Chapter 397: To the Northern border
Venus woke up feeling unusually refreshed. The absence of nightmares left her well-rested, though she noticed Odin was no longer beside her. After stretching and savoring the rare peacefulness, she headed to the washroom to get ready for the day.
Once prepared, Venus made her way downstairs, where she found Odin sitting with his parents. He had changed clothes, which ant he must have left earlier and returned before she woke.
"Venus is here!" Norman called out with a warm laugh, his eyes lighting up as she appeared.
Odin stood as she descended the stairs, a small smile playing on his lips. Though Venus was dressed simply, sothing about her presence caught his attention, making her seem even more beautiful in his eyes.
Venus greeted her parents first, then curtsied politely in Odin’s direction.
"Since when have we started with such formalities?" Odin teased, stepping closer to her, his eyes twinkling with amusent.
Norman and Rhea exchanged knowing smiles, their hearts full of joy at the sight of their daughter and Odin together.
"I’d like to take Venus out later today, with your permission, of course," Odin said, turning respectfully to her parents.
Rhea bead at her daughter before responding, "We have no problem, Lord Odin. You two enjoy your ti." She then gestured toward the dining table. "But first, let’s have breakfast together. I’m sure you’ll join us, Odin."
Odin gave a nod, his gaze never straying far from Venus as they all headed to the dining table for the al.
Once they finished their al, Venus and Odin left the house together. As they settled into the comfort of the carriage, Venus broke the silence. "Thank you for staying with
last night," she said softly.
Odin glanced at her, sensing the underlying tension in her voice. "What’s been bothering you lately?" he asked, his concern clear.
Venus hesitated for a mont before speaking, her voice carrying a trace of uncertainty. "I just hope this ti... nothing goes wrong with my marriage."
"It won’t," Odin replied firmly, his hand reaching out to grasp hers. "I didn’t ask for your hand in marriage to hurt you, Venus. I love you, and I’m sincere in my feelings."
"I know that, Odin," she sighed, looking away for a mont. "It’s just..." Her voice trailed off, unable to fully express the lingering doubts from her past.
As the carriage began to move, Odin gently grasped her hands, urging her to look at him. When she t his eyes, he cupped her face between his palms, his touch tender and reassuring. "I know your first marriage ended badly, and it left you with regret," he said softly. "But you deserve happiness, Venus. You don’t need to carry that burden anymore. Focus on us, on our future. I won’t let anything harm you."
Venus humd. "I know. I trust you. I had a good sleep last night because you were by my side," she stated.
"Then, I’ll co to sleep with you every night till the day we get married. What about that?" Odin inquired.
"If you want to co, then I won’t stop you," Venus asserted. "Besides it’s comforting to sleep in your presence," she added.
"Wonderful! I’ll co everyday then," Odin said and pressed his lips on the middle of her forehead.
~~~~~
"My marriage keeps getting delayed, and it’s making
more restless by the day," Izaak grumbled, slumping onto the recliner with a sigh. "Why do all the discussions have to drag on forever? And now, it seems I need to head to the Northern border too."
"Why the Northern border?" Alaric asked, raising an eyebrow at his friend’s sudden ntion of it.
"Sothing’s happened there," Izaak replied, his tone growing more serious. "There’s trouble brewing, and I’ve been called to deal with it." He ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "As if I don’t have enough on my plate already with the wedding delays."
"Then when will Brother Izaak finally get married?" Alaric asked, half-joking, though curiosity clearly lingered in his tone.
Izaak leaned back, thinking. "Probably after I return from the North. I was considering taking lody with , but I can’t compromise her safety for my own selfish reasons."
Alaric chuckled, leaning forward slightly. "I think taking lody could actually be fun for you, Brother Izaak. You’d get to spend more ti with her, and maybe she’d enjoy the change of scenery. Of course, you’ll need to plan the safest routes to the North first."
Izaak mulled over the idea, a smile forming on his lips. "You’re right. lody’s been stuck in the palace for too long, doing the sa things day in and day out. It’ll be good for both of us. A change of pace." His eyes brightened at the thought. "I’ll make sure everything’s safe, and she’ll co along. She deserves to see more than just the palace walls."
"I agree. Scarlet and I will be leaving by the end of this week as well," Alaric said. "I suppose Brother Izaak will be returning late from the North?"
"Yes, it’ll likely take around a month," Izaak replied with a heavy sigh. "There are so important matters that need my attention, especially with the growing tension."
Alaric nodded, offering, "If Brother Izaak needs , I can accompany you as well."
Izaak shook his head. "No, that’s not necessary. Other nobles will be coming along. Quentin, Elder William’s son, will be among them. There’s a fight brewing between the werewolves and vampires, and I need to negotiate a truce. But before I even attempt that, I need to assess the situation on the ground. A lot of factors are involved, according to the reports."
Alaric’s expression grew more serious as he recalled past events. "Yes, that does sound familiar. I rember a couple of years ago, there were conflicts between vampires and werewolves in that region."
Izaak nodded grimly. "The border has always been a weak spot for uprisings. Last ti, the situation was resolved quickly, but this ti, it’s far more troubleso. The level of unrest is deeply worrying." He then knitted his brows in thought.
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