Page 15 of His Noble Savior

Lilian’s life would’ve been so different had he been born a human down in Somerdale. Maybe he would’ve grown up on a farm and met his lord, Baron Richard Dalton of Somerdale, during the annual spring festival. But then Richard would’ve never noticed him.

The what-ifs of his life ran through Lilian’s mind. What if he’d stayed away from the Great River? If he’d remained in the faerie realm, the orcs would’ve never gotten to him. They wouldn’t have…

“Are you all right?” Richard rubbed his thumb over the back of Lilian’s hand. “You’re tensing.”

Lilian’s shoulders sagged. “I’m just thinking… I did so many stupid things.”

Richard frowned. “Like what?”

“The day the orcs caught me, I’d gone to the Great River to collect clay. People worried the orcs might one day cross, but I was blind to those concerns. I should’ve stayed in the faerie realm where I was safe. Or I could’ve come armed. I was so stupid. None of this would’ve happened had I stopped to think.And when the orcs caught me… I didn’t fight hard enough. There were opportunities to escape that I didn’t take and—”

“Lilian.” Richard set his quill aside and took Lilian’s face between his hands. “I’m going to stop you right there. You’re taking responsibility for what happened when none of it was your fault. You did nothing wrong. The orcs didn’t take you because you made a mistake; they did it because they’re evil. There’s nothing you could’ve done to change the outcome—you were up against six orcs. You made the best decisions you could at the time. Those savages decided to take you against your will. All of it is their fault; none of it is yours. They’re the only ones to blame.”

“I…”

“You want a sense of control. You’re trying to gain it by analyzing the past, but in the process, you’re blaming yourself. As much as we both would like to change what happened, it’s impossible. The past is the past, but I want to help you take charge of your future.”

Richard’s words took a weight off his shoulders. He was right. By agonizing over every step that’d led him into captivity, Lilian was trying to rewrite the past. Undo what had been done. But the past was unchangeable. No amount of ruminating would make a difference. The future, however, was full of possibilities.

“I appreciate your kindness,” Lilian said, and Richard brushed his knuckles over his cheek, wiping away the lone tear he’d shed.

The door swung open, and George strode inside. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Lilian and Richard so intimately entangled. He hovered halfway into the room, unsure what to do, his eyes flitting between them.

“Learn to knock,” Richard said, slowly withdrawing from Lilian.

George muttered an apology, then went on to tell Richardabout the letter they’d received from an allied house. “By the way, have you written to the Spring Court?”

“Not recently,” Richard said curtly.

Richard had been in touch with the Spring Court? This was news to Lilian. Had Richard written to someone there, telling them Lilian was with him? But why? And to whom? Was someone coming to collect him? Surely, Richard would’ve told him. He wouldn’t arrange it behind his back. Unless Lilian wasn’t welcome anymore.

“You’re in touch with someone at the Spring Court?” Lilian asked in a small voice.

“I nearly forgot about it,” Richard said with pinched lips.

“You forgot about it?” George asked, his tone going shrill. “You’re talking to the Spring Queen, and youforget?” He turned to Lilian. “Would you believe him? My dear brother is looking to marry up, an earl or a duchess would’ve been good, but he’s managed to establish correspondence with the Spring Court to negotiate a marriage to Princess Bellerose.”

Lilian’s eyes went wide. “Princess Bellerose?”

“I’ve never met her,” Richard ground out. “It would’ve been a marriage of convenience.”

“I know, I know,” George babbled. “You can’t afford to marry for love. Save your speech, I’ve heard it a hundred times. Well, if you want a betrothal to Bellerose, pick up that quill and write to Queen Dahlia. She’s keen, but God knows how long that’ll last.”

Lilian’s mouth dropped.

“That’s enough, George,” Richard said, a sharp edge to his tone. “Lilian and I will see you and Resh at dinner tonight. Inform the attendants. You’re dismissed.”

George snorted but strolled out the door, shutting it with a click.

“Please ignore my brother,” Richard said, pinching the bridgeof his nose. “He doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

But the knife was already lodged in Lilian’s chest. Of course, Richard was looking to marry. It didn’t surprise Lilian, and yet it was painful to hear. Turbulent times reigned in Vale, and the noble houses competed to secure the best political alliances. Lilian couldn’t blame Richard. If he married a princess of the Spring Court, House Dalton would be protected from the invading orcs. But a fae wedding would also bind Richard and Bellerose’s souls, creating an eternal bond. Lilian felt sick.

The princess’s interest in Richard was self-explanatory. She had to have heard of his upstanding character and good looks. Queen Dahlia would be itching to have Richard as her son-in-law. The year before, Lilian had heard that Lord Malorn, now the Autumn King, had married a human nobleman, and since then, the other courts had been building alliances of their own.

Princess Bellerose had to be gorgeous, and Richard would fall for her the minute he saw her. Why did Lilian feel so disappointed? In a couple of years, Richard would turn thirty, and by then he’d want to be married to someone powerful and influential. A princess was an appropriate match. Richard needed to forge a favorable union. His family’s lives depended on it.

If Lilian didn’t want to get hurt, he better stifled his growing attachment to Richard. Their time together was finite, and Lilian ought to learn to stand on his own two feet. He should return to his hollow tree and continue making pottery. Hell, heenjoyedmaking pottery. But at the thought of leaving Somerdale Castle, his heart bled.

---