"RIAAAAAAAA!"
"Your majesty! don't jump!" as the king went on berserk, all the royal guards pulled him back for he wasn't even hesitating to jump into the sea.
"No! Ria. Ria's in the water. She shouldn't be in the cold again. she shouldn't… Save her. Save her, Sigmund! Save herrrrr!"
"Your majesty! Don't risk your life for some woman! Calm your self down. Have you forgotten what you promised to your father?!" that was the last resort. And Sigmund was hoping it would calm the king.
After the last king's departure, Derian was never been the same. And his father was always something no one will ever mention to the king face to face.
As the royal guards struggled to keep their king from doing something dangerous, slowly, he didn't resist anymore. All of them released him but was still wary. Until Derian turned to the woman standing near the edge of the ship, with face as pale as a paper white.
"You! how could you do this to her?!"
"Your majesty!" everyone fell on their knees as he pulled out the sword from Sigmund's waist and pointed at Lady Hailey.
"I… I didn't…"
"Your majesty! Please don't hurt the innocent. My lady was just trying to save Lady Ria. When we arrived here, we saw this slave pushing her to the sea. She even tried to escape so I went after her. your majesty! my lady is innocent!"
"Anne…" Hailey whispered, looking at her servant saving her at the expense of angering the king more. Beside her was an injured slave. Tied and mouth covered.
"Your majesty," Sigmund held Derian's arm and pulled her away for a second. "Lady Hailey is the Prime Minister's favorite daughter. If you kill her because of an unknown woman, it will hurt your reputation."
"But…"
"Your majesty!"
Derian gritted his teeth and turned around.
"Imprison that slave and I will interrogate her myself later. As for you Lady Hailey, return to your cabin."
With the order, the slave started resisting but with her mouth covered, how can she even defend herself?
"Really," in her mind the slave thought. "Slaves' lives are nothing compared to noble people. Whether they're innocent or not, it doesn't really matter."
"Your majesty. The waves are already too big. Perhaps, lady Ria was already…"
"She isn't dead! You don't know it! you don't know anything!" for the first time since the death of his father, Sigmund saw rage in Derian's face.
In the whole kingdom, perhaps he's the only one who could understand and know what he's thinking. And like what he predicted, the king attempted to jumped to the sea again. But he was already prepared for it that he had secretly hold his sleeve and pulled him back. Hitting his nape to knock him out.
"Your majesty!" the other royal guards yelled.
In his powerful voice, Sigmund commanded. "Bring his majesty to his cabin now."
"As you order, Captain Sigmund!"
As he was left alone in the deck, the wind blew hard that untangled the bun in his hair.
"You are right, your majesty. I don't know anything. I don't know anything but you. how could I not know that you intend to jump after that woman? You're risking your life for…"
He gritted his teeth. Walking away, he could only sigh as the sky started to pour. He thought the sun will finally shine. Yet, he was wrong.
***
It was freezing down to the deepest core of her bones. She knew she had fallen into the water after being pushed by that woman who loved Derian. Yet, why was she seeing a different place?
It was dark. Too dark she can barely see anything. Until a flicker of light appeared. Like a candle that was blown off too soon.
But, she saw it. A man's body. Upper body was naked and was standing before her. She felt her self being wrapped by a pair of strong arms. It was warm.
"Cold. It's cold…" she moaned as she trembled.
She heard a hoarse and deep voice spoke near her neck that send shivers down her spine. "Was it still cold now that I'm here with you?"
She didn't speak. She just squeezed herself into his body which was emanating a warm feeling. The hurt and scared soul she had seemed like being comforted by these man's arm.
Who was he?
Again, there was a flicker of fire from somewhere. Enough for her to see the brand on the man's chest and his silver hair. The brand seemed like roots or branches. She wasn't sure what it was.
"Are you sure you still aren't taking advantage of me?"
"huh?" the man chuckled and caught her hand which was on his bare chest.
"Naughty girl."
Ria opened her eyes. She was still under waters. Was that a dream? She wondered.
Who is that man? Is he from her past life?
Before she could squeezed her brain of the answer, she was choking. Choking and freezing. How long was she in the water by the way?
'I should swim,' a voice from her head screamed and she did. But, she couldn't even move her limbs. Like as if, they had turned ice.
Again, she was slipping away from consciousness. But before she saw nothing but darkness again, she saw a figure she was sure she had seen already. The silver-haired man with a brand.
But wasn't he in her dreams? Then, was she still dreaming?
Either way, she couldn't help anything anymore but meet the darkness.