Saved By The Mad Duke
Chapter 87: Forgetting An Important Lesson

Chapter 87: Forgetting An Important Lesson

Unwilling to tolerate the peculiar scene any longer, Tillian strode up to Aideen and swiftly pulled her away from the young King, enveloping her in his protective embrace. With a menacing glare, he directed his attention to Yuraon, who responded with a guilty pout, resembling a guilty puppy.

"What is the meaning of this, Your Majesty? Do you possess no sense of decorum whatsoever? How could you emerge from your chambers in such an inappropriate state?!"

The Duke’s voice resonated with a mixture of simmering anger and palpable hostility, fueled by both his exasperation with the unforeseen circumstances and, quite possibly, a fit of festering jealousy provoked by the sight of the princess in another man’s embrace, especially when that man had no clothes on.

Yuraon, however, found himself simply perplexed and slightly frustrated, as provoking such strong feelings had never been his intention to begin with.

"Believe me, Your Grace, none of this was planned! I woke from my nap to find my clothes missing, leaving me no choice but to venture outside in search of assistance."

Tillian briefly narrowed his eyes before averting his gaze, focusing on the woman nestled in his arms. His eyebrows raised in response to the sight of Aideen’s flushed cheeks, further stoking his ire.

Little did he realize, however, that the princess’s fluster stemmed not from being held by a naked man, but rather from her proximity to Tillian.

Gently pressing the lady’s head against his chest, Duke Valentine cast another piercing glare at the young King, issuing a cold command in a firm voice,

"Please return to your chambers, Your Majesty. I’ll have Safie bring you some of my attire. She will knock before entering, so ensure you’re decent. She doesn’t need to witness this as well."

With the demeanor of a reprimanded puppy, Yuraon nodded submissively, though he remained unwilling to abandon his playful nature. Drawing nearer to the woman cradled in Tillian’s arms, he flashed a wide smile and whispered,

"I sincerely apologize, Your Highness. I eagerly anticipate our dinner together. I trust you share my enthusiasm."

Fearing further chastisement, the young man swiftly retreated into his room, the door closing with a decisive bang.

Left alone, the Duke finally withdrew his hand from Aideen’s head, granting her some space, and inquired with a mixture of concern and gentle sternness, "

Are you alright, My Lady?"

Pressing her cold hands against her still-flushed cheeks in an effort to compose her embarrassment, the princess offered a light nod and replied,

"Yes, I’m fine. I apologize for the scene, Your Grace. I feel rather embarrassed. I was simply on my way back to my chambers when His Majesty unexpectedly crossed my path—"

"You have nothing to apologize for, Your Highness." Gently tucking a lock of her dark red hair behind her ear, Tillian finally allowed himself to relax, a warm smile of affection and relief gracing his features. "All that matters is that you are fine."

Upon hearing such kind and reassuring words, Aideen also found herself stretching her lips into a smile of gratitude. However, a sudden realization struck her—she remained ensconced within Duke Valentine’s embrace, a fact that reignited the fiery flush of self-awareness in her cheeks.

Freeing herself from the Duke’s arms, the princess averted her gaze, uncertain whether her embarrassment was apparent. In a quiet voice, she uttered,

"Well, I shall begin my preparations then. I look forward to seeing you at dinner, Your Grace."

***

Aideen took a rather generous sip from her wine glass, seeking to quench both her thirst and her desperate desire to vanish into thin air.

The heavy memories of her negative experience during her first-ever banquet with the mercenaries flooded back as soon as she entered the same dining hall. Even though this time she only had to face King Yuraon, the princess could not shake the overwhelming sense of stress and pressure.

Meanwhile, the young man felt no such pressure. On the contrary, he was thoroughly at ease sharing a meal with his gracious hosts.

Opting to sit beside the woman rather than opposite Duke Valentine, he could not hide his overwhelming joy. This seemingly innocent gesture, however, only served to increase Aideen’s discomfort and Tillian’s frustration once again.

Yuraon’s attentive and caring nature, however, momentarily eclipsed his usual playfulness. Observing the lady’s distressed state, he resolved to demonstrate that his proximity held no ill intent, but rather stemmed from a genuine desire to cultivate a relationship akin to the intimacy he shared with the Duke.

"Allow me to slice this for you, My Lady."

The young man drew Aideen’s plate closer, then deftly retrieved a silver knife from beside her, proceeding to cut a portion of the deliciously-looking red meat she had selected as her main course.

"Please, Your Majesty, there’s no need for this. I am perfectly capable of handling it myself!"

The woman attempted to sound as convincing as possible, but the King paid little heed to her objections. Upon finishing slicing the meat, Yuraon refilled her glass with red wine and proceeded to add more food to her plate, narrating each action with detailed descriptions of the forthcoming dishes.

Though he remained steadfastly silent, Tillian felt thoroughly irritated by the unnecessary attention lavished upon his fiancée. Quietly chastising himself for not being the one attending to the princess instead of the young King of Davoor, he berated himself internally.

’This is all my mistake. I should have taken a seat beside Aideen first... I understand she is capable of looking after herself, but demonstrating my willingness to attend to even the smallest details for her is a clear display of affection. I can’t believe I overlooked such an important lesson!’

The man angrily clenched a silver fork within his large fist, nearly bending it under the weight of his uncontrollable sense of jealousy and frustration, which only intensified his already formidable strength.

Perhaps he would have indeed broken the fork if not for the sudden interruption of their dinner, brought about by the unexpected appearance of Sir Stanis.

"Forgive my intrusion," he offered with a polite low bow, before turning to Duke Valentine and addressing him in a serious tone. "Your Grace, you are needed outside. One of the traders has returned, reporting an issue. I believe we should attend to it promptly."

Slightly relieved at the opportunity to divert his tumultuous thoughts elsewhere, Tillian excused himself and rose from his seat, disappearing behind the closed doors of the dining hall.