As Samuel held her hand, his grip tightened, and the girl could feel the strength in his fingers, a stark contrast to her own fragile frame. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice filled with authority.
The girl tried to pull away, but his hold was unyielding. She struggled against him, her heart racing as she fought to break free. But despite her efforts, she could not escape his grasp.
Finally, he relented, releasing his grip. The girl stumbled backward, gasping for air as she tried to regain her composure.
With a soft click, the door closed behind her, the echo of its closing reverberating through the room. She turned to face Samuel, who was still lying on the floor, his eyes fixed on the wall in front of him.
On the wall, a painting caught his attention - a young lion standing boldly in a land of tigers, a symbol of determination and strength. Samuel found himself lost in thought, his mind wandering as he contemplated the image.
He had assumed that the girl had fled, and was surprised to find himself in familiar place, instead. As he turned his gaze towards her, their eyes met. However, he could not clearly make out her figure, as she stood before him.
He hesitated, pushing himself up with his hands and sitting up slowly. "Clara!" he exclaimed, "What happened to me? How did I end up with you?"
Clara took a deep breath, preparing herself to reveal the truth of what had transpired. She knew that Samuel would have many questions, and she was determined to answer each one honestly.
Clara's voice took on a playful tone as she spoke, "It's good to see you, my dear ex." She added with a smile, "I'm glad you finally woke up." As she finished speaking, she dipped into a respectful bow, acknowledging his status as the successor to the late King.
"I order you to tell me how I ended up here," Samuel said, his tone serious.
Clara's smile broadened as she replied, "My lord, you are currently in my cottage." She could see the nervousness in his eyes as she explained the situation.
"What happened to me?" Samuel asked, his voice laced with concern.
Clara took a deep breath, preparing to reveal the truth. "You were attacked by a mob, my lord," she said gently. "But I managed to rescue you and bring you to safety here in my cottage."
Samuel looked at her, gratitude in his eyes. "How?," he said, his voice soft.
Clara bowed again and added, "I wish you could figure it out yourself, my lord."
Samuel fell silent for a moment, his mind racing as he tried to remember what had happened. He recalled being saved by someone who looked remarkably like Clara, but he couldn't be sure if it was her.
He noticed a white band on Clara's wrist, and a memory flashed through his mind. He remembered being placed on a horse by someone wearing the same band.
"Are you the one who saved me?" he asked, his voice filled with realization. "You were disguised as a man?"
Clara nodded, her expression unchanged. "Yes, my lord," she said simply. "I knew that if I were to rescue you, I would need to blend in with the mob. And the best way to do that was to disguise myself as one of them."
Samuel looked down at himself, he realized that he was undressed, he quickly searched for his clothes, trying to cover himself with the robe. "What? How did I get here?" he asked, his voice a mix of confusion and embarrassment.
He turned to Clara, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Are you a stalker?" he demanded. "How did you know I was in danger? How did you know I was about to be killed?".
Clara held up a hand, silencing Samuel's rapid-fire questions. "I will answer your questions, one by one," she said, a small smile playing on her lips. "You were always like this when we were still lovers, remember? Asking a hundred question at once."
Samuel felt a pang of nostalgia at her words, a reminder of their shared past. He nodded, allowing her to continue.
"First," she said, "I was able to rescue you because I saw the mob approaching and I knew that you were in danger. I managed to get you out of the palace and bring you here, to my cottage, where you would be safe."
"Second," she continued, "I am not a stalker. I had no idea that you were in danger until I saw the mob. And I did not follow you or spy on you in any way."
"And third," she finished, "I risked my life to save you because I knew that you were a good man, and that you had the potential to be a great leader. I could not stand by and watch as you were killed, not when I had the power to stop it."
Samuel listened to her words, feeling a sense of gratitude and admiration for the woman before him. Despite their complicated history, he knew that she had saved his life, and that he owed her a debt of gratitude.
"You became unconscious shortly after I saved you," Clara explained. "I had to get some supplies from the market, and it was there that I saw the mob approaching the palace. I knew that you were in danger, and I saw you running for your life." She couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the memory.
Samuel raised an eyebrow, a faint smile on his lips. "What's so funny?" he asked.
Clara shook her head, her laughter fading. "It's nothing," she said. "Just slip of tongue." She tried to keep her tone light, but inside, she felt a pang of discomfort. She had been standing for nearly twenty minutes, and her legs were beginning to ache.
Seeing a small mat near Samuel, she took it and moved to sit down behind the door, out of his line of sight. She didn't want him to see her discomfort, didn't want him to think that she was weak or incapable.
Despite their history and the tension between them, Clara was determined to stay strong and to help Samuel in any way she could.
Samuel's words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. "Do you think I will ever forget what you did, even if I have forgiven you five years ago?" he asked, his voice low.
Clara swallowed hard, knowing that he was referring to their shared past, to the pain and heartbreak that had driven them apart. She had hoped that he had moved on, that he had let go of the anger and resentment that had once consumed him.
But it was clear that the wounds were still raw, that the memories were still fresh in his mind.
"I'm glad I was able to save your life," Clara said quietly. "And you don't need to repay me. I didn't do it for repayment; I did it because it was the right thing to do."
Samuel nodded a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I know," he said. "But I want to do something to show my gratitude. When I return to the palace, I will make sure that you are rewarded for your bravery."
Clara smiled faintly, touched by his words. She knew that he meant what he said, that he was a man of honor and integrity.
But she also knew that their past would always be a part of them, a shadow that hung over their relationship, a reminder of what they had once shared and what they had lost.
As Samuel finished dressing, Clara couldn't help but notice his weak state. "My lord, you are still very weak," she said, concern etched on her face. "There is no native physician here to tend to your injuries."
Despite her worry, she couldn't help but smile at him, twisting her legs around each other as she sat on the mat. She ran her hand down her cheek, her smile deepening.
Samuel couldn't help but be curious about her expression. "Why are you smiling at me like that?" he asked, though he added, "Thank you, I'm alright. There's nothing wrong with me." He finished adjusting his hat and clapped his hands together, wondering what to do next.
Clara's smile only grew wider. "You are a proud one, aren't you?" she said teasingly. "Even in your weakened state, you refuse to admit that you need help."
Samuel couldn't help but chuckle at her words. "Perhaps you are right," he conceded. "But I am determined to get back to the palace as soon as possible. I have to warn my mother about the danger that threatens our kingdom."
As Samuel tried to stand, he faltered, his legs feeling heavy and weak. He let out a pained cry as he lost his balance and fell to the floor. Clara watched him with a look of pity, but she tried to avoid his gaze as he groaned in pain.
It wasn't the fracture that caused his groans, but the force of hitting the hard, furnished floor that sent a shock through his body.
"What! Ouch! My leg is broken," he said, his voice filled with pain and frustration. He adjusted himself to sit more comfortably, stretching out his legs in front of him. He turned to Clara, his expression softened. "Can you please help me?" he asked in a gentle voice. "I would be grateful if you could go to the town and find me a physician."
Their eyes met, and a heavy silence filled the room. Clara was lost in her memories of their shared past, her thoughts consumed by the love and heartbreak they had once experienced.
Samuel called her name over and over again, but she didn't respond. Finally, he took off his hat and threw it in her direction, hoping to catch her attention
Clara snapped out of her reverie, a look of fear on her face. "What? Why did you throw that at me?" she asked, stepping back in surprise.
"I've been calling your name multiple times," Samuel said a hint of frustration in his voice. "I need you to go to the town and find me a physician. I will repay you for your help."
Clara smiled at him, standing up. "I haven't been able to spend time with you since we broke up," she said. "This is the perfect opportunity for us to be together while your fracture heals."
"There's no one else in this area to help you," she continued. "I am the only person living in this mountain, and I can help you treat your fracture for six months."
Samuel looked at her, surprised by her proposal. "Six months?" he asked. "Why would it take that long?"
Clara met his gaze, a determined look in her eyes. "It all depends on how well you cooperate with your ex-lover," she said firmly. "If you follow my instructions and take the time to heal properly, you will be back on your feet in no time."
"Clara gone are the days and precisely, Clara, do you know am the heir," Samuel said. "If you don't help me, there will be consequences."
Clara turned towards the door, but stopped when she heard Samuel's voice.
"I will do as you wish, Clara," he said.
Clara smiled. "If you comply with me, I can heal your fracture in six weeks."
The following day, Clara went to him, she served him very well, young master kept gazing at her as she kept herself busy cleaning the cobweb around the room, her eyes met his, she felt uncomfortable, "now it time, to set your leg, so you have to go undress to examine.......