Furthermore, both Xyriel's aunt, Beatrice, and his uncle, Arthur, are siblings of Xyriel's father.
How could they do this to their own nephew? It's despicable.
"Why? Why did he hurt you?" I asked, my expression filled with concern as I gently touched his cheek, causing him to flinch.
"I-it's because I did something outrageous to you, a Princess of this Kingdom. I deserved the punishment," he said with a somber tone, still averting his gaze.
"Outrageous? You never did anything of the sort, Xyriel!" I exclaimed.
"I did! I made you take the responsibility for my mistake when we went outside!" he interjected.
"I've told you, it wasn't your fault, and it never will be. How did he even find out about that?"
"I knew right away when he came home, Princess Zinnia," an unfamiliar voice answered. My eyes widened, and I swiftly turned to the door. With brown hair and bright red eyes, the man stood there using a wooden cane for support, his gaze fixed on us with a glaring intensity.
Meeting his gaze, I returned the glare, while Xyriel stood up abruptly, facing him.
"D-Duke Arthur!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling.
"It seems that my actions regarding the Grand Duke have caused you some distress, Princess. Do you have an issue with it?" he inquired, maintaining an air of dignity. As an elder with a grand stature, one couldn't easily mock or joke with him.
"The Grand Duke is a grown man capable of making his own choices. However, I'm curious why you, his uncle, felt the need to punish him to such an extent," I retorted, my tone devoid of fear.
"My sister, Beatrice, informed me immediately about what transpired during her last visit here. She was infuriated by your presence, my lady. In response, I promptly came to assess the situation. To my astonishment, he was not attending to his duties as he should. The head maid assured me he would be gone for only a few hours, yet I waited and waited until morning's light broke, and there was no sign of him in his own mansion," he explained.
"As I continued to await his return to his residence, I sensed that he had been leisurely spending his time elsewhere. When he finally did return, I detected the scent of alpha pheromones on him. It appears that he once again imposed upon an alpha to satisfy his desires, isn't that right? Moreover, he showed a lack of respect by spreading his pheromones to allure Your Highness," he added, his tone dripping with disdain.
Suppressing my anger, I clenched my fists. "What are you insinuating?" I demanded, my glare never leaving him.
"I'm certain that Xyriel propositioned you for a mating, just as he had done with a gentleman in the past."
Turning to look at Xyriel, I saw he was on the verge of tears, his face downturned and shaking.
"I apologize for his peculiar behavior, Princess. Being an omega, he sometimes can't resist his instincts to seek out an alpha mate. But to think he showed such disrespect to you, the Princess of this kingdom, was utterly wrong. I had to discipline him for his actions. Now, Xyriel, apologize to the Princess," he commanded, thumping his wooden cane twice against the floor.
"I-I apologize again, Zinnia," Xyriel quivered, bowing his head. "What I did was inappropriate, and I will make sure to reflect on my actions."
I firmly grabbed Xyriel's shoulder and guided him to stand upright, casting a concerned look his way.
"You don't need to blame yourself, Xyriel. This isn't your fault," I reassured him before turning back to Arthur.
"Duke Arthur, with all due respect, your age and wisdom don't give you the right to belittle others. Referring to Xyriel as 'just an omega' is quite disrespectful. Your years should have taught you better manners. You should know better!"
His eyes widened, and he advanced toward me.
"What did you say, Princess?" He retorted, clearly trying to intimidate me.
"Omega or not, Xyriel is hardworking and the kindest person I've ever met! His looks, manners, and kind heart are unparalleled. Xyriel is exceptional, yet you seem incapable of seeing that. How dare you claim to be his uncle?" I declared, stepping forward to meet him eye to eye, with only a few centimeters between us.
"Because of me, Xyriel has become more bearable and can manage simple tasks. But, I wouldn't go so far as to call him hardworking," he retorted.
"You seem to only focus on his mistakes. Have you ever taken the time to appreciate his efforts?" I questioned.
"He merely does the bare minimum! And due to his heat, we lost a monumental contract opportunity. He practically attempted to seduce the prince of another country but failed," he yelled.
A strong urge to confront this old man surged within me, but I knew that wasn't what Xyriel wanted.
"You're quick to blame his heat, but did you make an effort to fully understand the situation? Do you know how it took place? And where it all began?" He was taken aback by my response.
He resembled a parent who cares little for their child, only concerned about the family name and nothing else.
"Have you ever bothered to investigate or even listen to him once? I doubt it. Yet, you assumed he was solely at fault without considering any other possibility. Duke Arthur, you should be ashamed to call yourself his uncle."
With my piece said, I firmly took hold of Xyriel's wrist and swiftly exited the room without so much as a goodbye.
Xyriel remained silent, obediently following me without any complaints or questions.
I guided him to his garden, where I directed us to a bench near the pond, providing us with shade. I recalled that this was Xyriel's sanctuary, a place where he found solace.
I deliberately chose a spot farther from the mansion to ensure that his uncle wouldn't easily find us. If he did attempt to approach, I wanted to have a clear view of anyone approaching the mansion from where we sat.