The King widened his eyes in shock. Did they miss out on a bandit?
"Where did the arrow come from?!" he asked. "Find out who shot it!"
The mercenaries looked through the tree branches, because based on the angle of the arrow when it was shot, it came from a high place.
The bandit leader furrowed his eyebrows, "That's why I said do not speak, you fool..." he muttered.
"How about you, shall I make you speak?"
"I... do not know anything."
"Seems like that… your client has been watching you."
"He's.. very influential, you see... I still want to live long."
The King sighed, "Looks like you chose the wrong path, bandit."
"I'm proud of being a bandit..." the man smirked. "Once a bandit... forever a bandit... There's no turning back."
"You know that if I set you free, they'll just kill you, right?"
The bandit leader gave a weak smile, "I am very well aware."
"You are a brave one."
King Maro suddenly placed the heated metal into the bandit's shoulder. He screamed out of pain and agony.
When Ely heard this, she quickly went out of the tent. Seeing the King's ruthlessness towards the man, she ran towards him.
"Maro, please stop!" she said, pulling his arm.
But the King said as he looked at her with cold eyes, "Stay back, Ely. Go back to the tent."
"Maro...This is too much-"
The King, who was at the peak of his anger towards the bandits told her in an authoritative voice, "Don't get involved, Ely. Just do as I say," he cupped her chin and glared at her, "Since I was too kind to you, perhaps I should let you remember. I AM THE KING OF THIS LAND."
Ely trembled at the King's sudden change in his attitude towards her. She forgot that even though they were calling each other on a first-name basis, Maro is still the King of the nation, and she's just someone like a castaway. She was too confident that they had become friends.
But… what was their real relationship, anyway?
Ely hurriedly turned her back to the King and went inside a tent made for her to sleep. She never wished to see such violence. Because the King had uttered those words to her, she felt out of place, and she suddenly wanted to go back to reality: to her cozy condo, to her fun career, and to her peaceful city.
…
The next day, Ely woke up very early, just in time for the sunrise. She found herself walking near a cliff, and she stood there in awe. She witnessed another paradise and saw the lush green forests, the small towns around, the Old Palace, and a field that was probably the war site where they had stayed overnight.
But what surprised her most was the gigantic structure near the war site. She had not seen it when they camped there, and she wondered where it was.
Suddenly, she heard an old woman's whisper in her ear. "I'll wait for you at the Temple of Destiny. Your husband is there."
Ely looked back and saw no one.
'What was that voice? It might be a ghost or something… and what about my husband… I must be hungry if I'm hallucinating like this.'
Getting goosebumps because of the sudden whisper, she decided to return but was startled when the King suddenly appeared behind the trees.
"Ely…" King Maro called.
Ely noticed that he had calmed down, but she still couldn't forget the viciousness he showed her last night. She took his words to heart, that he is the King, and that she should be obedient towards him.
"Your Highness," Ely said, then forced a smile, "Good morning, King Maro."
The King was a bit saddened by her indifferent attitude. He knew it was his fault, but he was just so angry at that time that he uttered hurtful words. "I apologize for last night, Ely. I couldn't control my anger and I took it out on you."
"Your Highness, don't worry, I get your point, so-"
The King suddenly grabbed her arm, "I told you to call me by my name!"
There was a short silence. Then Ely said, "King Maro… This is to draw the line between us. You are a King. And I am just... a random person who appeared in your bath."
"Aren't you the Queen of Ballad? That makes us similar in status, then."
Ely chuckled, "You do not even know what my title meant…" she then faced the scenery again and changed the topic, "This is a nice view, isn't it, King Maro?"
The King was annoyed, but he couldn't convince her to call him by his name again. He sighed, then faced the view, too. "This is the nation I rule. Beautiful, isn't it?"
Ely nodded. She then pointed towards the war site, "But what is that?"
"The war site."
She shook her head, "I meant the large one… It's like a mountain, but I don't see the foot… Hmmm, is it floating?"
King Maro widened his eyes in shock. He couldn't see what Ely could see.
"Did you see it? That gigantic structure."
"No... I can't see it."