The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 464: Unexpected Aid

Chapter 464: Unexpected Aid

In a swift motion, Damon unsheathed his sword, the blade arcing high before striking the pillar with a resounding impact.

’Thudd!’

The wooden surface splintered, leaving a trail of chips on the ground and marking the pillar where it had collided. The sword’s tip narrowly missed its target, an older man with grey hair and a chubby figure.

The man slumped to the ground, fear painting his face, his eyes wide with shock as he confronted the peril before him. In those fleeting moments, memories of his life flashed through his mind, mingling with the glint of the blade that had nearly struck him.

"Please don’t hurt me!" he exclaimed.

Rafe rushed to the scene, astonished to find a familiar figure before him.

"Oh my God! Mr Lambert! Are you all right?" he asked.

Damon quickly withdrew his sword, relieved that he had recognised the gardener in time to avoid causing serious harm.

Tony remained kneeling on the ground, unable to respond as his shaking hands betrayed his fear. Both Rafe and Damon extended their hands to help him up.

"I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to eavesdrop!" the old gardener apologised, clasping his hands together in a gesture of contrition.

"You’re lucky I avoided you just in time. Otherwise, you would have suffered greatly," said Damon.

"Who is he?" Callis asked, emerging from the back.

"He was His Highness the Grand Duke’s gardener. He worked here when the Grand Duke was still the Crown Prince and lived in these quarters," Rafe explained.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had retired," Damon inquired, eyeing the old gardener curiously.

"Well, I... I’m here to tend to the greenhouse. Lady Raychard instructed me to conduct some experiments on the cotton plant," Tony answered.

"The cotton plant? Do you know Lady Raychard?" Damon asked, surprised.

"I do. She first visited with her friends some time ago, before the mid-autumn festival. She was interested in the cotton plant that I grew from the seeds given to me by His Highness the Grand Duke," said Tony.

"Is this true?" Damon questioned again, doubt creeping into his voice.

The old gardener looked back at the knight. Worry was etched in his eyes. Rafe spoke up before he could answer further, confirming Tony’s claim.

"It is true. Lady Raychard mentioned this project to me quite some time ago, right after His Highness departed for the Agathe Islands."

"Were you listening to our conversation?" Callis asked, her tone sharp.

All eyes turned to Tony, waiting for his response. The hesitation on his face confirmed their suspicions.

"I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to. When I heard the door creak open, I thought it might be intruders. Sometimes guards and maids sneak in to bunk off work since this is a perfect hiding place for them," he explained.

"Darn it! I thought no one would be here!" Damon exclaimed in frustration.

The knight glanced back at the old gardener, wariness in his eyes.

"We’re dealing with a serious situation here, and your presence is unwelcome. If you open your mouth—"

"Calm down, Sir MacQuinn!" Rafe interrupted, holding up a hand. "Mr Lambert is one of His Highness’s trusted former servants. He served His Highness and Their Majesties, the previous king and queen, long before any of us and was always meticulous and tight-lipped. You can put your mind at ease. We can rely on him."

Damon felt a wave of relief wash over him. Though he was familiar with Tony, he had never been close to him, which had initially fueled his doubts. Rafe, on the other hand, seemed to have a better understanding of the old gardener.

Callis averted her gaze, embarrassed when Tony noticed her tear-streaked face. For a moment, the trio shared a quiet despair as they collectively confronted the deadlock of their predicament.

"Excuse me... but, um... are you Mr Amares’s wife?" Tony asked hesitantly, directing his question toward Callis.

The Mederian Princess simply nodded, her eyes downcast and avoiding contact.

"How do you know?" Rafe asked, curious.

"Well... I heard it when you scolded her," the old gardener replied. "I knew you got married some time ago. It was said to be a union bestowed by His Majesty the King."

"Yes, it is. I’m sure everyone knows about the marriage by now," the healer said.

"Of course. News travels fast in the palace," Tony acknowledged.

Feeling the heat of the moment, the healer pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to Callis.

"Wipe your face and leave, Callis. Since you’re set on your stance and refuse to let me know your reasoning, there’s no point in continuing this conversation."

The Mederian Princess looked up.

"But, Rafe... I didn’t mean to!"

"I heard you and won’t push further for your explanation. You’ve already made your choice," he said in disappointment.

"What will happen to brother and Anna?" she asked, anxiety gripping her.

"I don’t know. The usual punishment for such an offence is banishment, but remember, they are royalties. Such a misdeed has never occurred within the royal families. So, the sentence could be more severe," Rafe replied in a sombre tone. "I suppose Kiev realised that you would eventually reveal this to me, so he pressured you and Jessy to remain silent by making that promise."

"Not a brilliant move! He only made things worse for himself!" Damon snarled.

Callis’s resolve wavered. If her brother and Anna faced the death penalty, keeping the reason behind it a secret would serve no purpose.

Yet, there was no confirmation that such punishments would be imposed. Callis felt tethered by her promise, knowing it could lead Kiev to his end—a fate far more severe than any other.

Despite this, a flicker of hope remained within her. She trusted that Kiev would find a way to turn the situation around.

"Brother will stand up for this! Once he regains his power, he will—"

"He and what army? Do you want to support him and go against the entire kingdom? Is that your plan?" Rafe sneered. "Are we heading towards a conclusion where a war between the Mederians and the Cassians should arise?"

"Rafe!" Callis exclaimed in a mix of shock and anger.

"Just go! If you still consider me your husband, you’ll do as I say!" the healer insisted, his tone final.

The ultimatum stunned the Mederian Princess, her red-ruby eyes welling with tears again. She turned away, feeling helpless against the circumstances. She walked off with heavy steps and slumped shoulders, bearing the weight of uncertainty about what lay ahead.

The tension in the compound eased momentarily with Callis’s departure.

Tony then interjected, "Pardon me for saying this, but... is His Highness Prince Kiev in some sort of trouble?"

"You know him?" Damon asked, curiosity piqued.

"I do. It was one of the biggest pieces of news when the royal Mederian siblings arrived at the palace after the uproar about His Highness the Grand Duke’s marriage. Everyone said the Mederian Prince was beautiful and charming, with handsomeness rivalling that of His Highness the Grand Duke. Almost all the servants, myself included, tried to catch a glimpse of him. I couldn’t help but see him with my own eyes, and I must agree, he truly is gorgeous, just like His Highness the Grand Duke," Tony shared with admiration.

"Since you’ve already overheard us, you must know the accusations against him," Rafe said.

"Yes, I heard. I was genuinely surprised to learn that Lady Raychard is pregnant. But why has His Highness Prince Kiev been named as the father?" Tony asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"There was an incident at Gerhard’s mansion while His Highness the Grand Duke was away on his mission to the Agathe Islands. The two went missing one night and only returned the next day. Everyone is speculating that something must have happened between them," Rafe explained.

"I see... so that’s where the accusations against His Highness Prince Kiev originated. Have you considered other possibilities?" Tony probed further.

The healer shook his head.

"Lady Raychard hardly has contact with other males except for the Gerhard mansion’s occupants, but it’s impossible to suggest that one of us could be responsible. More than one knight always accompanied her, so the other would have noticed if anyone attempted to take advantage of her."

"Yes. The incident of Lady Raychard and His Highness Prince Kiev’s disappearance happened to reach His Majesty the King today, and somehow, His Highness the Grand Duke arrived just as the pregnancy was revealed. It created chaos, as His Highness believed he had been grievously betrayed. Apparently, our Grand Duke has a solid reason for holding such thought," added Damon.

"I see... It’s understandable that His Highness reacted that way since he couldn’t have fathered the child," Tony stated thoughtfully.

"Wait... how do you know about it?" asked the knight, surprised by the gardener’s insight.

"I don’t know the specifics of what transpired today, but I am aware of His Highness’s particular condition," Tony explained.

"Don’t tell me you know about the bonding spell too?" Rafe asked, bewildered.

To their astonishment, Tony slowly nodded.

"I do. I learned about it long before you did."

"I thought only His Majesty the King, His Highness the Grand Duke, and Mr Amares knew about it!" Damon said, equally shocked.

"Well... it seems like the cat’s out of the bag already since you mentioned it like that," Tony replied.

Rafe looked down, solemnity washing over him.

"I had to reveal it to the knights because of the situation."

"I understand. Let me explain how I found out," Tony began, clearing his throat.

His gaze turned towards the majestic Elm tree at the centre of the quarters’ compound, lost in a tide of memories.

"It was supposed to be a secret I took to my grave. There was a time, during the reign of the previous King and Queen, when I found Her Majesty, the Queen, crying devastatingly under that very tree. His Highness the Grand Duke was still the Crown Prince then. I had never seen her so sad. I thought there had been a quarrel between her and His Majesty, the late king. But it turned out to be something entirely different..."

"What happened?" Damon asked, intrigued by this hidden story.

Tony’s face turned solemn as he recalled the tale.

"His Highness met with Her Majesty the Queen and told her he wasn’t attracted to ladies, unlike his peers. Initially, he thought he might have a different sexual preference, but then he realised he felt the same way about men, too, and couldn’t figure out why. Being the Crown Prince, having such a peculiarity was an enormous issue since he was supposed to inherit the throne and produce heirs to continue the royal lineage."

"So, Her Majesty the Queen confided this secret to you..." Rafe deduced.

Tony nodded gravely.

"I was merely trying to console her when she broke down about it to me. At that time, Her Majesty had just confronted His Highness the Grand Duke and disclosed about the bonding spell, which he wasn’t aware of. She felt guilty for it. Her desire to save His Highness had inadvertently caused him to suffer a predicament he perceived as a curse."

"How did His Highness respond when he found out about it?" Rafe asked.

Tony sighed deeply, then spoke.

"According to Her Majesty, he said she should have let him die. To live a life alone, unable to love someone, is frustratingly cruel. After that, His Highness the Grand Duke began to distance himself from the royal family. He hardly spoke to his parents except for His Majesty, the current king. I couldn’t bear to see her, the previous Queen, in such agony over her guilt, so I suggested finding a cure. If there were any place on this continent with the most information about the Ro’ans magic, it would surely be Engarth, the previous capital city of the empire. Later, I discovered that you were selected to study further at the University of Engarth in Ardel with a royal scholarship."

"So, it was your idea after all!" Rafe exclaimed.

"It was merely something that crossed my mind. I never expected Her Majesty would take the suggestion seriously, given that I was just a servant," the old gardener clarified.

"Even so, I ultimately failed and couldn’t find anything about how to break the spell," the healer admitted, disappointment clear in his tone. "None of this would be happening if I had succeeded."

"Don’t blame yourself. I truly believe that one thing leads to another, though I never anticipated it would lead to this," Tony reassured him.

"Still, our problem is unresolved. If we can’t uncover any evidence to prove our lady’s innocence, her situation could become dire!" Damon insisted, urgency creasing his brow.

"What else could we do?" the healer lamented.

"Pardon me for saying this, but I don’t believe Lady Raychard would ever betray His Highness the Grand Duke as claimed," Tony said earnestly. "I’ve met her several times during her stays at the palace. She has a genuine heart, and her soul is filled with compassion. Truthfully, I don’t know His Highness Prince Kiev well, but the allegations against him, as you suggested... well... it might be possible. I’ve heard rumours that he has been after Lady Raychard since she was betrothed to him."

"Frankly speaking, it does make sense. But... I can’t believe Kiev would ever have the heart to do such a thing! I mean, after all the time we spent together... I thought I knew him!" Rafe said, looking down gloomily.

"Then why don’t you ask him yourself? Have you tried? Did he refuse to admit?" Tony pressed.

"We didn’t get the chance. The royal knights dragged away His Highness Prince Kiev before we could speak with him...," Damon replied. "...and he was in a state that rendered him unable to respond."

"Then I suggest you face him and seek your answers. If I recall correctly, your wife mentioned that His Highness Prince Kiev is not part of the promise, so it wouldn’t harm him at all. Besides, the fact that he sealed away the pregnancy news is something worth investigating," Tony proposed.

"We can’t! He’s in custody, surely in the dungeon. The royal knights wouldn’t allow us to meet him! Even Lady Raychard is strictly restrained in her chamber now," Damon responded.

The old gardener looked at them with serious intent, a glimmer of confidence shining in his eyes.

"I know a way for you to meet him!"

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