Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 105: Nothing Else Matters

Chapter 105: Nothing Else Matters

Tillian hesitated in front of the bedroom doors, reluctant to enter for fear of disturbing Aideen’s rest with unnecessary noise.

He was utterly exhausted. So much so that he could not even muster the energy to finish his usual tasks, leaving Stanis to take care of them in his stead.

Never had he imagined that seeing Aideen hurt, even if not severely, would take such an immense toll on him. His own well-being deteriorated almost instantly, and he found it remarkable how deeply his wife’s condition, or rather, her lack of well-being, affected him.

Both emotionally and physically, he felt the weight of her pain as if it were his own.

’For so long, I have loved her without fully realizing the depth of my feelings. But now, as I stand here, every fiber of my being intertwined with hers, I find myself facing whatever hardships she endures as if they were my own. Now that she is here, so close to me, I see clearly that she is not just the love of my life; she is the air I breathe, the beat of my heart, the reason for my very existence. Without her, I am but a shell of who I am meant to be.

And it pains me that I have to be reminded of this in such a dreadful way.’

A light creak broke through the hallway’s silence as Bella opened the door and stepped outside, addressing the worried Duke,

"Your Grace, the bath is ready. Please, get some rest. You look as if you are on the brink of collapse."

Ignoring the maid’s concern, the man nodded at her, expressing modest gratitude for her effort, and quietly walked into the bedroom, ensuring that his steps were as light as feathers.

As he passed the bed where Aideen lay soundlessly, he could not help but stop.

Yes, perhaps he worried too much and she was now alright, but a nagging feeling deep in his heart kept distorting his perception of her; she seemed smaller, weaker, even defenseless, and he did not like it one bit.

Struggling with the new surge of unpleasant emotions, Tillian leaned over, took another good look at the princess’s calm face, and kissed her smooth forehead, still hoping that his subtle sign of affection would go unnoticed by her slumbering body.

Once the steaming hot water enveloped the Duke’s body in its comforting and relaxing embrace, he leaned back, pressed his head against the cool rim of the bathtub, and closed his stinging eyelids.

The painful tension gradually began to release its grip on his tired body, and he surrendered to the soothing relaxation provided by both the hot water and the calming oils added to it by considerate Bella.

As silence and serenity enveloped his body and soul, the Duke was suddenly jolted out of his tranquil state by the sound of a quiet female voice.

"Tillian?"

Startled, and guided by his body’s involuntary reaction to that familiar voice, his lips moved as if they had a life of their own when he exclaimed,

"Aideen?!"

Still unable to control his body’s reactions, Tillian quickly stood up, the sound of splashing water echoing through the quiet bathroom like a storm as he turned to face the princess.

The sight of her husband’s naked body made Aideen instantly flustered, her cheeks burning as if kissed by two little flames. She could not tell whether it was the steam that welcomed her in its hot and damp embrace or the Duke’s perfectly muscular body that made her feel so warm, but one thing she was sure of –– she did not mind seeing it all.

Tillian, on the other hand, was not bothered by his own nakedness at all.

Relieved to see his wife awake and well, he stepped over the rim of the wide bathtub and rushed towards the woman, placing his strong hands on top of her shoulders. His eyes frantically scanned her body as if still afraid to detect even the slightest sign of affliction.

"Aideen, are you alright? Are you feeling better now? Why did you come here? Did I wake you up?"

In an attempt to calm her husband down, Aideen shook her head and offered him a light but reassuring smile as she replied,

"It is alright, Tillian. I am feeling completely well and rested now. I just... I missed you, and I did not want to go to sleep only to wake up alone again tomorrow."

Her adorable words melted Tillian’s heart in an instant and finally managed to erase all the annoying worries that still lingered inside his restless mind.

Planting another light but affectionate kiss on the princess’s forehead, the Duke smiled as well and said in a kind voice,

"Goodness... I am simply glad you are fine now."

Stretching her lips into another smile, Aideen looked over the man’s shoulder, noticing the abandoned bathtub, and added,

"You should get back to your bath; the water will get cold."

Duke Valentine, finally realizing that he was indeed in the middle of taking a bath when his wife came in, blushed as the awareness of his naked self sank in. However, even that did not stop him from asking her a question he would never have asked if the circumstances were different.

"Aideen... Would you like to join me?"

The princess hesitated. She was not sure what that invitation really meant –– did he truly only want her to take a bath with him since he knew she skipped her bath before going to bed, or did he want to do the same thing they did on their wedding night? But whatever his intentions were, Aideen was not particularly against either of them.

To her great surprise, however, Tillian’s invitation meant neither of those things. He simply wanted her close to him tonight.

As they sat in the bathtub together, the princess leaning against her husband’s stomach, the two of them felt an incredible sense of calm and pleasant intimacy. The quiet atmosphere of the bathroom, the dimmed candlelight, the fragrant oils, and the comforting warmth of their bodies seemed to merge together, creating an overwhelming sense of intimacy that felt soothing to their hearts and minds.

And even though they were both naked and so close to each other, there was absolutely no sexual tension to make them feel uncomfortable. Yet somehow, just being there like that felt more intimate than sharing a bed together.

"Were you worried about me?"

At last, Aideen was the first one to break the silence. Tillian placed his chin on top of the woman’s head and answered,

"Of course I was. How could I not be?"

The princess felt strangely relieved.

"I am sorry, Tillian. I hope I did not cause much trouble."

The Duke’s reply was preceded by a light kiss that he planted on the crown of Aideen’s head.

"Do not think about it. You can never cause trouble, no matter what you do."

"Have you heard about His Majesty and the curse? I think we––"

The man wrapped his arms tighter around Aideen’s stomach –– a subtle gesture that made the princess stop talking at once. With a brief sigh, Tillian kissed her head again and said,

"Let’s not talk about it for now, Aideen. Let’s just be here together. Let’s focus only on us. Let’s talk and think only about us and nothing else."

The lady could not reject such an honest request. With a wide, loving smile gracing her pink lips, she turned around to face the Duke, kissed him gently on the lips, and said,

"Sure. With you here, Tillian, nothing else matters."