Irene's crush was so hard to overcome because, while Commander Henry's appearance was a big factor for her noticing him in the first place, it was his heart and his kindness that struck her the most.
The moment Henry's eyes landed on the carriage that Sir Alix had been riding in the duration of their journey, the young Duke sprinted forward and made sure that he was the one to open the door before anyone else could.
There was something a bit ethereal about Alix's beauty when he appeared. Irene had to admit that much because everyone present was staring in awe at the blonde creature as he came into view, but her focus wasn't on the noble-born man.
It seemed that only Irene cared about how unbelievably happy the Commander looked as he practically tackled the healing knight and pushed him backwards because his strength hadn't fully returned yet.
