Rafe stood still, watching the commander's back as he left.
Just then, Eric, Garin, and Ayden approached from behind, coming to his side. The three men had been shadowing the healer and Kyren earlier, conversing from afar.
"So, how's my student, Rafael? Did he 'graduate'?" Eric piped up, elbowing Rafe's arm.
The healer didn't answer. The name 'Rafael' irritated him. It was his first name—one that hadn't been used in a long time. No one called him that anymore except this knight.
Garin lifted his head, narrowing his eyes at Kyren's figure as it grew farther away.
"Why does the commander look so upset?" Ayden wondered.
"He argued with his wife. Better not bother him for now. He's not in a good mood," Rafe answered.
"Finally, he's no longer a virgin! Oh, how proud I am! He did what I taught him."
Eric grinned widely, thrilled with his success in turning the grand duke into a real man.
"What kind of lesson did you teach him?"
The healer turned to Eric, frowning at his unabashed smile.
Last night, the knight had taken over the lesson for the grand duke and spoken to him privately. Rafe had no idea what the so-called 'Love Coach' had done to make the virgin prince brave enough to proceed with his first night.
"That, Rafael—if you want to know—I'll whisper it to your ear on your wedding day. I promise!" Eric laughed loudly.
The healer pouted. The knight's behaviour always annoyed him.
"No, thank you! I think I can handle my wedding night on my own. And stop calling me Rafael. For the love of God, it's Rafe! R-A-F-E! Rafe!"
The healer's lips curled downward. Stomping his foot, he walked away, leaving the three men baffled.
"Sir Navin, I suggest you quit before he puts a laxative in your food. He's been blabbing about it quite frequently lately," Ayden advised seriously, looking straight into the knight's eyes.
"Oh, come on! Don't be so sensitive! It's his actual name. I'm not teasing him or anything," Eric defended himself.
"I don't know why he hates it, but I'm sure you do, since you've known him long enough. Don't say I didn't warn you," the assistant healer reminded him.
"I didn't know Rafe was sensitive," Garin interrupted thoughtfully, stroking his stubbled chin as his brows drew together.
"Let him be… We've got another exciting drama coming," Eric said, grinning widely.
His grey eyes gleamed as the thought took shape—one he'd been entertaining for a while.
"What drama?" Garin asked, frowning as he turned to him.
"The newlywed couple, of course. The whole kingdom will be in an uproar when this marriage reaches His Majesty," the second-in-command knight replied with a smirk.
The remark made sense. Ayden and Garin nodded simultaneously, then exchanged uneasy glances.
They recalled the day Kyren, Crown Prince of Cassian, declared he would renounce his claim to the throne and swear allegiance to his brother, Prince Kyden Raychard.
The people were bewildered.
Yet the most shocking announcement was his vow of celibacy. His devotees couldn't accept it, and a riot erupted in the courtyard.
The declaration event had been halted immediately. To keep the maidens from crushing the crown prince onstage, knights and royal guards formed a barricade around the dais.
Though the knights suffered little due to their hardened training, several guards were injured, suffering broken ribs and deep wounds. The royal healers and their assistants endured an endless day tending to the casualties.
It was a nightmare to remember.
Now, Ayden and Garin feared that the same chaos might happen again. Given the current situation, where the grand duke entered into marriage so suddenly without warning, things could even worsen.
At this point, they could only hope the admirers of the Grand Duke of Gerhard would spare their lives.
***
The sound of sobbing echoed within the tent.
Crouched on the bed, Anna wept uncontrollably. Her eyes and nose were red, her cheeks slick with tears. Her shoulders slumped, hopelessness weighing heavily upon her.
She had lost everything. Even her last shred of pride was gone.
Anna couldn't endure it anymore. She wanted the pain to end. What was the purpose of living if life only brought grief and suffering?
'Promise me you'll survive, no matter what it takes.'
Clara's words—her escort who had perished in the blazing flames—pierced her heart like shards of glass.
Tears streamed down her face. Why had she made such a promise?
She felt unworthy of living. She had always believed she was insignificant—only a princess by title, never raised as one. No one deemed her necessary until the entire royal family of Ardel was wiped out, except for her.
'What should I do? Where should I go?'
Her fingers curled tightly, trembling as a terrifying thought struck her.
'What if that stout man returned and raped her again?'
Fear made her heart race.
She needed to leave before he returned. He might be attractive, with eyes that seemed to care, but that was deception.
Good looks don't imply good character. He was merely a beast in disguise.
Anna pushed herself up from the bed. Her legs were unsteady, and pain pulsed through her. She took one step before collapsing onto the floor in helplessness.
Then the memories of the night before flooded her mind, overwhelming at first, before slowly settling.
Anna wiped away her tears.
Everything returned—his vows… her vows… the proclamation that bound them as husband and wife… up until the moment he held her hand in bed.
"Oh, God!"
She quickly covered her mouth, eyes widening in disbelief. All her assumptions about the man—now her husband—had been wrong.
He had never lied to her, nor had he taken advantage of her when he could have.
It was she who had seduced him and begged to be saved. And though he did marry her, it had been out of respect and with her agreement. She was certain he had touched her only after they were married.
The tent flap rustled, and Kyren entered.
He paused when he saw his bride sitting on the floor—no longer crying, yet utterly helpless. He strode toward her at once, concern tightening his chest, fearing she might have fallen.
Anna glanced at him briefly, then averted her gaze. Her cheeks flushed as he stopped before her.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She nodded. Since she was no longer shouting and yelling at him, it made him wonder.
"Do you remember now?"
She nodded timidly, unable to lift her head in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I was harsh…"
"Forget it. You were disoriented. The aftereffect of the poison took some time to go away," he replied coolly. "You shouldn't be on the floor. Can you get up?"
Anna tried. Her legs trembled, and she struggled to stand. Seeing this, Kyren grasped her shoulders and guided her to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Thank you, sir," she said softly, sounding so obedient this time.
"Not 'sir.' It's Kyren. Kyren Raychard. I'm your husband—remember?" he said.
"Yes, sir— I mean… Ky-Kyren," she stammered.
Calling him by his given name felt far too intimate for someone she had only just met. Still, it was proper, given his status as her husband.
Kyren studied her, wrapped tightly in the blanket, looking utterly pitiful.
"What's your name?" His voice softened.
"Anna."
"Your full name."
She raised her head, looking at him this time.
Her glossy eyes lifted to his towering figure. He was striking, yet an intimidating aura clung to him, causing her to hesitate.
Would he believe her if she said she was the Princess of Ardel?
"Anna Raychard," she answered nervously.
Kyren let out a chuckle—not in mockery, but at the contrast between her timid posture and the boldness of her words.
"Very well, Anna Raychard," he said. "Since you've taken my surname… does that mean you intend to stay?"
"Stay? Here?"
"As my wife," he clarified. "We have spent the night together, and that makes you my responsibility—by law and by honour." He paused, choosing his words with care. "I will not bind you against your will. If you wish to leave, you may do so. Or I can have you escorted safely back to where you came from."
Her gaze fell. Sadness tightened her chest, threatening to spill over, but she forced the tears back.
"I don't have anywhere else to go."
Her voice was faint, her fingers fidgeting with the blanket.
"What about your family? Friends?"
She shook her head. Tears slipped free.
"They're all dead. I'm the only one left."
Kyren said nothing.
An orphan. Nearly sold. Nearly violated. She seemed even more fragile now.
"If you stay, I'll treat you fairly," he said.
She nodded but then asked hesitantly, "You won't abandon me… will you?"
Her trembling voice reached him.
"There's no reason to," he replied. "I stay with my vows."
That assurance felt like a beacon to her, a hope for someone who was lost in the haze.
She would have shelter—and more importantly, someone she could rely on.
Being alone in an unfamiliar kingdom was frightening enough. Being bound to a stranger was no less daunting.
Yet, she believed God had not forsaken her.
This man appeared in the dead of night, like an unexpected harbour after a storm, offering her not love nor comfort, but something just as vital—protection, stability, and the promise of tomorrow.
"Thank you."
"Then I expect you to honour this marriage," Kyren said, his voice firm yet unembellished. "In return, I ask only your loyalty and honesty, as I will give you mine."
It was a fair demand—founded on respect and trust, not cruelty.
"Yes. I understand," she replied, nodding in obedience.