Wife of The Demon Prince
Chapter 144: Without you...I have nothing

Chapter 144: Without you...I have nothing

Fredrick watched the couple leave before he started to cough violently again, "Cough! Cough!" He covered his mouth as his body shook with the coughing. Merona clicked her tongue and held out a handkerchief to him, "You should be resting in bed instead of having dinner with the couple, Your majesty."

Fredrick took the handkerchief she gave him and spoke in a more serious tone than before, "Why can’t you just do as I say for once and follow my lead?" He questioned without explaining.

However, Merona knew exactly what he meant. He’d told her countless times to be nice to the bastard, because he wanted to groom Hamon to be a calm and caring crown Prince before he gets crowned king in the future, but why should she do that when she wanted her own son to be the next king? That monster doesn’t deserve to be king! And she’d make sure of it.

Merona smiled casting her face away as if she knew nothing about what Fredrick meant, "I have no idea what you’re saying, Your majesty."

Fredrick had known Merona for more than decades, and he already knew that she was often a cunning Fox right from the start. Their marriage was political, there was no love between them. He was forced to marry her when he needed support to take the throne. She had a strong backing as a princess of Dumbarton, and marrying her had helped him become king, even though Cornell was the eldest, he’d ended up taking the throne because of Merona.

However, he’d never loved her, and neither does she. As they were two pillars that supported Findara, there would be so much to lose if any of them backed away from the relationship, and for so many years he’d had no choice but to be with her and do everything she wanted. When Hamon was young, Fredrick would watch as she would treat him and his mother like dirt she’d punish Margaret for every slightest mistakes.

Fredrick wouldn’t blame Hamon if he hated him for how he’d never stood up for him or Margaret. But he’d been trying his best to make sure Hamon becomes king.

Fredrick glanced at Merona with a bitter smile. Even until now, they only stay together to keep each other in check, and their affection was simply just a show to the public. They were a couple who had no affection towards each other, but just lived to keep the kingdom in peace.

As usual, Fredrick said with a small smile to not offend her, "I hope next time you know to act nice towards my son, if you can’t do that at least don’t say anything to make it worst...I feel like those medicines you feed me everyday aren’t working anymore. My last days are approaching, I’d like you to treat him right."

Merona glanced back at him with a radiant smile on her face, "Of course, I’ll treat him right. He’s like a son to me after all, Your majesty." Wait until I kill him after I’m done with you! She added in her mind.

__

Hamon and Ara walked back in silence neither of them said anything. Hamon’s expression was blank and unreadable. But when they reached the patio in his residence, he halted his steps. Ara also stopped and glanced up at him, and when he didn’t say anything, she broke the silence, "Um...I’ll go ahead first."

As Hamon didn’t say anything, Ara turned to take the other path, but he captured her wrist to stop her. Ara glanced back at him questioningly, he then responded in a firm tone,

"Whatever it is the queen gave you, I want you to dispose it in the trash now. There is no need to examine it."

Ara’s brows furrowed, "I can’t just throw it away yet. I have a good plan in mind to expose the queen, so don’t worry about me, I never had any plans to use her gift."

"Why do you always like to make me worry? I don’t want you getting involved with that hag, there are a lot of things you don’t know about her, Ara."

Ara was a bit taken aback, he’d never used her name, it indicated how seriously he’d taken the matter, she then said, "I know. But you don’t have to worry about me all the time, I can handle things myself perfectly." She stated confidently.

"...!" Hamon’s eyebrows raised at her over-confident tone. Sometimes he wished she was just an ordinary woman with no fighting skills and no hardheaded determination to stand up to dangerous people at all, she was a fierce woman who wouldn’t back down from her enemies no matter what! But Hamon knew if she wasn’t any of those things, then she wasn’t the woman he’d fallen in love with.

Ara continued, "I’m not some kind of a little girl you’d worry about all the time. I’m capable of taking care of myself. Besides, Are you angry simply because I hadn’t told you about the gift?"

"...!" Hamon clenched his jaw to control his anger, hearing the mention of the gifts once again he couldn’t help but feel infuriated. Yes he was angry about that, but he didn’t say anything and just kept quiet.

"Don’t forget, I’m not just any woman, I was once a soldier. I can do things myself."

Ara also knew he was angry, but she hadn’t made the decision on a go. After finding out about what was mixed with the perfumes, her first thought was to take action, not to go running to Hamon at the first sign of danger. She didn’t come to the palace to depend on him, but to help him fight the enemy and make him king. She was already running out of time to save her family, she couldn’t bear to lose them again in this lifetime. She’d lived her life in regret and pain in her previous life, she wouldn’t let it happen again.

Hamon lifted a brow, "Are you implying I leave you alone, No matter what you do?"

"That’s not what I meant, all I want is for you to leave me handle somethings myself, I just want you to trust me."

"You got it wrong, it’s not like I don’t trust you, I know you are capable of handling things yourself..."

Ara’s eyes shimmered at his unexpected answer. She’d thought he didn’t trust in her ability to do things herself, as he’d always tried to stop her everytime she tried to do something without him.

Hamon continued, his voice turning softer, "Trust is different from worrying, I’m just worried because I know how clever the queen is, she may look nice on the surface, but trust me she’s evil. I can’t let you get involved with her schemes."

"But i_"

"Just don’t get too involved with her again."

"...!"

Hamon had known Merona for long, he knew when she was up to something. He wouldn’t mind if she plotted against him, but if she tried to harm his wife, he wouldn’t let it be. He’d watched how she mistreated his mother, but he couldn’t do anything about it because he was still young back then. But now...

He glanced down at Ara. As they both stood on the patio, the spring breeze blew past them making Ara’s hair hover on her face, she raised her hand to catch the stray locks from flying in the wind. However, Hamon lifted his hand and arranged her red hair, he smoothed it with both hands. It was a special gesture without much physical contact.

Ara felt the strange feelings from this morning welled up within her. It was something that she’d never felt before in her life. What was this feeling...?

Ara stared questioningly at Hamon’s sculpted face. His hand slowly came down as he arranged her hair, then his fingers lightly traced her cheek to her jawline. It was an action where she could barely feel his touch, but nevertheless a small ripple pulsed through her body and mind.

Hamon had a bitter smile on as he said, "Ara, I am sorry if I worry about you too much...I tend to lose my mind whenever it comes to you. I can’t stand and watch you do something dangerous even though I know you are capable...I can’t watch you get hurt."

"...Hamon." She called softly, but despite her soft voice, Hamon continued to speak.

"I don’t know what you plan to do, but I know there’s one thing you are always careless about right from the moment I first met you."

"What is it?" She asked curiously.

"Yourself."

"I don’t_"

"Shh, listen. I’ve seen it myself many times. You seem to have no regard for yourself. I am not going to ask you why you’re doing what you’re doing, but I want you to keep this in mind..." He paused, his voice was laced with an emotion Ara couldn’t quite identify as he resumed, "If anything happens to you... I will ruin the entire world. Without you...I have nothing."

The small ripple in Ara’s heart and mind became a huge wave, her green eyes widened. She’d never thought he’d say such words to her. Ara was ready to jump into a fire holding a can of oil to protect her family, but it was as if he was telling her to cherish herself first or else...

"You..."

Ara found it difficult to say anything, after what she’d heard so far, should she be angry with him for saying that? Or should she try to stop him from worrying unnecessarily? Or perhaps...

Should she just thank him? And what does he mean by his words? How should she reply?

As Ara’s thought tangled in her head, she tried to think of what to reply, but nothing came to mind and her expression hardened as she couldn’t think of how to interpret his words.

However, Hamon who noticed her hardened expression, mistook it for displeasure and thought she wasn’t pleased with his words Or feelings for her. He lowered his hand from her face with a pained smile, "I’ll go in first, I’ll wait for you for dinner."

After saying that he turned and left. She stood frozen on the spot, staring at Hamon’s back until he disappeared out of sight. Why did he sound...sad?

It wasn’t the first time Hamon had worried about her, however this time it felt different. He’d said there was nothing without her. And to her, it sounded like she was the most important person to him. Perhaps that wasn’t too generous of an interpretation?

But whatever it meant...It moved her heart in a way she couldn’t explain. Ara placed her hand on her chest, her heart widely pounded against her ribcage. She couldn’t give a name to all of this strange emotions she’d been having.

_What is wrong with me?_