Some Crazy Woman

"Tell your men to stop looking for me," Karium Maselli said to Princess Yara whom he had no idea of her identity. For him, she was just an unreasonable young woman who wanted him dead while he didn't commit any crime against her.

"Are you saying that you will give up your life as I wanted?" Yara Amiel simply asked with a slight smirk on her lips. "This is easier than I thought," she added with a chuckle.

"I never say that," Prince Karium argued. "I will be leaving this kingdom after two days. I just want to spend my little time here in peace. However, with those men looking for me, it's hard to do that."

"That's not my problem," Princess Yara muttered and lifted her sword, pointing at him for the second time in two days!

Karium Maselli didn't even glance at her sword but... he swiftly moved and in no time, the sword fell to the ground while the Princess was completely unscathed!

Yara Amiel glanced at her sword which was now lying on the ground. Did this man just make her dropped it? How?!

He moved too fast for her to even react!

"I think violence should be the last resort," the Prince calmly remarked. "Why use weapons while we can talk it out?"

"Who are you?" Princess Yara asked the moment she shifted her gaze back to him from the sword.

That agility. He can't be an average person!

"You asked me that question yesterday and my response is still the same," Karium Maselli said, still maintaining his usual calm demeanor. "I'm a traveler."

The Princess wasn't satisfied with his response as she suddenly grabbed him on the part of his cloak that covered his chest. When the Prince glanced down at her, she met his enchanting topaz blue eyes. Even now, he was still calm and collected as ever.

"Which kingdom are you from? Are you a high-ranking military official?" she asked. Her firm gaze demanded an honest answer from him. When she thought of his great agility, her guard was instantly raised.

It never occurred to her that this man could be dangerous! She only wanted to get rid of him for witnessing her weakness.

Prince Karium stood still and though a stranger was grabbing him, he didn't even attempt to set himself free. He simply met her suspicious gaze which was reading him keenly. "That's rude. I don't even know you. Why must I tell you about myself?" he simply asked her back.

The Princess's face turned sour at his response. She withdrew her left hand from his chest and reached for his cloak that covered his hair but...

Karium Maselli was more than quick to catch her hand. "My patience also has limits," he warned her in a stern voice. Finally, he grabbed her other hand which was still on his chest and put it down. Then he took two steps backward, distancing himself from her.

Yara Amiel was taken aback by his words and action. He remained unfazed no matter what she did or say but... he suddenly became sensitive and cold the moment she reached for his cloak?

What a strange man!

"I think you act this way because of our coincidental encounter yesterday. But as I said, I don't even know you," Prince Karium uttered. "You have no reason to be wary of me."

"Why should I trust you?" Yara Amiel asked.

He was quite skilled and he didn't even want to say when she asked him which kingdom he was from. That's suspicious but... he said not to be wary of him?

What nonsense was he saying?

"That's up to you. I already make myself clear enough," Karium Maselli simply said. "But if you still insisted to send those men to look for me, don't blame me even if I'm rude."

While the two locked gaze with many questions hidden on their minds, General Cassius approached them with a horse. King Edric had ordered him not to let the Prince be alone once the sunset. So, he always looked for the Prince once it became dark.

General Cassius noticed an unfamiliar woman standing opposite the Prince but still, he halted and gets off his horse. He walked closer to the Prince and bowed. "It's getting late, milord. We should return now."

With a stranger around, the General knew better than to address the Prince as 'Your Highness.'

"I already say what I wanted to say. It's up to you now," Karium Maselli said and turned his back at the Avarian Princess. He mounted his horse and rode towards General Cassius who was waiting for him.

General Cassius briefly glanced at the woman before he shifted his gaze back to the Prince. "Who is she?" he asked.

"I don't know," Prince Karium replied. He eyed Yara Amiel and added, "Maybe some crazy woman."

When he noticed her looking at him with a sour face, he quickly turned away. With a subtle smile on his lips, he muttered, "Let's go."

The two men started riding their horses, leaving the Avarian Princess alone in the quiet forest.

Princess Yara stared at the disappearing form of the two men as she tightly clenched her fist.

Who did he call crazy? Her?

Was that traveler asking for death?!

* * *

It was night and Princess Yara was alone in her room when she sensed the presence of Andrus. Soon enough, the man made his way through the balcony and kneeled a few steps away from the Princess.

"What is it?" Yara Amiel asked. She was sitting on a chair, drawing another portrait of that daring traveler. He told her to stop but... she had no such intention.

"The soldiers whom I sent to look for the man as you ordered are attacked by someone but... " Andrus paused, cautiously glancing at the Princess. However, he was very quick to look down again. "No one identified the attacker."

The moment she heard the information, that stranger's warning instantly crossed the Princess's mind. Was it his doing?!

"Are there any deaths?" she asked. She hardly squeezed the quill in her hand, causing it to break.

"No, Your Highness. They said that someone rendered them unconscious but they have no serious injuries," Andrus replied. "What will we do?" he asked the Princess.

Was he declaring war against her? At the mere thought of it, Yara Amiel was instantly filled with rage!

It's the first time that someone dared to stand in her way and... it was more than hard to stomach!

"Continue the search," she commanded. "I will handle this matter."

From his skills, she was sure that her men won't be able to kill him even if they find him, but... didn't he say that it's hard for him to spend his time here in peace with those men looking for him?

Why should she grant him the peace which he wished for?

"I understand," Andrus replied and tried to stand up, but...

"Increase the number of our men who search for him. Double it," the Princess commanded with a little smirk on her face.

Andrus raised a brow when he heard her. Didn't she say to search in secret? She didn't want to make a big deal out of it and now... she wanted to double the men?

However, he didn't question the Princess. He never did.....