Rosalie stood before the suite door, her eyes filled with hesitation. She was still determining if it was the right mont to knock and deliver the ssage.
However, her husband, Anryr, had explicitly instructed her to do so, emphasising the importance of informing the lady about the postponent of the audience with the king.
Given the couple’s recent argunt, the steward believed that his wife would be the most suitable person to convey the ssage.
Rafe, the healer, had also encountered Rosalie and shared his observations—describing the lady as fragile and sensitive. Both n agreed that the chief maid’s gentle approach would be more effective than theirs.
Realising her duty, Rosalie fixed her gaze on the door, cleared her thoughts, and knocked firmly with her knuckles.
"My lady, it’s , Rosalie. May I co in?" she called out.
The master suite fell into silence, and after a mont, she heard a reply permitting her to enter. The chief maid slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside. Her eyes imdiately fell upon Anna, huddled on the bed, tears streaming down her face as she lowered her head in distress.
Approaching the lady with a respectful bow, Rosalie spoke softly, "Forgive for interrupting you, my lady, but there is a ssage that I must inform you."
Still sniffling from tears, Anna looked up and asked, "What is it?"
Taking a steadying breath, Rosalie conveyed the ssage with a compassionate tone. Her words hung in the air, allowing Anna a mont to absorb the information amidst her emotional state. The princess then nodded, indicating that she had understood the ssage relayed by the chief maid.
Sensing a brief pause in the conversation, Rosalie hesitated. She wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to ask, considering their recent introduction and her limited knowledge of Anna’s true character. Nonetheless, in their short ti together, she hadn’t found the princess to be an unpleasant person.
The revelation shared by her husband, Anryr, had astounded the chief maid. She had heard rumours before Anna’s arrival that she was an Ardelian. Still, the realisation that the petite lady was the daughter of King Adhemar IV, the once-trusted lord from Ardel who had betrayed the Ro’an Empire by joining forces with the lord from Barges fifty years ago, left her dumbfounded.
A surge of anger welled up within Rosalie upon learning the news. She couldn’t comprehend why the grand duke would choose to marry a descendant of a traitor.
Cassian society had nurous eligible maidens as his prospective brides, and there was even one person in particular whom most Cassians deed the perfect match for the grand duke.
Initially, Rosalie believed that her lord had made a grave mistake. However, as she observed Anna’s tearful state, sympathy began to replace her initial judgnt. She realised that the princess, too, had beco a victim of circumstance, unaware that she had married Kyren, the Grand Duke of Gerhard.
"Are you all right?" Rosalie asked cautiously, her concern evident in her voice.
Anna shook her head, her expression filled with anguish.
"How could he do this to , Rosalie? How could he lie to ?"
Rosalie’s eyes filled with hesitancy, but she carefully chose her words.
"I... I’m not in a position to comnt. I am just a humble servant and can never question the actions of my lord."
"I don’t belong here. I don’t deserve to be his wife," Anna cried, her voice choked with despair.
A pang of compassion surged through Rosalie’s heart as she witnessed Anna’s pain. Her mind raced, searching for the right words to offer solace.
"I am a descendant of a traitor! I can never be with him. You must’ve hated . All Cassians surely hate . Will anyone ever approve of our marriage?" Anna’s tears flowed uncontrollably.
"My lady, please don’t say that," Rosalie implored softly.
Anna’s crying intensified, and she could no longer contain her emotions. With red, swollen eyes, she lunged forward, embracing Rosalie tightly. The sudden gesture of intimacy took the chief maid aback.
"I don’t want to leave him! He’s everything I have! But he hurts ! He hurts !" Anna cried inconsolably.
Rosalie’s heart ached as she felt Anna’s tears wetting her uniform. Seeing how devastated the lady was and how desperately she needed soone to lean on, a motherly instinct overtook the chief maid.
Rosalie tenderly reciprocated the embrace, her hand patting Anna’s trembling back. An overwhelming sense of pity and compassion enveloped her, dispelling her doubts about the authenticity of Anna’s emotions.
Years of experience interacting with various individuals allowed Rosalie to discern genuine distress from fabricated theatrics.
"There, there now. Everything will be all right," she soothingly reassured the princess, her voice filled with warmth and empathy. Her comforting touch remained steady, providing a calm presence amidst Anna’s shaken state.
In truth, Rosalie was uncertain about what the future held. However, her deepest desire was for everything to resolve harmoniously, for the discord to dissipate and for peace to be restored.
***
Night descended, casting a shadow over the tense atmosphere within the master suite.
A few hours later, Kyren made his way to the room, only to find Anna crouched on the bed, her gaze fixed on so distant point, deliberately avoiding his presence. Sensing her reluctance to engage, he bit back the words he intended to say, choosing to prevent another fruitless argunt instead.
Feeling weary and disheartened by the situation, the grand duke decided to take a bath, seeking solace in the calming embrace of warm water. He subrged himself in the bathtub, the soothing sensation helping to clear his mind as he pondered how to nd the rift between them. The stinging from the pain of the wound on his arm didn’t even grab his attention.
The baffling mystery of Anna’s unwillingness to confide in him weighed heavily on Kyren’s heart. He couldn’t fathom why she kept secrets and shielded the identity of those who had caused her harm. The fact that she considered seeking revenge unnecessary and carried the burden of being a descendant of a traitor only deepened his anguish.
To Kyren, Anna’s bloodline held no significance. While his loyalty to the Ro’an Empire remained unwavering, he didn’t view her, as a descendant of King Adhemar, as a matter of great importance. In fact, he understood that she never asked to be born into the legacy of a traitor.
Kyren’s thoughts swirled with various emotions as he soaked in the bath. He longed for a deeper understanding between them, one that transcended the burdens of their past. He yearned to alleviate Anna’s pain, to show her that her lineage did not define her worth but rather by the bond they shared and the person she had beco.
As Kyren absorbed the unsettling revelations about Anna’s family mistreating her, a surge of anger coursed through his veins. He couldn’t help but feel satisfied that those responsible had t their demise, sparing them from his wrath.
If they were still alive, he would have been tempted to march into the kingdom of Ardel and impart a harsh lesson upon them. Yet, upon reflection, he realised that it was precisely Anna’s resilience and escape from those who had hard her that brought them together.
In a way, her challenging journey had led him to et and marry her, a path influenced by Rafe’s encouragent.
Erging from the bath, Kyren’s towering, n*ked figure exuded a majestic presence as water droplets cascaded down his skin. His damp hair clung to his forehead, and with a graceful sweep of his hand, he pushed back his jet-black locks.
Retrieving a towel from the rack beside the bathtub, he dried his sturdy physique before enveloping himself in a robe. Then, he returned to the suite, expecting to find Anna there.
However, the princess was nowhere to be found. Kyren surmised that she must have descended to the dining hall for dinner. Quickly dressing himself, he made his way downstairs, hoping to join her.
To his surprise, the dining room was empty. Anna was conspicuously absent, leaving him to ponder her whereabouts. Concern etched across his features, Kyren wondered if sothing had transpired or if she had retreated to find solace elsewhere.
A flurry of thoughts raced through his mind as he contemplated the possibilities.
"Where is my wife? Has she had her dinner?" Kyren inquired, his voice laced with concern, as Anryr approached to serve him.
"Lady Raychard declined her al, Your Highness," the steward responded, down casting his eyes. "She expressed no appetite, and despite our attempts to persuade her otherwise, she adamantly refused. Furthermore, she has relocated to the guestroom."
"She did what?" Kyren’s words reverberated through the air, infused with shock and anger.
"She specifically requested a separate room, one situated farthest from yours," Anryr confird, his voice growing fainter as he spoke.
He was clearly wary and apprehensive, fearing the grand duke’s potential wrath.
Kyren’s frustration surged, overwhelming his senses. In a mont of impulsive anger, he lashed out, his clenched fist colliding with a delicate vase of flowers positioned next to him. The glass shattered upon impact, sending fragnts cascading to the floor in a sound of destruction.
The sudden outburst startled the steward, causing him to flinch, his gaze montarily averting Kyren’s fiery glare.
"I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness. Rosalie and I did attempt to dissuade her. However, she remained resolute in her decision."
"Take to her at once!" the grand duke declared with a determined look.
Anryr quickly moved, aware of the urgency and the need to fulfil the grand duke’s request.
The steward led the way, guiding the grand duke’s long stride to the guestroom on the third-floor west-wing hallway where Anna sought refuge. With each step, Kyren’s heart pounded.
As they arrived at the guestroom, the grand duke’s frustration simred within him, manifesting in the forceful pounding of his hand against the door.
Each resounding thud sent a jolt of alarm through Anna’s heart, causing it to beat loudly within her chest. The relentless banging reverberated in the silence, creating an atmosphere of tension and urgency.
With no response forthcoming and the door obstinately locked, Kyren’s anger flared.
His voice carried a note of fury as he shouted, "Open the door, Anna, or I’ll kick it open myself!"
Just as Kyren’s impatience peaked, Anryr, the ever-watchful steward, intervened, sensing the need for a more asured approach.
"Your Highness, wait!" he interjected cautiously.
Stepping forward, he produced a set of keys from his pocket, his eyes eting Kyren’s with an unwavering gaze.
"I brought the spare key with ," Anryr announced as the sets of keys jingled in his hand.
Knowing his lord’s temper, the steward considered the possibility and wisely brought the spare keys. It would be troubleso if his lord damaged the door.
Not only would he need to clear the ss, but he also needed to hire a carpenter to make a new door and a locksmith for the new knob. Furthermore, it would take days for it to be installed. Overall, it would be such a waste of ti, money and effort.
"Open it now!" ordered the grand duke.
When the steward unlocked and opened the door, they saw Anna sitting on the bed, holding both her knees, wearing only her night garnt. Anryr, who caught sight of her, quickly lowered his head.
"Leave now, Anryr," ordered Kyren as he entered the guestroom and slamd shut the door.
The grand duke approached Anna, who was still ignoring him.
"What is this childish act? You’re not supposed to behave like this!"
There was no answer to the question, only dead silence.
"You don’t want to talk right now? Fine! I can accept that. But, asking to sleep in a different room? That’s outrageous!"
Still, no response was heard.
"Anna, don’t do this!" said Kyren, unsatisfied with her silence.
He sat next to her and hugged her. But there was no reaction.
"You can be mad at all you want. But, please! Don’t ever sleep away from like this when I’m here with you!"
Anna almost lted with his persuasion. However, when she thought of what had happened, she couldn’t deny the excruciating pain in her heart that hadn’t subsided.
He held her in his arms, but the princess remained frozen.
The worst part of their argunt had comnced—the silent treatnt had now taken hold.
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