Chapter 103 - Setting Off To Belcoot
Chapter 103 – Setting Off To Belcoot
The day passed like usual. When I returned from the greenhouse, I just watched Hugo settle some more documents with Ivo. It was baffling how their conversation sounded so important, but they didn't seem to mind addressing them in my presence. After that, Hugo spent the rest of his day cuddling and playing with me until it was time for bed.
He didn't do anything aside from kissing me every once in a while, following the physician's advice to not touch me. So, just like the previous nights, we simply held each other's hands to sleep.
And with that, dawn came without condition.
"Rinnie, we will miss you." Teresa held my hand with a frown, eyelashes fluttering. I smiled at her, then shifted my eyes to Sally. She was still yawning while hugging a chubby toy, rubbing her weary eyes.
"Thank you for sending me off," I expressed as I appreciated that these two woke up early just to send us off. They said Priscilla wouldn't wake up, so it was the only two of them. Alice also told me she might not send me personally. That was why she already visited me yesterday to bid me farewell in advance. Meanwhile, Cora was apparently busy as she had to fill Hugo's seat and take over to what they originally tasked with Hugo.
"Will you come back on the mating season?" Teresa inquired in the same disheartened tone.
I nodded, keeping my subtle smile. "Hugh just needs to settle something in the north, but he said we will return before the season starts."
"I will miss you."
"Me too, Teresa." My eyes softened as I squeezed her warm hands. "I will miss you too."
"Rinnie, just memorize the route from the capital to Belcoot. If you plan to run away, you know where to find me," Sally chimed in lazily, only for Hugo to place his hand on top of her head.
"Why would my Rinrin run away, you silly brat?" Hugo tilted his head while Sally looked up with a glare.
"Don't crush my skull!" Sally harrumphed, flinging her arm as she backed away from Hugo. "Idiot brother."
Although Sally just murmured, we still heard her. But Hugo just cast her a playful smirk and didn't mind her as he turned his attention to Teresa.
"Reese, go back inside with that dwarf. Rinnie will just go with me, don't make it sound like she will go the heaven." Teresa frowned as she simply glanced at Hugo and then at me.
"Hey, did you just say I am a dwarf?!"
Teresa ignored Sally as she stormed towards Hugo to bite his arm like a dog. While the two siblings bantered, I focused my eyes on Teresa.
"Be careful, Rinnie. I know my big brother will take care of you, but you still have to be careful." I smiled and nodded at her concerned reminders. She was always been like that, even from the very beginning. I could say Teresa was the closest to me — maybe because we were around the same age.
"I will."
She squeezed my hand again before leaning forward to whisper in my ear. "Don't get scared of Brother Hugo when you set foot in Belcoot. He gets a bit more whenever he is in his territory, but he's just like that."
"Teresa…" I smiled as it seemed she was concerned about how I would view Hugo once we reached Belcoot. I preferred this instead of her suddenly rooting me to another brother.
"My brother is annoying, but I've seen how he was worried when you were ill." She drew her head back with a kind smile plastered on her face. "So, it's more reassuring that he truly cares for you."
Did they always think that Hugo took me in for fun? Was that their assumptions from the beginning, so they were worried? If so, I could understand them even more now.
"Thank you. I'll see you again some other time," I remarked and squeezed her hand this time. "I will truly miss you."
"Once you return, prepare your ears because we will gossip all day and night." We both chuckled before she took a deep breath, turning her head to Sally, who was still speaking profanities towards Hugo. "She could just say she will miss brother Hugo instead of barking like that."
"Just let them." I shook my head, noticing that Hugo had this different kind of smile while teasing the angry Sally. They looked closer than what I originally thought.
"Alpha Hugo, we should set off." We turned our attention to Ivo when he approached to remind Hugo. The latter just raised his brows before nodding, casting Sally an arrogant look.
"I'll miss you too, Lily." To my surprised, Hugo planted his large palm on top of Sally's head once again to ruffle it. The latter seemed surprised as her eyes dilated, but then softened as she frowned. Although Sally was already old to get married — even older than me and Teresa — she still appeared like a child sometimes. Well, she looked like a child, as she was small, as if Tito stole all the height that was meant for her.
"Selfish idiot brother." Hugo chuckled as he ruffled Sally's hair before raising his eyes to me.
"Rinrin, we should go now," he said, and I nodded before facing Teresa squarely.
"I'll see you before the season starts." I smiled kindly before I let her hand go.
"Take care, Rinnie." Teresa waved while I smiled in return before walking towards Hugo. Once I reached Hugo, he gazed down at me and fixed my coat.
"Belcoot is a bit cold. You need to stay warm." His words and subtle actions were warm, so I smiled and waited for him to finish. Once he raised his eyes to me, he tilted his head slightly. "Shall we?"
"Yes." I nodded with a bright smile, looking back at Teresa and Sally, the only two royals who sent us off personally. After a second, I felt a hand slowly holding mine. I looked to my side and saw Hugo smiling back at me.
"Let's go," he said, and my lips stretched.
"Mhm!"