The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 118: Painful Past

Isadora waited for Bernard to speak. But it looked like it was hard for him to speak.

"You don’t have to, Bernard," she hugged him and kissed his cheek.

She patted his back as the majestic man shook in her tender embrace.

"I will wait until you open up to me..."

She had no idea who Bernard killed in the past which made him this stressed. But looking into his eyes, she knew one thing.

She didn’t care about his past. She didn’t care what others thought about him. This man treated her the best. And that was enough for her.

"I will never hurt you, Isadora," Bernard said, holding her shoulder, his voice trembling with emotion.

His vulnerability struck her heart like a gentle wave, reminding her of the depth of their connection. She cupped his face in her hands, feeling the roughness of his stubble against her palms, a stark contrast to the softness of his gaze.

"I know," she whispered, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "And I’ll never leave you, no matter what."

Bernard’s expression softened, a mixture of relief and gratitude washing over him. He pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair, inhaling the comforting scent that always grounded him.

For a moment, the world outside ceased to exist, leaving only the two of them in their shared cocoon of understanding and acceptance. The weight of his past might have loomed large, but in her arms, Bernard found a sanctuary, a place where his darkest secrets could be held without fear of judgment.

Or will she hate me like the others too?

Isadora felt his grip tighten, and she held him closer, a silent promise of love and loyalty. She knew that whatever shadows lay in his past, they would face them together, bound by the strength of their bond.

And in that unspoken pledge, she found a fierce determination to protect the man who had given her so much joy.

"Together," she murmured against his ear, "We are one."

Bernard nodded, a tear slipping down his cheek. For the first time in years, he felt a glimmer of hope. With Isadora by his side, he believed they could conquer even the darkest of his fears.

He was unwilling to lose her. He found strength in the petite figure who reached his chest. It was wonderous for him to comprehend. The warrior who had faced wars found solace in the petite figure whose heart could withhold a raging storm.

"I love you, Isadora..." he whispered, holding her closer. "And I will never stop loving you."

Isadora smiled. That was all she needed.

When Bernard got composed, he immediately sprung into action and got lunch for her. Sitting in front of the spread, Isadora giggled.

"You love to feed me, don’t you?" she asked.

"Food is love..." Bernard said, cutting a slice of meat for her. "You’re thin. I want to fatten you up."

"You talk as if you want to butcher me for dinner one day in the future," Isadora laughed.

Bernard chuckled, raising an eyebrow mischievously. "Well, you never know. A well-fed Isadora might be a delicacy too tempting to resist."

"Oh, really? Should I be worried about becoming your next gourmet experiment?" she teased, taking a bite of the meat he offered.

"Only if you stop being so deliciously gorgeous," he shot back, a twinkle in his eye.

"Deliciously gorgeous? Now that’s a compliment I’ve never received before," she smirked, reaching for a piece of bread. "But seriously, Bernard, if you keep feeding me like this, I’ll need new clothes."

"Or maybe you could be free of them altogether. We could be locked together in a room like this forever..." Bernard looked at her.

His eyes wandered south of her neck and Isadora’s body warmed up just by his lustful gaze.

"Stop it!" she threw the bread on him and he chuckled leaning back on the chair.

Isadora smiled at him and within a moment, his expression turned somber.

"When I had nothing and no one cared for me... Wulfhart would give me food. Even if I tried to hurt him; I threw stones at him and bit him on several occasions, but he never stopped giving me food. Each day, I will get three square meals...Hot and...that was the first time felt an inkling of love and affection..."

"I understand..." Isadora held his hand. She didn’t know how he ended up feral and whether the darkest secret he held in his heart was the reason he ended that way. She didn’t want to think about that but she couldn’t help it.

Seeing the grateful smile on his face, she understood why he was so loyal to Wulfhart. She too had a similar reason for her loyalty to Lady Jessamyn.

We are not that different, she thought.

Perhaps that was why she felt an instant connection to him. They had both endured troubled childhoods, emerging victorious thanks to the affection of two kind souls who had touched their lives. These compassionate individuals had shown them what love and tenderness truly meant, enabling them to embrace and give love without any restraints.

Now, in each other, they found a reflection of their shared pasts and the promise of a brighter future. Their bond was forged not only from shared pain but also from the understanding and empathy that those kind souls had instilled in them. They knew the value of a gentle touch, a supportive word, and the power of unwavering support.

Because of the love they had been shown, Isadora and Bernard could now love each other fully and freely, without fear or hesitation. Their hearts, once scarred by hardship, were now mended and overflowing with a love that was pure and unbreakable. In each other’s arms, they found a sanctuary, a place where they could finally be their true selves, knowing they were cherished for who they were.

This profound connection and ability to love wholeheartedly were the lasting gifts from those who had cared for them, and now, they carried these gifts forward, creating a life filled with compassion, understanding, and boundless love.

"I wonder if Milady got lunch..." Isadora let out a deep breath.

"Wulfhart is with her. Don’t you worry," Bernard sliced another piece of meat for her.

-----

In the restaurant, Jessamyn couldn’t even take a single mouthful of food. She stared blankly at the delicacies in front of her.

Jerrick waited for her to eat something—anything. But she was blankly staring at the food. He wondered if she was in those "moments" she mentioned that she lost time.

He looked around. There were only a few customers as this was one of the most expensive restaurants in the city. He waved and the owner of the restaurant rushed there.

Jerrick threw a pouch at him and the owner was shellshocked seeing the heavy pouch filled to the brim with gold coins.

Without Jerrick having to say anything, the owner politely asked the other guests to leave and even asked his staff to guard the door so that no one else was there. Even the staff scampered away as the archduke wished.

Jerrick relaxed a little as they got their well-deserved privacy.

"Is the food not to your taste? Should I order something else?" he asked.

It didn’t look like she heard him. He didn’t give up. "Or shall we return home? I’ll cook something delicious for you..." he held her hand gently.

The moment his hand made contact with hers, she snapped. Realizing he was holding her hand, she got out of his hold.

Jerrick let out a sigh and leaned back. "Jessamyn, eat something."

She stared at him blankly for a few moments, before her eyes got lively. "Paper!" she stood up.

"Why?" Jerrick asked.

Without answering him, she tried to walk to the owner. "Jessamyn, tell me what you need," Jerrick said.

It hurt him to see her like that. He wanted her to depend on him and he was glad when she asked him to handle the situation but he was scared of the distance she was putting between them now.

"I need a~" she sighed. "I need to write a letter to my brother to help Alderic~"

"I handled it," Jerrick said, pulling the chair for her to sit. "I talked to him. I rewarded him for saving you and sent him off. I have transferred the men who tried to kill you to my jurisdiction and shall conduct the investigation myself. Also~"

"Why?" Jessamyn interjected him. She wanted to have a look at Jostein and this man had ruined that and sent Alderic off. She wanted to visit her husband’s grave and he stopped her and now he couldn’t even let her see her husband’s horse.

"Why are you doing this to me?" she asked, her voice choking. "What did I ever do to you? Why must you ruin me~" A sob escaped her throat. "When will you be satisfied?"

Jerrick’s eyes reddened seeing her in pain. "Jessamyn, what are you~"

"You talked to her, didn’t you? You lied to her that I was carrying your child..."

"To who? Jessamyn, what do you~"

"To my mother-in-law!" Jessamyn raised her voice. She was suppressing her sobs and her eyes were red but not a single drop of tear escaped her eyes.

"...or was that your dear wife?" she asked, her lips trembling.

"Jessamyn!" Jerrick stood up his jaws clenched.