A pricking pain widened her eyes, her vision took time to adjust. Blurry appearance of a white ceiling came to view, Elena grasped for air as if she woke up deprived of oxygen.
"Elena!"
A familiar voice approached. In panic, Elena raised her body and looked around, searching where the voice was coming from. Her blurred vision still did not adjust after some time, heightening her anxiety. Upon contact with another person, she felt the comfortable warmth spreading to her once burning body. Johan hugged her into his arms, burying her into his chest as if trying to calm her down. Yet, in the desperate need of attention, she clung to him like a helpless child.
"H-how did you find m-me?"
She asked, her voice uncontrollably trembling. Elena somehow found it hard to speak, her throat felt dry and sore. The man gently pulled her out of his embrace and reached a glass of water that was placed on the table, beside the bed.
"Here, Princess… Please drink."
Elena looked at the wooden cup that was filled with unknown liquid and looked at the man in confusion. His pale blue eyes were anxious with worry. Yet, Johan acted like a calm sheep as he held the cup to her. Her eyes rolled, realizing they were inside a foreign room.
"It's ale. They said it would numb the burning pain from your wound. Here, please drink it."
He lowered the cup and placed it onto her lips. His voice was as gentle and sweet as ever. Elena, who was still weakened from the pain, finally drank the ale without any protest, noticing that the man was seemingly comfortable being half naked in front of her.
"Good thing I brought you there. If not, your hallucination might have triggered a more terrible sight."
Heat gathering to her cheeks, Elena gulped the last bit of the ale onto her mouth, almost not knowing what to do as she silently listened to Johan. She was told that the scratch on her cheeks were done by the Bowellich and have caused her to hallucinate.
"...Princess?"
Johan looked at her, realizing that she had stopped paying attention. Distracted by the sight of him, Elena didn't know why the man suddenly looked so immaculate as his exposed chest and fair skin came into view. Suddenly, she felt embarrassed for her sinful thoughts and lowered her eyes. She couldn't look at the man as heat on her face continued to grow.
Dirt and mud finally came to view that stained her dress, reminding her of the earlier incident they had just encountered. She must have been carried to a nearby rest house after she had fainted as the room seemed to be simple and a little shabby. Somehow, the man seemed to have noticed this and rose from his seat. Without saying a word, he scooped her with no struggle. Elena held on to his neck by surprise.
"Let's wash together, Elena…"
A switch came on, he suddenly called her name. Elena's eyes widened in surprise. What is this man trying to do? She tightened her lips and, with a reddened face, looked up to him, catching his eyes actually looking at her. Johan's pale blue eyes quiver in desire.
"W-what?"
She couldn't be certain if what she heard was right. But, from the look on Johan's face it seemed that the man was serious. She swallowed dry, waiting for the man to say more.
"Oh, I meant Princess… sorry for calling your name."
That's not what I meant, she thought as she wrinkled her brows afraid to say anything more. The drug was at fault that the man was becoming more and more unpredictable. She bit her lips, feeling happy and guilty at the same time.
Why does it have to be this way? Do I have to feel guilty for the rest of my life for being happy to receive such an unexpected love? Her face hardened from such thoughts. Johan was quick to notice and touched her forehead where it had creased.
"If you don't like it… Princess, I suggest you get used to it now."
Her heart almost stopped. A crazy thought entered her mind— does he know he was drugged?