"Roaring Thunder"

Ezekiel and Jerissa laid on the small bed with their shoulders touching. They stared at the low ceiling made of wooden planks. How could such an inn exist?! The owner of the inn must have been more fond of horses than humans. The horses in the stable were well-fed, had a spacious stall, and a hostler to take care of them!

"Jerissa… Aren't you sleepy?" He turned his head towards her.

Jerissa looked at him as well, "Apologies, your Majesty. Am I disturbing you? I-"

"I thought I ordered everyone to call me Kiel while we're on travel."

"But… no one's here. It's only the two of us, and no one's listening-"

But Ezekiel suddenly placed his hand on her lips. "It's a royal order. Regardless of where we are, or who we are with, you are to call me Kiel, Jerissa."

The king's stare and his hand on her lips made her speechless. For a long while, the two of them only stared at each other.