Chapter 158 CHAPTER 158
By the time the last plate was cleared, it felt as though Red Valley itself had fed them until their spirits were full, not just their stomachs. The long wooden tables were scattered with empty bowls, crumbs of bread, and the faint scent of roasted herbs that clung warmly to the air. Laughter still lingered, soft and unhurried, the kind that came from people who had eaten well and felt safe enough to stay seated just a little longer.
Lisa leaned back on the bench beside Liam and let out a quiet groan, one hand pressing lightly against her stomach.
“I’ve eaten too much,” she said, half-laughing, half-serious. “I think I might actually burst.”
Liam turned to her, eyes bright with amusement. “That’s what happens when you forget how to stop,” he teased gently. “Do you want to go for a walk? It might help.”
She glanced around the clearing, at the low houses framed by trees, at the open paths that disappeared into green slopes and tall grass. The valley looked different now in the afternoon light, calmer, softer.
“That sounds perfect,” she said. “Before I fall asleep right here.”
Liam rose first, then leaned down to her, offering his hand. Before Lisa could take it, he bent slightly toward Ethan and murmured something too low for anyone else to hear. Ethan met his gaze, studied him for a second, then nodded once.
Liam took Lisa’s hand, their fingers fitting together easily, and together they drifted away from the tables and the noise, following a narrow path that curved toward the edge of the valley.
Isabel watched them go, her eyes tracking their retreating figures.
“Where are they going?” she asked, nudging Ethan lightly with her elbow.
Ethan glanced in their direction and shrugged. “How would I know? Let them be. Lovebirds tend to wander.”
Isabel laughed. “Honestly, with a place like this, it would be a crime not to. Red Valley practically magnifies romance.”
Ethan turned to her, eyebrow raised. “You say things like that far too easily for someone your age.”
She grinned at him. “I may be young in body, Your Majesty, but I’m old at heart.”
He chuckled despite himself, shaking his head. “You’re impossible.”
Across from them, Celine stood quietly, arms folded loosely. Her gaze flicked from Ethan to Isabel and back again, something unreadable tightening briefly in her expression before she looked away, pretending to admire the scenery. She said nothing, but the silence around her felt heavier than before.
The path Liam and Lisa followed dipped gently downward, away from the pack house and the gathering crowd. Tall grass brushed against their legs, and the ground beneath their feet felt alive, warm with the memory of the sun. Somewhere nearby, water trickled softly, hidden behind a cluster of rocks and ferns.
Lisa breathed in deeply. “I love this place,” she said. “Everyone here is so… open. So kind. It feels like they’re not just welcoming us because they have to.”
Liam nodded. “Red Valley has always been like that. They don’t separate themselves from the land or from each other.”
She smiled, then grew thoughtful. “A lot of the women came up to me earlier. They kept saying I remind them of Queen Helena …. Mum. Not just how I look - but how I act.”
He slowed, turning slightly to face her as they walked. “They’re not wrong.”
Lisa looked at him, surprised. “You really think so?”
“I know so,” Liam said quietly. “From what I remember, even when I was young, she was exactly like that. She didn’t care about ranks or appearances. She listened. She laughed easily. She made people feel seen.”
Lisa’s grip on his hand tightened. “I don’t like politics,” she admitted. “I never have.”
“And that,” Liam said gently, “is why you matter so much. Every kingdom needs strategists and warriors. But it also needs someone who carries its heart. Someone who accepts flowers from children and gives hugs to the grieving. Someone who smiles not because it’s required, but because it’s real.”
She stopped walking then, turning fully toward him. “Is that how you see me?”
He didn’t hesitate. “That’s how everyone sees you. They just don’t all know how to put it into words.”
Emotion rose quickly in her chest, sudden and warm. Without thinking, Lisa leaned in and kissed him, soft and brief but full of feeling.
“You know,” she said quietly, “you do that too.”
Liam frowned slightly. “Do what?”
“That thing,” she replied, squeezing his hand. “You always know what to say. You know how to look at someone and make them feel seen. Safe. Better than they were a moment before.”
He let out a small laugh, shaking his head. “No, I don’t. If commanders were like that, we’d never make it to battle. I was trained to be strategic, not emotional.”
Lisa smiled at him then, not amused - certain.
“You’re wrong,” she said softly. “Not all battles are won with swords, Commander Liam. Some are won with kindness. With presence. With knowing when to listen and when to speak.”
She stepped closer, her voice dropping just a little.
“And you know how to win those battles too. Whether you admit it or not.”
Liam looked at her for a long moment, something unguarded crossing his face before he smiled.
“And that,” she finished, leaning in, “is exactly why I fell in love with you.”
He tilted his head, studying her. “So… will you continue what you just started, or was that a tease?”
She blinked. “What?”
He lifted a finger and tapped it lightly against his mouth. “That.”
Lisa laughed, warmth spreading across her cheeks. “That was because what you said touched me.”
“Then maybe,” he said softly, stepping closer, “I should say more touching things.”
“I doubt that,” she replied, though her voice softened. Still, she leaned in and brushed her lips against his again, light and teasing.
Liam’s hands settled at her waist, drawing her closer. “Now that you’ve started something,” he murmured, “you have to finish it.”
This time when he kissed her, it was slower, deeper. She didn’t pull away. She melted into him, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as the world narrowed to the sound of their breathing and the quiet pulse between them.
“I’ve missed you,” he whispered against her lips.
“I know,” she said softly. “I’ve missed you too.”
They moved together instinctively, hands exploring, shirts slowly unbuttoned, kisses trailing from lips to jaw to collarbone. The grass beneath them was cool, the earth solid and grounding as they lowered themselves down, wrapped in each other.
It wasn’t hurried. It wasn’t desperate. It was unspoken understanding, shared warmth, the kind of closeness that felt less like desire alone and more like coming home. The valley seemed to hold them gently, the breeze whispering through the leaves as though granting privacy.
When it was over, they lay side by side, fingers still entwined, the sky above them wide and blue.
After a long moment, Liam exhaled and laughed softly. “Can I ask you something?”
She turned her head toward him. “Anything.”
“Am I a bad boyfriend?”
Her brows knitted together. “What? No. You’re incredible. Why would you even ask that?”
He stared up at the sky. “I just realized… every time we make love, it’s always like this. Outside. Surrounded by nature.”
Lisa laughed. “And?”
“And we’ve never done it anywhere else… somewhere decent.” he added, half-serious.
She propped herself up on one elbow, smiling down at him. “I love it like this. It’s the best kind of lovemaking there is.”
He smiled back, relief evident.
They lay there a little longer, the silence comfortable. They did not speak. They did not need to. The world felt very far away from them, as if Red Valley itself had stepped back to give them privacy. Lisa rested her head against his chest, listening to the slow, steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her ear, and Liam’s fingers traced absent patterns along her arm without him even realizing it. Their legs were tangled lazily in the grass, skin still warm, breaths still slightly uneven, but their hearts had already settled into the same quiet pace. It was that rare kind of closeness where nothing needed to be said, where simply existing beside each other felt like enough. The air smelled of earth and leaves and something sweet from the distant gardens, and for a moment, Lisa wished time would forget them there and never move again.
Then, without warning, Liam’s body tensed.
Lisa felt it immediately. “What’s wrong?”
He sat up abruptly, eyes scanning the trees. “I don’t know,” he said slowly. “But something feels off.”
Her heart skipped. “What do you mean?”
“I feel like we’re being watched.”
The air seemed to shift, subtle but unmistakable. The birds nearby fell silent.
“Liam?” she whispered.
He rose to his feet and reached for her hand. “We need to go. Now.”
As they hurried back toward the path, the valley no longer felt entirely peaceful. Somewhere beyond the trees, unseen eyes lingered and all Liam could think about was making sure Lisa was safe.