“Are you afraid of me Elira?” King Zareth asked and Elira stiffened.
Not daring to raise her head.
‘Afraid?” She thought.
She let her mind lead her back to the day she met him as Adrian.
The moments they had spent together.
The love they had shared, and every piece of her heart she had given to him.
But now , things had changed.
The man seated before her is no longer the Adrian she knew, but rather, the man whose name alone was enough to bring fear on an entire kingdom.
But the same man had protected her, clothed her, fed her and took care of her even though she was just a peace bride.
“Are you afraid of me?” King Zareth asked again when she didn’t reply for a while.
Slowly, Elira looked up at him.
“I don’t fear you.
I respect you!” She nodded, as though understanding her own words.
“They are two different things.” She replied.
King Zareth didn’t know what to say at that moment, but he felt something relief washing over him.
He had been miserable after the fight.
The way she had stared at him at that moment left him feeling weak.
“Thank you!” Zareth muttered.
“We should be getting ready to leave now.
Those men had discovered our movement and they would be planning more.” He said getting up.
“Eat we would leave when we’re done.” Elira watched him leave.
She didn’t know how to react.
She was surprised with his gratitude and wondered why he was thanking her.
Not long after king Zareth had left, Rosa and Lillia stepped in to help her dress up.
**** **** The journey began again.
This time, Elira was no longer in the carriage she was in the other day.
King Zareth had arranged a more larger and comfortable carriage with iron-reinforced wheels.
She no longer needed Rosa’s lap, rather the cushion was more soft and comfortable to lay on.
Elira smiled.
King Zareth knows how to make the impossible become possible.
She had noticed some things which felt different from the moment she stepped out of her pavilion.
The soldiers seem more strict than yesterday.
They divided themselves into three groups.
The first group lay ahead in a more organized and dangerous formation, carrying the carriages of Nebuzza.
The second group guarded her carriage with precise formation that the only chance that felt seen was the entrance that led to her carriage.
And the carriage was more iron than wood.
While the third group was behind.
And Elira also noticed that the group of soldiers guarding her carriage was more in numbers.
She stared at them in awe.
Nebuzza really lived up to their expectations.
“How is your feet?” King Zareth asked appearing beside her.
“I don’t feel pain my king.” She replied but was stunned as Zareth picked her up.
“My king!
I…..” “You should get used to me carrying you!” He cut her off.
“You are very light, just like feathers.
I need to feed you more!” He said almost as though talking to himself.
Elira “!!!” He carried her into the carriage and placed her on the cushion.
“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to let me know” he said and she nodded.
Rosa and Lillia stepped in and sat beside her.
They were carrying a basket which contained wild berries and other fruits.
Just before the carriage was closed, Nasha jumped in.
She giggled when her eyes landed on Princess Elira.
The carriage door was closed and they began moving.
Elira could hear general Alaric giving orders as the journey began and the carriage was being rolled away.
“Nasha!
Where were you?
I was worried.” Elira said almost immediately.
She realized she was getting used to her presence.
“Well… I wanted to make sure my Lady doesn’t live only in the memories of Herbendnez.” She said and placed the covered basket she was holding before her.
“You mind closing your eyes for a while my Lady,” she said and Elira immediately did.
“You may now open it!” Nasha said and again Elira did, and her eyes widened in both suprise and shock.
The basket was quite large.
And inside it were different types of flowers which Nasha brought together.
“I made sure I was careful so my Lady could have a lot of Herbendnez flowers decorating her chambers.” She said.
“And this…” she said bringing out a large bottle which contained a lot of beautiful butterflies “I got this for you!” “Nasha!!!!” Elira called, her eyes tearing up.
“You shouldn’t have trapped them!
They now feel caged.” She complained but Nasha knew she was happy.
“That’s a reason why I got this for you, my Lady.
Nebuzza is a day and half journey away.
If we travel a little faster, we would get there before dawn.” Nasha said “Really?” Elira asked, her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“This is a decision of a life you had lived and is choosing to live!” Nasha handed it to her.
“If you still want to live in the past, then the butterfly is in its best place.
But if you decide to let the future lead you, then Nebuzza will show you how to live a life that you desire.
Then you know what to do with this beautiful creatures when we reach Nebuzza.” Elira stared at her all the while Nasha spoke.
She couldn’t describe her emotions but she realized it was pouring out when Nasha reached out and wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks.
“Thank you!” Elira said.
Her eyes landed on the bottle which carried boundage and freedom.
She smiled.
“They are beautiful!” “Of course they are!” **** **** Elira didn’t know how long she had slept, but when she woke up it was already afternoon.
She looked around and Nasha wasn’t in the carriage.
Lillia rested her head on the slender table that sat beside her.
While Rosa was wide awake and seated beside Elira making sure she was comfortable.
“Do you not feel comfortable anywhere my princess?” Rosa asked getting closer.
She helped Elira up.
“I’m fine!
Where are we?” She asked.
“We are still in Herbendnez , my princess.
But we will soon reach the border.” “Very soon?” “Yes my princess.
We followed the mountains and it’s a short route to the border crossing to Nebuzza.
We should reach the borders by night fall.” Rosa said and Elira nodded.
She came close to the window and opened it.
She gnawed in awe at the scenery of the forest before her.
Herbendnez was truly beautiful.
She closed her eyes and wished her mother was here to cherish this moment with her.
Years of dealing with her mother’s absence had shaped her different.
‘Is she still alive?
Does she still think of me?
It has always been Elira’s thought since her mother disappeared.
It had troubled her nights till she lost hope.
“Eat my princess!” Rosa placed a bowl of fruits before her.
“Berries?” Elira muttered and Rosa nodded.
“There are apples too my princess, a walnut and some wild fruits you haven’t tasted yet” Rosa smiled at her “the king is so thoughtful” Elira blushed deeply.
“Where is Nasha?” “She left, a while ago!” Rosa said.
As though she thought of something , she came closer.
“My princess, don’t you think everything is not right?” “What do you mean?” “The attack was directed at you.
Good thing the king was present, but I’m still thinking.
What if…” Rosa said, not completing her words, but Elira understood.
She felt dread creeping into her heart.
She won’t ignore the fact that she had thought about it when she saw the formation of the soldiers.
And now that Rosa had said it, her heart fluttered with fear.
“You think their might be an attack?” “I’m not sure my princess, but I hope not!” The journey continued toward the border.
It was already evening.
Lillia was massaging Elira’s feet, while Rosa sang her some songs, and Elira sang along.
Inside the royal carriage was lively,while outside the carriage was…different.
The atmosphere had already changed and tensions had risen.
The soldiers had already reached for their weapons in case of any attack.
The forest has became so quiet that the only thing which could be heard was the sound of the neighing horses and their feets.
The chirping birds had shut up and some flew away from their nests.
King Zareth rode alone in between the soldiers guarding the royal carriage and the soldiers riding behind.
His aura felt terribly dangerous that even the soldiers could feel it from the distance.
His gaze was steadied ahead, but ears were strained out for any distant sound.
King Zareth knew Eldarsh ways more.
He had studied them, and he knew their first attack is a warning before the second one.
War with Eldarsh has lasted longer than any battle he had fought.
Their king had escaped from his kingdom before the war reached the palace walls and now he had raised armies again.
Zareth scoffed at the thought.
The king of Eldarsh was really cunny.
Setting up the lives of the innocent just to live.
But he, Zareth, would make sure the king of Eldarsh would feel it.
The more they traveled, the more the forest became dreadfully dangerous.
Elira opened the curtain and her eyes landed on General Alaric.
As though he noticed, he turned, their eyes locked and he bowed.
Elira nodded at him.
She looked around searching for king Zareth but she couldn’t see him.
She didn’t withdrew, rather she kept looking at the scenery outside.
Elira observed the soldiers and their movements.
She didn’t know if she was overthinking but she felt the soldiers seemed too focused for just an escort.
She finally closed the curtains and withdrew inside.
“Something isn’t right” she whispered to Rosa and Lillia.
Just as she finished speaking, the sounds of horses neighing from behind echoed.
Voice of the soldiers carried through the forest.
Elira immediately pushed the curtains aside to see what was going on.
But before she could have the chance to, General Alaric appeared before her and held the curtain in place.
“Stay in the carriage my Lady.
Do not step out no matter what!” He ordered.
“What’s going on?” Elira questioned.
Fear creeped in more.
Image of being almost stabbed by an arrow at the lake flashed in her memory.
“It’s nothing we can’t handle my lady!
Just do not step down.” General Alaric said and shut the carriage window.
Outside voices echoed, swords clashed, bones cracked quite loudly.
Elira protected her stomach as Lillia and Rosa circled her trying to calm her troubled heart.
The fight increased, getting closer with each seconds passed by.
Just then, more than three arrows hit Elira’s carriage, but it penetrate due to the strong steels it was built with.
Elira screamed out in terror.
More arrows hit as the fight grew so intense.
A sword struck the door twice and burst open, and one of the men attacking the soldiers of Nebuzza appeared.
But before he could get in, general Alaric appeared behind him and drove his sword through his heart.
Elira’s eyes widened.
Dead bodies lay scattered on the ground and most were the attacking men in red, while the dead soldiers from Nebuzza were struck by arrows.
‘Same men from earlier!” Elira thought.
“Don’t get down!” General Alaric ordered and turned back.
The fight was intense.
Elira watched General Alaric fight like a monster released from cage.
He cut down twelve men in a blink of an eye.
Just then an arrow flew towards him in quite a speed, and their eyes widened.
“General Alaric!” A collective gasp rang.
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