Page 12 of Crimson Kingdom
Either way, when the sound of the carriage wheels rolled up on the loose stones of the courtyard, I held my breath, bracing myself. The slow clacking of a pair of boots made their way across the main hall, echoing their way into the drawing room.
With each step, I wondered exactly what I would say, what he would say. Somehow in all of my imaginings for the future, I had never quite pictured him here, in Lochlann.
The footsteps halted, and the whispering of voices sounded just behind the door as the handle turned ever so slowly.
When the maid appeared, her face was a careful mask of neutrality, but her eyes told a different story.
“Your Highness.” She curtseyed, meeting my gaze with apprehension. “The Socairan Lord is here to see you.”
“Send him in,” I replied coolly, reminding myself that this wasn’t a yes.
His presence here was for us to consider a marriage alliance. I wasn’t locked into anything…yet.
She nodded and opened the door further. Seconds later, Theo’s broad frame filled the doorway.
His tawny skin contrasted starkly with his white-blond hair and hazel green eyes. He seemed taller than I remembered, and even more handsome, if that were possible.
“Your Highness.” His accented voice sounded as he gave a respectful bow in greeting.
“Theo.” His name escaped my lips on a whisper, and suddenly, all of the nerves I had been feeling vanished.
Somehow, I had been so steeped in the complications of this alliance, I had forgotten the effect he always had on me. He was the constant calm to my never-ending storm.
Regardless of everything else, he was my friend.
The corners of his mouth tugged upwards, revealing the dazzling smile I hadn’t realized I had missed until he showed it to me just then.
An answering smile spread across my lips. “Welcome to Lochlann.”
CHAPTERSEVEN
Theo took a hesitant step forward, then another until he was standing directly in front of me. He reached out for my hand, bringing my knuckles to his lips before pressing a gentle kiss against them.
It could be so easy to lose myself in this, in him, again. To let him chase away the rest of the world and protect me even from myself, just as he always had.
But even as I thought it, the idea twisted something inside me a little more. Perhaps it would be easy to hide behind him, as I had in Socair, but that didn’t mean Ishould.
I met his comforting gaze once again. Theo would make a good husband, and it was clear in the way that he looked at me that he truly cared about me.
Still...
Slowly, I pulled my hand away, placing it back at my side.
His shoulders deflated ever so slightly, but his smile remained fixed.
“It’s so good to see you again, Rowan.”
“It’s good to see you, too,” I responded honestly, taking a step back, “but we can’t just pick up where we left off at the negotiations.”
This was about more than either of us. This was about our people, and we needed to focus on that first.
Besides…
“You ended things,” I continued. “And I understand why, but I won’t pretend it didn’t change things between us. Then everything that happened with Iiro, and now... I just want to be cautious this time.” The words were almost laughable coming from me, but he didn’t comment on that.
He only nodded sincerely. “I told you before that I would fight for us. And I am here to do that, for as long as you’ll have me, Rowan.”
There was something else in his features.Hope?My chest went tight, and I had to look away before something in my expression doused that emotion. Or encouraged it.