The couple finally reached the end of the field and sat down under an Elm tree. The exquisite tranquil surroundings of the forest filled the picturesque like a beautiful canvas painting.
"I didn't mean to leave you alone in the tent and hold you captive there. It was for your safety. You're the only female in the camp," Kyren suddenly stated.
Noticing that her husband was referring to when he was not around, she quickly responded, "Oh no! I didn't mean that! I wasn't lonely at all at the time."
Anna raised both hands and waved them, expressing her denial. She did not expect Kyren to relate her words to his previous action of leaving her.
"I left you in the tent guarded because I know you must be traumatised by what had happened to you," he told her.
The princess understood his intention and was thankful for that.
"I want you to be safe. I've promised you so, and I intend to keep it," he said.
His large hand entwined with hers as his eyes looked down at her delicate fingers. The commander had yet to let her hand free from his grasp.
"You've already made me feel secure. I'm not worried about any danger living here," Anna replied satisfactorily.
She could not be more content with her life than this. Kyren smirked at her answer.
"I'm glad you feel that way. It's my responsibility as your husband to keep you safe. Honestly, I'm worried every time you step out of the tent," he informed her.
"Why?" she asked curiously.
Why would the commander feel so concerned about that? As far as she knew, she had never strayed far out of the campsite or caused any problems. The camp too, was a safe place for her. In fact, she felt much safer living here than in Ardel's castle.
Kyren cleared his throat before saying, "When men cloistered up together for months, it's not a big deal. But, when there's a woman around, it's a different story."
His forehead wrinkled thinking about it. Whenever he saw how the men stared at his wife from afar, he felt uneasy about it.
"But, they never did anything weird. They've just recently started talking to me. Before the fight between Sir Navin and Sir Brooks, they've never come close," Anna responded, believing there was nothing strange with the knights.
"That's because I forbade them to come near the tent and disturb you," he admitted.
In truth, the commander did not like any man approaching his wife. Even when Anna was tending to Noah's injuries the other day, jealousy began to sprout in his heart.
Fortunately, his moral sense shook his conscience and did not allow him to act out of his feelings, as he knew how loyal his men were.
"You allowed Ayden to come through," she smiled, a teasing remark slipping from her lips.
"You were still not fully recovered when I left. Of course, I need him to treat you."
"Thank you for that. If it weren't for him, I would've succumbed to depression. He helped me to adapt to the new surroundings and learn about your culture," she stated.
"He did great. That's why I allowed you to mingle with him and the others afterwards. I see that it has a good impact on you." His eyes collided with hers as a smile danced on his lips.
"Besides, I can't confine you in the tent forever. You're my wife, not a prisoner," he continued.
Anna was happy with her husband's words. She knew Kyren's previous measures were only meant for her good sake and not to trouble her.
"Rafe and Ayden have praised you so much for your proficiency in various languages, especially the old Ro'an language. It helped them a lot with their medical books," said Kyren.
"I'm just sharing what I know. It's great to help them," she responded with a grin.
Knowing how much Anna had contributed her knowledge in language translation for the healer and his assistant, the commander believed there was more to her than met the eyes. It would be such a waste if her talent were not used for the benefit of others.
"The language is tough to learn. Not anyone can master it. If you're interested, I can recommend that you become a tutor for the royal family members. It's compulsory for them to learn the language," he proposed.
"No!" Anna suddenly shouted.
She drew away her hand immediately from the commander's grasp, and her expression shuttered.
Surprised by the sudden act, Kyren quickly asked, "Why? What's wrong?"
His fine brows knitted in worry.
"I... I don't like them!" Anna's eyes shook and darted away.
Bitter memories flashed through her mind about how her father ignored her and her stepmother despised her. Even Kaizer Ronan, a distant royal family relative, betrayed her in the end. All of them, except for Ryan, felt she was useless.
"You don't like them? But why?" Kyren swallowed his saliva.
"They usually mistreated others because they have the ruling powers. They're adamant, look down on people and treat you like a thing. If you have no benefits for them, they discard you like a worthless being."
A surge of anger rose from her words. As Kyren listened, he could guess that Anna did not have a good relationship with her family.
"Perhaps you've seen how the royal families of Ardel behaved. I assure you, it's not the same in Cassian," he persuaded her.
"No, Kyren. I'm quite happy with my life now. I don't want to have anything to do with any royal family members," she stated firmly.
"That, Anna... Actually... I...," Kyren paused.
Initially, he planned to tell her that he was the Grand Duke of Gerhard, the older brother of the King of Cassian. However, when he saw Anna's negative reaction, he could not continue.
"Yes?" The dewy eyes cast a gaze on him.
"Well... as you know it, I served His Majesty, the King of Cassian," he diverted his words carefully.
"Oh, I didn't mean to be disrespectful. I wasn't commenting about His Majesty. Please forgive me," the princess quickly apologised for offending the Knight Commander.
"I'm pretty sure you weren't referring to my king when you said that."
"Definitely not! Though I've never known him, I'm sure he's kind," she responded.
"Then, you shouldn't be too pessimistic about the royal families of Cassian. As this kingdom's ruling powers, they need to be stern in some ways for the good of the people. But they will never harm anyone without a reason," he explained.
"Yes, I understand," Anna nodded, admitting to her mistake.
"Don't worry. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to," he promised her.
She quickly thanked him for his tolerance.
"By the way, there's something I need to tell you," Kyren suddenly said.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
From his tone, it seemed to be something important.
"I need to send the report to His Majesty soon. So, I'll be informing him about our marriage," he replied.
"Oh, you need to report our marriage to His Majesty, too?" she asked.
"Yes. The Knight Commander must report everything to His Majesty. Though we didn't have a proper wedding ceremony, it's still considered valid according to Cassian law," he continued.
Anna nodded lightly.
"We're not in a situation where we can hold a nuptial celebration. I hope you can understand," he firmly expressed.
It was something that he had thought about for a while. He had to bring the matter to his wife, although he knew Anna might dislike it.
No woman wanted to get married without a wedding ceremony. They would surely bawl their eyes in tears and wail for not having the opportunity to wear a beautiful wedding dress and be celebrated in a glorious event.
Wasn't that the dream of all women?
"Yes, I understand. You're a knight on duty fighting for the kingdom's peace, and we're at the frontier. So, I won't be demanding unnecessary things," she replied.
Kyren furrowed his eyebrows. He wasn't expecting such an answer from his wife. He was ready to see his wife cry and sulk about it. However, instead of that, Anna looked calm and responded maturely.
If she were one of the noblewomen arranged by his late parents, she would surely be furious and throw a tantrum at his decision. Why was this woman so different from them?
"Are you content with just marrying a knight?" Kyren suddenly asked after a moment of silence.
"I'm grateful enough that you're willing to accept me, a nobody, as your wife," she replied.
"So you don't care at all if I have no noble blood or a high-ranked status in society?"
Anna shook her head and said, "I only care about you, not what you have or your status. You took me in and cared for me when I was alone and hurt. You gave me a good life that I thought I would never have. It was more than enough."
Kyren was satisfied with her answer. This woman always gave him a comfortable response.
"You make me feel at ease, Anna."
He pulled her closer into his embrace, and his mesmerising blue eyes stared intensely at her. His pupils rolled up and down, exploring the pretty face reflected in his eyes.
Anna's beautiful emerald eyes, cute button nose, and pink-rosy lips captivated him. Holding the nape of her neck, he bent down and kissed her passionately. She was soft and warm, giving him a thirst for more.
Kyren's lips were irresistible. His firm grip hugged her, and his lustrous kiss made her surrender to him voluntarily every time.
She could not deny the attraction she felt for him. It would be a lie to say she did not feel anything towards this beautiful, charming man. She was fascinated not only by his alluring figure but also by the kindness and virtue he had showered her.
It was something that she hardly had in her life.
"You know, I'm having a hard time now. We could…" Kyren, who didn't finish his words, bit his lower lip and smirked mischievously.
Anna, who understood what he meant, immediately widened her eyes.
"But… it's an open space. The guards might see us!" She blushed shyly.
"Nobody's around. You don't have to worry about it. I'll know if someone is approaching. If the guards dared to peek, I'd poke their eyes."
One of his hands was already caressing her br*ast, and he buried his face in her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of her body.
"Not here, Kyren!" She almost yelped from his bold, lustful act.
Kyren lifted his head and looked at her.
"No?" he asked. His face was like a puppy begging for a treat.
"Um…. Um… We did it last night!" She tried to reject him.
"You know how much I held back that time. The truth is, I haven't been fully satisfied," he whispered to her ear.
Anna's heart pounded as she heard him. She needed to come out with a deal before this man pounced on her here.
"Then, tonight... please!" she persuaded him.
"Fine…" Kyren finally let her go from his embrace.
Anna breathed a sigh of relief. It would be embarrassing if anyone saw them engaging in intimacy under a tree.
"But, I will only stop when my desire is fulfilled," he teased her.
Kyren smirked as he saw his wife blushing from his whisper.
"Tomorrow night, I'll introduce you properly to my knights over dinner. It's about time you get to know them," Kyren spoke while looking at his wife.
He saw Anna's lips smiling softly at him. It was a beautiful sight in his eyes.
A strange vibration began to surge in his heart. Deep in it, he felt the urge to hold this woman in his arms, ensuring her radiant smile was only for him.
He now understood one thing; that Anna was his — only his.