Arabella gulped.
Ferdinand may not have mories of the past, but he seed to always react the most when it cos to Icarus.
He could feel it by instinct.
It was rely a theory for now, but her husband seed to be wary of Icarus because his body reacts even if his mind cannot rember.
He knew by instinct that Icarus had once been a threat to his relationship with her.
Maybe, he could even sense that there was once sothing between them.
After all, Icarus did not even confess to Arabella or try to tell her about his feelings now.
Yet, Ferdinand was even more wary of Icarus than Andrew.
"Ferdinand, do you think I would go to him if I wasn’t married to you?" Arabella asked and Ferdinand instantly tensed and held her hands.
He was silent for a few seconds before replying.
"Yes. Your parents planned to engage you with him if I hadn’t proposed.
Alwin overheard it when I sent him to Lobelius to send a letter.
So, if I hadn’t proposed that ti, you would be Icarus’ wife, instead of mine," Ferdinand said bitterly.
He held her hands tight.
’Ah, right. This was one of the reasons my older brother was against my marriage with Ferdinand.’
Her older brother thought that the original plan of engaging her with Icarus soday was so much better than with Ferdinand.
But when Ferdinand proposed, all of it was ruined and they had to agree to the proposal.
Especially since they heard that Ferdinand and Icarus both participated in the duel for her hand and Ferdinand won.
"I see. So, is that why you are wary of him?" Arabella tilted her head.
Her husband looked away.
There was sothing else.
"I don’t know.
I guess, another thing was because I know he is very capable.
He could spar with well and give difficulty despite being human.
He’s the strongest human I have t so far.
And he’s charming and kind.
A good ruler with a good reputation and so much more.
It’s so irritating to admit but he’s so much better than in a lot of ways.
He is very much capable of stealing your heart even though it’s already supposed to be mine."
’Look at him give Icarus a lot of praise.’
"See?
He is your friend after all.
I have never heard you give this much praise to soone," Arabella pointed out.
"He’s not!"
Arabella chuckled at how much he denied it.
"Why?
Because you had a fight with him?"
She also asked about this since she had been curious about it for a while.
They were not able to talk about it last ti.
[She indeed heard about it too.]
Ferdinand decided to tell her in more detail.
"Yes. I thought we would be fine after the duel.
But Icarus’ sword was dulled with fury when we fought.
And he refused to surrender until I had to break his arm.
If we continued, he wouldn’t have surrendered even if I had to kill him.
No, it was as if he was daring to kill him.
But his sister and ministers begged him to accept defeat since he was the King of Reverio.
He still had a kingdom to rule."
Ferdinand also lanted how Icarus chose to suffer the injury he sustained than accept Alwin’s healing which could have returned his hand to how it was before.
It was as if he was saying he could never trust Ferdinand again nor accept anything from him.
Thankfully, there was also a magician on Icarus’ side who helped him recover.
But it would have been a matter of a few seconds if it was Alwin. And it would have healed fully.
Yet, Icarus refused it as if saying he would never accept anything from Ferdinand ever again.
Not even their forr friendship.
Ferdinand felt the burning hostility from Icarus even after their duel.
And he knew they would never be the sa.
Icarus had never contacted Ferdinand since then, so Ferdinand, with all his pride, didn’t either.
Ferdinand didn’t know Icarus thought he didn’t really love her which was why he was so furious.
It was also because he felt not only betrayed; but toyed with, when he realized Ferdinand had been holding back against him all this ti.
"It was as if he was telling he would rather die or suffer than let have you.
I understood the feeling since I felt the sa.
It was a sha I can no longer spar and drink with him like usual.
But I don’t think I can maintain that kind of ties with him when I know he has feelings for you."
Ferdinand admitted he would likely keep being wary and suspicious of Icarus so cutting ties with him was also probably for the best.
He doubted his actions for the first ti in a while.
But he knew within himself that he wanted Arabella for himself and no one else.
Thus, he was fine with ending his friendship with Icarus even if he felt bad about it.
"I knew it was my fault.
But I cannot apologize since I will never give you up even if I felt sorry for him.
No. I don’t feel sorry for him at all."
Ferdinand denied though he felt bad for Icarus indeed. Yet, get triggered by him so easily as well.
"Why do you think it was your fault?" Arabella probed.
"Icarus was supposed to propose to you first.
He loved you and had been planning his proposal for years, way before I did.
anwhile, I t you once and thought of proposing to you that sa day.
I prepared for a year as Raymond and my ministers advised.
However, when I t with Icarus for our usual sparring, he told he would likely get married in a year or two since he was planning to propose.
I congratulated him without knowing it was you.
But when I asked who it was, we got into a fight since I was also preparing to send my proposal.
We had a duel that day and Icarus was suddenly stronger than he ever was.
Our duel lasted for a while with no victor until Raymond and Icarus’ guard knight stopped us.
It was then that we decided to duke it out on the duels for your hand that your suitors had organized."
Ferdinand finally told her what she learned from their thoughts last ti.
Ferdinand knew Icarus had been in love with her much longer than he was.
He had listened to Icarus’ animated stories about her, so he knew the latter’s feelings were serious and true.
He kept feeling guilty about it. But Ferdinand knew he could not give her up because of that.
None of the two were at fault though.
Icarus never ntioned her na or where she was from in his stories.
And Ferdinand did not know it was her.
The circumstances simply changed because Ferdinand saved her that one fateful day and fell in love with her.
It was not anyone’s fault that it happened.
If Ferdinand didn’t save her that day, she probably wouldn’t be alive to this day.
Arabella tried to put herself in their shoes and she also arrived at the sa conclusion as Ferdinand.
"Ferdinand, what if there is a lady among your people in Estrella that was secretly in love with you for several thousands of years now?
But you never knew.
Do I have to give you up to her if she confronts about it?" Arabella asked her husband frowned.
"No. Of course not.
I don’t want to be with anyone else but you."
His answer was quick and decisive.
No, he didn’t even need to think about it.
"But she loved you way longer than I did."
"Who cares?
It’s only you that I want.
I don’t care about anyone else.
I never even thought about getting married before I t you," Ferdinand held her hands tighter.
"Exactly."
She smiled at her husband.
"In the end, what matters was how you felt and what you wanted.
Even if Icarus liked way before you did, that doesn’t an your feelings were less than his.
You don’t have to give up for his sake when you also felt the sa," Arabella emphasized.
"Likewise, even if soone in Estrella appears and says she loved you way before I did, so you were supposed to be hers, I will make the sa decision.
I will not give you up either because I treasure you now.
I won’t let her have you just because she knew and loved you far longer than .
My point is that you were not at fault at all.
Neither was he.
The circumstances simply changed."
"I see. Thank you for making feel better," Ferdinand embraced her.
Arabella smiled and rubbed his back.
"And I’m elated to know you wouldn’t give up to anyone else either," Ferdinand captured her lips and she felt like she would lt at how sweet it felt.
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