A royal Heart

chapter 24: secrets revealed

The days after Julie's return to the palace had been a blur of shared moments and stolen glances, the walls between her and Xavier crumbling like sandcastles in the tide. Their bond had grown stronger, built not only on shared grief but on something deeper, something unspoken yet undeniable.

One crisp morning, Julie found herself in the palace gardens, the air fragrant with the scent of blooming roses. The sky was clear, a rare patch of blue in the otherwise overcast autumn. She leaned over the edge of the fountain, watching the ripples in the water. Her mind replayed the nights spent talking with Xavier, his laughter, his vulnerability, and the way he looked at her—like she was the only thing tethering him to the world.

"Lost in thought again?"

His voice startled her, and she turned to find Xavier standing a few feet away, dressed casually in a soft gray sweater that matched the stormy hue of his eyes. His hair was tousled, and there was an easy smile on his lips.

"Seems to be a habit these days," Julie replied, trying to steady her heart as he approached.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important," he teased, sitting on the edge of the fountain beside her.

"Not at all," she said. "Just... thinking."

"About what?"

She hesitated, looking back at the water. "About how different things feel now. How much has changed since I first came here."

Xavier nodded, his expression growing serious. "Everything's changed," he said softly. "And not just because of my father. You've changed things too, Julie."

She blinked, caught off guard. "Me? How?"

"You make me see the world differently," he admitted, his voice low. "You make me want to be better—not just as a king, but as a person."

Julie felt her cheeks flush. "Xavier, I'm just... me. I don't know how I could possibly—"

"You do, though," he interrupted, turning to face her fully. His eyes bore into hers, intense and unwavering. "You've changed everything for me. From the moment we met, you've been this force I can't ignore. I tried to push it away, to focus on my responsibilities, but I can't anymore."

Her breath caught as he reached out, his hand brushing a strand of hair from her face. His touch lingered, warm and tender, and her heart raced in response.

"Xavier..." she began, but he shook his head.

"Let me finish," he said. "I've spent so much time hiding how I feel, convincing myself it wasn't possible—that it wasn't *allowed*. But I can't keep pretending."

He took her hands in his, his thumbs brushing over her knuckles. "I'm in love with you, Julie. I've been falling for you since the night we met, and it scares me because I've never felt anything like this before. But I don't want to hide it anymore."

Julie's eyes widened, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure he could hear it. For a moment, she couldn't find the words. The weight of his confession, the raw vulnerability in his voice, left her breathless.

"I..." she started, then stopped, overwhelmed by the flood of emotions coursing through her. Finally, she met his gaze, her own eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I love you too, Xavier. I think I've loved you for a long time, but I was too scared to admit it. You're everything I never thought I'd have—everything I didn't think I deserved."

A smile broke across his face, bright and genuine, and before she could say another word, he leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss. It was soft at first, tentative, as if he was afraid she might pull away. But when she responded, wrapping her arms around his neck, the kiss deepened, a perfect blend of passion and tenderness.

The world around them seemed to fade, the rustle of leaves and the chirping of birds becoming nothing more than a distant hum. For that moment, there was no palace, no titles, no expectations—just the two of them, wrapped in the certainty of their feelings.

When they finally broke apart, both were breathless, their foreheads resting against each other's.

"That felt... inevitable," Julie said with a small laugh, her cheeks flushed.

"It was," Xavier agreed, brushing his nose against hers. "And long overdue."

They stayed like that for a while, holding each other in the quiet intimacy of the garden. When Xavier finally pulled back, he took her hand again, his expression serious.

"This isn't going to be easy," he said. "Loving you means facing challenges—my family, the court, the press... But none of that matters to me as much as you do. I'll fight for this, for us."

Julie smiled, her heart swelling with emotion. "And I'll fight with you," she said. "You're worth it, Xavier. We're worth it."

He kissed her again, slower this time, as if savoring every second. And in that moment, surrounded by the fragrance of roses and the gentle trickle of the fountain, they knew that whatever came next, they would face it together.