The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 99: The Arrival In Gantz

Chapter 99: The Arrival In Gantz

The cog ship carefully navigated through the narrow waters of the port, its crews expertly manoeuvring the vessel towards the dock.

As it drew closer, the sail was dropped, and the ship was oared towards its destination. Despite its medium size, the cog ship managed to find a spot at the quayside to dock.

As the vessel came to a halt, the crews quickly lowered the anchor and fastened the rope to the bitts, securing the ship in place.

Eric was the first to disembark, quickly navigating the bustling crowd of seamen and port workers.

From a distance, the knight could see carriages with the Gerhard coat of arms waiting for them. Alex and Drystan stood alongside a few other servants and coachmen, eagerly waiting to welcome the entourage to their destination.

Eric made his way towards the carriages. His heart filled with anticipation and excitement as he saw his fellow subordinates. The two knights greeted him warmly.

"You’ve finally arrived. We’ve been waiting for you since early morning," said Alex.

A hint of concern rose from his voice as he noticed the scratch on Eric’s face. "What happened? Are you all right?"

The second-in-command knight touched his wounded cheek and gave a slight smirk.

"It’s just a souvenir from the pirates who attacked us a few days ago," he replied.

"Pirates?!" The two knights exclaimed, their voices filled with shock and disbelief.

"Since when are there pirates in Cassian waters?" asked Drystan, his eyes wide with surprise.

"That’s something we need to investigate. Apparently, they didn’t originate from here," explained Eric, his voice solemn and determined.

The news visibly shook the knights, and Alex anxiously asked, "Did anyone get hurt?"

Eric’s tone became grave as he delivered the news. "Ayden sustained injuries from the assault, as did certain members of the ship’s crews, but he’s fine now. However, regrettably, we have suffered the loss of some good seamen during the attack."

"What about His Highness and the lady?" asked Drystan worriedly.

Eric reassured him with a small smile playing on his lips, "They were both unharmed." The two knights felt relieved upon hearing his reply.

"How many pirates were there? Did you manage to eliminate all of them?" asked Alex with a determined expression.

"We fought off around forty, but most of them ran off, leaving only a few wounded ones," Eric replied with a serious tone.

"Five knights against forty pirates? That’s a huge gap, I must say! It must be challenging to fight them! Why did they run away? Were they afraid of His Highness?" asked Drystan, his brows furrowed with confusion.

"His Highness is exceptionally a great warrior. If they were unskilled pirates, it wouldn’t be a big problem for him to defeat them," Alex interjected with confidence and admiration for Kyren’s battle abilities.

Eric chuckled. "There’s a long and fascinating story behind it, but I’ll save it for later," he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

The knights curved their brows, intrigued by Eric’s cryptic words. They knew nothing of the daring ploy Anna and Rafe had concocted and its role in the enemies’ retreat. At the same time, they were concerned, knowing that the presence of pirates in the waters was a grave threat to the safety of their people.

Eric then continued, "For now, please keep addressing His Highness as the commander."

"Why?" asked Alex, confused.

The burly knight lowered his voice. "He still hasn’t found the right time to reveal himself to the lady."

"What? How come?" asked Drystan with a crease on his forehead.

Alex too, looked concerned. "That’s not good. Lady Raychard deserves to know the truth," he said firmly.

Eric let out a deep sigh. "I know. But a lot has happened on the way, and he hasn’t had the chance to tell her yet."

Drystan clicked his tongue and commented, "This will be difficult." His tone reflected the weight of the situation.

The citizens would recognise him immediately when the grand duke set foot in the capital. His fans would also swarm around him, eager to glimpse the previous crown prince. Kyren’s good looks had made him a celebrity among them, and they would be clamouring for his attention.

"The commander will inform her himself shortly. We have to be patient for the moment," Eric reassured them.

Alex nodded in agreement but couldn’t help expressing his concern.

"I understand and respect the commander’s decision. However, the citizens who knew him well would address him by his title, and we couldn’t stop them. Imagine how shocking it would be for the lady if she heard it before the commander told her," he explained.

Eric listened intently before relaying the commander’s order.

"Our priority right now is to provide aid for the crews and take the captives to the nearest patrol station’s detention. As for the lady, we must prevent her from finding out until the commander tells her himself," he said firmly.

Drystan nodded obediently. "Understood, Sir Navin. We take note of that," he said.

"The commander has ordered that the lady be escorted back to the mansion, along with Ayden and Rafael," Eric informed the knights. "He will fetch her for an audience with His Majesty after he sorts out the pirate attack matter. Until then, please keep his identity from the lady," Eric explained.

Drystan scratched the back of his head, thinking. "If that’s the case, we should notify the servants in the mansion. They don’t know about this yet," he said.

"That’s a good idea. Please proceed with it. Sir Parker will remain behind to monitor the captives. At the same time, Sir Henderson will contact the authorities stationed nearby to come and take them into custody and provide care for the wounded crews," Eric instructed with a determined look.

"The rest of us will accompany the commander to see the admiral immediately. It hasn’t been long since the pirates escaped, so we need to track them down as soon as possible," he told them.

"I’ll ride back quickly to inform the servants at the mansion so they can be prepared. Perhaps you can procrastinate the trip?" Drystan asked Alex.

The knight agreed, "Then, I’ll take a longer return route so you can make it before we arrive. Go ahead and inform the servants."

"By the way, the commander specifically reminded me that the lady should receive the best treatment and have all her requests fulfilled," Eric added.

"Understood, Sir Navin. We will make sure of that," replied Alex.

With that settled, Drystan set out to the mansion while Alex took charge of briefing the coachmen and servants who had accompanied them, ensuring that everything was in order before the lady disembarked from the ship.

***

Kyren assisted Anna down the gangplank, guiding her carefully towards the carriage waiting for them near the pier. The servants and coachmen bowed respectfully as the couple approached, then began attending to their tasks; unloading goods from the ship, putting them into the carriages and lining the horses.

As they descended from the ship, the commander wore a robe and advised Anna to do the same, citing the intense sunlight reflecting on them. He also pulled down his hood to shield his head from the sun.

"Are you still afraid to get on the carriage, Anna?" Kyren asked his wife, concerned as they reached the carriage.

Anna shook her head, a determined look in her eyes. "Not anymore. After all I’ve been through, I think riding in a carriage is the least of my worries," she replied, her voice steady and persistent.

"Good," the commander replied, nodding in approval. "Because the knights and I are going to see the admiral first. Alex will escort you, Ayden and Rafe to the grand duke’s mansion."

Anna’s eyes widened in surprise. "Why? I thought we were all going to see His Majesty together," she asked, confused.

"We will after I finish my tasks," Kyren explained. " Ayden has not fully recovered yet, so he better stay at the mansion."

"But, won’t His Majesty be furious then? We had delayed the journey for so many days," she asked nervously.

"You don’t need to worry about that," he said, his voice confident and reassuring. "Alex and Drystan have already informed His Majesty of the delay, and I need to report the pirate attack incident to the admiral urgently."

"I understand," she replied.

"Also, I want you to look your best when meeting with His Majesty. The servants will provide everything you need to ensure you are presentable," Kyren added.

His eyes rolled up and down, catching his wife’s plain clothes. She was still wearing the commoner outfit she had worn from the camp.

Following the commander’s eyes, the princess glanced down at her attire and couldn’t help but notice how shabby it appeared. She concurred with her husband’s perception and hoped to change into a better outfit.

"Take some rest while waiting for me. If you need anything, just let the servants know. I’ll be back for you quickly, and we’ll go to the palace," said the commander, rubbing his fingers on Anna’s cheek.

The princess nodded lightly. However, a sudden thought ran through her mind.

"Kyren, if it’s the grand duke’s mansion, do you mean it’s His Royal Highness, the Grand Duke of Gerhard’s place?" she asked with eyes glazed with concern.

Anxiety gripped her as she contemplated the prospect of meeting the ’unknown’ grand duke. She feared she would slip her mouth and accidentally reveal her identity to him.

"Yes, it is."

A sigh of worry escaped Anna’s lips.

"He would be there, wouldn’t he?" she asked worriedly.

"Not now, definitely. But he will be..." Kyren muttered slowly, looking away as he hid his nervousness. He then took a deep breath, turning his shimmering blue eyes on Anna as he stared at her.

"Anna... I need to tell you something about the grand duke when I return. I hope you’ll be ready for it," he said solemnly.

Anna creased, looking up at Kyren with a questioning expression. "What is it? You sound so serious!" she asked, her doe-like eyes filled with curiosity.

The commander hesitated for a moment before answering. "It’s something you need to know... Something you need to open your mind to," he said, his tone gentle but insistent.

"He won’t make you leave me, would he?" Anna asked, her voice betraying her fear.

Kyren smiled reassuringly. "Of course not! It’s not bad news, I promise you," he said, his voice filled with warmth and affection.

Anna nodded, feeling reassured but still curious about what he had to tell her.

Kyren gazed deeply into Anna’s eyes. Soon, she would know who he was, and he would tell her he already learned of her identity. Once he did, there would be no more secrets between them.

As they stood there, Kyren pulled his wife close and placed a tender kiss on her forehead, filling her with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

The princess’s heart fluttered as she felt his warm embrace and wondered what secrets he held. Despite her curiosity, she knew her husband had a duty to fulfil, so she agreed to his request without further questioning.

Anna climbed into the carriage, feeling mixed emotions as she watched Kyren and his knights mount their horses. She waved goodbye from the carriage window with her tiny hand, and her husband nodded in response.

The knights then took off, braving the winds and parting ways from the group heading to the mansion.