Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 184: Lady Valentine Is Missing

Chapter 184: Lady Valentine Is Missing

In the quiet and somber solitude of Bella’s room, Aideen clutched the little scarf to her chest, its soft fibers felt like countless thorns marking her skin with traces of tragedy. Tears streamed down her cheeks unchecked, mingling with the fabric as she hugged it tightly, seeking solace in its comforting embrace.

Each sob wracked her body, shaking her to the core as the weight of her grief threatened to consume her whole like an empty void. She cried until her head throbbed with pain, until her eyes stung with exhaustion, until it felt like the very air had been sucked from her lungs, leaving her no choice but to suffocate.

But still, she cried, unable to stem the tide of emotions that threatened to drown her in their depths. She was afraid that if she were to stop even for a moment, she would never be able to cry again.

With each shuddering breath, the woman felt a part of her soul unraveling, torn apart by the overwhelming ache of irreversible loss. She cried for what felt like an eternity, lost in a sea of sorrow, unable to fight the despair that compressed her chest like a vine. And yet, even as her tears dried and her sobs subsided, the emptiness remained, a hollow echo of the presence she had lost.

At last, when her body could no longer remain strong, unbeknownst to her, Aideen succumbed to the powerful clutches of physical exhaustion and let go of the sorrow, allowing herself to fall asleep.

***

"Aideen?"

Lady Valentine furrowed her eyebrows and moved her head slightly while the heavy clutches of fatigue refused to let go of her weak body.

"Aideen?"

She heard someone call her name the second time, but she didn’t recognize the voice. It was impossible to tell whether she was still asleep or already awake, as everything was shrouded in darkness and there was absolutely no other noise to guide her through the obscurity.

Shifting on the cold bedroom floor, Aideen felt that the scarf she was holding earlier was still secured inside her palm, but the more she wanted to move, the more it felt like her body didn’t belong to her and was guided by someone else instead.

’What is going on? Is someone calling me?’

The princess’ attempt to move her lips and speak was rendered futile; the words refused to leave her mouth as if she had no voice at all. Lost in confusion, the woman wanted to try and speak again but was interrupted by the same unfamiliar and somewhat ominous voice that seemed to echo deep inside her head.

"Aideen, my child, it is time to wake up."

’Wake up?’ Aideen tightened her grip around the scarf and tried to stand up, but her body refused to listen again. The voice continued, "You were put to sleep, but your soul still strives to flourish. Listen to me and awaken, my child."

Before she could react to these mysterious words, Aideen felt her body move on its own as if guided by an invisible force, like a lifeless puppet. The woman couldn’t tell what she was doing or where she was going, and before she knew it, she was already outside, walking over the stinging cold surface of the snowy blankets, her hand still clutching the soft scarf knitted by Bella.

***

"What do you mean, Lady Valentine is missing?!"

Tillian widened his eyes in shock as he repeated Safie’s words.

The moment he stepped inside the castle after coming back from his usual patrol routine, the first thing he heard was the news about his wife missing, and this was the most frightening thing he had heard since Bella’s tragic death. His face turned darker, and he asked again in a cold, almost menacing voice,

"Safie, tell me one more time––why did you say that Lady Valentine is missing?"

The maid, clearly scared by her lord’s reaction, recoiled, her whole body trembling as she repeated quietly,

"I’m sorry, Your Grace... As you know, she asked to stay in my and Bella’s old room last night..."

"And?"

"When you were leaving, you told us not to bother her until it was time for breakfast, but when I came to check up on her with the food... She was not there."

"Then where did she go?" Tillian was becoming more impatient with each passing moment. Safie shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears.

"We have been looking everywhere the entire day, but she was nowhere to be found. I’m sorry, Your Grace, we couldn’t find her..."

The duke brushed his blond hair backward, exhaling loudly as he closed his eyes in irritation. It was already unbearable enough to watch his wife stricken by grief that sucked her own life out of her, but now he had learned that she was gone? Where could she even go in such a state? And more importantly––what could happen to her?

Stanis gestured for the maid to leave and released a long sigh as well, addressing his lord,

"Compose yourself, Your Grace. Even if she left in the morning, she couldn’t have gone far. Not in that state. I will assemble all the knights right away, and we will find her."

Though still frustrated and angry, Tillian nodded and agreed,

"Gather everyone and divide them into teams of five. Send them in each direction and make sure they check every nook and cranny, turn out the snow if needed, I don’t care. You... will go with me. We will go toward the forest."

"Understood."

Sir Nygard nodded briefly and exited the castle, already issuing orders as he walked to the knights’ quarters.

The duke covered his head with the wide hood of his long black cloak, then fixed his sword back to his belt, and followed his aide outside, his heart drumming inside his chest painfully as if it was hitting against its bony walls.

He was both angry and scared. Angry because it seemed like all he did was fail when Aideen needed him to be strong. Scared because the mere thought of losing his wife meant the end of the world to him.