Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 44: Little White Lie

Chapter 44: Little White Lie

Aideen hesitated once more, grappling with the challenge of articulating her thoughts in a proper manner. What she was contemplating seemed utterly inappropriate, yet she clung to the belief that in order to reciprocate the kindness she wished to bestow upon Duke Valentine, she found herself compelled to resort to a little white lie of her own.

A soft, nearly inaudible sigh slipped from her lips as the princess took a significant step toward the man. Speaking in a hushed and hesitant tone, she said,

"Your Grace... Truth be told, I wish not for you to be apart from me tonight. Pardon my directness, but... could you spend the night with me in the same bed?"

"I... I beg your pardon?"

Now it was Tillian who found himself grappling to formulate a response, his entire body unexpectedly growing hot, as though the room had suddenly burst into flames. Never in his wildest dreams had he anticipated such a request from someone like Princess Aideen.

’Goodness, am I glad that you cannot see me right now...’

With his hand pressed against his burning face, the Duke released a long exhale, as if he had been holding his breath until that very moment. Meanwhile, Aideen took a step closer and elaborated,

"You see... Today’s encounter with His Highness Prince Valon proved to be rather stressful for me. I’m still frightened. I fear he might revisit me in my dreams. I... I promise, Your Grace, I won’t be as audacious as I am right now ever again! Just this once... I’m genuinely scared."

Tillian locked eyes with the woman before him, a conflicting storm churning within his restless mind.

Her loud, frightened scream, her eyes widened in terror, her trembling body, her hushed voice, and her inability to move beyond the Prince’s disgusting touch—there was no pretense in her reactions, and that was precisely what unsettled him the most.

’How many times has this happened to you before? How many nights have you spent here alone, trembling in fear, shedding hot tears? There seems to be no safe haven for you in this place, not even a solitary corner. So now that I’m here... How can I possibly refuse? Perhaps... just perhaps, you might discover your sanctuary by my side.’

"Alright. I will be with you tonight, Your Highness."

Aideen could not help but curl her lips into a warm smile.

"Thank you, Your Grace. You have no idea what it means to me."

***

While the princess managed to persuade Tillian to share the bed with her, she still overlooked the fact that her bed was woefully small for the two of them.

With the Duke’s robust and well-developed physique, his earnest efforts to accommodate were futile, and he inevitably occupied the larger portion of the bed. This proximity caused their bodies to touch with every minuscule movement they made, turning them into a couple of awkward, flinching forms.

’Perhaps suggesting to share the same bed was not the best idea after all... I can’t help but wonder if His Grace feels too uncomfortable with my presence here.’

Aideen closed her eyes, gingerly shifting as close to the edge of the bed as possible. She held her breath, fervently praying that her body would graciously remain motionless until the morning.

’My body is too big for this bed. Look at her, all crumpled; she must be so uncomfortable... I will wait for her to fall asleep and then move back to the floor. I doubt either of us can sleep well in this arrangement.’

Tillian, too, adjusted his position, attempting to create more distance between them. However, the gap did not widen as much as he hoped. Now, they both had to wait until at least one of them would succumb to sleep.

Nevertheless, neither the princess nor the Duke could find immediate rest that night as the sleep refused to claim them.

The man continued to look at Aideen’s serene expression, feeling as though he teetered on the brink of exploding.

Aware that she was awake, he marveled at how she remained so calm and unruffled, while he was struggling with an all-consuming flame blazed within his chest.

’She suggested sharing a bed, and here she is, seemingly oblivious, while I’m on the brink of turning to ashes. I need to find a way to divert my thoughts.’

"Is sleep eluding you too, Your Grace?"

The princess’s sudden question caught Tillian off guard, causing him to wince and relinquish the last vestige of control he believed he still retained over his tumultuous emotions. He studied Aideen’s face – still expressionless; her eyes closed, and her plump pink lips at ease.

Scared of sounding funny, the man cleared his throat with a subtle cough and responded in a forced low voice,

"Yes, I... I seem to have a lot on my mind tonight."

"Oh... Would you like to share? I might not be able to offer advice, but I am a good listener."

"Well..."

Though Duke Valentine had not truly deceived Aideen when he mentioned being too preoccupied with thoughts to sleep, now that she invited him to share, he found himself uncertain about what to say.

Truth be told, he could have said much more; after all, despite seemingly growing closer with each passing day, they remained, at their core, strangers. Yes, Tillian was privy to many details about the princess’s life, but did that truly mean he knew her?

Perhaps what he was about to say was not the proper way to embark on this discovery, yet he found himself compelled to ask,

"Your Highness... Maybe it is wrong of me to pry, but I can’t simply let it be. What exactly did Prince Valon do to you in the past that induces such fear in his mere presence? How dreadful was his treatment that it continues to haunt you even in your sleep?"

Aideen hesitated.

No one knew precisely what he had done to her. No one had ever inquired. And even if they had, she understood they did not care.