37

It was past dinner time when Hariah arrived back in the palace. Even though she was fetched by the royal guards and some maids, they couldn't even convince Sera to let her go. Neither she was.

Thus, she was only back when the night fell upon the skies. As she went down the carriage, she was stunned to see a familiar silhouette at the gate. The lanterns the servants were holding illuminated the darkness but also revealed the darkened face of the man who stood before them.

"Your majesty?" she whispered, stunned to see him welcoming her.

Hurriedly, Adil ran towards her with a worried face. he leaned towards her to whisper secretly.

"Hariah Jiejie! You finally came back. Don't you know my king had been waiting for you in hours here? he didn't even eat his dinner yet because he decided to eat with you. but you…" Adil shook his head.

Turning to Cavi who's gloomy face was now explained, Hariah walked towards him, staring deep to his cold eyes.

"You were waiting for me?" her small voice broke the nervous silence at the gate of Plum Blossom.

The wind blew hard, making her had goosebumps in the cold. Noticing this, Cavi pursed his lips and took his cape off. With no sound, he wrapped it around her tiny body that it was almost a third of the fabric was sitting on the ground.

"I asked the guards to bring you here before it gets dark. How brave and brazen are you to disobey my command?" he was hissing in anger.

And this made Hariah held her breath. She didn't know she made him mad for real this time. But, was it her fault in the first place?

Hearing his angry voice though Cavi was holding himself back, all the servants and eunuchs behind him kneeled. "Your majesty! please calm down." They were all pleading with heads to the ground.

This scene made Hariah guilty even more, blaming herself that these people were now suffering. Taking little steps towards Cavi, she reached for his sleeve and gently tugged it.

Cavi was about to scold her more, but when he saw those pleading eyes, cat got his own tongue. Why was he even angry at her?

Sighing, he looked away from those enchanting eyes. this girl really knew how to use her charms to her advantage.

"Never mind. Go with me for a walk." It was an order that Hariah couldn't refuse. with him ahead, she paused nervously when he stopped and looked back.

"Don't follow us." he was addressing the eunuchs and servants.

"Yes, Your majesty."

Again, Cavi continued walking but sensing she was purposely walking few steps behind him, he stopped so suddenly that Hariah bumped her head into his back.

"I…I…" her stuttering and scared eyes only made him guilty.

'Did I scare her?' he asked himself, clenching his robe with his fingers.

Walking towards her, he took her hand and placed it into the end of his sleeve.

"Hold into me and walk beside me."

Staring at him while he said those words made Hariah want to cry. It's as if, it had a deeper meaning which was making her heart warm. Forcing a smile, she walked at his side, constantly glancing at him though Cavi didn't seem to noticed.

Indeed, Cavi didn't SEEM to notice but he did.

They ended up at the side of a pond where the moon was reflected so clearly in the surface of the still waters. Looking up, Hariah seemed so lost at the constellations; lines that were connecting every dot of glowing stars.

"At the far north of Blue land, the sun will refuse to shine. People shall freeze and suffer, lands will be covered in white."

"What did you say?"

"Huh?" hariah was surprised by her own self. She knew she said something but she didn't know why she did or where those words came from.

"Nothing. It's nothing," she lied, looking back at the stars that was now being covered with clouds.

Though Cavi was still curious about what she said, he didn't inquire anymore seeing how different she looked this night. She seemed…disheartened.

"What did you talk about with Sera today?"

Smiling, hariah replied. "Nothing."

"Nothing? When you even came home so late in the evening?"

She was halted by his words. "She was talking about some stone-faced guy and how colder he is than the summit of Frost Mountain." Hariah giggled at the end of her statement, remembering how Sera described Cavi.

"Then, let me guess. I am that stone-faced guy, am I right?"

There was now reply received but a small laugh from the lady. still, Cavi sensed her sadness.

Silence followed with only the breeze blowing colder than ever that was making Hariah feel sick.

"Your majesty. can I ask a question?"

Cavi glanced at her and nodded. "You can."

"Then…" she paused for a moment before looking up at him. "Can I really call this place my home?"

The wind blew hard, making her long gray hair cover half her face for a second before settling at the side of her face. In this dark and cold place, she seemed like a candle illuminating the darkness. Yet, she also looked so fragile like a flicking candle on a windy place.

Cavi looked away. "Do you miss your home?"

Hariah let out a soft sardonic laugh and walked towards a big rock that was on her waist level, sitting on top of it. Cavi followed and stood before her. waiting for an answer.

'was that the reason why she seemed sad after returning? She misses her home?' cause if it wasn't he couldn't find any more good reason why.

"Your majesty. Shall I tell you a story?" though she asked, she still didn't wait for his answer. "Once, there was this lady who was drifting on the sea. She was drifting in it for so long that she couldn't remember how long anymore. until a gentle king saved her and let her stay in his ship. He took care of her without hesitation and she was so happy. After waking up for days, she realized she doesn't have any memory of her past. And everything around her seemed strange and unfamiliar. She thought she could find some place to stay beside that gentle king. But then, a woman who loved him so dearly got jealous and pushed her back on where she came from.

Again, this lady floated in the waters for days and nights. As she floated in the freezing waters, she had a dream. Do you know what dream is it, your majesty?"

Though she was smiling as she looked at him, Cavi was no fool not to recognize her loneliness and sadness.

"No." was his short answer.

Hariah continued, staring at the reflection of the moon. "She dreamed of a man with brand on his chest. And in her dream, this man told her he would protect her. for a lady who's so scared and desperate for protection, of course she was so happy. But that was just a dream. Perhaps, a memory of her forgotten past. Thus, when she woke up the second time, she decided to find that man. And she found him soon after.

But that lady was so silly. Believing that everything will be alright when she found him. yet, how could a person's life be changed entirely because of a single person she met?

She believed everything around her was beautiful and good. Including the people. But later, she realized how she knew nothing of the world she woke up with. She was scared. Terrified. She doesn't know her way back home…"

Cavi looked at her and met Hariah's waiting eyes.

'So, she wasn't scared before of him getting mad? Was it because she thought she's in danger when Lady Sera took her away forcefully?'

He sighed at the thought.

Closing her eyes, pearl of tears rolled from her thick lashes. "I'm sorry, I lied to you."

She just confessed. Though he knew she was lying about her being a people of Rian Kingdom, Cavi didn't expect the truth behind her real self. He never expected that she lost her memory and had been striving to survive in a strange world alone; as if threading on a thin plane of ice.

Hariah thought he would get furious and punish her immediately. That he would imprison her or even kill her for deceiving a king. Yet, she eyes snapped open when she felt him pulling her head into him, as if hugging her to comfort her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't protect you well." With his words, tears poured down her cheeks even more, making her embarrass. Thus, she buried her face on his abdomen.

"Seven years ago, before couple of years before the death of my father, I…I was ambushed so I can't remember all of my past. I don't know if I met you before or not. But it doesn't matter. I will protect you no matter what."

If Hariah won't believe him, Cavi didn't believe himself either. In these past years, he never let his emotion showed off to anyone. Or talk about anything about himself. But he couldn't explain why this lady was easily breaking all his limits.

He knew he was in danger the moment he laid his eyes on her. but like a mad young man in his adolescence period, he just couldn't stop himself from wanting to protect her, keep her and see her.

He's…cornered.