"You're still awake?"
Orius Alewine shifted his gaze to his left when he heard his wife's voice. "Did I wake you?" he asked her back.
Valerie shook her head and slightly pushed herself up. "What's the matter? It's already late."
"I can't sleep," Orius muttered and turned his body towards her. "You should sleep again," he calmly said as he caressed her hair.
"Did something happen while you go out with the Crown Prince?" Valerie asked.
Wasn't he fine before that?
"It's nothing," Orius replied and forced a little smile but Valerie saw through him.
"I don't think I'll be able to sleep anymore," she pointed out. "You make me worried."
Hearing this, the fake smile of the Duke slipped a bit. "But there are still a few hours left before the sunrise. You won't get enough sleep if you wake up now."
"I think I'll be doing fine than you who still doesn't sleep at all," Valerie argued and looked at Orius when he maintained his silence. "What's the matter?" she asked in a calm voice.
"I saw Zaro Aventine in the market before we return," Orius muttered, relenting like he always did. "It's the first since I left Jerivia and... I was struggling to control myself." He let out a breath and pushed himself up to sit on the bed. "If it's not for Andres, I think I will go after him."
Though Valerie didn't know all his story, she was well aware of how he was regarded as a traitor in Jerivia. If he was to go after the King of Jerivia, then only one thing crossed her mind.
Danger.
He will be in danger.
"I'm glad that you held back yourself though it will be hard," she said and sat too. "I don't want to become a widow at this young age."
Orius looked at her face as if he was trying to know if she was serious. Then he realized that he wasn't just the brother of Iria now. He was also the husband of this woman who always stayed beside him.
"I'm sorry," he muttered. "It's not my intention to make you worry. I should have been more careful."
"I can't say I understand you while having no idea of what you went through," Valerie stated in a calm voice. "However, I will always take your side. You don't have to feel bad because of me."
Her first sentence struck Orius quite hard as he put himself in her shoes.
He loved her but if he had no idea of her complicated past despite being her husband, he will find it really hard to accept, wondering why she couldn't share with him while he was her husband.
And if she really had such a past and scar, he wanted to be the one who help to heal.
"I always realize how unworthy I am," he muttered. "It feels like I only know how to make you worry."
This was what he was scared of when he decided to marry.
Will there be a woman who can understand and accept every part of him?
He was well aware of how different he was from others.
"You're always wrong," Valerie argued and playfully added, "I thought that you're smart but it doesn't seem like it."
"Will your heart change then?" Orius suddenly asked her.
"What do you think?" she asked him back.
The Duke let a few seconds pass before he said, "I'm not so confident. Not in you but me."
Hearing his response, Valerie ended up smiling.
"Give me a little more time," Orius said when he saw her smile. "Just a bit more. Then I'll tell you everything you want to know. You won't have to guess anymore."
Just knowing that he was willing to open up to her made Valerie happy. As such, she flashed a genuine smile and nodded. "I can't wait for that."
* * *
It was morning and Iria was at Crown Prince Emor's chamber to check on him. The Crown Prince's condition had improved a lot in the past few days and the royal doctor also said that he will be completely recovering soon.
Though it was still early, Emor Tripas was sitting on the couch next to the door of the balcony with his gaze fixated on the outdoors. The Qalagon Queen wasn't surprised to see this as the Crown Prince was a morning person. It was the result of the years he spent in the Royal Army under Arin.
"You seem to be more fine today than yesterday," Iria remarked as she walked towards Emor Tripas. "Are you feeling better?"
Emor Tripas nodded with a smile. "I think I'm completely fine now."
"That's great," Iria muttered and sat on the couch opposite him. "Then what's your plan?"
"I have to return to Nardodia," Crown Prince Emor promptly replied. "I bet Alena is still missing. I have to find her."
The Queen gave a brief thought and said, "You were attacked while looking for her in the Vale Province. Do you suspect anything?"
"Maybe Alena is taken away by someone to use her against me. I have to find this person to know where Alena is."
"Then what about the spies? Don't you say that you want to know what your uncle will do once he finds you?" Iria asked, feeling somewhat confused.
Will it be a good idea to return to Nardodia while nothing was sure?
"The doctor told me to rest for two or three more days," Emor replied. "If my uncle sent the spies here for whatever reason, they will reach before I leave. I'm sure of that." He made a deliberate paused and continued, "You know that he is very unpredictable. He might even blame you and Arin in this matter but I will try to make him believe me.
"I will return and find out the one behind this first. Like you claimed before, if my uncle is not the one behind this, then it must be the doing of a traitor. I have to solve everything first."
The Queen nodded. "Alright. Then let's wait first.. It will be a relief if Aryan Tripas is not connected with this as you believe."
Visit freewe𝑏nov(e)l.𝗰𝐨𝐦 for the 𝑏est n𝘰vel reading experience