She opened her mouth to reply, but no words came forth. She wanted to return his words of affection, but those words had not yet formed within her heart…not yet. To her, he was a friend, someone she could talk to about many things. To that extent, she loved him, with the love that was shared between friends…but not as a lover. He smiled.

“It is alright if you cannot say those words to me.” he added, touching his nose to hers. “One day, I hope and believe that you will.”

She blushed as a smile found its way to her face. She nodded and whispered, “I will…one day.”

He kissed her once more and held her close to his heart until the inevitable return of doctor forced them to part. Still, there was a relief that was felt between the two. For him, the relief was knowing that she was safe and that she wanted him to be her mate. For her, it was that she had found a way to speak to him and let him know that she was safe. The guilt of running off was swept away, no longer a burden on her shoulders, while despair and worry no longer weighed him down as it had for weeks. Both were free of their respective shackles, the prince and his beloved princess.

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