Chapter 55
It was as if the sky itself had torn open; the pouring rain seeped relentlessly through the dense canopy above. He took off his outer coat and placed it over my head. The scent of spearmint, mingled with the smell of rain, wrapped around me together with his warmth.
“Wait here for a moment.”
“What are you going to do?”
I called out urgently just as he was about to turn away. Without realizing it, my hand shot out and caught hold of his robe. He gently covered my hand with his own.
“I’m only going to look for shelter from the rain.”
“It’s dangerous.”
The forest at night was already a perilous place, and with the rain pouring down, it was even worse. I couldn’t allow the Crown Prince to head off alone into such danger.
“Please stay here until the rain stops.”
“It doesn’t look like it will stop easily. If we stay here until morning, soaked like this, neither you nor I will be any better for it.”
“Then I will go with you.”
I couldn’t bear the thought of waiting endlessly in the dark, worrying about whether something might happen to him, gnawing away at myself helplessly.
“Bee.”
His large hand gently brushed my cheek. Even in the dark, his golden eyes shone vividly.
“May I think of this as you worrying for me?”
Before I could answer, he spoke again.
“I hope that’s the case.”
The corners of his lips lifted into a small smile.
“Even in this situation, just hearing your worried words makes my heart race… I must truly be mad about you.”
“Wandering the forest in this storm is the greater madness.”
“It’s fine.”
His thumb stroked slowly along my cheek as though memorizing its shape. The heat from his palm seared against my skin.
“I am far more capable than you think.”
Perhaps I frowned without realizing it, for he reached out and gently rubbed the crease between my brows with his fingers.
“So trust me, Bee, and wait here.”
He slowly leaned down. I felt the soft, feather-light touch of his lips press against the spot between my brows. Pulling back, he smiled mischievously.
“I’d rather put these lips on yours, but now isn’t the time—we need to be careful.”
His hand left my cheek. I reached out and grabbed him by the collar, yanking him toward me with all my strength. Surprised, his body came stumbling forward, his lips stopping just a breath away from mine.
“If you don’t return within an hour, I won’t forgive you.”
I pulled his collar tighter. Our lips brushed, damp and soft, before I drew back and smiled.
“I’m the type who always returns what I receive—with interest.”
I released his collar, but he stood frozen like a statue, not moving an inch. Folding my arms, I nodded toward the outside.
“Are you not going? An hour is shorter than you think.”
“Haa…”
He let out a deep sigh as he looked at me.
“You really are…”
He trailed off, shaking his head. Droplets flew from his wet hair, scattering in all directions. I just watched him in silence. Another sigh escaped him.
“Haa… I’ll be back.”
“One hour.”
“I won’t be late.”
With a helpless smile, he stepped into the downpour. After only a few steps, his figure was swallowed by the darkness.
Once he was gone, only the sound of the rain remained, filling the silence. I leaned against a tree trunk and decided to wait. The hard wood pressed against my spine.
Before me stretched only a curtain of darkness. I closed my eyes.
Waiting made time crawl unbearably slow. I didn’t know how long it had been since he left, but the rain-soaked fabric clinging to my skin had begun to chill me to the bone.
My dress, made of thin fabric suitable for the hunting festival, was light but offered little warmth. Unlike revealing party gowns, it covered more skin to block sunlight, yet it had no insulation. Now soaked, the thin fabric only drained the heat from my body.
I pulled his coat down over my shoulders. It was as drenched as the dress, but better than nothing.
Even after a long while, there was no sign of him. The heavy downpour had eased into a steady drizzle.
Though it was summer, the rainy forest night was cold. I clutched his coat tighter around me.
Through the patter of rain came the rustle of movement. I turned my head toward the sound.
“Your Highness?”
“Not an hour yet, is it?”
He emerged from the darkness, striding toward me with long steps. His voice was weary, but otherwise he seemed unchanged from when he left. Instead of sighing in relief, I replied curtly,
“Seems to me it’s already passed.”
“I found a good shelter. Why not forgive me this time?”
He extended his hand. I placed mine in his, answering coolly,
“I’ll decide after seeing it.”
“Heh, I’m a little nervous now.”
He laced his fingers with mine, laughing aloud. Somehow, holding hands with him like this had become second nature.
After shivering so long in the cold, his hand felt almost burning hot. I studied his face closely. It was hard to see in the dark, but his complexion didn’t look good.
Though he acted as if nothing was wrong, I knew he was still injured from his fall. And now he had been wandering in the cold rain for hours. No matter how strong he was, his body couldn’t be unscathed.
“Are you—”
“Careful!”
He suddenly let go of my hand, wrapping his arm around my waist. My foot had caught on a tree root slick with mud. Without his strong arm holding me, I would have fallen hard.
Though made for riding, boots were still boots—not suited for such rough terrain. The royal hunting festival was meant more as a social gathering than actual hunting.
Most women simply strolled along the groomed paths, watching rabbits or squirrels, unless they truly enjoyed the hunt. I had never imagined walking such wild, uneven ground.
“It’s not far. Just a little longer.”
He pulled me firmly against him. I swallowed the words I had been about to say.
No matter my resolve, my body was no different from any other noblewoman’s. I was relying on him completely. I couldn’t bring myself to ask if he was alright, not when I knew what his answer would be. Even if he were dying, he would say he was fine. There was no point asking what I already knew. Instead, I moved carefully, trying not to burden him.
“Here.”
He stopped before a small burrow, likely made by an animal. It wasn’t far from the tree where we had been. The entrance was just big enough to crawl through, but inside seemed spacious enough for several adults to sit.
“Go in.”
He released my waist and gently pushed me forward. Once inside, I saw it was wide, though one couldn’t stand upright. He didn’t follow immediately, only peered in with a smile.
“Wait here a moment.”
“What—”
“Only a moment.”
He smiled reassuringly. I nodded, and he disappeared once again into the darkness.
The burrow reeked with the foul odor of animals. Fur and droppings were scattered across the ground, but for now, it was a blessing. We could only be grateful that its owner wasn’t here.
I tore off part of my dress—already ripped in places from my earlier fall—and cleared a spot to sit.
When I was done pushing the dirty scraps aside, the Crown Prince returned, stooping low to crawl inside. In his arms he carried three large, round fruits.
“Those are Arak fruits, aren’t they?”
Common in the forest, Arak trees bore fruit year-round in the right conditions. The fruits were huge, as large as a grown man’s head, but the edible part was only a small morsel deep inside.
The bark-like shells were hard and stubborn, and once peeled away, yielded only a tiny lump of white flesh with a greasy, slippery texture. Worse yet, it tasted bland. A poor reward for such effort.
“Ah, yes. Luckily, there were plenty nearby.”
Why he called that lucky, I couldn’t understand, but I said nothing and simply watched. From his breast, he drew a small folding knife—plain and unfitting for a prince.
With practiced hands, he sliced into the tough shell. Beneath the outer husk lay a second, fibrous layer. Only after breaking that away did the pale lump of flesh reveal itself.
He twisted his wrist, and the seemingly solid fruit split apart easily. That was not how I remembered Arak fruit—certainly not that easy to open.
Repeating the motion, he broke apart all three fruits and handed one of the white lumps to me. I stared at it silently until he chuckled.
“It doesn’t taste good, but it’s very high in calories. Best if you eat it.”
He placed it into my mouth himself. The slippery texture and greasy flavor made me grimace involuntarily.
