The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 63: Changing Course

Chapter 63: Changing Course

When the first light of day emerged at dusk, Drystan and Alex went to find the nearest jetty at Eric’s order.

The other men remained at the camp waiting for their return. They had all been briefed on the changes in the route and mode of transportation as decided by the commander.

Anna slept well and came out of the tent to join the knight for breakfast.

Accompanied by Kyren, the two approached the group and sat before the campfire, waiting for the meal to be ready. The knights bowed, paying respect to the couple.

"Good morning, my lady," said Ayden to Anna.

"Good morning, Ayden. Nice weather today, it seems," she returned the greeting with a subtle smile.

"Yes, it is. How are you feeling today?" the assistant healer asked.

"I’m feeling much better, thank you."

"Good morning, my lady," Rafe greeted the princess as he approached her.

"Good morning, Rafe," she replied, noticing his agility despite his head injury.

"How are you feeling? Is your wound healing well?" the princess inquired with concern.

"I’m doing well, thank you for asking. Ayden’s medicine has been beneficial in speeding up the healing process. It will recover in no time. And you? Why did you leave the tent so early?" Rafe asked with curiosity.

"I’m feeling much better now, and the fresh air outside is helping. I wanted to join you for breakfast if that’s all right," the princess explained.

"Of course, it’s great to have company. The morning air can do wonders for the body, and breakfast will be ready soon. Please join us," the healer invited.

"The ground is still cold. Wait first. I’ll get the canvas for you to sit on," said Kyren.

He returned to the tent to retrieve the material and an extra robe for his wife. The bitumen-lined canvas was folded to thicken it and laid onto the ground.

"I’m already wearing a robe, Kyren," Anna complained when he covered her with another robe as she sat on the canvas.

"The air is not warm yet. You’ll shiver when the wind gusts. You can remove one when it gets warmer," he suggested.

Anna nodded in agreement. Seeing the commander’s attentiveness to his wife, Eric couldn’t help but smirk.

"Good morning! It’s wonderful to see you’re already better, my lady. The commander’s care for you is truly heartwarming, and it makes me miss my wife already," Eric remarked.

"Oh, Sir Navin. I hoped I didn’t cause any trouble for you and the rest of the knights during yesterday’s incident," she replied.

"Absolutely not. The wolves’ attack wasn’t your fault. We were in their territory, so it was bound to happen. There’s no need to worry," he assured her.

"By the way, why didn’t Sir Navin return to Gerhard instead of following this entourage? Didn’t your wife deliver a new baby?" Anna asked the knight.

"My wife is currently staying at her sister’s house in Gantz. She recently gave birth and is currently in postpartum confinement there, as she is originally from the capital. I am already on my way to Gantz, so I believe it would be most practical for me to join this team," he explained.

"I see... Still, I feel bad about fainting and causing a delay," she admitted.

"Don’t worry. You weren’t the only one who fainted," Eric chimed in, glancing at Rafe with a disparaging smile.

The healer pouted when he saw the knight giving him a teasing look.

"Here you are, my lady. I brewed this herbal tea for you. It’s great for restoring your energy," said Ayden, handing her a drink.

"Thank you very much," Anna replied, gratefully taking the wooden mug. However, her expression twisted when she caught a whiff of the medicinal aroma emanating from the tea.

"Be careful. It’s still hot. Let me cool it down for you," Kyren offered, extending his long arm towards her.

"I think it’s bitter because it doesn’t smell so good," Anna commented.

The commander grinned, knowing full well that his wife loathed the taste of bitter medicine. After carefully blowing on the hot drink, he took a sip and swallowed it without any expression on his face.

"The taste is plain. It’s not bitter at all," he said, handing the mug back to her.

She looked at him with a creased forehead and recounted, "Are you sure? You said the same thing last night, but it was a bit bitter."

Ayden intervened, "This is a different brew, my lady."

Kyren encouraged her to try it, saying, "Go ahead and drink it. It doesn’t taste that bad."

Anna initially hesitated but eventually succumbed to the commander’s persuasion and took a sip from the mug. However, she began coughing vigorously due to the drink’s bitter taste.

"You lied! It’s so bitter!" the princess scolded the grand duke for deceiving her while Kyren and his men laughed at her.

"Our commander really knows how to pull a trick on you, my lady. He’s good at pretending the drink is fine. We would have been convinced too, had we not known him," said Eli, grinning from ear to ear.

"How could you!" Anna pulled a face as long as a fiddle.

Kyren tried to reassure her, "Come on. There’s no need to sulk. It was for your own good. Finish it quick."

The commander’s wife’s eyes flitted around anxiously, searching for a way out.

Rafe offered the princess a small pouch, saying, "Here, take this. It’s rock sugar. You can suck on it to reduce the aftertaste. It should help."

Anna hesitated momentarily before deciding as she received the pouch, "All right, I’ll drink the tea. Besides, I can’t let Ayden’s hard work go to waste."

The assistant healer smiled in appreciation at Anna’s words.

After finishing the drink, Anna quickly put the rock sugar in her mouth and savoured the sweet taste, which helped to counteract the bitterness. She felt relieved as the unpleasant aftertaste disappeared.

"Feeling much better?" asked Kyren, smiling at his wife.

The princess nodded.

"Here’s your breakfast, my lady," Luke said as he handed her a stew and some bread.

"We managed to hunt some birds early this morning, and the commander asked us to prepare a hearty meal for you."

The bread was a little stale, so Anna softened it by dipping it in the gravy. It wasn’t as fresh as newly baked bread, but it was still a good meal. The stew, on the other hand, was delicious. The team began to have their breakfast together.

"Did you cook this, Sir Parker?" Anna asked, amazed by the taste.

"Yes, I did," Luke replied.

"It’s so good!" she praised him.

"Of all the knights, Sir Parker is the best cook," Damon spoke up.

"The meat is so tender! It just melted in my mouth!" Anna exclaimed excitedly, savouring every bite of the delicious meal.

"His parents are the royal cooks at the Cassian palace," Eric added.

"No wonder you have good cooking skills! Then, why didn’t you become a cook too?" she asked the knight.

Luke smiled. "My parents also wanted the same thing. But I take cooking as a hobby, not as a profession. I’ve been fascinated with knighthood ever since I was young. So, I trained hard to be one, and here I am," the red-haired knight explained.

Anna nodded lightly as she heard the details.

"I see... I understand what you mean. I, too, have the hobby of reading books and translating languages. But it isn’t what I want to do in life," she told them.

Kyren had been attentive to the conversation and asked, "So, what do you want to do?"

The question caught her off guard, and she felt her cheeks turn red.

"No one has ever bothered asking me what I want to do. I was never allowed to decide freely," she said, looking down.

When she raised her head, she saw Kyren waiting for her response.

"Actually, I want to pursue cooking," she said hesitantly.

Rafe commented, "Cooking? But you have so much other talent! Wouldn’t it be a waste?"

"I guess everyone would say the same, but as Sir Parker said, what we want to do in life is not always connected to our hobbies. We all have dreams and ambitions," she replied.

"Once we get home to Gerhard, I’ll let you do it," the commander suddenly decided.

Anna’s eyes widened as she turned to him.

"Really? You would allow me?" she asked in disbelief.

"You can do anything you want as long as you don’t hurt yourself," Kyren added.

A bright smile was etched on the princess’s lips.

’Thank you! Then, can I learn how to cook from Sir Parker?" she asked him again.

The knights discreetly looked at the commander’s wife and then at Luke, recollecting the unpleasant occurrence with the red ribbon bouquet. Witnessing the commander’s irrational jealousy had instilled fear in them.

Kyren took his time to contemplate before responding while the others maintained silence and ate their breakfast.

"Go ahead. I will arrange for a maid to accompany you to avoid any awkwardness for Luke."

The decision brought a wave of relief among the knights, as the commander appeared to have given a reasonable solution that pleased everyone.

"Oh, thank you so much, Kyren." Anna’s face beamed with cheers.

"Would you teach me then, Sir Parker? You don’t mind taking me as your student, don’t you? I might be a bit weak physically, but I’m a fast learner," she earnestly requested.

"Most definitely, my lady. If it’s the commander’s order, I wouldn’t have any objection," replied the knight.

"Pardon me for asking this, but my lady said that no one had ever asked what you wanted to do and didn’t allow you to decide on your own. Then, how did you manage to get the Laradie cure in your blood? That’s a huge thing. Did anyone force you to take it?" Ayden suddenly blurted.

Kyren’s calm expression suddenly changed at the remark. He shot a daunting look at the assistant healer, conveying a non-verbal message not to proceed meddling in the matter.

"I’m sorry. I shouldn’t ask unnecessary questions. Forgive me, my lady." Ayden quickly averted his eyes.

Anna, who noticed the furtive look from her husband to the assistant healer, quickly responded, "No, you don’t have to apologise. I avoided your question before, remember?"

"You don’t have to tell anything if you don’t want to. In Cassian, no one can force you to do what you don’t want. I won’t allow it," said the commander.

"It’s fine, Kyren. I want to answer this. Besides, I owe all of you an explanation," she said, exhaling a breath before beginning her story.

"Actually... It was a royal decree from the previous king, His Majesty King Adhemar III. A few people have been selected to be administered the pure serum. I was one of them."

The men fixed their gaze on the lady as she recounted her story, causing them to pause their meal and listen intently. It was her first time sharing her past with them.

Rafe, eager to hear more, asked, "Why you?"

"My grandfather was the researcher for the pure serum. He was actually —"

"Wait, someone is approaching!" Kyren exclaimed, his keen hearing detecting the sound of horse hooves and wheels hitting the ground.

The princess took a moment to listen as everyone was on high alert, ready to defend themselves against any possible threats. The commander quickly shielded his wife by standing in front of her.

Soon enough, two riders, Alex and Drystan, arrived at the campsite, accompanied by a carriage and driver. The knights immediately calmed down as they realised there was no danger present.

"You’re back. That was fast," Eric remarked as the two riders descended from their horses.

"We found a jetty five miles from here and sorted out the transportation. Also, we brought the carriage and a driver as instructed. He’s mute, but he knows the road well. We came back through the path he suggested, so the journey back is shorter," Alex spoke up.

"Commander, the boats from the jetty can only take us to Carlan Wharf. From there, we must transfer to a bigger vessel to travel by sea. It will be a two-day journey from the jetty to the wharf," reported Drystan.

"Good. Finish up the meal and start packing. We shall move immediately," ordered Kyren.

Anna appeared confused and asked, "Where are we headed now?"

She seemed unaware of any changes to the plan.

Kyren responded, "We’re going to a jetty. Our next leg of the journey involves taking a ship to Port Braska in Gantz."

The princess’s eyes widened in surprise, and fear coursed through her as she stuttered, "A... ship?"

"Yes. I’ve arranged everything. There’s nothing for you to worry about," Kyren assured Anna, leaving her at a loss for words.

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