Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 221: The Strongest Woman

Chapter 221: The Strongest Woman

Aideen and Yanad rode hard through the night, their horses’ hooves pounding against the ground as they approached the outskirts of the capital of Geraldion. The first light of dawn cast a grim glow over the landscape, revealing the full extent of the devastation brought by war. As they crested the final hill, the capital lay before them, shrouded in smoke and fire. The sight that greeted them was nothing short of mortifying.

The battlefield stretched out in a chaotic expanse of destruction. The once-proud capital was now a nightmarish scene of ruin. Flames licked at the remnants of buildings, and thick black smoke curled into the sky, blotting out the sun. The stench of burning wood and scorched earth filled the air, mingling with the metallic tang of blood.

Everywhere Aideen looked, there was death and ruin. The ground was littered with the remnants of battle: broken weapons, shattered armor, and the lifeless bodies of soldiers. Among the debris were torn banners, their once-vibrant colors now dulled by ash and grime. She recognized the symbols—some belonged to Tillian, some belonged to Davoor. The sight of Duke Valentine’s dark blue banner, in particular, made her heart clench with sorrow. These were the men who had fought valiantly for their values, now reduced to mere memories amidst the chaos.

Taru, waking up from the poignant smell of smoke, buried his face into the scarf, whimpering from all the distress he was witnessing. The princess patted him lightly on the head, "Don’t worry... It will all be over soon."

Yanad pulled his horse to a stop beside her, his face pale with horror. "This... this is worse than I imagined," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the crackling flames and distant cries of the wounded.

Aideen’s eyes filled with tears, but she steeled herself, drawing on every ounce of her inner strength. "We have to keep moving," she said firmly. "We need to find Tillian and address the situation. He must be somewhere near... I can feel the traces of my magic still lingering around him."

They urged their horses forward, picking their way carefully through the debris. The closer they got to the heart of the city, the more the true scale of the disaster became apparent. Buildings that had stood for centuries were reduced to rubble, their foundations charred and blackened. Streets that had once been bustling with life were now deserted, save for the occasional figure stumbling through the ruins, dazed and wounded.

"I was certain the battle would continue here," the Crown Prince furrowed his black eyebrows as he scanned his surroundings, "They must have moved their camps elsewhere. The battle here has been going for too long, my only guess is that they agreed to have a break to replenish their forces."

The moment he finished speaking, another male voice chimed in from behind them, "You seem to know quite a lot for someone who deserted his kingdom, Your Royal Highness."

Aideen instantly turned her horse toward the familiar voice, her eyes widening in both excitement and surprise. "Tillian!"

Without giving her husband a chance to react, she jumped off her horse and rushed toward the duke, throwing her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. She was overjoyed to see him well and had to make sure it wasn’t just her imagination.

Reciprocating her embrace, Tillian slid his large hand over her soft, wavy hair and planted a kiss on the crown of her head. "What are you doing here?" While he was undeniably happy to see her after all this time, the sight of his wife standing in the middle of the battlefield crushed his soul. "Has something happened to the castle? Are you alright?"

Aideen nodded, "Everything is fine at home, and I am well too. I came here to help you."

"Help me?" Tillian’s eyes widened in surprise. "Help me how?"

The princess took another look around their chaotic surroundings before suggesting, "Let’s go somewhere we can talk properly first."

***

"So they found a way to bring magic into this war without the use of an actual mage..." Tillian swept his blond hair away from his face, his eyes narrowing as Aideen’s words sank in.

Stanis let out a long sigh, joining the conversation. "It’s too late for anyone to react, even if we could somehow prove it’s true. The Lunar Eclipse is supposed to happen tomorrow."

"That explains why King Euris decided to resume the battle tomorrow evening... so that he can finally unleash that power and destroy us all."

The duke closed his eyes, trying to think through the unfolding situation. It was indeed suspicious that the royal army requested a break between the fights during such strange times but now it all made sense.

It would be beyond foolish to send his people to fight the king, but he had no choice, as both the armies of Geraldion and Anathaen were still poised to launch their attacks.

They still had to fight.

"But that is why I have come here," Aideen finally spoke again. "Others might not have a chance against the king, but I still do. If I use my powers, I might be able to defeat him."

Just as before with Ahspid and Yanad, both Tillian and Stanis retorted loudly, "Absolutely not!"

Duke Valentine rose to his feet and towered over his wife, his glare piercing her like a spear. Aideen glared back at him while Taru bared his fangs as if ready to leap at the man.

"I am getting tired of this! I understand that you all are very protective of me and don’t want me to get hurt. Neither do I. I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to get hurt. Quite frankly, I am scared to death, but what other choice do we have?"

She clenched her fists tighter, her knuckles white with tension as she continued, "I have to try, Tillian. After all, what was the point of my getting all this power if I can’t even use it to protect others? I know I got it for a reason, so I will do whatever I can to protect those who can’t do it themselves. You have to understand it. I am no longer that scared, weak princess. Can’t you see it?"

The man couldn’t help but sigh. He took Aideen’s puffing face into his hands and planted a light kiss on her forehead, offering her a warm smile.

"I can see it. I could always see it, Aideen. You are the strongest and the bravest woman I have ever known. So yes, you are right... I have to let others see it too."