The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 87: Her Hidden Talents

Chapter 87: Her Hidden Talents

Anna’s enthusiasm for the cooking class was infectious. Her face lit up with excitement, and she eagerly absorbed every lesson.

After only a few practices, she quickly mastered the techniques. The team was amazed by her natural talent and how quickly she could learn.

When the princess returned to her cabin, her excitement was palpable. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she recounted her experience of the day.

Her aura now shone brightly as she couldn’t stop expressing her gratitude to Kyren for the chance to learn and grow.

Her smile never wavered, and the commander couldn’t help but agree with Eric’s advice that letting Anna do what she liked without interference was the right decision.

Kyren’s emotions were mixed when he saw his wife’s cheerfulness. While genuinely happy for her, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy when he saw her smiling at other men.

He had been tempted to catch a glimpse of Anna at the galley secretly, and saw her mingling among the men, but Eric had caught him in the act and gestured for him to leave.

The commander knew he couldn’t be angry about it, as his wife had the right to enjoy herself and pursue her interests. He had never seen her so delighted before, and he knew it would be unfair for him to become angry out of jealousy. Instead, he resolved to support Anna in all her endeavours and to be happy for her.

The ship’s crews, shipmaster, and entourage gathered for a lively evening dinner, eagerly anticipating the feast. Tonight, the meals were not only prepared by the kitchen crews as usual but also by the commander’s wife and her team in the galley. As the dishes were served one by one, a large cauldron caught Kyren’s attention, sparking his curiosity.

A mouth-watering aroma wafted from the cauldron, causing the entire room to salivate in anticipation. The other delicacies served were no match for the curiosity and hunger piqued by the mysterious cauldron dish.

The commander turned to his wife and asked, "What is the dish called?"

"It’s fish chowder," Anna answered with excitement.

Luke said, "It’s an exceptional recipe from my lady, with her personal touch."

The commander’s wife smiled at the knight’s announcement but corrected him, "Actually, it’s a recipe from a cookbook I used to read."

"It’s impressive that you’re already able to cook from your first lesson," Kyren complimented her.

Anna humbly replied, "I didn’t do it alone. We all worked together."

Luke praised her talent, "Regardless, you’ve shown great skill in cooking. I’ve only demonstrated a few times, and you’ve already got the hang of it. You’re a fast learner, my lady."

Anna let out a light laugh and said, "Well, at least cooking seems to be something I’m good at. Please forgive me if it’s not perfect since it’s my first time. I truly hope everyone enjoys it."

The knight gave her an encouraging smile and said, "I’ve already had a taste, and you’ve done a fantastic job, my lady. You’re a natural in the kitchen."

"Aye, we are truly honoured to have the privilege of tasting the dishes prepared by our esteemed guests. Thank you kindly for inviting us to partake in this evening’s feast," said the shipmaster.

His words were met with nods and murmurs of agreement from the crews, who eagerly awaited to sample the meal.

As the group began to enjoy their dinner, Eli took a generous scoop of the chowder and brought it to his lips. His eyes widened in delight as the savoury flavours danced on his tongue.

"This is absolutely delicious! You have a true gift for cooking, my lady!" he exclaimed, his words punctuated by a contented sigh.

The young knight couldn’t resist going back for seconds, and everyone at the table praised Anna’s culinary creation, causing her to blush with happiness.

"Kyren, try it," Anna prompted, placing a steaming bowl of fish chowder before her husband.

The other entourage members watching them knew that the commander wasn’t typically a fan of fish and preferred greasier meats like beef, venison, and chicken. Their eyes darted to Kyren, wondering if he would reject the offer.

The commander’s eyes fell on the dish before him, and he took a moment before reaching for the spoon. Anna’s hopeful eyes twinkled as she looked up at Kyren, making it difficult for him to say no. He didn’t want to disappoint her and break the joyous expression on her face.

He slowly took a tentative sip, and to his surprise, the cuisine did not taste fishy. The tender meat of the fish crumbled softly in his mouth, while the broth was flavorful and savoury yet felt clean and smooth on his tongue. All in all, the dish was truly splendid.

"This is really good! I’ve never tasted anything quite like this," he praised Anna earnestly.

The rest of the entourage smiled in relief, glad to see the commander enjoying the meal.

"Congratulations, my lady. Your first recipe is already a resounding success. I concur with Sir Henderson. You have a true gift for cooking, and Sir Parker has gotten himself a great protégé," Eric added, offering his compliments to Anna.

"Sir Parker must have been an excellent teacher. I wish I could cook nicely like my lady," Ayden interjected wistfully.

Damon spoke up, his tone straightforward, "Please forget about your wish, Mr Norman. We’ve tasted your cooking before, and everything you make tastes like brewed medicine."

Eric nodded in agreement. "Sir McQuinn is right. Stick to your current profession for the sake of everyone’s taste buds. Trust me. You have no talent for cooking. But, I can assure you that you’re almost as good as our Rafael in medicine and healing," he added, trying to soften the blow with a light jest.

Ayden sulked at the knight’s sarcasm, feeling hurt by the remarks. "That’s cruel!" he protested, his pride wounded.

Rafe had been quietly enjoying his dinner when he suddenly spoke up upon hearing his name mentioned.

"Call my full name one more time, and I’ll make sure the laxative will ’accidentally’ spill into your next meal," he threatened Eric with a mischievous glint in his eye.

The knight who heard the threat laughed nonchalantly, unfazed by Rafe’s warning.

Anna couldn’t help but wonder why the healer disliked being addressed by his full name. She had overheard the burly knight calling him as such since their stay at the camp. Among the other knights, only Eric used ’Rafael’, which often led to quarrels between the two of them.

Despite her curiosity, Anna knew better than to ask, as none of the other knights seemed to understand why Rafe hated being called by his full name.

The dinner was enjoyable, and everyone was pleased with the meal. Afterwards, they engaged in conversations on various subjects while enjoying their drinks. The seamen were deeply engrossed in exchanging exciting tales, and their hearty laughter filled the dining area.

Seadog Grimm sat among them, occasionally stealing glances at the princess, but remained quiet, lost in his thoughts.

"Hey Seadog Grimm, why be it so quiet this eve?" asked one of the seamen, his voice carrying over the sound of the waves.

"Aye, ye’re usually the one with a tale to tell," chimed in another.

The seamen gathered around the old seaman, eager to hear about his adventures and the legends of the sea that he often shared. Despite being a grumpy old man who was challenging to get along with, his stories were always exciting and provided great entertainment during the long voyage.

But as they encircled him, Seadog Grimm’s eyes suddenly clashed with Kyren’s and Anna’s, and he quickly averted his gaze.

"Avast! There be no tales to spin tonight, me hearties! I just want to wet me whistle!" he bellowed, shooing away the curious seamen with a wave of his hand as he barked at them.

Disappointed, the men began to disperse, muttering among themselves about Seadog Grimm’s sudden change in demeanour.

As they sat in silence, one of the seamen piped up, "Why not break out a tune or two to shake off the gloom?"

The suggestion was met with cheers and jeers, and another seaman quickly offered, "Aye, great idea! I have a mandolin!"

He scurried out to fetch the musical instrument and soon returned with it in hand.

"Who’s going to sing?" asked the seaman with the mandolin.

All the seamen looked at each other, unsure who among them had the voice to carry a tune.

"Ha! None of yer can hold a note worth a barnacle’s spit!" jibed the shipmaster. "Yer croak-toad singings are only good for warding off the siren’s call. It’d only ruin the surroundings!"

The entourage laughed, but then one of the seamen couldn’t resist teasing the shipmaster in return, "Well, what about yer, shipmaster? Yer got a voice that could put a mermaid to shame!"

Then one of the other seamen said, "Aye, and I heard the mermaids swim away and never dared to resurface again after hearing yer singing. What a loss!"

The jest made the shipmaster’s expression sour, but then Anna’s sweet laughter rang out, and the men’s eyes shifted to her.

"Perhaps, would ye grace us with a song, me lady?" suggested the seaman holding the mandolin.

"Hey, now! Don’t bother the guests with yer impudence!" the shipmaster scolded him, then turned to Anna and Kyren with a deep bow. "Please pardon me crew’s lack of manners, me lord and lady."

Anna smiled kindly and said, "Oh, he’s not being rude. The truth is, I’ve never sung in front of a crowd before."

Rafe couldn’t help but notice the sparkle in her eyes and asked eagerly, "Can you sing, my lady? Have you ever sung before?"

"Well... I have," Anna admitted, her cheeks turning pink. "But only in the privacy of my own chamber. I’m not sure if I sound any good, though."

"Yarr, ye have a voice as sweet as a mermaid’s, me lady!" said the seaman holding the mandolin. "I’m certain ye can sing like the angels themselves!"

Anna’s eyes widened with surprise as the seaman assured her of her singing abilities. "Do you really think so? Would you listen to me singing even if it’s not good?" she asked him, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"Don’t ye worry, me lady! Yer voice will be sweeter than a mermaid’s lullaby," another seaman said with a grin.

Kyren didn’t look too pleased, but as Anna turned to him with a hopeful look in her eyes, he slowly nodded his approval. The entourage cheered at his nod, happy to see their stern commander softening up.

The seaman holding the mandolin spoke up, "So, what song will ye be singing, me lady?" His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he waited for her answer.

"Do you know the song ’Flowers of the East Garden’? It’s the only song I know. I heard it once from a group of bards," she asked him, her eyes shining with a hint of nostalgia.

The seaman’s face lit up with recognition. " Aye, I know that one well! ’Tis a famous ditty, indeed! I’ve played it many times meself, back in the days before I shipped out. I was part of a troupe of rovin’ bards, ye see," he responded, a smile spreading across his face.

Without further ado, the seaman gripped and positioned his mandolin, his fingers deftly tuning the instrument. As he began plucking the long stretched strings on the instrument board, a beautiful melody began to fill the air.

Anna listened intently, her eyes closed, lost in the music. Then, following the song’s notes, she opened her mouth and started singing.

Due to her shyness, her voice started low and barely above a whisper at first, but as the pace increased, it grew louder and resonated within the closed space.

To the men’s surprise, the princess’s sweet voice was undeniably alluring. It soared, carrying the song’s emotion and filling the room with a sense of longing and beauty.

The seaman’s mandolin accompanied her perfectly, and together, they created a moment of pure magic that lingered in the air even after the last notes had died away.

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