I wake still in Altan's embrace, I can't tell if I feel better or if I'm just conveniently lying next to this space-heater of a man. Either way, it's cozy when I wake. The tent is warm, a pale morning sun is peaking through the holes in the tent and the only sounds I can hear are birds chirping and the lazy conversations of the few soldiers who are already awake.
At some point during the night I turned over, and now Altan is hugging me from my backside.
~It's probably better this way, better if I don't see his face. It's too handsome and it's dangerous for me.~
I think back on the conversation we had before I fell asleep.
A marriage without love.
Is that really what I want?
I'm not sure.
All I know, is being literally chased down, and dragged back to my wedding ceremony is not romantic, nor is it a good way to start a marriage of love.
I'm tempted to think more in depth about it; think about the repercussions that will come along with being married to a man I'm physically attracted to, but have no desire to love... But instead, I focus on a more pressing matter... I need to pee.
~Is it possible to get out of this tent without waking Altan? Probably not, but I can still try.~
I see one of his hands that is draped over my stomach, and slowly adjust so I can grab the loose fabric around his wrist. His hand hangs limply in the sleeve as I pick it up and I hear him mumble under his breath, I pause to see if I woke him up, but then his rhythmic deep breathing starts again, telling me that he's still asleep. Once his hand is up in the air, I slowly roll my body off of his other hand and away from his embrace, then I tuck one of our travel bags into the place where I was laying and put Altan's hand back on top of it.
~Wow. I'm surprisingly good at being sneaky.... Maybe I should have tried being a spy in my past life.~
I shrug because its too late now, I'm already destined to be a Duchess or dead in this life. Then I turn to leave the tent.
The morning sun hits me like a wave when I open the flap of the tent, I see the sun peaking through grey snow-peaked mountains in the distance. And I see our camp is set up in a grassy valley between the mountains. Pink flower decorate the flourishing grass, and a brisk breeze blows through the camp that make me all-too-aware of how warm my tent was.
"M'Lady!" A soldier is standing guard outside my tent, and stumbles to bow as I exit the tent. "His Grace has instructed me that you should not-"
"Shshsh!" I put a finger to my lips and peak back inside the tent. "His Grace is asleep. I tell the soldier. I only wish to use the latrine."
"Oh! Ah, I-, I-" A red blush takes over the poor man's face, probably as he considers escorting me to the toilet.
"Just point me in the direction." I say, and glance around the camp, squinting my eyes from the sun.
"Erm, well," He begins to mumble, "His Grace said that you aren't allowed to-"
"Are you refusing your future Duchess from using a toilet?" I ask and cross my arms.
"Of course not!" he bows with enthusiasm. "The latrine is just over that way." He points to a growth of shrubbery that I assume is used for privacy.
"Thank you," I say, "And don't worry, where could I run off to in a place like this?" I gesture around to the mountains.
"Yes, M'lady!" He nearly shouts and I give him another look to remind him that Altan is still sleeping, then I make my way to the latrine.
The hole in the ground that all the soldiers use to relieve themselves is easy to find, mostly because of the smell. I try to do my business as quickly as possible, but when I'm done I find myself not wanting to return to the tent.
Instead, I wonder toward the other end of the shrubbery, and find that it ends at a cliff. My heart pounds when I see the drop off, I pull myself close to a tree and wrap my arms around it for stability, and stare out over the view.
It's incredible.
I can see the foothills of the mountains that we must have crossed yesterday, and beyond that.... in one direction, are rolling hills of dried grass, and on the other side, the desert... the god forsaken desert that I've been trapped in since the moment I arrived in this world.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" A familiar voice asks beside me.
"It is." I agree, then gasp when my brain connects that voice to a speaker.
Cai.
My head whips toward him, but before I even catch a glimpse of him, his hands grab my wrists and pin me to the very tree I was just hugging.
"Cai." I breath, "what are you- have you been following us?"
It's a stupid question, because how else would he be here now.
"I made you a promise." He says through gritted teeth, and places a knife to my neck.