The Cursed King

Loriel's confession made tears prick Elise's eyes and she quickly went down to the floor and threw her arms around his neck. 

"Oh, Loriel…" she whispered.

There was a look of momentary surprise on Loriel's face but he immediately reached out and wrapped his arms around Elise's back. 

He wasn't expecting anything from Elise at all… especially not a hug.

The truth was that Loriel was actually preparing himself to be given a divorce statement by Elise, now that she had actually remembered everything. However, she actually hugged him?

The man felt so moved. He couldn't help but miss her touch. He missed everything about her.

She was no longer just his wife in the modern world, but she was also his wife from the past. She had remembered everything, yet she didn't throw tantrum, or lash out at him and demand him to leave her alone.

She did none of those, even though Loriel was justified to receive all her anger and hatred.

His Elise was truly the sweetest and kindest woman he had ever known.

The man buried his face into his wife's shoulder and relished the moment of having her in his arms again. He was so happy right now even though he wasn't sure what he did to actually deserve this kind of treatment.

At this moment, Elise was so close to tears at her husband's words and she was incredibly touched and relieved to hear Loriel say them. She truly wanted to be with him right now and this was the first time that he had ever stayed.

The two of them had been through so much already. After she was able to mull it over, Elise was given a perspective. There were some things that happened in the past that occurred again over the course of time. 

Elise thought that the two of them would constantly repeat patterns that they'd done fifteen centuries ago. In the past, it was Elise who chased after Loriel, but this time around, it was Loriel.

The pattern repeated even though the relationship dynamics between them had changed. It was always that one of them would be distant while the other was pining for the other's love.

One of them always ended up leaving and then the other stayed still and only chased after the other when it was already far too late. 

Somehow, it almost seemed like the two of them were doomed to repeat the cycle again but now it was all over. 

Elise wanted it to be over. 

She could see that Loriel's action was already breaking away from it and she wanted to do the same. 

Elise pulled away slightly and looked him in the eyes with a bright smile. She cupped his face and whispered. "Loriel, I forgive you."

Loriel who had already been so happy to just have his wife in his arms again felt a tear slip through his cheek at her words. He was forgiven? Did he hear it correctly? "Elise…?"

"You didn't mishear me when I say that I forgive you," Elise repeated her words a bit more firmly and then smiled at Loriel. "I hope you can forgive me too for everything that happened. If I had known any sooner that you were suffering in the past because of me… I would have tried my best to not hold you back."

There were so many regrets and wishes between the two of them.

"No, Elise. You've done nothing wrong at all and I don't deserve your forgiveness." Loriel's eyes stung and this time, he couldn't stop the tears from falling across his cheeks. He tried to shake his head and looked her in the eye. "You can't forgive someone like me."

"Well, I'm the one who makes the decision, not you." Elise brushed her thumb across his tear and only smiled more brightly this time. She could feel tears also go down her cheeks. "So when I say that you are forgiven it means that you are forgiven."

Loriel's shoulder shook and trembled and he looked at his wife completely tearful. He was still in disbelief and he couldn't stop the tears that continued to leak out from his eyes as he sniffed and looked at Elise seriously.

"After everything that happened, you deserve to be mad and never forgive me. I've been a horrible husband and everything I did was to make it up to you and in hopes that I could be happy with you again. That was incredibly selfish of me. How could you forgive me?" 

"While it is true that you were a terrible husband to me in the past. There's one thing that made me think. I couldn't fathom how you've actually waited all this time to be with me." Elise whispered softly. "You could have chosen to be happy with someone else all these centuries."

She remembered how beautiful Hilde was, and she could guess that Hilde harbored a crush on her husband, and Hilde was only one goddess among so many in Cretea.

There might be many other goddesses who were interested in Loriel, if he would give them a chance. Or, Loriel could also meet other women throughout his lifetime.

If he married many mortal women in the past fifteen centuries and moved on from Elise, nobody could blame him. Living alone for such a long time must be hellish if not utterly boring.

Yet, he didn't open his heart to even friends, let alone other women. Elise remembered Loriel told her he didn't like to socialize. Other than Marc Sanderman, he didn't have any friends or family.

How much had he had suffered throughout the past fifteen centuries?

People said time heals. Surely, if Loriel gave himself the chance to move on from Elise, he could have found his happiness with other people. 

Yet.. here he was, sitting on the floor, watching over her and protecting her from outside the door, after suffering and searching and waiting for her for such a long time.

"How could I be happy?" Loriel held her cheek. "I've realized that I've loved you and no other woman could make me happy. I only want to be with you Elise and make it up to you."

Elise blushed and then pulled up to her feet. "I've chosen to forgive you because of this devotion of yours to be with me… I've seen that you have actually changed. And it is also because I love you."

Loriel's eyes were gleaming in tears. More and more were forming in the corners of his eyes. He couldn't even hide them any longer.

Did... did Elise say she loved him?

What?

She still loved him? After all that he did to her?

"Elise…" Loriel became very emotional. "What did you say…? Do you… really… do you really still love me?"

Elise smiled faintly and nodded. "I still love you, but…"

Panic immediately filled Loriel's being. "B-but…?"

Elise took a deep breath. "... but I really think we should start over."

"Start over?" Loriel's heart started to pound as he looked at his wife with a dumbfounded expression.

  Did he hear her correctly? Had she forgiven him only to make a decision to stay away from him as well? Did this mean.. she forgave him, but she didn't want to be with him anymore?

Did she want him to start over and chase her to show her how much he really love her?

No problem. He would chase her. He would show how much he loved her and devoted his life to her.

"Yes." Elise stepped away from him. "I want us to start over."

There was such a beautiful look on her face that even if Elise had said she wanted Loriel to die, he would have done just that. Anything to see her smile.

However, contrary to Loriel's expectation, suddenly, Elise swept into a curtsy in front of him.

"Hello, my name is Elise Leoralei and I'm incredibly happy to meet you at last." She looked up and smiled at him brightly. "You who have been betrothed to me from when I was born. I've been waiting for you all this time. Did I ever tell you that I watched you from a crystal ball since I was a child?"

Loriel's eyes widened and, before he knew it, he gave her a courtly bow and then extended a hand to her. "Hello, Elise... I am Loriel Maxim Ashborn. I've been aware that our mothers both wished that they were born sisters and now we're expected to marry each other."

Tears streamed down hard on his face.

So… this was what she meant by starting over.

She wanted them to restart their relationship, as if they just met for the first time, and started everything correctly. 

Loriel's heart was filled with so much love and warmth to the brim. He was grateful for the second chance. This time, he would do things right.

Elise gently took Loriel's hand and gave it a firm shake. She smiled at him with a twinkle in her eyes. "Yes. They're a bit behind the times, aren't they?"

Loriel chuckled and tugged her to him. Elise's face was blushing but she awaited him to make a move. He gently brushed her hair behind an ear and then proceeded to give her a soft kiss on the lips. 

"I think I'm quite thrilled with this arrangement," he whispered before the kiss.

.

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From Missrealitybites:

What do you think about the ending? XD

Just kidding, I will still write a few more chapters for Loriel and Elise and give them more scenes to share their happily ever after with us.

Tbh, I am extremely sad this week because this novel is my entry for NovelFull Spirity Award and it didn't win anything :(.

A few days ago we got the info leaked that the winning authors are already contacted to attend the award ceremony in Singapore on Dec 20.

The writing contest has many types of awards, two types of gold (Spirity and Adaptation), two types of silver (each can have multiple winners), and two types of bronze (each can also have multiple winners). That means, there are MANY winners. The male lead side alone has 4 winners just for the bronze.

I feel disappointed in myself that this book doesn't get anything out of that many awards, not even bronze. I know this book is not super popular, so I wasn't even hoping for gold or silver, but at least bronze...? This book is also not good enough for bronze?

I don't really know the criteria for the judge to decide winners, it was never clear, and now I don't really care. I tried to cheer myself up and said it's not my luck or whatever, but it's hard not to feel bad or sad about it.

Anyway.. just letting you know the outcome since I asked you for your support from the beginning of this book because I write this for the competition.

I think it's only fair if you know now what happened because I won't be posting more chapters to discuss the result when they announce it on Dec 20, since this story will end in a few days.

I am sorry, I fail you with this book.

I will not give up, don't worry. I am feeling really sad, but I have to pick myself up soon because I have another book joining the werewolf writing competition.

I would love to see your support for "The King's Wife Is The Alpha's Mate". We'll meet Nicholas, Sophie, and Leland there.

It would mean the world to me if you would read and support the book too after Loriel's and Elise's story ends. xx