"Again, you are quiet," Sullivan said.
"Why did you kiss me outside suddenly?" She questioned while glaring at him.
"I asked first, so you need to answer me first," he stated.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I love you? That's why I married you," Dahlia said.
"No. You don't. Stop fooling me," Sullivan stated. "What you did earlier was plain stupidness. If you had feelings for me, you would have tried to understand me, instead of creating a scene," he stated.
"Why are you pinning the blame on me? Don't you think you were too harsh on me? I merely planned a small celebration for your achievement. Can't I even do that?" Dahlia muttered, looking into his eyes with confusion.
"I don't need anything from the woman, who made me feel low and pathetic every single day. At least, I'm not like the men who love to dominate women just to satiate their anger. I would have showed you your place with the others ways too. But I didn't. Because I know it's not right to hurt a woman just to satisfy my ego," Sullivan stated, boring gaze at her.
Dahlia's gaze softened to hear that. "You can't throw me out. I remember nothing, except for you. I truly love you, Sullivan. Why would I even fight with the others for you?" She looked for understanding in his eyes.
"You married to me to create troubles for me," Sullivan said and he stepped back, pulling his hand from her chin. Turning away, he ran his fingers through his hair and went to the recliner.
"I will not any danger fall upon you. I merely wanted to show you that I'm not the type of woman, who will cry and say nothing if you treat me badly," Dahlia said in a low voice.
Sullivan held the wine bottle and pivoted to look at her. He directly drank from it and heard her speak,
"Why did you kiss me in front of them?"
He lowered the bottle and looked straight into her eyes. She swallowed hard and fidgeted with her fingers nervously. She found him walking to her.
"Because Daedric burns when I do that to you. He loves you after all," Sullivan said and pushed her away from the door before stepping out of the room.
Dahlia turned around to stop him, but she didn't. It would be better to stay alone than be with him.
Nylie watched the prince leave and glanced at Dahlia. "Is Her Highness alright?" she asked.
"Hmm."
~~~~~
Sullivan departed from the palace alone, mounted on a sturdy horse, seeking solace amid the turmoil swirling within him. His thoughts were consumed by the unsettling realization of Daedric's intentions towards Dahlia, especially how the Crown Prince was ready to take away Dahlia from him. He must be waiting for one chance to separate them.
'I won't let it happen, Daedric. She is your Achilles' heel and I tend to play with her for a long time,' Sullivan thought.
The biting cold wind cut across his face, his focus remained focused on the path ahead. Despite the darkness cloaking the road, he guided his horse with practiced ease. The rhythmic sound of hooves against the ground echoed in the quiet of the night.
Finally, Sullivan galloped the horse near the bank of the river and hopped down from it. Caressing its face, he continued, "I wish any of them genuinely cared for me."
The horse neighed as he liked the touch of his master.
Moments later, Sullivan turned around to look at the flowing river. The moonlight had illuminated the area. Finally, he could feel the calmness. The sound of the flowing water soothed his mind and brought it to the calmness.
"You again came here," a voice resonated in the dark. Sullivan didn't budge from his place as he heard the footsteps getting closer to him.
"What happened to you? Is your wife already giving you a hard time?" asked Galen, a middle-aged man, who lived nearby in a hut. "Congratulations for becoming the 5th Military Commander," he wished him.
"Words spread fast, don't they?" Sullivan asked him.
"Yes, they do," Galen replied.
"Did you find what I asked you to?" Sullivan tilted his head to glance at Galen, his eyes sharp with expectation.
"Give me time, man! You think it's easy work to infiltrate the Department of Treasury?" Galen muttered, frustration evident in his voice.
"It's been over fifteen days. How much more time do you need?" Sullivan frowned, his patience wearing thin. "Bring me the answer within this month, or you'll starve to death. I won't give you a single penny," he stated firmly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
"I will bring the answer to the Prince," Galen said confidently, trying to mask his anxiety with bravado.
Sullivan turned back to look at the river, the moonlight reflecting off its surface, creating a mesmerizing, rippling effect.
"Do you remember the day I saved you?" Galen asked suddenly, his voice softer. "I told you that your destiny would change one day. The time has finally come," he asserted, his gaze fixed on Sullivan.
"Galen, there's a long way to go," Sullivan asserted, his tone a mixture of determination and caution. "We can't afford to be reckless. Every step we take must be calculated."
The wind rustled through the trees, carrying the sound of the river's flow as the two men stood in contemplative silence.
"You have Dahlia with you. It's a wonder she married you instead of the Crown Prince. From that moment onward, your destiny changed. You said she hated you, but what I saw was completely the opposite," Galen said thoughtfully, his eyes searching Sullivan's for clarity.
"She isn't the Dahlia I knew. She is a completely different woman now," Sullivan affirmed, his brows knitting together in frustration and confusion.
"What do you mean?" Galen asked, sensing the depth of Sullivan's turmoil.
"Why do you think I attempted to kill myself so many times?" Sullivan muttered, his voice tinged with bitterness. "Apart from the princes, if anyone's words could hurt me the most, it was Dahlia's. I can't stand the fact that she likes me."