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Emilia’s POV
The soft crunch of gravel beneath our shoes seemed to be the only sound as we strolled through the quiet park. It was one of those rare, clear nights where the stars seemed to spill endlessly across the sky, their light reflecting in the calm water of the small lake nearby. Alaric walked beside me, his hands tucked casually into his pockets, his posture relaxed in a way I wasn’t used to seeing.
He wasn’t barking orders or strategizing with his men. There was no tension in his jaw, no furrow in his brow. Tonight, he wasn’t the commanding, calculating man I’d come to know. He was just Alaric.
The realization made me smile softly to myself, though I quickly glanced away when he caught me looking at him.
“What’s so amusing?” he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
“Nothing,” I said quickly, though I could feel the heat creeping up my neck.
He raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a smirk. “You’re a terrible liar.”
I laughed despite myself, shaking my head. “Fine. I was just thinking how… different you seem tonight.”
“Different?” he echoed, tilting his head slightly.
“Less… guarded,” I admitted. “It’s nice to see you like this.”
For a moment, he didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on the empty roads. Then he glanced at me, his expression softer than I’d ever seen it. “Being with you makes it easier to let my guard down. I don’t have to be on edge every second.”
His words caught me off guard, and I felt a strange mix of warmth and unease settle in my chest. Warmth because his honesty was disarming, and unease because it reminded me of how deeply he’d managed to get under my skin. And me under his.
We continued walking, the silence between us comfortable but I could feel all the unspoken emotions in the air. My mind raced, the words I’d been holding back for weeks now bubbling dangerously close to the surface. God. I wanted to tell him I loved him. No. I needed to tell him that I loved him. To get it off my chest once and for all. But I couldn’t. He slid his fingers through mine and held on tight, squeezing softly as he guided us to a small wooden bench overlooking the lake, Alaric gestured for me to sit. I hesitated but did so anyways, smoothing the fabric of my dress as I settled in. He sat beside me, putting just a little bit of distance between us but it felt so big at the same time.
“I like it here,” he said after a moment, his voice low. “It’s quiet. Peaceful.”
I nodded, my gaze fixed on the water. “I can see why. It feels… safe.”
I realized too late the double meanings the word meant. I knew Alaric understood what I meant because he didn’t press further. Instead, he leaned back slightly, his shoulders brushing mine as we both stared out at the lake.
I could feel my pulse quickening, my palms damp as I fidgeted with the hem of my dress. This was it-the perfect moment to say what I’d been too afraid to admit, even to myself. I couldn’t keep it in anymore. The more I kept it in me, the more my chest continued to feel heavy. I couldn’t breathe it anymore. But my throat felt tight, and my thoughts tangled together in a chaotic mess.
“Alaric,” I began hesitantly, my voice barely above a whisper.
He turned to me immediately, his attention focused entirely on me. “What is it?”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
His brow furrowed slightly, concern flickering in his eyes. “You can tell me anything, Emilia. You know that.”
The sincerity in his voice was almost my undoing. I took a shaky breath, trying to steady myself. “You can do this, Emilia,” I chanted in my head, trying to boost my morale.
“I… I care about you,” I said finally, the words tumbling out in a rush. “More than I should. More than I ever planned to.”
His expression didn’t change, but the intensity of his gaze made my chest tighten. God. I shouldn’t have said this. What was I thinking in the first place?
But I pushed forward, unable to stop now that I’d started.
“I’ve been trying to ignore it, to convince myself that it’s just… the situation or everything we’ve been through, but it’s not. It’s you, Alaric. I-”
My voice faltered, and I looked away, unable to face the possibility of rejection. “I think I’m in love with you,” I finished quietly, my hands twisting nervously in my lap. “No. No I don’t think. I know I’m in love with you.”
The silence that followed was deafening. My heart pounded in my ears as I waited, every second stretching into an eternity.
When Alaric finally moved, it was to reach for my hand, his fingers threading through mine with a gentle but deliberate grip. Startled, I looked up, and what I saw in his eyes stole the breath from my lungs.
He didn’t say a word. Instead, he leaned in, his free hand brushing against my cheek as he pressed his lips to mine.
The kiss was soft, almost tentative, but it spoke volumes more than any words could. It was a reassurance, a promise, and an acceptance all at once.
When he pulled back, his forehead rested against mine, his breath warm against my skin. “You don’t have to be afraid,” he murmured.
The weight that had been pressing on my chest lifted, replaced by a warmth that spread through every inch of me. Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes, and I let out a shaky laugh, my fingers tightening around his.
“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.
“For what?” he asked, his tone light but his gaze serious.
“For this,” I said simply, gesturing to the space between us. “For not pushing me away.”
Alaric smiled, his thumb brushing gently over my knuckles. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
And for the first time in what felt like forever, I believed him.