Chapter 283 (2/2)

“Your Majesty.”

“You don’t need to worry about it…”

My heart ached. I felt so heartbroken when I saw him saying things what he didn’t mean without casting a glance at me.

How cruel I have been to him! I hurt him so much for the sin that he had not committed against me. I didn’t know how troubled his mind was while I was preoccupied with protecting myself.

I sprang to my feet and walked toward him. I reached out to him, while looking up at him. Then, I pulled his shoulder and hugged him slowly.

I felt him stiffening. He asked in a subdued voice without moving at all, “What are you doing now…?”

“On that day when my body was growing cold in your arms…”

“…”

“I thought I was lucky because I could have the last moment of my life, held in your arms.”

“…What are you talking…?”

“I was sorry that I didn’t appreciate your affection for me.”

“Are you serious…?”

“And I regretted that I didn’t realize it earlier. ”

He slowly disengaged his body from me and looked at me blankly. His navy blue eyes were trembling violently. The longer he looked at me, the more his eyes were trembling. Breaking the silence after some time, he asked with a trembling voice, “Are you serious about what you said a moment ago…”

“…”

“Are you serious? Did I hear you right? You said you also loved me? Is that true?”

He looked at me with trembling eyes as if he couldn’t believe his ears. When I smiled at him with a nod, his hardened face became relaxed.

The moment I thought his eyes were full of joy, he suddenly said in a refreshing voice, “Oh God…”

His voice was wet with tears. Although I was breathless because of his tight embrace, I grabbed his neck, pretending not to notice his trembling all over his body.

“How long have I been longing for this moment! I’ve been yearning for this moment so much and so long…”

“Your Majesty.”

“I said I would be satisfied as long as I could live with you under the same sky, as long as I could see you even at a distance… So, I prayed and prayed to God that He could save your life. Thank you, God! Thanks so much, God!”

“Your Majesty…”

I remained silent as I had nothing to say. I felt somewhat sad at the moment.

How much time passed? He looked at me after disengaging his body from me, with his robe getting wet with tears little by little. His navy blue eyes, glowing more deeply because of welled tears, looked at me.

Slowly reaching out, he touched my cheek. When I trembled, he raised my hand, then leaned forward.

He closed his deep blue eyes and put his soft lips on the back of my hand with warm breathing. He whispered after kissing my lips as lightly as a bird’s feather, “I love you, Aristia.”

“Me, too… I love you, Your Majesty. ” I hesitantly replied at his whispering.

Even though I took pains to avoid his eyes to hide my shyness, I could see him looking at me in surprise.

The moment I bowed my head to hide my blush on my face, I suddenly heard his rough breathing. I looked at him, forgetting that I was going to hide my face, startled. His blue eyes were already up close to my nose. As if he was asking for my permission, he earnestly looked at me, which made me blush again.

Is he waiting for my greenlight for fear I might be scared?

As I was so much choked up with emotions, I closed my eyes, reaching out to him.

I moaned in spite of myself when he hugged me so tightly, but it couldn’t come out of my mouth because his lips touched mine. Unlike his kissing the back of my hand softly a moment ago, he kissed me violently. I was getting short of breath because of his passionate kiss. My lips felt burned because of his hot breathing.

Although I was absent-minded because he smothered me with kisses, I put my arms around his neck. Then, I opened my mouth when he kissed me passionately like roaring waves.