When they arrived in the cabin, Allyria immediately took her cloak off and slumped in the leather sofa. She could still feel her heart racing in paces, her jagged breath trying to fill the air in her lungs.
She was tired as hell, weary with the burden of long-closed eyes; she could easily pull off being a walking zombie, dead on the inside but subconsciously awake.
She never thought Wardykes still existed in this part of the country. They were thorns to families, giving nothing but headache and frustration. Her mother and father told her they were gone, some in hiding and she believed that. But the Mitskapalazah was nowhere near safe. Every part of the country wasn't.
Allyria pulled the pendant in her pocket. It was still there, hanging from a brown yarn, not a scratch. Maybe that was the reason why she loved the moon so much. Because it reminded her of the pendant, that she wasn't alone. That despite her mother's indifference towards her, there was a time when she was also loved.
Allyria went to the kitchen to grab another strand of yarn, doubling the chain so it wouldn't be prone to stealing or falling. She tied it around her neck and hid it under her tunic.
The lassitude was so heavy that she could barely open her eyes.
She stifled a yawn and relaxed her bed onto the sofa. These past few days have been nothing but jeopardy. When she thought everything was already well, someone comes and ruins the day for her.
The Princess couldn't help but feel indebted to Kaius. Since then, he was there even if she was just weighing down on him, saving her from everyone that wanted to take her life. If there was one thing the Eternal Gods have blessed her today, it was him.
"Kaius?" she called, her eyes almost closing.
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
Those were the last words she said and finally succumbed to the exhaustion.
***
"Allyria."
"Hmm…"
"Allyria."
"Hmm…"
"Get up."
"I'm still sleepy," Allyria flipped over the sofa, her back facing the fire place.
"We're going out."
"Just leave me," she said impassively, yawning and stretching. In closed eyes, she pushed Kaius who was trying to wake her up when he tried to annoy her once again. Of all times, why did he only decide to bother her now? And in the same moment when her body refused to function?
"I have something to show you."
"Tomorrow."
"No, you have to see it now."
Allyria groaned in her pillow and turned her body to face him. The day was too bright that she had to cover her eyes, slowly opening it to adjust to the sunlight, "What is it?" She couldn't help but ask herself how come it was still afternoon. Her nap felt like hours and it was supposed to be nighttime already.
"Get up."
"Why?"
"Because you have to."
"I don't want to get up."
Allyria twitched when Kaius flicked a finger on her forehead, "Just what was that?" Her eyes were now wide open, her hand rested on the part where it hurt, rubbing it.
Kaius was crouching down, his arms over his thighs, "It's morning. You need to get breakfast."
"What?" Allyria's pupil's flared and she pushed her body to sit up. "Morning? How could it be morning?"
She spun her head around. The sun shone through the dense green trees, flooding the doors and the window pane, reflecting the light into the humble abode. It didn't seem like a joke. The morning was as assured as the tides and just as unstoppable. She needed a few more hours of blackness. Not to be lazy but to regain the energy she lost yesterday. Though she could already see the chaos that was the cabin, the dark ragged outline of the dirty clothes she forgot to change since last night, the sheets getting tangled on the floor and the disheveled pillowcase under her head.
Kaius smiled, a soft laughter escaping from his mouth, "Yes. We didn't want to wake you up yesterday plus you were snoring so we thought we could just let you rest."
A flush crept up her face as she rubbed the corners of her mouth, sensing for any drool of saliva rolled thickly from her lips. Luckily, there wasn't.
He ruffled her hair and stood, "Come on."
"Where are we going?"
"Take your breakfast first and then I'll tell you."
>>>>><<<<<
[Author's note (will be putting it here because I know not everyone opens the note at the end hehe *peace*)]
A short chapter for today. Before I end this, I just want to inform you about my plans for this book. Since I was already contracted by Webnovel, I was planning to apply for MGS by October. The reason why I'm having a slow update is because I'm planning to lock it starting the 51st chapter. I know it's too early but I did it because I'm not planning to write a lot. Probably, 200-300 chapters only (also depending on circumstances such as readers' request) but if I were to be followed, I'd stop between that range so I hope you understand why I have to lock it as early as that.
I'm also not in favor of going MGS by September because aside from currently stockpiling a hundred chapters, I don't want to compromise quality for quantity. The pressure of writing 1.5k chapters a day might take a toll on me especially that I'm still a student and it might downgrade my writing quality. Rest assured that I'm doing my best so that the coins that you will pay [hopefully] for the book will be worth it.
I want you to know this because you are already part of this journey. Aside from my love for writing, you, my dear readers are the reason why I'm here. I am not forcing you to be with me until the end but if you would, I would be eternally grateful.
If you have any suggestion or reactions about this decision, you can leave a comment below and I will answer it.
Love and gratitude,
ephemery