Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 76: The Lady Of The Castle

Chapter 76: The Lady Of The Castle

"All is done. You are all ready for the dinner, Your Highness."

Bella took a step away from the princess, admiring the results of her meticulous efforts and assessing if her lady’s appearance was still in need of any adjustments. However, just as always, Aideen’s appearance only stunned her even more and the maid had to admit that the young woman would look fantastic in absolutely anything because it was her innate beauty and charm that made her overshadow the beauty of anyone she had chance to meet during her life.

"I am so nervous, I don’t know what to do with myself."

Aideen offered Bella a timid, even scared look which made the latter release a somewhat disapproving sigh. Shaking her head, she stood right in front of the princess, gently took her hands in hers, and tried to provide her with some kind of consolation,

"You shouldn’t be, My Lady. These are just regular people like me or Safie; simple and warm. And since they like and respect our lord, they will treat you with the same level of regard."

Although the woman’s words indeed succeeded in soothing her trembling heart, Aideen still could not help but feel insecure.

"Thank you, Bella, but it seems that my entire being has no means to fight it. I have never hosted any kind of event, you see. I’m afraid they will see it and be disappointed with me. I certainly don’t want to taint His Grace’s reputation."

"You are giving these men too much credit, Your Highness. It is true that His Grace considers them his friends but it is simply because he has known them all his life. But it is all the same––they are not nobles and whatever they think does not affect anything."

The princess lowered her head, mulling over Bella’s words. The maid was not wrong––in the Capital, the distinction between the nobles and peasants was too noticeable and the opinions of the latter never mattered.

The North, however, seemed different. Or rather, it was Tillian who made it different.

He, unlike other nobles she knew, treasured the opinions even of those who were below him and tried to be fair in the matters that concerned them too.

So how could she be the only one who had to discard them?

’No, these people are important to Tillian, therefore, they are important to me. I did not promise him a silent companion or a pretty wife to look at; I promised him a supportive partner and this is who everyone shall see beside him. I will make sure that everyone will see me as a worthy match to the last scions of the Valentines!’

Nodding silently to herself, Aideen turned back to face Bella and finally said, her voice acquiring a more confident tone,

"Alright. I am ready now. I am ready to host my very first banquet."

Bella nodded too, a contented smile gracing her pinkish lips.

"Yes, Your Highness. Let me guide you to the dining hall."

"No." The princess raised her hand––a gesture that made the maid freeze on the spot while her lady added, her face as serious as ever, "No need to escort me, Bella. I will go alone this time."

***

Standing before the tall doors of the dining hall where she had already had her meals multiple times, Aideen could not help but marvel at the unfamiliar feeling that was now creeping from inside it.

Usually quiet and empty, the loud and lively chatter behind the closed doors was now like thunder echoing within the cold castle hallway, its cheerful tone––an irresistible invitation to come inside and join the festivities.

’Alright, Aideen, you need to learn to carry out the fake confidence you always so successfully build up inside your bedroom and actually make it stick. Time to come in, it is rude to make your guests wait for you.’

The princess closed her eyes for a brief moment, took a deep breath in an attempt to remember what it felt like to be assertive, then emptied her lungs, and finally pushed the heavy doors, stepping inside the joyful atmosphere of the dining hall.

The moment she entered the room, the time seemed to have stopped completely. The loud chatting disappeared in an instant and was replaced with a heavy silence which made her careful, yet confident footsteps sound louder than the princess wanted them to be.

At last, a pair of familiar footsteps rushed towards her and Aideen felt a strong but tender touch of Tillian’s hand on her forearm.

"Your Highness! Why are you alone? Where is Bella?"

The Duke’s concerned voice made the woman flustered but she quickly disposed of any signs of weakness and curled her lips into a subtle, poised smile as she answered,

"Bella has more important things to do, Your Grace. Now that we have such important guests in our castle, the kitchen needs all the help it can get to make sure we can provide them with the best service. I have been here long enough, I can navigate this place perfectly well by myself."

Tillian arched his eyebrows in surprise for a moment, amazed by such an unexpected response, then smiled, and nodded rather submissively,

"Indeed, My Lady, you have long ago become the lady of this castle, it was insensitive of me to assume you required additional help to get here. However, just this once, please allow me to lead you to your designated seat beside me. Consider it my affectionate attempt to steal a few more moments of being this close to you."

This time, Aideen had no mental power to fight back the blushing that tinted her skin in the bright shade of peach. She even managed to forget about the pressing silence that still filled the previously loud dining hall; the Duke’s playful affection was an intriguing wizardry on its own.

The princess failed to notice how precisely Tillian guided her to the head of the dining table. However, the moment she came to her senses, Duke Valentine planted a light kiss on the back of the lady’s right hand. Then, he turned to face his friends and proudly declared,

"To everyone present here tonight, I present to you my future wife, Princess Aideen."

The woman couldn’t fathom why she expected the room to respond with disregarding silence. However, to her great surprise and undeniably happiness, what she heard was the synchronized noise of moving chairs, the loud rustling of clothes, and the somewhat rehearsed stomping of heavy leather shoes. This cacophony of sound was immediately followed by the ringing echo of low male voices that solemnly replied,

"We greet the lady of the castle, Princess Aideen Valentine!"