The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 227: The Bell’s Alarm

Chapter 227: The Bell’s Alarm

"Princess Anna is my betrothed, and that alone is reason enough for me to pursue her. My commitment to her is my purpose," Kiev’s voice carried a resolute tone as he responded to Kyren’s question, determined to make his point clear.

The chief scholar, caught off guard by the revelation, couldn’t hide his surprise. His eyebrows furrowed as he sought clarification.

"His Highness’s concubine is your betrothed?" he asked, his eyes widened.

Queen Emelda intervened, her voice calm yet tinged with a hint of weariness. "Yes, Lord Anson. It is a complicated story. We have only discovered this truth ourselves today."

Lord Anson nodded, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. He realised that there was much more to the story than met the eye.

King Kyden then voiced his curiosity, "The Mederians have long been loyal supporters of the empire. It is common knowledge that many members of your clan’s royal family have married into the Ro’an emperor’s descendants and other royal bloodlines. It is rather peculiar to see you engaging with Princess Anna, who hails from the Adhemar bloodline, a rival to the empire."

"Peculiar? The fact that the Grand Duke of Cassian has her as his concubine is even more peculiar than my reason," Kiev retorted, a hint of frustration evident in his tone. "At least I approached her formally, whereas he acquired her in the most unexpected way."

Kyren’s expression changed, giving way to a more serious demeanour.

"Don’t change the subject. The question here is about you, not me," Kyren pressed, his tone stern. "Are you intending to eliminate her due to your loyalty to the empire?"

Kiev’s eyes widened with disbelief.

"Of course not! I am protecting her," he responded firmly.

The grand duke continued to probe, his curiosity fueled by concern.

"From what? What exactly is your intention?"

Before Kiev could respond, the silence was shattered by the resounding toll of bells, their distinct notes reverberating across the vicinity. The sound signalled the arrival of the Cassian troops.

"Your Majesties and Your Highnesses, if you’ll excuse me for a moment," Charles interjected, his voice filled with urgency. "I need to check which troop has arrived."

The king nodded, his expression serious. The Knights of Gerhard and the guards mirrored the same grave looks. The tolling of the bells in such a manner was a rare occurrence, signalling an event of great significance.

As Charles hurried towards the arena entrance, a servant hurriedly approached him, carrying important news. The chamberlain swiftly returned to the king and conveyed the urgent message.

"Your Majesty, Admiral Adam James and his army have returned from duty. There is an urgent matter that requires your immediate attention. He wishes to seek an audience with you right away."

"Proceed. I shall meet him in the grand hall immediately," King Kyden responded decisively.

Kyren, feeling responsible, spoke up, "I believe I must come with you, Your Majesty. I issued the order for his army’s dispatch to investigate the pirate attack on us, so I need to receive the updates."

"Very well, then," the king agreed.

Kiev’s worry for Princess Anna surged forth.

"Pirates attacked you? Was Princess Anna with you when it happened?" he questioned with concern.

Kyren nodded solemnly.

"Yes, she was. We were on our way here from the border."

Kiev’s anger flared at the realisation that Anna had been put in harm’s way.

"You put her in jeopardy! Something terrible could have happened to her!" he shouted, his emotions getting the better of him.

"I didn’t do it intentionally! No one expected the attack. It had been years since the last pirate appeared in Cassian waters!" Kyren defended himself.

"Gentlemen!" King Kyden’s voice rang out, commanding attention as he tried to diffuse the growing tension. "Please, let us cease this argument. There is an alarming situation at hand, and I must prioritise it over your dispute. Therefore, this duel is temporarily suspended and will resume at a more appropriate time."

"What? But this is important too!" Callis protested.

"While I understand the urgency of resolving your dispute, Cassian’s safety takes precedence. As members of the Navers, the royal Mederian family, you should be well aware that Her Imperial Majesty entrusted this blessed land to my family with the responsibility of safeguarding it from any threat," King Kyden explained firmly. "Therefore, please understand and be patient. We will address your problem once we have dealt with the immediate crisis."

"But..." Callis began to protest, his voice trailing off when Kiev interjected in a calm yet assertive tone.

"His Majesty is correct. It’s all right, Callis. We can wait," he reassured, extending an olive branch to his sister.

Reluctantly, the Mederian Princess nodded, acknowledging the wisdom in her brother’s words.

"Your Highness, shall we accompany you?" Eric asked, offering his support.

"No, stay with the lady for now. All of you," Kyren ordered when he spotted Anna and her friends arriving at the arena. He then walked gallantly towards her.

"Oh, God! You’re hurt!" the princess exclaimed, her eyes widening in concern as she noticed Kyren’s busted lips. Without hesitation, she reached out, holding the grand duke’s arm, and gently touched his injured lips.

The scene caught Kiev’s attention, and he looked at them with scornful eyes. However, the Mederian Prince did not raise his voice against the grand duke since the King and Queen of Cassian were onsite. Kyren dismissed the significance of his injury, trying to calm Anna’s worries.

"This is nothing. Don’t worry about it," he reassured her.

"You should get yourself treated!"

"I’ll do it later," he gently replied.

Anna nodded. Her gaze then fell on the unusual gathering at the arena ground and the absence of the supposed duel. Confused, she questioned her husband, seeking answers.

"What’s going on, Kyren?" she inquired, her concern evident.

"Something urgent has come up. I need to go, but I’ll be back soon. Stay with the knights for now," the grand duke explained, his tone reassuring.

"Let’s go, Kyren!" King Kyden called out, approaching them.

Kyren nodded in acknowledgement. A sense of reverence filled the air as the king, grand duke, and chamberlain made their way out. The rest who remained in the arena, understanding the moment’s significance, bowed respectfully in deference to the departing royalty.

Meredith, Sylvia, and Anna approached the gathering group, with Meredith addressing Alex, "How did the duel go? Who emerged as the victor?"

The knight shook his head in response.

"None. It wasn’t concluded. We had to pause due to the warning bell," said Alex.

Queen Emelda let out a sigh of worry, her concern mirroring the tension that hung in the air. The situation had taken an unexpected turn, and Cassian’s safety and well-being weighed heavily on her mind.

"Your Majesty, would you like to take some rest first?" The chamberlain asked with concern. "You don’t look so good."

"I’m fine, Charles. I’m just a bit worried," the queen replied, trying to mask her apprehension.

Curiosity sparked within Anna as she sought to understand the significance of the warning bell. "What does the warning bell signify, Your Majesty? Doesn’t it indicate the return of the Cassian army?" she inquired.

"The first bell does indeed signify the return of the army. However, the second and third bells indicate a serious incoming threat. It’s a code known only by our military order, and it hasn’t been rung for quite some time," Queen Emelda explained.

As the queen’s words sank in, Anna’s heart began to beat faster. What if the return of the army indicated something dire had occurred?

Anna’s gaze shifted towards the arena entrance, and she realised that Kyren and King Kyden were no longer in sight. A sense of unease welled up within her heart, knowing that an alarming situation had indeed unfolded.

Noticing the princess’s solemn expression, Meredith held her hand, offering reassurance. "Don’t worry, everything’s going to be fine."

Turning to Callis and Kiev, Queen Emelda said, "I am deeply honoured to have the family members of Her Imperial Majesty’s here. Please accept my apologies for not recognising you earlier, as this is the first time that any Mederians have visited Cassian."

"It is a great honour to have the Mederians, especially Her Imperial Majesty’s relatives, gracing us with their presence," Lord Anson said with sincerity. "I must confess that I find myself perplexed by the recent events, and I admit my lack of understanding." He continued, his words laced with humility, "If, in any way, we have unintentionally shown disrespect or misbehaved, I humbly ask for your forgiveness."

All eyes turned to the Mederian siblings as the queen and chief scholar addressed them by their true identities. Anna, Meredith, and Sylvia widened their eyes. Surprise and disbelief were evident on their faces as they struggled to comprehend the revelation.

"Excuse me, but are you referring to Her Imperial Majesty, the last empress?" Anna asked, her confusion evident.

Queen Emelda nodded in affirmation. "Yes, indeed."

Sylvia couldn’t contain her curiosity. As she looked at Callis and Kiev, she said, "You both are related to Her Imperial Majesty?"

A small smile played on the Mederian Princess’s lips as she responded, "Ah, you must have missed the introduction earlier. My brother and I are from the Naver family. Her Imperial Majesty is our cousin, twice removed."

The statement left Anna, Sylvia, and Meredith speechless, their mouths agape in disbelief. They were surprised to learn that the siblings were members of the Mederian clan.

"You... You’re the Mederians?" Anna asked, her voice trembling with astonishment.

"Yes, we are," answered Kiev affirmatively.

"Oh, my God! Please forgive me! I didn’t know!" Meredith’s exclamation burst forth, filled with genuine surprise and regret.

Overwhelmed by the sudden revelation, she immediately bowed respectfully to Kiev and Callis. Sensing the gravity of the situation, Sylvia followed suit, expressing her deep remorse as well.

Anna, on the other hand, found herself frozen in disbelief. Realising that her betrothed was a Mederian left her speechless, her mind racing to comprehend the information.

With a calm and composed demeanour, the Mederian Prince responded to the reactions, "No need to be alarmed," he calmly stated. "We are not here to flaunt our status or lineage. What truly matters is our main purpose here."

As Anna listened to Kiev’s words, a lump formed in her throat, causing her to gulp nervously. The unwavering determination in his tone was evident, leaving no room for doubt that the Mederian Prince was firm with his original intention.

The revelation of Kiev and Callis’s identity also had equally taken aback the Knights of Gerhard, their astonishment evident on their faces. Eric, in particular, expressed his mesmerisation at witnessing the Mederians’ capabilities firsthand.

"No wonder you both are so strong. And the magic we just witnessed is part of your abilities. We’ve only heard stories about the Mederians but never actually seen you until today! It’s true as the tale goes. You’re like the Ro’an descendants. Not only do you possess outstanding combat skills and magic abilities, but you also have charming looks," he exclaimed.

"The Ro’an descendants are superior to us. They are even stronger and more skilful," said Kiev humbly.

Damon and Eli, among the other knights, felt embarrassed as they reflected on their earlier altercations. It was common knowledge among them that the Mederians held a revered status in Cassian, renowned for their abilities and ancestral ties to the Ro’an Emperors.

The knights had long yearned to witness the formidable Ro’an descendants or Mederians in action, but they never expected it would unfold in such a surprising manner.

Callis chimed in, acknowledging the strength of Kyren’s magic, "But your grand duke’s magic barrier is even stronger!"

Confused, Garin asked, "What magic barrier?"

The Mederian Princess explained, "The golden barrier that protected the grand duke. Didn’t you see it? It reflected my brother’s lightning attacks."

"My old eyes didn’t see it. Did any of you see the same?" asked Lord Anson to them.

Rafe, however, interjected with a different perspective, "Forgive me, but I didn’t see any golden magic barrier as you claim, nor did I notice any reflection of the attack. All I observed was that suddenly His Highness Prince Kiev stumbled to the ground after launching his attacks."

"Wait, what?"

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