The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 78: Nightmare on The Ship

Chapter 78: Nightmare on The Ship

The night sky was shrouded in thick black clouds, and heavy rain poured down amid the strong wind. Lightning flashed, illuminating the terrified faces of the ship’s crew while the thunder echoed through the air.

The ship was being battered by heavy storms and turbulent, rough waves, which caused it to roll and sway violently in the wild sea.

Suddenly, a scream pierced through the chaos.

"The mast is falling!" yelled one of the ship’s crew.

As he screamed, the creaking ship’s main mast began to tumble down, hitting the front mast and tearing the sails apart. The other crew members rushed to the deck, heaving the broken spar and torn sails away to prevent further damage.

Amidst the chaos, the helmsman’s panicked voice rang out, "The rudder is broken! I can’t steer the ship!"

His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, and his face contorted with fear. The ship was rounding up and heading straight towards a treacherous reef.

Despite his best efforts, the force of the wind was too great, and the vessel was being pushed uncontrollably towards that direction.

The crew members worked frantically to prevent the ship from crashing into the reef. But the storm was relentless, and their efforts seemed in vain. The vessel was at the mercy of the wind and waves, and the crew could only hold on tight and pray for a miracle.

’Dum!!’

The deafening sound of the hull hitting the reef reverberated through the air, causing the entire vessel to shake violently. Panic swept through the crew as everyone scrambled to save their lives.

"Get on the boat now, princess! Hurry!" Nessy, the nanny, yelled, pushing her figure towards the small boat.

But the princess hesitated. "Wait! Ryan, father, the queen... they’re not here!" she cried out in distress.

The nanny didn’t bother with the princess’s plea. There was no time to lose. The seawater was rushing in, flooding the ship’s damaged compartments.

They had no choice but to flee the sinking ship in the chaos. With a sense of urgency, Nessy and Clara helped the princess into the boat and pushed it off the sinking ship.

In the blink of an eye, the dark, brutal waves swallowed the vessel under the heavy storm, leaving nothing behind but debris and the memory of a disaster.

"Sister! Sister! Help me! Why did you leave me?" cried the crown prince, his face twisted with sadness and disappointment. Then, his expression turned to one of extreme anger.

"You abandoned me! You let me die! You killed me!" the prince shouted ferociously. His eyes were red, and tears mixed with blood streamed down his cheeks.

"No! No! Ryan! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to. Ryan, please!" Anna screamed, reaching out to grasp her brother’s hand, but the rough waves violently ripped him away. His body sank into the deep sea, disappearing from sight.

"Ryan! Ryan! Ryan!" Anna cried out in anguish, her heart filled with indescribable pain.

The weight of her guilt and grief was almost unbearable. A loud cry spilt out of her lips as the tears fell down her cheeks.

"Anna! Anna!" A faint voice emerged from the depths of her subconscious.

"Calm down, Anna!" She heard a masculine voice calling out to her, the sound growing more apparent by the second.

The princess turned around, seeking the voice, only to find herself on a sinking boat, the water rising to her nose and suffocating her breath. Just as she thought it was the end, a strong and sturdy arm stretched out towards her, pulling her from the jaws of death.

"Wake up! Wake up!" The large hand shook her body briskly.

Anna opened her eyes, panting heavily. Cold sweats were pouring down her body, and she realised it was all just a nightmare. She was no longer drowning in the sea but lying on the bed in a room with a small light on the bedside.

"It’s just a dream!" The princess heard the voice again.

Then, she saw him right beside her, holding her hand firmly. The warmth of his touch calmed her down, and she knew she was safe.

"Kyren!"

Like a broken canal embankment, Anna’s tears flowed down her face uncontrollably. She clung to him tightly as if he were her last hope for survival, weeping like a child in his arms.

"I’m right here! It was all just a dream!" He cradled her body gently, patting her back in a soothing motion.

The delicate princess continued to weep in his arms, unwilling to let go. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Commander, is everything all right?" Rafe’s voice could be heard from outside.

Kyren didn’t want anyone to witness his wife’s vulnerability, but her condition necessitated a healer’s attention.

"Come in, Rafe. The door is unlocked," he replied as he pulled the blanket and covered Anna, wearing a thin nightgown to protect her modesty.

As the door opened, the healer, his assistant, and the knights gathered in front of the room. Annoyed by the intrusion, the commander dismissed the knights, and they quickly left at his order.

"May I come in as well?" Ayden requested, looking at Kyren.

The commander nodded, and the healer and his assistant walked inside. As soon as they stepped in, they saw the commander’s wife crying in her husband’s arms.

"What happened?" Rafe asked, concerned.

"She had a nightmare. It seems her symptoms have worsened than during her time on the boat," Kyren replied.

"Let me check her pulse first," the healer said, approaching Anna.

Rafe kindly asked for her hand. The commander coaxed his wife to comply, and the healer took a moment to examine her.

"As expected, her heart is racing due to the symptoms. It will return to normal soon. Otherwise, she is not physically affected," Rafe reported after his examination.

"What’s bothering you, Anna? What did you dream of?" Kyren asked, his voice gentle as he held her in her arms. He had heard her calling out an unfamiliar name – Ryan.

Anna’s eyes were red from crying, and her voice was shaky as she recounted her dream.

"The shipwreck... There was water coming in... and people were drowning," she sobbed, her body rocking with fear.

Without being told, Ayden immediately spoke up, recognising the signs of Anna’s distress, "I’ll go and prepare some calming tea for her."

As an experienced assistant healer, he knew exactly how to help the princess calm down. With a nod to Kyren, he quickly left the room to prepare the medicinal drink.

"I’m scared," Anna sobbed.

Kyren held her tightly, murmuring words of comfort into her ear.

"Don’t be. Everything’s going to be fine. I’m right here with you!" he said, kissing her head several times.

As Rafe watched the commander calm his wife with such tenderness and care, a smile slowly spread across his lips. Despite her frailty, he was grateful that Kyren had been so patient with the princess. It was a wonder to him, considering how notoriously impatient the commander had been in the past.

"These symptoms can be persistent and take some time to go away. If you want, I could prescribe some sleeping pills to help you get a better night’s rest," the healer suggested.

Anna took a few moments to collect herself, her tears slowly subsiding as she snuffled her nose. She hesitated before responding.

"I... I don’t want to become dependent on medication. It’s not good for the body in the long term," her quavering voice shook.

Rafe couldn’t help but grin at the princess’s knowledge of medicine and its effects.

"I understand your concerns, but your condition doesn’t seem good. How about taking it just for tonight so that your body can rest? You also had a panic attack during the incident today, didn’t you?" he suggested, recalling how the princess had almost fainted during the commotion.

Anna nodded and turned to Kyren, "Why are the ship crews behaving like that before me?"

"They just mistook you for a silly myth. You don’t have to worry about that," Kyren reassured her.

"All right. Lie down first, my lady, and we’ll prepare the medicine for you," said Rafe, excusing himself to get to Ayden.

Kyren gently laid Anna onto the bed and held her hand. After taking the medicine and drinking the tea, the princess began to feel drowsy. The healer stayed with her until she fell asleep.

As he was about to leave, Rafe quietly advised the commander, "Be patient and stay by her side. Please don’t be upset. She’s going through a difficult time, and all we can do is support her."

"I won’t be mad at her. I’ll do everything I can to help her," the commander replied. He gently caressed Anna’s cheek and proclaimed, "After all, she’s my woman."

As he gazed into his sleeping wife, Kyren’s vibrant blue irises gleamed profoundly. Though he couldn’t quite comprehend his emotions towards her, he recognised her significance to him.

Staying true to his promise, Kyren remained by his wife’s side, providing steadfast comfort as she dealt with her distress.

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