"Wait… Let me go…'' Lareina struggled as Azrael dragged her out of that place.
The sounds of the humans faded into the darkness when they made it way far from the cage.
But the man did not stop. He dragged her out of the eastern wings, his grip ironclad on her wrist.
''No…'' Lareina struggled even more fiercely when they entered the main hall where everyone noticed them.
But the man did not cease his footsteps even though his mocking voice resounded in her ears, ''Why? Is it shameful to be seen with me, princess?"
Why was he so angry? What had she done?
Her body was weak already and in the haste and confusion, Lareina lost her footing but before she could fall, Azrael pulled her into his arms.
''Don't even think of running away from me. Don't bother with these petty tricks of yours,'' his face remained dark as he whispered.
Before Lareina could utter a word, the man hoisted her up in her arms, his one hand remained around her shoulders while the other rested behind her knees.
He did not give her the chance to say a word as he strode towards an isolated path.
Lareina had been in the demon realm for years now but she did not know where he was taking her to.
Some bizarre thoughts formed in her mind and lores of the demon realm that she had heard from humans crossed her mind.
She had heard humans talking about how demons had various methods to torture and kill their prey. After encountering the demonic hounds in the hunting ground, she could no longer consider those lores as just rumors.
''Where are you taking me…?" she struggled again, rattled by the possibility that he would throw her at death's door in his rage.
She had not done anything to deserve death yet. And she was not going to die an untimely death at all.
The thought made her bolster some more courage and strength as she swung her legs with all her might.
"Putting up such a huge struggle to run back there, huh?" Azrael's eyes met hers, a dangerous threat lurking in them, ''Move about again and see if I throw you in front of one of those hounds that made you unconscious…''
The warning chilled the fighting spirit that had risen in her body and she went limp in his arms for a few minutes. It wasn't until he walked off towards the forest area that surrounded the palace.
''Let me go…'' Lareina's eyes widened, tears forming in them as she screamed at him. Her voice was hoarse, ''No…''
Azrael frowned and glanced at her. When he saw those tears in her eyes, his footsteps slowed and his face softened slightly, ''Where do you think I am taking you?" his voice lowered, ''Am I a deranged beast in your eyes?"
Just as those words slipped from his mouth, Lareina felt herself lifted in the air. With a swoosh, something passed by her body and she felt a softness behind her.
The thought of those demonic hounds crossed her mind and she closed her eyes immediately but when Azrael placed her atop something, her heart fluttered in panic.
Her eyes snapped open and she was greeted by the sight of a tall white horse upon which she was sitting.
She felt a weight behind her when Azrael moved to sit behind her. One of his hands remained on her waist while the other controlled the horse.
The cold wind whipped her face as the horse galloped into the forest in the middle of the night.
The more they got inside the forest, the difficult it was for Lareina to see anything. Except she felt the coolness of the night breeze in her body that was intermingled with Azrael's body temperature.
Lareina surmised that they had gotten far away from the palace when Azrael stopped the horse and jumped down before he pulled her off it.
In front of her bewildered eyes, she saw a scene she never thought she would witness like this.
There was a waterfall behind the trees. Azrael treaded across the bank while holding her in his arms but his movements were so precise that not a single drop of water touched her.
He walked to the huge rock behind the waterfall and pressed his palm on it. The rock moved, revealing a cave that was enshrouded in darkness.
Azrael set Lareina to her feet and a candle lit up in the next moment, lightening the place. Lareina could see the way this cave resembled a room of its own. However small it looked from the outside, it was almost the same size as Azrael's room in the demon palace.
Silence settled between them.
Azrael's back was facing towards Lareina. The man had not spoken a word in a while and he did not seem like he was going to speak.
''Why did you… bring me here?"
She did not think she would get a reply to her words.
"Why? Do you want to go back to meet your beloved, hmm?" The man turned, his purple eyes feral as he looked at her, ''Or did you intend to elope with him behind my back?''
He strode towards her, making her take a step back instinctively.
Lover?
It took her a moment to realize that he probably also believed in the rumors of the young general being her lover.
She opened her mouth to clarify but the man cupped her chin.
''Where is your shame, my little rebel? You are my wife and you are meeting another man in private, at night…'' his thumb grazed her jaws, tilting her face till she was in his face, closer in his sight, ''What do you take me for when you do such immoral deeds?"
A hint of anger sparked inside her and under his condescending gaze, that anger spread inside her like a forest fire.
Lareina bit her bottom lips, wanting the pain to hold her back from saying anything that would make her sound pathetic.