“I had been waiting for you for quite some time now, my Princess,” Duke Conrad stated as he sat comfortably in a single sofa chair near the dressing mirror.
His arms were both resting on its arm handle, his legs crossed, and his cane perfectly placed at the right side of the chair.
He was snickering. His expression obviously that of an old man planning to harass a young maiden.
His jaw was grossly unshaved that Lianne immediately noticed it more than she had seen him earlier.
The Grand Duke’s eyes were coldly blue; a visible window of his tumultuous soul capable of wrath and terror similar to that of King Garlow. He was in his late fifties, definitely not proper to ask a hand in marriage to a woman half his age.
Surely enough, the sight of the man in Lianne’s front gave her considerable unease.
She clenched her hands into a fist, trying to gather up as much courage as she could.
“You are trespassing! Why are you here?!” she exclaimed, intentionally making her voice a little intimidating and less like a victim.
The old man stood up wearing the same amount of wicked expression on his face.
After picking his cane, he walked towards the princess and said, “Ah, it appears that I am not welcomed here.”
“Ha! Isn’t it already obvious?” Lianne scowled.
“But, I don’t think you haven’t known me well enough to act like that, my Princess.”
Lianne stepped back against the entrance of the bedroom door when she saw the flicker of evil in his eyes. Somehow, she realized that Lady Faye was nowhere in sight and that she was now alone with this unwelcoming guest.
Panic came rushing inside her as the Duke drew nearer, but she tried to compose herself — tried as much as she possibly could. If she was able to manage a good fight with the King, how much more with this lowly trespasser?
Holding her face up, she spoke, her callous voice enveloping the room, “You’re right certainly, Duke Conrad. Of course, I don’t know you and I don’t plan to. I am quite sure nothing benefits me from knowing you.”
“Ah…” The Duke’s coarse voice rumbled through the air. “But of course! Just as Garlow had said. You’re truly a jewel in the rough. A perfect rose among the wither.”
The Duke stopped inches apart from her and then began to touch the delicate softness of her cheeks to Lianne’s chagrin.
She quickly brushed his hand away and in response, the Duke caught a grip on her wrist and pulled her close to him.
His bearded mouth was close to her ear when he spoke. “And I won’t regret having you for my wife,” he added.
Lianne didn’t understand what she felt upon hearing the Duke’s words.
It was definitely a good slap on her pride having instantly remembered the prince’s words.
It was just too ridiculous to believe him at that time, but now, it turned out that all of his claims were true. It does mean that she was wrong all along. She had ultimately judged him a manipulator and a liar when in fact he was telling the truth all this time.
Somehow. Somehow… her heart ached at the thought of her mistake.
“Let go of me!” She gave him a cold glare. “Who said I will become your wife! Garlow doesn’t have any right to decide for me nor anyone for that matter! I am not his puppet!”
Lianne managed to wring herself out of the Duke’s grasp but he forcefully pushed her against the door frame thereafter using his cane.
She winced at the brief pang of pain on her back.
He then neared his face unto her own, whispering something she hated to hear with all her heart, “Ah, but Princess, unfortunately, when you are in Regaleria Kingdom, you have no right to decide for yourself.”
Lianne again wriggled out of his hold, but he didn’t budge, holding her tightly still despite the old man that he was.
“I demand you to leave at once!” she cried out.
Conrad’s face moved even closer. “Trust me, my future young wife. I will leave you only if you’ll grant me a good night’s kiss.”
To Lianne’s horror, he bent low towards her mouth.
The thought of his grossly unshaven mouth touching her fresh skin was sheer terror for her.
“Lady Faye!” she shouted, hoping the old woman would come to her rescue, but there was no response.
Alone and feeling trapped, a choked sob surfaced from her.
How did it come to this?! How could she have fallen into this situation?!
She struggled to free herself from the cane that was jailing her against the door frame all the while the Duke’s mouth came deadly closer and closer.
“Help! Please!” In sheer panic, she made a loud cry. “Somebody! Anybody! Please, help!” She lifted her knuckles up to the Duke’s face and pushed his chin further back. “Stop it! Let me go!”
But the Duke proceeded on his intent. He continued to advance on her, so confident to taste her lips now, but then, the unthinkable happened.
“Duke Conrad!”
The old man abruptly stopped. The voice he heard across the receiving room was certainly a familiar voice.
Slowly, he turned to confirm who it was, and then his face turned ashen.
“Didn’t you hear the princess’ plea? I am quite sure to think that she is unhappy with her present condition,” Ruen’s enraged voice reverberated across the room. He clenched his jaw in dislike as he watched the scene in his front.
His hands shook, trying to stop himself from causing possible greater harm to the harassing Duke, but he so wanted to place blows upon blows on this old man’s face.
Eyes flaming with anger, he stood just a few meters away from the main door, and behind him was Lady Faye looking also dismayed by the event that had unfolded.
“Your Imperial Highness! My apologies,” Duke Conrad replied, scurrying himself out of Lianne, and then bowing low in front of the prince.
Lianne was astonished upon knowing who her savior was. There was an instant feeling of relief in her heart that he had actually saved her from harassment, but she immediately felt downhearted upon the thought of her accusations on him.
She faced away from him, embarrassed by her guilt and she kept her head low standing beside the door frame.
She tried to hold both of her hands together against her chest attempting to nullify the erratic beating of her heart, but it was to no avail. Upon the way he sounded, she was pretty sure he was angry.
The Duke looked nervous when she cast a quick glance at him. With this she realized that even though he was a Grand Duke by right, he was himself downright respectable towards the crown prince; or was it only just a facade by the Duke to mask his disappointment on the prince’s interruption?
Then, with a deep breath, he stood up and verbalized his reason, “My liege, I assure you that the Princess’ safety is my greatest intent and nothing more.”
Ruen’s expression was that of an unyielding castigator. He knew full well it was more than that.
“Remember, Duke, that you are stepping on Regaleria soil. Any misdemeanor will be held against you. I know about your agreement with my father, but until it is already well known, I don’t think you are to press upon your advances with the princess.”
The Duke’s head lowered again. “Of course, Your Highness. Everything is well understood.”
Lianne saw that despite his answer, he held his cane tightly, a sign that he was pissed.
“Good,” Ruen nodded. “Then, will you leave the room now? Let the princess reclaim her privacy.”
Duke Conrad clumsily exited the receiving room with his eyes cast downward.
He bid a sincere goodnight on the prince and to the governess then continued his way out.
It wasn’t long after the Duke had left, Lady Faye obediently informed the prince that she was to take her leave also.
Lianne heard the main door close and instantly knew that she was all alone with the prince.
There was a minute of silence surrounding the room and that the only thing that broke it was a loud sound of lightning from the outside.
The rain then heavily poured making the atmosphere even gloomier than it had been.
“It seems that every man wants a piece of you,” the Prince remarked, his voice cold and straightforward, his gaze resting on the princess’ back.
In response, Lianne shook her head, unable to believe how callous his words were.
True that Lord Cain had attempted to kiss her during the ball and now, the Duke was asking for one also, but that didn’t mean she was a wench that was easily swayed by any man’s advances! How could he judge her like that?
She truly had felt guilty doubting him on his warnings, but now, with his words, it infuriated her to the core.
Gathering herself up to confront him, she turned around to face him, intent on retaliating the same amount of sarcasm he had given her.
“And I believe you want a piece of me too?!” the princess shouted, but she abruptly stopped, caught off-guard by his appearance.
A deep red hue painted the surface of her cheeks then as she saw him. Her heart pounded deeply as she turned lightning fast to face the other direction trying to avert his drowning gaze. He was in fact wearing only a white satin loose trouser and a green suede robe.
His rippling naked torso was oh-so clearly visible. Those perfectly well-toned abdominal muscles could shy away any maiden immediately on sight, and certainly, to the princess, it was truly an effect.
This was her first time seeing him like this; and for the record, first time for her ever seeing a man like this!
She didn’t know what to react. It’s as if all of her frustrations against him weakened. How could he impolitely dress like that in front of her?! Surely, Lady Faye was also thinking the same, but why did she leave them alone in the chamber in the first place?
“Lady Faye had informed me of such an event taking place in your chamber tonight, and I guess I have to say, you are vulnerable even in your own room. I hadn’t expected that Duke Conrad would dare beyond the night’s ball, it seems that he was too enamored on you to wait.”
Lianne remained silent. She kept her head low, but even though she didn’t look his way, she could feel the gravity of his gaze on her.
She hoped dearly that he hadn’t noticed her blush. This was ever the first time she felt greatly intimidated by him. Was that because of his appearance tonight that she felt this or was it due to the acuteness of the moment?
“Maybe, if you would scream out loud, I could hear you even in the middle of the night without Lady Faye’s help,” Ruen continued to speak. “My chamber is just above yours anyway.”
Having had enough, she pushed herself to look at him and cried out, “And why would I do that?!”
She realized that she’d be defeated if she were to be affected on such a trivial matter such as him appearing half-dressed. She just had to make her point known, and there was no other way but to confront him with or without any clothes.
“It is evident that my father has some plans for you, and it seems it is already happening considering you are here,” Ruen furthered, pleased that her fiery self had returned.
“I’m not someone who is easily swayed by such extravagance. Who said that I would heartily accept this change when I know it is with a price? Your father has nothing to do with me nor anybody in this God-forsaken kingdom, and he doesn’t have any authority for me to be married to that letch of a man!”
Ruen let out a deep sigh and chose to look at the carpeted floor. His eyes bore an unreadable emotion that just confused Lianne even more. Though he knew that it wasn’t right for her to be used like that, the matter couldn’t just be settled easily.
“Lianne…” he started and lifted his head up to look at her. He looked at her the same way as that time when he saw her in the dungeon – eyes deep with regret and sadness.
Lianne was puzzled to see it.
“When you’re in Garlow’s kingdom, you have no power to decide for your own,” he stated.
Hearing this, Lianne made a sharp intake of breath and then gave him a scowl.
Hearing the same phrases the second time was definitely a sharp blow to her pride.
She never had realized that staying trapped inside Garlow’s kingdom could be so seriously ill-fated in the future than her loss of her family. Now, her own precious freedom was at stake just because of a man who wants to gain more power.
“And now you tell me that?!” she bellowed in rage.
On impulse, she charged towards him and began to attack his chest with her own bare hands as if trying to physically wound him out of spite, but he instinctively blocked her blows.
She continued and continued, forcefully pounding his chest, while at the same time, crying her heart out, “All of you here in this blasted kingdom doesn’t have the right to command me nor decide on my part! I’m no slave in this place and I refuse to be one just for the sake of greed! I am not a puppet. You and Garlow will never make a puppet out of me!”
Her tears streamed down her eyes, and though she tried hard to deny how fragile she was deep inside, all her defenses crumbled down as Ruen immobilized her with a tight embrace.
Face flushed, she buried herself on his shoulder and muffled her cries.
Ruen looked down and saw that she was breaking apart, quite the opposite of how she had always been – fiery and stubborn.
“Lianne, listen to me,” he requested, trying to be as tender to her as possible.
“No! The hell I’d listen!” Lianne pushed herself out of his hold but he didn’t give her a chance to escape.
“I said listen to me!” he shouted.
“No! Damn this place! Damn Garlow! Damn-”
“You stop now and listen to me!” Ruen, this time, said with anger echoing in his voice. He grabbed her shoulders and kept her still. Their eyes met again, and he could now see her tears clearly.
He frowned in response but he moved closer to her, his lips only inches apart from her cheeks.
Lianne was taken aback by his roughness that it rendered her unable to speak. She wanted to shout. She wanted to complain. She wanted too damn much to pour out all her resentment and frustration, but Ruen’s steady gaze on her was enough to make her mute.
“You are powerless when you’re at my father’s kingdom, that is true,” Ruen started, pressing her more against his chest, “but I have and I will make a way to stop your marriage to the Duke.”
Lianne made a strangled, mocking noise at the back of her throat. “Huh, you dare defy your father’s command?” Her voice was weak and trembling, and Ruen noticed it.
“Trust me, Lianne. That, I promise you,” he expressed. He embraced her then, no space left in between.
She felt surprisingly calmed by his action and felt the sincerity in his words, but somehow, deep inside her heart, it was something even more.
“You very well know that I can’t trust you,” she commented, her voice still wavering.
He brushed her hair at the back, feeling all of her on that very moment.
He could willingly give his life just to be able to hold her like this, he thought.
“You can Lianne and you will.”