Beauty and the Damned

20 | Unwavering Will

True to Rowan’s words, they arrived at their next destination after five hours. It was so much better than walking that would have taken them a whole day. Unfortunately, the wagon only had to travel at that distance and nothing more which means they’d have to walk until they find another transport that could transport them to the next.

They stayed in the city called Nirv for a while. She still has her face covered but she doubts if anyone here knows her. Rowan, however, had to lie low.

“They say the Crown Prince of Cern is dead,” said one man. It made Rowan stop walking. They both looked at the man who was talking to other men in front of a shop while drinking alcohol.

“Too bad,” said the other. “After the death of their father, it’s kind of suspicious to hear the Crown Prince died too.”

The third man shushed the other two. “Lower your voices down,” he said while looking around. Rowan started to walk immediately before the man could even notice they were staring. She followed and stayed silent.

It was his brothers for sure. Based on what she heard before, his brothers are after him. Perhaps it was them who was spreading rumors about the death of the Crown Prince too.

Ariadne did not say anything about it. When she looked at Rowan, he was looking far ahead as they walked. She knows he’s thinking about it and she knows he won’t sit still.

It was when they decided to finally take a rest at an isolated tavern that they were able to talk. Rowan removed the covering on his face but remained the hood. Aside from them and the old woman who could barely hear, there were no other people inside.

“It’s them,” he said and she instantly knew what he meant. “They’re trying to spread rumors about my death to cause panic.”

She knows it. When people panic, someone has to step up. They will choose one ruler to calm the people down.

“What will you do now?”

Rowan took the glass of beer and chugged it down. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I get there as soon as I can and surprise the hell out of them,” he said and smirked. She couldn’t help but smile at that. One thing about Rowan, as she observed, is that she doesn’t take things too seriously. He likes to make people think that he is someone they should not be worried about but in truth, he’s probably the most dangerous enemy to make.

“But your brothers want to kill you. You said they’re hell-bent on taking the crown. Who’s to say they’re not going to murder you the moment you stepped into your land?”

Rowan placed his mug down and looked at her before he said, “They won’t. Not when you’re with me.”

She furrowed her brows. “What do you mean?”

“I will introduce you as my bride, Ariadne.”

She knew it was going to come to that point but she couldn’t help but drop her jaw still. It was as if the marriage has become more real and she really had to do it. For the sake of their lives and their kingdoms. She snapped out of it and looked at him. “How can that be an assurance that they wouldn’t kill you? They might even kill me to while they’re at it!” she said, voice low.

Rowan leaned on the table and with a hushed voice, he said, “Trust me, Ariadne.” His hazel gaze pinned her on the spot. She isn’t sure if hypnotism is real but at that moment she was quite certain Rowan just hypnotized her. The moment she heard those words, it instantly calmed her down. As if worrying about it was stupid and that she should trust him. He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms.

“Besides, it would be easier for us to move around if we made our presence known. I don’t have a choice and since you’re with me, you don’t have a choice either.”

She sighed and leaned on her seat too. “And then what? Are we going to get married next?”

Rowan looked at her and nodded. “We have to. But we can always hold that at bay for the meantime. We have to find a cure to your curse first. After that, we can finally do the next steps to save both our kingdoms.”

Ariadne has no problem with it. She doesn’t really consider marriage as something sacred. Unlike her parents, she isn’t that much of a believer in true love. Perhaps it was what the witch used to curse her. After all, it is difficult to do something that you don’t even believe.

She appreciates Rowan’s help. Marriage is actually a very little thing she could do in exchange for his help. In her opinion, she thinks she has more benefit in it than Rowan.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I will protect you at all cost. I won’t let them hurt you.”

Rowan looked at her. Surprise could be seen in his eyes and when she realized what she just said, she couldn’t help but blush. She composed herself and cleared her throat. “I just mean that marriage in exchange for your help getting rid of this curse is something not too heavy for me. So I will protect you from them. I will do everything I can to help you, Rowan.”

She did not avert her gaze from him and a small smile escaped his lips. “A Queen protecting a Prince,” he said and chuckled. “That sounds about right.”

Ariadne couldn’t help but smile at that too. Then she realized that perhaps Delilah was right. She is getting more cheerful and it started ever since she met Rowan. She wants to think that perhaps it was because she hasn’t seen other people other than Delilah that she is fascinated about Rowan but she knows it isn’t just that. When she was cursed, she started to see things differently. She learned her lesson and she realized a lot of things. When she met Rowan, the new her just fits. The new her has come to learn to accept people in her life not because of their use to her but because she wants them in her life.

She couldn’t imagine not meeting Rowan. Where would she be now if she hadn’t met Rowan? Probably in her chamber, wallowing in sorrow and pain. Now, she has learned to slowly go out of her zone. She’s thankful she met him but she won’t say it out loud.

They left extra money on the counter where the old woman was and left the tavern. They started to walk to start their journey again. Unlike before, the walk was bearable. Her legs were still sore but it was bearable. Besides, she couldn’t mind the heat and the soreness in her feet when Rowan was telling stories about his childhood.

“You may not believe me but I was actually a very lazy kid,” he said and she gave him an incredulous look.

She scoffed. “I do believe you,” she said and Rowan gave her an incredulous look.

“You’re cold-hearted, Your Majesty,” she said and placed a dramatic hand on his chest. Then he chuckled and looked ahead. “I didn’t want to be King at first. Seeing my father and the responsibility he had on his shoulder, I instantly knew I didn’t want it.”

Rowan was silent for a while and she looked at him. He was still looking far ahead as if looking for words to say next.

“What made you change your mind?” she asked. She heard him let out a sigh.

“When I saw my mother died,” he said. She did not say anything and looked ahead too. “My mother wasn’t my father’s wife. Though she was the woman my father loved first, they had to go their separate ways. When I was born, my mother gave me to my father as she couldn’t give me the life she thinks I deserve. I don’t resent her for it. I understood her and I love her even as the first and last time I saw her was that day when she took her last breath.”

My mother wasn’t born in a noble family. Her parents sell vegetables in the market. I don’t exactly know how she met my father but they had me. When my father took me into the palace, he declared me to be the Crown Prince. Nobody could oppose. When speculations arose that I was an illegitimate child, my father took care of it. He was harsh but he only did it because he made a promise to my mother. Even as he married someone else, he did not strip me of my title as Crown Prince no matter how hard I try to convince him that it is not for me.”

When I was about ten years old, I received news about my mother being sick, I visited her. It broke my heart to see where she was living. While I was enjoying the soft bed in my chamber, she was lying on the cold floor, alone and sick. While I was enjoying the food in the palace, she barely had anything to eat. While I was dressed in warm clothes, she was wearing scraps of cloth sewn together. I realized my mother died because the Kingdom failed her. My father failed her. I failed her. I made a promise to become a King. A king that sympathizes with his people. A king that would listen. A king that wouldn’t fail the kingdom and the people.”

The cold bite of the wind made her shiver that she wrapped her cloak a little tighter around her. She looked at Rowan and his eyes looked solemn. After the story he told, she couldn’t help but feel sad about it too. Being treated differently is something she could relate to. Ariadne was could almost taste the loneliness and she couldn’t help but feel pain as she knows the feeling too. She sighed and looked far ahead.

“You’re doing a great job,” she said and stopped walking. Rowan stopped too and looked at her. “Your heart knows what it wants. You know what you needed to do.” She looked at him. “I thought at first you were born and chose to be a ruler. I was wrong. You did not choose to be a ruler. Like me, you didn’t have a choice, too but the difference between us is that you learned to accept your role. I didn’t.”

“Your brothers are idiots and they’re the ones who shouldn’t be running the whole kingdom. You’re different. They want power while you…you want to serve. That’s a big difference.”

Rowan was only staring at her and she couldn’t tell if she was even making sense. Ariadne has never been so conscious of what she said before. She always knows what to say but with Rowan, words don’t come out.

“You may have not heard about this before,” he said and stepped closer, “but you are doing a great job, too.” She felt his hand tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Then his eyes found hers again. “You’re trying to be someone your Kingdom deserves and I think it is amazing. Not everybody is brave enough to change and not everybody could change even as they know they had to change.” He smiled.

Ariadne did not hold back and smiled back at him too. No restraints. When she looked at Rowan, she could see how his face was laced with surprise but then it was replaced with a grin. “So you know how to smile! You’re not cold-hearted after all.” He laughed.

She rolled her eyes and let out a small chuckle but when she looked at Rowan, he was looking at her as if he wants to say something but still thinking about how to say it. Then she felt his hand again tucking her hair behind her ear. His hand made its way to her face and she swallowed as she saw his eyes on her lips. Rowan saw her staring and she didn’t say anything. She did not protest. Not even when he leaned closer and closer.

Ariadne could feel his breath on her face but and just when she thought their lips would meet, they heard a horse neighing nearby. They both looked at where the sound was coming from and they saw a wagon coming towards their way. She cleared her throat and Rowan removed his hand from her face.

“I guess we’re lucky,” Rowan said but deep inside, she wanted to protest. She isn’t sure if Rowan meant that as a joke but she certainly didn’t feel lucky when she didn’t feel his lips on hers.

Ariadne remained silent as they waited for the wagon to arrive. She isn’t someone who craves somebody else’s attention and yet she couldn’t help but feel quite sad when Rowan didn’t lean in for a kiss.

When the wagon was near, Rowan called for it. The wagon stopped in front of them. A cheerful woman came out of the wagon.

“Good day!” the woman greeted. They both greeted back.

“Where are you off to in this cold weather?” asked the woman. She has red and brown wisps of hair as if her head couldn’t decide which color to choose and just mixed the two. Her eyes looked like she was always smiling and she couldn’t help but notice the smudge of lip cream around her mouth. It was almost unnoticeable but she could tell the woman wiped it in a hurry.

“We’re heading north. Would it be alright to join the ride?” Rowan asked politely. The woman smiled at them before she nodded enthusiastically.

“Of course!” The woman popped her head inside the wagon. “Is it fine, darling?” she asked. Then they heard a man’s voice inside the wagon.

“Let them in.”

The woman smiled at them and gestured them to come. They jumped inside the wagon and that’s when she saw what’s inside. There were lots of vegetables and fruits and in her guess, they might be transporting this somewhere. Then she looked at the corner and she could see a man putting some fruits into the basket. In front of the wagon as a driver. Though there was a divider that separates the driver and the cargo.

“I’m Mira and this is my husband, Niko,” introduced the woman and the man just managed a smile and a small bow.

“We are grateful for your hospitality,” she said to the woman. “I’m—“ She stopped when she realized she couldn’t tell the woman her real name.

“I’m Roland and this is my wife, Aisling,” Rowan said. She wasn’t expecting his answer but she was surprised when Mira clapped her hands enthusiastically.

“That’s lovely!” she exclaimed. “Actually, the truth is, Niko and I had just been married yesterday.” She giggled and she fought the dry smile on her lips. With the smudged lip cream and the fruits on the floor, she already knew what was happening inside the wagon before they came in.

Perhaps Mira noticed her look and laughed awkwardly. “I apologize. We just couldn’t get enough of each other ever since last night.”

Her jaw dropped but Rowan just let out a knowing grin at her before he said, “I totally understand.”

Ariadne groaned inwardly. Riding a wagon with a newlywed, what could go wrong?

* * *