"Kewe..." (What...)
Aria tried to ask with her eyes wide, full of shock and confusion. But even before she could complete her sentence, Rayan pressed his hand against her lips.
"Sshhh..."
This movement of his unconsciously pulled both of them near each other. His one hand was already around her waist and now the other on her lips.
Aria could feel nothing but him at that moment. All around her...his smell, his touch, everything seemed to be about him.
Her body started to feel hot all of a sudden, and she frowned in confusion and surprise.
"Don't..."
Rayan whispered and glanced at her for a moment when he sensed her attempt to take a step back and Aria immediately stopped moving even though she didn't understand him.
His hand around her waist was enough for her to stop moving.
She lowered her eyes slowly, as if she didn't dare to look at him. Her heart ran so fast when he looked at her with those eyes.
Aria felt very flustered and confused at the changes in her body.
This...this didn't happen when her grandmother used to hold her.
She even used to hug her to sleep some nights. But she never felt like that. Ariel somehow put her hand on her chest and patted it slightly.
Was she sick?
On the other hand, Rayan was completely unaware of the problems of the lady in his arms. His eyes focused on the open space where he sensed something. He was a martial artist and slight sounds could be heard by him easily.
He was sure that he had sensed a movement, and it didn't belong to a bird or animal.
His eyes focused on the region behind the bushes, and they flickered with coldness. He then looked at the lady in his arms.
Worry consumed him for a moment, but then he knew that he must go there alone.
"Stay here...."
He whispered and gestured strictly.
Unsure if she really understood, he gestured again.
"Here...stand here only!"
Aria blinked and then nodded, understanding that she was not supposed to move away from this place. Rayan finally stepped away and came out of the hiding spot. After taking a few steps, he glanced at the bushes and then towards Aria again.
She was standing in the same spot. Relieved, he looked ahead and stepped forward again.
The surrounding aura changed him completely. His eyes were sharp and cold as he took out the dagger hidden in his sleeve and walked fast to the bushes.
And sure enough, a figure lurched forward from the bushes sensing Rayan's movements.
Standing behind the tree, Aria gasped when she saw this.
She was worried about Rayan, but soon she saw that Rayan was faster and, with one swift move, he had the man under him with his dagger on his throat and his arms and legs completely in Rayan's control.
"Oomph..."
The man had his face covered and tried to struggle in the hold. But when his eyes fell on Rayan's face, he stopped moving completely.
"My Lord!"
The man called out, making Rayan frown at the familiarity of the voice.
"Tristan"
"My Lord!"
The man called out loudly this time and his voice was full of joy this time. Rayan relaxed slowly. The frown on his forehead vanished and he released Tristan.
As he stood up and put his dagger back inside his sleeves, Tristan also did the same and removed the cloth from his face to uncover it.
"My Lord! I have finally found you."
Tristan looked very enthusiastic and happy to find Rayan.
Rayan nodded his head in return and asked
"Are you alright? What about others?"
"Everyone is fine."
Tristan replied and then continued a moment later.
"Linus got slightly wounded when the enemies were chasing us, but it's fine. But My Lord ...you should not have done that. To get enemies' attention to yourself like this, you put your life at risk. These past two days all of us have been ..."
Tristan blabbered when he was worried. It was a normal thing so Rayan didn't react to it. He, however, frowned when he heard that one of his men was wounded.
Just at that moment, he felt a pull on his sleeve and Rayan immediately looked behind.
There stood Aria with her hand on her sleeve. Her eyes were full of uncertainty as she looked at Tristan. And all the coldness left Rayan's eyes immediately.
Was she scared? She need not be scared at all as long as he was there.
Rayan wanted to tell her somehow, but Tristan was too fast at expressing his own questions.
"My Lord! Who is this Lady?"
Tristan stepped towards Aria and looked at her with a deep frown. Any person from Ulrik right now was an enemy only except the one they had been looking for.
Hence, he was that guarded.
Aria was scared with the sword in his hand when he stepped closer to her...especially with that suspicious look in his eyes.
She immediately stepped back, leaving Rayan's sleeve.
"Tristant! Step away from her!"
Rayan said sharply with a warning-filled voice and Tristan immediately stepped back. However, seeing that he was still looking at Aria with that same look, Rayan shook his head and said again.
"She saved my life. You are scaring her."
As he said these words, Rayan covered Aria with his own body by stepping in front of her. Tristan blinked and immediately lowered his eyes.
Someone who saved his master's life was a benefactor.
"I apologize to the lady."
Tristan said in a very serious voice.
"She doesn't understand our language."
Rayan told him and Tristan blamed him for his stupidity.
"Yes, My Lord! I should have spoken in Ulrik's people's language."
However, Rayan surprised Tristan again.
"She doesn't speak that language either."
"Then what does she speak?"
Tristan asked in confusion, but Rayan didn't have any answer to this question. After all, he also didn't know anything about her language.
As they talked with each other in a common language, standing behind Rayan, Aria had her eyes full of tears.
This...both of them knew each other.
Will this person leave now? ...Leaving her alone again?