Wife of The Demon Prince
Chapter 48: Riding under the moonlight

Chapter 48: Riding under the moonlight

"Damn it!"

A man dressed all in black with a mask on his face cursed as he rolled to the ground, blood was oozing out of the deep sword cut on his side, but the man chuckled as he remembered how he’d slaughtered the men who pursued him.

After making sure nobody was nearby, he slowly took off the mask on his face, to reveal someone the Boxton sisters would find quite familiar.

The man turned out to be Ulric the jewelry store owner, he had tracked down the Boxton eldest daughter after the younger sister had told him she wasn’t at the mansion. Her necklace was exactly similar to the one he was ordered to find,

"If that stupid slave boy of the crown Prince hadn’t interfered today, I’d have succeeded in my mission!"

Ulric hissed as he covered his injured side with one hand, he needed treatment as he had already lost a considerable amount of blood,

"What a coincidence, the lady is with the crown Prince. I could bet the necklace she had was the right one...With the crown Prince in the picture, there’s no way I’ll get close to the lady or the necklace!" Exclaimed Ulric to himself in anger.

He had hunted down dozens of similar red stones, so far. Some were earrings, some were rings, he had tracked down all of them and even killed some women in the process, but in the end it wasn’t the one they were looking for. But now he was hundred and one percent sure the one with the young lady was the real one.

"Arabella Boxton." He murmured.

He had a strange feeling that if he tried to get closer, she would catch wind of him. That wasn’t the only problem, the lady was with the enemy!

Ulric was only carrying out a mission given to him by Cornell, his orders were simple,

"Find the other half red stone of Helga!"

Ulric was dumbfounded when he was tasked the mission by Cornell. Because the red stone of Helga was a mythical stone made from the curse of a black witch. Which people considered bad luck to whoever used it.

A long time ago, the stone had been divided into two. and now that the other half was with the lady, he had to get it from her by all means.

Ulric had no idea what his master wanted the cursed stone of Helga for, but he couldn’t refuse to find it, considering the generous compensation he would receive after the mission, and now that he had his first real clue...

The necklace the young lady had was his prize, he would get it even if it meant to wipe her out of the earth,

"I need to see master again." He muttered as he tore his coat and tied it around his deep wound, then stood up and walked away after making sure the prince’s men weren’t after him.

**********

Ara and Hamon finally walked out of the restaurant.

The moment Ara stepped out, she felt a blast of cold wind whoosh through her, with a chill on her skin. Because of the dress she wore the night felt really cool, she took a deep breath and savored the fresh air. Unlike when they first arrived at the restaurant, Hamon’s men were nowhere in sight.

Ara followed behind Hamon, when they reached where the carriage was parked, Hamon opened the carriage door and gestured for her to step in first,

"Please."

Hamon had turned very quiet for the first time, ever since Ara had told him these words back in the restaurant, "I don’t want your protection, I just want you to protect my family. Am capable of protecting myself."

There was an unreadable expression on his face, as if the chaos of his thoughts left him unable to speak. However, Ara pretended not to notice Hamon’s mood, she wasn’t some kind of weakling for him to protect. Regardless of his feelings, it didn’t change the fact that she had only proposed to marry him because she wanted him to protect her family and not her.

There would be absolutely no confusion regarding that!

Ara silently moved to step in, but halted her steps when she heard a horse whinnied loudly through the silent night, her head turned towards the direction. Her heart yearned to ride on a horse in this cool silent night.

However, Ara had left the life of a soldier behind, and now she had to play the role of a noble daughter and had to suppress her likes.

Ara watched the horse with longing visible in her eyes, then turned back to the carriage. When she hesitated to step inside. Hamon suddenly shut the carriage door without a word, then strode away from her,

’What just happened?’

Ara was about to ask him, when she suddenly heard his voice from behind her ear, she jolted when she felt his warm breath brush on her ear,

"You want to ride a horse?" He asked.

Ara took two steps away from him before she shook her head, "Oh...No, I was just looking at it." She lied.

But Hamon smirked, "All you have to do is say the word and I’ll get it for you. You don’t have to suppress your feelings when you’re with me." He remarked.

His statement was once again shocking to Ara, but she couldn’t risk it. What she wanted the most was to save her family, even if it meant abstaining from everything she ever liked,

"No, am fine...someone might see me on a horse even though it’s late. Let’s take the carriage." Ara explained as she made to open the carriage door, but then she saw Hamon’s lips pulled up as he beckoned to call one of his men,

"Yes, your highness." The guard came running.

"Bring Astral!" He ordered to the guard, before the guard could reach towards them.

Ara was wondering who Astral was, but before she could ask, the guard appeared again holding the reins of a majestic white horse, larger than any normal horse.

She watched as Hamon mounted the horse with ease then held out his hand to her,

"I don’t want to hear the same words, I’ve heard enough of how you don’t want to be seen with me before the grand ball...take My hand, I promise not to let anyone see you." He uttered.

Ara hesitated as she stared blankly at his extended hand, when she didn’t make an attempt to move. Hamon said,

"Take my hand, it’s starting to feel numb already."

Hamon atop a large horse was like exactly the fairytale picture of a Prince on a white steed, but he had much more dangerous allure.

Ara’s head hadn’t decided on what to do yet, but despite the complicated thoughts running in her head, she slowly took his outstretched hand, she had faith in his words that they wouldn’t be seen by anybody.

It was also true that she longed to be on a horse again. Ara couldn’t reject his kind offer to do as she desired, and she didn’t want to burden him for nothing.

However, Hamon had no such thoughts at all, he smiled faintly as she took her small hand in his, he pulled her up in front of him with ease.

Ara’s long skirt made sitting on a horse a little uncomfortable, but she loved the wide view that could only be seen from atop a horse. The cold of the night made her shiver a little, but suddenly she felt something warm around her shoulders.

Hamon had taken off his coat then placed it on Ara when he saw her shiver a little.

Ara turned sideways, "it’s okay, am not cold__"

"Hush, put it on so no one will recognise you." His deep voice sounded low and seductive close to her ears.

The coat certainly wasn’t covering her face, but it was slightly better than exposing her full dress,

"Thank you."

Hamon knew she wouldn’t accept the coat if he didn’t use that excuse. He spoke after he was sure Ara was warmly clad in his coat,

"It’s going to be a fast ride."

Hamon snapped the reins, and Astral began to gallop at the fastest speed.

Ara couldn’t help but smile as the cool wind whipped pass her face, she heard Hamon ask.

"Is the speed too much?"

"Not at all...can we go faster?" She asked with a wide smile.

"As you wish, My lady." He teased, then urged the horse to go faster.

The wind made Ara feel like she was back being a soldier, she felt more alive than before, she didn’t know how long it had been since she last rode on a horse freely through the dark forest road.

Hamon could not see Ara’s flushed face, but he could hear the small gasps of happiness she unintentionally let out. Just like she always does in their previous life, he missed it so much,

’I don’t know when you’d remember, but I’d love to make other memories with you all over again. No matter what tomorrow would be, I’ll stay by your side to protect you...even if you push me away like you did in the past, I’d still choose to stay by your side.’

Hamon smiled bitterly at his thoughts as the wind blew past his handsome face, with his sliver hair flying back.

The both of them on the white horse looked like a picture perfect couple in a painting as the horse galloped through the quiet dim moonlit night.