Avoid The Lead! [[COMPLETED]]

37. An Apple In The Garden

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After Princess Larya left, King Vien summoned Vitav to the throne room, but was alarmed to hear that Vitav was nowhere to be found.

"Find him at once!" He ordered, sending the Palace guards into a search frenzy.

King Vien did not stop there... He shared his memory of Princess Larya's confession with the Magic Council members, and then ordered a Kingdom-wide search, sending powerful mages after Vitav.

Several Grand Mages performed an advanced Trace Spell on him, but it was no use. Vitav had somehow cloaked his aura from their magic, and even the arrows on a few ancient magic compasses spun in confused circles, or didn't move at all!

"He's a genius!" Exclaimed one of the High mages, but Grand Mage Sidian shook his head.

"He has become a dark mage. I've seen a similar spell in the dark magic book... If he can cast that spell, then we might be dealing with something far more dangerous here!"

Vitav was proclaimed a criminal and the true mastermind behind his mother's dark magic schemes, and anyone who offered him assistance would be brought in for treason...

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Meanwhile, Celia was frantic with worry.

An early summer sun had recently been bathing the skies, and Celia had spent the last few days with Taze, both of them visiting a different Palace garden each day, to enjoy the flowers, gentle breezes, and butterflies.

It wasn't lost on either of them that a month or two from now was usually around when Taze died, so they basked in each other's company, extremely thankful that they had averted at least part of the cruel fate Vitav had written for them.

But now, Celia was unable to enjoy the beautiful garden surrounding her.

Vitav's escape meant her enemy was out of sight, and that made her uncomfortable.

"Cheer up." Taze said, handing her an apple, and he sat beside her on the ivory bench.

"He has lost the title of Prince, so he'll have a hard time convincing the Fairies." He looked at her in sheer awe and admiration.

"And since you even convinced Princess Larya, he has lost the support of the Merpeople... How did I earn such a magnificent Crown Princess?!"

It took a few seconds for Celia to realize what he had said, and her head swivelled to look at him. "Crown Princess...?"

He merely gestured at her hands... She had accepted the apple without thinking, but the instant her fingers touched it, it turned into a clear crystal apple, with a glinting silver and ruby ring inside it!

The ring was forged to resemble two silver vines woven around each other in an unbroken circle, which was attached to a silver crown grasping a large ruby.

Celia shot to her feet in surprise, and colour rushed to her face as Taze knelt on one knee, holding out a hand to her. Her eyes watered, but her hand went on its own to rest in his, and he planted a gentle kiss on her knuckles.

"Celia, I planned to propose on your sixteenth birthday, to make up for the lifetimes I didn't... But though I had located the book by then, I wasn't certain of my fate, and I didn't want you in needless danger.

"I was being silly. Fate itself is endlessly uncertain... You change one thing and risk another. The dark flame is gone now, yet endless dangers still await.

"All I'm certain of is my feelings for you! I desire nothing more than a long life spent with you...only you, and I will fight endlessly for such a future! But if my life is destined to be short, I would rather spend it all belonging to you..."