The Alliance

Chapter 18: Shadow in the woods

The thick woods surrounding the outskirts of Mercia are cloaked in shadows, illuminated only by slivers of moonlight filtering through the branches. Princess Bianca, wrapped tightly in a dark green cloak, rides her horse quietly through the underbrush. Her heart races with anticipation and fear, her hands gripping the reins so tightly her knuckles turns white. Each step of the journey toward the clearing heightens the pull in her chest—the longing that has grown unbearable.

Reaching the designated spot, she dismounts with practiced grace, tying her horse to a low branch. The clearing, covered in silvery moonlight, feels alive with quiet anticipation. She glances around nervously, her hood pulls low over her face. “Dorian?” she calls softly, her voice trembling as the forest seems to swallow her words.

A shadow moved behind a tree, and then a tall figure steps forward. Sir Dorian Hartwright, dressed in the plain garb of a traveler, emerges from the darkness. His face, ruggedly handsome even in the dim light, lights up with relief and raw emotion when he sees her.

Sir Dorian had fled Eldermere under the guise of visiting a sick relative, when in fact, his true intent was to elope with Princess Bianca. Their forbidden love has driven him to abandon his duties and risk everything, planning to reunite with her in secret after her royal wedding to escape the confines of their worlds.

“Bianca,” he murmurs, his voice carrying the weight of longing and worry.

She lets out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, rushing toward him. “Dorian,” she whispers, throwing herself into his arms.

He catches her easily, holding her as though she might vanish if he lets go. His lips brush against her hair, and his hands run down her back, pulling her closer. “I was starting to think you wouldn’t come,” he says, his voice soft yet tinges with vulnerability.

“I had to,” she says, her voice breaking slightly as she looks up at him. “I couldn’t bear to be apart from you any longer.”

Dorian cups her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that spilled from her eyes. “You’ve no idea how much I’ve missed you, Bianca,” he says, his voice thick with emotion.

She leans into his touch, her heart aching. “I’ve missed you too. Every moment without you feels unbearable.”

He takes a look at her ruined face, still recovering from the harm she inflicted on herself. A feeling of sadness and anger flows through him. Although she had already told him about it in her letter, he still feels she shouldn’t have taken it this far.

He kisses her forehead tenderly, lingering as though savoring the moment. “This is madness,” he mutters, though there was no conviction in his words.

“It’s love,” she counters, her voice firm despite the tremble in her lips.

His gaze searches hers, full of equal parts adoration and despair. “Bianca, the wedding… you’re really going through with it?”

”I have to,” she admits, her voice trembling . “If I flee before the wedding, it will cause too much chaos. They’ll hunt us down. But if I wait until after the vows… they’ll believe I’m safely theirs. It will give us the time we need to escape.”

He frowns, the lines of worry deepening on his face. “Tomorrow night?”

“Yes,” she says, her hands gripping his shirt as though anchoring herself to him. “After the wedding, at nightfall, I’ll come to you. We’ll leave—just you and me. No prince, no crown, no kingdom. Just us.”

“Bianca…” His voice cracks slightly as he rests his forehead against hers. “Are you sure about this? Leaving everything behind?”

Bianca nods, her determination unwavering. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I don’t care about the crown, or England, or any of this. I only care about you.” She says fiercely.

He closes his eyes, his breath hitching as her words sink in. “You don’t know what it means to hear you say that,” he says quietly, cupping her face in his hands. “I would give up everything for you, Bianca. You know that, don’t you?”

She nods, tears threatening to fall again.“Just wait for me, Dorian. Tomorrow night, I’ll come to you. We’ll ride as far as we can—maybe even across the sea. No one will find us.”

He hesitates, his gaze flickering with doubt. “It’s risky, Bianca. If they discover we’ve left—”

“They won’t,” she insists, her voice firm. “By the time they realize I’m gone, we’ll be long out of reach.”

Dorian sighs, pulling her into his arms again. “I don’t deserve you,” he murmurs.

Unable to resist any longer, he leans down and kisses her, his lips pressing against hers with a desperation born of love and longing. She melts into him, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. The world around them seems to disappear, leaving only the two of them in their stolen moment of passion.

When they finally pull apart, their breaths mingling in the cool night air, Bianca rests her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, savoring the safety of his embrace. “You’re the only person I want, Dorian. Promise me you’ll wait for me.” She whispers.

“I promise,” he says, his voice resolute. “I’ll wait for as long as it takes.”

Reluctantly, she pulls away, knowing she couldn’t stay much longer. “I have to go,” she says softly, her heart breaking with each word.

He nods, though his grip on her hand lingers. “Be careful,” he says.

“I will,” she promise, squeezing his hand one last time before turning away.

As she mounts her horse and rides off into the night, Dorian watches her until she disappeared into the shadows. His chest aches with the weight of their love and the uncertainty of what lay ahead, but he clings to her promise, holding onto the hope that tomorrow night would be the beginning of their new life together.