The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 355: She Belongs To Him

Chapter 355: She Belongs To Him

"Callis!" Kiev shouted, his voice carrying across the training grounds.

In an instant, the Mederian Princess jumped before the crowd and sprang into action, casting a powerful barrier that enveloped the audience area, securing them from the wayward sword.

The tip of Ramios shook as it strained against the barrier, its magical force urging it to break through. The spectators erupted in chaos, observing the unfolding events with alarm.

Eric and the Knights of Gerhard, trapped within the shimmering sphere, stood up urgently.

"Everyone, do not move! I cannot hold this back any longer!" Callis yelled, beads of sweat forming on her brow as she poured more of her magic into reinforcing the barrier.

Seeing the imminent danger, Kiev rushed forward, leaping up towards Ramios. He struck the sword with his blade, attempting to subdue it, but the weapon’s inherent power pushed out a defence against him.

The Mederian Prince realised the situation—Ramios was now seeking to return to its rightful master.

Knowing the danger, Kiev turned to King Kyden, shouting urgently, "Summon your sword!"

Snapping out of his bewilderment, the king called out, "Ramios!"

The sword immediately fell to the ground at the sound of his voice, its power dissipating, returning to a dormant state.

Callis withdrew her barrier, vanishing it from sight. The Mederian Princess panted as she steadied herself, gripping the railings for support.

Anna rushed to the Mederian Princess’ side. Concern etched on her face.

"Are you all right, Callis?"

"I’m fine, just a bit tired," Callis replied.

"Then take a seat first," Anna insisted, leading her to the nearest seat.

Just then, hurried footsteps approached the two women, and Rafe’s trembling voice rang out, "Callis, are you all right?"

Callis looked up at her husband with surprise.

"Rafe! What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with Elis?"

Relieved to see his wife unharmed, Rafe sighed and explained, "I was there inside the main building, but Elis insisted on coming over. She got anxious after waiting and started to cry. I tried to persuade her, but she was so determined to come over."

"Where is she?" Callis asked, her gaze searching for the maid.

"There," Rafe said, turning towards Elis, who sat a few rows behind them beside Clara and Ayden, bewildered by the situation. "We arrived just moments before His Majesty’s sword acted strangely and were sitting at the back."

"What a relief! We could have been hurt if Callis hadn’t acted so quickly!" Anna exclaimed, still shaken by the unexpected incident.

"I’m glad no one was harmed. I wonder what made His Majesty’s sword start attacking us like that. It was so close!" Rafe said, a hint of concern in his voice.

Callis pressed her lips together, her eyes darting towards Kiev and the king in the middle of the training ground. The recent events had halted the duel.

"I’m not sure. I heard the sword has magical properties, so its power might have gotten out of control," she said, attempting to provide an explanation.

"That makes sense. You’re more knowledgeable in these matters than we are. Perhaps that was the reason," Anna agreed.

All eyes now turned towards the two contestants. Eric rushed to the gathering audience and asked, "Is everyone all right?"

"We’re fine," Damon quickly replied.

The knight, seated at the centre of the crowd, had observed the people’s well-being when the barrier was raised.

"Good. Stay put for now, and I’ll get back to you," Eric ordered before proceeding to the training ground.

The second-in-command knight then ran to where Kiev and King Kyden stood. The king had collected his sword and returned it to its scabbard. Both had removed their helm.

"Are you both unharmed?" Eric asked them.

"We’re good," Kiev replied curtly.

King Kyden looked at the Mederian Prince calmly and then said, "Announce the result, Sir Navin."

"Pardon me?" Eric asked, confused.

"You know the protocol. Announce the result. We’ve already reached a conclusion," the king explained.

"I don’t understand..." Eric’s words faltered as his grey eyes caught sight of blood dripping from the king’s gauntlet. "Your Majesty, you’re injured!" he exclaimed, his voice alarmed.

King Kyden pulled off his right gauntlet and threw it to the ground.

"Prince Kiev’s blade slashed through the slight gap between my gauntlet and vambrace when he tried to stop my sword," he explained.

"We need to treat you right away! I’m calling Rafe!" Eric said urgently.

"Announce the result first! That’s the rule!" the king insisted.

"But Your Majesty, the duel isn’t over yet..." Eric countered, his expression torn between following protocol and attending to the king’s injury.

"It’s over. I lost my sword and sustained an injury. Prince Kiev had the opportunity to subdue me, but he chose to confront my sword to protect the people. I acknowledge that I have been defeated. Announce the result accordingly," the king ordered firmly.

Eric bowed in deference, adhering to the monarch’s command.

The second-in-command knight then turned towards the crowd and announced, "The duel is won by His Highness Prince Kiev."

A buzz of voices rose from the audience upon hearing the verdict.

Kiev turned to King Kyden.

"I request that you formally proclaim Elis as belonging to me," he stated firmly.

"Very well," the king responded.

He stepped forward, raising his hand to command the crowd’s attention. The chatter immediately subsided, all eyes turning to the king.

"I hereby proclaim that Elisabeth Canton, the maid of Gerhard, now belongs to Prince Kiev Naver of Sabel Island." King Kyden’s voice carried an authority. "From this day forward, she shall submit to him and him alone."

The duel finally ended with the proclamation. The crowd bowed, respecting the order of their king.

"I’ll have Rafe attend to your injury immediately. Fortunately, he has just arrived," Eric said to the king.

"Rafe is here?" Kiev asked, surprised.

"Yes, he’s with his wife now. There," the knight gestured towards the audience, where the healer with distinctive grey hair could be easily spotted.

"What about Elis? Who’s looking after her?" the Mederian Prince inquired, his voice laced with concern.

"She came as well and is sitting in the back. I believe they may have arrived just before the incident, as I didn’t notice them earlier," Eric explained.

Without waiting for further details, Kiev hurriedly made his way towards Elis. All eyes turned to him, but the Mederian Prince paid them no heed, focusing solely on the young maid.

Elis stood up, anticipation and trepidation etched on her face.

She wanted to ask him so many questions—whether he was hurt, angry, or worried.

However, her lips remained frozen, and only a stream of tears trailed down her cheeks.

In a swift motion, Kiev reached out and pulled Elis into a warm embrace. Without a word, he lifted her in his arms, cradling her tenderly, and carried her away from the training ground.

Their figures disappeared as they entered the nearby building, leaving the onlookers speechless by the Mederian Prince’s display of affection.

***

Kiev wasted no time in taking Elis to his bedchamber. Once inside, he closed the door behind them and sat the maid on the bed. Without a word, he pulled her into a tight embrace, their bodies locked in a moment of stillness.

Elis tried to hold back her emotions, but as she felt Kiev’s gentle hand caressing her back, the floodgates opened.

She could not understand the whirlwind of feelings within her – was it sheer happiness, worry, or guilt? She continued to cry into his chest, ashamed of her outburst yet craving his comforting presence.

After a moment, Elis lifted her tear-stained face and asked, "Were you... were you hurt?"

"Of course not. I told you that His Majesty couldn’t harm me," he said. Then, he looked upon her and questioned, "Why did you leave, Elis?"

The maid bit her lower lip. In a quiet voice, she answered, "I’ve become nothing more than a burden to you and everyone else... so I thought..."

"You should’ve listened to me and stayed!" Kiev cut off.

"I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to cause this trouble!" Her tears fell.

Feeling disheartened at her cries, the Mederian Prince responded, "You’re not a burden to me! I want you to stay so that you’ll be safe. Why did you come to the training ground?" Kiev asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"I... I came because I was worried about you!" Elis exclaimed.

"Rafe should have stopped you," Kiev said with a hint of reproach.

"Please don’t blame him! I insisted on coming. I had waited for you, but it felt like forever. I couldn’t just sit and do nothing!" Elis pleaded, her voice trembling.

"I don’t blame him. I was merely worried," Kiev reassured her, his expression softening.

"I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have made you worry about me. It’s all my fault!" she cried, fresh tears welling in her eyes.

"Enough with the apologies. I don’t want to hear it anymore," Kiev said firmly, gently wiping away her tears.

Elis fell silent, the only sound in the chamber being her occasional sniffles.

"Have you heard the proclamation?" Kiev asked.

"Yes," Elis replied softly.

"Good. Then you must know the edict. From now on, you are mine, Elis. So, you are forbidden to leave me," Kiev declared.

"Yes, Your Highness," Elis responded dutifully.

"No, I don’t want you to address me that way. Call me Kiev, just like when we were in Rivendelle," the Mederian Prince ordered.

"Yes, Kiev," Elis acquiesced.

A small smile of satisfaction tugged at the corners of his lips, knowing that his soulmate was now in his possession.

***

The two men were now in the suite prepared for the king.

Charles had removed King Kyden’s armour, and the king had ordered the chamberlain to return to the palace. He dismissed the suggestion to call the royal healer since Rafe would attend to him.

The healer used forceps to soak a piece of gauze in alcohol. He then approached the king and sat before him.

"This will sting a bit, Your Majesty, but it will help clean the wound properly and prevent infection," Rafe said. "Let me know if it hurts too much."

The healer began to dab the gauze on the king’s wound.

"You must have been angry at me for trying to punish the maid, right?" King Kyden said.

A bitter smile etched on his lips as he held back the stinging pain from the alcohol contact. Rafe raised his eyes and looked at the king for a moment.

"If you hadn’t asked me, I would. But since you did, I figured there must be a reason behind your actions. Did you really mean it when you said you would punish her?" the healer replied.

The king chuckled.

"Of course not! I would’ve reduced her sentences to a lower one hadn’t Prince Kiev interfered. This is why I like you, Rafe. You’re intelligent and quick to grasp my intentions. You would have understood even without me explaining my plan."

"I might not be fully correct, but I anticipated that you were testing Kiev’s resolve, whether he’s willing to let Lady Raychard go for his soulmate," Rafe guessed.

"Precisely! You’re brilliant!" the king said, satisfied with the healer’s assessment.

"But why a duel? Didn’t it hurt your pride that you lost to him?" Rafe asked.

"Actually, I didn’t anticipate that he would challenge me. Of course, I knew all along that he would win," the king admitted.

"You did?" Rafe asked, surprised.

"I saw his duel with Kyren before. So, I already knew about his skill and prowess. If there’s anyone who can defeat him in Cassian, it would be my brother," the king explained.

"Then, why did you proceed with the duel if you knew you would lose?" the healer inquired.

"Because then, I would be relieved. I know he would take good care of Miss Canton. He loves her so much that he’s willing to fight for her. So, it would be best to hand her over to him. Of course, being a king, I couldn’t just give her away like that. My people watch my every move as their sovereign, so I needed a justified reason. Hence, the duel," King Kyden responded.

"And you didn’t take the duel lightly! You even used your magical sword against Kiev. We were alarmed when your weapon acted so wildly and attempted to attack us!" Rafe exclaimed.

"I didn’t anticipate that to happen. You see, my sword, Ramios, is a magical blade inherited from His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor. It takes a strong prowess to control its magic. I noticed it had been acting strangely today. But then, when I think about it again, I haven’t wielded it for a while. So, most likely, it has lost its attachment to me," the king explained.

"Lost its attachment?" Rafe asked, puzzled.

"Yes. Ramios is a special sword. My father said it has a life of its own and would choose its owner. Compared to me, Ramios likes Kyren more, and he can wield it better than I can. That’s why I seldom use it. But I had to use it today to protect myself from Prince Kiev’s magic. I didn’t know the extent of his power, so I had to take drastic measures," King Kyden concluded.

"I see... So where is Ramios now? I didn’t see Lord Enos taking it with him," Rafe asked with a curious tone.

"It’s with the mansion’s smith for fixing. Apparently, the guard of the hilt is bent from Prince Kiev’s strike when he attacked the sword," the king replied.

"Wouldn’t it be dangerous to leave it here? What if it goes on a rampage again?" the healer inquired, concerned.

"No, there’s no need to worry. Other than the Raychards, no one can use it as a weapon. It will not follow the wielder’s intent. Without the right owner, Ramios is nothing more than a blunt sword. It won’t cut," the king assured him.

"What about the Mederians? Would they be able to wield it?" Rafe asked again.

"That, I’m not sure. However, I don’t think they are interested in it. Prince Kiev didn’t even ask about Ramios after the incident. I believe it was my shortcoming that caused my sword to reject me," the king said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"Don’t say that. You didn’t anticipate the duel to turn out that way. It was never your intention to have Kiev challenge you and make Elis the stake," Rafe responded, trying to console the king.

"That wasn’t the original plan, but somehow, it just led to that," King Kyden acknowledged.

"And that resulted in this wound. Luckily, it isn’t too deep. Otherwise, it would scar badly. Her Majesty the Queen would be furious once she finds out about this," Rafe chided.

"Emelda knows my duties as the king very well. She might get angry for a day or two, but she will be fine. I wouldn’t mind if this wound leaves a scar. In fact, I would consider it an honour to protect a life and proud to have it," the king said, his voice resolute.

"But I thought Elis was just a maid in your eyes..." Rafe said, his words laced with confusion.

"She might be a maid and was a Dracorian, but she is now my subject and served my brother, the Grand Duke. He trusted her, and she has also proven herself worthy based on your recognition. So, if I could use my title and strength to protect my subject, even for one person, I would be willing to do so," the king emphasised.

"You care about your people more than they know."

"It’s my responsibility as the king. That’s why I must ensure that Anna stays in Cassian for good. She has the cure to the Laradie plague, and I need that to secure my subject’s well-being," the king said, his voice tinged with determination.

"I sound greedy, right?" he quipped with a smile.

"You want to ensure we have the cure in case the plague erupts again. That, to me, is not greed. You’re doing this for everyone’s safety," Rafe shared his thoughts.

"Kyren’s report on the plague is a high alert for me. So, when I heard that Anna possessed the cure in her blood, I decided to keep her in Cassian, at least until we obtained the serum formula for the plague. However, the situation in the Agathe Islands has shown Ardel has shady intentions towards us. So, until I have something reliable for my subjects, I can’t let her go," the king stated, raising his concern for his people.

"But we know that her blood isn’t enough for all if the plague spreads," Rafe pointed out.

"I understand your concerns. However, implementing a strategic lockdown across the kingdom would be our best chance to contain it should it happen. At the same time, Anna’s blood could be used as a cure for isolated patients. That’s why I need her," the king said.

"We’ve seen the success of such measures on a smaller scale in Mistdale planned by you. By deploying the Knights of Gerhard, who are immune to the disease to restrict movements and control the vicinity, we can effectively prevent the outbreak from spiralling out of control," he added.

"I see your point, Your Majesty," said Rafe, nodding in acknowledgement. "You have a keen eye for crafting an effective plan of action."

"That is the duty of a king, Rafe. The title comes with a high responsibility, not just for power," the king replied, emphasising the weight of his role.

"I understand. To be honest, I’m relieved that Kiev won. He might be stern and arrogant-looking, but he’s a loving person. I hope you won’t take my words as offending you," Rafe admitted.

"None taken. I saw that he already acknowledged you as his family. Didn’t my efforts result in happiness for everyone? You should thank me for that," the king remarked with a playful tone.

Rafe smiled warmly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. You’re indeed a benevolent king," he said gratefully.

The healer then applied the wound medicine to the king’s injury.

"May I bandage your wound now?" he politely asked.

"Nah! I’ll be a laughing stock if I had a scratch being bandaged! Since the treatment is done, I’m going back to the palace. Notify my men to get ready," the king declared, dismissing the offer.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

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