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."
Tillian walked through the long corridor of the second floor in the direction of his study. Just like he promised Aideen, he managed to return earlier but he still had to make sure all his tasks were in order before delegating them to Stanis.
As he pushed the door to his study open and walked inside, he instantly halted, his eyes widening at the sight before him –– Khala, absolutely naked, lying on the leather couch in the middle of the room.
Shocked and confused at first, the Duke had no idea what to do until finally he managed to get back to his senses, pulled his long black cloak off his shoulders, threw it on top of the naked woman, and asked in an angry voice,
"What is the meaning of this?! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
With a cunning grin gracing her lips, Khala removed the cloak from her body, her voice almost singing as she replied,
"What do you think I'm doing, Tillian? Or should I do more to finally make you understand?"