The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 336: Confronting The Malicious Slander

Chapter 336: Confronting The Malicious Slander

Within the grand hall, Sarah and her assistant, Naise, stood with serious expressions. A servant promptly arrived, offering refreshments to the guests.

"My lady, please have a seat first and enjoy some tea," the servant invited, trying to create a more relaxed atmosphere.

"I’m not here for a leisurely tea time! I’m here to see the Mederian Princess! Where is she?" Sarah demanded in a harsh tone, dismissing the servant’s suggestion.

"Another servant has gone to inform her. I’m sure we’ll receive an update soon," the servant replied, attempting to maintain composure in the face of Sarah’s impatience.

"An update?" the noble lady scoffed. "Are you deaf? I explicitly told you I wanted to see her! This is urgent! It cannot wait!"

"Forgive me, my lady, I..." the servant began apologising, but Anryr’s arrival cut off his words. The steward greeted Sarah and her assistant with respect and acknowledged their presence.

"Welcome, Lady Sarah James," Anryr greeted politely. "What a pleasant surprise. May I know the reason for your visit?"

Sarah didn’t bother to reply to the steward’s question. Instead, her gaze fixated on the beautiful lady with elegantly braided silken hair who accompanied him.

"You!" Sarah exclaimed, her anger fueling her actions as she rushed towards Callis. She quickly recognised the Mederian Princess as they had once met outside the arena during the duel of Kiev and Kyren.

"Did you just try to kill my father?" Sarah yelled accusingly, her tone filled with rage.

Upon hearing the word ’kill,’ Anryr’s suspicions were confirmed—this was a matter of grave significance. He discreetly signalled to the waiting servant, instructing him to summon Eric and the knights. The servant nodded and swiftly departed from the scene, making his way to the knights’ quarters.

Callis stood bewildered by the chief lady-in-waiting’s sudden outburst.

"Excuse me?! What are you saying? Are you Lady Sarah James, who came to see me?" she asked in confusion.

"Yes, I am! Don’t pretend like you don’t know anything! You threw a fork at my father during the luncheon with His Majesty, the ministers, and the officers!" Sarah exclaimed, her anger unabated.

Rafe quickly defended his wife. He now recalled the incident of the ’slipping fork’.

"I assure you, my wife never intended any harm! The fork slipped from her hand accidentally. She apologised and explained the situation to him already," Rafe interjected, attempting to calm the situation.

"Back off, healer! This is women’s talk!" Sarah reprimanded him, dismissing his input.

"How dare you scold my husband!" Callis exclaimed with bewilderment as she raised her voice to match Sarah’s intensity.

"Don’t try to change the subject! You intentionally threw that fork at my father to harm him, didn’t you?" the chief lady-in-waiting sneered at the Mederian Princess with disdain.

"Well... since you’re so insistent, yes, I did! I wouldn’t have done it if he knew how to keep his tongue from hurling sarcastic words at people. He acted like he owned the palace, showing no respect for me, my husband, or my brother!" Callis responded in anger.

"Huh! Just because you and your brother are from the Mederian clan, you expect everyone to bow down to you! This is not your land, and you have no right to act all high and mighty just because of your bloodline!" Sarah retorted.

"Lady James, please show some respect! Mrs Amares is a member of royalty and is related to Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Regina," Anryr interjected, trying to remind Sarah of the appropriate etiquette.

"I don’t give a d*mn about her relationship with the empress! The empire has long perished, and it’s not the era of the Ro’ans and the Mederians anymore!" Sarah snapped back, her words laced with bitterness.

"You are such an arrogant lady, just like your father! I suppose no one has taught you your place!" Callis retorted.

"What did you call me?! How dare you! Do you think you’re so benevolent that you can do whatever you want? This is Cassian, not Sabel Island!" Sarah’s voice rose as her anger intensified.

The confrontation between the two ladies continued, despite Rafe and Anryr’s attempts to dissuade them, escalating into a harsh exchange of words. Ayden and the other servants could only watch as mere spectators.

Callis clenched her fist, feeling the urge to slap Sarah’s face, but she held herself back for Rafe’s sake, aware that it would only escalate the situation further and put him in an awkward position.

"Oh, you want to hit me, is that it?" Sarah taunted when she noticed the Mederian Princess balling her fingers. "Just because you have fighting skills, don’t think you can become a bully and scare me! I’m not afraid of you, princess!"

The tale of Callis’s remarkable talents and captivating beauty had long since permeated the public consciousness. Her reputation had steadily grown, sparking widespread fascination among those who had met her.

"Lady James!"

A voice echoed from another side of the hallway, drawing the attention of those in the grand hall.

Eric appeared with a stern expression, followed by the knights and the servant who had been sent to fetch them. His commanding presence halted the arguments, filling the area with a sudden, tense silence.

"What is going on here? I could hear your voice yelling from far away," the second-in-command knight questioned as he approached with his long, hardened strides.

The remaining Knights of Gerhard who entered the grand hall stood by, watching the confrontation in vigilance. In addition to her assistant, the chief lady-in-waiting was also accompanied by a contingent of Knights of Neblim from her own family, amplifying the tension in the grand hall.

Sarah’s sharp, dark grey eyes turned towards Eric.

"This woman has malicious intent towards my father. She nearly killed him today!"

Callis couldn’t help but laugh.

"With a fork? Seriously? Would he die from a mere utensil?" she mocked the noble lady.

"He could have been blinded by it! The fork almost struck his eyes!" Sarah retorted to Callis’s sarcasm.

"Lady James, please compose yourself and behave appropriately. You are in Gerhard’s mansion, and the person you are confronting is Her Highness Princess Callis Naver of the Mederian clan," Eric interjected, his tone firm.

"It’s Mrs Callis Naver-Amares, Sir Navin, or you can call me Mrs Amares," Callis corrected, asserting her married name.

Sarah responded with an irritating laugh.

"She has married a commoner. So, eventually, she has lost her royal title! That makes her status lower than mine now!"

"I advise you to cease mocking her before this matter escalates further. While Mr Rafael Amares, her husband, may be considered a commoner in terms of societal status, he is an esteemed member of the knighthood and is highly respected, even by His Majesty the King. He was once a royal healer and could pursue a higher rank if he so desired. Furthermore, do not forget that Mrs Amares and her brother are the honourable guests of His Majesty in Cassian. Regardless of her current status, you must show her due respect," Eric admonished the noble lady.

"I will never respect someone who tried to harm my family!" Sarah sneered, her eyes shifting sideways.

In a mocking tone, she continued, "My father is right! Both brother and sister have such peculiar tastes in their partners! One is pursuing someone else’s concubine, and the other is infatuated with a man with his eyes set on His Highness the Grand Duke!"

"What did you say?" Callis squinted her eyes, sensing that Sarah was deliberately taunting her brother and herself.

"You heard me! This beloved husband of yours is nothing but a gay man!" Sarah sneered, her words designed to provoke a reaction.

"Lady James! Watch your tongue! I have never held such affection for His Highness or any other man! I am not gay! " Rafe exclaimed, defending himself against the false accusation.

"You are taking your accusation too far, Lady James!" Eric interjected. "Stop, now!"

"I am simply stating the truth! Everyone knows he was in love with His Highness the Grand Duke! Some even claim he’s a secret lover of him! You know it too well, Sir Navin!" Sarah countered.

The revelation took Callis aback. Her red-ruby eyes turned to Rafe, who was flushed with embarrassment. Her heart skipped a beat, and a moment of doubt crept into her mind.

Was this the reason why her husband had not wavered when she had attempted to seduce him during their time together in Rivendelle?

Lord James had also hinted the same during the luncheon, and the other men in attendance seemed to know something, evident by their laughter at the minister’s comment about Rafe—’being a man but not acting like a man’.

"Tell me this is not true, Rafe," Callis pleaded, a flicker of worry coursing through her.

"It’s not!" Rafe replied determinedly.

The healer stepped forward, his eyes brimming with resolve. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed the waist of the Mederian Princess, pulling her close to him.

"I am a married man, and I love my wife!" Rafe proclaimed.

Without hesitation, he pressed his lips against Callis’s, sealing a passionate kiss. The spontaneous and surprising act sent shockwaves through the grand hall and stunned the onlookers.

The knights, especially young Eli, stood agape in astonishment. Even Sarah was shocked by the unexpected display of love.

A moment passed, and Rafe gently released his lips from his wife’s, leaving Callis blushing deeply. She had not anticipated that her husband would perform such affection publicly. Her fingers instinctively touched her lips, savouring the memory of their first shared kiss.

Rafe turned his gaze towards Sarah, his expression serious and unwavering.

"My wife is precious to me, and my devotion lies solely with her. If my recent action is not enough to prove my masculinity to you, then rest assured, I’ll have her bear my child in no time! Would you like to witness more of our intimacy?" Rafe asked sarcastically.

The chief lady-in-waiting’s face turned red with anger and embarrassment.

"Shameless!" she shouted, unable to contain her vexation.

"The shameless one is you, Lady James! You barged into this mansion at your will and disrespected our healer and his wife. I strongly advise you to leave immediately!" Eric asserted.

"You have no right to reprimand me! You’re just a Baron’s son, and this place does not belong to you!" Sarah retorted, refusing to back down.

Eric reached into his pocket and pulled out the Grand Duke’s insignia badge.

"I am the representative of His Highness, the Grand Duke, and he has appointed me directly! Therefore, I hold the authority to govern this mansion as well as the duchy and establish the rules within. Leave now before I take further action!" he warned sternly.

Seeing the insignia badge, Naise, who had remained silent until now, approached Sarah and whispered, "My lady, we should leave immediately. If Sir Navin reports this to Her Majesty, the Queen, we could find ourselves in serious trouble."

Sarah wanted to argue further, but as she looked around and noticed the stern expressions on everyone’s faces, she took a step back.

"Fine! I’ll go! But mark my words! I will never forget what you did to my father! Once I regain my title as the Grand Duchess of Gerhard, you will all pay for your insolent behaviour!" Sarah declared, turning away and followed by her knights.

Ayden, who watched from afar, couldn’t resist muttering to himself, "Tskk... what a delusional woman!"

The two ladies left the mansion. As they ascended the carriage, Sarah’s eyes caught sight of the royal guards stationed around the area. The King had assigned them to accompany and protect Anna during her stay at the mansion.

As the carriage door closed, she discreetly instructed Naise, "Find one of the royal guards placed here and have him act as our informant. I need details on the occurrence in this mansion to find fault and teach them a lesson! You know what to do."

"Yes, my lady," Naise replied obediently, understanding her lady’s intent.

With the bell ringing, the carriage started to move, exiting the mansion grounds, closely followed by the Knights of Neblim.

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