The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 215: The Solution (I)

Chapter 215: The Solution (I)

"Yes, my lady," Noah promptly replied.

Anna took a deep breath, her tears gradually subsiding as she wiped them from her cheeks. Rhen, the puppy, sensed the shift in the atmosphere and ventured out of the sling bag, making his way towards Anna.

Observing the puppy’s interest in the princess, Sylvia offered to hold him, giving Anna some space.

"Little cute boy, come here and sit with me," she cooed, lifting the white puppy and placing him in her lap.

"What is his name?" asked Sylvia.

"It’s Rhen," said Armel.

"And what is yours?"

"My name is Armel Chester, son of William Chester from Mistdale," answered the teenager.

Rhen happily nestled in Sylvia’s embrace, enjoying the gentle strokes on his head. It was clear that the young puppy had a fondness for being held by women.

Anna composed herself and expressed her desire for an explanation.

"I want to know what happened. Why did Sir Skyler drive Armel away? Emily mentioned that he was the one who guided all of you from the campsite to Gerhard Castle. Please explain."

"It’s not that important..." the knight uttered.

"Just say it already! Don’t keep anything from me! You told me there was a good explanation for this!" Anna insisted, her voice tinged with a mix of frustration and urgency.

She wanted to understand the truth behind Garin’s actions and Armel’s involvement in the matter. Anna’s face was coloured by anger and frustration.

"Forgive me, my lady. I’ll tell you," he apologised, acknowledging the princess’s insistence.

Noah proceeded to explain the reason while Sylvia, Meredith, and Rania listened intently, eager to understand the situation. The incident of the bouquet was brought up in the topic.

"We just didn’t want you to quarrel with His Highness again. The last time it happened, you fell sick for days because of it. That’s what Sir Skyler told me," Noah revealed, shedding light on their intentions.

"How did you know each other?" asked Sylvia with interest. "And what was the bouquet all about?"

"My lady saved my sick brother, my neighbour and me at the camp. So, I presented her a bouquet as a thank-you gift," he said.

Anna’s frustration grew apparent as she vehemently denied the notion, "This is absurd! Armel didn’t have such feelings for me, even though he gave me a bouquet tied with a red ribbon! We talked about this when we met!"

Armel slowly opened his mouth, his expression filled with remorse.

"My lady... the truth is... I did have a crush on you when we first met. At that time, I didn’t know that you were married..."

Anna’s eyes widened in surprise. "What? But... but... you said you didn’t mean anything by it!"

"I’m sorry! I was so embarrassed at the time that I couldn’t admit it," Armel confessed, his voice filled with regret.

"Oh, dear! No wonder the grand duke dislikes you so much," Meredith interjected, understanding the implications of Armel’s admission. The culture of tying a red ribbon on a bouquet was vastly known as an act of courting in Cassian.

Armel pleaded for forgiveness, emphasising that he had no intention of causing trouble for Lady Raychard.

Sylvia, curious, asked, "Do you still harbour such feelings for her?"

Armel sighed and replied honestly, "I don’t think I’m in a position to continue harbouring those feelings after learning my lady’s true status. It was a foolish infatuation, and I will never entertain such thoughts again. But I still admire you, and I genuinely hope we can become friends."

Rania, the attentive maid, remained silent, aware that her participation in the discussion was unnecessary. However, Anna’s story intrigued her, and she listened intently, absorbing every detail.

"Oh, Armel! I’ve always considered you a friend. But when it comes to feelings, I’m already in love with my husband," Anna reassured him, her tone filled with warmth.

Armel nodded in understanding.

"Yes, I can see that clearly, and I never intended to make you unhappy. I’m sorry for leading His Highness Prince Kiev and his sister here. The truth is, I didn’t even know they were royals. They didn’t tell me, and I only found out when they announced it to you."

Curiosity piqued, Anna inquired about the circumstances that led to Armel meeting the Mederians. She found it too coincidental that Rhen ran towards them.

Armel proceeded to recount the tale of his encounter with the Mederians, explaining how the little puppy had indeed approached them. Anna squinted her eyes, deep in thought.

"So, he did tell the truth. I thought he made that up," she murmured, realising that Kiev had been honest about their initial meeting.

Armel continued, sharing his observations about Rhen’s peculiar behaviour, "I found Rhen’s behaviour very unusual that day. I’ve always known that he favours women over men, but I didn’t expect him to disregard my instructions and keep going back to Her Highness, Princess Callis."

Sylvia interjected, acknowledging Prince Kiev’s honesty. "Well, at least it’s clear to us that His Highness, Prince Kiev, is truthful in his account."

Armel nodded in agreement.

"Honestly, I don’t think he’s a bad person. I’ve been with them for several days, and he is a calm and composed individual. In contrast, Her Highness Princess Callis is a bit bubbly and cheerful. Although they initially threatened me, they never harmed or detained me. In fact, they treated me very well."

Noah, sceptical of Armel’s perspective, countered, "You would side with anyone who gave you good treatment! Don’t be blinded by their pretentious act!"

"Sir Brooks, please!" Anna interjected firmly, silencing Noah’s remark.

"I’m sorry. Forgive me, my lady," Noah apologised, realising the need to maintain a respectful tone.

Sylvia contemplated Noah’s statement about the Mederians’ actions.

"Come to think of it, if they were truly villainous, they would have come with an army and initiated a war to snatch Anna back. But instead, there were only two of them."

Armel agreed, "Yes... but they are indeed strong. I had never seen them in battle before, and it was astonishing to witness their fighting prowess."

Noah, still defensive, sneered, "We weren’t ready! If we had been, we would have fought better!"

Anna reprimanded him, reminding him of what had transpired before, "Are you sure, Sir Brooks? Weren’t all of you prepared to go to the palace this morning to report about the Bargesians and sever the alliance?"

Noah looked down, defeated, realising his misplaced pride.

Intrigued by the mention of the Bargesians, Sylvia asked, "What are you talking about?"

Meredith, in agreement with Sylvia, urged the princess to share her story. "Yes, we have been eagerly waiting to know your story, Anna. If you consider us your friends, please tell us."

Anna took a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Alright, I will tell you everything about myself and what led to all of this, including the incident this morning."

Sylvia, catching onto the mention of an incident, inquired further. "Incident? Had something happened before all of us arrived?"

Anna nodded, confirming Sylvia’s question.

Gripping her skirt tightly, Rania braced herself for the next revelations to come. Anna’s story had taken an even more intriguing turn, and everyone was eager to hear what she had to share.

The princess took a deep breath and began to share her harrowing tale. She recounted the mistreatment she endured from her parents, the betrothal that was arranged and the tragic shipwreck that claimed their lives.

She then described the ruthless coup d’état orchestrated by Kaiser Ronan and his allies, the treacherous Bargesians who had inflicted unspeakable horrors upon her and the events after the slave traders abducted her.

She also revealed the confrontation she had with Kyren in a desperate attempt to prevent him from igniting a war with Ardel following the incident with Brone at the ballroom last night.

As Anna finished telling her story, the room fell into a heavy silence. The weight of her experiences hung in the air, leaving everyone stunned.

Meredith, sitting beside Anna on the settee, couldn’t hold back her feelings as she hugged her tightly.

"Oh, Anna! I didn’t know you had been through such tremendous tragedies and suffering! If I were in your place, I would’ve gone crazy!"

Sylvia, still processing the depth of the princess’ resilience, added, "So true! I can’t fathom how you could remain so strong after going through such predicaments. But honestly... I don’t think your act of threatening His Highness with suicide to prevent the war was right! The Bargesians are truly evil! They deserve to be sent straight to h*ll after what they did!"

Anna’s response was filled with raw emotion, her voice trembling.

"Sylvia, have you seen a castle smeared with blood with your own eyes? Bodies decapitated, lying breathless on the floor until you couldn’t recognise who’s who? Do you know how that feels?!"

Sylvia’s expression softened as she realised the magnitude of Anna’s suffering.

"I... I’m sorry. I might have said things without fully considering what you’ve gone through."

Anna continued with a mix of sorrow and frustration, "It’s easy to propose actions when you’ve never experienced them firsthand. And as for the war you mentioned, who would fight for me? The nobles of Cassian? The people? Are they willing to fight for a traitor’s bloodline?"

Noah, resolute, spoke up, "We’re always ready to fight for you, my lady."

Anna shook her head.

"This is a war between kingdoms we’re talking about, Sir Brooks. How many more innocent lives have to be sacrificed for the sake of me?"

The room fell silent once again as the weight of Anna’s words settled in. The knight’s lips tightened as he listened to her sorrowful statement.

Meredith then spoke up, expressing her agreement with Sylvia, "I understand you’re devastated, Anna, but I have to side with Sylvia on this. The Barbarians of the South have proven to be true enemies of Cassian. They have attempted to invade us many times since the Great War but never succeeded."

Anna’s voice quivered with emotion as she responded, defending her decision. "I know you think my choice is stupid and cowardly. But Kyren and the knights... they are family to me. I cannot bear to send them into war, where they could be hurt or killed."

Meredith placed her hands on Anna’s shoulders, meeting her gaze with understanding.

"I know you’re scared. I felt the same way, too, every time my father went to war to protect this kingdom when I was still a child. I feared that he wouldn’t return to me. He’s the only family I have left after my mother passed away, and I cried every time he went. But he told me it was his responsibility, and if he didn’t go, many more innocent lives would become victims of the villains. We can’t simply sit still and do nothing."

Anna’s voice trembled as she responded, "I’m not against Kyren protecting this kingdom. I just don’t want to selfishly throw away other people’s lives for my sake. What good is conquering Ardel if, in the end, my loved ones are gone?"

Meredith cautiously laid out, knowing how the princess was severely hurt, "This isn’t just about conquering a kingdom, Anna. It’s about the safety of not only you but also Cassian. Can Lord Morro truly be trusted? Do you believe he wouldn’t later attack not only you but this entire kingdom? His warning to you was clear, and he wouldn’t hesitate to harm your loved ones."

Anna began to doubt the weight of her decision.

"Did I make a mistake, Mer?" she questioned, seeking reassurance from her friend.

"I believe you did, and it surprises me to see how vulnerable you are in this situation," Meredith said. "I’ve witnessed your strength, and your stories have shown how resilient you are. You’ve grown into a courageous and remarkable woman. However, your emotions are overwhelming you now. You must gather your thoughts and confront your inner feelings. Kindness and submission aren’t always the answers. Sometimes, swords must be wielded to maintain order."

Meredith’s words resonated with Sylvia, who added her support.

"Mer is right. No one wants to send their loved ones to war and witness their deaths. Yet, a kingdom must be protected to prevent even greater catastrophes. The Bargesians must be eliminated. They do not deserve forgiveness for what they have done to your people and ours."

Noah, too, affirmed his stance.

"The ladies speak the truth, my lady. During my investigation, I found out the Bargesians not only killed the people in the castle but also burned down the mansions of the lords and took the lives of innocent occupants. Furthermore, I discovered that the university in Engarth was also set ablaze, resulting in numerous casualties. The supporters of the previous Ardel dynasty have suffered greatly, with even their families being targeted."

Anna’s shock and horror were palpable.

"How could they be so cruel?"

"They are ruthless and devoid of any compassion," Noah replied grimly. "During the great war, they killed countless people, including women, children, and the elderly. Their malevolent lord used dark magic to assassinate His Imperial Majesty, the emperor. Those barbarians never changed! They are evil and full of greed."

Anna’s voice quivered with remorse, "I apologise. My emotions have clouded my judgment, and I made the wrong choice."

"That’s fine. I have faith that His Highness, the grand duke, will know what to do," Meredith reassured.

"But I made him promise not to take action," the princess responded.

Meredith nodded, her expression thoughtful.

"I’ve been a fan of His Highness for many years. He is true to his word, and if he makes a promise, he will keep it. However, he is also a clever and resourceful person. He will undoubtedly find a way to achieve his objectives, one way or another. You must trust him and leave the matter in his hands."

Noah smiled, acknowledging the lady’s astute judgment and her accurate perception of Kyren. It seemed the fan club president had done her research well on the grand duke.

"Let’s set that aside for now. How do we resolve the rivalry between the two princes?" Sylvia interjected. "Do you have any ideas, Mer?"

Meredith sighed, her expression troubled.

"I’m not sure. According to the law of Cassian, even if this matter is brought before His Majesty, the King, His Highness Prince Kiev would still prevail in the dispute."

Silence enveloped the room once more, and Anna’s emerald eyes turned gloomy as they focused on the floor.

"Pardon me for asking..." Armel suddenly interjected, capturing everyone’s attention. "You mentioned the law of Cassian, but Prince Kiev is not a Cassian. What does it have to do with him?"

Sylvia responded, "Because he is here in Cassian. The law would apply to him as well."

Meredith pondered for a moment before speaking again, "Come to think of it, the betrothal didn’t take place here but in Ardel. I wonder if the kingdom has the same regulations as ours. From what I know, most kingdoms on the continent have similar laws based on the Ro’an Empire."

A collective sigh filled the room as they grappled with the complex situation. Anna’s thoughts churned, and suddenly, her eyes sparkled with hope.

"That’s it!" Anna exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. "I have found the solution!"

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