The Grand Duke's Soulmate Chapter 28: The Lady and Her Knight

"Rafe... Ayden..."

The two n lifting the canteens and canisters looked up upon hearing the calling. Anna stood before them, showcasing a guilty face.

"Yes, my lady," answered Ayden.

"I’m sorry..." she apologised.

"For what?" asked Rafe.

"For what happened just now. I raised my voice to you. I didn’t an it," she admitted. A feeling of regret enveloped her heart.

"Hmm... you deliberately threatened to report to the commander, didn’t you?" Rafe guessed as he looked at her.

The princess bit her lower lip.

"I don’t have any ill intention. Really! I only want them to reconcile," she revealed her purpose.

Ayden curved his lips as he looked at her, who believed she had wronged them.

"Apology accepted. Truthfully, we’re quite surprised by your action," he said.

"Yes. It’s surprising to see both of them throw in the towel at your reprimand. And the handshake... It was a sight to behold." Rafe chuckled.

"Wasn’t it common for knights to shake hands after reconciling from a fight? At least, in Ardel, they do," she wondered.

"It is. But not for Sir Brooks and Sir Navin. They are like oil and water. The only ti they brush their bodies against each other would be in a brawl," added the healer.

"It’s unsurprising if Sir Navin is being extra sensitive this ti. He hasn’t seen his son," said Ayden.

"His son?" Anna asked inquisitively.

"His second son, actually. His wife delivered a new baby a few months after we were dispatched. So, being unable to be with his family now is frustrating for him," he continued.

"Oh, dear... He must’ve missed them a lot," the princess commiserated.

"Most of us are the sa. We haven’t seen our families and other friends for months," Ayden told her.

"Then, when will you all be ho?" she asked.

"The slave auction season in Tarnova is already over. It usually occurs from early to mid-sumr. So, the interval should be announced soon. Everyone is anticipating it," the assistant healer added.

"So it ans the campaign is related to the slave auction season, right?" she asked again.

"Yes. Very much. Every season, the number of cris would burst at our border since it’s near Tarnova. The slave market attracts many outlaws," Rafe replied.

"Dracor is an agricultural-based kingdom. They hold slave auctions every sumr in preparation for the end-of-sumr crop harvest and autumn’s sowing," Anna spoke slowly as if muttering to herself.

"You’re right. The harvest would extend until autumn before they start planting new seeds. It seems like you know a little about the kingdom," Ayden responded.

The princess nodded to the remarks.

"I do. Dracor is Ardel’s neighbour. Of course, the slave issue does affect my kingdom, too."

"That’s why His Majesty ordered the lords to strengthen the frontier every season by sending their knights. Each knighthood would rotate to be on duty. But since the case involving Sir Brooks, we’ve been dispatched consecutively for two seasons," Rafe explained.

"Yes, I’ve heard it from Sir Navin. He told everything about the case," she inford them, understanding the circumstances completely.

"Not only the case, but Sir Brooks has always caused various problems such as fighting, gambling, and won. Plus, he likes to extort money from anyone when he knows their secrets. Even if it’s only for a few *Doras, it’s still annoying!" complained Ayden with a grunt.

"Ayden..." Rafe glanced at Anna before staring sharply at him and shook his head a bit, gesturing for the assistant healer to zip his mouth.

Realising that he had dropped a clanger, the assistant healer quickly apologised.

"Forgive , my lady, for saying such things to your escort. I was only telling the truth."

"It’s fine, Ayden. I don’t mind." Anna smiled faintly.

"So, are you going to change your escort?" asked Rafe, raising his brow with curiosity.

Anna shook her head and said, "I won’t. I’m already blessed with what Kyren has provided . It’s not reasonable to be so demanding."

"You’re the commander’s wife. You ought to have a say in what you want," said the healer.

"For soone who has nothing like , I am quite satisfied and happy to be with my husband."

The princess looked down with a wistful smile.

"Don’t say that. You have us, too," Ayden consoled her.

"You’re right, and I sincerely thank both of you for being my friends. I appreciate it," she said.

"You’re a bright lady. You’ve changed so much from the first ti we t. I’m glad we get to know you." Rafe released a smile at her. The princess reciprocated with a cheerful grin.

"I know both of you dislike Sir Brooks, but if you don’t mind, can you treat his injury?" Anna suddenly requested.

"That’s our job. You don’t have to worry about it. Just ask him to co to the infirmary," the healer replied.

The princess pondered for a mont before continuing.

"On second thought, why don’t you just give the dicine and a clean cloth? I’ll handle him. I don’t think he’ll co to you even if I ask."

"You want to treat him yourself?" Ayden asked in surprise.

"If it’s just a simple treatnt, I can do it," she said.

"Then, follow us, and we’ll provide you with the items," instructed Rafe.

Anna then trailed the two n into the infirmary with a contented heart.

When Noah saw the commander’s wife move, following the healer and his assistant, he quickly stood up and walked behind. He could not let her out of sight, as his duty was to observe her.

"Stay here," the lady instructed him when he approached. The knight nodded and stood outside the infirmary.

Anna ca out of the tent no sooner, holding a bottle of dicine and a clean cloth.

"Let’s sit over there." She raised her chin, pointing towards the tree.

Noah followed the lady to the place without questioning. As she sat down, Anna looked up at the standing knight.

"Co on! Sit down beside ," she ordered him.

Hesitantly, he lowered his body and sat on the ground. Then, the princess moved closer to him. Surprised by her motion, Noah drew back, distancing himself from her.

"My lady, you are too close," he warned her.

"I’m not going to do anything weird. Just be near so I can tend to your wound," she said.

Noah quickly refused, realising what she would do, "You don’t have to do this! It’s not nice. You’re the commander’s wife."

"You’re my escort. It’s not wrong for to attend to my person. Now, co close and don’t be stubborn!" she ordered him.

With a reluctant face, the knight crept slowly, sitting close to her.

"Let’s clean your wound first. Can you give your water bottle?" she asked.

The knight took the leather water bottle at his waist and handed it to her. Carefully, the princess poured water and dampened the cloth. Then, she raised her hand to wipe the blood stains from his lips.

Noah flinched when the small hand reached out to him. He was not unfamiliar with the touch of won, but the friendly behaviour of the commander’s wife made him feel uncomfortable.

"My lady..." His voice trailed off as he saw the cold glare from the large erald eyes, accompanied by a grunt from her mouth.

The wet cloth touched his lips, bringing a cold and stinging sensation. The knight neither hissed nor complained. Instead, his eyes locked on the little lady who was focusing on cleaning his busted lips.

"Sir Navin has promised that he and the other n would not bother you again," she said while wiping the wound.

"You don’t need to stand up for ! I can take care of myself," Noah firmly said.

"I told you, you’re my person, didn’t I?" she reminded him.

This ti, she poured the dicine onto the cloth and applied it to his lips.

"This dicine is safe. It won’t harm you even if you accidentally swallow it," she added.

"Why do you keep calling your person? You barely knew ," Noah asked in astonishnt.

"Because you’re my escort. You’ve been entrusted with keeping safe. That makes you important to ."

"Isn’t it supposed to be the other way round?" he asked mindfully.

"How would you protect if you’re hurt?" she flung back a question.

The knight did not answer and looked away.

"Is there any other wound?" she asked.

Noah shook his head, denying.

Anna exhaled deeply at his deanour. After applying the dicine, she put down her arms and observed the wound.

"You know, you remind of soone I used to know," she said as she squinted her eyes at him.

"Who?" he asked her.

Anna’s shining eyes turned gloomy at the question.

"Soone dear to . She was a great friend." The image of Clara, her escort, flashed in Anna’s mind.

"She used to be bullied by her comrades, too. They didn’t like her because she was not of noble blood. She never got along with them," she added.

"Comrades? Is she in an organisation or sothing?" he asked.

"She was a knightess, the only female in the knighthood. So everybody looked down on her, thinking she was not on par with them. But she would win against them every ti they competed, which made them jealous of her," she told him.

"You don’t et a woman who becos a knightess very often. She must be talented, then," praised Noah.

Anna smiled as she recalled how Clara defeated the other knights in the joust and sparring.

"She was the best! And she was also as stubborn as you are!" she declared.

"No, I’m not!" denied the knight.

"Oh, yes, you are. Have you forgotten how much you refused to shake hands with Sir Navin?" she reminded him.

"That’s different! He was the one who initiated it. I wouldn’t have acted if he hadn’t insulted !"

The knight’s voice sounded angry, and his face turned sour.

"I’m not good at judging character, but I’m not blind. However, I wouldn’t bla you after knowing your story," Anna responded, looking at her escort with a casual face.

"You knew?"

The knight pretended he did not hear her previous conversation with the others.

She nodded and said, "Sir Navin told everything. No wonder every ti we walked together, everyone stared at us coldly. At first, I thought they were staring at ."

"Aren’t you scared of ?" he asked in confusion.

"Why should I?"

"But, you know what happened..." Noah did not continue.

The mories of the incident shook his heart. He rembered how he begged the commander to end his life as he did not wish to live in humiliation. But Kyren kept urging him to continue living and find the perpetrator who frad him.

The commander was the only one who believed he did not commit the cri.

’You lost to in a duel, and you swore to serve to the end. So, keep your oath and live on. You’re innocent to , but I must punish you for appeasing the others. Rember this!’

The commander’s words from two years ago still lingered in his ears. It was the only thing that kept him going whenever he felt down.

"The law has indicated that you’re innocent. It’s all in the past."

Anna’s statent made him wonder.

"So you believe I didn’t do it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I trust Kyren. He promised he would protect from any harm. Knowing what happened to you, he wouldn’t assign you to be my escort if he had no confidence in you. So, you, Sir, are not a threat to ," she replied.

"Besides, I know how a r*pist eyes are. You’ve never given that look, even though you appeared daunting like the commander," the princess added.

Although it was hard to believe, the words and expressions of the commander’s wife convinced him. It was surprising for soone who barely knew him to have such trendous confidence in him.

"Thank you," Noah muttered slowly.

"You’re welco." A smile spread on her rosy lips.

"What happened to your friend?" he suddenly asked about Clara.

Anna averted her eyes and answered curtly, "She died."

The knight did not ask anymore. Looking at the little lady’s gloomy face, he knew the death of her friend saddened her.

The two sat quietly while zoning out, each thinking about the fate they had gone through and their future ahead.

Unbeknownst to the lady and knight, a pair of dazzling blue eyes were watching them from afar.

___________________________________

*Doras is the currency used on the continent.