The Oak Tree Manga: Under

Years later, the beast had conquered a dragon, earned a title, and returned to claim his dove. Their marriage was a decree from the King, a political bandage for the volatile Anatol region. But for Riftan, it was the fever dream of a lifetime.

The first touch of her fingertips was like a spark to dry tinder. He closed his eyes, leaning into her palm. Her skin was soft, so impossibly soft. He felt the callouses on his own face, the roughness of a life of war, and for a moment, he wanted to pull away. But she didn't. Under The Oak Tree Manga

He opened his eyes. "You are not broken. You are the strongest person I know. You left a life of comfort to come to a war zone. You learn magic in secret. You tend to the sick when our healer is away. You are not a dove, Maximilian. You are an oak. You just haven't realized it yet." Years later, the beast had conquered a dragon,

"Not what I wanted?" His voice cracked. "Maximilian, I have wanted you since the moment I saw you picking wildflowers beneath that oak tree. You were fifteen. I was a nameless squire covered in mud. You dropped your basket, and when you bent to pick it up, you looked at me. Just for a second. And I thought, 'If I ever become a knight, I will marry no one but her.'" The first touch of her fingertips was like