Echoes of Valor: A Love Remembered

CHAPTER 7

"Reya," Terrence breaking the silence, his voice low and steady.

Alesandrea straightened her posture, determined not to let her emotions betray her. "General Southford," she greeted, her tone clipped and professioal.

Terrence's brow furrowed slightly, and for a moment, Alesandrea thought she detected a flicker of hurt in his eyes. "Alesandrea," he said, her name rolling off his tongue like a familiar caress. "Are you okay?" Terrence's voice broke through her turbulent thoughts, grounding her amidst the chaos.

"I'm fine," Alessandrea snapped more harshly than she intended, anger bubbling just beneath the surface.

Terrence studied her with concern, his brows furrowing slightly. "You don't have to pretend around me, Reya. I know what you just faced."

Alessandrea shook her head, her frustration spilling over. "You think I need saving, don't you? That I'm just some damsel waiting for a knight to rescue me?" Her voice sliced through the air, raw and unyielding, her chest rising and falling rapidly with her indignation.

Terrence took a step back, fists relaxing as he processed her outburst, his expression a mix of surprise and concern. "That's not what I meant," he replied, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "I'm not underestimating you, Alesandrea. I respect your strength, both on and off the battlefield."

Alessandrea crossed her arms, the tension in her shoulders refusing to dissipate. "Respect?" she echoed, disbelief threading through her voice. "You presume to respect me while you swoop in like some gallant hero, thinking I can't handle myself?"

Terrence exhaled slowly, his gaze steady as he met her fiery stare. "You can handle yourself, and you do it well. But this is different. You were facing a manipulator, someone who thrives on chaos and lies. I couldn't stand by and let him toy with your life, Rey."

Alessandrea shifted her weight, frustration bubbling like a pot ready to boil over. "And what do you know about it, General? You don't see the bigger picture. Dante isn't just a womanizer; he's a master manipulator. You've faced battles, but you've never had to navigate a war like this—one fought in shadows, with minds as weapons."

Terrence's jaw tightened. "And that's precisely why I'm here. To help you, to protect you—"

She cut him off, her voice sharp as steel. "Help? By pacing in like a white knight? You don't understand what I need!" Her pulse raced, adrenaline from the earlier confrontation still coursing through her veins.

"Then what do you need?" Terrence's frustration finally broke through. "You've been dodging me since the battlefield. I thought we could face this together, but you're pushing me away like I'm some kind of burden," he snapped, his fists clenching at his sides.

"I'm not pushing you away, I just didn't want to drag you into my mess," Alessandrea shot back, each word laced with pent-up fury. "You've got Lady Elara to think about. You need to focus on your responsibilities, not me."

Terrence's eyes darkened. "She's not the one out here in danger," he shot back, his voice steady but edged. "And her priorities don't matter right now ; what matters is that you're safe. I can't just stand by while that snake—"

Alessandrea stepped closer, narrowing the distance between them. "You think you can just storm in here, flaunting your authority, and make everything better with just your presence? You don't know what it's like for me."

Terry straightened, the intensity of her fiery resolve hitting him like a wave. "Then help me understand," he insisted, lowering his voice, grounding it in sincerity. "You've shut me out ever since we arrived. Talk to me. Let me in."Silence hung between them, heavy and thick. Alessandrea's heart raced as she weighed his words, the truth of their proximity flickering like firelight.