The Royal Mark-Chapter 103: Reverse Dowry
"Yes, I will marry you, Prince Christopher."
Chris immediately stood up, slipping a golden ring adorned with a gray diamond ring onto Elsa’s finger, leaving her momentarily disoriented as he silenced her with a swift kiss.
The audacious gesture by the Prince of Arcanis left some guests particularly the human elders and women, gasping in astonishment. A few even shielded their eyes, embarrassed by the unabashed display of affection between the prince and their second princess in front of the entire gathering. However, nearly half of the onlookers celebrated the couple’s union with cheers, whistles, and warm congratulations.
Elsa found herself in a state of shock, unable to react to the sudden turn of events. One moment, Chris knelt before her, and the next, he was passionately kissing her. When her mind finally caught up, she attempted to break free, but Chris firmly held her head in his hands.
She tried to speak up and complain but it became an opportunity for Chris to deepen their kiss the moment she opened up her mouth. He sneaked in his tongue causing her to moan inside his mouth. She gripped onto Chris’ coat, unconsciously pulling him towards her more.
Chris tasted every corner of her mouth making her breathless and wet between her legs. She couldn’t believe she was getting turned on while knowing that everyone in the great hall was watching them, but his grip on her head was unyielding and there was no way she could pull away from him.
Her knees began to waver, and dizziness crept over her, she needed to catch her breath. Chris eased the intensity of their kiss, planting two final gentle pecks on her lips before resting his forehead against hers, still cradling her face with both hands. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
"I love you, Elsa. I love you so deeply," Chris professed, his voice filled with earnestness. "Being separated from you for just a few days drove me nearly to madness. Thank you for saying yes. I brought my trusted alphas, just in case you’d said no. They’re on standby, ready to attack and fight should anyone dare to interfere with our union as I kidnap you."
Elsa playfully rolled her eyes and let out a chuckle. "Chris, that’s a bit over the top. You know I would have said yes, so there was no need for such dramatic measures."
Smiling, Chris responded, "Well, there’s another reason they’re here. I’ll explain later." He then turned to face the King, bowing his head respectfully.
"Your Majesty," Chris began, addressing the King, "I know that you did not request this, and not part of our alliance agreement, given that I’m not a citizen of your kingdom. However, I’m well aware of your customs and traditions. Please accept these gifts, which I’ve brought from Arcanis as a form of reverse dowry for your family."
Hoven then signaled his servants to present the gifts that Chris had discreetly acquired from Arcanis.
The Queen’s jaw dropped in astonishment as she observed the multitude of crates and boxes being carried in by the servants, while the King maintained his dignified stance, closely monitoring the placement of the gifts before them.
"I’ve brought you silks, rare ores, gems, and other exquisite treasures unique to Arcanis," Chris explained, his voice filled with sincerity. "I hope these offerings will bring you joy as you entrust the hand of your granddaughter to me in our upcoming marriage."
King Allister turned to Chris with a smile and responded, "You already know that you’re considered part of my family, as I’ve always treated your father as my brother. Thank you for these gifts, and I am truly delighted to accept them."
With that, the King raised both of his hands and addressed the gathered guests, saying, "Now, let’s put an end to the formalities, and I invite everyone to enjoy the festivities. Bring in the music!"
The crowd erupted in cheers as the music began to play, and young men and women converged on the dance floor while servants circulated with finger foods and drinks.
Chris turned to Elsa, extending his hand, and asked, "May I have the pleasure of this dance, my soon-to-be bride?"
Elsa pursed her lips and replied, "Can we dance a bit later? I’m absolutely famished, and I feel like I will die from hunger, all thanks to my grandma!"
Chris chuckled and nodded before leading Elsa to the buffet table, where they could finally eat the delicious food that the royal cook had prepared.
"Did you miss me, princess?" Chris inquired, punctuating his question with a sly wink directed at Elsa.
"No! Why would I miss you? I was busy, and I didn’t even have a moment to think about you," Elsa retorted, avoiding his gaze.
"Alright, if you say so. But the report that I received said otherwise. I was informed that you were quite concerned about my safety and kept asking for me," Chris revealed.
"I did not! Who spread that nonsense? I will strangle that person to death for not telling the truth!" Elsa exclaimed, her face reddening with each passing moment, while Chris simply chuckled in response.
"It was me, Elsa. I told him that you were worried about him after hearing news of his injury in battle," Drake chimed in as he joined them in the queue at the buffet table.
"Whose side are you on?" Elsa questioned, her brow furrowing.
"Well, uhm, yours, of course, but I thought you wanted to know his condition, which is why I did that," Drake replied, his hand rubbing the back of his neck.
Elsa redirected her attention to Chris and inquired, "Were you really seriously injured?"
"CHRIS!"
Before Chris could respond to Elsa’s question, someone called out to him, and the next thing he knew, he was engulfed in a tight hug.
"Urgh... Lexi... Let go..." Chris winced in discomfort as Alexandra leaped onto him and practically crashed into his body.
Elsa crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow as she observed the exchange between the two.
"Have you healed completely? Does it still hurt? I’ll ask Mistress Valeria to heal you!" Alexandra chattered on.
"I’m fine, Lexi—stop!" Chris insisted, attempting to halt her movements.
Alexandra began unbuttoning Chris’ shirt, but he swiftly gripped both her hands and gave her a brief warning glance with his red eyes. However, Elsa noticed and intervened by tugging at Chris’ jacket to direct his attention toward her. She then grasped his shirt, but Chris was swift to intercept her hands, preventing them from moving any further.
