Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 125: The Late Night Snack, Part I

Chapter 125: The Late Night Snack, Part I

Aideen slowly opened her eyes and waited a few moments for them to readjust to the darkness, while her mana reflected the image of the bedroom in her mind. She was not sure how long she had been sleeping, but now that she was finally awake, the princess felt incredibly refreshed and healthy, as if the draining ritual that had left her nearly lifeless had never occurred in the first place.

Although her body felt light and strong, there was still something more powerful and weighty pressing her down onto the bed, tightly ensnaring her within its loving confines –– Tillian was lying next to her, his strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and waist as if he feared she would vanish otherwise.

Slowly turning around, Aideen carefully moved her husband’s arms away, allowing herself more space to shift around. Then, she fixed her dragon eyes on the Duke’s handsome face, tracing the light blue outlines that her mana painted inside her mind.

’He looks peaceful... He is even more handsome when he is asleep. I am glad he did not stay up waiting for me to wake up... He must have been extremely worried. I am glad he could still rest.’

As she silently continued admiring her husband’s peaceful state, suddenly, her stomach began to grumble, the sound filling the room and amplified by the stillness of the night.

Wrapping her own arms around her waist, as if that gesture could calm her loud stomach, the princess glanced at Tillian once more, fearing that her noisy body had awoken him. Fortunately, he appeared to be fast asleep.

’I must have been out for more than a day; I am positively famished! I should find something to eat before this rumbling wakes Tillian.’

Aideen turned away from the Duke and attempted to move away from him as carefully as possible. As she prepared to get up, however, her husband’s arms enveloped her once more, pulling her back to bed and closer to his hot body.

"Don’t go anywhere. Rest a little longer; it’s almost morning."

Tillian’s sleepy, somewhat throaty voice sounded more endearing than demanding, and the princess could not help but smile. With her right arm successfully freed from the man’s hug, she sank her long fingers into the mess of his soft blond hair and said, her words brushing over his forehead with her warm breath,

"I thought you were asleep. I’m sorry if I woke you up."

The Duke sighed and answered in a teasingly annoyed manner,

"How can I sleep when you are moving around like this? And what is that inside your stomach? A growling wild beast?"

Aideen replied with a hearty laugh. The man’s loving teasing lifted her spirits even more than a refreshingly long sleep. Tillian pressed his wife’s head against his wide chest and continued,

"Where were you planning on going at this hour?"

"To the kitchen... I am starving. I thought I might find something to snack on."

"Martin locks the kitchen for the night. The dogs sometimes get inside and steal smoked meat and bread, so he got annoyed and now the kitchen is off-limits when he is not there."

"Oh..."

Though disappointed that her plans to find some sort of sustenance were ruined, the woman still found it cute that the Doberman siblings were so mischievous that their actions caused Martin to resort to such drastic measures. They were just like real children.

Realizing the effect his response must have had on his wife, Tillian rushed to clarify,

"I have a spare set of keys to the kitchen. I can bring you something here if you want. I doubt there will be anything substantial at this hour, but I am sure I can find something to keep you full until breakfast."

Aideen was grateful for the Duke’s concern, but she had no choice but to reject his kind offer.

"I would like to go there with you. I have spent too long in bed; my body is aching for some movement. Please, Tillian, I am really fine now. I want to go with you."

Tillian was prepared to retort once more, but seeing the princess’s doe eyes accompanied by an adorable pleading expression left him with no choice but to surrender to her irresistible charm.

Still reluctant and quite annoyed, he released a long, defeated exhale and shook his head, showing his internal disapproval of his own inability to stand his ground when it came to his wife’s desires.

"Fine... Your powers are truly dangerous, Aideen. Asking me like this... Do not underestimate the grasp that your magic has on me."

***

"Strange... Have I slept for too long? The corridors seem a lot warmer than they used to."

As they left the bedroom, Aideen wrapped her warm shawl around her shoulders out of habit, expecting the castle’s corridors to greet her with their chilly embrace. However, to her great surprise, the hallways were just as warm as their room, rendering her shawl unnecessary.

"It was the ’gift’ left by the fire witch. She inscribed her runes on the castle walls, and Ahspid ignited them with his mana. Now, the castle will remain warm no matter the time or the weather. The witchcraft will last forever."

As Tillian mentioned Ylva, it finally dawned on the princess –– she must have missed a lot while she was asleep!

Widening her eyes, she nearly exclaimed,

"What happened to the witch? And His Majesty? Goodness, how much did I miss?!"

Grabbing her hand as if to soothe his wife’s soaring anxiety, Tillian shook his head and smiled,

"Nothing much happened, do not worry. Bjarna’s powers were not enough to keep the fire witch longer, so she left the moment she completed those runes. The King’s curse was lifted; you have succeeded, Aideen."

"Oh... I’m so glad... What a relief."

"The fire witch was impressed with your powers and... She confessed that the only reason she agreed to help you was the connection she saw between us. She said that the ritual itself was a test of our bond, and we did not fail. Whatever that was supposed to mean."