Chapter 126 Starry Cliff Night
The grand party was not truly over. After a display of status that left all the nobles speechless, Claus pulled Ilse out of the magnificent building without hesitation. The envious, resentful, and shocked stares from the noble ladies were simply ignored.
But the real problem wasn't just escaping hateful gazes. The main problem was already waiting in front of the palace.
Under the crescent moon shrouded by thin clouds, Claus's proud warhorse stood tall, waiting for its master. The large black horse, with powerful muscles and nearly as tall as an adult, looked fierce and wild. The beast snorted out vapor from its nostrils, making anyone think twice about approaching.
Ilse, still gasping for breath and struggling in her tight emerald dress, immediately stepped back three paces upon seeing the horse. Her eyes widened.
"Claus... you're kidding, right?" Ilse protested, half-hysterical, tugging at her very tight gown.
"We're going home on this huge animal? Look at my dress! This is an expensive silk evening gown, with a very tight fit and a slit up to the thigh! How am I supposed to ride such a tall horse? I might fall off in the middle of the street!"
Claus didn't respond to her complaints. He merely snorted softly, approached without a word, and immediately grabbed Ilse's waist with one hand. Effortlessly, he lifted her as if she weighed nothing.
"Wait! Claus, hold on!" Ilse cried out in panic as her body suddenly floated in the air, then landed on the horse's saddle.
Her position was awkward because the tight dress made it difficult to adjust.
Before Ilse could protest about her seat, Claus had already grabbed the saddle and, with a light motion, mounted behind her.
In that instant, Ilse's world seemed to shrink.
The horse was indeed large, but the space above it felt even smaller as Claus's body blocked all space behind her. Claus took the reins in his left hand, while his right hand wrapped firmly around Ilse's waist, pulling her close to his broad, hard chest.
The most unbelievable part of all this was when the cold-blooded general who had just frightened the entire palace suddenly lowered his head and rested it affectionately on Ilse's left shoulder.
To Ilse, Claus's behavior now seemed almost tender. His warm breath slipped past her slightly open dress collar, sending shivers down her spine.
"Claus..." Ilse whispered, her voice trembling with embarrassment and shock. "What are you doing, leaning on me like this? We're outside the palace! There are so many soldiers watching!"
"Let them." Claus's deep voice was very close to her ear; it was hoarse, tired, but carried a strange calmness. "I'm tired. Don't complain so much."
Anna's heart, inside Ilse, pounded hard, as if it would burst from her chest.
Part of her wanted to rebel, to kick Claus's leg, or at least tell the general to sit upright.
But another part of her felt a strange, sweet warmth spreading through her chest amid all the chaos that night.
They left the palace gates, passing through the now quiet city streets.
Ilse bit her lower lip, trying to distract herself from the pounding of her heart. "Where are we going? My house is to the southwest, but the horse is heading north?"
"The usual place," Claus replied shortly, his eyes staring straight ahead, occasionally tightening his embrace around Ilse's waist to keep her steady.
"What usual place? I want to go home and sleep, Claus! My feet are sore!"
"Be quiet for a moment, Ilse. I want to show you something."
The horse galloped faster, leaving behind the city lights that were starting to dim.
The path sloped upward, cutting through a dirt road surrounded by dark pine forests until they finally stopped on a high plateau.
The steep rock cliff opened directly to a vast night sky.
It was very quiet. Only the sound of the night wind, strong and cold, pierced the skin.
Ilse instinctively hugged herself as the cold wind hit her exposed shoulders, thanks to her evening gown. She truly felt underdressed for the night; the gown was far too thin for the chill atop the mountain cliff.
Claus dismounted first with a graceful movement, then offered his large hand to help Ilse down. She took his hand, but as her feet touched the ground, her knees buckled from sitting stiffly on the saddle for too long.
She nearly slipped, but Claus's hand quickly caught her waist, pulling her back. He took off his thick military cloak and wrapped it tightly around Ilse's shoulders, shielding her from the mountain wind. Claus's scent enveloped her, giving instant warmth that made her cheeks flush even more.
"Why did you bring me here?" Ilse whispered, her eyes meeting Claus, who stood right in front of her.
Claus didn't immediately answer. He pulled Ilse to sit on a large, flat rock at the edge of the cliff, then sat beside her. He pointed upward with his chin. "Look."
Ilse looked up, and all her protests disappeared at once.
The night sky above was perfectly clear. Millions of stars were scattered overhead, twinkling beautifully with no city lights to dim them. As they watched, a bright streak of light shot quickly across the dark sky, a shooting star. Then another, right beside it.
The view was so breathtaking it washed away all the frustration, exhaustion, and shock Ilse had felt all day.
Claus turned to the side, watching Ilse's face as she gazed in awe at the sky. The starlight reflected in Ilse's eyes, making her look so different in Claus's gaze. Unconsciously, the corner of Claus's lips lifted slightly, forming a thin smile he rarely showed anyone else.
"Beautiful?" Claus asked softly.
Ilse nodded, her eyes still glued to the sky. "It's beautiful... I never thought you'd know a place as amazing as this, Claus."
"This is my secret place," Claus said honestly. "Whenever I was tired after a battle or fed up with palace politics, I always came here. Alone."
Ilse turned, her eyes catching the softness in Claus's gaze, so different from the ruthless general who had earlier shattered a glass and requested their engagement from the King. "Then... why bring me here now?"
Claus was silent for a moment. His hand moved slowly, tucking a few strands of Ilse's windblown hair behind her ear. The touch was gentle, a stark contrast to his calloused palm still marked with scars.
"Because I don't want to be alone anymore," Claus whispered, right in front of Ilse's face.
The atmosphere on the cliff suddenly changed.
There was no sound but the night wind and their pounding hearts.
Their faces were very close. Ilse buried herself in Claus's large cloak, feeling the warmth spreading from her chest to her soul.
Before Ilse could react, Claus leaned in, closing the distance between them, and kissed Ilse gently under the shower of shooting stars streaking across the night sky. Both were swept away in a strange but undeniably real romantic moment.