43 On The Same Boat

The afternoon wind whipped sand across Scorched Grave desert and over Chinua, but the sand that occasionally disturbed her eyes didn't affect her mood. Instead, it stirred the many thoughts swirling in her mind.

No matter how many scenarios Chinua tried to conjure, or how much credit she tried to give to the man she believed dared to assassinate her, the same name still popped up in her mind. She knew from the moment she left the palace for the Northern Army Camp that her fate was already fraught with danger. This idea had been present for a long time. From the day she walked out of the palace, she knew that Khunbish and Khenbish alone couldn't always protect her from every threat. So, whenever there was a chance, she would choose someone who had nothing to lose to "sell his life" to her. Only in this way could more loyal subordinates be willing to risk their lives to protect her and help her achieve her goals.

On the wooden wagon, Drystan sat looking at Chinua's back. If no one had told him Chinua was a woman, he would have thought her a man. He had traveled to many kingdoms, offended, and tasted many beautiful women, but Chinua was unlike any woman he had met before. Not far from Naksh, the young woman riding her horse looked harmless, yet somehow Naksh didn't dare to offend her. This made Drystan wonder why a scary-looking man like Naksh would follow this young woman who was only as tall as Naksh's shoulders.

Riding his horse behind Chinua, Naksh initially didn't understand. But when he clarified the situation and Chinua's title, Naksh knew why someone wanted to kill Chinua. He understood this because he had experienced it himself. He knew very well that as long as you were an obstacle to someone's goals, they would find a way to get rid of you. Yet, at the same time, Naksh didn't understand why that person was Chinua. As far as he knew, throughout history, princesses were born to be gifts and possessions for others. Princesses had only royal titles but no power; they existed only to secure the borders between kingdoms.

"You've been staring at Chinua for a while," Hye observed. "What are you thinking?"

Naksh turned to look at Hye, who rode beside him. Although the sand had partially obscured Hye's face, preventing him from seeing clearly, Hye's firm voice made him turn.

Naksh revealed, "I know why someone wants to kill Chinua, but I don't understand."

"What is it that you don't understand?" Hye inquired.

Naksh elaborated, "As far as I know, people with titles like Chinua's only exist to be gifts to others."

Hye smiled. "But Chinua isn't like those people who only have titles."

"Any kingdom would do this," Naksh continued. "I'm sure it's the same even in Hmagol."

Hye sighed and looked at Naksh. "Didn't you hear anything at all last night?" he asked.

"We were woken up by your voice and only heard the end of your conversation," Naksh clarified.

Hye smiled. "Then I believe Chinua will tell you the reason sooner or later. You're Chinua's subordinate now."

Drystan chuckled from the wagon. "It's so funny how two grown-ass men are willing to bend their knees to a young woman."

Naksh glared at Drystan, who lay on the wagon with his eyes closed and a smirk on his face. "Better keep your mouth shut, kid, or you're going to have to walk from here until we get to the first rest stop."

Drystan turned to look at Naksh, but as he opened his eyes, he had to quickly close them again as a gust of wind roared past him. "I suggest you avoid the first rest stop," Drystan advised.

"Oh, why?" Hye asked. "Are you planning a plot against us there?"

"I don't know," Drystan replied slyly. "Maybe..." He laughed.

Naksh was about to jump on the carriage and knock Drystan unconscious when he noticed dark clouds gathering in the distance and the wind speed increasing rapidly.

"Chinua!" Naksh shouted, quickly galloping towards her. "Chinua, we have to hurry up."

"Why?" Chinua asked.

Naksh pointed to the left. "Look at those dark clouds," he urged.

Chinua looked at the dark clouds in the distance and saw the strong wind gathering, but as this was her first time in the desert, she didn't know what she should be looking for. She turned to Naksh and asked, "What am I supposed to look at?"

Naksh explained, "The wind is gathering sand, which means there's a sandstorm heading directly towards us. We have two options: either run for the shelters or start digging holes to hide."

Hearing Naksh's words, Hye and Drystan looked at the gathered clouds with concern.

"We have nothing to dig with," Hye stated.

Chinua looked at Naksh. "Will it come our way?" she inquired.

"The sandstorm is coming towards us now," Naksh confirmed, "but if the wind direction changes, the sandstorm may change direction. It's hard to say."

"Let's make a run for it," Chinua decided. She grabbed the rope by her saddle and threw it to Drystan. "If you don't want to be buried in the sand, you'd better tie the rope tight."

As the wind began to pick up speed, Jeet and Khawn stood in front of the huts, waiting for Chinua and the others. The increasing sand swirling in the wind made it difficult for them to open their eyes.

"Will they make it?" Khawn asked with a heavy heart, peering into the dust.

Jeet stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his demeanor calm. "They'll make it. You just have to be ready to push the wagon into that barn. We can afford to lose the horses, but we can't lose the peanut sacs."

As the two continued to watch, a group of ten people on horseback had already approached the huts.

"Brothers!" one of the men called out happily. "Is there somewhere we can hide from the sandstorm?"

Jeet looked up at the ten men. "There are already people living in those small huts. Go and ask if there's enough room for the ten of you."

Another man asked, "What about that barn? Can we take shelter there?"

"The barn has been occupied," Jeet replied. He watched the ten people dismount and drag their horses towards the small huts. He then turned to Khawn. "Tonight, we need to be extra careful."

"Why?" Khawn asked.

Jeet scoffed and spat on the ground. "Those people aren't ordinary people. If my guess is correct, they're imperial officials or some kind of hitman."

"How can you tell?" Khawn inquired.

Jeet turned to look at Khawn. "From experience, kiddo. You may fight well, but you lack experience. You still have a long way to go." He turned back to the swirling wind, and when the sound of horse hooves was heard in the distance, he gently patted Khawn's shoulder. "I think that's Chinua and the others."

"How did you know it was them?" Khawn asked, still unable to distinguish the sounds.

Jeet chuckled. "Like I said, experience. Didn't you hear the sound of the wagon wheels rolling?" Khawn shook his head. "Go open the door so we can push the wagon inside."

Khawn quickly rushed to the barn and began to open the door.

Although the wind was picking up faster, Chinua could barely see ahead, but as she got closer, she saw a figure standing a few yards away from her, arms folded over their chest. Chinua stopped her horse in front of Jeet.

Chinua dismounted and asked, "Where are we staying for tonight?"

Jeet pointed to the barn. "It's over there, but the place isn't big enough to accommodate the horses."

"What are you suggesting?" Chinua asked.

"I have no other suggestion except the stable," Jeet replied.

"The stable is good enough for the time being," Chinua agreed.

Jeet yelled, "Khawn, come and take the horses to the stable!" He then turned to Chinua and grabbed her right arm. "Chinua..." He leaned closer to Chinua, making sure he wasn't too loud for Drystan to overhear him. "In one of the ten huts, there are ten armed men. I believe they're hitmen."

Chinua looked at Jeet. "I understand," she murmured.

After securing the horses in the stable, Naksh, Jeet, and Khawn covered the stable as best they could, then went to the small barn and closed the door tightly.

Drystan, who was sitting in the corner of the barn, observed the men's extreme caution. He smiled proudly. "It's good that you guys took extra caution..." he began.

Hye cut in, "Since we rescued you, you should be nice to us and tell us what we need to know so that we can take extra precautions."

Drystan said with a smile, "Ah, I didn't expect that two days later I'd be back where I originally tried to escape from."

Naksh sneered, "Heaven must be blind to let you live until now." He pulled out a katar from the scabbard on the side of his thigh and began to sharpen the blade.

Chinua walked to Drystan, lowered her body, stared at him, and said in a very firm and unmoved tone, "We are in the same boat. If someone attacks us tonight, you will also be attacked. Only by standing with us will you live to see the sunrise tomorrow." Chinua raised the corner of her mouth and smirked at Drystan. "You aren't the first or the last smart-mouthed person to try to play mind games with me." She moved herself closer to Drystan. "No matter how loud the wind howls, the wind can never bring the mountain to her knees."

Jeet looked at Drystan. "You know Chinua is right. Your only chance is with us." He adjusted the scabbard straps across his chest.

Naksh looked at Drystan, a smile spreading across his face. "Kid, how about you bend your knees now?"

Seeing a shadow lurking outside the barn, Naksh threw away the stone on which he was sharpening his katar, and with his left hand drew another katar from the scabbard tied to his left thigh. "Here they come," he said, turning his head towards the closed door.