AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I know it seems fast, but it will be good for Theron as well as me," Eloise murmured. But the challenge in the women's eyes steeled her resolve.
After hours of turning pages, swapping stories, and weaving dreams into plans, Eloise excused herself, stepping out into the cool embrace of the palace garden. There, she found Bernard pacing before a statue of an ancient queen.
"Plotting a coup against wedding nerves, are we?" Eloise teased.
Bernard stopped mid-pace, his gaze lifting to meet hers with a sheepish grin. "Am I so transparent?"
"Even a prince can quake before the might of matrimonial commitment," Eloise quipped.
"Ah, but it’s not the commitment that daunts me," he confessed, his laughter mingling with hers as he took her hands in his. "It's wanting everything to be perfect for you, for us."
"Perfection lies in imperfection," she whispered, drawing him close. "As long as we stand together, what more could we possibly need?"
Eloise's laughter faded, her eyes lingering on Bernard’s face as he stepped closer. She could feel the heat of him, a magnetic pull that drew her nearer still.
"Victory is sweetest when shared," she teased, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw, reveling in the strength beneath her touch.
"Shared..." He echoed the word, his hands settling on her waist, drawing her against him. "Yes, every triumph, every challenge—shared."
Their lips met, a light kiss to begin with. The kiss deepened, passion flaring between them like the first blush of dawn. Bernard’s embrace tightened, and Eloise melted into him, her heart racing.
As they finally parted, breathless and yearning, Eloise felt the whisper of a smile grace her lips. Bernard’s eyes searched hers, a question poised in the depths of his gaze.
"Goodnight, my prince," she said, the formal address playfully at odds with the lingering heat of their kiss.
"Goodnight, my princess," he responded.
Chapter Nine
Princess Eloise glided into the opulent hall where throngs of eager journalists awaited. She stood in front of the reporters with Prince Bernard at her side. They were the picture of regal grace, a vision that had graced the front pages of the morning's papers.
"Princess Eloise, congratulations on your engagement!" a reporter called out. The question, like the first drop in a downpour, opened the floodgates, and soon a deluge of questions was coming at them.
"Thank you," she beamed, her smile radiant. "We are both thrilled to share our joy with the nation and beyond."
"Prince Bernard, how did you propose?" another voice chimed from the crowd.
Eloise turned to Bernard with a tilt of her head, an unspoken invitation for him to take the lead. She watched with a mixture of admiration and amusement as he fielded the question.
"Ah," Bernard said, "it involved a private setting and perhaps the most nerve-wracking moment of my life." His confession elicited a chorus of chuckles and scribbling pens.
"Princess, how are you preparing for the wedding? Any nerves?" asked another.
"Preparations are well underway," Eloise replied, her laughter tinkling like delicate chimes. "As for nerves, I believe we are both too excited to feel anything else. Aren't we, Bernard?"
"Absolutely," he agreed.
The royal limousine glided across the cobblestone streets. Inside the vehicle’s plush confines, Princess Eloise rested her head against the cool leather, her gaze slipping past the window to watch the city blur by.
"Bernard," she began, her voice a soft melody that filled the space between them, "I can't express how grateful I am for your support today. Handling the press can be quite the joust at times."
Prince Bernard chuckled. "I must admit, fencing with words is less perilous than actual combat, but I dare say it requires similar finesse," he replied.
"Yes," Eloise smiled. "You parried their questions with the grace of a seasoned knight."
"Ah, but it was your radiance that disarmed them completely," he countered, his lips curving into a teasing smile as he captured her hand, bringing it to his lips.
As the palace gates came into view, Eloise felt a flutter of anticipation for the evening's festivities. They were to be celebrated in a manner befitting their royal status, yet she found herself cherishing the simplicity of this moment alone with Bernard.
