Free Web NovelChapter 272: Chapter 272
The carriage wheels rolled with a steady rhythm as they rode through a long stretch of road, the countryside unfurling around them. Wide fields stretched as far as the eye could see.
Circe sat on the cushioned seat, hands folded in her lap, her attention fixed on the passing view outside the window. Every so often, her reflection flickered faintly in the glass, but she hardly noticed when there was so much else to see.
Opposite her, Ragnar watched in quiet amusement.
She had been like this since they left the manor, barely able to sit still, her gaze darting from one side of the carriage to the other. The fact that he had refused to tell her where they were going seemed only to sharpen her excitement rather than dull it.
"You look like you’re about to burst," Ragnar remarked at last, his tone light.
Circe turned toward him, her eyes bright. "I just... it feels good to be out," she said honestly. "Seeing so much greenery even during early winter." She gestured vaguely toward the window. "Amris is beautiful. I’ve never seen so much open land before."
"You’ve seen fields," he countered mildly.
"Not like this," she insisted. "Not when they seem to go on forever. Westeria is a smaller kingdom and we didn’t have this much land just laying around."
Ragnar leaned back against his seat, one hand braced on his lap. He said nothing more, content to let her soak in the scenery. He had agreed to this outing knowing full well what it would mean to her.
The demand had been simple—just a short outing, nothing official—but he had seen the deeper want beneath it. She had wanted space. A moment that belonged to the two of them alone and how could he possibly deny her such a simple request? freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
The carriage rolled onward, passing a few leafless trees standing like silent sentinels against the cold. The air that slipped through the small vents carried a crisp bite, tinged with earth and frost. Circe drew in a breath and smiled to herself.
"Are we far?" she asked, finally glancing back at him.
"Not much longer," Ragnar replied.
She accepted that easily, returning her attention to the window. The corners of her mouth remained lifted, her excitement undimmed by the wait. Watching her, Ragnar felt a familiar tightening in his chest. It still surprised him how little it took to make her truly happy. Offering her his help, his time, and a listening ear had pleased her more than when he spent a fortune to buy her new dresses.
When the carriage slowed and came to a stop, Circe’s head snapped up. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
"We’re here?" she asked.
Ragnar rose first and pushed the door open. Cold air rushed inside. He stepped down onto the ground and turned back, extending his hand toward her.
Circe placed her gloved fingers in his, and he helped her descend. The moment her boots touched the earth, she stilled.
Before them lay a gentle rise overlooking a wide, shallow valley. A river cut a slow, winding path through the land, its surface catching the pale winter light. Bare trees clustered along its banks, their dark branches stark against the sky. Beyond them, the gorgeous fields rolled outward, uninterrupted, peaceful in their quiet vastness. There was no sign of any buildings, only open land and the soft hush of nature.
There had barely been any snowfall in the last week so the ground only had a light dusting of snow on it.
Circe stared, and breath caught.
"Oh," she whispered.
Ragnar watched her reaction closely. "You like it?"
She turned to him, disbelief and wonder written plainly on her face. "You brought me here?"
"I thought you might enjoy the view," he said simply.
She took a few slow steps forward, as though afraid the scene might vanish if she moved too quickly. The wind stirred her hair, tugging loose a few strands from beneath her hood. She hugged her coat tighter around herself, chasing away the chill, but her eyes never left the landscape.
Behind them, the footman moved quietly, already unloading a basket and folded blankets from the rear of the carriage.
Circe barely registered anything else as she gazed straight ahead. She turned back to Ragnar a second later, emotion shining openly in her gaze.
"This is... beautiful," she said. "I’ve never been anywhere like this."
Ragnar had expected gratitude. He had not expected the sudden tightness in his throat when she looked at him that way.
"There’s more," he said.
She followed his gaze as the footman laid a thick blanket upon the ground at a spot Ragnar had clearly chosen with care, close enough to the edge of the rise to take in the view, yet sheltered from the worst of the wind. Another blanket followed, this one much softer, along with a food basket.
Understanding dawned on Circe’s face.
"You planned a picnic," she breathed.
Ragnar inclined his head. "If that’s acceptable."
She didn’t answer with words. Instead, she rushed towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing close without hesitation. Ragnar froze for a heartbeat, surprised, before his arms came around her in return, holding her firmly against him.
The cold wind swept around them, lifting her hair and brushing it against his face but the coats they wore protected them from the worst of the cold. Circe rested her cheek against his chest, her breath fogging faintly in the air.
"Thank you," she said softly. "For this. For agreeing to come out with me."
Ragnar lowered his chin slightly, his hand settling on her back. "You don’t need to thank me."
She pulled back just enough to look up at him, her smile unguarded. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The footman cleared his throat politely. "Everything is ready, your highness."
Ragnar gave a short nod. "You may wait by the carriage."
Once they were alone again, he took Circe’s hand and led her toward the blankets. She followed easily, her steps light despite the cold ground beneath them. When she reached the laid-out spot, she let out a small, pleased laugh and sank down onto the blanket with graceful ease.
