The early afternoon sun was at its hottest, but the breeze in January was cool, and Lara’s dress was comfortable, so she wasn’t drenched in sweat like Alaric was.
Alaric shrugged off his heavy robe, the fabric sliding from his broad shoulders in a casual, fluid motion. He wiped the sweat from his brow with a white, crisp handkerchief.
It wasn’t the first ti Lara had seen him perspire like this, but it was her first ti seeing him dressed like this— stripped down to the simplicity of his linen undershirt, its long, fitted sleeves clinging to him like a second skin that did little to hide the taut definition of his muscles. Each movent sent a ripple across his fra that caught her gaze before she could think to look away.
Prince Alaric caught her lingering stare. A knowing, playful smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, but he chose not to expose her. Instead, he dropped lazily into a nearby chair — a curious piece of craftsmanship, its seat shaped like an open palm, and the backrest ford from carved wooden raised fingers frozen mid-gesture.
The gazebo was hexagonal, with one side serving as the entrance. The opposite side featured the two hand-shaped wooden chairs, while the remaining four sides were equipped with wooden benches. People could sit on these benches and dangle their feet outside, enjoying the blooming flowers that surrounded the gazebo, which had a do-shaped roof.
The relaxing atmosphere created by the shade of a large tree, which shielded the gazebo from the sun’s heat, along with the sweet scent of various flowers, made Lara feel at ease.
"Why did you co to see , Lara?" Alaric asked, his voice a smooth, lazy drawl as his eyes flicked over her simple gown. "You look good in that dress, by the way. It’s... simple. No frills. I like it."
Lara glanced down, tugging at the fabric. A small smile curved her lips. "I choose comfort over beauty," she murmured. Then, gathering her courage, she inhaled deeply. "I ca because I have a... presumptuous request, Your Highness."
One of Alaric’s brows arched. "Presumptuous?"
"I wanted to buy the cows and the grazing land at a village, but I don’t have any idea if the price being offered is reasonable." She glanced at Alaric only to find him looking at her intently. She felt the rush of blood on her face.
"Hmm. Continue."
Lara heaved a sigh and maintained the resolve to be shaless. If there was only the internet these days, would she still ask soone to take care of sothing that simple? However, in a bygone era, it would have taken her a long ti to complete such a simple task if she had relied solely on herself.
"I would like to borrow Agilus," Lara said, her voice soft but steady, "to assist in negotiating the purchase." She paused, her gaze lingering on Alaric, eager for his response.
"Is that all?" Alaric inquired, a shadow of disappointnt crossing his features as his brow furrowed slightly.
"Huh?" Lara replied, taken aback by his reaction, "I also ca to check on you." She added, a warm smile spreading across her face.
Alaric’s mood brightened, the tension in his shoulders easing. He reached out and rested his hand on the smooth, polished armrest of the wooden chair. Lara, caught off guard, blinked in bewildernt, her brow furrowing as she processed his action.
"Aren’t you taking my pulse?" Alaric asked.
"Oh, that!" Lara smiled sheepishly as she held his wrist and took his pulse. It was normal. She took a stethoscope from her backpack. Lina had made her a lighter and smaller version, one she could carry when wearing a dress.
Alaric frowned when he saw an odd-looking device.
"What is that?"
"This is a stethoscope. I can listen to internal sounds of the body, primarily the heart and lungs." She did not ntion that it could also be used on the abdon.
"I made two of these, not the best version, but usable. I gave one to Felix. I told him he can calibrate the different parts and improve it."
Could she tell him that the stethoscope she made was very crude? Of course not! When she had access to better materials, such as high-grade tal and high-grade PVC, the stethoscope could be improved.
Back in Galeya’s Throne, Lara spent hours crafting the analog stethoscope, following the thodology she used for a science project. She tested it on her master, Reya, and Sandoz. When Sandoz had a cough, she would hear a wheezing sound.
Lara fitted the earpiece snugly and carefully placed the chest piece, a small funnel, against Alaric’s chest. She leaned in closer than either of them anticipated. The warmth of her proximity sent a jolt through Alaric, and he instinctively held his breath, his muscles tightening beneath her touch.
"Just relax," Lara murmured, her voice gentle, almost teasing. "Why are you holding your breath?"
Alaric exhaled slowly, willing his body to obey, though his heart continued to hamr wildly against his ribs. A betraying flush crept up his neck and settled on his cheeks.
Lara’s brows knitted together in concern as she lifted her gaze to his. Her deep brown eyes softened in worry when she noticed the color in his face.
"Your heartbeat is fast... and irregular," she said thoughtfully, the faintest crease appearing between her brows. "Has this happened before?"
’Naive woman,’ Alaric thought wryly, torn between amusent and agony. ’Does she not realize she’s the cause of it?’
"A few tis," he admitted, forcing the words out through a tight throat. "When I’m... nervous. Or excited."
Lara ca to a realization. Of course — it dawned on her — Alaric might not be accustod to having a woman so close, especially in the role of a physician.
She straightened quickly, breaking the magnetic pull between them. Alaric almost reached for her without thinking, feeling the loss of her nearness more keenly than he wanted to admit. But before he could say anything, Lara had moved behind him, pressing the device against the smooth plane of his back.
"Breathe in and hold it," Lara instructed, which he followed.
His lungs expanded under her touch.
"Now you can exhale."
They repeated the process a few more tis until she returned to his side, setting the instrunt down on the small table in front of them.
"Do you want to try?" She offered the device to him.
Alaric’s face reddened. Does she an... place it on her chest?
As if reading the thought flashing across his mind, Lara laughed softly, a blush tinting her cheeks. "I ant... You can listen to your own heartbeat," she clarified, her voice light with amusent.
Alaric was speechless. She instructed him on how to place the chestpiece correctly. When he still couldn’t get it, Lara gave up and just held his hand while guiding the piece.
"Do you hear it now?" Lara asked.
Alaric was distracted by the hand that was holding his over the chest piece and by Lara’s proximity.
After so ti, he finally heard his heartbeat, and it was as loud as the thumping of horses’ hooves.
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