The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 41: An Unexpected Report

Chapter 41: An Unexpected Report

The chilling darkness of the night enveloped the atmosphere. From afar, the sharp, hollow sounds of the warhorses’ hooves were heard as they clopped the ground.

Their legs were muddled with dirt as their riders loped into the camp. The petrichor smell of the earth rose as the group passed through the main gate.

"Welcome back, Commander!"

A cordial welcome greeted him and his team when Kyren’s heavy boots landed on the murky land. Luke stood before the knights and soldiers of the camp, bowing to the grand duke.

The aid team leapt down their warhorses, following the commander’s steps, and handed the reins to the squires waiting on the sidelines.

Looking at Luke, who held a severe expression with tightened jaws, the prince anticipated that he was about to convey some unpleasant news.

The lights from the flickering torches revealed the knights’ faces. Luke’s messy red hair and unkempt appearance showed he had been up all night. The other knights with him, too, had the same untidy look.

"What happened?"

Kyren was quick to assess the situation and asked him.

"There’s an urgent matter that I wish to report to you," the knight opened his mouth and slipped in the request.

"Let’s gather in the main tent," the commander ordered.

The discussions and meetings of the knights always took place there.

"If I may ask, can it be just you, Sir Navin and Mr Amares?"

Kyren’s brows knitted at the specific request. The other knights and the healer from the returning group glanced at each other wonderingly.

"It’s classified," the knight quickly added before the commander queried further.

The grand duke nodded and directed his team. Soon, the men began to gather in the tent for the meeting.

The atmosphere in the main tent was silent after the incident was conveyed to Kyren. Eric and Rafe, who also listened to the report, had awing expressions, shocked by the news awaiting their return.

Luke carefully submitted the details, outlining all events and their actions to the commander. Only the Knights of Gerhard knew about the plague’s occurrence. The patrol soldiers who came for backup were only instructed to surround the village from a distant perimeter and be vigilant.

All except for one thing; the part involving the lady.

Kyren crossed his arms on his ample chest as he sat on the chair, listening to the particulars.

"Are you saying that you managed to control the outbreak of Laradie without any casualties?" Eric asked, surprised at what he had heard.

"Yes." Luke nodded.

"I can’t believe this! How did this happen? Are you even sure it is the Laradie Plague?" Rafe moved forward to the knight, anxious for an answer.

"Mr Norman did confirm it," the knight replied.

"Where is he? I want to hear it from him!" asked the healer impatiently.

"He’s in the infirmary, treating the patients."

"Are you confident the sickness is no longer contagious?" Eric asked with a creased forehead.

"Yes. The patients are no longer showing the symptoms of Laradie. However, they are still recovering from their weak condition."

"My God! Just want kind of remarkable cure did you find? Where did you get it? Who gave it to you? How did you know about it?" Rafe could not stop bombarding with questions.

"That... is what I’m about to tell you..." Luke’s voice dwindled as he looked down, averting his eyes from the commander.

Sweat trickled down his temple as he was about to reveal the matter. Previously, he only reported on how the cure they used for the disease worked. However, the story about what it was and how it was obtained was yet to be told.

"What’s with that guilty face, Sir Parker? Something bad must have happened! Speak up!" urged Eric, who noticed the knight’s changing look.

Kyren still did not utter any words as he processed the bizarre information. He raised his pearly blue eyes and looked dauntingly towards the knight. The restlessness in Luke’s face reassured him that there was more than met the eye.

"Forgive us, commander! The cure for the Laradie Plague is the lady’s blood. We have no choice but to use it!" The sound of Luke’s voice shook with fear.

The eyes of the grand duke immediately turned to a hostile glare. He leapt to his feet in a flash and rushed to the knight. His strong hands grabbed the knight’s tunic collar, almost ripping it in his rage.

"What the h*ll did you do to my wife?" The angry shout of the commander rended the air.

Luke’s body shook from the grip. Unable to escape Kyren’s wrath, he spilt the truth about the cure from his lips.

The original pure serum immediately affected those who took it, leaving a lasting immunity. However, it had a compromised effect since they were using Anna’s blood. It took them a day to cure the sickness and gain resistance to the disease. Still, it was a tremendous achievement that anyone could have in ceasing the plague’s infection.

The details of the commander’s wife’s special blood left Rafe with widened eyes and jaws, to the point that it took a while for him to blink his eyes and close his mouth. Eric, too, was mesmerised by the fact.

"It was the lady’s persuasive suggestion that saved us all. She even nursed the patients herself while we were waiting for the cure to give us immunity," Luke ended his words.

"You took a pint of my wife’s blood?" Kyren’s chilling voice resounded in the tent.

He wore a blank expression that no one had ever seen before. The sparkles in his deep blue eyes dimmed as his face gradually contorted from anger.

"Where is she?"

His voice was shallow and intimidating as his fists tightened their grip, making Luke almost choke.

"My lady... she’s in the infirmary!"

The grand duke threw the knight’s body, making him almost fall backwards. Luckily, Luke’s quick steps gained him balance.

Unheeding of the men’s stare, the commander stormed out of the tent.

"Oh, no! This is not going to be good!"

Kyren’s right-hand man, Eric, who knew him well, shook his head and quickly followed. The rest of the men went after them to the infirmary.

***

"Kyren is back. He surely will be looking for me. Please let me see him!" Anna pleaded with Ayden.

"It’s not that we don’t want you to see him. But I’m sure Sir Parker is now meeting the commander to report on this matter. Besides, you’re still frail and need some rest," the assistant healer tried to convince her.

"Mr Norman is right. Sir Parker must have a lot to explain. The outbreak of the Laradie plague is not a small issue," Damon added, supporting Ayden’s persuasion.

Anna looked down and slowly nodded as her shoulders drooped in disappointment. Even though the longing for Kyren was burning like a flame, the princess did not want to cause a stir simply because she wanted to see him. She had learned her lesson before when her two guards were almost punished for her stubbornness.

The commander’s wife lay on the bed. The other three patients had long drifted off to sleep in the subsequent partition after consuming sleeping pills from the assistant healer to ensure undisturbed rest.

The assistant healer offered the same to Anna. However, she chose not to have it despite having difficulty closing her eyes on a different bed. She wanted to stay alert, knowing that Kyren could return anytime.

The princess pulled the blanket and fidgeted with its edge as she was lost in her thoughts.

What would Kyren think of her after knowing what happened?

Would he be angry?

He might question how she obtained the pure serum as Ayden did. Rafe, too, would surely be interested to know.

How would she explain to them?

The nervousness began to creep on her skin. She turned left and right and exhaled.

Having Damon standing at the side of her bed did not help calm her. The knight adamantly refused to leave her side. At the same time, Eli guarded outside the infirmary to ensure her safety.

"You can’t sleep, my lady?" the black-haired knight asked her.

Anna shook her head. Suddenly, they heard the scuffle of footsteps rushing to the infirmary. A few men’s shaky voices came from outside as if they were appeasing someone.

"Get lost!"

The princess heard a shout near the tent flap. The stern voice mixed with anger was so familiar that she quickly rose to a sitting position.

"It’s Kyren! Help me stand up!" she requested Damon’s assistance as she felt her legs were still unsteady.

The knight held her shoulder and right hand to support her. Just then, a figure stood before them, staring with angered eyes. Both of them were dumbfounded at Kyren’s scowl.

"Take your hands off her!" Kyren yelled to Damon.

The knight quickly retreated and stood aside.

"Forgive me, commander. I was only helping my lady." Damon bowed, not daring to clash his sight with the commander.

All the men entered the infirmary and stood in silence as they watched Kyren glaring at his wife without a word. Ayden quickly came forward and tried to coax him again.

"Commander, my lady is still weak. She hasn’t had proper rest yet." The assistant healer’s voice came out carefully, not trying to aggravate his anger.

Rafe, who stood behind Kyren, gestured to his assistant with his eyes and shook his head, hinting for Ayden not to continue. Even Eric, known to be the person who could influence the commander, did not dare to spill a word.

Kyren’s angry expression was beyond persuasion. His daunting look was unrelenting as he stepped closer to his wife.

"Kyren... I... actually... I..." Anna stammered, unable to organise a proper sentence.

Her hands clasped over her heart. The face that she yearned for was now right before her eyes. Her cheeks flushed from the building guilt and compassion inside her.

How should she start explaining herself to him?

Where should she begin?

Her tongue felt numb, and no words could come from her mouth. Tears began to brim in her eyes.

She opened her mouth again, and her lips quivered. However, before she could say anything, Kyren’s large arms held out and seized her body.

She felt the cold steel of the armour enveloping her tightly in an instant. Her face buried into his breastplate, and his hands squeezed her.

Her sight became hazy as the tears began to flow. It took a moment before the commander broke away from the hug. He touched Anna’s supple cheek, which appeared as white as a sheet and looked her right in the eyes.

"How could they do this to you?" he said with a withdrawn expression while looking down at her.

Kyren’s voice rang in her ears.

"No one did anything to me!" she retorted.

"I won’t let anyone involved get away with this!"

Kyren’s daunting eyes set back as he gritted his teeth. He returned to his standing position and turned to Ayden.

"Where are the foragers?" he asked sternly.

The assistant healer pointed to the next partition.

The commander flared his nostrils in outrage and unhesitatingly drew his sword.

Everyone’s eyes opened wide. The grand duke had lost his reason.