章 142: The Cave

Somehow, the king's voice sounded different tonight—both more relaxed and more intense, as though each word carried a bittersweet weight, heavy with suppressed longing.

Lorelai realized it was likely the strain of restraint affecting him. Desire and lust surged within him, threatening to consume him whole, yet he was forced to temper those feelings, to endure the inferno burning him from within.

Her heart twisted painfully, a pang of empathy mingling with something bordering on sorrow. She had believed she would be the one suffering tonight, vulnerable and unsure. 

But now, seeing him like this, she understood that they were both fighting their own battles, even on what was supposed to be a joyous occasion.