The Crown's Seduction
Chapter 138: A Hold on My Heart

Chapter 138: A Hold on My Heart

After going through her usual morning routine, Mineah let her sister spend more time with King Darius. He even talked to her to ask for a favor. And it was this story that she was now sharing with her husband.

Currently, she was possessively hugging Nikolai’s arm. At first, she was being extra clingy and touchy thinking that it was a way of seducing him to make him fall for her. However, that wasn’t exactly the case... In truth, she simply wanted to be near him because she found warmth and security in his arms.

"He said he was unable to sleep last night," Mineah recounted with a chuckle, her embrace still firmly around her husband’s arm. "He kept thinking of how my sister was still mad at him for colluding with our mother to keep her from knowing about Ezekiel."

"Well, the same scenario will happen to me for sure. That’s why I was strongly opposed to us sleeping in separate rooms if that happens," Nikolai hummed as they walked towards the graveyard where Dahilia’s tomb was located. "I mean, a day shouldn’t pass without us clearing up the misunderstanding that made us fight in the first place."

Mineah simply hummed. She still thought that was far too possessive of him, but it was a bit endearing in a way, she supposed.

"We’re almost near," Nikolai murmured to her ear.

She blinked at the reminder. She was surprised that Nikolai even brought her with him to this place, but nevertheless, she didn’t really care.

She had heard that Rosela’s tome was beside Dahlia’s, however... That must’ve been a hard decision for their mother to make. But at the end of the day... a mother would always be a mother to their offspring regardless of how their children would turn out. A mother would never abandon their children...

Entering the graveyard, they both passed a few tombstones before entering the tomb proper. A few moments later, Mineah stood in front of two graves. Beside her, Nikolai had a bouquet of dahlia flowers that he promptly put down over Dahlia’s tombstone.

"This will be the last time I’ll visit this place, Dahlia. I hope you’ve found your peace now... that you’re finally happy wherever you are..." Nikolai spoke. "I’ll cherish our great memories together, and I will always keep them with me..."

Mineah simply stayed quiet... watching it all unfold while giving it the respect it deserved. Then, she felt Nikolai’s hand clasping around hers. She turned to him, and she heard him speak once more.

"My heart... my wife... She now has a hold on my heart, Dahlia."

Mineah blinked at her husband who was now staring closely into her eyes. She could feel how her heartbeat was drumming hard against her chest, and she didn’t know how to respond beyond the one occasional gasp.

"Lai," she muttered.

She still couldn’t believe what she was hearing from him. She felt like her world had just stopped on its axis. All was silent that moment as if there was nothing around her except for Nikolai’s gentle face staring right at her with those warm and solemn eyes of his.

"Take responsibility for my heart from now on, Mine..." he wholeheartedly stated. "It’s all yours now."

Mineah held her breath as she remained speechless. This was too unexpected. It almost felt like this was nothing but a dream to the point that she even secretly pinched herself.

Unfortunately for her, Nikolai chuckled as he saw what she just did. Gently pulling her into his warm embrace, she felt his lips land on her head, kissing her gently.

"Can’t you hear the erratic beating of my heart, Mine?" he hummed.

She absently nodded. Yes, she could hear it, and she felt like she was on cloud nine. It was so much that she simply wanted to stay like that forever, with the two of them simply hugging and basking in each other’s warmth. It was like they had a mutual understanding with one another in the stillness of their surroundings.

*****

Eventually, Mineah and Nikolai soon went back to the palace to pick-up both her sister and King Darius before dropping them off at the port. This time, they didn’t use the carriage. Like Darius and her sister, Mineah instead took the liberty of riding a horse with Nikolai.

"This is fun. We should do this more often," Nikolai hummed in her ear as he hugged her possessively from behind.

Mineah hummed back as she comfortably rested her back on his chest, uncaring of some of the occasional glances they were receiving from the Valcrezians they passed by. They all paid their respect to them by bowing, sure, but some of them couldn’t help but linger their eyes on them.

Curious, she read some of their thoughts...

[They look so in love with one another. The same goes for the Werewolf King and his mate... Who would’ve thought that these Ebodian princesses... That mere humans like them would marry into powerful kingdoms?]

[They’re so perfect for each other... It’s like-]

"We need to keep up."

Mineah was shaken from her thoughts as she heard her husband speak. Looking at him, she spoke, "My sister and her King do seem to be in a hurry for some reason..."

"Indeed," Nikolai snorted. "Darius and your sister might as well be galloping with how fast they’re moving."

Mineah chuckled. "Go and hurry up then Lai," she teased. "Try and catch up with them."

Eventually, they caught up to them just in time for them to reach the port. Promptly, they all disembarked from their horses before preparing for the departure of the foreign royalty.

After all, was said and done, Xenia and King Darius were finally ready to leave. While Mineah felt that her reunion with her sister had been far too short-lived for her liking, at least they managed to catch up with one another. King Nikolai had accompanied them all the way to port as well to send them off.

"I wish we had more time to talk..." Xenia regretfully sighed.

"I do too, Sister," Mineah sadly sighed. "Unfortunately, we all have our parts to play in the wider scheme of things."

"That we do," Xenia chuckled as she gave Mineah the warmest smile she could muster. "I suppose there’s still next time, whenever that might be."

"I’ll be sure to be there at your wedding ceremony, Sister. That, I promise," Mineah radiantly smiled. "And I’m sure we’ll see our brother Ezekiel safe and sound by that point."

"We can only hope, Sister," Xenia nodded.

Eventually, they arrived at the foot of Cordon’s ship.

"I thank you for accompanying us this far, my friend," Darius nodded to Nikolai, turning to face the other king before they boarded. "I hope that your journey will be safe."

Xenia blinked at King Darius who then turned to her with her questioning eyes. By the side, Mineah simply gave her sister an amused smile.

"Are you coming with us?" Xenia asked, blinking.

"Haven’t I already told you that I was going back home to Ebodia?" Mineah lightly teased, slightly wagging her finger toward another ship just beside Cordon’s ship. "We’re not going to be sharing a ship, however. And my husband has decided that he’ll be coming with me as well."

"Oh right..."

"Let’s keep in touch, Big Sister," Mineah hummed.

"My thanks, Darius," Nikolai, on the other hand, nodded in gratitude to the other king. "We’ll be sure to appraise you of any developments that might’ve come to pass."

Mineah hugged her sister Xenia before she and Nikolai walked past them towards their own ship sporting the Valcrez emblem. She didn’t know how long she would have to stay at the Ebodian Encampment, but one thing was certain... she wouldn’t leave until she was sure that her brother was safe!