Chapter 37

The map that Alixandre had taken was from the bandits was well drawn and extremely detailed, Elena couldn't begin to imagine how well educated those common thieves were. When she had asked her husband if they would be stopping at the cave, he said nothing and ignored her.

Elena frowned and stared out the carriage window, wondering what wrong she had committed to have him give her the cold shoulder.

*Four days later*

Neither one of them had said a word to the other all throughout the journey, save for passing information or confirming a question asked. Alixandre sat on the coachman seat through rain and sunshine, never once complaining or seeking shelter inside of the carriage.

While Elena suffered silently, even though she was taking the medicine and eating what her husband prepared, her condition only worsened by the day. However, for fear that she would end up as a bother to him, she endured the breath taking pain.

The carriage suddenly stopped moving, Alixandre tied the horse to a nearby tree and marched towards the river bank to perhaps take a late night bath.

He glanced over his shoulder at the carriage, locking his gaze on a sleeping Elena, who was as still as a corpse, sleeping soundly even with the collar on. He said something inaudible under his breath then took off his clothes as he stepped into the water.

After he had concluded his bath, he messily tried to pack his hair back up, but gave up after two unsuccessful attempts. He stole a glance at the princess, only to find her still sleeping peacefully.

"Too irresponsible." He uttered under his breath as he made his way over to the carriage, water dripping from his hair down to his exposed back.

The princess laid her head against the carriage door in a bad posture that Alixandre was sure she would regret when she woke up. He reached out to balance her head properly, but flinched at his discovery.

He wasted no time to pull the carriage door open, nearly ripping it off! Elena's skin was paler than usual and her lips had lost it's color. Alixandre carried her out of the carriage and laid on the grass.

"Her temperature has risen." He said in a panic, resting his palm on her forehead, a nervous line of sweat formed across his face.

Alixandre dashed into the carriage setting his sights on her box of medicine, he forced it open only to have his jaw hang. He stared at Elena with angry eyes then grabbed the last bottle which remained.

"How could you take so much under such a short span?!" He scolded as he wrapped a coat around her to preserve her temperature.

'The poison must have been slowly eating away at her! Damn it why did she not say anything?' he pondered, bringing the bottle of medicine to her pale lips.

It was only after he tried the first time to administer the medicine to the unconscious princess that he realized he needed to use a more effective method. The medicine ended up spilling from her the corners of her mouth, because she couldn't keep it in.

In a panic, Alixandre caught the liquid with his tongue, licking it off of her face, making sure none of it went to waste. There was only so little left, and there was still an entire day till they reached their destination.

"Tch." He hissed, knowing fully well what he had to do in the situation, though he was hardly looking forward to it.

Within two seconds, he downed up to half of the bottle then pressed her lips apart, lowering his head to hers. With no hesitation, he crashed his lips onto hers, transferring the medicine inyo her mouth, whilst his free hand gently massaged her throat.

Seeing as the collar was an issue, he ripped it off effortlessly, exposing the vibrant red mark it had left on her flawless skin.

Alixandre slowly released little amounts of medicine into her mouth, guiding the liquid with his tongue, deepening and prolonging the kiss. Any passerbys who saw them in such a state would most definitely mistake the two as passionate newlyweds, overwhelmed by lust.

Little would they guess that one was unconscious, whilst the other was desperately trying to revive her.

Eventually, after he had successfully administered the bitter medicine, he pulled away, letting his radiant pink tongue hang out of his mouth, dripping with sloppy wet saliva.

"This won't do... she's need a shelter." He thought aloud, carrying the unconscious woman in his arms, pressing her against his chest for warmth.

He approached the sleeping horse and merely glared at the animal, before it jerked awake, as though it had a horrible nightmare, neighing uncontrollably.

Alixandre untied the horse from the tree, the animal would have normally tried to run away once freed, but dared not to act out when faced with such an intimidating primal aura. It stood perfectly still as it's master placed Elena on it's back, then proceeded to mount the animal himself.

Without warning, Alixandre kicked the animal's stomach and pulled on the reigns, steering it forward with one hand. Whilst he wrapped the other around Elena's waist, keeping her steady.

He stole a glance at the princess, her lips in particular which were swollen from kissing him, his expression hardened and his arm instinctively gripped her firmer.

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

Elena let out a soft moan as she stirred in her sleep, moving against something soft underneath her. The princess could feel a weight pressed down against her chest, keeping her in place.

She flickered her eyelids open and casted her gaze on a bare chest, battered with scars and old claw marks. Elena frowned at the sight then deflected her gaze to the hand that rested on her side, keeping her body in place.

"This is..." Before she could finish speaking, her hands instinctively found their way to her neck, her fingertips lightly massaged it. Elena gasped when she noticed that in place of a tight leather collar, was her pulsating neck, soaked in sweat.

She immediately tried to sit up and access the situation, however the hand stretched across her tightened. Elena looked at her side to see none other than Alixandre staring at her with fully open crimson red eyes.

"Running away so soon?" She heard him say in a hard to decipher tone.

Elena's eyes scanned his body from head to toe, there were new scratches all across his chest, neck and on his arms. Her confused eyes travelled to her fingernails, stained with dried up blood and without having to think much she could understand what had happened to a certain degree.

"Lie down back, just because you have some strength left does not guarantee you can walk." He said to her, placing both hands behind his head, getting far too comfortable.

Elena nodded then crawled back onto the bed, with wide eyed confusion, as she nestled into his chest. All her muscles felt numb and her lips were swollen, not to mention that it was painfully clear that she had dug her fingernails into his body.

To Elena, she didn't anyone to point out the painfully obvious fact, going by the logic of the romance novels she had read, the princess could very well draw up the scenario in her head.

'We had sex?!' she panicked to herself and pursued her lips, trying hard to remember what it must have felt like. It was her first time as far as she could tell, but she had not a clue what had transpired between them.

Alixandre on the other hand, watched Elena squirm and groan in a flustered manner, covering her face with both palms.

"She's finally started to manifest signs of Insanity, the poison is definitely stronger than I expected." He grimaced, convinced that they would have to find the cure and fast.

As the two of them slowly started to get comfortable with each other's presence on the small bed, Elena suddenly sprung up from the spooning position and looked around in shock.

"Just whose chamber is this?!" She cried out, finally noticing that they were neither in her castle or his!