The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 211: A Knight’s Devotion

Chapter 211: A Knight’s Devotion

Meredith’s eyes widened as she gazed at the knight’s stern, unwavering face. Throughout their time together, she had often observed his serious countenance and rare smiles, making it challenging to discern his true intentions.

"Do you really mean what you just said?" she asked in uncertainty as she locked eyes with him.

"I do," Alex replied, his voice steady and sincere. "And I would like to ask your permission to call you by your first name if that’s fine with you."

Meredith’s heart raced within her chest, overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events. She had never anticipated that Alex would make such a proposal. It felt like a wondrous moment had unfolded before her, leaving her in awe and still struggling to process the situation.

"Yes, but... why? Why are you doing this?" Meredith’s voice trembled. "Are you pitying me? Because if that’s the case, I—"

Before Meredith could complete her sentence, Alex interjected with reassurance, "I am not pitying you. On the contrary, I find you incredibly attractive despite your clumsiness and perceived spoiled character. Your ability to speak your mind without reservation and your moments of bravery, even amidst fear, have captivated me, especially when you confronted the prince and stood up for me, though it was unnecessary."

Meredith’s face flushed with embarrassment and confusion. The knight’s explanation left her feeling torn.

"Are you praising me or mocking me instead?" she asked.

"Neither. I am simply stating the fact as I see it. As I mentioned before, I am a serious person."

Meredith let out a sigh, feeling a mixture of relief and amusement. "Well, you’re certainly not romantic!"

"I may not know what ’romantic’ entails, but I have a clear feeling about you. I can’t stop thinking about you, and I can’t accept the idea of you marrying just anyone from Gerhard."

Meredith bit her lower lip. She had never expected Alex to have such a genuine demeanour. All this time, she had assumed his hard-to-approach character was intentional.

"So, if you are still open to the idea of marriage, I would like to become your suitor," Alex continued.

Meredith couldn’t help but tease him. "You’re so formal! Girls don’t typically appreciate bluntness like that."

Alex’s expression hardened.

"Forgive me. As the son of a duke, I was trained to be formal, and my occupation as a knight has reinforced that. If it’s not to your liking—"

Meredith quickly interrupted him, "Stop! Don’t make any more assumptions! You’ve already said it, so you must honour your words."

Alex nodded, a determined look in his eyes. "I would definitely do so."

Meredith’s smile grazed her lips. "Then... what are you waiting for?"

Alex’s eyes sparked with confusion.

"Pardon?"

"Aren’t you going to kiss me?"

Alex stared into Meredith’s brown eyes, his heart pounding in his chest as her inviting red lips tempted him. The desire to kiss her was overwhelming, but he restrained himself. Instead of her lips, his kiss landed softly on her right cheek, perplexing Meredith.

Was he teasing her?

Before she could voice her confusion, Alex gently touched her lips with his cold fingers, sending shivers down her spine and immersing her in a whirlwind of emotions.

"Do you know how tempting these lips are?" Alex whispered, his voice filled with longing. "I truly want to kiss you, Meredith. But these lips should be saved for your husband. Let me have the honour of being that man so the kiss will hold deep meaning for both of us. You are someone’s precious daughter, and I don’t want to ruin something so valuable for a maiden. I certainly wouldn’t want the same to happen to my own daughter in the future."

Meredith’s heart bloomed with warmth, overwhelmed by her feelings for this man. Despite his stoic nature, he was honest and trustworthy.

"Alex..." she spoke softly, using his first name for the first time.

He looked at her, anticipation in his eyes. "Yes?"

"I don’t want the courting," she confessed, surprising him.

"You don’t?" Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"I don’t think I can wait any longer! If you truly mean what you say, let’s get married!"

Alex’s expression shifted from surprise to a mix of disbelief and concern.

"But I thought girls don’t like their relationships to be rushed? Sir Navin said that a man should take things step by step with a woman he cares about."

"I don’t care what Sir Navin said, and I don’t mind if our relationship begins out of the ordinary," Meredith declared passionately, her voice filled with determination. "I am deeply committed to this connection, and I am certain you’re the one for me. So, please, marry me!"

Alex looked into Meredith’s eyes, captivated by her unwavering conviction. He felt a surge of love and joy in his heart as he replied, "Then, I shall relay the message to my family, and I will seek your father’s permission to ask for your hand in marriage. But before that, there is one crucial step. I need to get His Highness’s blessing. As a knight serving under him, his approval is important."

Meredith nodded.

"You’re right. But I overheard from His Highness that all of you will return to the duchy tomorrow. I don’t want to wait for long. So, how can we arrange this?"

Alex paused, deep in thought, contemplating their situation.

The couple stood in the garden, their hands tightly clasped together, immersed in their own world of love and commitment. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t notice Eric and Drystan approaching.

The two knights had been walking towards the garden, taking a shortcut from the treatment room to the knights’ quarters to seek respite and a chance to cleanse their bodies and change their attire after receiving care from Ayden.

Eric’s right arm was bandaged due to the cut he received during his fight with Kiev, and the lingering scent of blood and medicine emanated from his wound.

Perplexed, Eric’s stern gaze locked onto Alex.

"Sir Jarr..." the second-in-command knight’s voice held a stern tone. "What are you doing? Why are you holding the lady’s hands?"

Meredith blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed by the sudden interruption. She glanced at Alex, who maintained his composure.

"Lady Grey, is this knight bothering you? If he is, we will report his insolent behaviour to His Highness immediately!" warned Drystan with a darkened expression.

Alex turned to Eric and Drystan, unfazed by their threatening looks and warnings. He firmly held onto Meredith’s hand despite Cassian’s culture, which didn’t simply allow a bachelor man to touch a maiden.

"Sir Navin, please forgive me, but I’m unwilling to let her go. This woman... I intend to marry her," he declared with determination.

"What?!" Drystan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Eric turned to Meredith and asked, "Is this true, my lady?"

"Yes, Sir Navin. We’ve discussed our feelings, and we’re sincere. I love this man and want to be with him."

Alex’s face turned red upon hearing Meredith confess her love for him in front of his fellow knights. The noblewoman’s statement was both daring and straightforward, making him feel both proud and shy.

"This is surprising! I really didn’t see this coming. Since when have you two had feelings towards each other?" asked Eric with interest.

"It hasn’t been long," replied Alex. "But I can say it started on our first meeting at the plaza."

"You already have feelings for me from that moment?" asked Meredith, surprised as she thought she was the first to feel their connection.

"I did. I just wasn’t sure. But now I am," replied Alex. Meredith bowed shyly, hiding her smile.

Alex’s grip on her hand became firmer.

"Sir Navin, please help us. I want to seek His Highness’s permission to take her hand in marriage, but now doesn’t seem like a good time."

"All of you are returning to Gerhard tomorrow, and I don’t know when Alex will be able to return to Gantz due to his duties. I’m not willing to wait, Sir Navin. Please help us," said Meredith.

"Wait a minute! Don’t you think this is moving too fast?" exclaimed Drystan.

"I know, but we are serious about this," replied Meredith. "And I want to follow him to Gerhard."

"Hold on for a moment! Don’t get too excited," Eric cautioned. Marriage is a significant commitment, and it cannot simply happen overnight."

"But it did happen in such a way for His Highness and our lady," countered Alex.

"That’s a different case! Your situation is the opposite. Lady Grey still has a family, and her father’s approval is necessary. Let’s not forget about your family, too," advised Eric.

Alex sighed, realising his eagerness had clouded his judgment. "You’re right. I got carried away in the moment. I apologise."

Meredith turned to Eric, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Can you at least take us to His Highness? We can explain our intentions and seek his guidance."

Eric hesitated momentarily, then responded, "I don’t think now is the best time. His Highness is currently dealing with a delicate situation where his wife is being pursued by her betrothed, a prince from a distant island. It would be quite ironic for him to bless a knight’s marriage while facing such a dilemma."

"You’re right. It would be selfish of us to proceed without considering the circumstances," Meredith responded, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

Eric added, "Honestly, I don’t anticipate us returning to Gerhard anytime soon until this matter is resolved."

Curiosity sparked in Alex’s eyes as he asked, "How is the grand duke planning to handle this?"

Eric shook his head, a sense of uncertainty in his voice.

"I don’t know. I’ve never encountered a situation like this, so I can’t provide an exact timeline. From what I’m aware of, His Highness Prince Kiev has compelling evidence and a witness to support his claim. Sir Brooks informed me in confidence that Dame Verns has verified it."

Meredith’s face paled, realising the gravity of the situation. "Oh, no! That means he will take Anna away for sure!"

"I’m afraid he has the right to do so. But somehow, I don’t think His Highness, the Grand Duke, would relent. He will do everything in his power to keep Lady Raychard with him."

Everyone’s face turned gloomy at the statement.

"Let’s just hope things don’t get any worse," said Drystan, praying the matter would resolve soon.

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