The Wrath of the Unchained-Chapter 133 - The Quiet Bloom

The sun bathed the Assab port in soft golden light, casting long shadows across the worn stone roads and the freshly painted customs house walls.

Azenet stood on the balcony overlooking the harbor, the salty breeze teasing the edges of her linen shawl.

She was alone.

But in her heart, Khisa was always there.

She remembered the first time she saw him, dusted in red clay, his hair wild, his voice softer than what her father told her. She expected someone a bit older and a seasoned general.

He spoke neither like a conqueror nor a prince. He had simply offered her tea. A smile. A gentle question about her thoughts on architecture.

He gave her a chance to be what she could only ever utter in her dreams. Gave her an opportunity to use the skills she so carefully crafted. In the palace, what she learnt was never meant to be used—she expected to be married off as soon as she reached of age.

Political marriages were commonplace.

She had thought him strange then—strange and impossibly kind.

The Assab port had been a place of silence and scars. A city where wealth once flowed alongside tears. A place that even the Emperor had already forsaken.

But with Khisa’s arrival, something changed. Not just in stone and infrastructure, but in the hearts of those who had long given up. In months, this place transformed from the dying town it was to an important trade hub.

Merchants and refugees arrived here on a daily basis, some joining the new jobs, some joining the navy. They trained with renewed vigor.

She saw it in the new roads, the open markets, the softened faces of the port masters who now spoke of trade rather than bribes. She helped map the new trade routes, arranged ship manifests, negotiated with difficult port officials, and stood beside Khisa as he listened to complaints not with arrogance—but with intent.

Khisa always made it a point to include her in every decision, whether military-wise or internal affairs where she was leading. He respected her opinions and offered to help if she was stuck.

And every evening, he would find her.

They would walk by the sea, their shadows stretching long across the shore. Sometimes they spoke about the future. Sometimes, they simply held hands and let the wind speak for them.

It was during one of those walks, with the stars scattered like spilled salt above them, that he told her about Nuri. What his plans and ambitions were. To unite all kingdoms, a place where everyone can live happily in peace with no discrimination. It sounded like a dream to her.

Was it truly possible?

And then, just as softly, he told her about his feelings.

She hadn’t answered him immediately. Love, in her world, had always come with a price.

But Khisa had waited. And over shared tea, stolen glances, and the silent language of two people who understood each other beyond words—she had found her answer.

Yes.

But now, the city felt hollow without him. He had left to handle matters in Gondar, taking his elite Shadow Guard with him. Days passed. Then a week. Every morning, she stood by the port tower, scanning the horizon. Every night, she lit a lamp and whispered her prayers.

Please keep him safe. Let him come back to me.

On the ninth day, just as the moon was beginning to rise, she heard them before she saw them—hoofbeats. Cloaks of shadow. A glint of steel.

And Khisa, his smile tired but real, riding at the front.

He dismounted with the weight of a man who had crossed many lands—but the moment he saw her, it all melted away.

She ran to him. She didn’t care who watched.

Her brother Prince Tadesse whistled cheekily, causing laughter among the shadows.

She just chuckled slightly. Over the past few months, she worked on repairing her relationship with her brother. He was becoming a leader even she could be proud of.

That night, they sat alone in the upper tower, where the wind hummed through the stone arches and the world felt far away. He held her hand in both of his, studying her face like a map he had nearly lost.

"My proposal," he said, voice husky. "Your father accepted it."

Azenet let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

"So what do you say, Princess Azenet? Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? I know I should have asked in a manner befitting your station, but I promise I will make it up to you."

Azenet slightly blushed. "I suppose I can’t say no now that my father accepted. Yes, Prince Khisa, I will marry you."

Khisa beamed. "When I return to Nuri, I’ll begin building a palace. Not just walls and towers—but a place worthy of your title, of your brilliance. It might take time... but I want you to stand tall when you arrive. As my future queen."

She laughed quietly, tears in her eyes. "I don’t need all that, Khisa. I don’t need marble floors or golden walls. I just need you."

His thumb brushed her cheek. "You have me. Always. Since I asked you to marry in such a shabby area, next time has to be spectacular—a grand celebration to mark the occasion," Khisa said proudly.

"Careful, one might think you are about to become a dictator." She chuckled.

Khisa laughed. "Our union is more than just about us. We will be uniting two kingdoms through marriage. Our future generations will look at this event as the day the two kingdoms became one. Besides, after all the wars, we are entitled to at least a few days to dance and celebrate with our loved ones."

They sat like that until dawn painted the sky in hues of rose and fire. They didn’t speak much. They didn’t need to.

Azenet knew the next morning would come with goodbyes. That the years ahead would be hard. But as she looked into his eyes, she saw no doubt. Only a promise.

He would return.

And when he did, she would be waiting—by the balcony, where the wind always carried the scent of salt, tea, and memory.