"Why are you dancing with him? Who is this?" Kyren’s firm voice cut through the air, reaching Anna’s ears. His deep blue eyes darted between the two figures with a hint of jealousy.
A wave of relief washed over the princess as she laid eyes upon her husband once more. The presence of Kyren brought a sense of security that enveloped her heart.
Overwheld with emotions, she exclaid, "Kyren!" before embracing him tightly.
Anna’s sudden behaviour piqued Kyren’s curiosity. He could sense the unspeakable fear that coloured her face and instinctively sought to calm her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close, offering a shield against the world.
His eyes narrowed with suspicion as he addressed Brone with demand.
"I find it far from pleasurable to witness my wife dancing with another man, especially one who is not a family mber. Who are you?"
Kyren’s gaze bore into Brone, his protective instincts fiercely ignited.
A smile curled up on the Bargesian leader’s lips, a hint of amusent dancing in his eyes.
"Wife? I beg your pardon, but as far as I know, she’s a concubine," Brone retorted with a touch of arrogance in his tone.
Kyren’s face hardened.
"In case you don’t know, a concubine is still considered a wife, though not legally recognised, and I have the right to call her whatever I please, as she belongs to ," he asserted firmly.
Brone’s expression softened as he realised his mistake.
"I see... Forgive for not knowing. You must be His Royal Highness, the Grand Duke of Gerhard. We’ve yet to be introduced. My na is Lord Brone Morro, the ambassador of the King of Ardel for the alliance," he introduced himself, extending his hand for a friendly handshake.
However, Kyren’s fierce gaze halted the gesture, leaving Brone to retract his hand awkwardly.
"I wasn’t aware you would abhor your woman dancing with another man. The lady didn’t ntion it when I sought her permission," the Bargesian leader explained, attempting to defuse the tension.
Kyren turned his gaze towards his wife, his eyes searching for the truth.
"Is that so, Anna?" he asked with concern.
Anna lifted her head, torn between her desire to deny everything and speak up and the vivid mory of Brone’s warning. The weight of his threat echoed in her mind, causing her to hesitate. She couldn’t help but recall his chilling words; ’I did it once. I can do it again.’
As deep fear settled within her, Anna’s mind was flooded with the faces of the people she held dear in Cassian. The image of Kyren’s doting gaze, the care of Rafe and Ayden, the camaraderie of the Knights of Gerhard, the innocent smiles of Laura and Lilith, and the unwavering support of the King and Queen of Cassians—all these connections and affections ford her newfound family and friends. The re thought of losing any of them sent a shiver down her spine.
Recalling Rafe’s wise advice, Anna knew she couldn’t change the past but could forge a better future and cherish those around her. This ti, she had the opportunity to prevent a tragedy from repeating itself.
She understood that a single word from her could unleash chaos, ignite war, and lead to a devastating massacre. And so, she made her decision.
With a deep breath, Anna steeled her resolve. She needed to protect them all, for each one was precious to her. And to do so, she had to mask her fear from Kyren to avoid further confrontation.
"He’s right," she began, her response steady despite the turmoil within her. "I, too, didn’t know that you didn’t permit to dance with another man since you’ve never told before," she explained, carefully choosing her words.
As Anna spoke, Brone’s heart lightened, relieved by her confession. Threatening her had been a risky move, and there had been no guarantee she would comply.
Yet, the fear reflected in her eyes gave him confidence that he could exploit it to his advantage, and it seed to be working already.
Sensing Anna’s distress, Kyren softened his tone and released his embrace.
"You shouldn’t... It’s fine if you want to get to know the others, but don’t dance with an unknown man," he said, unaware of the actual cause of her fear and assuming it was due to his sudden act.
Brone seized the opportunity to interject, his voice calm yet assertive.
"Allow to correct you, Your Highness. Lady Anna Raychard and I are actually acquainted," he revealed, his gaze shifting between Kyren and Anna.
The unexpected revelation imdiately piqued the grand duke’s attention. He looked at them both, his eyebrows raised in curiosity.
"You know each other?"
Anna felt the colour drain from her face. She had been unaware of Brone’s plan, as he had only indicated that she should follow his lead and adhere to his orders.
The details had been kept from her, leaving her uncertain and vulnerable in this precarious situation. All she knew was that the Bargesian leader had warned her that she had no choice but to comply.
"We’ve t once. I didn’t recognise her initially because it was quite so ti ago. But as we conversed, I realised that she’s the sa person I know," Brone explained, weaving his narrative carefully.
Anna’s heart raced, anxiety and nervousness surging within her as she struggled to play her part in Brone’s created story. One slip of the tongue could lead to dire consequences.
Kyren took a mont to gather his thoughts. He had been aware that Anna was the Princess of Ardel, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Brone, as the kingdom’s ambassador, knew her too. However, he remained uncertain about their connection due to Anna’s refusal to discuss her past life.
"How did you get to know each other?" Kyren inquired, his curiosity evident.
Brone seized the opportunity to reveal his fake story.
"Didn’t my lady inform you that she’s actually the illegitimate daughter of King Adhemar IV? While her father was alive, she resided in the castle. However, she moved out after his passing because, according to Ardel’s laws, an illegitimate king’s child cannot inherit the royal title or be considered an heir."
Kyren’s eyes widened in bewildernt.
Was this why Anna refused to reveal her past with him?
She had ntioned that she had never been raised as a princess or treated as one, and though she had told the king and queen that she was the princess of Ardel, she had never once indicated her actual status. The revelation that she had been locked away in the castle for years now made sense if she was an illegitimate child.
"Is this true?" A sudden voice interjected from the back.
Having noticed the grand duke’s return, Lord Jas hurriedly approached the group. The conversation reached his ears, and his expression contorted with shock and disbelief. The other guests nearby ca to a halt, turning their attention towards the scene.
The minister continued, his question filled with accusation, "Are you the illegitimate daughter of King Adhemar? The descendant of the traitor?"
The weight of his words sent ripple effects through the gathering, and everyone’s eyes locked onto Anna. Overwheld and vulnerable, she cast her gaze to the ground, realising the true extent of Brone’s agenda; He intended to humiliate her, stoke hatred among the people, and push her into a corner.
As the tension mounted, Kyren’s question broke through the silence.
"Is this why you didn’t want to tell about your past in Ardel?" he asked his wife cautiously.
Tears began to flow down Anna’s cheeks, her emotions becoming too much to bear. At Lord Jas’s cue, the orchestra’s music ca to a halt, intensifying the mont.
The minister, growing impatient, addressed Kyren directly.
"Your Highness! Is it true that your concubine is from the enemy’s lineage? Did you know about this?" he demanded.
"So what if she is?" Kyren retorted. "Even the previous Emperors of Ro’an took princesses from the defeated kingdoms as their concubines. It’s not an unknown matter."
Anna couldn’t bring herself to lift her face. The weight of the accusation, the judgntal gazes, and the overwhelming emotions made it difficult for her to find the strength to et the eyes of those around her.
Whispers began to weave through the room, and looks of disdain were cast in the princess’s direction.
Amid the growing chaos, redith and Sylvia, who also overheard the conversation, couldn’t stay silent any longer. They approached the minister, their voices filled with indignation.
"Lord Jas, please refrain from making baseless accusations against Lady Raychard! You have no proof," redith shouted, her words carrying a sense of urgency.
Darting his eyes towards Anna, Lord Jas sought confirmation from her again.
"My lady, is what His Excellency Lord Morro said true? Please verify this!" he pressed, eager to receive an answer. Not only him but everyone in the ballroom stood silently, awaiting her response.
"Oh, dear! I had no idea she hadn’t shared this with you! If I had known, I would have kept silent," Brone interjected, his tone filled with regret.
"Are you intentionally bringing this up to cause harm to her?" Kyren questioned Brone in anger.
The atmosphere in the room grew increasingly tense with his tone.
"Of course not, Your Highness! As I said, I only t her once! I didn’t serve her father. Instead, my service started with King Ronan," said Brone.
As the Bargesian leader finished his statent, Lord Jas urged Anna to speak.
"My lady, please clarify on this!"
Trembling, the princess knew she had no choice but to admit the false fact.
"It is... true," she confessed, her voice quivering. "I am the illegitimate daughter of King Adhemar."
The revelation sent shockwaves through the room, eliciting gasps of surprise from the assembled guests. redith’s voice faltered in disbelief while Sylvia’s eyes widened with bewildernt.
Concerned for Anna’s vulnerability, Kyren pulled her closer, enveloping her in his protective embrace. He spoke with conviction, determined to defend her.
"I don’t care about her background," he declared. "She is now my concubine, and no one has the right to question that."
Lord Jas scoffed with bitterness. "No wonder His Majesty was so eager to make her your concubine. It seems you all have known this all along!"
"Lord Jas, please don’t let your fury cloud your judgnt. Lady Raychard may carry the blood of a traitor, but it isn’t her fault. She never asked for this. I understand the negative sentint you held against the previous king of Ardel, but that is all in the past," Brone interjected, pretending to give away empathy.
"Lord Adhemar was one of the treacherous lords who killed the last Emperor of Ro’an! Although she’s an illegitimate, that blood still runs in her veins! She should be ashad of herself for that!" sneered Lord Jas.
Consud by anger, Kyren couldn’t bear to hear such insults directed at Anna. He erupted in a burst of fury, his voice booming through the room.
"Silence! Don’t you dare look down on her!" he yelled, defending Anna with unwavering determination.
"Fine! I can’t go against you and His Majesty since the proclamation has been made. You may keep her as your woman. But rember, Your Highness, she will never earn the respect of or others who uphold the empire." Lord Jas conceded with disdain.
Anna’s heart sank at the minister’s words. The people around her began to distance themselves, their faces filled with disappointnt and disgust. She had anticipated this day would co, but she hadn’t expected it to be so soon or to unfold in such a painful manner. redith and Sylvia averted their gazes, their disappointnt evident.
Tears stread down her face as Anna called out to them with anguish. "r... Sylvia..."
Sylvia’s glare intensified as she confronted Anna. "How could you, Anna? Just how could you!" she exclaid, her disappointnt and anger palpable. With that, the blonde noblewoman turned on her heel and pulled redith along, leaving Anna behind.
The other nobles, impacted by the revelation and filled with hatred upon learning Anna’s true identity, followed suit.
One by one, they departed, leaving the couple abandoned and overwheld by the weight of their judgnt.
"Forgive for ruining your party. I believe I should go. Also, my lady... though we don’t know each other much, I hope you take my advice and live happily by His Highness’s side," Brone said with a tinge of regret. He bowed to them, conveying his sincere gesture. "Please excuse ."
Brone then signalled his n, who had been enjoying themselves with the food and drinks, to follow him. They promptly made their way towards the main door and departed.
As the guests began to leave, Alex and Drystan rushed in, their faces filled with surprise and concern. Alex imdiately asked Kyren, seeking an explanation for the sudden turn of events.
"Your Highness, what’s going on?"
Anna’s breathing suddenly beca jagged as her fear, sha, and sadness overwheld her heart. She struggled to take a deep breath but felt like she was underwater, suffocating in her emotions. The weight of the situation triggered a severe panic attack, leaving her gasping for air.
Noticing her distress, the grand duke instinctively gripped her shoulders firmly yet gently, helping her to regain control.
"Anna, breathe! Take a deep breath!" Kyren urged with genuine worry and urgency.
Drystan called out to her with deep concern, "My lady!"
The intensity of the panic attack was unbearable. Anna’s body started losing strength and slumped, fainting in Kyren’s arms. Reacting swiftly, the grand duke held her close, cradling her unconscious body against his chest and lifting her.
"Get the royal healers!" the grand duke’s shout rang out, filled with desperation.
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