What did I just do?
She was stunned by the fact that she had simply clung to her fiancé—not as a ruler, but as an ordinary woman.
She stammered, struggling to find her voice.
"I-I... I mean...!"
She tried to explain herself, but her lips were dry, her mouth parched.
Unable to meet his eyes, she turned away, flustered.
Michael smiled gently, as if he understood everything.
Without a word, he gazed at her reddened face and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
The knights and soldiers exchanged glances, then discreetly turned their eyes elsewhere.
Some pretended to fidget with the hilts of their swords, others adjusted their armor, and a few tilted their heads toward the sky as if counting stars.
"Ahem. The stars are unusually bright tonight," one soldier said loudly, forcing a conversation.
"Indeed," another chimed in quickly. "I can't remember the last time I saw such a clear night sky."
"Once this war is over, I imagine we'll have more time to stargaze," said a third.
