Chapter 5 : Just Chit Chat.

Since Ari had refused to leave with the treasures and instead took the initiative to apologise the men didn't stop her from entering Yeli's canopy.

She crawled and got very close to Yeli who had been retreating, she almost lay on his chest.

She pinched Yeli's cheeks and said coquettishly.

"Hey, stop being afraid of me. I won't hurt you anymore. What is your name?"

The first moment Yeli introduced himself to her, she was taken aback after recognising his voice. Thus, she didn't hear the name.

Her slender yet curvaceous figure slightly touched Yeli's body making blood in Yeli's body start boiling. His heart began beating rapidly.

Why is this woman so terrifying?

"M..m..my name is Yeli? How...how about you?"

Yeli was muddled up.

The men secretly watched the kids behaving so intimately.

"Oh, what a pretty name!? it matches you. I'm Ari it is a good name?"

She said in a nonchalant and romantic tone.

"Yeah, it sounds like a fairy name."

Yeli finally flirted.

Ari's face blushed a little and said in a complaining yet playful tone.

"Oh ok, Yeli how about having a meal? I'm starving."

Yeli's face flashed as he remembered something.

"Oh Yeah, I almost forgot that I prepared a special meal for you. Let's go and eat."

Only then did Ari lift her graceful body from Yeli's body.

****

Yeli and Ari sat on thick fur garments that were laid on the floor facing each other. They were having a meal.

There were many different foods such as rice, meat, corn, bread, wine, and some fruits from the Abaki Kingdom.

Rice was not popularly grown in Abaki, they just bought it on the way.

In Abaki and surrounding territories sheep was considered a must domestic livestock. Almost every household owned at least twenty sheep. Their staple food was known as 'kayae'.

To make it, corn was boiled and then baked it together with cooked meat at the end milk was added.

Ari ate hungrily and Yeli kept looking at her while smiling.

"Hah. You're watching me? This is so embarrassing."

Ari said while smiling shyly.

"Ah no... you're eating so fast because you're very hungry, but I always eat faster even when I'm not even hungry."

He said while smiling and then he increased his rate of eating so that Ari could see that what he said was true.

Ari smiled.

The atmosphere became livelier than before, and laughter could be heard from time to time. After some minutes Ari asked.

"Yeli tell me about your history... ah I... mean how you got here?"

She was somehow nervous that she might end up making Yeli sad after recalling the past events just as what happened when they were arguing an hour ago.

Indeed, Yeli's face darkened in an instant.

He began explaining.

"I'm the son of King Tharbera of Abaki Kingdom... More than 3 years ago, my father's rival, king Wamu of Khayeka Kingdom attacked our palace with strong force intending to destroy the royal family and took over the kingdom. Seeing that things were getting worse and worse, my father the King found it good that at least 1 royal family member should be saved. Thus, he ordered about 100 trusted soldiers to take me far away. Where I should stay until I'm mature and strong enough to take revenge in case he got killed?

He gave us everything required to survive as well as gold and other treasures. We crossed the sea and reached the kingdoms of Dalhashi, Bahul, and Makhal but we decided to go further by sailing to the empire of Nakasatuko. But the authorities of Nakasatuko were hostile to us so we moved there to Huryo. But here we even lost the lives of some of our brothers in a battle with the king of Huryo. After that battle, we moved and arrived here in the snow valley hills of Jiuhon. Worst still, we sent four men with gifts to negotiate with the king of Jiuhon who was probably your father. But he killed them and threw their bodies in the woods as a warning. After that incident, we decided to stay in these caves of snow valley hills. That's it. "

His tone became more poignant towards the end.

Ari's face darkened too, she felt guilty. 3 years ago the ruler of Jiuhon was indeed her father who was still in power at this time.

"I'm really sorry for everything that happened to you and your soldiers. When I return home, I'll ask my father to do you a favour in my account."

Ari was trying to say that she was going to convince the king to allow Yeli and his men to stay freely in Jiuhon.

"Can that really happen?"

Yeli immediately asked with raised brows in doubt.

"Yes, I'm going to explain everything clearly and he will understand."

Ari said full of confidence.

"That would be good then. Finally, I can have peace and interact with more new people and new environment."

Yeli's eyes flashed in excitement.

This was a rare opportunity.

Yeli and his men had been cooped up in the caves for 3 years and only were getting out at night to hunt and recreate.

During daylight, they would be dying of boredom in caves even though they tried different activities to get them through the days.

After a moment, Yeli suddenly asked.

"My Lady, when are you going to return then?"

He couldn't wait to live a life with the freedom to stroll as he wanted.

Ari smiled and replied.

"I think should stay one more night here. I liked the canopy bed you prepared for me. I have to sleep one more night there."

Yeli prepared it special for her to impress her. Naturally, he would be glad to hear this. Because it meant that his efforts didn't go in vain.

"Oh, you liked it. You can take it with you when leaving, it's now yours. These men mocked me anytime I use it. They say I looked like a little princess."

Yeli beamed with joy as he said those words.

"Hehe... Thank you for your kindness, that canopy bed is too precious. I can't accept it."

Ari declined casually. She couldn't bring herself to accept it straight.

But this time she did not mean it.

"It is just a merely canopy bed, there is nothing too precious of it. Accept it please?"

Yeli pleaded.

After hesitating for a moment Ari accepted.

"You're full of kindness, I'm so grateful."

Then Yeli spoke to a man standing a few meters away guarding them. He spoke to him in their vernacular language leaving Ari enthusiastic.

After finishing talking to the man Yeli stared at Ari to tell her what he was saying to the man.