163 HOLD ON

"I-I think so, your Highness. He believes in me." Zoe gave him a grateful smile.

Thinking that she was talking about another person, Raigon's head lowered with his neck appearing to shrink.

"I see. He's one lucky man." He replied after swallowing hard.

"I am lucky to have him too, sire." Zoe made a positive comment but her voice sounded otherwise.

Raigon glanced at her as she suddenly stopped from what she was doing and stared at space.

"But?" Raigon prodded on. 

Zoe drew in a deep breath before answering. "There seems to be a lot of obstacles in between us. I don't think we could ever get married or even be together as we are at all."

She stood up and picked up the basket as she was ready to leave. "Thank you for a satisfying meal, your Highness. I truly appreciate it."

Zoe started walking back to the horse, but it seemed like Raigon was not done with his interrogation yet.

"Do you love him?" He blurted out as he blocked her steps, standing in between her and the horse.

Zoe gasped at his straightforward question.

She froze as she pondered about it. Everything was fast for her and Raigon. Though he was her savior when they were young, and he saved her again and again when they met again, she didn't know if what she was feeling for him was love. As she hasn't felt love before.

Seeing the apprehension in her face, Raigon decided to change the question.

"Does he love you?"

"Yes! Definitely yes!" Zoe answered confidently as she recalled all the times that he risked his life for her. 

'If it wasn't love then I don't know what that is.' She thought to herself.

Raigon gave her a bittersweet smile. He was thinking of the probability of Lady Asha as being his Queen. But aside from his mother having her heart set on another woman, she was also taken by somebody else.

"Then I think you should fight for him. If he's having a hard time now yet you know that he really loves you, he will surely come around."

Zoe stared at him, a glimmer of hope sparked up in her heart. "Should I hold on? Do you think our relationship will work out in the end?"

She asked him as her purposeful eyes bore into his as if she was talking about him. 

As Raigon gazed at her face in the dilemma of wanting to hold on or give up, his reality shifted as if he was her fiance and she was his.

He leaned forward and cupped her face with his hand.

"Yes." He answered her in a deep and determined voice. 

Zoe didn't flinch at his actions. Her lips even curved up as she bobbed her head. "I will."

A warm feeling gushed inside Raigon as if he was delighted at her answer. He felt as if his strength was renewed and he could conquer anything ahead.

But a thought pierced through his mind that disturbed him. 'Why am I feeling like this when I'm not his fiance?'

Seeing his perplexed look, Zoe deviated from the topic. "I think we should better be going now, sire. We have a lot to do." She beamed at him. 

Raigon removed his hand from her face and nodded. "You're right."

Zoe waved her hand as if asking him to climb up the horse so they could take off. 

As she did so, he recalled that a lady did that to her before too. But his vision was blurry. 

He just remembered the feeling that it was his first time to meet a lady who gave orders to him. But he wasn't dismayed or angry. Instead, he was amused and obeyed her immediately.

'Does that mean that I have a woman in my life?' 

Raigon's eyes widened at the realization. 'Where is she?!' 

"Your highness?"

Zoe tilted her head to look at him, wondering why he froze all of a sudden. 

Raigon narrowed his eyes on Lady Asha. 'Isn't she the same woman? If she is, why is she hiding her identity?'

"Who are you, really? Have we met each other be - Aaah!"

He asked her but he stopped in mid sentence as he felt a piercing pain stabbing his head continuously. His knees wobbled as he fell down. 

"Your Highness!"

Zoe cupped her mouth, horrified to see Raigon in this state. Visions of the event that took place in Lord Howe Island flashed through her mind.

'Is this because of me again?!'

Zoe immediately got a piece of cloth from the bag, poured water on it and knelt down.

He was grimacing in pain as he folded like a crumpled leaf in the grass.

"I'm here… Everything will be alright." Zoe uttered in a wavering voice.

She placed his head on her lap and wiped his forehead with the cool cloth in her shaking hands. 

Her stomach spurned inside of her as she can't bear to watch him endure his agony. But she couldn't do anything. 

'If I can only bring you to the ER right now, I could have injected an IV fluid with opioid or something!'

But they were on top of the mountain with no ambulance or even people to call. She could only do first aid. 

"C-can you stand up, your Highness? Can you mount up the horse? I couldn't treat you here. We need to get back."

Zoe quivered as she asked him. Raigon nodded and tried to stand up. "Y-yes, I think so."

She supported him as he tried to climb on the horse. Fortunately, the horse seemed to understand the situation as he stayed put and waited for his masters to settle in. 

Zoe then climbed up. "Hold on, your Highness. God, please help me. Hiyaa!"

She didn't know if it was the adrenaline rush in her blood but she made it through down the mountain and back to Xianghai Province. 

Zoe quickly climbed down the horse and assisted Raigon but his foot went out of balance and he fell on the ground with Zoe.

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

True love isn't easy

But it must be fought for.

Because once you find it,

It can never be replaced.