Saved By The Mad Duke
[COMPLETED] 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 Punishment, Part I
From the towering vantage point of the castle's tower, Aideen and Yuraon watched with bated breath as Prince Valon's formidable army approached. The sight that greeted them was daunting—a seemingly endless sea of soldiers, their armor glinting menacingly in the faint moonlight. The sheer size of the approaching force sent a shiver down Aideen's spine, and she exchanged a worried glance with Yuraon beside her.
"It's larger than we anticipated," Yuraon murmured, his voice tinged with concern.
Aideen nodded grimly, her eyes narrowing as she observed the army's relentless advance. "Valon's obsession with alchemy may have turned him mad, but he remains a coward, hiding behind the backs of others."
As the army drew closer, their footsteps thundering like an approaching storm, the princess' heart raced with anticipation. She knew that their carefully laid trap awaited them—a network of disguised trenches designed to lead the enemy forces to their graves.