The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 88: Isadora’s Chase

Isadora’s throat grew parched, triggering a cough. Physical endurance wasn’t her forte; an hour of running under the scorching sun felt like torture. She felt her energy draining away as if death was looming over her.

Despite her fatigue, she refused to surrender, scanning the tall grass for any sign of Bernard. Yet, he remained elusive, vanished like her patience.

Since the ceremony’s conclusion, she trailed behind him, longing for a chance to chat. However, he dashed off as if fleeing from a predator, leaving her frustrated.

"How clueless can he be?" Isadora muttered, exasperated. "Doesn’t he realize I can’t run for long? I’ve reached my limit. No more running."

She huffed, arms folded defiantly across her chest. Throughout the event, she couldn’t shake the feeling of Bernard’s anguish, her mind racing to uncover its source. It couldn’t be her proximity to the Grand Duke; jealousy seemed implausible, considering she had accepted Bernard’s pendant as a token of their bond.

Yet, doubts persisted. Could Bernard truly harbor feelings of rivalry towards the Grand Duke? Isadora dismissed the notion, deeming it absurd.

Who in their right mind would entertain the idea of her romantic allure to royalty?

"Bernard!" She called out desperately. "I’m disoriented and parched... I don’t even know if you’re nearby... Bernard! Please, I’m in dire need of water! Help!"

Her plea echoed in the silence, interrupted only by another fit of coughing. As rustling noise was heard from the grass, fear gripped her; tales of bears in the vicinity raced through her mind.

"Bernard..." Isadora whispered, voice trembling despite her attempt at volume. "Say something if you’re nearby... I’m frightened..."

Gathering her skirts, she braced herself to flee. She refused to become prey to a lurking predator in the wilderness.

"Here..."

Isadora stopped, hearing the familiar booming voice, but this time, the reverberating voice lacked its usual majestic resonance. He sounded low and despaired.

He avoided looking at her face; his hair done in braids for the ceremony obscured his face. He did offer her water and she got the leather flask from him.

Before she took a sip, Bernard walked away. Isadora immediately followed him. "Will you stop and tell me what’s bothering you?"

Bernard didn’t stop and Isadora’s face reddened with anger.

"Will you stop?" she shouted.

Bernard didn’t stop.

Isadora clenched her hands to balls. "Stop, Bernard! If you make one more step, I am not going to talk to you again!"

Isadora stomped her feet as Bernard didn’t stop still. He walked just for a few seconds but he almost disappeared from her sight.

Her eyes clouded. "Bernard, I beg of you. Stop! If you walk away, I cannot catch up with you. So... Leave only if you don’t care for me anymore!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

Once more, her throat went dry, provoking a fit of coughing.

Her eyes eagerly looked in the direction Bernard disappeared to, but he didn’t return.

She sat on the ground, hugging her knees. Burying her face in her knees, she cried as she didn’t know what else to do.

"I cannot stop caring for you... Isadora..."

Isadora looked up hearing the booming voice reaching her ears tenderly. He was standing in front of her, his blue eyes like gentle pools.

Hiding her smile, Isadora looked at him. "Then why are you running away from me? Didn’t you realize I was running behind you?"

Bernard knelt in front of her and held her chin. Isadora drew parallels to the first time he talked to her. He was kneeling in front of her just like this and asked her if she hated him.

"Why?" he asked, turning his face away. "Why are you running behind me when you can be seated beside the Grand Duke?"

"What?" Isadora asked, her voice deepening out of anger. "Say that again?"

Isadora thought Bernard would never doubt her but that was exactly what he did. She was offended.

Bernard turned his face away, avoiding her eyes. Isadora almost stood up to leave but then she noticed his eyes reddening.

"He has a lot of women. I only have you..." Bernard said. "I do not like you sitting beside another man when I..."

She only then realized that she hadn’t clarified that matter to Bernard yet. She left room for misinterpretation. The entire blame was not on Bernard. "He wants to adopt me as a sister," Isadora said.

"Sister?" Bernard raised his brows. "I have a sister too...Adopted sister...?"

Isadora sensed his confusion.

"Bernard, will you let me explain?" she asked. "I am sorry I hurt you but will you give me a chance?"

"How long have you known? Why didn’t you talk to me about it? Am I not an important person in your life?" he asked.

"That’s not..." Isadora held his cheeks. Her eyes watered knowing that she had hurt him. "Bernard, I... I didn’t want to tell you before making my decision and I..." Tears rolled down her cheeks. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Do not cry...It hurts to see your tears. You don’t have to explain anything to me," Bernard wiped her tears.

"That’s not it. I..." Isadora sniffed and held his shoulders. "I want to tell you everything."

"Then stop crying!" Bernard raised his voice in an attempt to scare her tears away but she was not even a little bit scared. His rough form never put her off as she could see the gentlest soul and kindest heart inside him.

"Wulfhart told me I couldn’t stay in the Theodulf Castle anymore. Lady Jessamyn wanted me to go back to Ravensworth. The Grand Duke was willing to accept me into his home as his sister and..." she sniffed. "This way I could stay near you and also support my lady... that’s why I..."

Wiping her eyes, she looked at him. "I didn’t want to stay far away from you, Bernard... I can’t stay away from you~"

Before she finished, Bernard pulled her into a hug. "You were thinking about me?"

"I was..." Isadora said. "I am thinking of you all the time."

Bernard’s calloused hand tenderly cradled Isadora’s cheeks, his weathered features softened in her presence and blossomed with joy.

His thumb gently grazed under her lower lip. "I can’t stop thinking about you either, Isadora... I am troubled with various thoughts..."

"Troubled?" Isadora raised her brows. Meeting his blue eyes, she asked. "What thoughts trouble you?"

His warmth passed through his fingers to her lips, making her face tingle with a novel sensation. Her heart pounded with anticipation of something.

"Thoughts of...me and you..." Bernard leaned closer and their eyes locked in a heated exchange, each gaze a silent confession of the longing they dared not voice aloud.

Time stood still, the world fading into insignificance as they found themselves engulfed in the magnetic pull of their mutual yearning. Their breath mingled in the intimate space between them. Warm whispers of anticipation danced upon their lips.

As Bernard drew nearer, their lips hovered just inches apart, a passionate longing bubbled in their hearts, yearning to be fulfilled.