Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 35: Breakfast, But Not A Proper Meal

Chapter 35: Breakfast, But Not A Proper Meal

Aideen shifted her body lazily, still reluctant to let go of the heavy but comforting embrace of slumber.

Slowly, she moved her arms around and jerked her body into a sitting position, realizing that she was back in her bed again. The princess shook her head, disposing of the last sleeping strings still attached to her body. Then, she slid her hands across the soft surface of the bed once more and wondered silently,

’How strange. I thought I ended up sitting on the floor with His Grace... Was all of that just a dream?’

She turned her face towards the place where Tillian was supposed to be and focused her senses.

’It’s really quiet, and his scent is no longer in the air. I guess he left the room quite some time ago... I wonder what time it is... I do not smell food in here, which means it is not yet time for breakfast. Where did he go? Did he get upset that I sat next to him without his permission? But he was never opposed to my touch before...’

A new wave of anxiety crashed over Aideen, drowning her mind in the whirlwind of unsettling emotions.

Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, the princess got up from the bed, walked up to the tall window, and struggled with the old, rusty window handle for a few moments before she could finally open the window.

A strong wave of cold wind hit her entire body, making her tighten her grip on the blanket. However, the harsh wind did not bother her at all. What attracted her attention was the unusual warmth that seeped into the room together with the cold – it was a sunny day.

Aideen decided to take a few moments to bask in the light but pleasant touch of the sunlight. Since her quarters were situated behind the towering walls of the Royal Palace, her building was always shrouded in shadows. Therefore, even during summer, the only way for her to get even a little bit of sunlight was to sneak out to the gardens in front of the main quarters.

However, there were still times when the princess didn’t have to risk being scolded and could enjoy the sun without leaving her building. Two weeks during every autumn, when the sun would shift its position, if the weather blessed the people of the Capital with clear skies, Aideen’s quarters were the first ones to receive the generous touch of its rays.

And it appeared that today was one of those days.

’What a bizarre feeling... I was always eagerly waiting for the sun to finally drown this place in its warmth, but now, I cannot help but feel like I no longer enjoy it. It feels different, not like in The North. I miss it.’

Aideen swayed as she caught herself on such a strange thought. That unfamiliar restlessness, longing, the feeling of missing a place to which she barely had time to get used... It was all new to her, and she could not help but wonder if she even had the right to feel homesick when she was not even sure whether that place could really be her home.

’I should be careful with these unfamiliar feelings. I’m being tossed around like an unwanted animal, from one place to another, over and over... If I get used to this comfort and then lose it again, I’m afraid my heart will not be able to handle it.’

Her melancholy did not have a chance to blossom as the quiet bedroom echoed with a careful knock on the old wooden door.

The princess frantically wiped her eyes to erase the evidence of her sadness and answered,

"Please come in!"

"You are already awake, Your Highness!"

The moment Tillian’s voice filled the room, Aideen felt as if a great boulder was lifted off both her shoulders and chest.

Her body moved on its own, bringing the woman closer to the Duke, while her voice blurted out unexpectedly loudly,

"Your Grace, you are back! Did you sleep well? Were you cold? Why did you leave so early?"

Aideen would have probably continued the torrent of questions, but Tillian interrupted her with a light, playful scoff.

"It feels nice to be greeted like this; I feel like I was missed."

The princess pressed her lips together, as if to prevent even a single sound from escaping her mouth again. Her face turned red, blood rushing even to her ears, which made the Duke let out another pleased giggle.

"Please, do not feel embarrassed, Your Highness. Although I must admit that your blushing face is quite a marvelous view."

’I’m blushing?’

The lady pressed both palms against her hot cheeks, dropping the blanket on the floor. With a wide grin still playing on his lips, Tillian picked up the blanket and wrapped it around Aideen’s shoulders. Instead of stepping aside, as he would normally do, he started moving, forcing the princess to walk backward as well.

Slowly and carefully, the Duke kept guiding her until the back of her legs touched the bed. With Tillian’s hands still on Aideen’s shoulders, the man lightly pushed her down, helping her assume a sitting position. He then took a seat right next to her and put a large paper bag with a wide silk ribbon wrapped around it into her open palms.

"Breakfast, Your Highness. I’m sorry I could not get a tray to make it easier to eat; apparently, the two of us were left entirely to our own devices today. However, I could not allow you to start your day without any sustenance, so I went ahead and bought breakfast myself."

Tillian paused, then removed the silk ribbon from the paper bag and continued,

"I have made the mistake of never asking you what kind of food you prefer. Therefore, I simply bought one of each kind. I know that this is not a proper meal, but I promise I will treat you to anything you like later."

"What do you mean ’not a proper meal,’ Your Grace?"

Aideen’s question was filled with genuine bewilderment. The princess was raised believing that anything that could be eaten was ’proper food,’ and that was precisely why she never shied away even from a single slice of stale bread.

Tillian opened the bag wider, instantly filling the room with the pleasant aroma of baked goods, and added,

"Well, I don’t consider pastries as proper food, but Bella convinced me that you enjoy soft powdered bread and Martin’s fruit pies in the morning, so I bought you sweet pastries from the most famous and expensive bakery in the Capital. I hope you will like them."

"Pardon? The most famous bakery... Your Grace!"