The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 374: The Sweet Courtship Proposal

Chapter 374: The Sweet Courtship Proposal

Callis strolled along the cloister in solitude, making her way towards the treatment room. Despite attempting to rest as her brother had advised her, sleep had eluded her.

Dark shadows tinged the skin beneath her eyes, and a sombre expression clouded her face, exacerbated by the absence of news regarding Rafe’s condition.

Seeking solace, she had ventured into the garden earlier to calm her troubled mind, yet thoughts of her husband only served to unsettle her heart.

How was he faring? Was he recovering?

Regret and guilt gnawed at her conscience. Had she not pushed for intimacy the previous night, the healer might not have experienced the severe nosebleed and subsequent fainting spell. As she neared the treatment room, uncertainty crept in.

What if Rafe refused to see her after the incident?

Pausing outside the treatment room, she hesitated, torn between entering and retreating. Just then, a servant emerged from inside, drawing her attention. The servant, recognising her, promptly bowed in deference and exchanged greetings.

Eager for an update, Callis inquired, "How is Mr Amares’s condition? Is he still resting?"

"Your Highness, there is currently no one inside," the servant replied.

Taken aback by the response, the Mederian Princess probed further, "Wasn’t he supposed to be here?"

"He was present when I arrived earlier. I was delivering fresh linens, and he was preparing to return to his chambers to change attire. He requested me to tidy the room and make the bed," the servant explained.

"Is he in his room now?" Callis asked.

"I believe he has headed to the training ground. He mentioned he would be there if anyone inquired," the servant answered.

"Very well. Thank you," the Mederian Princess acknowledged.

A glimmer of relief crossed Callis’s face. If Rafe had gone to the training grounds, it indicated he was well enough to observe Anna’s training. Eager not to delay, Callis hastened to reunite with her husband in the exact location.

***

Kiev’s expression hardened as he saw Anna coming from the smithy’s direction. When he arrived, the princess was nowhere to be seen at first. As he was about to ask Eric about it, the princess figure emerged, accompanied by her friend Sylvia.

To the Mederian Prince’s annoyance, Anna was clad in a suit of armour, her lengthy hair tied back into a ponytail adorned with a beautiful red rose. He turned to the second-in-command, who stood at the edge of the training area.

"Why is Princess Anna wearing armour?" he inquired, his tone edged with concern.

"She insisted on it," Eric simply replied.

Kiev let out a heavy sigh, clearly dissatisfied with the response.

"The armour is cumbersome and dangerous. Why didn’t you intervene?" he pressed.

"I tried, but she was resolute. You know how I am when it comes to her requests. She is my lady, and I am bound to respect her decision," Eric explained.

"You could have at least attempted to dissuade her," Kiev countered.

"I did, but she wouldn’t yield. She borrowed the armour from Lady Meredith Grey, her lady-in-waiting. You know well enough how stubborn she can be," Eric defended.

Taking a deep breath, Kiev conceded internally that the second-in-command knight was right. Despite their efforts to deter Anna from the training, she remained steadfast in her decision.

"Since your conversation with her, Lady Raychard seems more committed to combat training, to be like her mother," Eric noted.

"What? That’s preposterous! Princess Anna lacks the qualities for such pursuits," the Mederian Prince protested.

"I agree, but I haven’t had the heart to tell her. I’m hoping she’ll realise this on her own and abandon the idea," Eric elaborated.

"Let’s pray nothing untoward happens," Kiev murmured, his worry palpable.

At that moment, Rafe came and stood by the Mederian Prince, his grey eyes widening at the sight of Anna in armour coming from another direction and yet to reach them.

"Why is our lady in armour? Eric?" Rafe questioned, turning to his friend for an explanation.

"Don’t ask... You already know the answer," Eric replied resignedly.

Observing the solemn expressions of the knight and the Mederian Prince, Rafe closed his lips in understanding of their frustration.

It was clear that Anna’s determination had overridden their concerns, a sentiment shared by the other knights who watched on with the same look.

"I’ll go and attend to her," said Eric, leaving the Mederian Prince and the healer to approach the princess.

"Sir Navin! Look! It fits perfectly!" Anna exclaimed as she arrived, attempting to mask any hint of struggle caused by the weight of the armour.

"I can see that," Eric responded, his gaze assessing her protective covering from up to below.

Just then, their attention was diverted by a distant call of "Rafe!"

Callis hurried towards her husband, surprising the healer and those nearby. The knights who gathered on the other part of the training ground discreetly shifted their focus to him, anticipating his reaction.

The ’incident’ from the previous night had become the breakfast gossip among the knights, and it appeared that the drama was set to continue, much to their amusement. Only Noah seemed unfazed by the Mederian Princess’ arrival.

"Callis, what are you doing here? I thought you were sleeping," Rafe said.

"I couldn’t sleep thinking of you. Are you feeling better now?" she asked gently.

"I’m fine, but you should focus on your rest. Your eyes are sunken already," Rafe urged.

"I don’t feel like sleeping... unless you accompany me," Callis responded.

Kiev interjected teasingly, "I doubt you’d be sleeping if you had him in your chamber."

Rafe and Callis’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment at the Mederian Prince’s words.

"There’s nothing wrong with seeking intimacy with my husband! Your judgment is unwarranted," Callis retorted defensively.

"I’m not chastising Rafe, but your approach, Callis, was improper. Where were your manners? Haven’t our family taught you well?" Kiev rebuked firmly.

"This is unfair! You’ve always stood in our way when we want to be together!" the Mederian Princess exclaimed in frustration.

"That was for your own sake. Now, I’ve come to accept Rafe as family, and I no longer object to your union," Kiev clarified.

"You... you have?" Callis questioned, taken aback.

"Yes, but my concern is that you don’t show him respect. Rafe is your husband. No matter your strength, honouring his wishes is essential and submitting to your husband’s order is your duty. Last night, you disregarded that in your eagerness," Kiev explained sternly.

Rafe stepped between the siblings, trying to calm the tension.

"Let’s not quarrel. We are all adults here."

"He provoked this! I wouldn’t have reacted so if he had allowed us to be together from the beginning!" Callis said, directing her frustration toward her brother.

"Me? You were the one who caused the incident last night!" Kiev retorted sharply.

The dispute escalated, with Rafe striving to mediate between the two. The knights watched with amusement while Anna and Sylvia looked bewildered.

"I won’t forgive you, Callis, if you harm Rafe for your own desires! He deserves better respect from you! Reflect on that!" the Mederian Prince admonished.

Overwhelmed, Callis teetered on the edge of tears, feeling the burden of blame.

"Stop it!"

A commanding voice cut through the scene. All heads turned towards Noah, the one who shouted.

"If you wish to quarrel, do so elsewhere! Not all are interested in your family affairs," the knight’s stern reprimand echoed through the training ground, dissipating the tumultuous atmosphere.

Kiev pressed his lips together, slightly embarrassed as he noticed the eyes of those on the training grounds turned towards him and his sister.

"Leave, Callis. You should get some rest," he finally said.

"I don’t feel like resting. I want to be here with Rafe," Callis retorted against her brother.

Seeing Kiev’s dissatisfied look, Rafe, who didn’t wish the altercation to escalate further, intervened, "Why don’t we sit over there, Callis? I also have something I’d like to discuss with you."

The Mederian Princess finally relented, and the couple stepped away towards the audience seating area. Kiev no longer wished to argue further, so he let them be.

"Someone seems grouchy today," Garin remarked in a low voice towards the knights, referring to Noah’s stern behaviour.

"Let him be," Eric responded, who was well aware of the reason behind it.

"It seems Rafe has gained favour with His Highness Prince Kiev. I wonder if he’ll be His Highness’ next person of interest after our lady and Miss Canton," Luke mused after observing the drama.

"Enough! Back to training, everyone!" Eric commanded, redirecting the knights’ attention.

The knights resumed their formations, with Anna joining them. Sylvia stepped aside, her gaze drifting towards Kiev as he oversaw the training session.

Excitement was evident on her face when she rushed over to where Callis and Rafe were walking.

"Callis!" she called out, waving her hand cheerfully.

The couple stopped and waited for the noble woman to approach them.

"Good morning, Lady Rogers. What brings you here?" asked Rafe.

"Good morning!" Sylvia replied, a smile brightening her features. "Well, I’ve got a meeting to attend to, right, Callis?" she said, glancing at the Mederian princess to remind her of their plan.

"Ah, right! I’m glad you made it today!" Callis responded. "But, can we wait until Anna finishes her training first? It won’t be long, only a few hours. You don’t mind, do you?"

Sylvia waved a dismissive hand.

"No problem! I’ve got all day free for today’s occasion. Drystan is with me too today," she said, pointing towards the knight seated on a nearby audience bench.

Rafe turned to exchange nods with the knight from afar.

"Wonderful," said the Mederian Princess. "My husband has something to talk about with me. So, take a seat first. I’ll come back to you afterwards," she told Sylvia.

"Oh, go on! No worries! Take your time. I’ll join Drystan," the noblewoman replied with a smile.

She then turned and walked up to where the knight was.

Drystan, exempted from the training, stole a glance at Sylvia, memories of the previous nights flooding his mind—the sight of her in the sheer nightgown when he had to go to her chamber and the warmth of their embrace in the deserted barn when they slept together.

"D*mn it! What am I thinking?" Drystan cursed quietly, turning his gaze away. "She’s a Marquess’ granddaughter, and I’m just a knight. She has no interest in the likes of me. Wake up!"

"What’s the matter, Drystan?" Sylvia asked, having noticed his distracted state as she approached.

Startled, Drystan turned to her, "Nothing! Were you... listening to what I was saying?"

"How could I? You were muttering to yourself so quietly that I could barely hear a word. But you did look rather irritated just now," Sylvia observed, a hint of concern in her voice.

"It was just a bug bothering me," Drystan lied.

"I see," Sylvia said, relieved. "You shouldn’t get so worked up over a mere bug. You know, you do need to keep your temper in check." She chuckled.

"Yeah... right. Shall we meet with His Highness Prince Kiev now that he’s here already?" inquired Drystan, smoothly steering the conversation.

"Callis proposed that we wait until Anna completes her training for today. I also believe it would be better to delay our approach. Just observe his gaze... he seems transfixed on her, unmoving like a statue," remarked Sylvia.

"More of like a watcher, one might say," the knight added, scrutinising Kiev’s unwavering posture as he monitored Anna from a distance.

"Let’s be patient for now. His demeanour is quite imposing in this state. Callis knows best when it is appropriate to engage with him," Sylvia suggested thoughtfully.

They both sat together, their eyes now concentrating on the training.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the audience seating, Rafe asked his wife, "Were you expecting Lady Rogers today?"

Callis nodded. "Yes, we have some plans, but they will occur after the training. It’s just some ladies’ matter, nothing to worry about."

"I see..." Rafe responded lightly, his gaze shifting momentarily towards the knights on the training ground, then downcast.

Callis studied the healer’s demeanour, then looked at the same view. Carefully, she began, "What do you want to talk about?"

The healer took a deep breath before continuing.

"About last night... I’m sorry, Callis. Please forgive me," he said.

The Mederian Princess turned her eyes to meet his gaze, now on her.

"It wasn’t your fault. Brother was right. I made a poor choice and disrespected you. I was too prideful to admit my mistake," she said.

"Don’t say that! You weren’t entirely wrong. I, too, made a mistake. I forgot that as your husband, I have a responsibility to you. I shouldn’t have rejected you in such a way," Rafe said with remorse.

"No, the fault lies with me. As a pampered princess, I’ve grown accustomed to having things my way. I’ve forgotten that certain matters, especially those of the heart, should not be forced. Brother has repeatedly warned me about this, but I refused to listen, blinded by my confidence," Callis reflected.

Rafe smiled, seeing the genuine sincerity in her eyes.

"It’s all right. I forgive you, and I hope you can also forgive me."

"You’re not wrong. This has been a true eye-opener for me. I forced you to marry me, and now I’m trying to force you to accept me again. I was such a f*ol and impatient!" Callis lamented.

"Don’t say that," Rafe gently said, lightly patting the back of her hand. "I’ve learned a lot, too. You’re human with feelings, and I’m honoured that you desire me. You deserve to be loved as well. Perhaps... if you don’t mind, you can come over and spend the night in my room."

Callis looked surprised by his suggestion, a surge of caution filling her heart.

"I... I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t want you to get hurt again," she said.

Rafe chuckled.

"It happened because I was too nervous. Now that I’m prepared, I promise it won’t happen again."

"I have a better proposal," Callis suggested.

"What is it?"

"We can start all over again... courting, like a normal couple begins. You’ve never experienced that, and the courtships I’ve had were rather outrageous. I’d love to go through that with you," she proposed.

"Are you sure? You really want to do that?" Rafe asked.

Callis nodded.

"Yes."

"Then, Mrs Callis Naver-Amares, would you do me the honour of entering a courtship with me?" Rafe proposed formally as he gently held her hand.

The Mederian Princess smiled widely.

"I do, Mr Rafe Amares."

Rafe bent down and placed a tender kiss on Callis’s hand, sealing their promise of a proper courtship to strengthen their feelings with mutual respect.

The couple felt a profound sense of satisfaction and contentment as they turned their attention to the training grounds.

"If you feel tired, you can rest your head on my shoulder," Rafe suggested. "You haven’t slept yet."

"If you’ll allow it, I’d appreciate that," Callis responded.

"Of course."

Scooting closer, the Mederian Princess rested her head on the healer’s shoulder. To her surprise, he then circled his arm around her waist, pulling her in closer.

"Comfortable?" he asked.

"Yes. Thank you," Callis replied, feeling a sense of safety and warmth.

Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of the deep red rose adorning Anna’s ponytail, and she raised her head.

"What is it?" Rafe inquired, surprised by her prompt movement.

"Anna is wearing a flower on her head. She shouldn’t be! She can only wear it after her husband or soulmate puts it on her," Callis explained.

"She was not raised according to your culture. That must be why," Rafe reasoned.

"But she knew about the custom since she was there after you adorned me with the flowers at the plaza. She should know better," Callis countered.

"Her situation is different. She only just learned of her Mederian heritage yesterday. You can’t expect her to follow customs she’s unfamiliar with immediately," Rafe pointed out.

"Still, I need to tell her to take it off. Let me go talk to her," Callis said, starting to rise.

"No, sit down first. Their training is about to start, and they’ll usually have a break within an hour. You can speak with her then," Rafe advised, gently guiding her back down.

Callis nodded and turned her gaze towards Kiev, who stood by the training grounds, his watchful eyes focused on Anna. Perhaps that was the reason for his foul mood and scolding earlier, she mused.