Chapter 38: "Down the Dangerous Cliff"

"Let's go!" Ely told the coachman. She was inside a blue carriage with intricate gold designs, and a healthy, brown horse was leading it. With her were General Lum and his most loyal mercenaries, whose armored horses closely galloped beside her carriage.

As she gazed at the clear sky through the opening, she smiled sweetly. She practiced in her mind what she would say to the King when she reached Leoniva City. She already wanted to hold him and embrace him tightly. She figured he was tired with his hike at the Ancil mountains, and she would like to relieve his stress by either giving him a back massage or scrubbing his back in the bathing room. She giggled as she thought of these.

'I wish I could just teleport to Leoniva… Ugh, I miss him so much!' she thought.

Ely busied herself in looking at the scenery, when after an hour and a half, the horses stopped, and she peeked at the window to ask General Lum about it.

"I apologize, my Queen, we need to give water to the horses. It is unusually hot today, and they needed to be rehydrated."

"I see. Please take care of them. And please drink water as well," she replied.

General Lum took a small jug of water and gave it to her, "Here's yours. Please drink it when you feel thirsty during our trip."

"Thank you!" she held the jug tightly. Without further ado, she drank plenty to quench her thirst.

After a while, they all started moving forward once again.

Ely felt her eyelids heavy all of a sudden. She heard one of the mercenaries say, "We're almost there, General," before she passed out.

...

"Ugh…" Ely just woke up and opened her eyes, and she held the side of her head due to the headache she had. Realizing that the room was unfamiliar, she immediately sat up.

"You're awake at last," A familiar male voice said.

Ely turned her head to see who it was. And when she met the man's kind gray eyes, she gasped, "Adam- I mean… Prince Seiro…"

His black hair in a side fringe was neatly combed. In contrast with his twin brother's waist-long hair, he preferred having it short.

"Elizabeth," he smiled at her as he walked towards the bed. He sat beside her and stroked her head, "It must be tough… You had to live with my ruthless brother. I apologize that you had to bear with him-"

But Ely grabbed the prince's hand. She pushed it away from her, "Sorry, Prince Seiro, but you're mistaken. I am very willing to marry the King."

He didn't believe it and only smiled at her, "I doubt it. I know you're just afraid of him. Don't worry, I'm now here to protect you," he pulled her to an embrace. "Ely… Once everything settles down, I want us to renew our vows… in this world."

"No… No, Prince Seiro… I-" she tried to pull away, but he was holding her tightly.

"Hush, it's okay," Prince Seiro whispered, "After I successfully become King, I will keep you by my side. Always."

"You will… become King? But what about the current King?"

He pulled away from her and looked straight into his eyes. "He will be dethroned… and exiled to another nation far away from here."

"No… You can't do that to your own brother…"

"Why can't I? He pushed me off the cliff, that's why I disappeared from this world."

"He pushed you? No… why will he harm his own twin brother-"

Prince Seiro held her shoulders and shook her slightly, "Ely, wake up! He might have brainwashed you!" His voice trembled in fear. He paused to sigh for a while then held her palm. He took a look at it and squeezed it, "I apologize. I was just worried. He had already taken the throne and my role as a King of this nation, and I don't want him to take you away from me."

Ely furrowed her eyebrows and glanced at the prince's face. His eyes were teary, and it seemed like he was sincere.

Yes, she was relieved to see Adam, alive and warm, holding her hand in a gentle manner, but now, the situation was different.

If she did not fall for Maro, she would have been the happiest in that moment. She had nothing against Prince Seiro, it's just that she already had someone else in her heart, and it's not her late husband anymore.

Even though Seiro had mentioned that she could call him Adam, she was uncomfortable to do so, because she thought of him as a stranger. It was because the memories she had with Adam were already gone in Seiro's mind.

Ely assumed that perhaps, Seiro just wanted her to be with him because he knew she was his wife in her world. Maybe he was just curious about her and she mistook it for love.

"Wait here, I will ask the culinarian to prepare our food," the prince gave a subtle smile, and left the room.

Despite having a slight headache, Ely quickly got up from the bed. But before she could even reach the door handle, the blonde prince opened the door, which surprised Ely.

"Going somewhere?" Prince Kaio asked as he cocked his brow, "I apologize, but I can't let you out," then he closed the door.

"You're confining me here?" Ely asked in an angry tone, "Let me out of here! I still have a wedding in Leoniva City-"

He suddenly laughed, which startled Ely, "My, my. How naive. It was a fake. Now, your wedding with him will be called off."

"What… what do you mean?"

"My brother had taken a liking to you. He is really interested in making you his Queen. I told him that he can get whatever he wants, including you, after he dethrone the current King-"

"Did you feed him with lies? Why are you doing this to your brothers?! Why are you making them hate each other?!"

"Maro is a ruthless King. He pushed his own twin brother off the cliff, that was why he replaced him as the Crown Prince at that time."

"Lies! You were just badmouthing him-"

"Do you think my hatred towards him is that shallow? I was there when it happened, Ely. If I let a person like him to rule, what will become of this nation?" he looked at her seriously. "The people need a kind and caring King, not a cold-blooded and ruthless one."