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."
Not a Ruan
"This is the only reason I was reluctant to have our wedding ceremony sooner. Your late mother was the reason, Your Highness."
Finally letting go of her hand, Tillian distanced himself from the princess, giving her a moment to gather her thoughts. However, even this brief respite proved insufficient to fully grasp the complexity of the situation.
Struggling to formulate any semblance of an emotional response, Aideen withdrew her hand from the delicate flower and inquired,
"I don't understand... What does it mean? How is my late mother connected to all of this?"
The Duke hesitated. He had imagined this scene many times before and even rehearsed a rather suitable explanation, preparing for any possible questions that might come his way, but now that it was actually happening, all of a sudden, the man felt like he had forgotten how to think.
Nevertheless, he had to say at least something.