The secret trip to the market changed everything. Annalise, the serene, untouchable Duchess, began to seek Kenji's company with a subtle but undeniable frequency. She would summon him to discuss "art acquisitions" that would quickly devolve into simple, comfortable conversation. She started smiling more, a genuine warmth replacing the polished veneer. The court noticed the change in their Duchess, but only Kenji, and perhaps the ever-watchful Seraphina, knew the cause.
Kenji knew he had to build on the fragile trust he'd earned. The memory of the bluebells was the key, but it was a memory tainted with the ghost of her late husband. To win her affection, he had to create a new memory, one that would overwrite the old.
Using the Valerius Guild's extensive land survey maps—courtesy of a very friendly Genevieve—he found what he was looking for: a hidden meadow in the foothills south of the city, not part of any noble estate, that was renowned for its wild, uncultivated bluebells.
He sent her a simple, unsigned note. "The weeds are calling. Meet me at the southern gate at sunrise."
It was a risk. A clandestine meeting in the city was one thing; leaving the city entirely was another. But he was betting on the fact that she was no longer just seeking an escape, but seeking him.
The next morning, she was there, dressed in a simple but elegant green riding habit, a nervous excitement dancing in her violet eyes. They rode out of the city, leaving the world of titles and duties behind them in the morning mist.
When they arrived at the meadow, Annalise gasped. It was a rolling sea of vibrant blue, a wild, untamed carpet of the very flowers she held so dear. It was the antithesis of her own perfect, sterile gardens. This place was bursting with life, chaotic and free.
"How did you find this place?" she breathed, her voice filled with awe.
"Even weeds have their own kingdoms," Kenji said with a smile.
They dismounted and walked through the flowers, the morning dew clinging to their boots. For a while, they didn't speak, simply sharing the profound peace of the moment. The ghost of her husband was present, but his memory was no longer a source of pain, but a gentle, nostalgic hum in the background.
Then, Kenji stopped and knelt. He began to deftly pick the wildflowers, not randomly, but with a purpose. Annalise watched, curious, as he began to weave the stems together with a skill that spoke of a simpler, more rustic life.
"In my village," he said, not looking up from his work, "we believed that a crown made of wild things held more power than one made of gold, because it was a gift from the earth itself."
He finished his task and rose. In his hands, he held a simple, beautiful crown of woven bluebells. It was humble, and it was perfect.
He stood before her, the Duchess of Elysia, the most powerful woman in the kingdom's social hierarchy. But he didn't see the Duchess. He saw Annalise, the woman who missed the boy who brought her wildflowers.
"Alaric brought you a bouquet to win your hand," Kenji said softly, his eyes locking with hers. "But he made you a Duchess. I think it's time someone made you a queen."
With infinite gentleness, he placed the wildflower crown upon her head.
The world seemed to hold its breath. A tear slipped down Annalise's cheek, but this time, it was not one of sorrow. It was a tear of profound, heart-shattering release. He had not tried to replace her husband. He had honored his memory, and then, he had gently, respectfully, moved past it. He had crowned her, the woman, not her title. This moment, this crown, this feeling—it was hers and hers alone, a gift from Kenji.
She reached up and touched the delicate crown, then her hands came down to rest on his shoulders. She leaned in, and this time, there was no hesitation. She kissed him.
It was not a kiss of passion like Seraphina's, or of gratitude like Genevieve's. It was a kiss of pure, unadulterated affection. It was soft, and deep, and it was the taste of a heart that had finally, after years of being a gilded statue, allowed itself to feel again.
A golden, sun-drenched notification bloomed in Kenji's mind.
[SHARED INTIMATE MEMORY CREATED!]
[You have successfully transformed a memory of past grief into a new, treasured moment of personal coronation, fulfilling her desire to be seen as a woman, not a title.]
[HEART PHASE ADVANCED!]
[Duchess Annalise Valois: [Phase 4: AFFECTION].]
[Affection: 70/100 (My Wildflower King)]
[Her heart now yearns for your presence. Thoughts of you are a source of warmth and genuine happiness. The final conquest is within your grasp.]