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 Royal Dinner
The melodic sound of cutlery and crystal resonated through the Royal Dining Hall, creating the only audible symphony within its grandeur.
Dinner was a tradition strictly adhered to by the Royal Family of Ruan. It was a sacred routine, a practice upheld religiously, permitted to be canceled only for more important events, typically involving formal banquets or balls where mingling with other nobles took precedence.
As per Queen Fleur Ruan's decree, these were the sole occasions deemed acceptable for canceling the family dinner.
Tonight, however, was not such an occasion.
King Euris, Queen Fleur, and their two sons—Yanad and Valon—occupied their designated seats around the expansive dining table, each engrossed in the consumption of their evening meal.