A Love Between the Lines Chapter Five: Wish between the lines

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"𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒕, 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉-𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒍𝒚, 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈"..

Roselyn leaned against the window, eyes half-lidded as the golden hills rolled past under sunlight Suddenly, Liam’s voice cut through the quiet.

𝑳𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 [𝑴𝑳]

"My lady..." he called from the front, "Look to your left."

Rosy blinked and sat up, turning her head as instructed. There, across the slope, a field of wildflowers stretched toward the sky — hues of lavender,🪻soft pink, and golden yellow dancing in the breeze.

𝑳𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 [𝑴𝑳]

"They only bloom this way in early spring," Liam said, his eyes still on the road. "Your favorite...weren’t they?"

They were Roselyn’s favorite — not hers. But still… somehow, she felt warmth rise in her chest.

𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒚𝒏 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 (rosy) [𝑴𝑪]

Yes......so beautifull.. .. *smiles

Rosy smiled faintly as her gaze swept over the vast field blanketed by soft sunlight, the wind brushing her hair gently against her cheek. But just as a sense of calm settled in her chest, her eyes caught movement—on the opposite hill.

A group of people marched upward, their figures cloaked and stern. They didn’t move like soldiers.

𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒚𝒏 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 (rosy) [𝑴𝑪]

She leaned in closer, squinting. “Who are they…?” she murmured.

Liam’s posture stiffened. His grip tightened on the reins, leather creaking beneath his fingers.

𝑳𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 [𝑴𝑳]

“My lady,” he said, voice low but firm, “don’t look.”

𝑳𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 [𝑴𝑳]

*His grey eyes followed the distant silhouettes.* “They’re scouts of Black Vale—anti-monarchists. If they’re this close to the borders... then something’s shifted in the capital.”

A silence fell, heavy and strange. Then Liam’s voice softened, protective.

𝑳𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 [𝑴𝑳]

“Roll the curtains down... and rest, my lady. For now.”

Rosy nodded slowly, sensing the tension in Liam’s voice. Without asking further, she reached for the curtains and gently rolled them down, dimming the light within the carriage.

𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒚𝒏 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 (rosy) [𝑴𝑪]

(I’ve… heard of them before,, in the book. But why can’t I remember the details? . They weren’t meant to play a major role in the plot… were they?)

She sighed and glanced to her side. Elna was sprawled half-sideways, snoring softly, clutching the travel bag like a lifeline—completely out of character. Rosy leaned back, let her head rest against the wall, and let her eyes flutter shut.

...

Liam gripped the reins tighter, the leather creaking under his fingers as he glanced back at the carriage. Inside, both Roselyn and Elna had drifted into sleep— He turned his eyes forward again, to the road winding ahead and the shadow of the rebel scouts retreating into the hills. As the wheels creaked and the hooves clattered against the rocky path, memories slipped in . "𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅'𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 , 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅'𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒏𝒐". And maybe she was right.......

....𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒉 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌......

... 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒈𝒐....

Liam Had just returned to the capital after earning the title of Captain at twenty-six. His name had begun to mean something in the kingdom, his sword respected, his orders followed.

And then came the unexpected proposal—no, a request—from one of the wealthiest merchants in the realm, Augustus Everhart. The man’s only daughter, Roselyn, had been in an accident not long after her engagement to the crown prince had crumbled. The scandal was still fresh in every whisper of the court.

Liam’s parents showed little interest. “A girl from the merchant class marrying into a soldier’s family? Damaged pride and noble regret?” But Liam… He said yes. He convinced them

He didn’t know why. Maybe it was her quiet grace. Maybe it was the way she once stood at the back of a ballroom, unnoticed by most—but not by him. Maybe it was love. Maybe it still is. 🌷

There was no grand ceremony, no blessing beneath a cathedral ceiling. Just a swift registry signing in a modest chamber at dusk—an official union inked without celebration. That night, while others drank quietly in a small gathering, the bride never even showed up.

He had gone to her room anyway. Not as a groom, but as a friend. To offer her a word. A hand. Something.

And she had slapped him.

He remembered the sting, not on his cheek but in his chest. The look in her eyes— 🥀

He never held that moment against

Because he had known, even then— She was still in love with someone who had left her on the road… and never looked back

𝑳𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 [𝑴𝑳]

Roselyn had been paler than ever that day—thinner too, her once-bright smile nowhere in sight. She had dyed her natural golden-blonde hair a shade of dark brown.

She changed herself for that prince. The same man who left her stranded, bruised, and broken. The man who didn’t even turn back after the accident.

𝑳𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 [𝑴𝑳]

(And yet, there I was—standing on our wedding night, not as a groom eager for a new beginning, but as a friend, a shield. A silent promise that I wouldn’t let her fall again.)

𝑳𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 [𝑴𝑳]

* I opened the door gently, fully intending to say nothing, just to make sure she wasn’t alone. But before I could step in—*

*Smack ! *

𝑳𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 [𝑴𝑳]

(Her palm landed across my cheek like lightning. And there she stood. Fierce. Breathless. Eyes burning with rage, sadness, and something deeper—betrayal, perhaps. But not toward me. Not really)

Roselyn stood there, her figure trembling with rage and disbelief. Her dark brown hair framed a pale face, lips quivering, eyes filled with unshed tears and fury.

She pointed at the lavishly decorated bed, the only thing in the room that dared to look celebratory.

𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒚𝒏 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 [𝑭𝑳]

"What is this, Liam? This—this joke? Rose petals and curtains? Is this what you wanted?" 💢💢 *Her voice cracked.* 💔 "You became this… cheap… for this? Is that what I am to you now? You want my b—"

Before she could say the word, Liam stepped forward.

𝑳𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 [𝑴𝑳]

ENOUGH ! *said louder and firm*

For a second, Roselyn’s expression faltered. A flash of guilt. A flicker of something else.

𝑳𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆 [𝑴𝑳]

"I didn’t even know… maybe my family did this," *he said, his tone still firm—but his voice carried the weight of something crumbling inside*

Her words… they echoed like glass shattering in his chest. 🥀

𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒚𝒏 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 [𝑭𝑳]

*Her fists clenched, lips trembling before her entire body shook.* "THEN YOU SHOULD'VE SAID NO!"💢💢 *She screamed, voice cracking*

And then— The fury in her exploded. She stormed toward the bed, grabbing the edge of the carefully placed veil and ripping it down. The roses scattered. The candles wobbled. Glass clattered to the floor from a shattered vase.

𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒚𝒏 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 [𝑭𝑳]

"You should’ve just said no… why didn’t you say no…?" And stooped this marriage *sobbing*

She collapsed on her knees, her hands trembling, wiping furiously at the tears streaking her face as if they offended her.

He didn’t move. Couldn’t. He just stood there, watching the woman he loved fall apart in front of him. Knowing full well— That maybe… just maybe… he'd made the right choice at the wrong time. 🥀💔

"𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒆𝒍𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈-𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒏𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅".

"𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔."

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