Chapter 104 - No One Must Know
Chapter 104 – No One Must Know
"Mhm!"
With that being said, we both turned around and marched towards the carriage we would use. He helped me hitched inside the carriage before Hugo looked back.
"Hugo, is there something wrong?" I called with raised brows, noticing the incomprehensible look in his eyes. But when he faced me, it disappeared and was replaced by gentleness.
"Nothing." He shook his head before he hitched in, sitting on the spot across from me. "It's nothing, Rinrin."
"Alright." I nodded as the carriage moved a second later. As I watched Hugo rest his legs over the other, I couldn't stop my lips from stretching.
"What?" he asked upon noticing my expression.
"Nothing." I shook my head, averting my eyes towards the window. "It just reminds me we're back inside a carriage again. Feels like we're bound to start again."
Hugo and I had been traveling from places to places for over a month before we reached the capital of Ronmin. It felt a little nostalgic to be sitting in a carriage with Hugo across from me — a sight I had been staring at for over a month.
"Mhmm." I glanced at him when he hummed, eyes on the window. "I think so too, Rinrin. That we're bound to have another start."
My brows rose at his solemn demeanor before my eyes softened. Even so, I didn't mind starting anew over and over with him. We just stayed silent, staring at the window as the carriage go further and further away from the palace.
It was just a gut feeling like usual, but I thought Belcoot would be the perfect place to start over instead of the busy palace. I wasn't thrilled, nor I was hopeful that Belcoot was a fun place, but I had this feeling I could truly start over in that place.
'I hope I can come to terms with the questions in my life,' I thought with soft eyes, determined to address the things I simply ignored in the past.
"Rinrin, let's do our best." I snapped my eyes and gazed at Hugo when he spoke. "I'm saying, let's grow together and come back here with clearer minds."
I smiled at the sincerity pooling in his eyes. "Yes!" I nodded, my lips stretching from ear to ear. "Let's grow together!"
Deep in my heart, at that moment, I was certain we just told each other a promise we would hold on to for as long as we lived. Many things may come in between, but that doesn't matter. I discovered a new side of me right this second.
The uncertain or predictable tomorrow doesn't scare me anymore. I didn't know when it started, but I somehow looked forward to the surprises of what tomorrow would offer.
I looked at Hugo, only to see him wink at me. "I'm looking forward to more adventures with you, Hugh."
"Me too, Rinrin."
******
Meanwhile, in one of the rooms in the palace, Daniel was standing in front of the window. His eyes stayed on the carriage that was taking Hugo and Rinnie away.
"Hugh," he whispered with an incomprehensible eye. "Why would you look at me like that?"
Before Hugo entered the carriage, he exchanged gaze with Daniel, who was watching from his room. For some reason, Hugo looked at him with hostility — a look Hugo would give to people he had some doubts. Daniel had always been with Hugo and they were closer than his other brothers, so he knew his little brother very well.
"You had all the reason, though. I sometimes wish you aren't that sharp, brother." A deep sigh slipped past his lips as he shook his head lightly. "It is just a matter of time before you put the pieces together."
Daniel ran his fingers through his hair, breathing growing heavy as if he was ill. Feeling a bit weak, Daniel carefully dragged his feet back to his bed, but stopped to hold on to the settee. His grip on the chair tightened as he clenched his teeth.
In the end, Daniel couldn't make it to the bed as he just collapsed on the settee. "I'm dying," he whispered along with his deep breaths, adjusting his position until he was lying on his back — feet over the armrest. He stared at the ceiling, arms covering his one eye.
"No one can know," he added under his breath, barely keeping his consciousness at the scorching heat coursing through his body. "No one must know."
———
In the Hendrik Empire…
"Welcome back, Your Highness, the crown prince!"
A crowd of knights lined up to welcome the return of the crown prince from his victorious expedition after conquering Everfell. The man who stood in front of them smirked, pleased at the gesture of the people he left.
"Your Royal Highness, the emperor had been waiting for your return." A knight stepped forth to inform the crown prince about having a private audience with the emperor. The crown prince let out a mocking scoff before he nodded, following the knight without bothering at the grand welcome from the rest.
When the crown prince stood in front of two large doors, he glanced at the knights guarding it as it opened. His arrogant smirk remained as he trudge inside, stopping meters away from the step up towards the throne.
"I, your loyal subject, greet the sovereign of the great land of Hendrik." Niall, the crown price placed his arm across his abdomen as he bowed.
"Niall, my son, the crown prince, drop the formalities." A deep voice came to his ear, making Niall the crown prince to raise his head. There, a man who appeared to be around his age and just as dashing as him sat on the throne, jaw resting on his knuckles.
"How did that child ended up in those rotten dogs' territory?" The emperor's cold voice resonated across the throne hall, sending a chill down to one's spine if anyone else heard him. "Speak before my disappointment take charge."
"Your Majesty, I failed as the crown prince to bring her with me. I had no other excuse. Hence, I accept any punishment."
"If that so, then you must." The emperor's crimson eyes glinted, keeping his silence for a moment while staring at his son. "Who… intervened?"
Niall's brows slightly raised as a humble smile appeared on his face. "The mad dog in Ronmin, Your Majesty. Apparently, we didn't calculate their presence in Everfell the night of the attack. It was my fault that I didn't consider that werewolves would appear that night."
"The mad dog in Ronmin…? Was it the crown prince?"
"Hugo Tempest, Your Majesty." A glint flickered across the crown prince's eyes for a split second. "That is the name who slaughtered our people and burned Ashton to ashes. He was also the one who abducted that princess."
"Hugo Tempest…" The emperor nodded while rubbing his chin. "I heard about that infamous seventh prince." His sharp and cold eyes then fell on the crown prince.
"Niall, I would understand it if it's the crown prince of Ronmin that interfered with us. But I will make an exception this time since it's that young puppy who doesn't know how the world revolves yet." He paused as his eyes darkened. "Even so, I will not be lenient next time."
"Thank you for your benevolence, Your Majesty."
"Bring that cursed child to Hendrik. Even if it means… silencing that dog," came out a firm order, making the crown prince smirk menacingly. "I would like to see that arrogant old dog Deimos' reaction once he sees his son's decapitated head."
"I will not disappoint you this time, Your Majesty." Niall's eyes revealed strong contempt, as if he had expected this much. "I already had a plan."
— END OF VOLUME 1 —