Azazeal tilted his head to the side, watching the quiet girl carefully. His icy eyes softened, and his fingers glided beneath her chin to lift her face back up. Their eyes met his stormy greys stared into her dewy blue eyes. She sucked in a breath at their closeness, her lips moving, ready to speak, but no words came out.
Sparks trailed across her skin at the proximity of her mate , she could feel his warmth, and her pulse spiked at the feeling that coursed through her.
It was a reaction she couldn't help, and she felt ashamed to admit that she enjoyed it, even though she didn't want to.
" Hello Elora." his deep voice reverberated throughout the room, quiet but powerful, and a high note almost escaped her lips as his voice washed over hers, but she swallowed it back, settling for a nod instead.
" H—hello."
"Come on," he said, his voice calm but still carrying its natural authoritative tone.
"I've got something to show you."
He held out his arm, and she hesitated a bit before wrapping her hands around him.
"Are you ready? "
She simply nodded and let him lead her. His hand grazed hers, a whisper of his fingertips that lingered like heat on her skin.
Her eyes lit up a bit when she noticed that they were headed to the royal stables, seeing midnight always makes her day, and she wouldn't pass up on the opportunity.
Although, she was still quite confused as to why he was bringing her here of all places, she snuck a look at him but he looked ahead, his face unreadable
A bewildered frown wrinkled Enid's forehead as Azazeal led her in.
Her gaze immediately fell on a familiar sight: Midnight, the king's powerful black stallion, and the horse made a noise as soon as he sighted her.
A giggle escaped Elora's lips and she immediately left the king's side to go pet the horse.
" Hi Midnight, how are you today? Did Clover bring you the carrots as I asked him to? "
Azazeal stood at the side watching with barely hidden amusement as she spoke to the horse who had no way of replying to her.
A quiet snort at the stable next to Midnight's caught her attention.
Elora's brows creased in confusion, the stable space next to Midnight's was always empty due to the proud horse's temperament.
And the other stables were complete with other horses she knew they had in the castle.
Was there a new addition?
She didn't bother to ask anyone as she stood on her tiptoes and carefully peeked at the other side
But her breath hitched when her eyes landed on the horse right beside Midnight's barn.
A stunning white horse with a silvery-grey mane and hooves stood in the center.
The large creature exuded a subdued elegance, its soft eyes reflecting Elora's small stature as it stared back at her.
"She's beautiful," Elora whispered, with awe.
"She's yours," Azazeal's flat voice cut through her daze, reminding her that he was still here with her
" I thought to buy you a special gift for getting better as I asked you to. You deserve it for being strong throughout the past few weeks."
He had spoken simply with an air of nonchalance, but his words still washed over her like a tidal wave, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes before she could stop their escape.
"W-what?"
A subtle clench of his fist revealed his panic at the sight of her reaction.
Azazeal's eyebrows furrowed with deep concern. "Do you not like her?" he said, pressing a hand lightly on her shoulder and turning her to face him.
"No, your highness, " she croaked, shaking her head.
"I already adore her. Truly."
"Azazeal," he said quietly.
She blinked up at him, startled. "Huh?.."
"You will call me Azazeal, not your highness," he said, his voice dropping to a low rasp.
"A-Azazeal," she stammered, her cheeks turning hot as the foreign name rolled out her tongue.
A low growl from Azazeal startled her a bit, and she looked up to see him staring at her with a look in his eyes that she didn't want to interpret.
Azazeal inhaled deeply to quiet his excitement, her voice as she said his name was as sweet as an apple's candy glazed in sugar.
He wanted to keep hearing her say it over and over again.
Ever since they had gotten married, this would be the first time he had heard her say his name, and it thrilled him to no end.
"Good girl," he said, his lips twitching in the tiniest smile.
The rare expression on his face made Elora's heart skip.
She blinked up at him, her cheeks flushing at his words.
Azazeal drank in the sight of her, memorizing each detail — how her dark lashes blinked back her tears, the slight pucker of her red bow lips, the slight dimple that appeared on her cheeks as she sent him a faint smile, how her tiny hands gripped the folds of her dress as she looked up at him.
Azazeal frowned, stepping closer to her a bit.
"So why the tears my Elora?
As she attempted to explain, her hands fidgeted nervously.
"I-it's just that one has ever … done something this huge for me before."
I've never received a gift before in my life, not even in my past life. The concept of being gifted is foreign to me, this is the first time I'm receiving a gift and it's from the man I've sworn never to let into my life.
She thought staring up at him with her wide eyes, but she kept that to herself, he didn't need to hear all that.
It was already bad enough that she told him how much her family didn't value her while she was in the sick bed, she wasn't looking for anybody's pity.
Especially not his.
Her words broke his usual indifference for a moment, before he could see the underlying sorrow lurking within them.
The fact that such a simple gesture could touch her so much filled him with even more resolve to always make her smile.
Elora saw the soft look in his eyes and she questioned if her heart was just fooling her.
She blinked shaking her head slightly as she turned her face away, her eyes back on the mare.
"May I… touch her?"
He nodded, his voice raspy. "She's all yours. Do as you wish."
Elora took a step closer, her tiny hands shaking as she held out a palm to the horse.
The mare nuzzled her hand, warm breath brushing against her skin. A soft, actual giggle escaped her lips.
"She likes you," Azazeal noted, his tone softer than normal.
" All horses love me, I'm a good person after all." she retorted cheekily, before she stiffened her cheeks turning pink as she realized who she was with.
Azazeal only shrugged " Could've fooled me about the good person part, good people don't steal dumplings from the kitchen when the whole castle is asleep.
Elora's cheeks reddened further
" I don't know what you're talking about." She shrugged ignoring his raised brows.
She leaned her cheek against the mare's neck inhaling deeply.
She felt a suspicious burn in her eyes, and a small tear fell down her face before she could help it.
"You're so pretty, as beautiful as the winter night," she whispered.
"And I'll name you Winter" she whispered her voice soft filled with an intense emotion.
"Because you've made this winter the best yet, my love."