Chapter 251: Coincidental Meeting?
Alaric reached out steadily to the woman who stepped back, but his hand froze mid-air when Lara regained her balance.
"Your Highness," Peredur greeted the prince with a slight bow, his tone respectful yet edged with surprise. "What brings you here?"
Prince Alaric’s gaze flicked to the young Norse scholar. "Peredur, what a coincidence," he replied smoothly, his gaze shifted to the young woman who had just stumbled into him, her cheeks flushed a soft crimson.
"I am accompanying my sister," Peredur explained, glancing between them. "She wished to visit a metal smith."
Alaric raised an eyebrow, his expression sharp with curiosity. "A metal smith? Are you looking for something, Lady Lara?" His tone was formal, polished, but there was an undercurrent of familiarity that did not go unnoticed. "By the way, I didn’t get the chance earlier to congratulate you on receiving the Medal of Valor—and your father’s new title as Marquis. Quite the achievements."
Lara inclined her head gracefully. "Thank you, Your Highness," she replied, her voice polite but distant.
Alaric’s brow furrowed, a flicker of irritation crossing his features. "Why so formal? You can call me Alaric," he urged, his gaze locking onto hers with a surprising intensity. "We’ve been through a lot together, haven’t we?"
Lara was speechless. Didn’t he just address me as Lady Lara?
Peredur’s eyes darted between them, suspicion creeping into his voice. "Your Highness, what do you mean? What have you been through together?" He knew of Lara’s daring rescue of the prince and the message she delivered on his behalf, but something about Alaric’s tone seemed...intimate. Too intimate.