The Hero's Forsaken Princess
Chapter 77: Love, Power, or Freedom

Chapter 77: Love, Power, or Freedom

"I’ll make you my Queen," Crown Prince Cassian offered her without hesitation.

Alaric clenched his fists as he watched Eve and Prince Cassian.

’He is willing to give her power and wealth. He is the next king of Eldara. No one will refuse such an offer. Both of them have the same status as royalty. Even Gavin can’t compete with Crown Prince Cassian.’

"I’m just a general from a commoner family. She can divorce me anytime and marry the crown prince," Alaric mumbled to himself with a bitter smile on his face.

Alaric didn’t wait for Eve to say her response. He wasn’t prepared to hear her accepting Crown Prince Cassian’s marriage proposal.

As Alaric left, Eve finally found her voice to speak to Crown Prince Cassian.

"This proposal is too sudden. Why are you saying this to me, Crown Prince? You have just met me tonight." Eve glanced at him with confusion. She couldn’t believe that the crown prince of Eldara suddenly made a marriage proposal to her.

Crown Prince Cassian fell silent. He didn’t know how he would justify his actions. He couldn’t tell her that she was the woman in Sylvana’s vision who would bring him success in his goal of conquering all the kingdoms.

Eve focused her attention on the flower. Then she spoke again. "My marriage with General Alaric was arranged by my parents. If I were to marry again... I hope the person I will marry is the man I truly love. Not another political marriage."

"I don’t wish for power and wealth," she added, staring at Crown Prince Cassian with sincerity.

Crown Prince Cassian furrowed his eyebrows. He was not the type of man who could love a woman. He didn’t believe in love. He only desired power! How could he convince Princess Eve to marry him?

"I can tell that you are not on good terms with your royal siblings, especially Queen Amara. The song you sang earlier is the reflection of your life as the princess of Averion. If you don’t wish for power and wealth, perhaps, what you want is freedom?"

Eve was momentarily taken aback. Crown Prince Cassian was incredibly quick-witted, having figured everything out so swiftly.

"Why don’t you come with me to Kingdom Eldara?" Prince Cassian made another attempt to convince her. Keeping Sylvana’s words in mind, he was determined to have this woman and make her stay by his side.

Eve remained quiet.

"I’m not forcing you to give me an answer right now. You can take your time and think it over. If you don’t trust me yet, we still have more time to get to know each other." Prince Cassian didn’t want to pressure Eve. He was careful not to scare her away.

Eve nodded in response, smiling faintly. Gideon and Crown Prince Cassian were both offering her a chance to leave Kingdom Averion for her freedom, but somewhere in her heart, she wanted to stay. She couldn’t leave just yet.

’I think in order for me to move forward, I still need some closure with him,’ Eve thought to herself, Alaric’s face flashing in her mind.

Meanwhile, Alaric felt so lost. He just kept walking without a clear destination in mind. Before he knew it, he was already inside the 5th Battalion Barracks.

"Alaric!" Caleb called him with urgency. "Have you heard? Princess Eve had gone missing! Randolf and others were searching for her in Willowshade Forest."

"Don’t freak out. Tell them to pull out. She is safe. She is in the palace right now," Alaric nonchalantly responded.

"Eh? Alright. I’ll send someone to inform Randolf’s group."

As Caleb instructed a member of the 5th Battalion to relay a message to Randolf’s group, Alaric headed to his quarter, carrying a barrel of beer. He wanted to get drunk tonight and forget about everything, even if just for a while.

But as his best friend, Caleb didn’t leave him alone. He sat down beside him, holding his tankard. Alaric didn’t mind his presence and just kept drinking his beer. Caleb initiated the conversation first.

"I’ve heard what happened at the palace entrance gate earlier. I know you were upset with your wife, but why did you have to be so harsh on her, siding with Princess Thalia? Randolf even complained to me. He said you didn’t even allow Princess Eve to explain her side."

Alaric was emotionally and mentally exhausted. A lot of things happened and Caleb didn’t even have any idea what had transpired in the banquet hall. And here he was, confronting him about the ruckus in the palace entrance.

Alaric took a deep sigh before he spoke up. "Randolf couldn’t read the situation."

"Even if I asked Princess Eve to explain, no one would believe her. The people around us already concluded she was at fault. No one has heard their conversation and everyone saw Eve slapping Thalia." In Caleb’s presence, Alaric was compelled to confide his feelings and explain his side.

"If I sided with her, Thalia would be more displeased, and she might escalate the matter further. She would create more trouble for Eve. Her brother was there, and Queen Amara is not fond of Eve."

"If this slapping incident is brought up to the royal family, Eve will be subject to unfair punishment again. I just wanted to resolve the issue as soon as possible, so that I could protect her."

Caleb’s eyes lit up after hearing Alaric’s explanation. "Haha! I knew it! You are not someone who would just abandon your wife once she was in trouble. You are just not good at expressing yourself to her. Even though you were upset with her, you couldn’t bear to see her getting hurt. Am I right?"

Alaric drank his beer in one gulp. "But I made her cry. And I feel like I’m the one getting abandoned by her."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Caleb asked him curiously.

Alaric told him everything that happened in the banquet hall– Eve’s mesmerizing voice, her ethereal beauty, and Crown Prince Cassian’s marriage proposal. Caleb couldn’t believe what he had just heard from Alaric. For two hours, the two of them continued talking and drinking until Alaric got drunk.

"Commander Caleb! General Alaric!" A knight suddenly interrupted them, knocking on the door.

"What is it?" Caleb asked in his tipsy voice.

"Princess Eve is here. She wants to talk to General Alaric," the knight informed them.

Caleb glanced at Alaric, who was leaning back in his chair. His cheeks were flushed from drunkenness, and his eyes were closed. Caleb couldn’t tell if Alaric was already asleep or just resting.

Caleb rose from his seat and strode toward the door. Though tipsy, he managed to walk straight, opening the door. He was stupefied upon seeing Eve’s real face.

’Oh god, Alaric wasn’t lying. Princess Eve’s beauty is truly captivating,’ Caleb thought to himself, his eyes scanning her face. Even the knight who escorted Eve to Alaric’s quarters couldn’t take his eyes off the princess.

After recovering from the shock, Caleb bowed to greet the princess. "Your Highness, General Alaric is resting inside. You may enter and see him."

After saying that, Caleb immediately grabbed the knight’s hand, pulling him away from Alaric’s quarters.

"Forbid anyone from approaching our general’s quarters. Let’s give the husband and wife some privacy. They need to talk," Caleb instructed the knight firmly. "Not even Sera. Understand?!" he added.

"Got it, Commander. I’ll make sure no one disturbs them," the knight replied.