The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 474: The Interrogation By The Knights

Chapter 474: The Interrogation By The Knights

The familiar voice struck him, making him look up. There before him were Eric and Rafe. Hope began to flash in his eyes.

"Rafe! Sir Navin! You are here!" Kiev exclaimed, hurriedly standing up and grasping the steel bars. "You’ve got to help me! Princess Anna is in grave danger! You must save her!"

"Take it easy, Your Highness! Lady Raychard is safe in her chamber," said Eric.

"She’s in her chamber?" the Mederian prince raised an eyebrow. "I thought she was being detained, wasn’t she?" he asked.

"She is. Considering the weight of the accusations against her, she should be here in the dungeon like you. But His Majesty considered her pregnant condition and confined her to her chamber instead," said Rafe.

Kiev felt a bit relieved hearing this. It was far better for Anna to be locked in her chamber than imprisoned in the dungeon. The harsh surroundings of the underground space would significantly affect her fragile body, especially since she had once experienced a near-miscarriage.

However, a surge of sadness and disappointment filled his heart—the accusation of being an infidel.

Eric studied Kiev’s face, noting his solemn features.

"Your Highness, do you understand what’s happening and why you’re here?"

Kiev nodded weakly, his eyes clouded with worry.

Eric and Rafe exchanged a glance before the second-in-command knight continued his questioning.

"Who told you all of this? Was it one of the guards?"

"Someone was here before you arrived," Kiev replied. "She told me everything... that Princess Anna will be killed tomorrow."

"She? A woman? Who was it?" Eric asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I don’t know her name. She hid her face so I wouldn’t recognise her. But I know one thing... she has ill intentions and wants Princess Anna dead. She said the princess had taken what was supposed to be hers," the Mederian prince explained.

The second-in-command knight had a good idea of who Kiev was talking about, and so did Rafe. But revealing the woman’s identity now wouldn’t help. Besides, they didn’t have much time for a long conversation.

"For now, Lady Raychard is safe," Eric said. "We can’t personally guard her, but I promise we won’t let anyone harm her. Even though His Majesty is furious, the fact that he’s letting her stay in her chamber shows he still has some compassion."

"What about the Grand Duke? I heard he’s back and knows what happened. Hasn’t he done anything to help?" the Mederian prince asked, knowing how much Kyren cared for Anna.

"You didn’t notice him?" Rafe asked.

Kiev shook his head.

"I lost consciousness after I healed Princess Anna," he said. "When I woke up, I was already here. Then, the woman and her companion arrived, and she tormented me with her words." Feeling remorseful, the Mederian prince continued, "I shouldn’t have let any of this happen."

"No one wants things to turn out like this," the second-in-command knight said, his tone severe. "But now isn’t the time for regrets. What matters most is fixing this situation. Otherwise, things could get much worse. What that woman told you wasn’t entirely wrong. These accusations could lead to the death penalty."

"What? But I thought the law said the punishment for this was banishment!" Kiev exclaimed, surprised.

He remembered Sarah saying something similar when they first met.

"That’s if you’re a commoner," Rafe said. "Which you aren’t. Not only is your life in danger, but Lady Raychard’s is too, since she’s part of the royal family."

Utter shock registered on the Mederian Prince’s face. It was becoming clear that the noblewoman had been feeding him lies from the very beginning. Thankfully, he hadn’t been foolish enough to become her accomplice!

"No! You have to save Princess Anna! She’s innocent! Tell the Grand Duke! He’ll protect her if he wants her as much as he resisted her being taken away by me!" Kiev pleaded with anxiety. "And you must find the person who wants to harm Princess Anna! You can’t let them get away with this!"

"I’m afraid we can’t do that right now," Eric said solemnly. "His Highness believes Lady Raychard has betrayed him, and finding the real culprit with irrefutable evidence in such a short time is impossible. Our priority is to find a way to clear her name, and yours, before this matter goes to the royal court tomorrow morning." He paused, then added, "Now, Your Highness, tell me the truth. That night in the forest when you saved Lady Raychard... what really happened?"

Kiev’s eyes widened at the question.

"What do you mean, ’what happened’? I’ve already told you everything!" he protested, his gaze sharpening on the two men.

He had explained that Anna remained unconscious after the dark spirit’s defeat, necessitating their stay in the cottage due to heavy rain. Doubts persisted within him, making him wary of disclosing the near miscarriage incident and the princess’s true identity.

By now, he knew that even in her unexposed state, Anna had faced threats from the unknown figure in Cassian and the Bargesian.

What might unfold if they discovered she was the last direct descendant of the Ro’an Emperor? These thoughts restrained him from revealing who Anna was.

"I know what you told us," Eric said. "But we sense that something is missing. Did nothing truly happen between you and Lady Raychard?"

"What are you implying?" the Mederian Prince asked, his confusion turning to suspicion.

"He’s asking if you took advantage of her," Rafe said bluntly, cutting through the tension.

"Lord heavens! How can you accuse me of something like that? Don’t you know me at all?" Kiev retorted, his voice rising.

Silence shrouded the two men as the Mederian Prince’s anger rose. Kiev hadn’t expected them to share the same dark suspicion as Sarah.

"You’re just like that woman who came to see me! You only believe what you see and what you think you know!" he rebuked them, his voice trembling with indignation.

"Then how do you explain it?" Rafe shot back, his own frustration taking over. "I want to believe you, but nothing else makes sense! His Highness the Grand Duke can’t have an heir with Lady Raychard, and you were the only man used to being in close proximity with her! Tell me, Kiev... what other conclusion can I draw from that?"

"The baby is the Grand Duke’s child! How can he deny it!" the Mederian Prince countered in disbelief.

"Rafe already explained, His Highness cannot have an heir. It’s impossible!" Eric responded.

"That’s absurd! How can he suddenly be infertile?" Kiev demanded, firing off questions. "What could have caused it? Are you sure about this? Even if he was, have you considered he might have recovered by now?"

The idea that Kyren could not have children was a shock to him.

"It’s truly impossible! This is a secret between the Grand Duke, His Majesty the King, and me!" Rafe stated firmly. "It’s a condition he’s had since he was young! I’ve known about it for a long time and searched for a way to reverse it, but nothing has worked! His Highness can never have children with her!"

Kiev was stunned. He stepped back, his mouth clamped shut, and the surroundings fell silent again.

"So... you’ve all concluded that I have an affair with Princess Anna, haven’t you?" he asked, his voice low in disappointment.

"We need to know the truth, whether it was a consensual affair or... something worse," Eric said, blunt and direct.

The Mederian Prince lowered his gaze. A wave of despair washed over him. He felt trapped, as if he were caught in a terrible fate he couldn’t escape.

"What difference does it make, if that’s what you already believe?" he said quietly, his eyes downcast.

"It makes a difference," Eric explained. "If it’s true that Lady Raychard was taken advantage of, she might be able to escape this situation. His Highness the Grand Duke might reject her, but at least she won’t be blamed for betraying him or subjected to punishment."

"And then what?" Kiev asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"Lady Raychard would likely lose her title as a royal concubine, but she would be under His Majesty’s protection," Eric continued. "Any orphans or unmarried women without guardians stay at the safe house. His Majesty guarantees their lives, and no one can harm them. This is an oath by the king and stipulated by the law."

"So, she’ll be protected, and her baby will be safe?" Kiev asked, his tone shifting from despair to a flicker of hope.

"Yes. I can assure you of that," Eric said.

Kiev stepped forward, lifting his face. His eyes were glassy, tears threatening to spill over.

"Then do it!" he decided, his voice firm despite the tremor in his hands. "Tell His Majesty King Kyden that I... that I forced myself on Princess Anna and that I’m the father of her child!"

"Kiev! Do you understand what you’re saying? This could get you killed!" Rafe exclaimed, his voice filled with alarm.

"Aren’t you the one who believes I did it anyway?" Kiev said, his voice cracking. "No matter how much I deny it, all the evidence points to me! What else do you want me to say?" He looked away, tears streaming down his face. "Besides... none of it matters. As long as Princess Anna is safe and protected, I’m willing to do anything."

"But... but what about Elis? Don’t you care about her? She’s your soulmate!" the healer protested.

"Elis is my world..." Kiev said, his voice thick with emotion, "But Princess Anna is someone I promise to protect with my life. So, if admitting that I assaulted her can prevent her from being executed, I’ll do it! Let’s see if His Majesty the King really wants me dead!" he declared, his voice firm despite the tears on his face.

Rafe looked at Eric, hoping for some intervention, but the knight remained composed.

"I understand your reasoning," Eric said, his tone measured. "If that’s what you’ve decided, I won’t try to stop you."

Just then, a voice called out, and an old man appeared.

"Sir Navin, Mr Amares! We need to go. The guards are coming!" Mr Lambert warned urgently.

Eric nodded, then turned back to Kiev.

"Thank you for your honesty," he said. "I respect your decision and hope you’ll uphold it. Whatever happens tomorrow, please know it’s meant to be what’s best for Lady Raychard."

Kiev didn’t respond, letting the men leave him alone. There was no point in arguing further.

As the three men trudged through the secret passage, with Mr Lambert leading the way with a flickering torch, Rafe said, "I still don’t believe it. I don’t think Kiev did it."

"Isn’t it obvious?" Eric replied. "You don’t need to be a genius to see that."

"But why would he admit to it?" Rafe asked, confused.

"He doesn’t care about his reputation being tarnished by the accusation," Eric explained. "As he said, nothing matters to him as long as Lady Raychard is protected."

"But that puts him in terrible danger! His Majesty could sentence him to death for that!"

"It could," Eric acknowledged. "But he’s willing to gamble his life on it."

"What do you mean?" the healer pressed.

"Like you pointed out earlier in our discussion, if His Majesty sentences Prince Kiev to death, the Mederians won’t just stand by and watch. They’ll definitely take action, which could bring a huge crisis between the two kingdoms."

"I see what you mean now," Rafe said slowly.

"Yes. After all, Lady Raychard was promised to him. That will weigh heavily on His Majesty’s judgment. So, there’s still a chance he can escape that fate. Making the decision was a smart move, given the circumstances," added the second-in-command knight.

"But would His Majesty truly let him go? The nobles won’t let this issue fade away. They’re already causing quite a stir about it. And Lady James... she certainly wants to get rid of Lady Raychard."

"I can’t say for sure," Eric admitted. "We won’t know His Majesty’s decision until tomorrow. But one thing is certain. If Prince Kiev confesses as he said he would, we can get Lady Raychard out of here before Lady James can do anything to her. At least, it’s better than nothing."

Rafe nodded, though his expression remained troubled. Then...

"Eric," the healer addressed his friend by his first name, prompting the second-in-command knight to turn towards him.

"If Kiev didn’t assault Lady Raychard and cause her pregnancy, then..." he paused, swallowing hard with a brooding look.

"Then what?"

"Then, who is the child’s father?"

The question lingered unanswered.