The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 79: An Arrival at A Deserted Camp

Chapter 79: An Arrival at A Deserted Camp

The young teenager stood alone, looking at the deserted campsite. It had only been a few weeks since he had last seen her, but the memory of her smooth, smiling face as she had waved him goodbye while riding the horse was still fresh in his mind.

The teenager spoke slowly with a deep exhale and drooping eyes, "I guess this is it. Goodbye, Lady Raychard! I’m leaving now."

His words trailed off into the emptiness around him.

His little white puppy, which popped its head from the opening of the sling bag he was carrying over his shoulder, barked and licked his hand, sensing his sadness. He looked down at him and smiled, his eyes filling with determination.

"Let’s start our journey and achieve more in life. Someday, we will meet her again, and by then, we’ll be greater versions of ourselves," he said to the puppy.

The young teenager had been inspired by the knowledgeable princess when she had treated him, his brother, and his neighbour. Her skills had opened his eyes to the vast world of knowledge and the wonders that could be achieved with it. With this newfound passion, he decided to leave Mistdale and explore the outside world to gain more experience.

As he stroked the dog’s head and gave it a piece of beef jerky, his attention was suddenly caught by the sound of rattling wooden tyres rolling fast onto the hard ground. A sense of unease washed over him, and he quickly scanned his surroundings, noticing a carriage approaching in the distance.

It was uncommon to see such a transport coming this way, as it was a dead end that only led to the campsite. He turned around, looking for a way to escape, but there was no other way to run.

Concerned for his safety, the teenager swiftly hid behind a nearby tree and shoved the puppy’s head into the bag. His heart pounded with fear and uncertainty as the carriage stopped by the place.

***

The carriage’s tyres turned swiftly down a gentle hill as the sun shone brightly in the sky. They had been travelling for a few days on a secret route commonly used by smugglers and slave traders. The journey was expedited and went without any delays, and they arrived at the kingdom of Cassian four days from the Ardel border, a day earlier than expected.

On their way, they passed by a vast lake in the Dartrey Forest and went through a field filled with marigolds. Eventually, they stopped at an entrance to an empty campsite located on higher ground. Noah got off and walked towards the open camp.

Emily helped Clara exit the carriage, and they noticed that even the flagpole was empty. The two women stood beside Noah and looked around to take in their surroundings.

"Is this the right place? And why is the camp empty?" Emily asked as she gazed around.

"It appears that they have left," Noah responded shortly.

"Have they already gone back home?" Clara inquired.

The knight had informed them about the rest interval, which King Kyden typically announced in late summer or early autumn. It seemed that they missed the knights who had already returned to Gerhard.

"Most probably. But let me check and confirm this first. Wait here," Noah responded.

Emily and Clara exchanged a quick glance. Their eyebrows furrowed in confusion. They had noticed that no one else was around, yet this knight seemed confident that he could check and confirm the whereabouts of the camp occupants.

With whom was he going to get the confirmation?

Noah walked purposefully up the gentle hill and entered the site’s entrance. His heavy steps rapped in the stillness as he approached a nearby tree. Without hesitation, he inserted his hand into a small hole in the trunk, his fingers searching for something hidden within.

A small note was retrieved, written in a secret code. This was the method of communication between the grand duke and the knight whenever he assigned him missions during their stay at the camp. The knight carefully deciphered the code and smirked before returning to the women.

"The rest interval has been announced. So, the majority of the knights went back to Gerhard. However, His Highness and the lady went to Gantz with a few escorts," he said.

"Gantz? The capital of Cassian?" asked Clara for confirmation.

She had never been there, but she knew the capital name of the kingdom. The knight nodded.

"Wow, you’re now addressing your commander with his noble title!" Emily exclaimed with a grin.

Noah looked at her with his shining black pupils and explained, "He’s no longer on the frontier, so it’s only appropriate that I address him that way."

Emily chuckled at her mistake as she recalled the knight’s explanation.

"But why did they go to Gantz?" asked Clara.

Noah replied, "His Majesty has issued a royal decree summoning His Highness and his wife for an audience. Based on the departure date, they should be halfway through their journey by now."

"Why would His Majesty the King summon them?" asked Emily.

"The royal decree requested the lady’s attendance, indicating that His Majesty wishes to meet her. Though the reason is unknown, I assume he wants to know more about the woman his brother married," explained the knight.

"That seems logical. After all, His Highness is the grand duke, and His Majesty is his brother. However, issuing a ’royal decree’ sounds a bit excessive. Couldn’t he simply ask?" questioned Clara, concurring.

"The prospect of this event must have overjoyed His Majesty and truly interested him. It’s the first time anything like this has occurred," the knight smiled.

"Are you referring to His Highness’s marriage?" asked Emily.

"Not only that, but it’s also the first time he’s shown interest in a woman," Noah replied.

"That’s surprising! You mentioned he’s handsome and charming. I assumed he had many lovers," Emily remarked. It was common for noblemen with good looks and riches to have affairs in Ardel, like her previous lord.

"His Highness has never had any lovers. Three years ago, he proclaimed himself celibate," the knight stated matter-of-factly.

"What?" Emily and Clara exclaimed in unison, their expressions filled with disbelief.

"Why didn’t you tell us?" the young woman demanded, her frustration palpable.

Noah shrugged nonchalantly. "I didn’t think it was important. It’s past news. He’s married now, so the proclamation is no longer valid."

"Past or not, you should at least have informed me. I have the right to know what kind of man he is," the knightess retorted, her voice laced with frustration and disappointment.

"This is all so strange. A man who proclaimed himself celibate suddenly changed his mind and married an unknown woman," Emily mused, her brow furrowed in deep thought.

"I told you why His Highness married her," the knight interjected, his voice hinting impatience. He had already shared how Anna met the grand duke and their marriage circumstances, based on what was relayed to him by the grand duke himself.

"Yes, but there were so many other men in the camp. He could’ve asked anyone else to do it if he was so committed to adopting celibacy," Emily retorted, her confusion evident.

"He brought her to his tent. That sealed the deal already," Noah explained.

"I don’t understand," Clara said, her confusion mirrored in her expression.

"In Cassian culture, if a bachelor takes a maiden to his bed, it signifies they are engaged in an intimate relationship. The woman is then considered his. So, it makes sense for him to marry the lady to honour her dignity," said the knight.

Emily shot him a withering glare and grunted, "How could you miss telling us such an important thing?"

Noah shrugged nonchalantly. "Does it matter anyway?" he asked, his tone casual.

"Of course, it matters!" Clara retorted.

"Now I’m worried whether His Highness truly cares for her or if he is doing this only to uphold his reputation as the grand duke," she added, her mind racing with doubts and questions.

Noah defended the grand duke, saying, "He’s not like that! I can assure you that he cares about her a lot! I’ve heard the men talking about them all the time. They were always together when His Highness was at the camp and hardly separated!"

Emily rubbed her chin and thought, "This seems suspicious. Did he fall in love with her at first sight?"

The knight grunted and replied, "How would I know? I don’t dwell on their relationship!"

Clara intervened, saying, "All right, enough! Let’s focus on our journey. What’s our next move?"

"His Highness mentioned that he’ll stay in Gantz for two weeks and then return to Gerhard. Location-wise, the duchy is nearer to this place than the capital. So, we can return to Gerhard first and wait for them," suggested Noah.

"How long is the journey from here to the capital?" the knightess asked, her expression curious.

"It would take approximately two weeks by horse," Noah informed her.

"And what about from here to Gerhard?" she pressed.

"That journey would take roughly one week," the knight answered in his steady voice.

Clara’s expression darkened as she thought about the long wait ahead. "So, we’ll have to wait nearly a month before meeting her," she said disappointedly.

"I’m afraid so, but it’s for the best," the knight reassured her. "You could take time to recover while we wait for her. Don’t worry. She’ll be back soon."

"But can’t we just go to Gantz and see her? I’m so anxious to meet her," Clara implored. Her desire to meet Anna was evident.

Noah hesitated before responding. "It’s not that I don’t want to, but the journey to the capital is far from here, and I don’t know if you can withstand it with your injury. We would have to travel through the mountainous regions, and there’s no guarantee that the carriage can make it there. It’s a dangerous ride for a small group like us," he explained, his tone filled with concern.

"Dame Clara, he’s right. It may be risky for you to continue. It’s best if we follow his suggestion and head to Gerhard," Emily advised.

Clara’s face fell. "But I want to see her... I’ve already come this far," she replied sadly.

"You’ve been in the Huntbel Forest for months. A month longer won’t harm you. Let’s wait and head to Gerhard," the knight spoke up.

The knightess looked down, defeated. "All right, let’s go to the duchy," she agreed, her voice slow.

Noah and Clara suddenly stopped conversing, their heads turning towards the sound of rustling leaves behind a nearby tree. Sensing their unease, Emily looked around, trying to spot what had caused their sudden pause.

"Spy!" Clara whispered urgently to the knight.

Noah’s eyes darted to the side as he leapt and drew his sword, swinging it towards the tree.

"Come out, or I’ll slash your head!" he shouted, his voice sharp and commanding.

The sudden display of aggression surprised Emily, her mouth hanging open in shock. She was about to scream, but Clara quickly gestured for her to remain silent.

A young teenager slowly emerged from behind the tree, his hands raised in surrender.

"Help! Don’t hurt me, please!"

"You dare to sneak up on us!" Noah exclaimed, his sword at the ready, the blade dangerously close to the teenager’s neck.

"I’m sorry! Please... Please forgive me! I didn’t mean to spy on you! I swear!" the teenager exclaimed, his voice filled with terror.

"Who are you, and where do you come from?" the knight yelled, glaring at him.

"I’m Armel Chester from Mistdale!"