The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 243: A Passionate Night (I)

Chapter 243: A Passionate Night (I)

It was already late at night, and the absence of Kyren and his men from the palace made Anna increasingly nervous. Meredith and Sylvia had returned to their home earlier, accompanied by Meredith’s father and Rania, who had come to invite them back.

The minister was informed about his daughter’s appointment as the princess’s lady-in-waiting, and the news pleased him. The king had also told him that Anna would stay at the palace while Kyren embarked on his mission, so he wasn’t worried about Meredith’s soon-to-be relocation to the Duchy of Gerhard.

Anna sat on the bed, her fingers anxiously fidgeting with her skirt. Thoughts raced through her mind, and she tried to calm herself.

"He must be quite busy. I shouldn’t worry too much," she reassured herself softly.

"Are you worrying about me?"

A voice unexpectedly emerged from the dressing room, which connected to her bedroom. Anna turned her head, and to her surprise, Kyren’s towering figure stood there, smiling at her despite his busted lips.

"You’re back!" Anna exclaimed, jumping to her feet in surprise.

Her previously worried expression transformed into a cheerful one as she rushed towards Kyren. Her small hands immediately found their place around his waist, holding him tightly.

The grand duke bent down, his lips brushed hers delicately, and Anna could feel his warm breath as he reciprocated the embrace with his large hands.

"You shouldn’t worry about me. I’m capable enough to care for myself," Kyren reassured her, a warm smile gracing his lips as their kiss parted.

The fact that his wife cared for his well-being deeply touched his heart.

"I know, but I can’t help it. Why did you enter through the secret passage?" Anna inquired.

"His Majesty placed me in a different room again, respecting the rules of the duel," Kyren explained.

Anna’s expression changed as she was reminded of the agreed terms of the duel. Until it was over and a winner was determined, she was considered neither belong to Kyren nor Kiev. A sense of gloom washed over her, and she looked down, disheartened.

Sensing her sadness, Kyren gently placed a finger under Anna’s chin, lifting her face to meet his gaze.

"Look at you. Your eyes are swollen, and your cheeks are puffy. You’ve been crying a lot today," he observed with concern.

"I don’t know what came over me. My emotions are all over the place, and I can’t seem to control them," Anna responded, her voice tinged with vulnerability and confusion.

"Don’t be sad. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the mid-autumn festival, and we’ll enjoy ourselves to the fullest," Kyren offered, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.

Anna couldn’t hide her surprise.

"You know about the festival?" she asked, her astonishment evident.

"Of course I do. It’s one of the biggest celebrations in Gantz. We have a similar festival in Gerhard. Initially, I had planned to take you there before we returned, but with everything that happened and your insistence on going back to the duchy, I kept it in mind for another time," Kyren explained.

"But aren’t you supposed to be busy preparing for your departure?" Anna questioned, concerned about his workload.

"Yes, I will attend to it tomorrow morning as a priority. With the assistance of the admiral, it shouldn’t take long," Kyren assured her.

Anna’s heart blossomed with joy upon hearing Kyren’s suggestion. She hadn’t expected him to be so thoughtful and already had plans to take her to the festival. Delighted, she wholeheartedly agreed with the idea, grateful for her husband’s attentiveness.

With the excitement of the upcoming festival filling her thoughts, Anna shifted her focus to the matters Kyren had been occupied with earlier.

"Have you finished your tasks at the mansion? Rafe mentioned that you went back with the knights to sort out some matters," she inquired.

"Oh, yes, I have. Everything went smoothly," Kyren confirmed with a sense of accomplishment.

"That’s good to hear," Anna replied, relief flooding her expression.

However, a hesitant look crossed her face as she considered Kyren’s exhaustion from the day’s events. She began to withdraw her initial plan for the night.

"You must be tired. You should go back to your room and rest since you need to wake up early tomorrow," Anna suggested.

Kyren’s gaze softened as he looked at her.

"I don’t feel tired when I see you," he confessed, a tender smile playing on his lips.

A sense of longing filled the air as his hand gently trailed along her cheek.

"But... it’s already late," Anna hesitated.

"It’s not that late for me," he murmured, his voice taking on a husky tone as he whispered to her.

The sight of Anna in her nightgown ignited a deep desire within him. His touch ventured down to her hip and backside, a subtle yet unmistakable gesture of his yearning. Soft kisses rained down her cheeks and neck, each filled with unspoken passion.

Sensing his unspoken desires, Anna responded, "Then... could you wait a moment while I get ready?"

Her eyes, filled with a doe-like innocence, revealed her inner turmoil.

"Get ready?" Kyren’s gaze lingered on her figure, his impatience evident in his tone. "You’re already in your nightgown. It will come off eventually. What’s there to be ready about?" he pressed in confusion.

"Just... just give me a moment, please! Lie down first, and I’ll join you shortly," Anna pleaded earnestly, seizing the opportunity to set their plan in motion.

"Very well, then. Since you insist, I’ll wait," Kyren acquiesced, releasing his wife from his embrace. He made his way to the bed, removing his boot before reclining.

Meanwhile, the princess seized the moment to slip into the dressing room. Carefully retrieving the dress from the cupboard, she hesitated as she held it up to herself in the mirror.

The red dress she had chosen was not only revealing but also made of sheer lace, leaving little to the imagination. Doubt crept into her mind as she nervously questioned her decision.

’Should I go through with this?’ Anna pondered inwardly, her uncertainty growing.

However, the memory of Meredith’s constant reminders and Sylvia’s unwavering determination echoed in her mind.

’You have to wear this tonight, Anna! Don’t let our hard work go to waste!’ Meredith’s words resounded in her thoughts, urging her to proceed.

Meredith and Sylvia’s hopeful, sparkling eyes filled the princess with a newfound determination. She put on the dress and released her long, wavy, auburn hair, the strands cascading around her shoulders.

She also lightly applied the bought makeup, knowing how Kyren liked her natural appearance, and then delicately sprayed the perfume on her neck and wrists, a fragrance exclusively selected by Sylvia.

"Anna... what took you so long?" Kyren’s voice echoed through the room, his impatience evident as he awaited his wife’s presence.

His hands rested casually on the back of his head, a gesture of relaxed anticipation.

"I’m coming!" Anna called out from behind the screen, her voice betraying her nervousness.

As she took a deep breath, the princess steeled herself for what lay ahead.

"Here goes everything," she whispered to herself, summoning the courage to step out of the dressing room.

Her heart raced as she emerged, her feet feeling heavy with the weight of her uncertainty. Despite their previous intimacy and familiarity with each other’s bodies, the daring nature of the dress she wore, her presentation and its intention left her feeling overwhelmed by shyness.

"Anna..." Kyren’s voice called out once more, breaking through her thoughts. "What are you up to?"

"Umm... Kyren..." Anna hesitated, her words catching in her throat as she struggled to find the right way to express her intentions. "Please don’t laugh..."

"Laugh about what?"

As Anna tentatively made her way towards Kyren, her movements slow and deliberate, the grand duke’s eyes widened in astonishment. He hastily raised his upper body from the bed, his gaze fixed on his wife’s alluring and revealing figure adorned in a sheer red dress.

The graceful curve of her body and the alluring silhouette of her form left Kyren in awe. The wide opening of the off-the-shoulder dress barely hid Anna’s two beautiful mounds, creating a spotlight on her shoulders and decolletage. His deep blue eyes remained unblinking, his speech momentarily eluding him as he took in her captivating presence.

"Do... do you like it?" Anna’s voice trembled as she sought validation from her husband.

Her apprehension mirrored her concern that Kyren might find her attire too daring.

Receiving no immediate response, the princess’s hesitation grew.

"Perhaps... I should change back to my nightgown..."

However, Kyren’s objection cut through the silence before she could act on her impulse.

"Don’t! Come here... Let me see you up close," he requested, his voice filled with a mix of admiration and desire.

With nervous steps, Anna approached her husband, her heart pounding with anticipation. As she stood at the edge of the bed, Kyren rose to his feet, his actions showing his eagerness to welcome her.

He caught her frame with his large hands, then he trailed them down from her shoulders to her bre*st, then to her waist and hips, his naughty eyes following to examine every detail.

"What do you think? Mer said you would like it," Anna inquired nervously again.

As Kyren looked her up and down, a grin graced his lips.

"You’re beautiful. So beautiful," he declared in affection.

With a surge of passion, Kyren’s hands drew her closer as he leaned in. Their lips met in a fervent, passionate kiss, igniting a flame of desire that enveloped them in a moment of shared intimacy and connection.

As their lips parted, Kyren’s smile persisted, his eyes filled with adoration.

"You smell so good, too. I guess it wasn’t a wrong decision after all to appoint that friend of yours to be the lady-in-waiting," he remarked affectionately.

"I was so nervous thinking that you wouldn’t like it," Anna confessed, her earlier apprehension giving way to relief and joy.

"You must be joking... I’m drooling already," Kyren teased, his playful banter reflecting his growing desire. "Since you started this, you won’t get away tonight."

"I’m not planning to," Anna replied with a smile, her eyes locking with his as they shared another tender kiss.

"I love you, Kyren," the princess expressed, her words carrying the weight of her affection and devotion.

The grand duke’s heart raced at her declaration, a surge of emotions welling up within him. His desire to hold her in his arms, protect her, and build a future with her filled his thoughts. He longed to see her smile brightly every day, to cherish her, and to give her the world.

"I..." Kyren paused, his words hanging in the air as Anna waited with bated breath, her heart pounding with anticipation.

Was he about to reciprocate her declaration of love?

"I want you... I want you so badly, Anna," Kyren confessed, his voice filled with raw, unbridled desire, laying bare the depth of his longing for her.

"I want you too..."