The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 490: Secrets On Thin Ice

Chapter 490: Secrets On Thin Ice

Morning arrived with a new hope, challenges, and whispers of possibilities.

As the world awakened to a fresh day, so did the mansion’s occupants, all brimming with anticipation, whether the lowly servants or high-ranking officers.

However, the promise of a new start quickly soured. Despite the day just beginning, an altercation had already erupted in the hallway.

"I’m only asking! Why do you have to reply so rudely?" Athillia exclaimed, her anger directed at the young knight assigned to her.

Instead of being an escort, Athillia felt Eli was merely there to monitor her every move. Since her arrival at the mansion, he had followed her everywhere, unlike Sir Ashburne, who was not assigned any guard—an arrangement explained by the fact that she was a girl.

Eli wore a long face. After Eric expressed his suspicions about this ’unknown guest’ possibly being a new love interest of Kyren, a cloud of negativity settled over him.

Although it was mere speculation without clear evidence, Athillia’s interest in the grand duke rendered the guess plausible.

Tasked by the second-in-command knight to observe and investigate the southern princess discreetly, Eli had shadowed her throughout the days. Yet, he had obtained no useful information.

At nineteen, the knight lacked the ability to maintain a poker face and conceal his disdain for her, viewing her as a potential rival to Anna. His loyalty to Kyren’s wife fueled his animosity towards Athillia, whom he saw as a threat to the lady’s happiness.

He was confident that if the southern princess were to become another concubine for the grand duke, the mansion would not support it, as their lady had long won their hearts.

"I told you I have no idea! I’m right here in the mansion, and he’s in the palace! How am I supposed to know?" Eli shot back, glaring at her.

Athillia’s constant questioning about Kyren’s whereabouts and when he would return annoyed him greatly.

The southern princess gritted her teeth, her jaw twitching. She initially overlooked Eli’s dejection, finding amusement in his presence, as the knight was rather attractive in her eyes.

She knew from Kyren’s stories that the Gerhard mansion had a shortage of female attendants and servants at his choice, and she gratefully accepted the young knight’s offer to be her escort, hoping to forge a new friendship.

However, as time passed and after several attempts to engage him in conversation, she surrendered.

Eli consistently responded in an unwelcoming, curt manner. His answers were always brief—either ’Yes,’ ’No,’ or ’I don’t know.’ It didn’t take long for Athillia to realise he did not favour her, whatever the reason might be.

The princess’s smitten heart began to falter under Eli’s cold treatment. Yet, she was not allowed to wander around without the knight’s company, cited as a measure ’for security reasons.’

The other servants and mansion occupants appeared too engrossed in their tasks to approach her and only engaged when carrying out their duties. It felt as though Eli had warned them to keep their distance.

Nevertheless, Athillia was also cautious of them due to her background. With Kyren absent and no one aware of her origins, it was prudent to remain alert and vigilant.

Additionally, she had noticed strange occurrences, especially at night. When darkness fell and everyone was asleep, she heard faint cries echoing from afar, sending chills down her spine.

Last night, her curiosity piqued. Summoning her courage, she peeked from her balcony and saw the figure of a beautiful woman with long, black hair on a balcony in another chamber, crying profusely.

Scared, she quickly retreated and hid under her blanket. The figure remained a mystery, as none of the servants would speak when questioned, only their faces clouded with gloom. Their silence left the southern princess feeling isolated.

In contrast, Sir Ashburne faced no such treatment. His status as the Commander of Ardel’s battalion and his past as Anna’s escort garnered him respect among the mansion’s occupants.

He was seen as the ’lady’s person,’ and his connection with Clara, coming from the same knighthood, the Royal Knights of Ardel, ensured he didn’t feel left out.

The commander remained oblivious to the unfriendliness directed at Athillia, so if she were to complain, it would merely portray her as cranky and demanding.

"Wouldn’t Lord Kyren send some news back to the mansion by now? It’s been two days, and I haven’t heard a single word! This is so unlike him! He always tells me where he’ll be and doesn’t let me worry!" Athillia exclaimed.

"He has a wife to attend to, and you know that! Do you think you’re more deserving of His Highness’s attention than our lady?" Eli shot back.

Athillia’s eyes widened in shock, taken aback by his harsh remarks.

"What are you saying? Are you implying that I’m trying to seduce a married man?" she asked in disbelief.

"Well... aren’t you? You seem so bold, addressing His Highness by his first name and constantly probing for his whereabouts!" Eli scoffed.

Athillia’s mouth formed an ’O.’

"Is this the reason you treat me without respect? This is unbelievable! You have no idea who I am!" she yelled.

"I can guess by the way you arrogantly carry yourself. Doesn’t that show your true colours? We’ve seen this kind of behaviour before, and trust me, His Highness will lose interest in you very soon! Don’t even think you can take our lady’s place!" Eli warned, finally revealing his true feelings.

Athillia felt challenged.

If it were another man, she would have slapped him across the face. But this young knight was one of Kyren’s men, someone the grand duke cherished.

She clenched her fists, her face turning red as she fought to hold back her anger. She was not one to simply sit back and be bullied.

He might be a knight, stronger than her, but she was a princess—a saviour to the knight’s lord and a key to victory in the battles of Agathe Islands and the Kingdom of Ardel. She was worthy of greater respect than this. Yet, she knew she couldn’t raise these points until Kyren returned.

"When Lord Kyren is back, you’ll be sorry! I swear I’ll make you pay for this insult!" Athillia declared, stomping her foot as she walked away from the hallway.

She didn’t want to see the despicable face of the young knight any longer.

As the southern princess left, Eli scoffed again. Somehow, he felt satisfied for finally letting out his resentment on her.

"Serves you right for trying to steal our lady’s spot! You aren’t even half as pretty as her!" he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

However, as Athillia’s figure disappeared from view, Eli sighed. Eric had reminded him to stay vigilant and continue escorting her. She was still an honourable guest of their lord, and it wasn’t safe for her to wander alone.

"Ah, d*mn it! I hate this job!" Eli cursed under his breath but resigned himself to the task, striding off to follow the southern princess.

***

A sigh escaped the teenager’s lips as he squatted on the ground, watching little Rhen happily run around in the snow. His hands propped his chin as he drowned in thought.

"What can we do, Rhen? Lady Raychard and His Highness Prince Kiev are in so much trouble, and here we are, helpless and unable to assist them. I feel so ashamed!" Armel said to himself with remorse.

"Woof!" Rhen stopped running and barked in response.

The puppy’s tongue lolled out in a wide grin, his eyes sparkling joyfully. Living in such good care had made him fatter and fluffier. His white fur camouflaged him perfectly against the snow, and from a distance, one might mistake him for a pile of little snowballs.

"We’d better head inside before Mr Foster starts looking for us. Come on, Rhen," said the teenager, stretching out an arm.

He then whistled for the puppy, signalling to come to him.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of twigs snapping behind him, as if someone was approaching. He turned around and noticed a girl stomping her feet into the ground, kicking snow and debris in her path.

Athillia’s anger became apparent as she closed in, but she didn’t even notice Armel and his puppy.

"Who does he think he is? Just because he’s a bit cute and a knight, he thinks highly of himself and looks down on me? Wait until he knows I am Athillia Emir, Princess of Barges, and not just anybody! I went to great lengths to betray my father, the king, and helped Cassian win the war! I even saved Lord Kyren from being killed by King Ronan!" she ranted.

"Woof!"

The bark surprised her, and she turned her head toward the sound. Behind a dead-looking, leafless tree, she saw a teenager—almost her age—kneeling on the ground, holding a puppy.

He covered the dog’s mouth with one hand while scooping up its little body with the other. It seemed he had been about to move away discreetly, but the unexpected bark had made him freeze.

Athillia gasped. Her uncontrolled anger had led her to reveal secrets she had carefully guarded impulsively. This wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t voiced her frustrations about Eli.

She never expected someone would be in this quiet, deserted part of the backyard. Darn her loose lips!

They stood frozen in that moment, except for Rhen, who happily licked Armel’s fingers. The distance between them wasn’t far, and the teenager had clearly listened to her.

"You—you must have heard everything!" Athillia exclaimed.

"No, I didn’t!" Armel quickly covered one of Rhen’s ears with his hand. "We both heard nothing about your complaint!"

’Complaint’—that one word was enough to betray him!

Anxious that this could escalate dangerously, Athillia rushed forward to stop him from escaping.

"You stop right there!" she shouted, running towards him.

Armel, however, didn’t move. He was convinced he was innocent, being there first before she arrived.

As the southern princess approached, she saw the teenager standing still with the white puppy in his hands.

Her steps quickened as she needed to catch him before it was too late. If this person opened his mouth to anyone else, she would be doomed.

Barges and Cassian were sworn enemies, and being the first kingdom’s princess residing in the latter without any protection would put Athillia in great danger once they figured her out.

As she drew closer, Armel’s face suddenly turned ashen.

"Stop! Stop right there!" he exclaimed.

"No, you stop! Don’t move until I reach you!" Athillia shot back, carefully navigating the icy, slippery ground that hindered her steps.

"No! You don’t understand! You’re in danger! Stop right now, I say!" Armel shouted.

’Crack!’

Athillia heard a disturbing sound from the ground behind her. She halted and turned, eyes wide as she saw the ice cracking from where she had passed to her current position.

"What the..." she gasped, staring at the breaking surface.

"You’re on a freezing pond! The ice is breaking!" Armel shouted.

The secret she had just revealed didn’t alarm him like this grave situation. He recognised her as the guest of the mansion, introduced by Eric the other day.

She was brought back personally by Kyren from the battlefield, so there had to be some plausible excuse. In that brief moment after she arrived at the mansion, Armel’s mind had caught up to this realisation.

Serving under Kiev had taught him that secrets often had reasons behind them, and he knew not to judge too quickly.

His primary concern now was that she might drown. The pond had once been shallow, but recent work from last season had deepened it to retain more water. He recalled the workers mentioning it was now over six feet deep, much taller than Athillia.

In a panic, Armel tossed the puppy aside and rushed towards the southern princess. But before he could reach her, a series of cracks radiated from all sides of the pond’s surface.

The whole area was now affected by Athillia’s weight. Then, without warning...

’Brumm!’

A loud crash echoed as the ground collapsed, pulling her beneath the icy water. She hadn’t been able to save herself in time as the surface gave way.

"Oh no!" Armel exclaimed in fear.

His steps halted at the pond’s edge, as he realised he didn’t know how to swim.

’Slush! Slush!’

The sound of Athillia’s arms thrashing in the cold water broke the tense atmosphere.

"Help!" Her head bobbed above the surface. "I can’t swim!"

’Splash! Splash!’

Waves erupted as she struggled.

"Help!" she shouted again, gasping for air as her body bounced up and down.

Frightened, Armel screamed for help, too, but there was no reply. Fighting for her life, Athillia’s strength grew weaker; her thrashing slowed. Eventually, her body went limp, and her struggle ceased as she sank into the dark water.

"No!!" Armel shouted in fear.

At that moment, a figure clad in leather and a long cloak emerged suddenly, jumping into the pond without hesitation. The hard impact broke the thin ice, creating another hole as the person submerged.

From the surface, Armel saw the dark silhouette swimming swiftly toward Athillia, moving fluidly like the ice and cold water were no obstacles.

He followed the figure with his eyes, and then, near the pond’s edge, a sword hilt broke through the surface, creating a new opening. Two figures emerged from the water; Eli and Athillia.

With valiant strength, the young knight pushed the Bargesian princess toward the edge and ascended from the pond. Athillia’s drenched body lay still, seemingly unconscious.

Armel rushed to them, and by the time he arrived, both were out of the pond.

"Oh, God!" he exclaimed, seeing the southern princess lying motionless on the ground.

Beads of water dripped from Eli’s soaked attire, his face pale, and his body trembling from the cold. But the girl before him looked worse; her face was as white as a sheet, her lips had turned blue, and she was trembling heavily.

"What the hell happened?" Eli shouted at Armel.

As he traced Athillia’s path, taking his walk leisurely, he had heard cries for help. Rushing over, he had witnessed the southern princess fall through the cracking ice.

"She ran on the frozen pond, and the surface collapsed!" Armel said urgently. "Help her! She’s not breathing!"

"What??" Eli turned to Athillia’s form.

Her eyes were closed, and there was no movement in her chest except for her body shaking.

"Oh, sh*t!" the knight shouted, panic surging through him.

"Pump her heart!" Armel urged.

He recalled Rafe giving that instruction to Kiev when Eli wasn’t breathing due to a panic attack back in Rivendelle. Armel had only heard about it, as the gathering crowd at the banquet celebrating the healer’s marriage with Callis had obscured his view of the event.

"Huh?" Eli blinked in confusion.

"Do it!" the teenager shouted again.

The knight was snapped back to reality.

There was no time to waste. He placed his hands on Athillia’s heart and began chest compressions.

Up and down, his hands moved, but she did not react.

"It’s not working! She’s still not breathing!" Eli shouted, fear lacing his voice.

If this guest died, he would be held fully responsible, with dire consequences.

Armel furrowed his brow, thinking of what else could be done. Then he noticed Athillia’s tightly layered turtleneck tunic. The knots at her chest were neatly tied, a common way to keep one’s skin protected from the cold.

"You need to loosen her clothes! Hurry!" Armel urged.

Eli reached for her collar but hesitated in split seconds. If he did this, he might tarnish the dignity of the maiden before him. But he had no choice if he wanted to save her.

"Close your eyes!" he turned to Armel and commanded.

The teenager complied, closing his eyes tightly as Eli grabbed Athillia’s collar. There was no time to undo the knots one by one.

’Srap!’

With a strong pull, the knight tore the southern princess’s attire. Armel kept his eyes shut, wincing at the sound of ripping fabric. The sound emerged again as the knight continued to tear the layer beneath.

But then suddenly... Armel heard Eli’s surprised voice.

"Heaven’s lord!"

Inadvertently, the teenager opened his eyes.

His jaw dropped as he beheld an unsettling sight—Athillia’s bare shoulders were engraved with scars leading to her back, revealing even more horrific whip marks, injuries to the skin that no girl or woman should ever bear.