Chapter 17: Another Mad Dog
"I beg your pardon?"
Aideen was sure she had misheard the duke, yet Tillian still repeated his words in a clear, unwavering voice,
"I want you to become my wife, Your Highness."
The princess couldn’t help but feel utterly lost once more. She widened her golden-green eyes, slightly parting her lips as she grappled with the weight of the unfolding situation. When she finally found the words to express herself comprehensively, she spoke once more,
"I apologize, Your Grace. I know I’m not that bright, so I don’t believe I possess the wit to fully comprehend this. The more you say, the more confused I become."
The woman took a deep breath to calm her agitated state and continued,
"First, I get abducted. Then, I am brought to this castle. I am then told I can learn magic from scratch. And now... Now you are offering me your hand in marriage. I apologize if I am being rude, but this whole situation seems far too complicated for me to understand. And even if we set aside other things, I am still a royal princess. I cannot get divorced to marry another man."
Aideen closed her mouth abruptly, shutting her eyes and placing a clenched fist against her chest. An unexplainable wave of fear compressed her chest like a vine, rendering her head blank and her breathing rapid and shallow.
She couldn’t recall the last time she had the chance to speak so freely and with such passion. Consequently, she wasn’t particularly surprised that her heart had transformed into a frightened bird, frantically beating against the bony cage of her ribs.