The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 273: Fainted Under The Weight

Chapter 273: Fainted Under The Weight

Rafe and Callis exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with shock. They had not anticipated that the king would proceed with the proclamation, which caught them off guard. As the gravity of the situation descended upon them, the couple was rendered speechless.

"This is invalid! According to Mederian clan customs, a bride can only be married with the consent of her male guardian. Since our father is not here, my approval as her brother holds significant weight. How can my sister be married without a proper wedding ceremony? Furthermore, she’s a Mederian Princess!" Kiev exclaimed.

"It is valid even without your consent, as I hold the highest authority in this kingdom. I am the king and the ultimate guardian," the king reiterated, emphasising his position in the hierarchy. "We are in Cassian, not Sabel Island. They are now legally married according to the customs and laws of my kingdom. You don’t need to worry about the ceremony. Choose a date, and I will arrange a grand celebration. The expenses would be all on me," the king added calmly.

"This can’t be happening!" shouted the Mederian Prince.

"It has already happened. Congratulations on your new family member," interjected Kyren.

"No! This is wrong! This is so wrong!" Kiev yelled again, turning his gaze towards Rafe with a dreadful expression.

"I’m going to kill you!" he shouted, pulling out his dagger from the sheath and lunging towards the healer.

Kyren was about to make the same move to protect his healer, but the king intervened, grabbing his arm and stopping him in his tracks.

"Don’t!" the king whispered confidently.

With the dagger just inches away from Rafe’s neck, Kiev grabbed the healer’s surcoat, ready to plunge the sharp blade into the healer’s jugular vein. Kyren, puzzled by the king’s intervention, furrowed his brows in confusion.

"He won’t harm Rafe. Trust me on this," the king said quietly, his words carrying a sense of certainty.

At that moment, the sound of Callis’s cries reached their ears. The king and the grand duke turned their gaze towards her, witnessing her desperate plea as she held onto her brother’s arm.

"No, brother! Please don’t kill him!" she cried, her tears falling onto her cheeks.

"You... you want to protect him after all this humiliating proclamation?" Kiev questioned, his voice filled with disbelief.

"He’s my husband now! We’re officially married! I can never let you do this!" Callis declared, her love and determination shining through her tear-filled eyes.

Kiev’s grip on the dagger handle tightened, his teeth gritted in anger while his hand trembled. Pale and fearing for his life, Rafe braced himself for the worst. He closed his eyes and fervently prayed for his life to be spared.

’Thud!’

The sound of the dagger hitting the carpet was heard. Rafe opened his eyes, only to see Kiev’s flushed face. Then, the Mederian Prince pushed the bewildered healer, releasing him from his grip.

"So, this is how it’s going to be..." Kiev muttered, his voice laced with bitterness.

With a disappointed look, the Mederian Prince declared, "Fine! Since you accepted this marriage, I’ll let him go! But, from now on, you’re no longer my responsibility, Callis."

Upon hearing her brother’s words, the Mederian Princess desperately called out to him, "Brother!"

"Don’t come running back to me when he hurts you!" the Mederian Prince stated as he ignored her and turned away from them, not even bowing to the king at his departure.

Kiev made his way to the door without looking back despite Callis’s calls. His long, hard stomps displayed his rage and displeasure. He yanked the door open, leaving the Mederian Princess sobbing and slumped on the floor.

Rafe’s colourless face could no longer support the gravity of the circumstance. His body gave in to the intense feelings as it sagged onto the carpet, and his consciousness dimmed.

"Mr Amares!" Callis cried out when she saw her newlywed husband collapse.

***

The group’s attention shifted to the door when Kiev swung it open.

Curious about the outcome, Alex eagerly asked, "How’s the discussion, Your Highness?"

Instead of answering, the Mederian Prince shouted, "Out of my way!"

His harsh demeanour took the group by surprise. Just as the door bounced back to close, Garin’s sharp eyes caught someone lying on the ground, not moving inside.

"Oh, God!"

Without further thinking, the knight rushed into the library. The group that was surprised by his sudden action followed suit, driven by a mix of concern and curiosity.

Inside the room, they were greeted by the bewildering scene of Callis in tears, holding onto unconscious Rafe, who lay on the floor while Kyren knelt at his side.

With her emerald eyes filled with worry, Anna voiced the group’s concern, asking, "What’s going on? What happened to Rafe?"

Standing alongside her, the knights and noble ladies feared the worst, their expressions reflecting their anxiety.

"Is he all right?" the king, too, expressed his concern.

"Don’t worry. He has just fainted," Kyren reassured them after checking Rafe’s condition.

Knowing nothing worse had occurred to the healer, a sense of relief washed over King Kyden and the rest.

Realising they had rushed in without requesting permission, the group bowed and curtsied quickly to the king, apologising for the interference.

"Forgive us for interrupting, Your Majesty. But I saw Mr Amares lying on the ground. I thought something bad had happened," said Garin as he was the first to enter.

"It’s fine. Everything’s under control. I believe Rafe was simply overwhelmed by the events that transpired, causing him to faint," said the king.

"Carry him to his room and summon the royal healer immediately to provide further assistance," Kyren commanded his knights.

Respecting their grand duke’s orders, the knights bowed in unison, showing their steadfast devotion and allegiance.

In the midst of the emotional turmoil, Callis, overwhelmed with sorrow, clung tightly to Rafe’s helpless body, tears streaming down her face. She pressed her head against his chest, expressing her deep remorse.

"Oh, Mr Amares! I’m so sorry! Please forgive me!" she cried.

The knights hesitated at the scene before them. They glanced at each other as if asking among themselves how to approach the couple to carry on the task their grand duke gave.

In the end, Alex mustered up his courage and addressed the Mederian Princess, "Umm... Your Highness, perhaps it would be appropriate for you to step aside and allow us to attend to Mr Amares."

Callis, however, refused to let go of Rafe.

"I won’t leave him! This happened because of me," she declared.

"But, Your Highness... it’s quite improper for you to hug him like this," he cautiously pointed out.

In response to the knight, the king’s calm voice revealed the unexpected news, "It’s fine. They are married now."

Eyes widening in shock, the group exclaimed in unison, "What?!"

The revelation had caught them completely off guard, leaving them stunned and struggling to process the sudden turn of events.

Kyren then spoke composedly, "It’s an unavoidable circumstance, and it just happened. I’ll explain everything later. For now, take him to his room."

Addressing the Mederian Princess, the grand duke added, "Princess Callis, please allow the knights to take Rafe to his bed so he can rest properly."

Lifting her head slowly, Callis turned to Kyren, her cheeks wet with tears, "Can I come too? Please?"

Kyren responded with a nod, acknowledging her request, "Of course. You’re his wife now."

Though the sudden turn of events still surprised the knights, they swiftly followed the orders.

Luke and Noah carefully lifted Rafe’s limp body, placing him at Garin’s back. The knight shouldered the unconscious healer, carrying him back to his room. Eli departed to fetch the royal healer while the rest of the knights followed in tow.

"I’m coming too!" Anna exclaimed with worry, her companions nodding in agreement.

However, Kyren intervened, "No, it’ll be too crowded. Let Princess Callis attend to him. After all, it is her duty as his wife. Return to your room and rest for now. I’ll see you shortly and explain everything."

Though still concerned, Anna reluctantly acquiesced to her husband’s order, nodding in acknowledgement. Meredith and Sylvia accompanied the princess, offering her support as they made their way back to her room.

Soon, the library was left with only Kyren and the king.

"That was incredibly tense! I thought Prince Kiev was going to kill my healer!" Kyren said.

The king reassured him, "He won’t lay a hand on Rafe now that they’re married. Prince Kiev may seem gruff, but he loves his sister deeply."

"I never thought he would relent to his sister! He had always been stubborn and determined," added the grand duke.

The king chuckled, giving a knowing look at Kyren.

"Much like someone I knew," he remarked, alluding to his brother and his similarities with the Mederian Prince. Kyren chose to ignore the comment and focus on the matters at hand.

"How did you know Prince Kiev wouldn’t harm Rafe?" the grand duke asked curiously.

A subtle smile graced King Kyden’s lips as he responded.

"He wouldn’t have the heart to kill his sister’s husband," the king explained with certainty. "To do so would make Princess Callis a widow, and no brother who cares deeply for his sister would ever inflict such pain upon her. It’s different from before the marriage as they are now legally bound. So, to safeguard Rafe’s life, I had no choice but to announce their union immediately. If I hadn’t done so, Prince Kiev would try to find a way to end your healer’s life. Given his magical abilities and strength comparable to yours, there is a genuine risk. Even with a hundred guards in place, Rafe’s safety is not guaranteed once you depart tomorrow."

Understanding the king’s act, Kyren nodded, "So you chose Princess Callis as Rafe’s shield..."

The king affirmed, "Yes, indeed. She is the perfect shield for your healer. While I could send Rafe to Agathe Island with you, it would only serve as a temporary solution. On the other hand, this marriage provides a way to keep Prince Kiev in check. Establishing an official bond with the Mederian royal family will not only protect your healer for a lifetime but also benefit our kingdom."

Concerned about the future of the union, Kyren then expressed his worries to the king, "But then, how will this marriage proceed?"

The king replied reassuringly, "Don’t worry. The princess genuinely loves your healer and will bring him happiness."

Kyren continued his line of questioning, voicing another concern, "What if Rafe doesn’t love her back? I wasn’t certain about his feelings, and my previous statement merely supported your plan because I assumed you were trying to save him."

The king, with unwavering confidence, responded, "He will. I can see it in his eyes. Given time, he will open up to her. Trust me."

Acknowledging the king, Kyren agreed, "You have been correct regarding Prince Kiev not posing a threat to Rafe anymore. I suppose you’ll be right about this as well."

Realising his need to address his wife and knights, Kyren concluded, "I must go and explain the situation to my men and Anna. They must be waiting anxiously."

"Go ahead. I will send a messenger to inform Rafe’s family about the marriage. They deserve to know, too. I will see you and Anna tonight at the prayer," said the king.

Kyren bowed respectfully, and the king nodded as a gesture of acknowledgement.

As the grand duke left the library, King Kyden muttered, "Now, it’ll get more interesting!"

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.