The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 371: A Friend’s Arrival & Advice

Chapter 371: A Friend’s Arrival & Advice

As the morning sun painted the mansion in a golden hue, life within its walls hummed back to its bustling rhythm.

Anna swiftly finished her light breakfast, savouring the last drops of milk in her glass before descending from her suite. Her steps eagerly made her way to the training grounds, where she was ready to immerse herself in her routine practice.

However, her determined stride was interrupted by Rosalie en route, who greeted her with a respectful bow.

"Good morning, My Lady," she said.

Anna’s expression lit up with warmth.

"Good morning, Rosalie!"

With a gentle smile, Rosalie relayed the news, "A friend of yours has arrived and is waiting to see you in the parlour."

Anna’s curiosity was piqued.

"My friend? Who might that be?"

"It’s Lady Sylvia Rogers, escorted by Sir Drystan Mills," the chief maid revealed. "They await you in the parlour."

Excitement danced in the princess’ eyes at the mention of her dear friend.

"Sylvia is here? Oh! I must go to her at once! Thank you for letting me know," she expressed gratefully.

Rosalie bowed respectfully as Anna hurried to the parlour. Upon entering, her gaze fell upon Sylvia, who was seated on a settee having tea, with Drystan standing nearby.

"Sylvia!" Anna’s voice rang out in delight.

Sylvia turned, her face breaking into a wide smile. She put her cup on the table and rose from her seat. The two embraced joyfully.

"You’re so early!" Anna exclaimed.

"I couldn’t wait! I was so anxious that I barely slept. That’s why I’m here already."

As they settled into their seats, Drystan excused himself to allow the two friends some privacy.

"Last night was quite the adventure. Let me tell you all about it!" Sylvia began animatedly.

"Tell me everything!" Anna urged eagerly as they sat side by side.

The noblewoman leaned in, her voice in a hush.

"Drystan had to feign sleep in my chamber because grandfather kept asking why he slept in a different room! Grandfather now thinks we’re already married," she shared.

"Oh, my! Did Sir Mills spend the whole night there?" Anna asked curiously.

"Certainly not! He had to come after being forced by my grandfather. He endured for an hour before making a stealthy escape," Sylvia revealed.

Anna took a breath of relief.

"Thank goodness! No wonder you were so anxious. How uncomfortable that must have been for both of you, pretending to be a married couple!"

"No... well... not exactly," Sylvia corrected gently.

Perplexed, Anna inquired, "What do you mean? You said you were anxious before."

"I was anxious about meeting His Highness Prince Kiev, not about Drystan. He doesn’t worry me," the noblewoman clarified.

"You were remarkably composed, given the circumstances. Many would have been alarmed. It’s a serious matter in Cassian if an unmarried couple spends time together in close confinement."

Sylvia’s expression changed into a serious one. She then looked at Anna with hopeful eyes. "I have my reason for trusting him. Can you promise to keep this between us if I confide in you? I haven’t even told Mer," she whispered.

Concerned, Anna asked, "What is it? Did something happen between you two?"

"That night, after returning from Mer’s betrothal ceremony, we got caught in the rain on our way back. And then..." the noblewoman began her story cautiously.

Anna’s eyes widened in shock as Sylvia disclosed how she had spent the rainy night in Drystan’s embrace at the deserted barn.

"Oh, my goodness!" Anna gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth.

Sylvia hastened to explain, "Nothing improper occurred! He... he didn’t overstep any boundaries, as you might assume! Drystan simply cared for me, ensuring my fever subsided. When the weather cleared, we returned home. That’s all. He never took advantage of the situation and broached the topic again," Sylvia emphasised.

Anna voiced her concern in alarm, "Your family would kill you if they found out!"

Sylvia reflected, "If they did, they might rush us into marriage there and then rather than resorting to violence, as that’s what my grandfather desires most. While my family did express concern about our late return that night, the real worry was my grandfather’s confusion. Ever since, he has been delusioning that Drystan and I are already married, even inquiring about when we might expect a child."

"You and Sir Mills must have been uncomfortable with that assumption, especially considering your mutual disagreement with the matchmaking."

"Suffice it to say that Drystan handles my grandfather’s confusion with remarkable patience and tact. Who knows what kind of chaos would have ensued if it were someone else? This situation is precisely why we are here. Hopefully, His Highness Prince Kiev can help cure my grandfather’s sickness and put an end to this misunderstanding," Sylvia concluded with a mix of hope and apprehension.

"I wish only the best for everyone as well. Lord Liam Pearce truly deserves a life of peace, happiness and good health. He is a good man who deserves better," Anna expressed sympathetically.

Sylvia nodded in agreement.

"I agree. But let’s set aside these sombre thoughts for now. It’s still early, and His Highness might not have awakened yet. I’ll wait a bit longer for him."

"Prince Kiev is usually an early riser, and he oversees my training. Although... I did ask him to leave the training grounds yesterday..." the princess trailed off.

Surprised, Sylvia inquired, "Why? Did he offend you in some way?"

Anna’s expression darkened as she recalled her encounter with the Mederians.

"Let’s not dwell on that right now. It won’t do any good for my mood. Anyway, something exciting happened here the day before. His Majesty visited and unexpectedly found himself in a duel with Prince Kiev!" Anna began.

"A duel?! What led to that? Why did they fight? Oh, do tell!" Sylvia inquired eagerly.

They sat down, and the princess proceeded to narrate the details of the duel between the Mederian Prince and the King of Cassian, recounting the incident where Ramios went out of control and the outcome of the competition.

"Oh, my! Thank goodness no harm was done! Why would the sword behave in such a way?" the noblewoman wondered.

"Rafe mentioned during dinner that His Majesty hadn’t wielded it for quite some time, which might explain why the sword reacted unexpectedly. I wasn’t there, but Ayden, his assistant, told me," Anna explained.

"Really? How intriguing," Sylvia remarked.

"Ramios is a mystical blade with its own consciousness. Only those chosen by it can wield its power. It demands someone of great strength to become its master. Not wielding it for a while will make the bond cease. There’s a myth that said Ramios can choose its master on its own," Anna elaborated.

"I see... That’s truly fascinating. I had no idea such a sword existed," the noblewoman mused. "But what are your thoughts on the duel’s outcome? Are you not bothered that your betrothed openly expresses his fondness for a maid and even challenges His Majesty for her sake?"

Anna chuckled softly.

"I would be delighted if his affections were directed elsewhere! In fact, I believe he has fallen for her based on how he treats and protects her."

"It doesn’t concern you at all? But he is your betrothed," Sylvia pointed out.

"I love my husband, not him. Consider this. If Elis truly captured his heart, Prince Kiev would likely lose interest in me and eventually forget about our betrothal. If they both cared for each other, they wouldn’t want me to be an obstacle in their relationship. Wouldn’t that be a beneficial outcome for all of us?" Anna reasoned.

"Ah, I see now! How did I not think of that!" Sylvia exclaimed.

"I suspect that His Majesty orchestrated this scenario. He isn’t one to be needlessly punitive, as he is known for his kind and benevolent nature. I believe this might be his way of subtly guiding Prince Kiev to move on from me," Anna speculated.

"Yes, that makes sense! You have such insight, Anna! Could this mean that His Majesty purposely allowed His Highness to win the duel?" Sylvia pondered.

"That’s my hunch as well. However, we can only speculate on what truly went through his mind. I am merely theorising," Anna concluded.

"Indeed," Sylvia nodded in agreement.

Changing the topic, she asked, "Oh, have you had the chance to try on Mer’s armour? When her personal maid, Rania, brought me the invitation card, she mentioned that Mer had lent her armour to you for training, and it was being adjusted by the smith here."

Anna’s eyes lit up.

"Ah, I nearly forgot about that! It should be ready by now, considering the time! Why don’t we ask Sir Navin if I can put it on? You could assist me with wearing it. The smithy is just next to the training grounds," she suggested cheerfully.

"Absolutely! I can then observe your training session as well. Prince Kiev should be there too, right?" Sylvia inquired.

"Certainly! You can approach him and talk about it while observing me!" Anna confirmed with a smile.

"Great! Let’s go now!" said Sylvia with a bright smile.

The two friends rose from their seats, their spirits lifted as they strolled towards the smithy.

***

Eric clicked his tongue disapprovingly, his head shaking solemnly as he observed the figure before him, a small sigh escaping his lips.

Despite his disapproving demeanour, he turned to the man sitting at the edge of the bed, who was none other than Rafe. They were in the treatment room where the healer had spent the night following the previous evening’s little ’incident’.

"Are you feeling all right now?" Eric inquired.

Rafe nodded.

"Yeah... I’m much better," he replied, though a shadow of gloom lingered on his face.

Another sigh escaped Eric’s lips.

"How could you have a nosebleed and faint in the midst of ’that’? You’re such an embarrassment among the men," the second-in-command knight remarked.

Looking up, Rafe’s eyes held a sense of guilt.

"It was unintentional! It just happened! She... she undressed, and I saw everything!" Rafe explained, flustered.

Eric grunted in annoyance at the excuse.

"So what? Haven’t you studied in the medical field? Surely you know the anatomy of a woman."

"It’s not the same! I’ve only encountered and studied deceased bodies, not living ones, especially women. Our lady was my first patient, followed by Dame Clara Verns and they didn’t expose their whole bodies to me! Even the purposes were different!" Rafe clarified.

"Tskk! Most men would relish the opportunity if a beautiful woman like her willingly offered herself and took the initiative. But you? You ruined the special moment," Eric criticised.

"Eric, please! It was overwhelming for me! You don’t understand how nervous I was," Rafe defended himself.

"Said the man who confidently declared he’d have his wife bear his child in no time!" Eric retorted, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"Don’t ridicule me!" the healer snapped back.

Taking a deep breath, the second-in-command knight offered his friend some advice, "You’ve been married for almost two weeks and have yet to consummate your marriage. Intimacy between a married couple is a fundamental expression of affection, symbolising a complete sharing of a committed life together. It’s not just about producing heirs, it’s about unity. It has benefits for the human mind, emotions, and physicals. As a healer, you should understand this better than most of us," Eric lectured.

"I wasn’t prepared. She suddenly suggested it, and before I knew it, she was tearing my clothes and restraining me when I refused! Isn’t intimacy supposed to be consensual?" Rafe countered.

"Almost two weeks! She has been waiting for you to make the move for almost two weeks!! The only progress I’ve witnessed is you holding her hand, not even a simple true hug or a gentle kiss," Eric pointed out.

"I did kiss and hug her the other day!" Rafe interjected.

"That was just a facade you put on before Lady James to prove yourself a man! I know you better than anyone, Rafael. We’ve been friends since childhood," Eric scolded.

His words struck the healer into silence. The weight of guilt settled heavily on his shoulders.

"You claim to be sincere and fully accepting of her. It’s time to show her the affection a husband should. People have needs, my friend, and you know well what she desires from you. Don’t rue the day she grows tired of waiting and leaves you for good. By then, regardless of being soulmates, both of you will suffer. You wouldn’t want that," Eric imparted in a lengthy, heartfelt rant.

Rafe’s lips tightened, the weight of remorse settling heavily upon him.

"I didn’t mean for it to happen that way. I truly like her," he murmured softly before letting out a sigh. "I suppose I did ruin everything. I owe her an apology..."

"Indeed, you do! Fortunately, she still cares deeply for you. Last night, she wanted to tend to you and ensure you were well, but I intervened. I persuaded her to return to her chamber, assuring her that I would care for you and that her healing touch wasn’t necessary. I also advised her to give you space and time to recuperate. She was apprehensive about you and even shed tears out of concern," Eric disclosed.

The healer’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"She did?" he responded. "Oh, my goodness! I must go to her immediately and offer my apologies! I shouldn’t have treated her that way. I was just worried that Kiev might become upset and—"

Before Rafe could finish, the closed door of the treatment room swung open from an outside push, capturing the attention of both men.

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