Bound by Honor (Book 1 in the Legacy of Love Series)

Chapter 16: A New Path, An Old Secret

The forest around them was silent, save for the rustling of leaves stirred by a gentle breeze. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, dappling their faces in shifting patches of light and shadow. Isolde and Lucien moved slowly along the narrow path, but Isolde could feel the tension building within her, an ache of unspoken words pressing against her heart. They had endured so much to find this fragile peace, and yet something deeper remained unsaid.

At last, as they reached a secluded grove, she stopped, her hand resting lightly on his arm. Lucien turned to her, his expression open but questioning. She took a steadying breath, gathering the courage to voice the truth she had held close for so long.

"Lucien," she began, her voice barely more than a whisper, "there's something I've been meaning to tell you." Her fingers trembled slightly as they slipped from his arm, and she laced them together to still herself. "It's... about Edwin and me."

Lucien's brows knit together, but he said nothing, only gave a slight nod, encouraging her to continue. His silent patience gave her strength, and she closed her eyes for a moment, drawing from the warmth of his presence.

"When Edwin and I were wed... our union was only in name," she admitted, her voice steadying as she spoke. "I never allowed him to... to claim me. In the eyes of the law, I am bound to him by title alone. Our marriage was never... sealed."

She opened her eyes, watching his face as her words sank in. Lucien's eyes widened, his gaze softened by something she could only describe as awe. "Isolde... you mean..." He shook his head slowly, as if trying to absorb the revelation. "You were never truly his."

"No," she whispered, feeling the weight of the truth lift, as if a long-kept burden had finally been set down. "In spirit, I've always been my own, and now... I'm yours. If you'll have me."

He reached for her hands, enveloping them in his own, his touch warm and reassuring. "Isolde," he murmured, his voice filled with reverence, "I had no idea. For you to have carried this, to have endured that life without surrendering yourself... it takes a strength few could understand. I... I only wish you hadn't had to bear it alone."

She felt a surge of relief, mingled with love so fierce it almost brought her to tears. The tenderness in his gaze, the pride and admiration he held for her, it was more than she had ever dared hope for.

"Lucien," she replied, her voice trembling with emotion, "it's different now. With you... I don't have to bear it alone. For the first time, I feel free—truly free." She paused, eyes glistening as she searched his face. "Because with you, there are no demands, no expectations. Just... love."

The silence between them grew rich with unspoken emotion, words that couldn't do justice to the depth of feeling swelling between them. Lucien brought her hands to his chest, holding them close to his heart, his gaze never wavering from hers.

"I would be honored to call you my own," he whispered, his voice roughened by the intensity of his emotions. "Not as some entitled claim, but as a promise—one I will live by every day of my life."

She felt his heartbeat beneath her fingertips, strong and steady, a grounding rhythm that seemed to fuse with her own. The world around them felt distant, blurred and softened, as if they stood alone within a space carved out just for them.

"Then let's make that promise here," she said, her voice quiet but unwavering. "In the presence of the trees and sky, of the life around us—let's make a vow that no one can break."

Lucien's hand found her cheek, his thumb brushing away a stray tear that had slipped free. "Then let it be known," he whispered, "that in this moment, I choose you, Isolde. I choose you as my family, my home, my love." He leaned in closer, his forehead resting against hers. "Nothing and no one will change that."