So, this entire predicament stems from a coerced situation. In that case, she does not need to remain with you. As I have the rightful claim on her, she should come with me," Kiev declared.

"She’s not going anywhere! She’s mine now!" Kyren countered, his tone defiant.

"You merely took her under your protection to prevent her demise in your camp! And now, your sense of responsibility is merely due to your intimate act!" Kiev retorted, his words dripping with scorn.

"That’s not true! I genuinely care about her!" Kyren exclaimed, his blue eyes glaring at the prince.

"Stop it! Stop fighting! This is my life! I get to choose who I want to be with! And I want to stay with Kyren!" said Anna with determination, her chest rising and falling with each impassioned word.

Kyren beamed, his heart swelling with pride at his wife’s declaration. The moment she uttered his name, a surge of euphoria washed over him, a triumphant affirmation of their bond.

"You hear that? She said it herself!" the grand duke smiled.

"Princess, perhaps you’ve forgotten. From the moment you and your father signed the official document, you already belong to me, and you have no reason whatsoever to reject me!" countered the prince.

Kyren anger flared. He pulled Anna and hid her petite body behind his back.

Seeing such action, Kiev insisted on asserting his claim and stated, "I know very well about Cassian law, grand duke. It is established based on the Ro’an Empire’s legislation, and according to it, a concubine is not an official wife. You have no right to keep her."

Kyren then spoke up, "Fine, I cannot deny the evidence and witness you have, and it is what it is as stipulated by the law. But I am not willing to let her go. Tell me what you want, and I will compensate you. I will triple any amount of money you desire."

Kiev, resolute, responded, "I don’t need your money, and I want nothing from you except for her. Give her to me."

"That will never happen," Kyren retorted. "You’ll have to face me if you insist."

The argument rose again, making Anna shake her head in frustration.

"This won’t end well, Your Highness," warned Clara on a low note.

After quite an altercation, both still couldn’t come up with a good term for resolution.

Realising the impasse, the prince concluded, "I suppose there is no sense in talking to you. You and your men will continue to resist, even though you know she doesn’t belong to you!"

Kyren, unyielding, declared, "Say whatever you want! I will not back down!"

Seeing that a resolution seemed unlikely through words alone, Callis proposed a solution, "Brother, let’s report this to His Majesty, the King of Cassian!"

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