Newcomer

The crashing of the waves seemed to come to a sudden halt. Right as the last ember flickered out, Roselyn stood frozen, unable to believe what she had just heard.

"Marry me then, Lady."

Kaelus did not blink as the words left his lips. He reached out, gently catching the tips of her hair and brushing his lips against them. "I am not forcing you, Lady. You do not have to give me an answer right away, but please, consider it at least once."

"There are many marriage proposals that would benefit you more, Kael."

"I am not proposing a marriage contract, Lady. Just as you chose me to escape your plight, I feel that I will only ever marry if it is with you."

"Why me, Grand Duke?"

Kaelus did not answer immediately.

Instead, he picked up the last clam from the fire and placed it in front of Roselyn without a word.

"Kael, I am asking you seriously."

"I know."

"And?"

"Eat first."

The long-haired woman stared at him in utter disbelief. The man who had just proposed to her was now casually telling her to finish her food. She opened her mouth to protest, but Kaelus had already stood up, brushing the sand off his trousers.

"We leave early tomorrow morning. Get some rest, Lady."

Roselyn could only stare at Kaelus’s broad, receding back. In her hand, the clam still felt warm—much like the one question left hanging in the air: Why me?

Roselyn did not go to sleep right away that night. She sat on the windowsill, listening to the steady, soothing lull of the waves. Strangely enough, she found that she didn't desperately need an answer anymore. For a brief moment, she forgot that she was a hunted fugitive.

***

The next morning, mist still clung heavily to the docks as Kaelus led a massive black stallion out in front of the villa. The beast looked well-trained and powerful, but it seemed like a stretch for it to carry two people at once, especially since their journey ahead was still long.

"Only one horse, Kael?"

"Yes, Lady. Besides, it is safer if you stay with me."

Without waiting for her leave, Kaelus took Roselyn by the waist and lifted her effortlessly onto the saddle. He then mounted behind her without a single hint of awkwardness.

"You can hold onto the reins with me, Lady."

Roselyn didn't say a word. She merely touched the leather straps, feeling the tension between her fingers.

"Kael, the sooner we arrive, the better, right?"

"Indeed, why—"

Before Kaelus could even finish his sentence, Roselyn snapped the reins hard and urged the great black stallion forward with a sharp press of her heels.

The horse let out a sharp neigh and bolted forward like an arrow released from a bow. Kaelus winced slightly, his instincts as a knight nearly driving him to seize control.

"Lady! What are you doing?!"

"Relax, Kael. My uncle trained me since I was a child whenever no one else was home. I am exceptionally skilled at this, you know!"

The woman's long hair whipped wildly in the wind, and for the very first time, Kaelus saw a brilliant spark of absolute freedom in her brown eyes.

They tore through pine forests and traversed rugged, rocky paths. Kaelus, who had originally intended to protect her, now found his hands naturally wrapping around Roselyn's waist just to stay secure.

"Kael!"

"Ah, my apologies, Lady. I am merely worried that one of us might fall."

What a lie.

A knight who was entirely accustomed to galloping through battlefields while taking down enemies would never fall from a horse so easily.

"Fine, hold on tight then. I'll make sure we won't have to spend another night out in the wild."

Despite stopping a few times to give the horse a much-needed rest, they managed to arrive far ahead of schedule. Roselyn pulled back on the reins, bringing the stallion to a smooth halt.

The grand duke took a sharp breath, his gaze fixing upon the silhouette of the castle starting to emerge from behind the snow-capped mountains. A streak of vibrant orange lined the horizon; twilight in Valthorne had never looked so stunning.

"We were supposed to arrive tomorrow morning, Lady."

"I didn't want to sleep at that villa again, Kael. And besides... your people must miss you."

Kaelus stole a quick glance at her. Roselyn's cheeks were flushed crimson from the biting Northern wind, her hair was a bit disheveled, and a stray piece of dry grass was tangled in the tip of her braid.

The woman kept her eyes on the castle, entirely unaware of how deeply her words had just resonated within him.

Your people must miss you.

Not you must want to go home. Not we need to hurry.

"Kaelus, about your proposal last night..."

The man closed his eyes, bracing himself for a rejection. However, a pair of small, soft hands suddenly reached out and wrapped around his calloused ones.

"I accept it."

"What did you say?"

"Has your mind changed, Kael?"

"Never. Let us throw a grand, lavish wedding, Lady. The entire Hera Empire shall witness our happiness."

With a soft smile, Roselyn spurred the horse onward once more, this time at a gentle pace through the thick blankets of snow.

The gates of Castle Valthorne swung open. The cold, dark stones welcomed them beneath a twilight sky that was slowly fading into night.

Kaelus dismounted first, then extended his hand to guide Roselyn down. A few guards on duty bowed deeply as they passed by, though everyone silently observed the unexpected guest.

Vivianne was already waiting by the castle entrance, her hands folded neatly in front of her. The black-haired woman offered a brief, formal curtsey as Kaelus approached.

"Welcome home, Grand Duke."

"Thank you, Sister-in-law."

Vivianne offered a thin smile, her eyes shifting briefly toward the black stallion being led to the stables by a guard.

"We sent out two horses to fetch you, Grand Duke. Did something happen to the other one?"

Kaelus didn't answer immediately. Only after a deliberate three-second pause did he speak up.

"It is safer to ride double on a route like that."

Vivianne nodded slowly, as if she understood perfectly. Yet, there was no way a seasoned knight who had once led an army through a raging blizzard for three days and three nights didn't know that overloading a single horse on such extreme paths was actually more hazardous.