His sudden loud declaration baffled everyone in the hall as they exchanged quick glances with each other. Some faint whispers and murmur among the nobles echoed in the room as it was a rare sight for everyone to see their Crown Prince acting unusually.
Lorelia pursed her lips and narrowed her stiff glare on Zordan, with a beaming curiosity in her orbs. It was the first time she watched Zordan raise his tone against her in front of everyone, interrupting her sentence.
His actions also startled Aldrick as he firmly marched a step closer to him with a frown, “Zordan? What do you mean by Luther’s last wish? What announcement do you have for us?”
Facing his ardent question, Zordan lifted a glance at Gabriel, only to find her hostile eyes glaring at him. He gulped and exhaled a deep sigh before he turned his gaze towards everyone present there before declaiming aloud. “Since all the important members of the royal packhouse are gathered here, I find it a suitable time to make my announcement. It is very important to me as well. ”
“We will be grateful to know that, Your Grace.” A faint echo from them reverberated in the room once again, while they sounded quite eager from their tone.
Holding a dark, cryptic gaze in his eyes, suddenly Zordan walked a step forward from everyone and blatantly exclaimed, “I have decided to marry Lady Gabriel and make her the future Luna of our pack.”
“W-What?”
Suddenly, a strong surprising reaction blurted out from everyone present in the room, including the nobles as well as the members of the royal family. While Aldrick wadded his eyes in shock with the revelation, Lorelia put off a dumbfounded expression on her face with a look of disbelief towards Zordan.
As Aiden was already aware of his decision, he didn’t seem very startled, unlike others. But a vein popped out from the side of his neck, indicating that his declaration had left him stressed. Whereas standing next to him, Lilith retained a jaw-dropped grimace as her eyes wadded bigger in shock, making her breath hitch for a second.
Whereas, Gabriel was too stunned to speak as she stood like a frozen maiden, staring wide open at him. Even though she was dubious with his every actions, but never in her imagination she had thought of him making such a big announcement in that heavy grievous moment!
“W-What are you talking about…Zordan?” Holding a grasp over the suspenseful situation, Aldrick sternly asked him with a long face.
Zordan didn’t show any sign of worriment and stayed calm, keeping a stiff expression on his face. After a brief pause, he continued with his explanations, “Of course, there is a reason behind my decision. Yesterday, before Chief advisor Luther was assassinated, he had met me for a brief moment. And thus, I came to know about his last wish.”
“W-What…” Baffled at his unexpected response, Gabriel fiercely rolled her eyes at him from behind, clenching her fist in anger. ‘What kind of ridiculous nonsense is this crazy punk making up now?’ She wondered, holding her breath for a second.
Keeping his gallant posture intact, Zordan continued, “Your Highness was right to some certain extent. It was indeed Master Luther’s wish to watch his beloved daughter becoming a royal member of our family. And as you all must be aware, her engagement with Marcus was called off and it’s been 3 years already since that happened. But this time, I heard a different wish from the bottom of his heart in his last phase of life.
He duly wanted to see his beloved daughter, Lady Gabriel becoming my wife and the Crown Princess of this kingdom. He wanted to bestow both of us with his blessing.”
“What?” All of a sudden, Lorelia squinted her orbs and grunted at him. “What are you talking about, Prince Zordan?” Her tone clearly depicted serious doubt about his answer.
Whereas on the other hand, the tremendous surge of anger grew viciously inside Gabriel as she heard him making the stories that never did happen! Her cheeks were burning hot and controlled by wrath, she wanted to land a tight slap on him and vent out her frustration.
But bounded by miserable helplessness, all she could do was stand behind and glare at him. She wondered, so this was Zordan talking about when he asked her to play along with his actions?
“W-What the heck is happening here, Father?” In a faintly confused mumble, Lilith turned her gaze towards her father only to realize that Aiden wasn’t startled a bit. Somehow his reaction gave her the hint that he must have been already aware of this outcoming, which triggered her anxiety more.
Zordan evidently realized the turmoil of confusion created among the crowd and acted all calm, especially while looking at Aldrick. “Father, I do admit that I didn’t take his wish seriously at that moment. But, after when the assassination took place, it shuddered me to the core.
I thought about it a lot and really regretted not giving his wish my acceptance right at that moment. I really didn’t know it would be the last time we will have a conversation and that’s why I am even filled with more regrets.” He put on a disdainful face as he uttered.
“But…why wouldn’t he talk to me first regarding such a thing?” Holding a puzzled look on his pale face, Aldrick scrunched his brows as he further countered him.
“It might be because after what happened in the past, he must have been hesitant to bring this proposal to you, Father.” Zordan wittily tackled the situation, taking a step to approach him. “As you might know already, Master Luther has really treated me well for all these years. And for this reason, now, I strongly intend to regard his last wish properly. Thus, I have made this decision.”
Just when he finished his words, Zordan gallantly turned around towards Gabriel and waled a few steps closer her, staring deep into her pale, jaw-dropped face. Taking a deep inhale of breath, he firmly asked, “But, I do know, everyone here must be also eager to hear your answer, Lady Gabriel.
So, will you marry me and become the Crown Princess as well as the future Luna of our pack?”
His ardent bold proposal left a strong echo in the walls of the room leaving an absolute silence among the members.
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