Three weeks passed, and no single word about the Knight Commander and his knights came by.
Anna stood up. From the mirror stand, her image was reflected, showing a lady who was way different from before. Her petite figure sat well with her thin, slender body.
Anna was not tall but pretty and pleasing to the eyes, like cherry blossoms in full bloom in the morning. Her soft face glowed brightly, and her lustrous auburn hair flowed over her shoulders.
Her eyes shone like emeralds, and her delicate ears framed her dainty nose. Her cheeks, once gaunt and hollow, were now plump like apples, with a hint of rosiness complementing her sweet pink lips.
The princess slowly raked the long, wavy hair with the comb and put on a simple ornament Ayden gave. Though a bit plain and unembellished, her clothes could not hide her beauty.
The princess might not be voluptuous or the most beautiful woman in Cassian, but she was undoubtedly an eye-catcher with her own charm.
The emerald pupils shook, moving from up to down, observing every inch of her body.
"This should do," the princess murmured to herself.
Anna was appropriately dressed and presentable each morning as if it was Kyren's homecoming day. As a princess, she had no problem doing so, even with a modest dress and ornaments.
The several weeks Anna spent waiting for the commander's return were monotonous. Cooped in the tent, the princess had nothing to do but recuperate. Luckily, Ayden dropped by every day to check on her.
The assistant healer taught her about remedies and potions used for healing. Sometimes, they talked about the different cultures between the two kingdoms and random topics. As they went along together, a new friendship was built between the two.
The commander's wife walked out of the tent and approached the guards smilingly. It was a routine that she was used to each morning. Even the guards already knew what she was about to ask, but they entertained her anyway.
"Good morning. Has the commander returned yet?" The same question fell out of her mouth again.
Her eyes were beaming with sparkles of hope soaring to the sky.
The guards looked at her with pity. For three weeks, they watched as Anna struggled to change, from someone who almost despaired of being left alone to a woman who began to rise and take good care of herself to welcome her husband's return.
The guards were amazed by the gradual changes in her that became more and more evident physically. However, at the same time, they felt sorry for the commander's wife, who faithfully waited and tirelessly asked the same questions every day, full of enthusiasm.
"I'm sorry, my lady. But he hasn't returned yet," replied one of the guards.
The sparkles in Anna's eyes dimmed at the reply, and the cheerful face changed in a glimpse. The princess neither cried nor sulked. Instead, she steadfastly held a smile on her face and said thank you to the guards.
"My lady...," the guard's voice halted Anna, who had turned around to return to the tent.
"Yes?" she asked with her doe eyes at him.
"You look pretty these few days. We also hope the commander will return soon and see your changes. He'll surely be happy," encouraged the guard.
Anna nodded and responded with a smile. How she wished that would come true.
A few moments later, the sound of a horn being blown twice suddenly rended the air. The number of it indicated the arrival of knights or soldiers.
Anna's eyes opened widely, and the rush of blood began to fill every end of her nerves, giving her a tingling feeling that shook her body. She knew what the sound meant. Without thinking, she ran out of the tent and asked the guards,
"Is that... Is that him?"
Anna felt like holding her heart from falling to the ground. Her breathing was getting faster but shorter. She put a hand on her heart, trying to calm herself from the sudden occasion.
"We're not sure. It could be him or the dispatched knights on duty," the guard responded.
Anna took a step further.
The soft summer breeze greeted her face. Somehow, deep down, she could feel a calling, as if the wind itself was telling her that he had returned.
"He's here!"
Anna looked to the entrance at the far front.
No one was coming; not even a sound of the horse galloping had reached the area, but her heart was telling her that he had come back. It was a feeling that she could not decipher, but she knew it from the moment the horn was blown.
"He has returned!" Anna rushed forward, but the two guards blocked her.
"My lady, please wait here! We will confirm it for you," said one of the guards.
"No! I know it's him. Please let me see him!" Anna implored. Her heart beat loudly as she spoke.
"I understand that you are anxious to meet him. But we are not sure whether it's the commander or not! Please be patient!" the guard urged.
"I know it's him! Just let me go! Please!" she pleaded again.
"But —"
"Let go!"
For the first time, Anna yelled at the guards, making them stunned at her impulsive behaviour. Her face was red, and she was almost crying.
"Ye-yes, my lady," the guard stammered and stepped aside, giving way to the princess. He motioned to his fellow friend to move as well, allowing her to storm forward.
Lifting her skirt, Anna ran to the entrance. Her heart palpitated as she kept running and did not bother about her bare feet stepping on the dirt. Her mind and soul were full of his image, smirking face, and stern voice. She had waited for his return for so long.
'Please! I know you are back! Please come back to me!'
The tears brimming in her eyes burst in the end. She could no longer withhold the longing feeling.
Anna's feet stopped halfway.
Why was she behaving like this?
They never knew each other, and their marriage was made in haste to save her life. So, why did she have this heartfelt feeling over this man, a total stranger who had become her husband in one night?
Was it because his unspoken kindness had pierced through her heart?
Or was it because he was her only family?
She had no answer to these questions.
The camp's occupants, minding their business, stopped their walk when they noticed the little woman standing hesitantly in the middle of the path between the tents with a redden, wet face.
All the eyes of the onlookers began to stare at the commander's wife. This was the first time Anna appeared in front of them. Unlike the rumours they had heard, the commander's wife was looking pretty and healthy.
The sounds of horseshoes cantering to the entrance travelled to Anna's ears. She lifted her chin, eyes fixed ahead.
A group of men entered the camp, and among the bobbing heads of the knights riding the warhorses, she saw the most prominent figure; Kyren Raychard.
Anna's tears fell like a broken dam.
Her instinct was right; the Knight Commander had returned.