The Web of Knightspur-Chapter 262: Side Story 2

Nia sighed as she moved into the garden. She was staying at Grand Duke Beaumont’s mansion after the wedding. Although the Emperor and Empress had officially moved to the Royal Palace, the Beaumont household was still being maintained by the servants.

"This brings back memories..." A small voice said, making Nia aware that someone was there with her. Soon Nia looked to the side only to see King Arlo walking beside her. She did not know since when he had been here, but judging from the look on his face it was clear that he was out for a long time.

Nia sat on her knees as she smiled, "The King must be feeling cold." Nia removed her gloves as she was about to hand them over but Arlo shook his head and took a step back.

"I am not a kid anymore." King Arlo said with a determined face. "Sister Eleanor has gotten married and I need to gain more strength to support her. She is the one who has given me hope. Doctor Raul was the one who had enabled me to stand on my own two feet. I know how much you and he both have struggled to find the most effective and fastest solution." King Arlo looked down as she sighed. "I, too, want to be strong and make decisions on my own. I want to be able to provide help and support to not only sister Eleanor and her family, but you too, Nia." His eyes looked at her with earnest sincerity sparkling within their depths.

Nia’s eyes were filled with tears. She was so touched at the moment, but somehow managed to keep her emotions in check.

"Nia, Sister Eleanor thinks of you as a family and so do I. You were the one who took care of me when we returned to the Angevin Kingdom. You took care of me when I was having sleepless nights after I saw the death of Sister Macy. You stayed awake all night and told me childhood stories of brother Edwin and sister Eleanor." King Arlo’s eyes were moist but soon he took a deep breath, "While you were also hurting and grieving, you still had to care for me. I can only try to imagine how hard it must have been for you. After all, Felix was a part of every adventure you had in one point of your life. You have to remember that and then eliminate him just to make me feel better."

King Arlo shook his head as he took a step ahead and touched Nia’s cheeks. She was still on her knees, so King Arlo shook his head and made her stand up, "I know that you like Doctor Raul and I can see that he feels the same about you. I do not want to be the reason to separate you both..."

"No, my King." Nia said in a small voice, "I want to stay with you a little longer... Princess Eleanor had just gotten married...." Nia tried to say in a soft tone, but soon she was in the young King’s eyes. He wanted to prove that he was a grown-up man who did not need anyone else’s help anymore.

Nia had not thought about the possibility. Maybe all the time she had spent with King Arlo had made her regard him like a younger brother. She felt responsible for him.

’Maybe King Arlo has grown up in the period of those few months. He had matured beyond belief.’ Nia shook her head, ’I had been remiss...’

Soon King Arlo smiled as he turned around. His eyes looked at Doctor Raul who was standing at the corner in the dark corridor. "Doctor Raul is a good man. If you ask me, he is better than Felix. Do not worry about me, you have your life. And I know sister Eleanor would want it too. Find your own happiness." King Arlo said in a small tone as he curled his lips up, "I will leave for the Angevin Kingdom in a week. I hope the next time I come to visit, you and your husband will invite me to your home like a family member rather than a King."

King Arlo looked at Nia whose tears were rolling down her cheeks at this point. She nodded her head as she choked on the words.

"It will be an honor to call the King of the Angevin Kingdom our family." A deep voice said.

Both Nia and Arlo looked in that direction only to see Doctor Raul walking towards them with a smirk on his face. He was full of confidence, like a man who was ready to conquer "Nia is lucky to have a family like the Empress and the King."

King Arlo smiled as he nodded. He knew that the both of them would require some time to sort things out so she could not stay there for long.

Soon the garden was silent. No one spoke a single word but the feeling in the eyes of those two people was more than enough to communicate what they wanted to send across.

Doctor Raul took a deep breath as he took a step toward Nia and held her hands. Her hands were cold as she was holding the gloves instead of wearing them. He could not help but shake his head as Doctor Raul kissed her hand before taking the gloves from her and making her wear them.

"So what are your thoughts, Nia?" Doctor Raul looked into her eyes as he asked in a small voice. "I have told you this before. I may not have been in love with you at first sight, but I have been falling in love with you slowly and gradually. My emotions for you have only grown stronger. From the time we took care of King Arlo when he was here until the time we were at the Angevin Kingdom. The more time I spend with you, the more I fall in love with you."

Doctor Raul’s hold on Nia tightened, "Now that King Arlo has also given his permission, can I ask you something before it is too late?" Doctor Raul went on his knees as he looked up into Nia’s eyes. "I do not want to wait any longer. You are the one I love and want to spend my life with, Nia. Your care has touched my heart. So I am taking this opportunity to ask you. Will you marry me? Will you be my wife and let me stay with you? Let me love you and take care of you too. Will you let me build a family with you?"

Doctor Raul smiled as if he had already known the answer she would give him. His eyes stayed focused on Nia’s as he took a ring out of his pocket and placed it on her finger under the wide-eyed stare of Nia.

Nia’s tears kept on falling. All she wanted was a family. Someone who would love her wholeheartedly and she thought she had it all only to be brutally betrayed in her experience with Felix. But now, life has given her one more chance at love.

Unknowingly, Nia had been falling in love with Doctor Raul as well. Her heart would beat faster whenever he was around. It did not take her long to realize that she too, was in love with the man and to her surprise he was too.

"I will..." Nia said as she pulled doctor Raul up and hugged him tightly around his waist. He was the man that had shown her how to love again, and now she wanted to live her life for herself, together with the man she loved.