The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 94: Attack Of The Pirates (I)

Chapter 94: Attack Of The Pirates (I)

"Sail ho!" A thunderous shout echoed from the crow’s nest, instantly reaching Eric’s ears.

The knight scrambled to his feet, eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of vessels. He furrowed his brow in confusion, muttering to himself, "Huh... we haven’t passed any ship so far. What vessel could it be?"

As he stood alone on the main deck after the other knights scattered while Ayden and Rafe returned to their cabin, Eric heard hurried footsteps approaching from aft.

"Hear me, Sir Navin! We’ve got ourselves a mighty problem on our hands!" the shipmaster cried out, his face contorted with fear.

Eric spun around to face the man, his eyes narrowing in concern. "What sort of problem is it?" he inquired.

The shipmaster gulped, his voice trembling as he spoke. " By the beard of Neptune, Sir! A pirate ship has sighted us, and they be comin’ at us with full sails!"

"Pirates?" Eric exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief. "The Cassian Sea hasn’t seen pirates in ages. Are you certain?"

The shipmaster nodded vigorously, his expression grave. "I swear on me mother’s grave, Sir Navin. The Jolly Roger flies high on their mast, and they’re comin’ at us with all their might!"

Eric wasted no time, sprinting towards the stern castle to get a better look. He could see the pirate vessel closing in on them even without the spyglass.

The black flag, adorned with the dreaded skull and three swords, left no doubt about their intentions.

"D*mn it! It is a pirate ship!" Eric exclaimed, turning to the shipmaster. "Fear not! The knights of Gerhard shall fight by your side!"

"With a balinger that size, they could easily have forty to fifty able-bodied men on board. Me own vessel only has fifteen hands, and even with your knights, we’ll be outnumbered!" cried the shipmaster, his hands wringing in despair. "And most of me crew ain’t warriors. Some may have a bit o’ fight in ’em, but they’re not skilled in the art of battle."

Eric’s brows furrowed in concern. He knew that they were facing a daunting challenge, but he refused to let fear get the better of him.

"Don’t make quick assumptions, shipmaster," Eric said, his voice steady and confident. "We, the Knights of Gerhard, are trained to face any foe, no matter how great the odds are. Besides, His Highness, the grand duke himself is here with us."

The shipmaster, the only one on board besides the entourage who knew of Kyren’s true identity, could only hope for the best.

He had heard of the formidable reputation of the Knighthood of Gerhard and their legendary commander, who was said to be undefeated and feared by those who crossed swords against them.

However, he had never witnessed their battle prowess firsthand. In fact, this was the first time he had ever laid eyes on the grand duke himself.

The tale of the grand duke, who had once been the Crown Prince of the kingdom but had surrendered the throne to his brother and declared himself celibate three years prior, was well-known among the people of Cassian.

However, the shipmaster was taken aback when he saw the little woman with eyes as green as emeralds who had been brought aboard his ship as the grand duke’s wife abruptly ending the proclamation. Although the commander had warned him and his crew not to believe in the myths related to his wife’s eye appearance, it was difficult for the shipmaster to dismiss them entirely.

The shipmaster also couldn’t help but be struck by the grand duke’s devotion to his wife while they were onboard. It was a rare sight to see a nobleman so enamoured with his spouse, especially one who had renounced worldly pleasures and the pursuit of love.

"Order your men to arm themselves and gather on deck! I’ll go get the commander and the knights!" Eric said urgently.

Without waiting for an answer, the knight rushed and leapt down the stairs towards the cabin.

***

As the door creaked open, Kyren’s gaze fell upon Anna, seated on the bed with a sombre expression etched across her face. He knew that her mind was consumed with the weight of her ancestor’s betrayal, a new burden on her shoulders.

Anna now was aware that every step she took onwards, every word she uttered, had to be measured and weighed for fear of revealing her identity and risking everything she had.

"Anna," Kyren said softly as he approached her.

Sitting beside her, he gently took her hand in his. "What’s on your mind?"

Anna’s eyes flickered briefly in his direction before she looked down, her response prompt but guarded. "Nothing in particular."

Kyren exhaled slowly, his eyes fixed on her troubled expression. He knew there was more to her thoughts than she was letting on, but he also knew that pushing her too hard could cause her to retreat even further into herself.

His large hand gave hers a gentle squeeze.

"When did my wife start keeping things from me?" Kyren asked, his voice tinged with concern.

Anna looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "I never lie to you," she replied quickly.

"I know that," Kyren said with a softened tone. "But sometimes, you hide things from me. You keep your thoughts to yourself whenever you’re scared or worried."

Anna’s face fell, and she looked down at her hands. "I didn’t mean to," she said softly.

Kyren sighed, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek. "What’s this all about?" he asked gently.

"I... I’m just worried about losing you," Anna admitted.

"I’m not going anywhere," he convinced her.

"I know... but people like the king and the royal family, they hold a great deal of power. They could take everything away from you in the blink of an eye," Anna said, her voice laced with worry.

Kyren pulled her close to him, holding her tightly as she rested her head on his chest.

"No one can separate us," he said firmly, his voice full of conviction. "Not even the king. I swear it under the name of Raychard."

Anna felt a sense of relief wash over her at his words. His promise gave her a sense of security that she desperately needed.

As long as Kyren didn’t know the truth about her, she trusted he would keep his promise. As she embraced him, she pushed aside the fear consuming her thoughts.

"Kyren...," Anna murmured softly.

"Hmm?" the commander replied with a hum while his hand gently patted her head.

"When we get to Gantz, can we see your family?" Anna asked, a glimmer of excitement flickering in her eyes.

Kyren’s expression froze for a moment. "My family?"

Anna lifted her head and looked at Kyren. Her eyes widened in anticipation.

"Yes. You brother. Didn’t you say he stayed in Gantz? I would love to see your nieces and sister-in-law too. Can we meet them?" she asked eagerly.

Kyren considered revealing his family background to her and that they were en route to meet them. However, he ultimately decided against it as he believed it would be too surprising for her to handle at the moment. He would find the right time to reveal it before reaching the palace.

The commander smiled briefly as he dismissed the idea.

"Of course," he said, "We’ll surely meet them," staring at her with his mesmerising blue eyes.

Her plum-petal-like lips rose with a sweet smile. As their eyes locked, a rush of emotions flooded through them, stirring something deep within their hearts.

"You’re so beautiful, Anna," Kyren murmured, his breath ragged as he leaned in to kiss her.

But just as their lips were about to meet, a sudden series of loud knocks echoed through the cabin, startling them both.

’Bang! Bang! Bang!’

Kyren cursed under his breath, his arms releasing his wife as he strode towards the door with a scowl on his face, leaving Anna bewildered.

"Why are they bothering us at the worst possible time?" he muttered to himself, his hand gripping the door handle tightly.

As he swung the door open, he was met with Eric’s grave expression, who wasted no time in delivering the urgent news.

"Pirates are coming!" the knight announced with an urgent voice. "There’s an estimated forty to fifty of them!"

Kyren’s eyes widened in shock as he heard the alarming news. The message was brief, but it was enough to understand that a large number of pirates were about to attack their ship. He didn’t ask for more details as he knew the urgency meant there was no time to lose.

"Sh*t! Get everyone ready!" he ordered anxiously, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Eric rushed off to gather the rest of the crew while Kyren made a beeline for his weapons. There was no time to put on armour; he quickly slid several dirks onto his belt and knee and gripped his sword tightly in his right hand.

"What’s going on?" Anna asked, confusion and anxiety written all over her face. "Did Sir Navin mention pirates?"

"Yes. Take this with you!" the commander said urgently, thrusting a dirk into her trembling hands. He couldn’t give a detailed explanation.

As Anna looked up at him, shivering with fear, Kyren’s heart ached with worry. He knew that the situation was dire, and every second counted.

He wanted someone to accompany her to ensure her safety, but knowing that he and his men were outnumbered, he had no choice but to have them all fight along his side.

Kyren’s expression was full of concern and regret. He wished he had brought more escorts with them, but they hadn’t planned to take the sea route in the first place, and the incoming pirates were never in the picture.

It seemed that luck was not on their side, even though they had shared their first dance on the ship.

"Hide and stay safe. Whatever it is, don’t come out till I get back!" he said firmly, his eyes meeting hers before he turned to rush towards the door.

Anna watched Kyren go, her heart pounding with fear and uncertainty. As soon as he was out of sight, she felt the ship lurch and heard the deafening sound of cannon fire. The hull shook violently, and the sounds of running footsteps echoed through the cabin.

With a sense of panic rising in her chest, the princess frantically searched for a place to hide. She finally settled on crawling under the bed, her hand tightly gripping the dirk as she shivered with fear. In her heart, she silently prayed for their safety.

"God, please save us all," she whispered. Her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to block out the sounds of the ongoing battle.

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