Chapter 27: Pissing Off Troye

After some time, Selina cautiously lifted her head from Reinhart's back, her hands still clutching the knight's waist. Her eyes darted around, taking in the dense forest that stretched endlessly around them. They were clearly out of the capital now. The only sounds were the rhythmic galloping of horses and the occasional rustling of leaves.

"Trees. More trees. Even more trees," Selina muttered under her breath. "Who knew the countryside could be this… uninspired? No wonder nobles don't vacation here."

"What else would you expect?" The knight questions.

"I don't know, like something more than just green? Maybe a few cottages, a small village, or a couple animals then and there causing noise. Everything just seems…oddly empty."

"First of all, the environment of this forest is not suited for settlement. It was originally a keep out zone as this place harbored a few endangered species. If I was an animal, I certainly wouldn't want to make any loud noises to attract attention from possible dangers."

"That's interesting, I guess. Where are we heading anyways?" 

"From the recent reports, a few demons were last spotted in the outskirts of the countryside. The journey will take a couple of days, so just to make sure to hang on tight."

"A couple of days?! I don't think my behind can take much longer." 

"We'll have breaks along the way of course, I'm not a monster. Also…if you dislike riding with me so much, I'll try working something out with Troye. After all, it isn't very noble of him to be riding comfortably in a carriage while I'm leading his knights." 

"I would appreciate it greatly. And by the way, I don't dislike riding with you in particular, I just dislike the feeling in general." 

"It is my honor my lady" 

"I know~" 

…

"Noah, shut the fuck up before I make you." Troye grips his aching head, for fuck's sake, this man yammers on way too much.

"Woah there buddy, I can technically imprison you for treason y'know. According to kingdom law 1–Ow!" Noah winced, rubbing the side of his head where Troye had smacked him.

"Troyeee, why do you treat me like this? Don't you love me?" The prince teases, grasping his chest dramatically. The pain doesn't even seem to bother him.

"In your pathetic dreams!" Troye growled, his cold blue eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Just shut it" 

"Hey! It's your fault for sitting here, bear the consequences. I'm sure a certain pretty girl would've loved to chat with me." Noah mutters while crossing his arms.

"Share the same blood but are so different" He grumbles.

"We share barely any blood, don't you dare compare me with that half-blood" Troye glares at Noah, his cold blue eyes piercing deeply into Noah's. 

"Yeah yeah, that doesn't take away from the fact that you're the one sitting your ass down on the comfy seat and not Amelia." 

"You seem…awfully close with her. On first name basis already?" Troye questions suspiciously.

"That's the part you respond to? Are you jealous or something?" The prince grins smugly, his eyes curving up. 

"No! I'm just…curious how your relationship changed with her in merely a few weeks. Didn't you hate her?"

"Hate is a strong word dear Troye, I simply did not care about her~ But, she changed. From the outside its regular, boring Amelia, but the more I got to know her, she just got more interesting. If I knew she was this fun, I would've broken through her walls much longer ago, no matter how cold and rigid they were. Just like you~"

"My walls are still clearly up!" Troye bites back.

"And you'll lose interest in her soon enough, just like you do with every person you find entertaining at first."

"She's…different. I feel as though Amelia's hiding so many other secrets from me, I can't wait to unlock them one by one"

"You disgust me." Troye doesn't even try to hide his aversion.

"When do I not? Anyways, don't dodge the question, why are you here and not Amelia? I know that you're not the type to avoid getting your hands dirty, dirtier than they already are." The prince's laid-back demeanor shifts slightly into a more serious tone. 

"I can't coddle her every day, horse riding is a pretty basic skill to learn, even for some noble woman. I'm already a professional."

"We had a few weeks to prepare, couldn't you just train her then or at least ask someone to aid her?" Noah raises his eyebrow in distrust.

"At best, she'd grasp the basics, but it wouldn't matter in the field. It's a waste of time to teach her something she can't immediately apply," Troye said coldly, his tone dismissive, as if the decision was nothing more than simple arithmetic.

Then, a faint, almost predatory smirk crept onto his face. "Besides, throwing her straight into the wolves is far more effective. Nothing sharpens instincts like fear. She'll learn faster when survival is on the line, and maybe, just maybe, she'll finally figure out her place. Lately, Amelia's been far too bold for her own good. Someone needs to remind her who's in control."

For the first time, Noah's grin faltered, his crimson eyes narrowing. "Careful, Troye," he said, his voice quieter now, though the warmth was gone. "You sound more like you're breaking her rather than teaching her."

"And you," Troye snapped, "sound like you're taking an interest in something that doesn't concern you. This is my territory your highness, back off."

"Don't expect me to keep my mouth shut in front of Amelia."

"Not like that'll do anything."