You are part of the family now

The light shined down on my eyes and I opened it widely.

We are still in the carriage. Going to Rokha.

Gosh, how many hours did I sleep?

My head felt something rising and falling. Looking up, It's....

I SLEPT ON MAGNUS!

My day won't get any worse!

What type of sleeping sickness got hold of me to the extent that I slept on the this mysterious man's chest?!

I slowly lifted my head and refuse the urge to yawn, but I just can't help it. I just...

Cannnnn't.

That's a yawn symbol. A long yawn symbol.

"Welcome back to the real world Princess"

I smiled at the rider of the carriage comment and relaxed my back on the soft cushion like I was in the throne room at Barune.

"Is this a good place to start over?"

My gaze diverted to Magnus, his eyes already scanning me thoroughly.

"Yes. If it pleases his Majesty"

He frowned at me and I chuckled. Didn't like it if he's called a Majesty, huh?

"Magnus. Of the Rokha Dynasty. Son of Louis and Anastasia"

Anastasia? A beautiful name. It fits the face of his mother.

"Your turn"

I have never seen a Prince so desperate for details before.

Oh well, it's not bad to tell him somethings about me, right?

"Lyla. Of the Barune Empire. Daughter of King Dan and Queen Mandale"

"Decent" the rider of the horse said and Magnus smiled.

But frowned at the Rider.

He said nothing more but faced the other side and stared out the window.

"Why are we going through this place?" I ask, my body trying to get myself away from the contact I had moments ago with Magnus.

"It's a short cut that takes us to Rokha in a day or two. Other ways will take months before we get there" The rider explained.

Oh. That explains a lot.

I tugged in my sleeve and embrace myself because of the sudden cold that swept across me.

We entered the woods and all I am hearing now is the coos of owls and vultures sound. I am scared. I am afraid to admit it to anybody.

"Don't be scared" Magnus whispered. He took his royal coat off and placed it on my back.

Hmm... A nice gentleman.

"Thank you" I whispered and I feel him tap my back twice.

We say nothing to each other because what is between us is too obvious.

There's no love. No affection. No passion. nothing!

Force. The only thing I feel is too much force!

He turns to me with a confused and cold expression.

Oh my God! Did he hear my thoughts?!

I try my best to keep my eyes off him. I don't want a situation whereby I have to start spilling out all what I feel to him.

The Carriage came to a pause. Our first resting place for the day. My mother and father in law came out from their carriage and so did Magnus.

I also came down with riders.

"Is there a place we can stay for the night?" Queen Anastasia asked.

"Just in a tree. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but, I think it will give us a little shelter" Magnus said.

A tree? You got to be kidding me right, Prince?

How can I, sleep in a tree? Do I look like a squirrel to them?

Magnus turned to me and chuckled.

What is wrong with this guy? Is it some supernatural powers he use to hear my thoughts?

"Yes. If that's what you want to call it" He whispered as he passed by me and went to a tree.

I don't want to call it anything! Argh!

I follow the King and Queen to the tree Magnus leads us to.

The tree is a tall one. Got green leaves all over and have a neatly cut out door. He opened the door and his parents walk into the tree house. The riders follow next, seeing that I didn't move. While I got nailed to that same spot.

When he didn't see me pass through the door and into the house he looked up.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

No. Not at all.

"No, I just... Nothing is wrong" I say and quickly walk upto him and then into the tree house.

Wooow! This place looks like... Like a Castle itself!

It got all manner of designs on the body and the ground is neatly trimmed into a carpeted structure. Only God knows how furnitures entered this place. It looks so magnificent.

"Do you like it?" I heard Magnus voice behind my ear softly.

I don't just like it, I Love it! It's so beautiful!

"I do. I really do" I whisper, still staring at the house.

"Probably we could be coming here sometime"

"I pray so" I said absentmindedly and then it hits me!

I have been talking so well to somebody I don't even know a thing about and... Probably he knows all my details. Including behavior. Because the way he hears my thoughts, I don't think that's the only thing he can do.

"No. No it's not"

I turn to him and stared at him confused and also angry that my thoughts don't even get to have privacy!

"How can you hear it?" I ask.

Magnus says nothing but gave me a slight nod and went to a room by the left side of the tree house, leaving me alone.

His parents are in a room. I can hear Anastasia laughing and groaning like they're doing something or Louis is saying something that is making her blush or something.

I walk upto the cushion and sit on it. My head held high and my shoulder straight up.

"Lyla dear, won't you go change?"

I look up at Queen Anastasia. She is in a totally changed outfit. A skimpy one at that.

"No My Queen. I am okay like this"

"Oh daughter, you are part of the family now. It's not bad to go hang out with your husband in the room" Louis said, coming from behind Anastasia.

I bit my lower lip. This is so bad!

What do they want me to do with him when the real marriage hasn't even taken place?

Standing up, I bowed to both of them and went to the door post.

Well... Here goes nothing.