[ Rienne ] “That’s…”
What a strange thing to say.
He didn’t want her to be taken away? He was the one who stole her away in the first place.
But Black was speaking like Rienne had belonged to him from the start.
[ Rienne ] “What makes you say ‘taken away’ like that?”
[ Black ] “I’m just glad I didn’t let anyone else take you.”
[ Rienne ] “Lord Tiwakan…”
[ Black ] “If you had married someone else, things would have gotten complicated…… I don’t think I could have handled that.”
Black was speaking almost to himself, his voice and words as hazy and vague as a dream.
[ Black ] “Can I kiss you?”
Just then, his dazed eyes turned towards Rienne’s lips. He ran his tongue over his own dry lips as if he were dying of thirst.
[ Rienne ] “I…”
[ Black ] “Is that a no?”
…This is a trap.
Rienne looked down at the man’s mouth, and it made hers burn with intensity.
No, she couldn’t be fooled by this.
It was because of the fever.
This was only happening because he was mistaking the heat from his illness for that of desire. When he gets better, he’ll cool off and all of this will end.
Because he wasn’t really trying to woo her.
He wasn’t really asking for her permission.
[ Black ] “You can’t avoid me forever. I’m not just any man seeking your attention. We’ll be married soon enough.”
The fire in Black’s expression still hadn’t faded. Rienne bit her lip as she stared into his foggy eyes.
[ Black ] “How can I get you to say yes?”
…But maybe…
Maybe, if he was delirious enough from his fever, she could make this request of him. She could take advantage of this.
[ Rienne ] “Promise me something.”
[ Black ] “What?”
In truth, he had already promised her plenty. He promised to protect Nauk, ensure the safety and birthright of her child, and would help her ascend the throne herself.
From how things were going, Rienne seemed like she was the only one benefiting from this arrangement.
Black had even given her access to a powerful military force that wouldn’t give invaders even a chance of encroaching upon her castle, and in return, all Rienne had to give him was herself.
Perhaps Nauk needed a King like Black.
Someone who could fill the position of her husband without needing much else from her.
So Rienne wanted him to promise her that everything he said before was true. That when he spoke to her, he was being honest with his words and wouldn’t go back on them so easily.
If she had to get married, then she wanted to do it properly.
[ Rienne ] “If you want this marriage to happen so badly, then you must do everything within your power to keep it.”
[ Black ] “What do you mean?”
[ Rienne ] “I ask that you don’t break or destroy the promises you made me.”
Black exhaled as if trying to understand her words.
[ Rienne ] “That’s all I ask from the bottom of my heart.”
[ Black ] “And what will you give me in exchange for such a promise?”
This time, Rienne was the one to release a slow breath.
[ Rienne ] “If you can promise me this, then I vow to do my very best to desire you as you do me, Lord Tiwakan. That is my own promise.”
His response came quick.
[ Black ] “Very well.”
[ Rienne ] “Lord Tiwakan…”
[ Black ] “If I was planning on going back on my word, I would have done so from the start and never proposed to you in the first place.”
Saying that, Black wrapped his arms around Rienne’s waist, moving so well, it was hard to believe he once had an arrow stuck in his shoulder.
Holding her with one arm, Rienne felt him gently lean her head back.
And then, in an instant, Black had Rienne in his arms, capturing her lips with his own. The moment the sound of their kiss hit Rienne’s ears, it was like a thick fog completely clouded her mind.
The unfamiliar feeling of hot air being passed to her made her lips tingle, and Rienne instinctively wrapped her arms around Black’s neck to support herself. She felt like she needed to hang onto him or she’d just sink to her knees.
The sensation of the man’s lips against hers was entirely new.
It was nothing like she had ever experienced previously.
The kisses Rienne knew were soft and kind, never passionate like this.
[ Black ] “…We should stop here.”
Eventually, that never-ending whirlwind that swept her up came to a halt. Burying his face against the soft skin of her neck, Black whispered softly.
[ Black ] “I don’t know if I can blame this on my fever anymore.”
It wasn’t until she noticed his mouth was still on her neck that Rienne felt the tickling of his breath against her bare skin. Coming to her senses, Rienne pushed Black away, hoping it wasn’t obvious how much she was trembling.
[ Rienne ] “I forgot you were injured.”
[ Black ] “. . .”
Black gently released Rienne, allowing her to get out of bed. Rienne turned around to speak to him. She needed to act calm.
[ Rienne ] “Then, I will leave you to rest now. Please get well soon.”
[ Black ] “I will. Especially now that I know I don’t need to use my fever as an excuse anymore.”
Black spoke slowly, his words unmistakably sweet. Even his voice sounded as though he was intoxicated by something.
[ Rienne ] “Sleep well.”
As that same dreamy voice touched her ears, Rienne left the room as quickly as she could. She didn’t want to be infected by whatever energy he had.
Once she was clear of the room, she spoke a silent prayer to herself.
Please, don’t forget your promise.
Even if you find out I lied to you someday, please just do as you promised me.
* * *
But keeping promises was a difficult thing.
[ ??? ] “Princess.”
When Rienne returned to her bedroom, there was someone waiting for her. Rienne, expecting the room to be empty, nearly screamed.
[ Rienne ] “Weroz—!”
[ Weroz ] “Sh.”
Weroz put a finger against his mouth.
He looked around the room once more to make sure there was no one else around. That meant he had something he wanted to say that absolutely needed to be a secret.
[ Weroz ] “I managed to step away for a moment. I don’t think they’re suspicious yet, but I’m still not sure if I was followed or not.”
Rienne kept her voice low as she whispered.
[ Rienne ] “What’s going on?”
[ Weroz ] “There’s something I need to show you.”
Weroz had been working with both Phermos and a few other members of the Tiwakan in order to organize a search party to find the attacker.
In doing so, he found something else. Something the barbarians hadn’t recognized.
[ Weroz ] “This…”
Weroz rummaged through his sleeve and pulled something out.
[ Weroz ] “You recognize this, don’t you?”
[ Rienne ] “. . .”
In Weroz’s hand was a leaf. It was long and thick, roughly the size of two fingers. To ordinary people, it was no different from any other leaf, but Rienne recognized the small trace of a thread tied to one end.
It was the same kind that her lover once used to adorn his arrows with.
[ Weroz ] “It hasn’t been long since I found it.”
[ Rienne ] “. . .”
[ Weroz ] “I discovered it while following the path left behind by the attacker.”
Rienne felt dizzy.
It was obvious what he was implying.
Rafit Kleinfelder might not be dead. They might not have known he was still alive, so he would’ve been able to deceive the Tiwakan in order to enter Castle Nauk.
…And then he would have used a bow to fire an arrow.
…Aiming right towards Black.
[ Weroz ] “Princess, are you alright?”
It was only as Weroz reached out to help her that Rienne realized she was staggering.
[ Rienne ] “I’m fine…It’s just… you’re saying… he might still be… alive?”
[ Weroz ] “I can’t say for sure. It’s possible someone just used one of Sir Kleinfelder’s arrows.”
Without evidence, it was impossible to come to a conclusion.
[ Rienne ] “Has anyone opened the caskets yet?”
Six coffins were brought by Black and placed in the royal chapel to await their final rights and funeral. Naturally, Rienne had assumed one of them contained the body of her former lover.
[ Weroz ] “Not yet. Would you like to check them?”
[ Rienne ] “…Yes. I should.”
[ Weroz ] “It’s probably for the best, but you should prepare yourself ahead of time, Princess. For whatever the truth may be.”
Weroz’s voice sounded especially heavy. As if reminding her of the weight of what she was saying.
[ Weroz ] “If Sir Kleinfelder really is still alive, what will you do about the marriage?”
[ Rienne ] “. . .”
She couldn’t answer the question.
Before she had properly said her goodbyes, Rienne had already accepted the proposal of another man.
And mere moments ago that day, she had just made a promise with her fiancé to make their marriage as real as possible right after he had been struck with an arrow.
And it might have been her former lover who shot that arrow.
[ Rienne ] “…I just need to confirm it with my own eyes.”
Rienne forced herself to stand up straight, fighting against the dizziness that threatened to consume her.
[ Rienne ] “Then I’ll think about what to do.”
If you really are alive…
If he was willing to risk his life in order to destroy this marriage arrangement…
What would she do?
[ Rienne ] “. . .”
Ignoring her thoughts, Rienne turned on her heel and started racing towards the chapel.
* * *
…Thump!
The lid of the coffin was pushed aside, making a heavy sound as it collided with the floor.
[ Weroz ] “…Princess, are you hurt?”
Weroz quickly moved to grab Rienne, who almost got hit by the heavy stone cover.
[ Rienne ] “He’s… He’s not here, is he?”
The coffin they just opened was the final one.
Of all the six coffins Black had brought them, none of them contained the body of Lord Kleinfelder. What was there instead was a body wrapped in a cape marked with the Kleinfelder family crest.
Someone was willing to take his place in order to save his life.
[ Weroz ] “That’s right.”
[ Rienne ] “He’s alive.”
Beads of sweat began to pool on Rienne’s pale forehead.
[ Weroz ] “So it seems. Then the arrow from earlier must’ve meant…”
[ Rienne ] “It means he wants to fight, doesn’t he?”
[ Weroz ] “Most likely. I would have done the same if I were him.”
Tap.
The sweat from her forehead fell.
Rienne had to make a choice. Whether to fight or be forced to surrender. To believe in her lover’s devotion or fall to the whims of fierce passion.
[ Weroz ] “Sir Kleinfelder is likely being harbored by the delegation.” (1)
As Weroz mentioned this, he realized that was likely why the search wasn’t turning up any leads.
[ Weroz ] “That’s the only place he’d be safe. We should find a way to send him a discreet letter first and foremost…”
Before Weroz could finish speaking, he was cut off by a screeching noise.
Screech!
The sound of the chapel door opening violently scratched against Rienne’s ears. Whipping her head around in surprise, Rienne saw Phermos and several other Tiwakan mercenaries entering.
[ Phermos ] “How strange for a princess. What are you doing here of all places?”
* * *
Rienne couldn’t tell if he heard what they were talking about, but at least the chapel was completely dark.
That meant they couldn’t see Rienne’s shocked face the moment she noticed Phermos standing there, studying her as if trying to get a read on her.
[ Phermos ] “So, what brings you here?”
There was obvious doubt in his voice.
He was curious to know why Princess Rienne, accompanied only by the captain of her guard, was in the chapel so far from the main palace at such a late hour.
[ Phermos ] “Were you trying to inspect the bodies? How odd.”
Phermos’ monocle like glasses reflected the moonlight that made its way through the small window. The light was cold and cut through the air like a blade, bearing hostile intent.
[ Phermos ] “If I’m not mistaken, isn’t there a custom in Nauk that disallows you from viewing the faces of the deceased until the day of the funeral?”
[ Rienne + Weroz ] “. . .”
He wasn’t wrong. Rienne and Weroz couldn’t say anything back.
[ Phermos ] “Was there something you needed to confirm?”
[ Rienne ] “That’s…”
Rienne bit her lip before forcing her mouth open.
She had to make an excuse.
If they ever found out her former lover was still alive, things would quickly spiral out of control.
[ Rienne ] “…I just wanted to say goodbye.”
The Tiwakan still believed the Commander of the Arsak Knights to be dead. If that was the case, then she needed to lean into that assumption.
[ Rienne ] “If I don’t do so now, I’ll never get the chance.”
[ Phermos ] “…Is that so?”
Though he didn’t say it, it was clear Phermos didn’t quite believe her.
[ Rienne ] “Lord Tiwakan and I have already promised one another to make our marriage as true as possible. To that end…”
[ Phermos ] “So you’re saying you needed to give yourself the opportunity to separate yourself from your deceased love?”
[ Rienne ] “…Yes.”
She wasn’t sure if she sounded confident enough to fool Phermos, but she knew her words officially made Rafit a dead man.
Realizing this brought a strange chill over her body. It felt as though she was standing naked, alone in the middle of an intense blizzard.
Phermos’ monocle glasses glistened against the light like blade once more.
[ Phermos ] “Hmm… if that’s what you’re saying, then I will be sure to mention this to Lord Tiwakan.”
[ Rienne ] “…I’m sure he’ll understand.”
Rienne gently nodded with an attitude that was deceptively calm.
[ Rienne ] “I must take my leave now. I hope some progress will be made in the search tonight.”
[ Phermos ] “If you are being honest, then I will thank you for your consideration, Princess.”
With that, Phermos stepped aside, politely giving Rienne enough space to leave the chapel.
[ Phermos ] “Farewell. We’ll meet again some other time.”
[ Rienne ] “Of course.”
Turning her back on him, Rienne left first, with Weroz following behind.
How do you feel?
