The sound of approaching hooves broke the quiet, drawing Eli's and the woman's—attention. A group of warriors rode toward them, their movements quick and determined.
Reinforcements had arrived.
The first to dismount was a large, muscular man who rushed over to the princess. His face was full of concern as he grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Your Highness! Princess Denise!" he exclaimed, searching her face for any signs of injury. "Are you hurt?"
The princess gently pushed his hands away, shaking her head. "I'm fine, General James. You don't need to worry."
General James looked relieved, but he still scanned the area for any danger. Meanwhile, the other warriors surrounded Eli, spears raised and ready.
Eli blinked and looked down at himself—still completely naked except for the werewolf head he was holding to cover his manhood. The sharp tips of the spears all pointed at him.
'Well, this is just perfect. Reinforcements arrived right after the fighting ended. And one step away from getting poked like a roast chicken huh?'
He shifted awkwardly, trying to keep the werewolf head in place. 'What's the protocol here? Do I explain the naked part first?'
Eli cleared his throat, trying to sound casual. "Uh… guys, this isn't what it looks like," he said, glancing at the spears aimed at him.
The warriors didn't budge. Their expressions were stone-cold, clearly not convinced.
' Yep. Definitely not what it looks like.'
Princess Denise, keeping her eyes firmly away from Eli, stepped forward, raising her hand to ease the tension between the two sides. "Lower your weapons. This man saved my life."
General James looked confused, his eyes darting from Eli to the princess. "This man? Your Highness, he's..." He gestured awkwardly toward Eli, struggling to find the right words. "He's... not dressed properly."
Eli almost rolled his eyes. 'Seriously? That's what you're focused on?'
Princess Denise, still avoiding looking directly at Eli, remained calm. "Let's not rush to judgement ."
The warriors looked at each other but slowly lowered their spears, still keeping their distance. But With a suspicious look, General James spoke up, "Your Highness, isn't this man a bit suspicious? He's... well, naked. Could it be that his clothes were torn when he transformed? Now that he's human again, he's left without any?" suspecting Eli could be a werewolf too or some other kind of shapeshifting monster.
Princess Denise hesitated for a moment, recalling the incredible strength Eli had shown during the battle. She considered his unusual abilities but decided to keep her thoughts to herself. However, it seemed best to go along with the general's suggestion for now so she nodded.
"Wait, is this really just because I'm naked?" Eli asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Bind him tightly and put him in the carriage," General James ordered firmly.
"Hold on! I just find it easier to fight without clothes, that's all," Eli explained as a few warriors approached to tie him up. "Alright, fine, but could you at least give me something to wear?" He looked down at the werewolf head he was holding. "So I can finally put this thing down!"
One of the warriors hesitated before tossing him a rough pair of trousers. Eli nodded his thanks and, without thinking, dropped the werewolf head to the ground, his hands now free to grab the trousers. For a brief moment, there was nothing to cover him.
Eli hurriedly pulled on the trousers, but not before a few of the warriors got an unfortunate—and rather eye-opening—glimpse. Several of them gulped, their faces turning red.
One warrior coughed awkwardly and looked away, while another's hand trembled as he tightened his grip on his spear. Eli noticed their reactions but pretended not to.
'What? You guys don't have this?' He thought to himself, as he finished tying the trousers around his waist. At least Princess Denise kept her back turned, sparing herself from the awkwardness.
Finally dressed—well, partially dressed—Eli let out a relieved breath. "Better?"
General James, still unimpressed, nodded toward the carriage. "Let's go. And keep a close eye on him."
As they rode back to the palace, Princess Denise turned to the General and asked about the carriage filled with children and elderly healers they had rescued from a village that had been attacked and was now believed to be taken over by the Lycans. Unlike Eli, who referred to them as "werewolves," here, they called the monsters that attacked them as "Lycans."
"Are the children and healers safe?" she asked, looking at the General.
"Yes, Your Highness. The children and the elderly healers are safe and have arrived at the palace," the General replied, keeping his eyes on the path ahead. "It was their arrival that informed us of the attack in the forest. We had to find you quickly."
As Eli sat in the carriage, he turned to the warrior guarding him, feeling curious. "Where are we?" he asked.
The warrior looked at him with a serious expression. "You're in the Kingdom of Veloria."
Eli nodded, taking this in. "What year is it?"
The warrior chuckled lightly, as if Eli's question was funny. "It's the year 950."
Eli thought to himself, 'I don't think I'm in the past. This world is just young.' He looked at the warrior's gear and clothes, which seemed like they belonged in the Middle Ages.
"Who was that woman earlier?" Eli asked, wanting to know more.
The warrior sighed, clearly a bit annoyed by his questions. "That woman is Princess Denise, the only daughter of King Philip of Veloria."
Eli thought about this, feeling more respect for the princess. 'She's incredibly brave,' he thought. 'Despite being a woman and the sole heir, she's willing to risk her life for her people. Thankfully, I arrived just in time. If I hadn't, things might have turned out differently, and they could have lost their princess.'
When they arrived at the palace, Princess Denise was immediately greeted by her father, King Philip, who was filled with worry. Despite his old age and the difficulty he had walking, he hurried as best he could to meet her.
Seeing this, the princess quickly dismounted her horse and rushed to meet him halfway. King Philip embraced her tightly, his hands trembling slightly.
"My dear, are you alright?" King Philip asked, his voice thick with concern and relief.
"I'm fine, Father," the princess reassured him with a gentle smile, her eyes softening. "There's no need to worry about me."
King Philip sighed deeply, holding her at arm's length to look her over. "I was so worried," he admitted, his voice breaking slightly. "Thank the heavens you're safe."
"Not the heavens, Father," the princess replied, her tone reflecting her disbelief in such things. King Philip didn't argue; he knew she had been questioning the existence of heaven ever since their world had been overrun by monsters. And if there was a God, she thought, they had surely been abandoned.
Later, after changing into more appropriate clothing, Princess Denise sought out General James. She found him in the courtyard, overseeing the return of the troops. "Where's the man?" she asked, her voice steady but with a hint of urgency.
"He's in the dungeon, Your Highness," the general responded. Seeing the concern in her eyes, he quickly added, "But there's no need to worry, Princess. The important thing now is for you to rest and regain your strength."
Princess Denise nodded, though her mind was still on the man who had saved her. She knew she needed to rest, but she couldn't shake the curiosity and gratitude she felt towards him.
Inside her chamber, lying on her bed and staring up at the ceiling, Princess Denise couldn't stop thinking about Eli. More than his strength against the Lycans, what stuck in her mind was the sight of his private part. She kept trying to push the memory away, feeling frustrated with herself. It wasn't as if seeing a man's body was new to her—she had seen many portraits and sculptures—but this was the first time she had seen one in person, up close.
She felt annoyed and embarrassed that her gaze had lingered for too long.
'Why did I stare?' she thought, feeling a wave of shame. I should have looked away. 'What must he think of me?' She groaned and covered her face with her hands.