167 INSIDE THE CARRIAGE

Azra looked for a decent wagon where the Crowned Prince, Zoe and Azra can ride going inside the Inner Courts of Terra. 

Fortunately, there was one elegant carriage nearby with a pair of spirited grey horses. It is comfortable for the Crowned Prince but it is fit for only two people. 

"We have no more time to lose." Azra resolved to himself as he searched for its owner. 

With his determination, it didn't take him long before he saw the owner of the carriage. With luck on their side, he is also one of those who were healed with Zoe's treatments and was now living normally. 

He immediately offered his carriage together with a coachman that will transport them at a quick pace back to the Castle.

The four of them looked at the narrow space inside the carriage. And then glanced at each other afterwards.

"Lady Selena, is it alright if you would ride with Azra on the horse?" Raigon asked Erin.

"Absolutely, your Highness!" 

Erin beamed as she swiveled towards Azra. Her hair and her dress swung with her move.

But it seemed like Azra had a different idea on their seating arrangement as he responded in an alarmed reaction.

"Your Highness!" 

"That just hurts! Don't you want to ride with me?" Erin made a pout as she crossed her arms.

"I-It's not that Lady Selena…"

He wanted to say that people might see Raigon and Zoe together and report to the Queen. She will be furiously mad at him if she found out. 

But he doesn't want to offend the two girls who have no intentions to harm the Crowned Prince.

"Lady Asha could check on me immediately in case something happens along the road."

Raigon defended his choice. It is true for him. And also, he wanted to spend more time with her before the Queen made a serious move to separate him from her.

Azra nodded as he understood his point. Between the three of them, it is Zoe who was capable of addressing the Crowned prince's health concern.

"Please come with me, Lady Selena. We'll just be a few distance away from you, Lady Asha, your Highness." 

Azra bowed to them. Erin grinned and waved her hand vigorously at Zoe and Raigon. 

Zoe assisted Raigon as they both entered the carriage. They both seated themselves together formally, but since the carriage is too small for them, they couldn't help it but feel each other's warmth.

"Hiyaa!" The coachman started on their trip.

Both of them were silent throughout the journey as they pondered about different things.

Raigon wants to ask more about Lady Asha's identity. But he was afraid that it would trigger another episode of headaches and his body hasn't fully recovered yet. 

Meanwhile, Zoe was thinking about how she could help him be fully healed. 

'Will I just say the truth and deviate him from his goals now? Or will I continue hiding it until things settle down? Will I just run away before others know our true identity? Or will I stay and help him solve this chaotic situation?'

She was lost in her thoughts as she stared out the window when Raigon cleared his throat. 

"Thank you for saving me again, Lady Asha."

Zoe glanced sideways at Raigon. He was also observing the scene outside the window but he gave her a quick smile as he noticed her gazing at him. 

"Again?" Zoe repeated to her with both of her eyebrows raised.

"Yes. The first one was in Lord Adrian's room." Raigon reminded her in his deep but pleasant voice.

Zoe narrowed her eyes as she tried to recall the scene. 'Will he be harmed if I didn't speak up during that time?'

'Maybe. It will dishonor him if he would be caught defending an intruder in the land, if they have proven it then.' Zoe also answered herself.

"It's a pleasure to serve you, your Highness."

Zoe flashed a sweet smile, melting Raigon's resolve again. 

His eyes darted outside the window again as he inhaled a lungful of air. 

'This woman is making me crazy with her sweet talks and sincere support. If only I would know the truth…"

He looked at her again. It seemed like she was also contemplating a serious matter as her eyebrows were furrowed and had an anxious appearance.

"Is anything bothering you, milady?" Raigon faced her, worried that she was stressing herself over something that could affect her health.

The reason why he prepared a meal in the mountains for her was he had witnessed how she is when she was devoted to something.

She was not eating or even resting as long as a patient needed her attention. And she was already looking pale when he left Xianghai Province to talk to the royal physicians. 

Zoe paused before answering him. "Can I ask you a favor, your Highness?"

"I'll do my best, milady." Raigon leaned forward and as he did so, the carriage bounced as the road that they were in at that moment was a bumpy one.

If it weren't for his hands that flew to the edge of the window beside Zoe, his body would have squeezed her with the impact. 

Zoe closed her eyes tightly as her hands balled into fists and flew to her chest. She expected that they would topple over or Raigon's weight would press on her. But she didn't feel anything.

She opened her eyes and to her surprise, Raigon's face was only a few inches away from hers. He seemed to be frozen at his position as his weight was still on his arms that prevented his body from cramming into hers.

Zoe gulped as he was staring at her lips with his partly opened. 

They were in this position when the carriage stopped and the coachman shouted. "Here we are, your Highness."

They both looked at the window near Zoe and he was right. They were already in front of the Castle. 

But to their shock, there was another carriage waiting there. And the passenger was outside it and staring at them.

It was Lady Thana.

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

When you love someone you have to be brave.

Brave enough to tell them, or brave enough to watch them love someone else.