Return of the General's Daughter
Chapter 118: Falling Into His Trap

Chapter 118: Falling Into His Trap

The sun hung high in the eastern sky by the time Lara stirred awake, its warmth already seeping through the fabric of her tent. Sleep had claimed her so swiftly last night that she barely remembered closing her eyes. The exhaustion was bone-deep, and even now, she felt its weight pressing down on her.

She fetched a basin of cool water, the chill biting against her skin as she splashed it over her face. The sensation jolted her fully awake. Quickly, she changed into her fatigues, fingers moving with practiced efficiency before she made her way back to the infirmary. Her two patients awaited her.

"Your wound is healing well, but you should still avoid straining it. You still need to lie in bed for three more days." Lara, when attending to her patients, always sounded like a professional doctor, and it displeased Asael.

Couldn’t she act like a younger sister?

Asael frowned. "Can I at least sit up and walk around a little? I feel like I’ll grow boils on my back from lying down so much."

Lara smiled faintly, a teasing lilt slipping into her voice. "Of course, Brother. But you cannot overdo it."

Asael’s eyes lit up at the playful jab. "Brother, huh?" He reached out, aiming to ruffle her topknot, but Lara ducked out of reach, laughing softly.

"I’ll stop calling you ’Brother’ if you mess up my hair."

"Alright, alright. Sorry, little Sis."

Their voices dropped to a hush, their bond apparent in the easy rhythm of their teasing. Yet across the room, another pair of eyes watched the exchange with a stormy intensity.

Alaric sat rigid on his cot, his expression darkening. He’d been waiting for L to tend to his wounds, but the sight of her laughing with Asael gnawed at him. Was she always this soft with the other soldiers? The thought curdled his mood further.

"Kane, are you not done with him yet?" He asked, his voice expressionless.

Asael’s brow furrowed. Wasn’t a royal physician here, meant to tend to high-ranking officers like Alaric? Why was Kane attending to him personally?

Lara finished wrapping up Asael’s bandage and helped him up so he could sit in an incline position in the bed. She placed a bamboo backrest to support him.

Lara discovered that there were skilled carpenters who had joined the ranks of the army. With Bener’s invaluable assistance, these resourceful carpenter-soldiers crafted sturdy cots and supportive backrests from slatted bamboo.

"This is comfortable." Asael sighed as finally his back left the cot.

"Good. Today, just focus on sitting and gently moving your legs. Don’t strain your stomach muscles." Lara tried to do a quick, simple massage on Asael’s legs without removing his pants.

With Asael settled, Lara turned to Alaric. The moment she approached, his dark gaze locked onto hers, unreadable.

"Considering the energy you displayed last night, I truly doubt that your wound needs tending," Lara admonished, her voice firm yet tinged with a hint of concern. She regarded the man, who wore an ugly expression, grappling with the sting of her words.

Alaric stiffened, his pride clearly stung. His posture sagged slightly, though, betraying the discomfort he tried so hard to hide. Without another word, Lara gestured for him to lie down, and he obeyed, watching her closely as she prepared the ointment.

Just as she dipped a cotton swab into the salve, Alaric coughed lightly. "That tickles. Can you apply it the way you used to before?"

Her brow furrowed. "What way?"

His eyes met hers, dark and smoldering, and for a moment, Lara felt herself being pulled into their depths. The world around her seemed to fade, leaving only the steady thrum of her pulse in her ears.

Damn. Why was she staring at his eyes? She had never seen anything like them — intense, yet captivating, as if they held secrets she would never unravel.

She blinked and then looked again.

Alaric was waiting for her to apply the ointment.

Was he scheming against her? Why did she feel that he was taking advantage of her?

"If you don’t believe me, you can try applying that and see what happens," Alaric remarked with an air of nonchalance. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he continued, "When I get tickled and cannot control my laughter and my wound reopens, it will be your fault." Alaric said casually.

Lara narrowed her eyes as her gaze landed on his face.

The prince remained silent, still waiting.

Was he toying with her? She shook off the thought and poured alcohol into her palms, rubbing them together before carefully applying the ointment with her fingers. The warmth of his skin beneath her touch made her hesitate for a moment. She could feel the muscles of his abdomen tense beneath her fingertips.

"Your wounds have already scabbed," Lara said, her voice a blend of reassurance and warmth. "Starting tomorrow, you can apply the ointment by yourself."

Alaric inhaled sharply. Lara glanced up. "Are you in pain?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern. It could be possible that the activities he did last night have affected his wound.

Alaric looked at her with amusement in his eyes. Could he tell her that he could feel as if he was electrocuted whenever her fingertips grazed his skin? It was a foreign feeling for him. He was averse to human touch, but L, whatever that meant, was different. Her touch sent tingles to every nerve in his body.

His lips twitched, almost into a smirk. "No," he said quietly. "It’s just..." His gaze turned complicated. "Your touch... it feels different."

She frowned. "Different how?"

Alaric hesitated, searching for the words. "It’s... soothing. Like your hands weave some kind of magic. When you touch me, the pain fades. It feels like being kissed by warmth... transforming pain into comfort."

Lara’s hands stilled. Her heart skipped a beat. Was he serious, or was he just messing with her?

Kissed by warmth, transforming pain into comfort.

Corny. Was this how men from his era talked?

"Alright, enough nonsense," she muttered, trying to ignore the sudden heat in her face. "I’ll apply the ointment tomorrow. And the day after."

Alaric’s lips curved into a cunning smile, but when Lara glanced at him again, his expression had returned to its usual mask of indifference.

Did I imagine that? She shook her head, perplexed. What a pity — he looked more handsome when he smiled.

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