The Hidden King's Stolen Wife-Chapter 165: The Village Market

Soleia sat in the parlor, her fingers intertwined together as she stared at the coffee table in front of her. The fireplace crackled, its heat gentle, blowing away the last wisps of cold left over. She waited alone for Ralph to show up.

His second bath — for whatever reason he needed it — took way longer than Soleia had expected. She had long changed into the fresh set of clothing he had brought her. It was a simple cotton dress, warm enough for the colder winds once evening arrived, but cool and breezy enough to battle the sunlight during the afternoon. More than that, it was a perfect outfit for her to blend in with the crowd.

During the time he was gone, she had found herself some parchment, a quill, and a pot of ink, and had begun to pen down her letter to Princess Nessa. Now, she just needed to wait for Ralph to return before she could ask him where she might be able to send out her mail.

"I’m sorry to keep you waiting," Ralph’s voice came from behind her, and Soleia immediately shot up from her seat to look at him.

He, too, had changed into a simpler set of clothing― it was a loose poet’s shirt that revealed his chest, tucked into a dark pair of trousers and paired with a pair of boots. His carnelian necklace was still hanging from his neck, the only pop of color in his otherwise plain outfit.

Seeing his revealed chest, heat quickly bloomed across Soleia’s cheeks as she recalled the look of his naked body. She had spent such a long time trying to wipe it clean from her memory, but just the sight of Ralph was enough to remind her of all the ridges and valleys of his sculpted figure, glistening with a thin layer of dew―

"Are you alright, Princess?" Ralph asked, quickly snapping her from her thoughts. She stiffened, feeling as guilty as a child who was caught with their hands in the cookie jar past midnight. "You’re awfully red."

"I... I-I’m fine, just feeling a little... h-hot due to the fireplace..." Soleia tried to say, only to stutter and stumble across her words.

Ralph closed the distance between them all too easily with his long strides, stopping only once he was standing right in front of her. Without warning, he placed one hand on her waist to steady her, while the other was pressed against her forehead.

"Well, you’re not exceedingly warm," he muttered under his breath. "But I could heal you regardless if you’re feeling unwell. How about you lie down on the couch?"

"N-No, I’m fine," Soleia said.

Blasted. She could feel her temperature rising by the second the longer Ralph had his hand all over her. She hated how much she enjoyed the feeling of him against her skin, along with the gentle caress of his hand on her waist. A tingle of delight rushed through her and she breathed in shakily.

"Maybe I just need some fresh air," she said. "That’s right, fresh air." Pulling away, she darted for the door before Ralph could hold her back, her hand placed on the cold metal of the door handle. "It’s getting awfully late and I am starving. Aren’t you?"

Rafael merely watched in amusement as Soleia darted around, as skittish as a small mouse. He nodded patronizingly, strolling over as he tucked his hands into the pockets of his trousers.\

"Very," he said. "And I know just the place to bring you."

They exited the estate and walked down the dirt path. Soleia could see the village just up ahead, and it was a lot more colorful than she imagined, even with the blooming flowers on the trees.

"Where?" she asked, grateful that the conversation had changed.

"Spring is coming," Ralph said. "The locals are holding a celebration for the end of winter and to welcome the change of seasons. There are various stalls selling an assortment of dishes. I’m sure we can find something that you will like."

"That sounds wonderful!" Soleia said, brightening up at the mention of food. Her stomach growled at the same time as though in response. But as quickly as she rejoiced, her expression fell. "Do... Do we have the money?"

They had left Vramid so hastily that she had barely any funds. They were lucky to find a roof over their heads, but what about food to fill their bellies? She doubted that Duke Kinsley would be that generous as to provide fresh produce daily when they were already living on his land.

"I am thankfully not completely destitute," Ralph said, patting his pockets. "Lunch is on me, Princess. Feel free to order anything your heart desires."

"I will pay you back once I have the funds to do so!" Soleia hurriedly promised.

"Nonsense," Ralph said. "I’ve never heard of a wife having to repay her husband’s gifts."

His glib reply quickly brought the red flush back to Soleia’s cheeks. She looked ahead, pinching her lips tightly together to prevent herself from squealing like a young, budding maiden experiencing her first love. Although, who was she kidding― Soleia was exactly that.

When they arrived at the village square, Soleia quickly learned that Ralph hadn’t been exaggerating even the slightest. It was decorated so vibrantly that Soleia needed a moment for her eyes to adjust to the colors that surrounded her. Vramid was awfully pale, especially with the constant white color of snow. On the other hand, Raxuvia seemed so full of life. ƒreewebɳovel.com

The people were loud and boisterous, smiles hanging off all their faces. Many waved to greet them and beckoned them over to their stalls, while others offered freebies to try without pressuring them to actually pay for anything.

Just walking down the first street alone, Soleia had sampled each stall’s specialty. She made a mental note of which was her favorite, her eyes quickly wandering to the other options available.

"You don’t have to choose between them," Rafael said with a laugh as he watched the wrinkle of Soleia’s nose as she was deep in thought. "If you like them all, we can get a little bit of everything."

"That would be unwise," Soleia said with a shake of her head. "We have limited funds for now, so we should only get what we need. Oh, I nearly forgot!" She reached into her pocket, feeling for the envelope containing the letter she had penned for Princess Nessa. "Is there a post office nearby―"

"Ralph!" a voice called out, causing both Ralph and Soleia to quickly look over in the direction of the speaker. It was a woman’s voice, and true enough, the woman in question squeezed past the crowd and appeared by their side.

Soleia felt her heart lurch uncomfortably when her eyes landed on the newcomer, who smiled at Sir Ralph as though they were bosom buddies. It didn’t help that the woman seemed to be their age and had a beautiful smile. Her eyes landed on Soleia, surprise causing them to widen ever so slightly before she turned her attention back to Ralph.

"I can’t believe it," the woman said, "it really is you! It’s been so long!" She then gestured to Soleia. "Who’s this?"