The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 370: A Best Friend’s ’Rescue’

Chapter 370: A Best Friend’s ’Rescue’

Eric made his way towards the knights’ quarters, striding along the cloister. The echo of his heavy boots resonated on the hardened stone path. Lost in his thoughts, he was abruptly startled by a desperate cry that pierced the air.

"Help!"

The panicked plea reached his ears from behind. Eric instantly recognised the voice as Rafe’s. Without hesitation, he turned on his heels and hurried towards the healer’s door, which he had just passed by.

"Rafael, are you all right?" Eric called out, concern evident in his voice.

To his surprise, the room that had previously emitted muffled sounds fell eerily silent.

The knight’s curiosity piqued. He had never heard his best friend cry out for help within the mansion or the duchy, as these were supposed to be the safest places for the grand duke’s men.

Banging on the door, Eric awaited a response, but none came.

"Rafael?" he called out again, growing more anxious with each passing moment.

Silence.

Eric continued calling out several times, but no reply reached his ears. The knight was about to resort to kicking the door when it abruptly swung open from within.

Callis stood before him, her dishevelled hair a testament to the commotion within the room.

"Rafe is a bit occupied at the moment. We have important matters to attend to. If you could kindly leave us alone, I would appreciate it," the Mederian Princess spoke up, her breath ragged, and her hair was a little untidy.

Bewildered by the sight of the princess’ state and sensing something amiss, Eric blinked in confusion. He cleared his throat, gathering his thoughts before speaking.

"Is he truly all right? I heard him cry out for help," Eric inquired.

"I assure you he’s perfectly fine! You are interrupting our private moment," Callis retorted sharply.

Rafe’s ears perked up as he recognised Eric’s voice from beyond the door. A glimmer of hope ignited within him, and he couldn’t resist the urge to plead for his friend’s assistance.

"Eric, please! Help me!" Rafe implored, his voice filled with desperation and a flicker of faith that his friend could provide the rescue he so desperately needed.

Hearing Rafe’s plea from inside the room, the knight’s resolve strengthened.

"Pardon me, Mrs Amares, but I really must see for myself," Eric declared, pushing past Callis, who attempted to block his path.

A slight pang of pain shot through the Mederian Princess’ injured shoulder from the nudge, preventing her from taking further action against the knight.

Though it was a minor setback, she decided it was wiser not to engage in a physical confrontation at that moment.

Eric’s face flushed red as he laid eyes upon Rafe, bound and clad only in his braise. Red marks marred his body, leaving no doubt as to their origin. Pausing momentarily to process the scene, Eric composed himself before speaking.

"Well, it seems I have indeed interrupted your precious moment. Please, do carry on," he said, punctuating his words with a knowing smirk.

"No, wait! Eric! Don’t go!" Rafe pleaded desperately, his voice fraught with fear.

Dismissing the healer’s plea, Eric took a step back, preparing to leave. Panic surged within Rafe, and he begged once more.

"Eric! Don’t leave me! Kiev will kill me tomorrow!" he cried out in distress.

"Oh, stop it, Rafael! It’s time to grow up and be a man! You’re a husband now, and husbands have responsibilities to fulfil!" the knight admonished.

"But I’m not ready yet!" Rafe protested.

"This is your duty! You should have known what you were getting into before agreeing to marry!" Eric asserted firmly, his voice unwavering.

"If you leave, I swear I’ll come after you!" Rafe yelled, desperation colouring his words.

"You won’t, and one day you’ll thank me for this!" Eric retorted, his resolve unshaken.

Ignoring the healer’s screams of despair, the second-in-command knight turned his back on his friend and made his way to the door. As he reached it, he turned to face Callis, who blushed slightly, avoiding his gaze.

"I’ll ensure no further interruptions occur. Please, make yourself comfortable," the knight offered politely.

"Thank you, Sir Navin, for your understanding," Callis replied, nodding appreciatively.

"Just... if I may say... my friend here is a shy man. He has never been in a relationship with a woman before, so he might not meet certain expectations. I hope you give him a fair chance and treat him kindly. Also, please be gentle with him. He’s not as strong as you," Eric advised.

"Don’t worry. He’s in good hands," the Mederian Princess assured him with a smile.

"Do you need any further assistance? Perhaps, help with tying him to the bed or something?" Eric offered, half-jokingly.

"Eric! You’re so dead!" Rafe exclaimed upon hearing the suggestion.

"No, thank you. I can manage," Callis replied with a slight chuckle.

With a respectful bow, Eric took his leave. The door closed behind him, and the sound of the key turning in the lock resonated.

Just then, Eli, Damon, and Luke appeared, their curiosity piqued by the commotion.

"Sir Navin! We heard someone calling for help just now. Was it you?" Eli inquired.

Eric chuckled, leaving the knights puzzled.

"It wasn’t me... it was Rafael," he said, gesturing toward the door of the healer’s room.

"Mrs Amares went to his room. She asked us for directions earlier. Are they all right?" Damon asked, concern etched on his face.

"No need to worry. They are about to embark on the journey of becoming a real married couple," Eric explained with a mischievous grin.

"I don’t understand... What do you mean?" Eli questioned, perplexed.

Luke patted his companion’s shoulder, wearing a knowing smile.

"You remember their future child conversation we had? Well... they’re about to engage in the act of conceiving it," he clarified, his tone laced with a hint of naughtiness.

"You mean... Mr and Mrs Amares... inside that room..." Eli’s voice trailed off as he pointed to Rafe’s door, his eyes widening in realisation. His ears started to turn red.

Damon, too, felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him as he comprehended the situation.

"Come on... we should leave! Let’s not disturb them," Eric suggested, eager to give the couple their privacy.

As the knights turned to go, a sudden piercing scream erupted from Rafe’s room, this time originating from a woman’s voice. It was clear that the shout belonged to Callis.

"Help! Someone, please help!" she cried out.

Anxiety coursing through their veins, the knights rushed to the door.

"Mrs Amares! What happened?" Eric shouted, concern filling his voice.

"Sir Navin! Help us!" Callis exclaimed from within the closed room.

Without wasting a moment, Eric kicked the door open, and the knights rushed inside, only to be met with a scene that left them utterly bewildered.

"What the h*ll?!" the second-in-command knight exclaimed in shock.

The rest of the knights stood there, rendered speechless.

***

As the morning sun began to set, Kyren and Adam received alarming news from their watcher.

"My Lord, our surveillance has detected the approach of several vessels," the watcher reported. "They will reach this island in about an hour or two."

Adam’s brows furrowed as he asked, "Are they the Ardelians?"

The watcher nodded solemnly.

"Yes. Their flags proudly wave on their ships. We identified them from our watchtower without a doubt."

Kyren maintained a calm demeanour.

"They are finally here," he remarked.

The grand duke turned to one of the royal knights and ordered, "Quickly alert the villagers and tell them to seek refuge in the bunker we’ve prepared!"

The knight adhered and hurriedly moved to carry the task. Just then, they were interrupted by the presence of Captain Blackmane.

"Me ship and me crew be ready. When do we hoist the anchor and set sail for Ardel?" he inquired eagerly.

The grand duke held up a hand, signalling a delay.

"Not just yet. We have incoming visitors," he replied.

"Visitors, says ye? Who be they?" questioned the pirate captain, his curiosity piqued.

"The armies of Ardel are on their way and about to arrive. Prepare your men for battle," Kyren ordered, his voice carrying a resolute tone.

Captain Blackmane’s eyes widened in surprise.

"What in Davy Jones’ locker?! Why was I not told about this sooner?" he demanded.

Adam interjected firmly, "There was no need to. Their intentions lie solely with the gold mine, not with accommodating you."

The pirate captain grumbled, his dissatisfaction evident.

Kyren interjected with a hint of reproach, "If you think joining forces with us was a mistake, think again. Shouldn’t Ardel have alerted you about our arrival if they truly cared? You have a surveillance boat that should have kept you informed, yet you received no news at all, correct?"

Captain Blackmane’s expression shifted. The fact that the grand duke knew about their information suggested that he had an excellent espionage.

The grand duke struck a nerve with his words, escalating the pirate captain’s doubt. Despite the surveillance boat possessing carrier pigeons for communication, crucial information failed to reach their ears.

The pirate captain thought to himself. The surveillance officer must have been aware of Cassian’s overwhelming battalion, rendering the news irrelevant to be conveyed to him or the camp’s chief in their eyes.

Kyren’s words rang true—Ardel had no genuine interest in their well-being. Their sole objective was to safeguard the gold mine. Moreover, if Captain Blackmane dared to challenge Cassian’s forces, his own men would be swiftly defeated.

Recalling how a mere twenty of Cassian’s knights, alongside the grand duke, had subdued the sixty-five knights of Barges, the pirate captain realised the futility of his own cause.

Cassian’s forces displayed astonishing prowess, leaving no chance for victory for the pirates and mercenaries, who even paled in comparison to the Knights of Barges, their previous ally.

"Him foolhardy Ardel’s King!" Captain Blackmane cursed aloud, the weight of reality settling upon him.

"Now... now... don’t get carried away with your wrath here. At least you’ve known their treachery before they could do the same to you. Now, prepare your men as our lord commanded!" Adam demanded firmly.

"Aye, aye! Give us more of yer commands later. I’ll see to it they meet the sharp end of me cutlass!" replied the pirate captain.

"You won’t take any action until I give the order," Kyren asserted firmly. "Prove your loyalty by following my commands, and I will ensure your men’s safety and preserve your possession."

"What be ye meanin’?" Captain Blackmane inquired.

Kyren proceeded to explain his plan to persuade the Ardelian armies to join their cause and fight against the invading army of Barges.

"Blast me barnacles! Ye be serious about that, me Lord?" Captain Blackmane questioned, clearly taken aback.

"Why waste resources when we can utilise them all? I have a mission to accomplish in Ardel, and you will follow my lead if you wish to stay alive. You know full well that you have little choice in this matter," the grand duke stated.

The pirate captain swallowed hard and understood the threat. He was uncertain of the motivations driving Kyren and his men to march upon Ardel’s land.

However, one thing was for sure. In the end, he would benefit from gaining control of the gold mine without sharing it with others as before, which incited him to adhere.

"Aye! I’ll do as ye be wishin’," Captain Blackmane agreed.

Bowing to the grand duke, the pirate captain excused himself to make the necessary preparations.

Just then, the watcher interjected, "My Lord, there is more to my report."

His words had been interrupted by Captain Blackmane’s sudden arrival, and he had been waiting for the pirate captain to withdraw before delivering the crucial information.

"What is it?" Kyren inquired, aware that it must be something Captain Blackmane didn’t need to hear, given the watcher’s silence in his presence.

"I believe the King of Ardel is also on the voyage. We spotted a more lavish vessel leading the fleet, with a flag bearing the royal emblem," the watcher revealed.

Kyren’s smile grew.

"How convenient! The rat is walking right into my grasp."

"My Lord, this is a tremendous opportunity! We won’t have to search for him! Instead, he’s coming straight to us," Adam exclaimed.

"Indeed! I will show the Ardelians the true nature of their king. Soon, his own men will turn against him, and he will taste the full extent of my revenge," Kyren declared with determination.

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