Demon Prince's Forsaken Bride-Chapter 31: Political words

’’If there is a next time, just tie my corset a little loose,’’ Lareina cut the demoness off before she held her hand and lifted her up, ’’And a lighter dress. Then I would be able to escape on my own.’’

’’My Lady!" Rosie pouted at being teased like this.

The light atmosphere in the room dispersed when Azrael stepped through the door, his face tense.

He dismissed Rosie and walked towards the bed.

Lareina looked up at the man with a frown but feeling the dress slipping off her shoulder, she tensed. She pulled up the sheets and wrapped them around her body, with only her head peeking out of it.

Azrael averted his gaze, ’’Do you need me to step out for a moment?"

’’I am decent, Your Highness. You can state the cause of your visit.’’

Lareina’s words were very polite but to Azrael’s ears, they sounded like ’Say what you have to say and leave my sight. I do not intend to keep you for long here so I won’t bother putting effort into fixing my appearance for you’.

He inhaled a deep breath and turned to look at her, ’’Why did you do that in court?"

Lareina looked at him.

’’Do not act innocent now, princess. Both of us know what you did there just now,’’ he stepped towards her but when she jerked her body back on the bed, he halted in his tracks, ’’Outsiders might think you were spouting nonsense but each word that you uttered there had been nothing but political. From the surface, it looked like you were mocking me and my carelessness but your intention was to save me.’’

Lareina lowered her eyes.

’’By mentioning the long war and my presence there, you motive was to induce guilt in the Lord for sending me out of the other princes to this war and also to establish in front of the courtiers that the current peace in the realm is because of me.’’

Lareina looked up at him, her eyes widening a little in surprise.

"You did not say that you were unaware of what was transpiring in the realm but rather you mentioned your incompetency in informing me about it. It meant you knew but you did not tell me about it. By doing so, you established that our relationship is sour."

’’I did not lie. Our relation is not sweet.’’

He ignored her soft mumble despite hearing it and continued speaking calmly, ’’By calling me naive, you dismissed any sort of discomfort that the lord, as the ruler, might have felt over your initial words for having a son and subject with such high achievements. And along with that, it would show your bitterness, how you look down on me and you could not wait to take this opportunity to mock me.

The lord despises humans. So, if your motive is to have me humiliated and punished, then he would do the opposite rather than fulfilling your desires.’’

Lareina remained quiet.

’’Every word you uttered there had been nothing but political, aiming to manipulate the lord which you succeeded in doing. Were you trying to protect me?" A weird feeling was taking root in his chest, one he could explain or understand. She had not even stood up for herself for most of the times she was confronted with the demon lord, but for his sake, she dared to tread the risks and step out to stand for him.

The feeling was one of anger but there was something else, something unfamiliar in it as well. He was angry that she did not think twice about what would happen to her little life with such an audacity but at the same time, Azrael was shaken to his core.

He had never met someone so foolish. So audacious. For someone who had fought his battles by himself all his life, he had never thought that this seemingly soft and docile fawn would shield him in a court that saw her no more than a prey.

"You saved me in the marketplace,’’ Her gaze trailed off to his wound that had yet to be treated, ’’I am merely repaying your favor.’’

He narrowed his eyes, ’’Do you think saving you is a favor that I need you to repay?"

When the woman did not look at him, he dropped to one knee near the edge of the bed and looked up to meet her eyes, ’’You are my wife. Since you did not want to talk about it, I did not push you but Lareina, I intend to have you close to me whenever you are in danger. If you are facing a threat, I would do what I did today. Again. For countless times over. And if you have troubles I am unaware of, I would want you to let me know of them instead of having your maid say it.’’

"Your Highness, do you not get tired of wearing so many faces?" Lareina could not restrain these words that slipped from her mouth.

As if not expecting such a statement from her, his brows furrowed. The delicate air between them filled with tension again, ’’Are you calling me a hypocrite now?" he asked, ’’Or are you saying that I do not mean the words that I say?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

When he pushed himself to his feet, Lareina had to arc her entire neck to meet his gaze. She wrapped the sheets tighter around her upper body and pushed herself to her feet, ’’Your Highness, you saved me today and I am touched by your kindness. But I believe you would have saved anyone who would have been in my place today.’’

’’You really think so? You do not think you are anything special to me?" He stepped closer to her.

Lareina was momentarily distracted by the proximity. When he looked at her up so close, she could see something akin to hurt in his eyes but she did not dare to think or to overthink about what that look meant.

The recent month had shown her the place where she belonged and Lareina was determined to never live in her delusions again.

So, when he stepped closer to her, she stepped back. However...