Chapter 387: Her Innermost thoughts
Lara’s heart pounded, a fierce rhythm echoing like a war drum in her chest. The last time she’d felt this way, she was pulling that man out of the line of fire—only for him to later shield her from a bullet meant for her, fired by one of her father’s sworn enemies. That memory burned behind her eyes, sharp and unforgettable.
"I love you," Alaric whispered, his voice low and ragged, as though the words had clawed their way up from the depths of his soul.
A soft gasp escaped Lara. Her cheeks flushed, warmth spreading over her skin as her gaze locked with his. In his eyes, she saw not a prince or a warrior, but the man who had held her life in his hands—and trusted her with his.
"I love you too," she replied, her voice barely more than a breath. It was the first time she’d ever said it aloud, the truth finally unshackled.
A slow, radiant smile broke across Alaric’s face. For a heartbeat, time stilled. Lara’s pulse skipped, the edges of the world softening. In that moment, Alaric looked impossibly handsome—his usual intensity eased into something tender, something only she was allowed to see.
"Then..." he murmured, drawing her hands into his and pressing them against his chest, where his own heart beat with quiet thunder. "Will you marry me?"
Lara froze, caught between love and duty. The world was still vast and uncertain, and she wasn’t even twenty. So much remained undone.
"We’re already betrothed," she said, her voice trembling at the edges. "So yes—someday, we will marry. But we’re still so young, and you... your path has only just begun. You’re destined for greatness, Alaric. Let’s not rush the end before the beginning." She said in a gentle coaxing tone.
He nodded slowly, respect lighting his gaze. She was right. What she deserved wasn’t just a throne—it was the world, and he intended to give it to her.
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