Chapter 33

Although she couldn't decipher much of what was happening judging by their conversation, Elena was able to tell that the other bandits had no more fight left in them. After she heard the sound of a broken wrist, followed by an ear bleeding screech from the bandit who had tried getting intimidate. It was clear that no one bandit would be foolish enough to engage in combat, not after their leader was utterly humiliated.

Everything should have been over when the bandits turned to leave, but that was far from what transpired next.

"Stop." Elena heard her husband call out, she wrinkled her brows furiously, completely ignoring the gnawing pain in her wrist.

"Did you think one broken wrist would be enough? Where is your cart?" He demanded in an intimidating manner, standing directly in front of the man who wielded the twin daggers.

"It's hidden in a cave upfront." The bandit replied sounding on edge, "it'll take a day or two to reach it." He added in a forceful tone.

Elena didn't under this talk about carts and caves nor did she get why Alixandre was suddenly interested in the affairs of ordinary bandits.

"I'll be taking that cave along with all the loot inside as compensation, if anybody here objects then step forward and complain in hell." He flamboyantly said, a calm expression on his face.

Some of the bandits made a hiss sound while others openly swore at him, but none of them dared to step forward and take the risk of losing their wrist.

"There isn't anything of value to you, just some pieces of silver coins, jewelry stolen from travellers and supplies to last for a short trip." The bandit explained, trying to convince a man whose mind was already made up.

A most futile activity.

"Give me a map to the cave." Alixandre said with gritted teeth, reminding them through his hostile tone the position they were in. The bandits quickly heeded to his words and produced a map then presented it to him.

He stared at it once then handed it over to Elena, "hold on to it." He told her, the princess happily took the map off his hands and eagerly spread it apart, checking if it was the real deal.

The young princess had long loved studying map reading and had a collection of various maps back in her old bedroom tower in Valencia. If not for her mother and stepfather being against the hobby, she might have taken map reading more seriously and made a name for herself.

Without anything else to be said, Alixandre turned around with Elena still on his shoulders then made for their carriage, which had been left untouched by the bandits. As he strode away from them, the princess caught a glimpse of their hateful stares and vengeful looks. And for some reason, she could not help but feel that this would not be their last encounter.

**************

As the day quickly bled into night Elena felt the carriage come to a halt, her ears picked up on the sound of Alixandre's heavy footsteps approaching her. She nervously rubbed her wounded knuckles, which had her dried blood smeared over it.

"We're stopping to make camp, am I correct?" Elena observed, staring out the window at the man who called himself her husband.

"There's a river nearby if you want to wash up." He told her then turned his back to leave, but suddenly stopped himself in his tracks.

"Your hand." He stated.

"My hand." She echoed.

The two shared an awkward stare for two seconds before Elena parted her lips into an 'O' shape, then deflected her gaze to the wounded knuckle.

"Does it still hurt?" He asked, still standing at the carriage window, the moonlight casted on his figure, kissing the side of Alixandre's thick neck.

Elena hungrily drank in his features, forgetting all about what it was he had asked her. She was more interested in getting him out of his clothes to confirm if what she read in the stories were true.

Seeing as the princess was keen on ignoring his concern Alixandre scoffed then yanked open the door, he waltzed into the cramped carriage and started searching through the luggage they had brought.

Elena watched him with a puzzled look, wondering what he might have been looking for, till his eyes smiled at a small brown box. He took the box in his hands then walked out of the carriage to look through it.

"What's in there?" She pried being the one to initiate the conversation.

"Your medicine." He retorted then pulled out a red satchel containing herbs that gave out a repulsive stench. Alixandre made a face at the herbs but nonetheless placed them on the princess's lap.

"Eat it." His domineering voice ordered not looking to negotiate.

"Why should I?" Elena sharply retorted, feeling weaker just by taking a whiff of the satchel itself.

"It's for your own benefit." He responded engaging in her banter, he reached out for a jar of liquor, an indifferent look on his face.

"I don't recall something beneficial having such a strong stench, with all due respect your majesty I won't be taking these." She told him standing her ground on the matter.

"Have it your way, you'll only allow the poison to spread faster." And on that note he walked away from the carriage towards a large tree in front with branches that stretched out across the river.

Elena pouted her lips and stared at the satchel, "would it kill you to be more coaxing?" She muttered to herself, then helped herself to the herbs inside of it.

After she had taken what she deemed enough, the princess suddenly felt hot inside and needed to cool off. She stepped out of the carriage to stretch her legs and receive some fresh air.

"For another day it'll be more trees and bridges, if I'm not careful I might starve under his highness's watch." She remarked in an unimpressed tone.

Though Elena wasn't born a royal, she definitely spent her entire life having Harriet alongside other servants wait on her. Things like having meals and being groomed were handled by others, the princess only just realized that on her own, she was somewhat useless.

She gasped in shock.

"Can I even peel fruits?" Elena thought, wondering if there was anything homely thing she could handle by herself.

As she pondered over how useful she could be to herself and her husband, Elena ended up wandering to the river bank and from a short distance caught some movement from the corner of her eye.

The princess quietly strolled father down her left side, kicking Peebles and twigs aside till the distinct sound of splashing water was heard. Elena stared at the large tree and the empty jar of liquor resting against it's bark. But that was far from what caught her eye.

The sound of something...someone rather emerging from the water prompted the princess to hide behind the large tree, her chains swaying with the cold breeze, causing a distorted melody.

She stared at the pile of clothes laid out on the grass with pink flushed cheeks and bright red ears, clothes that belonged to her husband. Elena sharply turned around and closed her eyes, flushed in embarrassment.

Right behind her would be her fully naked husband in all his glory emerging from the water, just like she had read in the books she read. Elena tried her hardest to remain a pure maiden and not harbor unspeakable thoughts. But...

"He's my husband after all, I have every right to take a peek for myself. Infact, it's my duty!" The princess chanted frantically, psyching herself to open her eyes and peep at him whilst he bathed.

With a strengthened resolve, Elena decided that stealing just one glance wouldn't hurt a fly, and would only quench her curiosity.

But, just as she raised her eyelids, she felt a shadow casted upon her and her nose picked up on an earthy scent.

"I dare you little wife, I'm right in front of you, open your eyes." Elena heard a voice whisper to only her hearing, in the most sinful and inviting tone she had ever heard.

Stunned, the princess immediately lifted her eyelids open and was met by a set of crimson red eyes that shimmered under the moonlight. Droplets of water ran down his neck towards his bare chest which had some scars splattered across it.

The princess gulped hard as her eyes trailed even lower as she got warmer towards the part of him that intrigued her the most.

"Eyes up here." Alixandre said and caged her jaw in his hands, bringing her eyes to his line of sight, preventing the princess from exploring any more.

"Th...This isn't..." She took a pause, intimidated by his strong aura and imposing gaze, anything she wanted to say made absolutely no sense.

Luckily, the poison in her system seemed to favor her, because at that moment in time, it took control over her and within seconds the princess gave in and lost consciousness.

Falling into Alixandre's arms on a mesmerizing cold evening, under a large tree by the glistening river bank.