The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 286: Kyren’s Departure (II)

Chapter 286: Kyren’s Departure (II)

The knights, organised in a disciplined formation, moved in a lined rank and ascended the planks to their designated ships. One by one, they boarded in, ready for the journey ahead.

Kyren and Adam were the last to step onto the ship, commanding the onlookers’ attention.

As they made their way together, the sound of horse hooves striking the cobblestone path echoed from the ground, capturing the curiosity of those who watched the departure.

"Wait! Wait for me!" Anna’s voice resounded through the air, her desperate plea reaching Kyren’s ears.

He quickly halted his steps and turned around, surprised by her sudden appearance. Rushing towards the horse where Damon had been riding, Kyren’s concern grew with each passing moment.

Damon brought the horse to a stop. Anna jumped off before he could assist her. Eli, who had been trailing behind, also arrived at the port, pausing upon seeing the scene.

"Anna!" Kyren’s eyes widened as he beheld his wife, still dressed in her nightgown and covered with a robe. She ran towards him, tears streaming down her face, and embraced him tightly.

Damon dismounted and rushed forward. He knelt on the ground, a hint of worry etched on his face, aware of the potential consequences of Anna’s impulsive decision.

"Forgive me, Your Highness, but the lady insisted on coming," Damon explained.

Kyren felt a mixture of frustration and discontent welling up within him. He had been prepared to express his anger, but seeing Anna’s tear-stained face softened his resolve. Gently, he placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back slightly to look into her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Kyren asked, seeking an explanation from his wife.

"Why did you leave without telling me? Why didn’t you wake me up?" Anna sobbed, her cheeks flushed from crying.

Kyren’s worry deepened as he saw her distress. He gently brushed his palm against her forehead, concerned about her fever. To his surprise, the heat he had felt earlier had subsided.

"You were not well! Did the royal healer attend to you?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.

"I’m fine!" Anna exclaimed, pushing his hand away in anger. "You didn’t wait for me! Are you planning to leave without saying goodbye?"

Her voice trembled with a mix of frustration and hurt.

Kyren took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. He had decided to leave without waking her, thinking it was for the best, given her condition. But he hadn’t anticipated her emotional reaction.

"I swear you had a fever this morning. That’s why I didn’t want to disturb you," the grand duke explained, hoping to alleviate her anger. "I was worried about your well-being. It’s cold out here, and you... you’re just wearing this?" he gestured to her flimsy nightgown beneath her robe.

"I had no choice! You were leaving... and there was no time!"

Anna’s tears continued to flow, her frustration evident, and she discarded his concern about her attire.

Realising her vulnerability in the chilly air, the grand duke sighed and released his hands from her. He swiftly removed his robe and draped it around her, providing warmth and protection.

The grand duke’s gaze shifted towards Damon, anger burning in his eyes.

"Why did you bring her here?" he shouted, directing his frustration towards the knight.

"I apologise, Your Highness! But the lady demanded so, saying she would starve herself and not speak to us again if we didn’t bring her," Damon explained in remorse.

"Please don’t blame him! You know I would have come anyway! You promised last night that I would send you off!" Anna interjected, pulling Kyren’s attention back to her.

The grand duke sighed once more, his anger subsiding. He realised that his broken promise had led to this situation, and he couldn’t fault the knight for honouring Anna’s wishes.

"Fine... I’m sorry I didn’t keep the promise... but it wasn’t intentional," Kyren admitted, his voice tinged with regret.

"I don’t care! All I want is... is..." Anna’s voice faltered, her gaze fixed on Kyren with longing as her tears continued to flow. "I want to see you... before you leave."

Her voice choked with emotion, and the weight of this separation overwhelmed her. Though she had experienced the same before due to Kyren’s duties, the feeling seemed more intense and challenging to bear this time. She couldn’t quite understand why it affected her so profoundly, but the pain of their impending separation was undeniable.

Kyren gently cupped Anna’s face, his touch tender as he gazed into her tear-stained eyes with longing.

"That’s why I had a hunch that you sending me off was a bad idea," he murmured, his voice filled with empathy. "You know I hate seeing you cry. Please, don’t make things harder for me, my dear wife. This is my duty, and there are people who depend on me."

"I know," Anna replied. "I never said you shouldn’t go. It’s just... it feels so hard this time."

"Be strong, all right? I know you are," Kyren encouraged her. "Wait for my return. Remember what I promised you?"

Anna’s mind drifted back to his words just a few days ago; Kyren promised to win the duel, return to the duchy, and have a grand ceremony to celebrate their marriage. Reluctantly, she nodded.

"You know I always come back to you and keep my promises, right?" Kyren reassured her, his voice gentle yet firm.

"Right," Anna replied softly.

"Do me a favour, my dear wife."

"What is it?"

"While I’m gone, please take care of Max," he said.

"You are not taking Maximillian with you?" asked Anna between her cries.

A smile laced on Kyren’s face.

"No. Since I’m not leading the troop, I won’t require him. The royal knights have prepared me another warhorse for the expedition. So, please keep him busy until I get back."

With a tender gesture, the grand duke raised his wife’s hands to his lips, planting a soft kiss upon them. He held her gaze, his eyes filled with affection.

"When I return, I’ll ask for a long recess from duty from His Majesty. He owes me that much," Kyren declared. "So we can keep the good times for ourselves. Just wait for me, for now."

Anna fought back her tears, nodding in understanding. Reluctantly, Kyren released her hands.

"I’m going now. Go back to the palace and rest. Take good care of yourself," he said gently.

Anna felt her body tremble with the weight of their impending goodbye.

"Don’t get hurt! Promise me you’ll take care of yourself, too!" she implored.

"I will! Goodbye, Anna. I’ll see you soon," said Kyren.

"Goodbye, Kyren... my husband," Anna responded, her voice filled with love and longing, holding onto the hope of their reunion in the future.

Once solemn, the grand duke’s expression changed into a determined one. He turned around and walked towards the plank that bridged the shore and the ship where the armies and crews had boarded.

The knights of Gerhard watched with empathy as the respected couple faced their separation. Just as Kyren was about to step onto the plank, his steps halted, his heart heavy with a sudden realisation.

"One moment!" he said to the admiral waiting on the carrack.

The grand duke turned around, meeting Anna’s tear-stained face once again. Without hesitation, he ran to her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Lowering his face towards his wife’s, their lips locked in a passionate kiss, expressing the depth of their love and longing.

The onlookers stood in profound silence, witnessing the heartfelt moment between the couple.

"Ettar ash ke, Kyren," Anna whispered, her emerald eyes filled with tears when their lips parted.

(I love you, Kyren.)

"Ettar weol. Ke re’ awem et ettar sar," he replied with a smile.

(I know. You are special to me, too.)

Warm tears streamed uncontrollably from the princess’s eyes as she held him tightly.

Kyren kissed her forehead one last time. Then, without looking, he turned away from her tear-streaked face and walked back towards the ship.

Ascending the vessel, Kyren stepped onto the plank, which was then pulled up. The sound of the horn signalled the fleet to move, as Adam had commanded. Slowly, the ships began their departure.

From the shore, Anna raised her hand, waving goodbye with a mixture of sadness and hope. The rest of the onlookers joined in, waving farewells to the departing fleets.

"Your Highness, your lady is waving goodbye to you," the admiral informed Kyren, who had turned his back to Anna. "Don’t you want to turn around and wave back?"

"Stop telling me to! I might jump down from this ship and swim back to her if I did. Don’t make me do something foolish!" Kyren replied, his expression serious.

"All right, if you say so..." the admiral responded, leaving Kyren to his thoughts as he went to the railing and waved goodbye to his family.

The ship grew farther and smaller in sight, gradually disappearing into the distance. Damon and Eli approached Anna, concerned for her health.

"My lady, let’s go back. It’s cold out here," Damon said hesitantly to the weeping Anna.

Reluctantly, the princess nodded.

Queen Emelda arrived and took Anna’s hand, offering her support. The two knights bowed and greeted the queen with respect.

"Anna, come with me. It’s best to get on the carriage," she suggested. "I’ll take her back safely," she informed the two knights.

Queen Emelda held Anna as they walked towards the royal carriage. The Knights of Gerhard escorted them from behind.

In the distance, Sarah, who had come to bid farewell to her brother, watched the princess with scornful eyes.