"So the direct descendant of Ro’an saved you!" Anna exclaid in excitent.
Kyren’s expression beca solemn, and a heaviness lingered in his sigh.
"In a way, yes. However, there was a price to pay," he admitted with disappointnt.
Confusion etched across Anna’s face as she questioned, "What price? I don’t understand. What did they want from you?"
Kyren’s gaze grew distant, the weight of the past bearing down on him.
"The daughter of His Imperial Majesty, the last emperor, placed a binding spell on and her unborn child. During the ritual, she was heavily pregnant. When I regained consciousness, she was in labour, but sothing went wrong. The baby erged lifeless, her tiny body coloured with a bluish hue. The attending lady explained that she wasn’t supposed to be born yet and passed away right before my eyes. Then, she warned us of impending danger and amidst the chaos, my mother and I were urged to escape. I don’t know what it was, but my mother instinctively took , and we fled."
Anna’s eyes widened with realisation as the puzzle pieces ca together.
"The baby... she’s the Princess of Ro’an, isn’t she?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
Kyren nodded, confirming Anna’s suspicion. The questions continued to pour forth.
"What was the purpose of the binding spell? Why would she cast it upon you?" Anna inquired with deep concern.
Kyren took a mont to collect his thoughts before responding.
"She said the binding spell was the only way to bring back to life. It not only revived but also intertwined my fate and hers. She... she is my soulmate, and I am destined to protect and care for her eternally."
Anna’s eyes widened, a combination of shock and confusion on her face.
"But you said she died!"
"We share a bond that transcends life and death," Kyren explained in a bitter tone. "The binding spell is unbreakable, even to this day. I’ve been searching every way to undo it but failed."
"I don’t understand," Anna admitted, her brow furrowed in puzzlent. "How can you protect soone who is already deceased? And why does this affect your ascension to the throne?"
"The binding spell prohibits from embracing any woman other than her. It has suppressed any feelings of lust or attraction towards others. I have been unable to love anyone for years, and I have felt a deep sense of revulsion towards the won who pursued ."
Anna’s eyes widened further, stunned by the weight of Kyren’s confession.
"What? But... that’s unimaginable!" she exclaid, struggling to comprehend the imnse consequences of the binding spell on Kyren’s life.
The grand duke stepped closer to Anna, their eyes locked in a deep connection.
"Yes. That’s why I confided in you last night, trying to make you understand the complexity of my emotions," he confessed. "If I ascend to the throne, I need a queen by my side. But how could I marry soone when I know deep down I can’t accept her into my life? It would only bring her suffering and heartache."
Anna’s eyes brimd with confusion and hurt as she struggled to make sense of their conflicting relationships.
"You said you didn’t feel lust or attraction. But... but... you married ! Yet, we kissed, embraced, and even shared intimate monts, like a married couple would."
Kyren’s reached out to hold her hand.
"Anna..." he said with a low tone. "You are the first woman who awakened a sense of desire within . The night you unknowingly stripped bare before my eyes under the influence of the aphrodisiac was the first ti I felt true lust for a woman. You may call crazy, but I can’t explain why it happened. At first, I tried to deny it, and when Rafe suggested the idea of marrying you, I even rejected it. But then... then I realised I wanted to claim you as mine. I wanted to experience the touch of a woman, and you... you were the only person who made feel that way."
Anna’s eyes searched Kyren’s face, astonishnt in her gaze.
"Why ?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kyren’s thumb gently caressed the back of Anna’s hand as he responded, "I wish I had the answer. But I truly don’t. All I know, then and now, is that I can never let you go. I want you to be by my side. I refuse to live in loneliness, knowing that I am incapable of loving anyone. You have filled the void in my heart, even if I can’t love you in the conventional sense. Having you with brings happiness, and that ans everything to ."
Anna listened intently, her own heart aching.
"What about your engagent with Lady Jas?"
"Ah... The second matter..." Kyren began. "It happened without my knowledge. I was away from the palace, seeking talented individuals for my knighthood. When I returned, I was inford of the arrangent and was utterly shocked. My parents were worried that I would end up alone and succumbed to the urgings of Lord Jas, who was persistent in having his daughter as the future Queen of Cassian. I was devastated when I discovered the truth."
Curiosity filled Anna’s eyes as she probed further, "Did you try to talk to Lady Jas about this? To explain your situation?"
A flicker of sorrow crossed Kyren’s features. "I can’t tell her of my secret. However, I tried to talk to her about the annulnt, but she refused to accept it. I made every attempt to end the engagent, but then my father fell gravely ill. Amid his illness, I couldn’t bring myself to burden him further. After his passing, I swiftly broke the engagent and made a shocking announcent, declaring that I would forsake the throne in my brother’s favour and proclaim myself as celibate."
"So, this is what it’s all about," Anna murmured softly, her heart heavy with empathy for Kyren’s struggles.
"Yes. Now you know," Kyren confird.
Anna sighed deeply. Her heart was full of the heaviness of her unintended actions. Realising the pain she had caused by running away from him, guilt washed over her. Her head bowed as she mustered the courage to apologise.
"I’m sorry," Anna whispered in remorse. "I shouldn’t have accused you of lying and running away from you."
Kyren’s arms enveloped Anna once more, drawing her closer to him. The warmth of his embrace began to soothe his heart, knowing that his wife was still within his grasp.
"I’m sorry too," Kyren responded, his voice filled with sincerity. "I should have explained everything to you sooner, spared you from the confusion and hurt."
Anna shook her head and looked up, her eyes eting the grand duke’s as she recalled their previous conversation.
"No, it wasn’t your fault," she interjected. "You did try to explain it to , rember? I was the one who prevented you from talking about it."
Kyren’s hand gently caressed Anna’s head, a tender gesture to reassure her. He then leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"Don’t ever run away from again, Anna," Kyren requested. Sincerity was beaming in his eyes. "I can’t imagine a life without you. You are everything to ."
Emotions swirled within the depths of the princess’s heart, a mix of awe, confusion, and curiosity. Kyren’s heartfelt admission that he couldn’t comprehend or experience love resonated deeply within her.
Yet, his actions spoke volus, revealing a profound and genuine affection that left Anna perplexed. She couldn’t help but wonder why the binding spell seed not to affect her, defying all expectations.
What could be the possible reasons behind this extraordinary circumstance? The questions tugged at her mind, seeking answers.
Anna contemplated her own identity, knowing that she was not a descendant of the Ro’an lineage. Instead, she was the daughter of King Adhemar IV, a monarch who stood as an apparent adversary to the empire and Cassian. Furthermore, she possessed no magical abilities that could potentially explain this mysterious connection.
Kyren’s voice carried determination and resolve as he spoke, his words slicing through the tension in the air. "Let’s forget about the proposal of His Majesty. I will not comply with his request," he declared firmly.
Anna’s brows furrowed with concern, her voice laced with worry. "But wouldn’t that be going against the king’s wish? It would be disobedient and could bring consequences."
Kyren shook his head, his gaze unwavering. "It’s not a royal decree. Even if His Majesty presents it as one, I cannot agree. He may sentence to prison or impose harsher punishnts, but he will never make give up on you."
Anna fell silent, absorbing Kyren’s unwavering determination. After a mont, she spoke softly, her voice tinged with understanding.
"He didn’t ask you to give up on . He is only thinking about my safety and the well-being of our family. That’s why he proposed as such," she acknowledged.
Her thoughts turned to the king’s concerns regarding her status as the Princess of Ardel, which couldn’t be revealed to the public, and her involvent with the slave traders.
"Our family?" Kyren repeated, his eyes widening. A soft smile curved his lips as he gazed at Anna.
"Yes... your family is also mine now, isn’t it?"
Anna’s words lted Kyren’s heart, and he returned his smile to her.
"You’re right," he replied. "We’re all a family."
Their embrace tightened, encompassing the depth of their emotions and commitnt to one another in silence.
Kyren’s voice broke the peaceful surroundings with his resolute tone. "His Majesty is going to et with the ministers of the royal council tomorrow morning at their insistence. I must attend the eting as well, as this is a matter pertaining to ."
Anna’s eyes filled with gratitude as she nodded. "I understand," she whispered. "I feel tomorrow will be hectic, won’t it?"
"I believe so, too. Nevertheless, I won’t allow anything bad to happen to you. Once this ordeal is over, let’s return to Gerhard and live happily."
A surge of hope filled Anna’s heart as she locked eyes with Kyren.
"Yes, Kyren," she murmured, her voice brimming with anticipation. "Let’s go back to Gerhard and live happily."
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