Aideen Ruan, though a royal princess, was always unwanted due to the circumstances of her birth. Born blind to a hostage concubine, she possessed an intriguing beauty; however, her disability rendered her utterly useless to the royal family. Even when the struggling Count Crueder reluctantly agreed to take Aideen as his wife to secure the royal dowry, her life failed to improve. A year into their marriage, Aideen's inability to produce an heir sealed her fate. The princess was destined for exile to the Temple, consigned to spend the remainder of her days in isolation and abandonment. Contrary to her anticipations, instead of the Temple, Aideen found herself within the cold walls of Duke Tillian Valentine's castle. Duke Valentine, the last scion of the once-revered Valentine family that ruled the Kingdom before the "Fratricide Rebellion", now presided over the desolate Northern lands. Faced with fear and confusion, Aideen expected her life to perpetuate its cycle of misery, only to discover that Duke Valentine might hold the key to a new opportunity, a chance at a life she had never envisioned. "You bewitched my body and soul. Put an intoxicating spell on me, shackled my heart to yours with your magic. If I could exchange my eyesight with you, I would do it just to make you see what a man dying from love looks like."
Bella moved her hand down again, gliding the wooden brush over the soft wavy locks of Aideen's long, beautiful hair.
"I don't know what to do with myself, Your Highness! I am so excited, I'm ready to jump out of my skin!"
The princess smiled. She understood the reason for the maids' elevated state –– tomorrow was supposed to be their wedding; the anticipated union of Duke Tillian Valentine and Princess Aideen.
Since Tillian made a rushed declaration that their union was to happen in a short span of just two days, the entire castle was in an uproar, and although every single one of its dwellers was definitely happy for their lord, it was painfully obvious that preparing an entire wedding in such a short period of time was a very difficult task to tackle.
"I still cannot believe we managed to prepare everything so quickly! His Grace surely gave us a fright when he announced the wedding date. Everyone is so exhausted but exhilarated at the same time."