143 DENYING FEELINGS

"Stay here!" Raigon commanded Zoe in his authoritative tone as he bolted out of the room. 

Zoe froze for a few seconds before she sat back on the bed and waited.

"What was that?" She lied down and stretched her aching back.

"That is good!"

It was a very tiring day for her. From early morning until now in the early evening, she still hasn't taken a shut-eye.

The events of the day must have worn her out.

She tried to wait for Raigon but her exhausted body and the oversized soft mattress lulled her to sleep. 

She took off her hairclips from her black dyed hair and removed her contact lenses just in case she fell asleep. And in a few minutes, she was immediately in dreamland.

After a few hours, Raigon came back. He didn't bother to knock anymore and threw the door open.

"Lady Ash-" He was about to call her when he noticed that she was sound asleep.

He didn't want to disturb her and he was about to close the door back when Zoe sat up and blurted out. 

"Raigon, is that you?"

It seemed like she was still half-asleep as she called out to him as her eyes were still closed.

Raigon's hand that was on the door dropped and one of his foot unconsciously stepped forward. 

'Did I just hear her correctly? Did she just call out my name?'

Nobody in Terra calls the royal family by their names especially the King, the Queen and the Crowned Prince.

Not even everyone has knowledge of their real names. And even if they know it, they were not allowed to speak it out loud in respect to them.

Raigon went inside the room and closed the door. 

He put down his hat on the table and drew closer to her, hoping he could talk to her while she's still in that state so that he could know more information.

Her eyes were still fluttering as she opened and close them. 

"Y-yes, milady."

Her lips curved up as she threw her arms wide open and then she replied.

"I knew you would come back to me."

She seemed to be inviting her to come near to him and so he did.

He went to the side of the bed and sat on it and faced her.

And as he did so, he didn't expect what she would do next.

Her arms encircled around his neck as she embraced him.

His heart went erratically wild and it seemed like his breathing has stopped.

"I miss you. I know that we can't be together but I'm glad that you're okay."

She whispered to his ear in a soft and caring tone as she caressed his hair.

Raigon's muscles went rigid as a tear fell from his eyes.

A flood of different emotions swept over him; peace, brokenness, the desire to protect and the desire to stay away all at the same time.

He immediately pulled away and stood up which startled Zoe, waking her up to reality.

She blinked her eyes rapidly and slapped her face lightly with her mouth wide open.

"This isn't a dream? Oh shocks! What did I just do?!"

She glanced up at Raigon who was inhaling and exhaling a lungful of air as he held his temples. It seemed that he was having a hard time breathing because of her actions.

Zoe immediately flung herself to her knees and blurted out. 

"Punish me, your Highness!"

He motioned her to stand up. Zoe immediately obliged but she still remained in a bowing position.

"I was not aware of your presence, your Highness. I have mistaken you for someone else."

Raigon gazed at her as he narrowed his eyes on her.

His head was throbbing in pain as he tried to recall who she is.

As she said those words, it seemed like he has been waiting to hear them from her.

And he felt like he belonged to her arms and he could stay there forever. 

'Or is it another woman?'

"Someone else?" He repeated to her.

"Y-yes, your Highness. I must have thought him to be you."

Zoe answered him still not looking directly at his eyes.

'I am not lying. The Raigon that I knew and the Raigon in front of me are two different person.'

"I see." Raigon answered, finally relieved which slows down his heart beat at the normal rate.

"Is he your husband?" He curiously asked, hoping he would hear a no.

"No, your Highness."

Raigon nodded with a serious face but inside, he was happy at her answer. 

Another thought came to his mind and he asked it away.

"Is he your fiance then?"

"I-I guess you can say that, sire."

Raigon's lips twitched downward at her response. 

'So she already has a fiance.' 

He heaved out a deep sigh.

'That's good for us then.' He thought to himself as he resolved not to get deep with her, even though he didn't know how long it will last. 

"By the way, you came back, your Highness?"

Zoe rattled on, hoping to redirect his attention to the purpose why he came back.

"Yes. I apologize for disturbing you, milady. But I think your expertise is needed downstairs."

"I don't understand, your Highness."

Zoe still was in a bowing position with her eyebrows furrowed.

"A prisoner just started to vomit profusely while he was in the visiting area with his mother. He was immediately rushed to the hospital."

Raigon tried to explain the situation to her.

"I think that is good. The physicians can handle him well."

"Yes. But the problem is the other prisoners are having stomach aches as well. A physician needs to check them before the case becomes serious. And it will take a while before a physician comes here."

"I understand now. Let me fix myself, your Highness."

Zoe stood up and went to the restroom to donn on her hair as the custom of the land. She then washed her face and put back her contact lenses.

She knew what she needed to do.

"Is it okay? Have you rested well enough?" Raigon asked her after she came back.

"No worries, your Highness. I'm used to having a quick nap and going back on duty."

She gave him a reassuring smile. 

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The more you hide your feelings, the more it shows.

The more you deny your feelings, the more it grows.