25. Travelling
twenty-five
Travelling
*AZADEH*
I ’ve just packed the most necessary clothes, and even borrowed some pants from Alana. It’s just easier to travel with them. Simin will stay here in the castle and promised to help Kilah.
“Sorry, have you been waiting?” I ask the guys while I approach them.
“No,” Flinn shakes his head. “We were just too early. That’s Caelan’s fault. He always gets annoying before a trip and wants to be extra-early. Goddess forbid we might get an additional hour of sleep.”
Caelan grumbles while Endellion laughs, before they help me fix my luggage to my horse. It’s the white mare, Enora, who I have trained with a lot. Something about her spoke to me, and I am beyond happy they chose her for me. “You and I, my girl,” I whisper, touching her nose. “I am so happy the princes are allowing me to ride you.”
“Well,” Flinn says. “She is yours.”
“Eh?” I blink. “You mean you are lending her to me?”
“No,” Endellion smiles. “She is yours.”
Caelan nods. “We talked and want to gift her to you. She chose you as her master.”
“The three of us found Enora a year ago, almost dying,” Endellion explains. “We saved her, and while she grew accustomed to us, she never wanted any of us to ride her. You, however, she bonded with.” He smiles. “A princess for a princess,” he says with a wink.
Something about the way he smiles at me makes my cheeks flush. “Thank you,” I say. I want to fight them first for gifting me something so precious, but secretly I’m thrilled. Enora grew on me, and I don’t want anyone else to have her. I wrap my arms around her neck, smiling when she nickers into my hair.
“So, where do we start?” I ask while I mount my horse. My skills have got a little better thanks to Alana, and I’m actually looking forward to this trip.
“The plan is to roam the lands,” Flinn says. “We hope something will trigger your connection to the two… dragons.” He pauses. “Man, it still feels weird to say it.”
“We don’t have many clues,” Endellion says. “But I talked to Aylin today.”
“You have been talking to the witch?” Flinn blinks. “I thought you found her creepy?”
“I do, but she also knows a lot,” Endellion looks at me. “She told me to travel to the Raon-Deighe pack. Raon-Deighe stands for ice field, and it’s located close to a lake. An elderly woman is supposed to live there. Aylin said she is apparently a witch, although her powers are more on the defensive side, but she is knowledgeable in meditation and said to be very capable.”
“If Aylin says to go and look for her, we should do that,” I agree.
“That’s actually not bad,” Flinn grins. “Because Raon-Deighe is close to the Crystal Forest, which is a must see!”
“Oh yes!” Much to my surprise, Caelan beams at his words. It’s the first time I’ve seen such an over-excited expression from him. This place must be truly special.
“I can’t wait to see it.”
I want to ask more questions, but before I can do so, Aylin approaches us out of nowhere. “Here,” she says to me, while completely ignoring the boys. She hands me a necklace. “Wear it. It should protect you. We don’t want something to happen to you.”
I blink at her. “Thank you.”
She just nods and scurries away.
“Amazing,” Flinn smirks. “You’ve melted her heart.”
“I’m not sure if I really did,” I chuckle.
“Yeah, maybe she just doesn’t want to endanger you… the prophecy and all.”
A few weeks ago, this would have made me feel self-conscious, but now I can only laugh. No one here gives me the feeling of just being an ornament or a mere object.
Now, however, we set off for real, with Endellion leading the way out of the pack grounds. I’ve seen a lot of the pack lands, but traveling through the kingdom is different. Before coming to the Kingdom of Eternal Ice, I never thought a snowy and icy landscape could come in so many different shapes. But now I just find it fascinating.
“Are you cold?” Caelan asks me.
“No,” I tell him. “I’m fine.”
“We have a few extra blankets,” Endellion says. “Just say the word.”
“I will.” For now, I truly enjoy the breeze. My body is still adapting to the cold, but it’s getting better, especially once I started being more active and training. It’s a sunny day today, so my thick coat and shawl are enough.
The ride takes us almost the whole day. We only stop twice for lunch and to take a short rest. When we finally reach the Raon-Deighe pack, I feel like I can’t even move a finger anymore. The guys halt their horses, and Flinn is the first to dismount and come to help me. “You look absolutely dead, Azadeh.”
I can’t even argue, as I’m about to drop down from my horse in exhaustion.
“The last part was too long,” Flinn says. “Wait, I-”
“No,” Endellion interrupts him, possessiveness clear in his voice. Something flashes in his eyes, but soon he is back to normal. “I mean, allow me.”
Flinn doesn’t react the least bit insulted. Instead, his gaze softens and he steps aside for Endellion. The latter silently helps me down from Enora and catches me easily. I feel his arm beneath my knees and his other arm around my back as he carries me. This is the second time I realize.
“I’m sorry for worrying you,” I say. “Exhaustion truly just kicked in.”
“It’s our fault,” Endellion says bitterly. “We didn’t consider that riding the whole day would be too much.”
“Endellion,” I mutter. “Can we just not do that?”
“Do what?”
“Apologize over and over again,” I sigh as I lean against his warm chest. “I enjoyed this day a lot.”
“Alright.” He smiles. “I already linked the innkeeper. She will prepare a hot bath for you, and then something to eat.”
“But what about Enora?” I say. “She is my horse. I need to make sure she is tended to.”
“Caelan and Flinn offered to help with our horses,” he explains to me. “In the meantime, you will get some rest, and I will make sure we all get something to eat.”
“Right, I forgot I’m traveling with wolves,” I chuckle. “You don’t have stomachs, but endless pits.”
“Nothing I can say against that,” Endellion grins.
He only let me down once the innkeeper showed me my room. It’s a cozy little room with a bed that looks so inviting I want to jump right in and sleep. But, I also want to take a hot bath and then talk to the triplets some more. The fact that we are traveling around and I can see more of their lands makes me so happy. I relax into the steaming hot bath, feeling how my tired muscles relax and my head feels dizzy.
I don’t know how long I stay in the tub. I feel like I might have dozed off. I just wake up to some rustling in my room and a shy voice belonging to a maid, calling to me that she’s prepared some clothes for me.
“Thank you,” I say, dragging my tired body out of the water. I wrap a thick towel around me and peek into the room. “That is very kind of you.”
“It’s nothing.” The shy girl smiles. “I’m happy to help. Dinner is ready whenever you are.”
She retreats out of the room while casting me curious glances. We said we would be traveling incognito, but I doubt it will work for a long period of time. The people here know their princes, and feel their aura. I think we should focus on me staying undetected, instead, rather than them.
The thought of getting something to eat spurs me on and I soon find myself hurrying to the small dining room.
Caelan is already sitting at our table, while Flinn discusses something with the innkeeper. By the way the woman talks to Flinn, how her posture is, it’s clear she already knows who he is. I approach Caelan and sit down. “We weren’t undercover for long, were we?”
Caelan sighs. “Normally, when we travel on our own, we can suppress our aura, so that the regular wolves won’t detect who we are, but I guess because it’s all three of us…”
“This plus the fact that even if they have never met me, they know what you look like. It’s too much of a coincidence to meet three men who resemble the princes,” I say with a smile. “What about me?”
“Ende told them that you are a guest. A cousin of Beta Quinn,” he says.
“And they bought it?” I ask in disbelief. The people in these lands are all white, almost pale sometimes, and my skin tone is bronze. I stick out like a sore thumb.
“Ende told them that you are half human and are from another realm,” Caelan says. “He can be very convincing.”
I smile. “Well, I have no reason not to trust you three.”
Flinn drops down next to me and puts an arm around my shoulder before kissing the side of my head. “We like you too, Aza,” he grins. His grin only grows when Endellion appears and glares at him.
“What’s for dinner?” Caelan asks, completely oblivious to Endellion and Flinn’s little showdown.
“Fish with rice and vegetables,” Endellion says before turning towards me. “They are close to a lake here,” he explains. “We thought it would be nice to present you some local dishes.”
“That’s a fantastic idea,” I agree, my stomach already rumbling at the delicious scent reaching me from the kitchen. “And with vegetables on top of that.”
“Ende ordered it for you,” Flinn says. “He knows how you love your greens and other weird colored food. I don’t get it,” he smirks. “But apparently he does.”
Endellion looks a bit flustered at his words. “I think a few more vegetables would benefit us all.”
Caelan frowns at his words, and grumbles a “Why?”
Flinn just chuckles and gets up from his place to sit down next to him. “I will make sure he eats his greens,” he says with a sassy smirk.
Endellion and I both laugh, and Ende slips a bit closer to sit next to me. The moment he is close, his warmth engulfs me again, almost magically pulling me towards him. I don’t know what it is… I have never felt for someone like I do for him.
When our food comes and I see the delicious vegetables on my plate, my heart just swells more and more. He knew how much I love vegetables. He is always thinking about me first. Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but I just can’t help it.
This is what love feels like.
I love him.
*ROYAN*
Seeing my princess being led away from my safety makes my stomach churn and tug. I swore to protect her, yet I have to stay behind. I know the triplets can protect her, they are stronger than I am, yet… I swore an oath, and I already bound my fate to hers. It’s like it rips my soul apart seeing her leave to potential danger.
“Here.” Shayan hands me a cup of tea and sits down next to me. “I know how it feels.”
“How what feels?” I ask, while still stressing about her leaving.
“To want to protect her, but not being able to,” he smiles sadly. “I was her protector for as long as I can remember. She is like my own child to me.” He pauses. “But now she doesn’t need me anymore.”
“She still needs you,” I point out. “Just not the same way as before.”
A gentle expression crosses Shayan’s normally serious face. “I know. But she will always be my little girl.”
“She told me how much she loves you,” I comfort him. “She said Shayan is like the father I never had, my best friend and mentor.”
“Sad, isn’t it? That the one-armed, cold-hearted warrior is more like a father to her than her own.”
“I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m pretty sure the fact you are one-armed doesn’t take away from your ability to love her,” I point out. “And as far as I’m concerned, I don’t think you are cold-hearted.” I add.
“And your bond to her?” he asks.
“A gamma’s bond,” I explain. “I swore an oath to protect her. It bound my soul to hers. It’s very similar to how the bond between Beta Quinn and King Gillean works.”
Shayan nods. “The triplets will protect her.”
“I know, still…”
“Ever since we came here,” Shayan says. “She has truly spread her wings. I’ve never seen her this independent and strong-willed. And, while I am sad that she doesn’t rely on me anymore like she did, I’m also utterly happy and relieved she finally found a place she belongs, and found her own voice. Part of me might be sad that she grows so independent from me, but the other part is just incredibly proud and happy for her.”
“You are right,” I say quietly. I look at the man in front of me in awe. That’s the longest I’ve heard him talk so far. General Shayan mostly appears calm, composed, a bit stoic and cold, but he just showed me more insight into his character than I thought he ever would. “Did Tynan, Ita, and Alana already leave?”
“They left soon after Azadeh and the triplets did,” he says. “Tynan asked me to watch them ride off.” To my surprise, a smile curls his lips.
I’m starting to believe that the intelligent general is much more aware of certain things than us wolves think he is.
“While they are away, we need to work hard too,” I say.
Shayan nods. “That’s why I originally came to look for you. Princess Kilah and Prince Nevyn have been researching since yesterday. Apparently, there is a shady tavern in a town close by.”
I raise my head in interest. “You mean someone there has contacts for the cult?”
“That’s what Princess Kilah and Prince Nevyn are convinced about. They are currently talking to the king and the pack witch. So, you’d better be prepared to set out sooner rather than later.”
I feel my spirits rising again. My princess is out there with the triplets, doing her best to uncover the secrets that are connected to her mind. Now it’s on me to prove myself useful too.