When Orius and Valerie entered their room, the Duke's attention was immediately on his wife's neck. He made her sit on the couch and observed it right away.
"It's very small, not even that noticeable," Valerie said when she saw the concern in her husband's face.
"I'm sorry," Orius muttered as he finally shifted his gaze from her neck. "I should have control myself while you're in their hands but..."
"I saw that immense hatred in your eyes, Orius," Valerie pointed out before Orius could finish talking. "Do you know how much I hate myself when you were forced to lower yourself before him? You abhor that person more than anyone else and I can see that but... you kneeled and begged him because of me. I felt like dying at that time."
"That was nothing," Orius muttered as he caressed her face. Leaning closer, he planted a kiss on her forehead. "I will do anything to save you. My pride and hatred? I can put them away rather than lose you."
"Orius -"
"Don't feel bad, Valerie," the Duke promptly said. "I will repay him for what he did today. I promise you that."
Despite the uneasy feeling in her heart, Valerie still nodded. However, she didn't say anything.
"I was wondering how they know your identity," Orius pointed out. "You've never met Zaro Aventine before."
Thinking of the answer to his question, Valerie ended up clenching her fists. "Among the soldiers of the Jerivian King, there is someone who used to work under my father around three years ago. However, because of his bad behaviour and some crimes, he had a fall out with my father and he left the army. I don't even know that he left Cedore and is now a soldier in Jerivia. Maybe he saw me in the market today and informed the King."
Orius nodded. "I want to know the face of this person."
"Why?"
"To repay him." He briefly paused and continued, "You're good at drawing. Draw his face for me."
He was really serious and it surprised Valerie. Nevertheless, she nodded as she trusted in him. Then one thing crossed her mind.
"Everything that you said to the Jerivian King in the woods... are they true?"
Orius narrowed his eyes but soon enough, he looked up at her again and nodded. "Do you want to hear about it?"
Didn't he ask her for more time before? Why was he willing now?
"You already hear many things there," Orius explained. "I think it would be hard for you to continue spending your time guessing."
Valerie knew that he was right and she nodded.
For the next few minutes, Orius spent his time talking about his story and Iria's too - how he was taken away right after birth, how he became the Second Prince, the late Queen's letter for him, how he spent his time trying to protect Iria, Zaro Aventine's feelings for Iria, the truth behind the alliance marriage, the truth behind their father's death and their final moments in Jerivia.
He told his wife how he was falsely accused and locked up in prison, how Iria learned the truth and helped him out and lastly... that day in the Serene Valley.
"Everything was supposed to end that day," Orius said to his wife. "However, Zaro was blinded by rage and that war happened. That day, Iria not only lost her best friend whom she used to call her everything but also Rion who was her closest companion. It was the Jerivian King who killed him and if Arin wasn't on time, he will surely kill her too."
Briefly pausing, he added, "Rather than the day to end everything, it became the day everything started."
Iria was planning to forget about Jerivia and lived a new life but... Zaro Aventine destroyed everything.
"Even now, Iria still lives in that day and you heard about her illness. She used to be a warrior but because of the Jerivian King, she can't even use her right arm that much anymore. It will practically be hell for her."
"And I made you kneel and beg to such a person," Valerie muttered in a low voice when she heard the twins story.
Now, she realized that it will be hard for Orius to do that much more than she imagined.
It would be pure torment for him yet he did it to save her.
"I don't say it to make you think that way," Orius argued. "If you were in my place, I know you will do the same."
Hearing this, Valerie quietly stared at her husband as if she was fascinated by him.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I think you're praiseworthy," the Duchess suddenly remarked. "Despite being raised in such an environment, you stayed true to yourself. You are so different from the King of Jerivia."
The Jerivian King was someone who can commit such severe crimes despite claiming that he loved Iria but... Orius was nothing like him and she was happy about that.
"We never share the same blood," Orius replied with a hint of displeasure in his tone. "I don't want you to compare me to him."
"Why is that?"
"Because it's not necessary. He's an Aventine and I'm an Alewine," the Duke stated in a pretty firm voice. "Whenever I thought of how I trusted him to be different, I still hate myself. If I take action back then, Iria won't suffer and we won't have to leave the land which our father used to protect."
"But shouldn't you also look at the positive side?" Valerie asked and he looked at her with a confused face.
"Positive side?"
Valerie nodded and said, "If you don't come to Cedore, we will never meet and you won't gain the warm family you have now. The Emperor and Empress, the Crown Prince too... they love you a lot."
"What about you then? You don't include yourself." He paused and asked, "Don't you love me too?"
She chuckled when she heard him. "That's a given. I don't have to say it."
"But saying is much better," Orius argued and Valerie laughed.
"Then you should say it first, Your Grace," she said with a playful smile.
Orius didn't lose any second when he quickly said, "I love you."
She thought that he would argue but... she was stunned once again.
Was he always this straightforward or.... did he learn it from her?
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