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Afternoon.
Wyfellon. Wyfn-Garde.
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"You’re my wife, Salviana. That ans sothing to , even if it doesn’t to others. I won’t let anyone hurt you." he declared.
"But it’s more than that, isn’t it?" she pressed gently, tilting her head slightly to catch a glimpse of his expression. His jaw was tight, his eyes focused ahead, but there was a vulnerability in his voice that she hadn’t heard before when he spoke.
"I’ve always been alone, Salviana. None of my family has ever cared for , except maybe Abigail, and even that’s questionable. I’m feared. Hated. But with you... I don’t know. I just—" He paused, his grip on the reins tightening. "I just find myself hoping, desiring to be accepted, sothing I haven’t cared about before," he whispered gently.
"I don’t want to lose you to the hate or fear of ."
Her heart ached at his confession, and she reached up, resting her hand on his arm in a silent show of comfort. "You won’t lose to anything but yourself," she whispered, feeling the weight of his words settle between them.
For a long ti, they rode in silence, the wind playfully teasing Salviana’s fiery red hair as it stread behind her like a banner in the wind. She was lost in thought, reflecting on the strange complexity of Alaric. Beneath his cold, intimidating deanor, there was a fragility hidden deep beneath the layers of mystery and power. And in that quiet realization, she understood that she wasn’t the only one afraid of losing sothing precious—he was, too.
The rhythmic sound of Soar’s hooves cald her nerves as they rode slowly around Wyfellon. Each stride the horse took seed to carry away the suffocating tension that had clung to her since her sudden marriage to the third prince. For once, she felt a strange sense of peace.
"Soar’s quite fast, isn’t he?" Salviana broke the silence, trying to ease the heavy atmosphere with so light conversation.
Alaric’s deep chuckle resonated from behind her, the warmth of it startling her. "He is. One of the fastest in the kingdom."
She smiled, glancing around at the blur of green fields rushing past them. "I can see that. This is all so beautiful. Much better than the confinent of the palace walls."
She hadn’t experienced much of the outside world back ho, always shielded under the guise of protecting the ’Divine Lady.’ The freedom now felt intoxicating, yet calming.
"Where do you take him when you need to escape?" she asked, curiosity sparking in her voice.
Alaric’s voice turned teasing, a hint of mystery woven into it. "There’s a place."
She raised a brow, twisting slightly to catch his eyes. "Are you not going to tell ?"
His gaze dropped to her lips, and for a mont, ti seed to pause. Then, with a playful flick, he tapped her nose, making her gasp in surprise. "You’ll see soon enough," he smirked, his voice holding the promise of adventure.
They continued riding, the world around them changing. The open fields gradually gave way to an ancient, towering forest. The trees lood tall and majestic, their intertwined branches creating a natural roof that filtered the sunlight into soft, dappled shadows on the forest floor.
Salviana was about to inquire about their destination when the forest suddenly parted. In front of them was a secluded clearing, untouched by the world. At its center lay a small, sparkling lake, the water so clear it mirrored the sky above. Everything about the place seed magical, like sothing out of a forgotten dream.
Her eyes widened in wonder.
"Here," Alaric said quietly, bringing Soar to a stop by the edge of the lake. "This is where I co to think. Where the world can’t find ."
Salviana slid off the horse with his help, her eyes still wide with awe as she took in the beauty around her. "It’s... incredible," she breathed, the words barely audible as she absorbed the tranquility.
Alaric dismounted, standing beside her with an unusual softness in his expression. "I thought you’d like it."
"I love it," she whispered, turning to him, feeling a warmth in her chest that she couldn’t quite na. For the first ti, standing beside him in this secret haven, she felt a strange connection—a shared solitude that made them feel less alone.
But before she could let her emotions settle, Alaric’s voice broke through her thoughts. "Now, for answering all your questions earlier, I want sothing in return."
She blinked, startled by his sudden shift in tone. "What is it you want to do?" she asked cautiously, unsure of what he had in mind.
He gestured toward the shimring lake. "Step into the water."
Her jaw dropped. "What?"
"The water," he repeated, his tone firm but still holding a hint of amusent. "I want you to step into it."
She stared at him, wide-eyed. "Why would you ask to do that?"
His dark eyes glittered with mischief. "You asked questions, and I answered them. This is your part of the deal."
Salviana crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. "Are you so kind of sadist? Why would you want to wade into the water?"
"You’re wasting ti, sweetheart," Alaric teased, his grin widening as she visibly bristled at the word ’sweetheart.’
She scowled, ntally cursing herself for following him this far. And now, on top of everything, he had the nerve to call her ’sweetheart’?
"You’re unbelievable!" she muttered under her breath, thinking she had kept her thoughts to herself, only to hear Alaric chuckle deeply in response.
He shook his head in amusent. "Just get into the lake, Salviana."
"I can’t swim!" she protested, hoping for so reprieve.
He rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. "The water isn’t deep. You’ll be fine."
"Are you coming with ?" she asked softly, a small part of her hoping he might say yes.
He glanced at her with a comtemplative pout but then his face turned serious, and his gaze hardened. "No."
Her eyes narrowed at his answer, and he smirked before leaning closer and tapping her nose again, his teasing behavior clearly getting under her skin. "Go on."
She glared at him, ’Wasn’t he the one who’d been talking about not wanting to lose her just earlier?’ ’How could he switch this fast?’
"If I drown, I’m going to haunt you," she warned, lifting her dress slightly, her defiance clear.
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