The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 248: The Admonishment Of A Father

Chapter 248: The Admonishment Of A Father

Laura, who had just arrived in the nick of time, exclaimed at the guards.

The princess came to a sudden stop, almost stumbling to the ground. Noticing twigs and leaves stuck in Laura’s hair from her hasty journey through the bushes, the governess called to her with concern.

"Oh, Your Highness Princess Laura, are you all right?" the governess inquired, worried about the princess’ well-being.

"I’m all right," Laura replied, catching her breath as she regained composure.

"Your Highness? You... you’re both princesses?" Armel exclaimed, surprised.

Observing the girls’ exquisite attire, he couldn’t help but assume they came from noble backgrounds. Their sophisticated attire conveyed a certain elegance.

However, he hadn’t anticipated them to be the Princesses of Cassian since they hadn’t introduced themselves as such, nor had they hinted at their royal lineage.

"That’s right! Now you’re surely going to be hanged for making a malicious attempt on her!" one of the guards shouted, his accusation filled with anger.

"No, I didn’t! Please let me explain!" Armel pleaded urgently, hoping to have a chance to present his side of the story.

"Please, let him go," Laura demanded the guards to release Armel.

They paused, momentarily taken aback by the princess’s command. They exchanged hesitant glances before one of them reluctantly replied, "But he’s dangerous, Your Highness. He tried to kidnap and hurt Her Highness Princess Lilith! We saw it!"

"No, he’s not! Lilith stole the puppy from him!" Laura interjected, pointing to her crying sister, who was still in the governess’s embrace.

Just then, a stern voice echoed from behind.

"What is going on here?"

"Your Majesty!" the guards and servants bowed respectively as King Kyden approached the scene.

Armel’s face paled when he saw the king.

"Father!" Laura exclaimed, rushing over to her father.

King Kyden lifted his daughter, concern etched on his face as he saw Laura’s messy condition. He carefully picked out the twigs and leaves from her hair.

"What happened to you? Why are you already in a mess so early in the morning?" the king inquired, his voice gentle and soothing.

"Lilith took this man’s puppy and ran with it. I was chasing them," Laura explained, recounting the unfolding events.

King Kyden turned his attention to the scene, noticing a small, tame white dog nearby. He then looked at Lilith, who was still sobbing.

"Is this true, Lilith?" the king asked, his tone firm.

The little princess didn’t answer, choosing to avert her gaze instead. The king quickly understood her gesture, realising that Lilith’s actions had indeed caused the commotion.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty! I didn’t know they were your children! I swear, I never attempted any harm on them!" Armel pleaded with desperation.

"Shut up! You shall not speak before His Majesty unless you were told to!" one of the guards scolded him sharply, reprimanding Armel for speaking out of turn.

King Kyden raised a hand, silencing the guard. He carefully considered the situation, his gaze shifting between Armel, Laura, and Lilith. After a moment, he spoke with a calm but authoritative tone.

"Release him," the king ordered.

The guards hesitated momentarily but eventually complied, releasing Armel from their grasp. The teenager stood up, grateful for the king’s intervention.

"Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you!" he said, expressing his gratitude by bowing several times before the king.

"Rise and look at me," ordered the king to him.

Armel stood up and met the gaze of the king, who seemed to recognise him. The king’s brow furrowed as he contemplated their potential connection.

"Have we met before?" King Kyden inquired with curiosity.

"Yes, Your Majesty. We crossed paths at the royal arena during the duel," Armel responded, his tone respectful.

The king’s memory was jogged, and a sense of recognition settled upon him. He leaned in slightly, his voice filled with intrigue.

"What is your name, and how did you end up there?" King Kyden asked, wanting to uncover the details of their previous encounter.

"My name is Armel Chester, son of William Chester from Mistdale. I had the honour of serving as His Highness Prince Kiev’s tour guide," Armel replied.

The king’s eyes widened with understanding.

"Ah, I see. You were the young man who sat behind his sister."

"Yes, Your Majesty. That was indeed me," Armel confirmed, nodding respectfully.

Curiosity getting the better of him, King Kyden requested an explanation from Armel.

"Can you explain to me what happened here?" the king inquired, his tone measured and attentive.

Armel took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before recounting the events honestly and earnestly.

"Her Highnesses asked to play with my puppy as I strolled across the garden. I turned down their request because I was under pressure to get back to His Highness Prince Kiev’s place. But Her Highness Princess Lilith, who already held my puppy, wouldn’t give him back and fled. So desperate to have my puppy back, I ran after her. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. All I wanted was to get what rightfully was mine. Unfortunately, we both fell during the pursuit," he explained sincerely.

Armel’s voice trembled slightly as he finished speaking, fearing the king might not trust his words.

However, Laura interjected, confirming the teenager’s account and supporting his version of events.

"Lilith stole the puppy, father."

The king gently lowered his eldest child down and approached Lilith. Kneeling before her, he looked into her eyes with a mix of sternness and concern.

"Did you really do this, Lilith?" the king asked.

Lilith looked down, her lips pursed tightly, struggling with her emotions. King Kyden called out to her again, his tone gentle yet firm.

"Lilith..." he repeated.

The little princess blinked, her cheeks turning red as she fought back her tears. Finally, she spoke, her voice small and filled with remorse.

"I just want to play with it..." she admitted, her words barely audible.

The king’s expression softened, but he remained resolute. He spoke firmly, reflecting his position as both a father and a king.

"What you did was wrong. Being a princess does not grant you the privilege to take what belongs to others without their consent," the king admonished, his words carrying the weight of responsibility.

Lilith’s tears began to flow, but the king did not relent. He signalled the governess to stay back, allowing the princess to face the consequences of her actions. The atmosphere fell solemnly silent as all eyes focused on the exchange.

"I’m sorry, father! I didn’t mean to," Lilith began to sob, her voice filled with genuine regret.

The king’s response was unwavering.

"You shouldn’t be apologising to me," he stated firmly. "Stop crying. As the Princess of Cassian, you must take responsibility for your wrongdoing. What should you do, Lilith?" he asked, guiding her towards understanding her role in making amends.

Lilith continued to cry, her sobs punctuating the silence. She paused and looked around, her gaze falling upon Rhen, who sat on the ground with his hind limbs tucked under his hips and his head held high, his eyes shining brightly. The princess then approached the puppy and picked him up.

Walking toward Armel, she held out Rhen and spoke softly, her voice laced with genuine remorse between her cries, "I’m sorry. Here you go."

Armel accepted the puppy with a forgiving smile.

"It’s all right. I know you didn’t mean it. I’m sorry you fell earlier. Are you hurt?" he asked, genuine concern in his voice.

Lilith shook her head, indicating that she was unharmed. She wiped away her tears and mustered the courage to speak again.

"No. Thank you for forgiving me, Mister," Lilith said with gratitude.

"You’re welcome," Armel replied kindly, accepting her apology and acknowledging her growth.

A palpable sense of reconciliation and understanding enveloped the air in that poignant moment. The king observed with pride as his daughter, Lilith, took her initial steps toward learning from her mistakes.

She then returned to her father’s side. King Kyden knelt, warmly embracing Lilith and tenderly patting her head.

"You handled the situation admirably, Lilith. Well done, my dear," he praised affectionately.

Gazing at the guards, King Kyden’s voice resonated with authority as he addressed them, "Shouldn’t you also extend your apologies to Mr Chester for your actions?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the guards responded in unison, their voices filled with remorse.

They bowed respectfully to Armel, expressing their regret. The teenager nodded graciously, acknowledging their apology.

Relaxing his hold on his daughter, the king’s tone suddenly grew serious, "Regardless, wrong is still wrong, and there will be consequences for your actions. So, you will be punished for that."

Laura stood frozen, fear creeping into her expression at the mention of being ’punished.’ King Kyden then turned to the governess. His voice tinged with disappointment.

"Where were you when this incident occurred? Shouldn’t you have been with them?" he inquired, his gaze penetrating.

The governess bowed her head, her face clouded with regret.

"I deeply apologise, Your Majesty. We were walking in the cloister when Her Highnesses ran ahead to the corner. The princesses had vanished by the time the servant and I reached there. We searched diligently but couldn’t find them. I immediately called for the guards’ assistance, and that’s when we spotted this gentleman chasing after Her Highness Princess Lilith," she explained nervously, fearing the consequences of her lapse.

"You lost my children in broad daylight?" the king’s voice turned menacingly high.

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