yoojee

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."

Saved By The Mad Duke

Aideen shifted her body lazily, still reluctant to let go of the heavy but comforting embrace of slumber.

Slowly, she moved her arms around and jerked her body into a sitting position, realizing that she was back in her bed again. The princess shook her head, disposing of the last sleeping strings still attached to her body. Then, she slid her hands across the soft surface of the bed once more and wondered silently,

'How strange. I thought I ended up sitting on the floor with His Grace... Was all of that just a dream?'

She turned her face towards the place where Tillian was supposed to be and focused her senses.

'It's really quiet, and his scent is no longer in the air. I guess he left the room quite some time ago... I wonder what time it is... I do not smell food in here, which means it is not yet time for breakfast. Where did he go? Did he get upset that I sat next to him without his permission? But he was never opposed to my touch before...'

Breakfast, But Not A Proper Meal