บท 18: A cry for help
Tym finally found what she was seeking. And what's more, the cave was next to a stream.
This way, it won't be difficult for her to bathe in the stream whenever she pleases.
"Let's rest here for the night. Tomorrow, we will cross over to the mountains." Tym sighed as she got down from the horse.
Unlike what she thought when they started the journey, the mountains were further than she thought.
She assumed it will be near, but that wasn't the case. The Mountain was no nearer than where she came from, initially.
"Why do you love bathing?" The prince frowned when he saw the stream, which wasn't that far from the cave she discovered.
"Who doesn't love bathing? If you don't, don't assume everyone is like that. Not everyone wants to remain dirty."
"You act like a female. No male is concerned with bathing half as much as you are."
"And that's a problem to you?" Tym frowned at him.
She has decided not to answer the male part.
To her, it's better to keep her identity hidden than to expose it.
It's better they don't know they have a female in their mist. This way, none of them will beat themselves at the thought that they were defeated by a female.
The prince watched Tym.
Although the Masked Tym makes him frustrated, he couldn't help but admire him.
The prince hasn't found a person like Tym before. She was both fearless, and straightforward, not concerned with what others will say, or their opinion of her.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Tym turned to look at the prince.
The pronounced frown on her face was only hidden by the mask on her face.
"Why don't you remove your mask? Isn't it hot?"
"Hot? Why will you think it's hot?" Tym scoffed. "It's my face, and not yours."
The prince shrugged, "suit yourself."
With an indifferent expression on his face, no one will know how desperate the prince was to see the face behind the mask.
He wanted nothing more but to see the expression on Tym's face whenever she speaks.
"I'm already doing so." Tym turned and started walking towards the second cave she saw. "You and your poor excuse of guards can stay in that cave. I'm going to stay in that one." She pointed at the one not too far from where the first one was, and it was near the stream.
The prince pursed his lips and didn't say a word as he watched her.
To claim he was intrigued by the Masked Tym, will be an understatement.
He was more than intrigued.
And for the first time in his life, he wanted to know someone more.
********
They had their dinner, and Tym had a bathe before any of them.
This way, the others won't dirty the water before she has her bathe.
The prince had to begrudgingly have his bathe in the cold water to prevent Tym from making fun of him.
You can say he has learned his lessons from the time Tym told him he was stinking.
********
"Good morning," Tym stretched her taut muscles.
"Morning." The prince answered with a smile, much to the surprise of his guards, who haven't seen him act that way.
And that strengthened their resolve to deal with Tym as soon as possible, to prevent the Masked Tym from harming their prince.
"So....." Tym folded her arms and watched the prince.
"Yes. There was a storm last night. Although it wasn't that strong, your idea helped a lot."
"So, am I having enough meat this morning?" She pursed her lips and watched the prince.
"Yes. You can have two lumps."
"Good."
Tym happily walked over to where the guards were warming the breakfast.
It angered the head of the guard to see her walk so freely.
"Can I have two lumps of meat in my soup? The prince said I'm entitled to it since I saved your sorry arse from being carted off with the storm."
"You—"
The head of the guards started to say, however, when he saw the prince's attention on them, he decided to keep his opinions to himself.
"So? Can I have it?" Tym who knew what was happening smiled.
"Yes, you can." The guards dished the food. He gave Tym hers before he took the prince's portion to him.
And after that, the guards all dined together while the prince dined next to Tym who was aching to kick the prince in the stomach.
"Let's go. It's time for today's journey. Hopefully, we only have two days to journey before we reach our destination. Today, we are going through the rumoured dark forest of the mountain." The prince said with a straight face, while his guards stood around, each trying to hide their fears.
Unlike the prince and Tym who were ready to journey through the dark forests, the guards weren't ready at all.
With all the bad stories that were told about the dark forest, no one wants to be involved with it.
"Are you ready to rescue your princess?" The prince shouted.
"Yes, we are!"
Despite their fears, the guards' voices rang through the cave.
Tym just sat on her horse, impatient to start the journey.
She was getting cranky already and wanted nothing more but to leave as soon as she can.
This way, they will complete their journey in time, so she can return to her sister.
Since Tym adopted Cicil, this was the first time they have been separated for a long.
"Let's go!" The prince took off, and Tym followed him, leaving the grumbling guards behind.
They journeyed for the entire day until they came to the dark forest. However, the prince didn't enter.
He stopped at the entrance and turned to his guards.
"We will rest here tonight. Tomorrow, we will co—"
The cries of a woman rang out, expertly cutting the prince's words short.
"What's that?" Tym Frowned as they all listened.
"Could it be—"
"Help me!" The voice rang out once more. And this time, she sounded desperate.
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