Everything was prepared for the journey and knights were divided for being in the kingdom and other for the journey to North.
"This will go well with the dress and will be more warmer than the shawl."
"Should I keep the blanket too?"
"Absolutely...And also get a comforter too."
"Yes mam."
Mrs Eliza instructed other servents to package all stuffs.
"Mrs Eliza are you n-not coming with me?" Merry asked while Mrs Eliza doing Merry's hair.
"I was also coming with you my lady , but all of a sudden butler Gaavi has fractured his leg so it would be hard to manage the castle if also go..." Mrs Eliza told Merry.
"I-Is he alright?" Merry asked worriedly.
"Yes the doctor has suggested him to rest."
"I see...I w-wanted you to come." Merry said with sadness.
"I also don't want to leave our ladyship alone, but it's just the situation..other royal servents will be available there my dear so you won't have to any problems." Eliza told with worry.
"Still..."
"And I am sure that Lord Maximilian will take care of you more than anyone else. Ha ha..and it will be both of you's first time traveling after marriage. isn't it?", Mrs Eliza said while teasing Merry.Other servents chuckled too.Merry got embarrassed and tried to hide her flustered face.
"Oh dear, you don't have to be shy ha ha." Everyone teased Merry further.
"Merry! Are you ready?" Max entered the room and when his eyes fell towards Merry,he couldn't take his eyes off her; she looked splendid. She was wearing an olive coloured v-neck with gold coloured buttons and a black overcoat.
"Y-Yes!"Merry nodded.
Max kept on staring Merry without realising that servents were watching with a lot of interest.All of them looked both of them with all curiosity in the world.
"You're looking really lovely....Ahem! I mean.
...Then we should get going now so that we can cross the Hinder mountain before sunset." Max couldn't control to compliment her but suddenly realised that they weren't alone.He got embarrassed.His face looked as red as a cherry.Max tried to hide his flusteredly blushed face.
"Aa.. O-Ofcourse!" Merry didn't know how to react to his sweetness.
'How can someone be this pretty..I can't avoid this feeling...I am really crazy.Fuck off this mind of mine.' Max cursed himself while thinking only about his wife.He dashed off from the room immediately.
Everyone laughed shyly.Merry didn't know what to say.
"Oh God! Did you see the Lord's blushing face? Ha ha both of them are really shy"
"It's the first time I am seeing him behaving like this."
"Oh! dear..ha.ha."
Everyone was surprised to see Max's new side which was of a sweet shy boy.
Everyone and Everyone got prepared for the departure.Merry sat inside the carriage and Max got on his horse to lead the way.Other knight surrounded the carriage and took their uniform position.
Max was wearing an armor without helmet and wore a silk fabric black mask which covered his lower face and glorified his eyes more intensely.Max looked wild , bloodthirsty, extravagant tyrant , who looked like a disaster anyone would like to experience.
"Commander everything is fine now." Dready affirmed.
"Depart now!" Max told to commence.Everyone hit the road with a roar.
After covering 10 miles, Merry saw a around how beautifully the field was filled with lavender flowers.Merry looked out of the window with curiosity while smelling the refreshing fragrance.
Max looked towards Merry; she looked happy to see the lavender flowers. A smile formed on Max's lips as he saw Merry happy.
"My lady, if you need anything please let us know." Robert said while riding along the carriage.
"Sure." Merry nodded with a smile.
.....
Sun started settling down and gave off a crimson glow.They crossed the Hinder mountain before sunset.
Max looked at Merry and realised that she must have gotten tired by sitting so long.
"We should look for a resthouse." Max said to the knights.
"Alright Commander." Everyone got the reason behind taking a break.
.....
"Commander! there is an inn which is just few more kilometres away."
"Alright! let's get going then." Max confirmed and everyone speed up.
They reached the inn near a thorpe.They settled the horses near the Inn and some knights went to ask for the rooms for the stay.
Max moved towards the carriage and opened the carriage's door and offered his hand to Merry to help her get off the carriage.
"You must got tired up? " Max asked concerned when Merry held his hand.
"N-No!" Merry replied.
"A-Are we taking a break?" Merry asked but suddenly she got unbalanced and stumbled, Max saved her on time.But Merry's ankle got sprained as her feet bent and whole weight fell on it.
"Are you alright?!" Max exclaimed with shock.
"Y-Yes.." Merry replied while trying control the pain so that Max couldn't notice that her ankle has sprained.
"You are not!" Max said.
Max adjusted the dress to see her feet.He noticed that her ankle was swelled.
"Are you kidding me Merry? Your ankle has sprained and you are telling that you are fine." Max told furiously.
"What happened Commander?!" Other knights asked worriedly.
"Her ankle is swelling.Ask for a doctor!" Max said.
"Oh God! I go get the doctor!"
"I am coming too!"
Everyone got worried.
Max lifted Merry up in a bridal style in his arm.
"M-Max! Please p-put me down! I am fine..I c-can " Merry exclaimed with surprise.
"Shut up! Am I blind? Can't I see your pain?! " Max scolded Merry furiously.Merry felt a weird feeling.
'I am really...why I always create a problem for everyone... even Max became angry with me.."Merry thought,the more tears gathered in her eyes. Merry was already in pain but she felt more miserable to hear Max.
Max carried Merry to the room they will stay in.He put Merry down on bed and knelt down to see her ankle.
"D-Don't! " Merry jolted in surprise to avoid his touch.She felt helpless and tried to don't let him touch her ankle.
"Relax Merry...Let me see or it may get worse." Max said it with a low deep tone.He started massaging in a circular motion on her ankle.It had already turned black.
"It must be hurting so much..." Max said with a
worried tone.
"I-Its re-really fine now.." Merry replied.
"Sir the doctor has arrived!" Robert informed immediately.
The doctor applied medicinal oil on the ankle bone and wrapped with an woollen cloth.
"It would have been worse. You have to take care." Doctor told. Merry nodded.
"I have given some pain reliever medicines.It will get soon just don't move the feet too much."
"Alright.Thank you."
"My lady, are you alright now?"
"Is it hurting so much?" Knights asked with concerned faces and worried voice.
"Y-Yes I am t-totally fine and it's not hurting much now." Merry replied.
"I will ask to bring the meal in here." Dready said.
....
"Here." Max brought spoon of soup to Merry's mouth.
" M-Max my hands a-are completely fine." Merry told with an embarrassed expression.
"I know still..Aaa" Max didn't care about anything else but only her.Merry ate it.
"Did y-you have eaten.?" Merry asked hesitantly.
"I will eat after you.."
"It's al-already late Max.I w-will eat it by myself"
"Then let's eat together." Max told.
"Huh?"
Both had the dinner with the same plate.
'Why is he like this.?.Always giving everything to a person like me who always mess up everything ....That time I felt that he got mad with me, but then suddenly..he get back to normal and didn't stop talking to me... Everyone here is so nice to me.I am really getting more and more greedy of his presence..What will I do if he changes? If it's a dream then I don't want to wake up.' Merry thought as she felt more and more helpless because of her feelings.
"What happened?" Max asked as he could see that see didn't look well.
"No-Nothing!" Merry denied.
Max stared at her.Merry can feel his stares.
Max got up and placed his armor on the table.
"Do you wanna change too?" Max asked .
" B-But..the dress is comfortable. I just take off the jewellery." Merry said softly.
Max saw her unhooking the chain.He moved towards her.
"I see, then let me help you with the jewellery.." Max asked gently.
"Thank you" Merry thanked while keeping her voice subtle.
Max kept the jewellery on the desk and then brought the blanket from the almirah.
"Sorry, I should have been more careful about you." Max said with a deep voice.
"No! I am s-sorry for creating up a problem.." Merry replied with shock that Max apologised even when he did nothing.
"Seriously! why do you think that?! How can you trouble us ." Max exclaimed with anger. Merry got scared and tears fell down uncontrollably.
'What the hell I am doing.I again made her cry..I should just kill a bastard like me..' Max cursed himself.
"Merry, I am really sorry for shouting at you like that.You can never be a trouble and I don't know why you think that..sorry please don't cry...I am really a bastard..Fuck! " Max told her while keeping his voice soft and cursed himself for making her cry. Max sat on the bed.He held both of her hands and kissed them with affection.Then rubbed his face and twitched his eyebrows tensely.
Merry did felt hurt but he didn't scold her for anything else but for thinking of her own self like a burden.
Merry felt like her heart had talked to her that she had found something precious which was enough to keep her alive.
Merry took Max one hand towards her lips and kissed his hand gently. Max widened his eyes.Max got flustered by her action.
"I didn't cry because of you Max.. I just... Th-Thank you for making feel cared...." Merry said with a smile while looking like she wants to say so much but couldn't.Max can feel it clearly.
Max held her face gently and kissed her lips while trying to be gentle.Merry felt overwhelmed with emotions and tears fell from her eyes.