The Next Morning,
Ruiyan extended his hand to help Jade into the carriage. She accepted it gracefully, her fingers brushing against his before pulling away. As they settled inside and the carriage began its journey to the Phoenix Empire, an unsettling silence hung between them.
Ruiyan glanced at her from the corner of his eye, longing to break the quiet. He wanted her to talk, to smile, just like she had the day before.
"You're quite reserved by nature," he remarked casually, hoping to spark a conversation.
Silence
He waited for a moment before trying again.
"Were you always this reserved?"
Still nothing.
Ruiyan leaned back, frustration bubbling under the surface. Why isn't she speaking?
Did I offend her somehow? He let out a soft sigh. Of course, he had no idea how women typically behaved-his experience with them was practically nonexistent.
His mother had passed away when he was a child, and Xinyi, his brat of a sister, was hardly the loving type. If anything, she seemed to delight in avoiding him. She would rather spend time with a pig than with him. Between military duties and palace affairs, his world was filled with men. Courting had always taken a backseat to his responsibilities. Now, here he was, arranging his own wedding and fumbling through his fiancée's silence.
He cleared his throat, shifting topics.
"Let me know if you're hungry or thirsty," he offered gently. "The journey is long, and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."
Still, there was no response.
Annoyance flickered across his features. Why is she ignoring me? Turning toward her, he leaned in, ready to confront her-and stopped.
She was asleep, her head resting lightly against the side of the carriage. Her breathing was steady, her expression serene. All the tension he had noticed earlier seemed to have melted away in her slumber.
Ruiyan's annoyance dissipated as his gaze softened. Tentatively, he reached out and cupped her cheek. Her skin was softer than he had imagined, her cheeks reminded him of soft gluttonous rice cakes, soft and inviting to touch.
He let his hand linger for a moment before pulling back, a faint smile tugging at his lips. How could someone so distant be this endearing?
----
By sunset, the carriage reached the outskirts of the snowy Ashford Range. The darkness was thick, and the biting chill of the mountains made travel impossible until dawn. The guards and knights agreed to halt for the night, setting up a makeshift camp amidst the frosty wilderness.
As the tents were being pitched, Ruiyan stepped out of the carriage and turned to help Jade down. His hand lingered for a moment longer than necessary, noticing how she shivered despite the layers she wore. Her hands rubbed together in a futile attempt to ward off the cold, and her breath came out in visible puffs.
"Look at me," he said softly, capturing her attention.
With a casual snap of his fingers, a tiny flame flickered to life, floating in midair between them. It was like a tiny orb of sunlight. The warmth radiated outward, bathing her in a soft glow. Jade's eyes widened in wonder, her earlier discomfort momentarily forgotten.
"How can you summon fire so easily on a night like this, Your Majesty?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine curiosity. "You must have spent years mastering fire magic!"
Ruiyan couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, the frost on his heart melting under the warmth of her gaze. "Perhaps I have," he replied, his tone light yet affectionate.
Leaning closer, he gently tapped her nose with his finger, a playful glint in his eyes. "Now," he said, as the little flame began to circle her like a protective companion. He continues
"you have a cute little guard to keep you warm for tonight."
Jade chuckled softly, her cheeks warming both from the fire and his gesture. For the first time since they had embarked on their journey, Ruiyan felt the icy silence between them start to melt.
At the bonfires, the warm glow cast flickering shadows on everyone gathered. Ruiyan, with an unusual tenderness, prepared a portion of roasted meat and a bowl of steaming soup for Jade, ensuring everything was perfect before handing it to her.
General Lin, sitting nearby, let out a low whistle and teased,
"The emperor already dotes on his future wife. Quite the sight, isn't it?"
Ruiyan felt a faint flush creep up his cheeks but managed a small, good-natured smile.
"It's not like that," he replied, though the slight warmth in his voice betrayed him.
The other knights, always eager to join in, chimed in with playful remarks and hearty congratulations for his upcoming marriage. Their laughter filled the chilly air, lightening the atmosphere further.
Amidst the harmony, Jade's gaze wandered. She noticed one of the guards staring at her intently from across the campfire. His gaze lingered, dark and unsettling. As soon as their eyes met, he abruptly turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows.
Jade's stomach churned, the crackling fire doing little to ease her sudden discomfort. Something about that look unsettled her.
----
That night in the tent, Jade felt a hand graze her leg. Half-asleep, her vision was blurred but the figure before her became unmistakable--- it was the same guard as before.
Alarm jolted her awake, but before she could utter a sound, he pressed a sharp dagger to her throat and brought a finger to her lips, his voice a venomous whisper.
"If you rebel, I will make sure you regret it." he threatened, his voice chilling and low.
Jade's heart pounded, but she forced herself to stay calm, her sharp mind working through the terror. Her expression softened just enough to appear submissive, reading the malice and evil in his eyes.
"That's better" The guard hissed.
With the dagger still close, he placed it beside him and reached for her dress, his movements vile and deliberate. Just as he began to untie the fabric, the small ball of fire hovering by Jade's side flared suddenly, burning his hands.
The guard screamed in pain, jerking back. In that fleeting moment of distraction, Jade's instincts took over. She snatched the dagger and bolted out of the tent, her breaths ragged, her bare feet sinking into the snow with every step.
The frigid air bit at her skin, and the icy ground stung, but adrenaline coursed through her veins. Safety. That's all that matters to her right now.
Meanwhile, the guard's scream alerted others nearby, and she could hear the chaos of hurried footsteps growing louder.
She pushed herself to run faster, the cold numbing her toes. She didn't dare look back, the sound of shouting guards growing closer. Her lungs burned with each breath, and just when her strength faltered, she collided into something solid.
Panic surged as she realised it was another guard wearing a mask of cloth. Is he the previous one's companion or someone worse?
She raised the dagger without thinking, ready to strike but her hand froze midair. The eyes staring back at her weren't filled with malice--- they were kind, hazel and very familiar.
"Theo" she whispered.