The Bride He Hates-Chapter 110: Choosing Us

"Stop!" Lyanna said.

"Stop what?" Azrael asked, confused.

"Stop being so... reasonable. Stop accepting it. Stop letting me go so easily."

"I’m... just trying to give you what you want..."

"I don’t know what I want anymore!" Lyanna cried, standing abruptly. "I was sure we were incompatible, toxic, and better off apart. But then you agreed with everything, and now that’s making me question everything again!"

Azrael looked at her, confusion and hope battling in his eyes.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I don’t know what I’m saying. I just..." She stopped and looked at him. "You’ve decided it’s easier to let me go than to actually change, right?"

"That’s not true!"

"Then prove it!" Lyanna shouted.

"Prove what?" He asked, frustrated. "What do you want from me, Lyanna?

"I want you to fight for me. I want you to make me believe that we’re worth fighting for instead of just... giving up."

"I’m not giving up..."

"You are!" Lyanna shouted again. "You’re sitting there calmly , and it’s breaking my heart because it feels like you don’t even care! Like you’re relieved our marriage is ending!"

"Relieved?" Azrael’s control finally cracked. "You think I’m relieved? I’ve spent three days wanting to die! I’ve prepared myself for three days to let you go because I thought that’s what you wanted. And now you’re telling me you wanted me to fight?"

"I know what I said! But now that I’m here, now that you’re actually letting me go, I don’t want you to! I want you to tell me we can make this work!"

"Can we? Can we actually make this work or we will hurt each other again?"

"I don’t know! But I’m not ready to give up!"

They stood there, looking into each other’s tear-filled eyes, scared.

Azrael stepped closer.

"I want to fight, Lyanna, I want to fight so badly. I want to beg you to stay. I want to promise I’ll change. I want to tell you we can figure this out. But I’m scared of promising something I can’t fulfil."

"Then don’t promise." Lyanna replied. "Just promise you’ll try. Promise me you’ll actually work on changing instead of just accepting you can’t."

"I’ll try. Every single day." Azrael said, taking her hands in his. "I promise to accept you as you are. I promise to love your humanity and compassion, because those aren’t your weaknesses. They’re what make you extraordinary."

Lyanna took a deep breath. She had made her choice.

"Okay." She said.

Azrael’s eyes widened.

"Okay?"

"Okay!" She repeated. "Let’s give our relationship one more chance."

"You’re staying?" Azrael asked in disbelief.

"I’m trying to be brave enough to risk being hurt again, because the alternative is losing you and that’s worse than death itself."

"Lyanna..."

"Don’t make me regret this. Please...don’t make me wish I’d walked away when I had the chance."

"I won’t." Azrael replied, pulling her closer. "I swear I won’t. I’ll spend every day proving you made the right choice. I’ll..."

"Stop talking." Lyanna cut him off. "Just... stop talking and hold me. I’m scared. I need you to hold me."

Azrael pulled her into his arms. She leaned against him, crying and shaking.

"I’m not letting you go." Azrael whispered into her hair.

They stood holding each other for a long time. Finally, Azrael pulled back enough to look at her.

"I love you, Lyanna. I love you so much."

"I love you too." Lyanna replied, cupping his face.

"I’m going to spend the rest of my life earning this chance. I’m going to..."

"Azrael, you talk so much." Lyanna said and kissed him.

The kiss started gentle and tender. It was filled with hope, promise and vulnerability. Lyanna’s hands moved to his hair, pulling him closer, tasting the salt of their tears.

Azrael responded with the same intensity. His hand gripped her waist tightly, as if afraid she would leave once again if he let go.

When they finally broke apart, Azrael rested his forehead against hers.

"I’m going to do better. I’m going to be better. For you and us."

"We’re going to do better. Both of us together as partners."

They stayed in Azrael’s study for hours after the kiss. They talked, trying to figure out what their new relationship would look like, what boundaries they needed and what they both needed to make this work.

"We should tell the council about our decision." Azrael said.

"How do you think they’ll react?" Lyanna asked nervously.

"Honestly? Mixed." He replied. "Cassius’s faction will be skeptical. But it doesn’t matter what they think. This is our relationship? not theirs."

"I understand that, but what will happen when Cassius starts commenting about my influence?"

Azrael took her hand.

"I"ll shut him down publicly if necessary. Lyanna, I’m not letting the council to dictate about our relationship. If they don’t like our reconciliation, that’s their problem. They’ll have to learn to deal with it."

Lyanna squeezed his hand.

"Fine. Let’s tell them."

They walked to the council chamber together, hand in hand. The council was in session, discussing repairs from the Crimson Cross attack. They all looked up as Azrael and Lyanna entered.

"His Majesty." Victor said, surprised. "Her Majesty." He greeted Lyanna. "We didn’t expect..."

"Queen Lyanna has returned." Azrael announced. "She’ll be resuming her position as queen and her work with the Cooperation Alliance. This is not a subject of debate or discussion. I’m just informing you of the decision we’ve made."

The council chamber fell silent.

"Your Majesty, with respect, given your recent separation and the... difficulties in your marriage, perhaps some caution..." Cassius spoke first.

"It’s not necessary." Azrael didn’t let him finished. "As I said, our relationship isn’t a political matter to discuss. If you have concerns, keep them to yourself." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"What if history repeats itself?" Cassius asked. "If this reconciliation fails?"

"Then we will deal with it. But that’s our business. Your role is to support our decisions, not question our marriage."

Lyanna watched the exchange, feeling happy. He was actually making it clear to everyone that their relationship was not up for debate.

"I welcome you, Your Majesty," Victor said. "The Cooperation Alliance has suffered in your absence. We’re glad to have your expertise back, especially after your independent work in so many territories."

"Thank you, Victor." Lyanna replied.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty." Morgana said with a smile.

The other council members also welcomed her. Some were genuinely happy while others were doing it forcefully.

"You really shut Lord Cassius down." Lyanna said, after they left the council chamber. "It felt good."

"Get used to it." Azrael replied. "That’s how it’s going to be from now on. I won’t let anyone or anything come between us now."