#64
“Your stubbornness is really… Enrique. Do you have to push me this far?”
“You’re the one who’s neglecting me after just a few days of marriage?”
“I’m just busy right now because…”
Anture trailed off.
“I don’t care what you’re up to. But since we’re married, make being faithful to me your top priority. Is it too much to ask you to spend my heat with me?”
Their gazes clashed fiercely in mid-air. They both knew each other’s schemes very well. Anture was trying to break off Enrique’s two remaining engagements, and Enrique was trying to interfere with Anture’s plans.
When Anture didn’t answer easily, Enrique decided to push a bit further.
“If you really don’t want to, fine. I’ll just go and call Lord Damiel or someone…”
As Enrique was speaking dismissively, Anture suddenly covered Enrique’s mouth with his large hand. His dark eyes instantly took on a dangerous glint as he looked at Enrique.
“Don’t ever, ever say such things again.”
Anture added, grinding his teeth:
“No, don’t even think about it. If you ever reach out to another man… I’ll cut off his head and present it to you on a platter. Understand?”
His low, almost whispered voice was dripping with sincerity, no, killing intent. Even Enrique, who had deliberately provoked this reaction, felt a chill down his spine.
He had achieved his goal anyway. Enrique nodded obediently. But Anture didn’t easily withdraw his menacing gaze. Instead, he scrutinized Enrique’s eyes and the slightest changes in his expression with persistent eyes, trying to gauge his sincerity.
Enrique grabbed Anture’s wrist and removed his hand. Fortunately, Anture’s hand came off easily.
“You should have just agreed to come along in the first place.”
Enrique said grumpily, then gently stroked the corners of Anture’s eyes, which still hadn’t lost their dangerous glint, and whispered seductively:
“You’ll come with me, won’t you?”
Anture didn’t answer. Instead of pressing for an answer, Enrique slid his hand down from Anture’s eyes. He caressed the high bridge of his nose, perfect like a sculpture, then moved down to the philtrum, and finally to the lips below. The fierce gleam in those dark eyes gradually softened.
“Let’s go together, Anture. Let’s be alone, just the two of us.”
Enrique whispered softly and stood on his tiptoes to give Anture a light kiss. After gently licking the tightly closed lips a few times, Anture’s mouth opened slightly. And soon, a deep kiss followed.
The clattering of horse hooves was very cheerful. Enrique enjoyed the scenery of the spring-filled roadside while riding side by side with Anture. Whenever their eyes met, smiles spread across their faces. Enrique smiled even more gently, grateful that Anture had given in to his stubbornness.
Was it because they were of the same bloodline? Casto and Anture’s horse also got along well. They didn’t mind walking close together, and they even bumped each other’s hips with their tails swinging left and right.
Thanks to their early morning departure, the journey was leisurely. They just needed to arrive at the villa before sunset. A line of luggage carts followed behind them. Thanks to Pol’s hard work, preparations for their stay at the villa were already perfect.
Anture reached out to a tree by the roadside and plucked a branch with a newly bloomed flower. He brought it to his nose to savor the scent, then offered it to Enrique. After gazing at the simple gift for a moment, Enrique took it and brought it to his nose. The fragrant flower scent made his mood even softer.
Originally, he had lured Anture out to conceive a child. But apart from that, he couldn’t help but feel good about going to the villa. At this moment, there was no need to think about Ruben, marriage, divorce, or plans. He just needed to go with this joyful heart and spend a peaceful time with Anture.
It was half a day’s ride on horseback, but because they moved so leisurely, it was already late afternoon when they arrived. They dismounted and entered the villa, which had been tidied up by the servants who had arrived earlier, and took a rest while drinking tea. Meanwhile, servants and workers busily carried in luggage from the carts that had followed behind.
“How is it? The scenery’s nice, right?”
Enrique asked Anture, who was gazing at the wide lake spread out right in front of the villa, teacup in hand. Anture nodded.
Enrique stretched out his hand and pointed to the wooden dock directly connected to the villa.
“Since I was young, every summer I would stay here with my friends and dive into the lake from there. We would also go out on small boats and fish. If we were lucky enough to catch fish, we’d have the cook grill them right away. Kisha hated dealing with fish bones, so a servant had to stick by her side and remove all the bones one by one.”
As he talked about his childhood, his voice unconsciously became excited. Looking back, it really was an enjoyable childhood. Having been raised so preciously without any lack, now it was time to repay the country. Enrique eventually reached that conclusion at the end of his thoughts.
“I wish I could have seen you when you were young. You saw my childhood, but I didn’t see yours.”
Anture said, gently stroking Enrique’s cheek with deep eyes.
“When I first saw you, you were just this tall and a pretty boy,” Enrique said, roughly estimating Anture’s height from five years ago with his hand.
“I was pretty? Not handsome?”
Anture said with an ambiguous smile. Enrique laughed softly at that.
“Good grief. Did you expect a 13-year-old to look handsome? If a little kid looks handsome, that’s a crime, a crime. You were just a boy with an unusually white face, looking pretty and innocent, Anture.”
Enrique smiled, his eyes curving, and lightly pinched Anture’s cheek. Anture caught that hand and pressed his lips to the palm.
“So, how about now? Am I still just a pretty boy?”
Anture kissed Enrique’s palm and gave him a secretive look. For a moment, Enrique felt his heart sink at those pitch-black eyes staring at him, and the wild, masculine charm emanating from him.
“You… you’ve grown up now, haven’t you.”
Enrique said, unconsciously averting his gaze. Somehow his heart was pounding. He felt a bit queasy too.
“Enrique.”
“What?”
Enrique fixed his gaze on the lake scenery, pretending to admire it.
“Why are you avoiding my eyes? Look at me, Enrique.”
Anture grabbed Enrique’s chin and made him look at him. Their gazes met again. The pitch-black eyes of a young man who had just become an adult. Those eyes held only Enrique in them. Enrique felt dizzy from his own rapidly beating heart. He didn’t want Anture to notice this state he was in.
“Shall we go look at the lake?”
Enrique said, abruptly standing up. And just as he was about to turn and lead the way, an arm stretched out from behind and Anture hugged Enrique tightly. Anture’s strong body and his scent enveloped Enrique completely.
“Don’t run away, Enrique.”
Anture whispered in his ear. Enrique’s heart started to beat even faster.
“Who’s running away?”
Enrique retorted, trying to keep his voice calm. But Anture paid no heed and whispered with his lips pressed close to Enrique’s ear.
“You were just trying to run away from me. You got scared, didn’t you? You’re afraid you’ll fall for me and won’t be able to escape, so you’re trying to avoid it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Enrique replied as if bewildered.
He worried that his voice might have trembled, but fortunately, it seemed he had spoken calmly. Just as he was inwardly relieved, Anture chuckled softly with his lips still on Enrique’s ear.
“What’s the use of saying that? Your heart is beating so fast right now.”
Enrique squeezed his eyes shut. The thought that he had been found out made him dizzy.
“I told you, didn’t I? That it’s okay to love me. Love me without worry. It’s alright. I’ll solve everything. You won’t get hurt. You won’t have to part from me. Enrique, trust me. You can trust me.”
Somehow, even his breathing became rapid. Enrique gripped Anture’s arm that was holding him tightly, afraid he might stagger from his dizziness.
Anture’s whispers, his promises, seeped into Enrique’s heart like magic. And shook it violently. Enrique suspected that Anture might have cast some magical influence on him, like the ring he had put on Enrique’s finger. But magic that makes one fall in love? What kind of fairy tale is that?
“You’re still young, Anture.”
Enrique muttered like a sigh.
Yes. He had just become a young adult. What wouldn’t a young man blinded by love do or say?
At least for now, he’s sincere. But someday he’ll realize. That things in this world don’t go according to one’s will. And just as Enrique has Shamier as his destiny, Anture has Ruben as his destiny, and that once born with that bloodline, he’ll have to willingly shoulder that destiny.
‘For the glory of Shamier.’
Enrique repeated this to himself like a mantra several times.
Shamier.
That was the burden, the destiny, and the glory that Enrique had to shoulder.
