Chapter 296: Not A Prince From A Fairy Tale
Lara’s smile bloomed, soft and unguarded, like a bud blossoming into a flower.
Prince Alaric flushed, his brows knitting in mild confusion. "What?" he asked, flustered. "Why are you smiling like that? Did I say something ridiculous?"
"You just claimed you’re not a prince from a fairy tale," Lara said, tilting her head with a mischievous glint in her eye. "So what does that make you then?"
He straightened, a trace of pride returning to his voice. "A prince of Northem. A real prince," he replied, solemn and sincere.
From within the folds of his cloak, Alaric drew out a small wooden box, the surface smooth and exquisitely carved, its edges trimmed in delicate gold leaf. He held it to her with both hands, as if offering something sacred.
Curious, Lara accepted it, fingertips brushing his as she opened the lid. Nestled inside was a silver bracelet—its design intricate and familiar, echoing the motif of the necklace already gracing her collarbone.
Her breath caught. "It’s beautiful," she whispered, fingers lingering on the metal. Then her gaze lifted—and collided with his.
Alaric’s obsidian eyes, dark and fathomless, were already on her. In their depths swirled unspoken emotions: something tender, something aching. Lara’s heart stumbled. Was it devotion she saw? Desire? Longing? Or something deeper, heavier—love?
He stepped forward, breaking the silence between them. Carefully, he took the bracelet from her hands and fastened it around her wrist. It fit snugly—not too tight, not too loose—as if it had always belonged there.
"I didn’t know if you preferred gold," Alaric murmured, his voice low, "but your necklace is silver. So I chose this to match."
"Silver is perfect," Lara replied softly, her voice tinged with something close to wonder. "I’ve always loved silver." She said. Even in the past, while others were crazy about golden jewelry, she preferred silver.