Way to border IV

CIAN

How did it start again?

Ah! The day when Rina was nowhere to be found in the military camp. Those two months were the most exhausting ones in my whole life.

During that serious battle, I was dozing off, painting in my dreams. Suddenly Darcy came running towards me. He said out loud, "Your Highness!"

I jumped down and took a glance at him, patting his shoulders. "Chill and take a breath." My lips curled up, and I continued, "Even if it's a life-threatening matter, don't worry. As long as that person is breathing, I can save him." I assured him, proudly showing off my skills.

"It's about Princess Alfredo." He exclaimed while huffing.

I raised my brows, wondering what he meant. "Did she bully someone?" I shrugged, indicating it doesn't matter as long as the victim was breathing. "Or wait! She must have done some heinous stalking again!" I added with a grin.

My Rina, we're dating now, so instead of sniffing my clothes, you can actually sniff me.

Oh, never mind, it still looks weird…. And maybe disgusting?

"Your Highness, it's no joke."

As I was joking, the seriousness in his eyes caught my eye. It wasn't something to be taken lightly. "What is it?"

"She's missing."

"WHAT?" Missing? Was she a child? No, that doesn't make sense. No one can beat Rina, so how come this happened?

"She didn't return; it's been two days." He added with a huff. My eyes widened, grabbing his shoulders. I yelled at him, "AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS NOW?!?!"

"Th-"

"Forget about it. Just what had happened?" I ordered him while rubbing my temples. Darcy explained the whole matter to me; it was impossible to believe it. The way he described all those burns and scars… My mind started to get cold. It was her doing; that has to be it. But why?

"We have to find her. NOW," I ordered. Soon all the rushing started; the sole purpose was to find my Rina. Wandering here and there, the whole area was inspected, but she was nowhere. As the days passed, my mind started to snap out.

My patience, I was losing it. Responsibility wasn't something I was born to handle; whenever something unexpected occurred in my life, I ran away from it. The very reason I ran away from home, leaving everything to my older brother. But now Rina was lost. For the first time in my life, a problem had arrived from which I couldn't run away.

With all the searching here and there, almost a month passed away. But the results were none.

"Darn it!" I hit the wall in frustration. Anger surging in my veins, soon enough Darcy made his way here.

"YOUR HIGHNESS!" We were temporarily staying in a hotel. Blood dripped down my fingers. Shocked, he approached me in almost a begging tone.

He pleaded, "Don't…"

I pursed my lips; frustration had taken over me. I didn't reply a thing, just stood there staring at him in awe.

"Your Highness, don't hurt yourself." He said in a worried tone, Always has been. Whenever something occurred with me, he was the one to feel it first. But at that time, I was out of my mind. Instead of talking with the only person who would selflessly help me, I pushed him away.

"GET OUT!" I yelled at him, clutching my fist tighter. "You all are useless. INCREDIBLY USELESS."

He was taken aback by that statement, maybe because of seeing me losing it. My eyes had finally lost all the soul in them; it was too much to even use divine power to heal my wounds. Darcy didn't say anything after that, but he didn't leave either. Standing there, ignoring my command.

"If I don't find her until next week, I won't be able to keep it." I mumbled under my breath.

**

And soon, I reached the Dukedom. After finding that she had returned, it took me a month to reach there. At that time, it was just me questioning, what happened at that time? Why didn't she contact me? Why did she return to their hellish place? Was she trying to run away?

And then, like a miracle, most of those questions were answered by a simple 'I don't remember.'

No, was this supposed to be a joke?

She was the one who first approached me, seduced me, and made me fall for her, and now, like nothing, you discarded all those feelings?

I'll be lying if I said I was calm at that time. All this time I tried to find you, and in the end what I found was nothing. No, I wasn't the best person when it comes to anger, living my whole life as a prince running from responsibilities. Rina made me feel those emotions that I had never felt before, both positive and negative.

So I tried to be calm, the best resolve. If I scare her away, or maybe I show her something she will hate, God knows what will happen. And I wasn't a fan of risks, so I tried to be calm. Hiding everything from her, my pain and suffering, I tried to keep all negative things away from her. And be the person she wanted me to become, someone obsessed with her.

Someone who can't live without her even for a second.

And that's how time slowly passed away…

And now I can finally see those loving eyes again.

"Your Highness?"

Suddenly I heard her soft voice. Opening my eyes, she was right in front of me. Staring at me.

"Your Highness, wake up." She said with excitement, unlike her past emotionless voice. Rubbing my eyes, I devoured that new face of hers with my eyes.

She grabbed my hand and dragged me down the carriage.

ERIN

"Holy sh!t." My eyes popped out from the eye socket. The reason was simple: today we had decided to enjoy the night market before going to the west again. Most of the paperwork was done. After the endless suffering of 2 weeks, finally some rest had knocked on our door.

So here I was, with my beautiful Cian. Roaming in this market.

Shops were lined up; small lanterns were the only source of light in this darkness. People were enjoying running here and there. Food stalls, handicraft materials, paintings, books, pots, accessories, jewels, garments, and whatnot. It seemed like heaven.

Not because of shops, but the reason was their smile. Everyone was laughing and roaming. It was quite a scene, which you would never be able to see in the West…

My lips curled down after remembering the state of my own territory. It was a nightmare, though I tried my best to help it. It's been only a few months since I took over the dukedom…

"Rina?" He glanced at me with his loving eyes.

"Ah! It's nothing…" I scratched the nape of my neck. Lips curled up into a shy grin; suddenly my focus shifted to the sizzling smell of the food. Quickly I grabbed his wrist and dragged him towards the vendor.

"Aish." Because of that sudden move, his eyes widened. "Slow down, the shops won't run away!"

"Well, the food will!" I grinned. Gazing in his eyes, it was a calm look. Unlike his usual cold one.

We ordered two of those barbeques, handing him one. It was so warm, hot, and spicy. It reminded me about those days with Diana, when we would secretly sneak out like this to wander. Those good old days, if only..

"UHMM" My focus shifted in that direction, Cian, with barbeque in one hand and the other covering his mouth. The way he had closed his eyes and furrowed his brows, I can guess he wasn't good with spice.

His reaction made me chuckle; sometimes it was difficult to guess what he was up to. Was he a mature prince, an obsessed lover, a person with anger issues, or an immature brat!?

The diversity in his personality was impossible to capture.

"Your Highness, you should try something sweeter." I advised him while pointing at some candied snakes.

"I suppose." He replied, considering my advice. Soon we tried those snacks. It was too sweet for my tooth. But Cian was happily eating it, with a cute expression, just as I guessed he did have a sweet tooth.

Like it was the most obvious thing to do, I pinched his cheeks.

His eyes widened in surprise; with a crooked smile, he gazed at me. "Wwhat dis suppose-"

"HAHA," I puffed out in laughter. His cute baby talk was sweeter than this candy. "Your Highness, this suits you!" I replied while releasing his cheeks. He furrowed his brows and then rubbed his cheeks.

"I was un-"

Before he could continue, somebody rushed from between us. Pushing both of us, our candy falls on the ground.

"HEY" I glanced at them in anger; it was a hooded person. Not something with notable characteristics. But that person was rushing through the crowd, covering their face enough to raise suspicion.

I narrowed my eyes to look at them perfectly, and as they turned, what I saw bewildered me.

A white lock of hair.

They weren't an old person, and white hairs weren't common to begin with. Aside from the royal family, there was someone who I really know perfectly well with those strands.

Quickly I ran after that person, or more specifically, after her.