151: Unexpected love confession (part 2)

Unexpected love confession (part 2)

Bickering over the food, they laughed at each other's jokes as equals. For that entire hour, they luxuriated in each other's company, relishing the joyous moments and purposefully avoiding any discussion of the troubles that weighed on their minds. It was a brief reprieve from their concerns, a chance to immerse themselves in the simple pleasure of each other's companionship.2

"Arkin," she said, her tone serious as she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, "I have been neglecting the infirmary... Are you overseeing it for your knights as well?"

He finished swallowing the final bite of his meal before replying, "The infirmary is functioning well. You don't need to be concerned. They only took you there to reach me."

She nodded in acknowledgement, fully cognizant of the veracity in his statement. While her presence in the infirmary of the First Order was permissible, the scenario would be vastly dissimilar in the Second Order. In those instances, it was highly likely that she would have to wear the brooch given to her by Egon to conceal her healing abilities.

The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

Observing her reaction, Arkin furrowed his brow and inquired, "Are you feeling cold?"

She shook her head, "No, I'm perfectly fine. It's a warm day, and I have my shawl..."

Memories of Egon taking her shawl for her in his house before Bastian's arrival resurfaced, triggering thoughts of the man Bastian was escaping from—Arkin's biological father.

"...How are things between you and Leopold?" she asked, being direct yet cautious in her approach.

Arkin's expression turned grim, "I can't fulfill his expectations, Adela. I have a father, a mother, and he has his own family... Their relationship is rather peculiar." His deeply disturbed expression indicated that he had witnessed something that had shaped his opinion, but Adela couldn't discern the details.

Arkin brushed off the breadcrumbs from his clothes and abruptly stood to his feet. "I have to go back now," he stated with a straight face.

She smiled, "Take care of yourself. I'll see you soon."

Something flickered in Arkin's eyes, a fleeting emotion she couldn't quite grasp, but before she could dwell on it, he turned away abruptly, his figure gradually diminishing until he disappeared among the trees.

"You can't confuse him any further," Egon's deep voice unexpectedly resonated from behind her, causing her to startle. The sudden appearance, which had previously brought comfort, now brought a pang of discomfort.

"Where did you come from?" she exclaimed, her hand pressed against her collarbone, her racing heart barely contained. Egon wore the same clothes as before with the addition of gloves she hadn't seen him wear previously—brown ones that left his fingers exposed. "...I didn't feel or see you," she added, slightly breathless.

"Well, I saw you. I saw it all," he replied, his dark eyes filled with anger.

Suppressing her nerves, she asserted herself, firmly believing that he had no right to spy on her, especially when she hadn't done anything wrong.

Noticing her defiant gaze, he snapped, "You vanished without a word, leaving me unable to follow. But to stumble upon you like this!"

His words hung in the air, heavy with anger and disappointment. Adela stood before him, her eyes flashing disapproval, an unspoken reproach in her posture. The tension between them crackled, neither willing to yield.

Lady de Lanark found herself unaccustomed to such treatment, and it stung all the more coming from the person who held her heart. While she tried to empathize with the challenges he had faced that day, she couldn't help but feel hurt by his misplaced anger.  Determined to find a healthier outlet for his emotions, she vowed to seek a resolution that wouldn't compromise their bond.

"Say something!" his eyes widened to an exaggerated extent.

"...Egon, what are you truly upset about?" 

"About the distance you're creating between us once again!"

"What are you talking about?" She nibbled on her lower lip, acknowledging that there was still much she needed to discover about Egon. Despite that, she couldn't deny the profound sense of closeness she experienced with him, unlike anything she had ever felt before.

"I'm talking about this!" he gestured toward the scattered picnic items. "The man who attempted to dismantle your beloved Lanark piece by piece, the same man who sought to tarnish your father's esteemed reputation, is closer to you than I will ever be!"

She glared at him, feeling that he had taken things too far. "Arkin is my brother!"

"It's not about that! It's about your pride!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief. "That prideful image you have of your household, I don't fit into that picture, Adelaide."

He turned away, ready to leave, but when she abruptly followed after him, he stopped and turned back, a sarcastic smile on his face.

"Sometimes, I wonder if they knew how you would turn out when they gave you that name—noble and proud."

Adela took a deep breath, recalling his interpretation of his peculiar name since she first heard it at the banquet. "You, too, embody the essence of your name—a sharp-edged sword? If only you could discern friend from foe before striking without mercy."

Pain flashed in his eyes before he turned away once more. She, who had never witnessed such disrespect, was mortified by her own body, her own hands gripping his elbow. It felt shameful and dependent, as though he were an addictive herb she couldn't live without, regardless of the side effects on her heart.

She swallowed and mustered the courage to speak, "Egon... You're blowing this out of proportion. Yes, Arkin made mistakes, but he wasn't himself at that time..."

"I won't repeat myself," he stated, not giving her a backward glance, his forearm tense beneath her sweaty fingers. "Now let go," he added, further adding salt to her wounds.

She clutched his forearm tighter. "I won't. Why must we always put our family members in the middle of our conflicts? My father, your uncle, and now my brother. Why can't we discuss us?"

He scoffed. "Ask yourself that."

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