Chapter Nineteen:Chasing Moonlit Memories

**ELENA'S POV**

"Your Highness, your mother forbade you from running around," Lilith said as she chased after me. Although my legs were smaller than hers, she still had difficulty catching me. I ran through the hallway, where the only light came from the torches hanging on the castle walls and the moonlight streaming through the windows.

Mother says that a proper lady is not supposed to be running or engaging in activities that might make her sweat and smell, but I am not a lady yet; I am still a little girl. She didn't say that little girls aren't allowed to run around. I like running and making Lilith or Hanna chase me. Although the chase wouldn't last long, it was fun until I was caught, and they would reprimand me.

Lilith finally caught me, turned me around, and knelt down so that we were face to face.

"Stop smiling; what you did was very inappropriate. What if the queen saw you?" Lilith asked as she straightened my dress, "Honestly, how can those little legs run so fast?"

"Huh, why did Hanna have to go to her hometown? Lately, you've been making me run a lot, Your Highness. I'm afraid I might lose weight if this goes on," after she had finished straightening my dress, she stood up and took my hand, leading me to my room.

"Look at you, your hair is all wet from sweat," Lilith said as we walked to my room.

I ran my free hand through my hair, and it was still dry.

"My hair isn't wet," I retorted.

Suddenly, Lilith jerked me forward and stared me in my eyes.

"Now it is," she said in a distorted voice.

I felt cold water splashing on my head. I woke up from my slumber to find the person pouring a cup full of water on my head, making sure every drop of water had landed. I tried to evade, but the cup was already empty. My hair and the pillow I was sleeping on were soaked with water.

"Wakey, wakey, princess," he said. He was already wearing his mask and jacket, with his weapons tied around his back and waist.

Water droplets went down from my hair to my face, straight to my dress.

"Did you seriously empty an entire cup on my head?" I asked while seething with rage.

"Wow, nothing gets past you, princess," he said, placing the empty cup on the table.

"Asshole!" I shouted as I sat up. He just stared at me.

"Ava told me that she bought you adequate clothes. You need to change since we are leaving right now," he said.

"But you paid for three nights, right? Why should we leave?" I asked, using the sheets as a towel and drying my hair after that graceful shower.

"Well, I did piss off a lot of people yesterday, and we also have a long road ahead of us. So get ready NOW," he said.

I got out of bed, went to where I had placed my bag, and took out a white dress that I was going to wear. It was a white sleeveless dress made out of light fabric. The length of the dress didn't reach all the way to my ankles; it reached halfway through my knees. I expected him to leave the room to let me change, but when I turned around, he was still standing behind me with his arms crossed.

"Could you get out and let me change?" I said, my voice hardly hiding my annoyance, mostly because the dream I was having before he rudely woke me up was a nice one, and I was still mad about it.

"And go where? Cause trust me, princess, I'm not waiting outside the door like a dog or a guard," he said.

"So what, you want me to change in front of you?" I asked him.

"Oh, so that's what this is about? Trust me, princess, I'm not exactly itching to see you naked," he said, turning around with his back facing me, "I'm not leaving, so change or go out with those same clothes. The choice is yours."

This man is so annoying, rude, and such a bastard, making me change while he's still in the room. Wait till I get home; I'll make sure father locks you up in the dungeon for a really long time, bastard. But the one thing I can commend him for is that he is trustworthy and straightforward. He stood still that you would think he was a statue until I finished.

"I'm done," I announced.

He turned around without sparing me a glance, went to where we had placed our bags, wore his luggage, and handed me mine. When I was back home and we traveled, I never had to carry my own luggage. Not that I mind carrying my own luggage, but just as not carrying luggage when I was with my parents was normal, carrying my luggage when I'm with him feels surprisingly normal too.

As we were getting out of the inn, the owner tried to stop Reyan, but he ignored her, and we got out. I didn't even have to ask which path we would take since it was obvious that we would be traveling through the woods.

Time passed by as we went on walking. In all honesty, at first, when I met him, the journey would leave my feet aching, but now it's not as bad as before. It also doesn't help that the forest grounds aren't really smooth.

"So the people who are after me, the dark order you called them, are they mercenaries too or?" I asked, breaking our silent walk.

"They are and also aren't," he said.

"So which is it?" I emphasized, I hate how his answers are always vague.

"They are knights. They work for money too, like mercenaries, but they also have sworn allegiance, but no one really knows to which kingdom."

"And are they any good?" I asked.

He chuckled a bit. I've come to realize that the only time he chuckles is when I say something absurd.

"Good is an understatement," was all he said.

We took a short break for food, mostly the meat he always preserves, and also to quench our thirst. Thank the heavens he didn't wake me up with my share of the water; otherwise, I'd usually be thirsty the whole day. I wanted to ask him something, but judging by his reactions on this particular subject, I have to be gentle with it.

"Also... Um..." I couldn't muster the courage.

"Sure," he said.

"Sure what?"

"I'll tell you what happened after the messenger left my home, but later. Storytelling while walking wastes time."

I don't know why, but I was excited to hear more. Although I shouldn't be excited since what he was about to tell me was what caused him to be an orphan. But maybe, just maybe, if I hear his story, I would understand why he is the way he is now.