𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍 || 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 | 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫

Chapter XLVI: Storm of Scorn

Defy the Fates Pt. 2

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐲, "𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲"
𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤
𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐎 - 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐬

A/N: This chapter is in Solene's POV again with reasons the same as Chapter 29: I Love You Infinitely!

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SOLENE'S POV

“YEAH, CAPTAIN. I thought you already knew how strong Solene is? Her walls are made of steel. Nothing that the kingdom would say will let her crumble.”

Sophia’s words haunted me for the rest of the day until the moon had sunk deep in the night. It was enough not to let me sleep. How can I not think of my future with William? How can I not be restless when the kingdom was suddenly against me?

William climbed on our bed last night whispering apologies over and over again. He told me what happened the whole day; his interrogation with Elias and the disappearance of the Forsythes that led to our scandalous relationship getting used as a cover.

I faced him, my finger lingering on his scars as I flashed a smile to convince him. “It’s alright, Will. You have to put the kingdom’s safety above me.”

“But they will never give us peace, Sol. You know that,” he said, his eyes glassy. “The kingdom will never approve of our relationship. They will find a way to break us. To break you.”

“I will never let them break me.” I shook my head. “I have faced scrutiny ever since the day I was born. It is the fate that was given to me,  the fate of a peasant. I am used to being ostracized. Trust me, love, this is not something I have never faced before.”

“Oh, Sol.” He moved his face closer, pressing his soft lips against my forehead. “I love how brave and strong you are. But my heart and soul hurt to see you in a situation like this. And if I could silence every mouth that speaks evil of you, I would without hesitation.”

“But you also know you cannot do that,” I said. “You will face consequences.”

William didn’t respond for a moment. I knew that he understood it as well, probably more than anyone else.
“Don’t be disheartened, Sol,” he eventually said, his eyes now gleaming with hope. “I believe that the sun will shine on a day when we can love each other freely and happily. Just promise me, my love, that we will never leave each other, no matter what comes in our way.”

I bit my lower lip, stopping myself from crying. With our current predicament, a position so irreversible, how could he be so optimistic still?

“Promise me, Solene,” he whispered. His voice was pleading. Desperate.

“I promise, Will.”

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

SOME DOUBTING PART of me lingered the night I returned William’s feelings for me. That as soon as I loved him back, the day would come when we would fall. There was growing fear every day that we loved each other, that these feelings were forbidden. And I knew that we both understood that the citizens of the Clover kingdom, especially the nobles, would never approve of him being in love with a lowly peasant. I knew that… and yet I hoped, and I gambled—that perhaps they’d treat us differently.