The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 93: A Delicate Matter

Chapter 93: A Delicate Matter

Anna’s face was clouded with uncertainty as she asked, "He must be a true supporter of the empire, right?"

Kyren’s response was curt and to the point. "He is," he answered firmly. "The grand duke has undivided loyalty towards the Imperial Majesties and the Ro’an Empire, and so do his men."

Anna’s heart was heavy with fear as she heard the reply. She imagined the possibility of the knights, healer, and his assistant despising her once they knew she was the Princess of Ardel.

In the blink of an eye, she would be deprived of all the valuable relationships and care she had ever received from them.

The thought of losing Kyren, her only family, was more frightening than anything else. She knew if that happened, everything she had gained in Cassian would be gone, leaving her alone and vulnerable.

"There’s something you need to know about the grand duke," Kyren said, poised to reveal the truth to the princess.

The men’s eyes now sparked with anxiousness, fueling the fire of anticipation.

However, as the commander glanced at Anna’s crumpled facial expression, he hesitated.

Concern etched onto his features as he asked, "What’s wrong, Anna?"

The princess continued to wear a worried look on her face.

"Kyren, can I make some requests first?" she suddenly asked.

"What is it?" he looked at her curiously.

"Once we have met with His Majesty, the king, can we return to Gerhard promptly?" the princess asked.

"Absolutely. That was my plan from the beginning," replied Kyren, noticing her uneasy demeanour.

"Also, can I not meet any other royal families in the future?" she earnestly implored.

Having made her decision, the princess wished to live a calm life in Gerhard, concealing her true identity to preserve her current situation and staying away from those who possibly would cause her to lose the people around her.

Kyren and the men were surprised by her second request.

"Why not? What’s the reason?" he asked, sounding impatient.

"I think it’s better if I don’t associate with them. Someone like me won’t be valued by any members of the royal family. I’m just a nobody with nothing," she replied softly.

"They’re not as terrible as you believe. We’ve discussed this previously," Kyren urged.

"I trust your words. However, more than anything... I just want to live peacefully with you in your abode. I know you serve His Highness, the grand duke and His Majesty, the king, and I won’t interfere with your duties. But let me choose the kind of life I want to lead. I concluded that avoiding any connections with them would be the best for me," she explained.

"But... my, lady, His Highness, the Grand Duke is a good man! He is highly respected and well-known for his integrity. You will love him when you learn more about him!" exclaimed Eli.

Anna shook her head fervently.

"I know my place, and it is beside Kyren. I promise to be a good wife and work on self-improvement to serve my husband better. However, I have no desire to engage myself with the royalties. Associating myself with them is the last thing on my mind," Anna declared firmly.

The princess was willing to go to great lengths to keep what she currently had, even if it meant hiding and concealing herself for the rest of her life.

"Anna..." Kyren’s voice trailed off after calling her name.

The commander had been so ready to confess to his wife, but when he saw the determination in her eyes, he held back his desire. It was not the right time to reveal the truth.

Kyren needed to find the right moment to talk this through with Anna. He wasn’t sure why she had reacted this way, but he was determined to find out. The knights, healer, and assistant looked on, astonished. What they thought to be a trivial matter had become a problematic situation for the commander.

"Return to the cabin first, Anna. I must have a word with my men," Kyren ordered firmly. "Eli, please escort the lady now."

Anna nodded, assuming that the discussion concerned the commander’s work. The knight promptly led the way to the commander’s wife and then returned to the group, waiting in silence for a short while.

Kyren’s frustration boiled over as he shouted at the men, his eyes glaring like hawks. "What the h*ll is going on?" he demanded, his voice sharp with anger. Did any of you say anything to my wife?"

All the men shook their heads in confusion except for Rafe. The healer opened his mouth and confessed, "I believe it was all because of me."

Kyren’s scowl deepened as he scolded him, "What did you say to her that made her react like this? Answer me now!"

Rafe inclined his head in shame as he admitted, "I told her about the Ro’an Empire’s downfall and the betrayal of the four lords."

Kyren’s anger rose as he exclaimed, "D*mn it! No wonder she reacted that way! She must be scared now! Look what you’ve done!"

The healer hung his head in remorse. "Forgive me, commander. I didn’t mean to scare her. But we are reaching the capital in just a few days, and I thought it would be best for her to know in advance and be prepared."

Kyren’s expression darkened as he listened to Rafe’s explanation. "You don’t get to decide anything for her except matters related to her health condition! How am I supposed to tell her who I am now? The moment I open my mouth, she’ll freak out and shut me out!"

"Commander, please don’t be angry at Mr Amares. He meant well and wasn’t wrong. She should know about the history of the empire and the kingdoms before we reach the capital," Ayden replied.

"Once we’re there and you announce, she’ll be the centre of attention. The royalties of Cassian have never married a foreigner from the four kingdoms," Eric interjected, trying to reason with Kyren. "Also, don’t forget about your fans. The moment they find out you married the lady, they’ll come after her with no mercy."

Kyren let out a heavy sigh. He had forgotten about his crazed fans in the capital. The commander began to worry about Anna’s safety. The thought of her being hounded by his fans was unbearable, and he knew he needed to protect her.

"I agree with Sir Navin and Mr Amares, commander," Damon spoke up, supporting their point of view. "At least the lady already knows about the conflict between Cassian and the other kingdoms on the continent."

Luke tried to talk to Kyren, "The lady will be meeting His Majesty and the Cassians in the capital for the first time, so she needs to be prepared. Also, she must know who you are before she finds out from someone else. It will only hurt her more if she discovers the truth on her own."

"You think I don’t want to tell her? I told you I would tell her who I am, right? But this is not as simple as saying, ’Hi, I am the Grand Duke of Gerhard. Congratulations, you married the king’s brother!’" Kyren rebuked. "There are many factors to consider, and I need to find the right way to tell her so she won’t be overwhelmed or feel betrayed."

The men fell silent once again.

The commander’s frustration was palpable, and the rest of the men exchanged glances, unsure of what to do next. It was clear that this was a delicate situation that required careful handling.

"I understand the challenge, but she must know since her true identity won’t make it easier for her. Even if you talk to His Majesty, and he’s fine with it, the other people in the capital might have a different idea," Eric stated firmly.

Ayden and Eli creased their foreheads at Eric’s mentioning the lady’s true identity, but they didn’t dare to ask any questions, sensing Kyren’s foul mood.

"I don’t care what people think of her! As long as she stays with me as my wife, none of the other things matters," Kyren declared.

"I’m not doing this for you, commander. I’m doing this for her. The path ahead will be challenging for Lady Raychard as your wife, and I’m just worried that she won’t be able to face it if she’s not prepared," Rafe interjected.

Kyren sighed heavily, realising that the healer’s intentions were good, but his execution was flawed. "We’ll speak more about this later," he said, his voice softer now. "I’ll go and calm her down."

As the commander walked away, Eli turned to Eric and asked, "What’s with the lady’s true identity? Are you referring to her being an Ardelian or something else?"

Ayden also came near, interested in knowing, while Luke listened attentively to their conversation.

"There’s more to her story, but let’s not talk about it right now until the commander announces it himself," Eric replied cautiously, not wanting to upset Kyren any further.

***

About half a nautical mile away, a balinger was sighted cutting through the blue waves.

A rugged pirate, his tattered clothing and weather-beaten face evidence of his years spent plundering the high seas, stood on the vessel’s bow, scanning the horizon through his spyglass. His sharp eyes soon fell upon the cog ship, and he let out a wicked grin as he lowered the spyglass.

"Anything queer from the bring-em-closer?" growled the captain to his quartermaster, who held the spyglass.

"Nay, cap’n. We’ve been trackin’ ’em since this mornin’. ’Tis just a merchant vessel sailin’ west. They’re probably headin’ to Braska with their loot," replied the quartermaster. "Looks like a fine haul."

The captain of the pirate vessel, a seasoned seafarer with a long beard and a gleam in his eye, strode over to the bow to take a look for himself. He raised his spyglass to his eye and peered through it, his gaze settling on the cog ship in the distance.

"Aye, that be a fine haul indeed," he said with a chuckle. "Signal the crew to prepare for the attack," he ordered his man.

"Aye, aye, cap’n!" the quartermaster obeyed, immediately summoning the crew to get ready.

The ship’s crews scurried about, arming themselves with cutlasses and preparing for the impending attack.

"Cap’n, be ye sure we’re plunderin’ the Cassian sea? We’ve never sailed them waters before, and ’tis safer to get to know ’em a bit afore we set sail," questioned the sailing master who came and approached. His brow furrowed with concern.

"Arr, be ye a coward, lad?" he growled. "We be pirates, and pirates don’t shy from a bit o’ danger! Besides, the Cassian sea be known for its rich booty, and we’ll not let it slip through our fingers just ’cause we be afraid to take a risk."

"Nay, cap’n," the sailing master replied, "but I’ve got a feelin’ the weather be off. It’s too bright in a strange way and may not bode well for the plunderin’."

The captain scoffed, "Bah, don’t be a lily-livered landlubber! It’s just a merchant ship we’re after!" He then turned to his crew and roared, "Hoist the Jolly Roger, me hearties! We’ll make ’em walk the plank!"

The black flag, emblazoned with the fearsome image of a skull and three crossed swords, was raised high on the mast, flapping menacingly in the wind.

"Row, ye scallywags, and let’s give chase!" bellowed the captain, urging his crews to row with all their might.

"Aye, aye, cap’n!"

The balinger quickly closed in on the cog ship with deadly intent. Unbeknownst to the unsuspecting crew of the other vessel, they were about to fall prey to a notorious pirate ship.