Saved By The Mad Duke
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."
The Late Night Snack, Part I
Aideen slowly opened her eyes and waited a few moments for them to readjust to the darkness, while her mana reflected the image of the bedroom in her mind. She was not sure how long she had been sleeping, but now that she was finally awake, the princess felt incredibly refreshed and healthy, as if the draining ritual that had left her nearly lifeless had never occurred in the first place.
Although her body felt light and strong, there was still something more powerful and weighty pressing her down onto the bed, tightly ensnaring her within its loving confines –– Tillian was lying next to her, his strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and waist as if he feared she would vanish otherwise.
Slowly turning around, Aideen carefully moved her husband's arms away, allowing herself more space to shift around. Then, she fixed her dragon eyes on the Duke's handsome face, tracing the light blue outlines that her mana painted inside her mind.