Whispers of Love on the River
"I've lived my entire life, from the moment I was born, with the sole purpose of becoming crown princess. No matter which prince sat on the throne, the seat beside him was mine and mine alone—one that would never change. But that's not true anymore. It doesn't matter if you never become crown prince. I'll become the archduchess and follow you to the North."
These were not empty words. I was truly prepared to do exactly that.
"Does that sound too stiff...?"
Once the words left my mouth, I felt a wave of embarrassment. They sounded far too rigid for a proposal. Hellion shook his head with a faint smile.
"I know that's the best way you can express yourself. If anything, I'm moved. You're saying you'll come with me to the North—a place you've never once visited."
Hellion bit his lip, as though trying to hold back the smile threatening to spread across his face. Still slightly tense, I waited for his answer.
"So... you'll accept my proposal?"
"Hmm, I'll need to think about that a little longer. I haven't heard the most important part yet."
Suddenly changing his expression, Hellion folded his arms. Anxiety surged through me, and I hastily grabbed his hand.
"What is it? Just tell me and I'll say it right away."
"You have to say that you love me."
With those words, Hellion lifted me effortlessly and settled me onto his lap. The small boat rocked, startling me so much that I reflexively wrapped my arms around his neck.
He pulled my waist closer, pressing me tight against his body. Then he whispered low in my ear.
"If you don't say it, I won't let you go either."
His voice was seductive, like a dangerous game. I stared into his deep eyes and spoke.
"I love you, Hellion. Since I've said it so late, I'll tell you more often from now on."
The lips that had just spoken of love were immediately claimed by his. The kiss was so deep and consuming that it made my earlier one seem like nothing. It felt as if the fireworks bursting across the night sky were exploding inside my head as well.
"I love you, Ishtel. I love you, I love you."
Hellion held me close and kept whispering his love like a man dying of thirst. I was grateful we were in the middle of the river. Otherwise, the fragile thread of reason he was barely clinging to might have snapped completely.
The more intense his kisses grew, the further the cloak slipped from my head. I wanted to catch its edge, but he held me so tightly that I couldn't move.
At that moment, a strong wind blew in from the riverbank and swept both our cloaks away at once. Every eye around us turned in our direction.
A brother and sister sitting with a storybook between them stared at us with round eyes. The two young ladies in the neighboring boat covered their mouths, then whispered enviously.
They gazed at Hellion with dazed expressions and made an adorable vow to come with a handsome man just like him next year.
"Tsk tsk. Young people these days."
The siblings' father, unable to watch any longer, clicked his tongue and turned the children away from us. Even under the weight of all those stares and murmurs, Hellion's expression never changed.
He caught the fallen cloak and draped it over my head once more. Beneath its long folds, we continued whispering our love to each other as the festival carried on around us.
On the day of Duchess Rockfelt's title conferment ceremony, Ebony walked down the corridors of the Imperial Palace, impeccably dressed in a newly tailored formal suit. In her deep blue jacket and black fur cloak, she caught her reflection in a window and gave a satisfied smirk.
"It's been a while, Archduke Illid. Are you fully prepared?"
Entering Illid's quarters, Ebony took the tie from the maid and dismissed all the servants. Illid stood blankly before the mirror. He only shifted his eyes to meet Ebony's reflection.
"Duchess Rockfelt is being escorted by His Majesty the Emperor, and Duchess Wintera is being escorted by Archduke Hellion. I thought Archduke Illid might feel lonely on his own, so here I am."
Ebony bowed with elegant poise and offered her white-gloved hand. With a face that suggested he had no energy left to argue, Illid snatched the tie from her fingers.
"Allow me. I'm actually quite good at this."
After fastening the buttons of his shirt, Ebony wrapped the tie around his neck. Illid looked into her violet eyes and asked,
"Everything is ready, I assume?"
"I'm always perfect. Just as the Archduke requested, I've prepared something utterly ridiculous and disgraceful."
Ebony wound the tie and tightened the knot.
"At this point, the plan is nothing short of a sensational melodrama. It's sloppy, without a shred of plausibility. Even the slightest investigation would reveal that I had my hand in Duchess Regentra's affairs."
"We'll push forward without wasting time. As long as it isn't discovered before then, we'll be fine."
Illid bit his lip, his face taut with tension.
"This plan must be swift and decisive. We have to drive Ishtel to the edge of a cliff in an instant, so she can't entertain any other thoughts."
"Yes, yes. I'm well aware. Stop nagging and shall we head to the banquet hall? You look exceptionally handsome today, by the way."
After tucking the end of the tie neatly into his vest, Ebony urged him along.
The pair left the room and walked the corridor in silence toward the banquet hall. As they rounded a corner lined with tall stone pillars, Illid suddenly stopped, his face hardening.
"Ishtel..."
Ebony halted beside him and followed his gaze. There stood Ishtel Regentra in a deep crimson dress, with Hellion beside her wearing the same uniform as Illid.
The two walking ahead hadn't noticed them. They looked only at each other, talking intimately.
"They're holding hands despite all the eyes watching."
At Ebony's remark, Illid's gaze dropped to their joined hands. When he let out a deep sigh, Ebony glanced at him.
"They seem to have grown much closer lately... Ah, I heard the two of them grew up together in the palace as children, didn't they? Childhood friends really are wonderful. Even after a long separation, they can become close again so quickly."
Ebony tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and clicked her tongue with clear regret.
"What a shame. It would have been nice if the Archduke had been close to Ishtel Regentra since childhood too. There was never an opportunity?"
"...There was."
"Oh, really?"
Ebony's interest sharpened at his low murmur. Beneath his black hair, Illid's eyes held a quiet melancholy.
"We still have quite a way to the hall, Archduke. Why don't you tell me that story?"
But Illid remained silent all the way to the banquet hall.
"Ishtel, are you very nervous?"
"Yes. So nervous that my lips keep drying out. I'm even breaking into a cold sweat on my forehead."
Hellion reassured me and squeezed my hand tightly. If I hadn't been wearing lipstick, I might have licked my lips a dozen times already. Despite the mild weather, chills kept running through me.
"I'm more nervous now than when I proposed to you."
"They say the most nerve-wracking moment is asking adults for permission to marry."
"Who told you that?"
"My father."
Unlike Prince Voltero, who had entered a political marriage with a prestigious family for gain, I had heard that Princess Alensia had married for love to a man from a relatively modest house. For the first time, I realized just how courageous Hellion's parents had been.
"If there were anything I could do in your place, I'd do it a hundred times over."
Hellion wore a pained expression and sighed softly. I shook my head lightly.
"No. This is something I must do myself."
Karina's title conferment ceremony had invited every noble from the capital as well as the vassals of both archduchies. I intended to announce my marriage to Hellion right there, in front of them all.
"His Majesty will surely object. Still, stay quiet at first and don't argue. My declaration alone will be enough to achieve today's purpose."
"I can hold myself back, but what if Brother Illid doesn't? This doesn't feel like something that will end with fists. It's fortunate that weapons are banned from today's ceremony."
Hellion fell into serious thought, his face grave. That very concern had been weighing on me as well.
"Even so, don't just stand there and take the hits like before. If he strikes, dodge and strike back. There must be no more injuries to your face."
"Understood. Then with permission granted, I suppose I should get ready."
Hellion made a playful show of loosening his neck. His red hair swayed gently over his shoulders with the motion. I brushed away the strands that had settled on his black uniform as we stepped into the banquet hall.
"Ishtel!"
The moment we entered the hall with its red carpet, a familiar voice called out. My older brother, who had arrived first, shot up from his chair to greet me.
"Ishtel, I missed you."
He seemed not to notice Hellion standing beside me at all as he led me toward Silvia, who remained seated.
"Sister-in-law, with your condition, it must have been difficult to come all this way."
"You can say that again. If it weren't for His Majesty's invitation, I wouldn't have come at all. I still don't understand why this particular ceremony requires couples to attend together."
After a short grumble, Silvia tried to rise and greet Hellion. He quickly waved her back down.
"Please remain seated, madam."
"I'm sorry, Your Grace. To greet you while seated..."
Silvia kept apologizing to Hellion before suddenly changing the subject.
"Now that I think of it, Your Grace. Not long ago our children were saying the strangest things. They claimed to have seen a tall, handsome red-haired prince at the Lilche Marquisate. Their description matched you so perfectly that I found myself completely caught up in their story without realizing it."
Silvia burst into bright, ringing laughter.