Chapter20

"Isn't this a hurricane, my grandfather's reckless horse? How did she manage to tame him?" Orig thought, watching his wife with a gaze that had never before noticed her words or actions in the way he did now. Her presence was more captivating to him than ever before.

"What are you still doing here? You're in danger!" Taya raised her voice, trying to push away his fists that were too rough for her liking. The coldness of his hands surprised her, but there was no time to dwell on that; she had more important matters to focus on. Orig noted how Taya still wore her snail dress, the fabric clinging to her like a shroud, her body as cold as snow, devoid of warmth or vitality.

Before she could say anything else, Orig removed his block and threw it over her, surprising her yet again. She blinked in confusion but pushed aside the surprise, unsure if his actions were genuine concern for her or just a show to impress his men.

"That's not the time to joke, Taya. Come back to the palace, and we'll talk when I return," Orig commanded, his tone authoritative, yet all she could focus on was preventing Meral from getting any closer to him.

"If you don't believe me, there is a trap waiting on the other side of the forest. I will show you myself," she said, spurring the horse forward, faster than before, so that neither Orig nor his men could catch up to her.

"Damn it! How can she be so stubborn? What happened to her? She can't protect me forever." Orig thought to himself, watching her silhouette disappear into the distance.

Suddenly, the horses began neighing in distress. Taya noticed that her horse was uneasy and instinctively slowed her pace. She began surveying the area, her instincts telling her something was wrong.

Arrows whizzed through the air, some of them hitting the trees near her, one grazing her hair and nearly cutting it. Her heart raced as she tried to stay calm.

"Calm down," Taya muttered, gripping the reins of her horse tightly. The arrows were fast, dangerously so, but she had no time to be frightened. She had to endure, for if she didn't, she might lose everything—her husband's heart, their future.

Orig's loud voice and the sound of his knights' boots pounding the ground were the only things that kept her grounded as he rushed toward her. He carefully inspected the arrows, confirming that they were poisoned. His blood boiled with anger as he realized how close she had come to death. What if she had been hurt?

"Have you seen now? Do you believe me?" Taya called out. She could see a man from a distance, aiming at Orig. She tried to scream, but her throat tightened as if something was lodged there, preventing her from calling out.

Orig was quicker than she had anticipated. He unsheathed his sword and fired, taking down the man with precision. The body hit the ground with a heavy thud just moments later.

"No matter how you warn me, or how you throw yourself in danger trying to protect me, you won't always be able to save me," Orig said, his voice hard as he dismounted his horse and locked eyes with her. "When I tell you to return to the palace, you must obey me."

Taya, frustrated, glared back at him. "Listen to me. I won't return to the palace, not with your perverted brother treating me like some servant. You think you can just let him do as he pleases with me?"

She spoke through clenched teeth, choosing her words carefully to maintain control over her emotions in front of him. She wouldn't let him see her falter.

'I can't let her leave the palace, not after everything that happened,' Orig thought, staring at her, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and something else he couldn't place. He reached for her, pulling her from the horse to his chest. His grip on her neck tightened, desperate to keep her close, but she didn't make it easy for him.

"Orig, are you crazy?" Taya whispered, her heart racing as she felt her feet leave the ground, the wind rushing past her.

"You're coming back to the palace with me," he growled, carrying her toward the carriage one of his knights had prepared, while the other two ensured their horses were taken care of.

"Can you let me down?" Taya snapped, trying to free herself from his hold. "You're holding me too tightly."

Orig smirked, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "Are you sure you want me to let you go?"

He hissed through his teeth, refusing to release her until she finally stopped struggling. He let her legs hit the ground with a force that made her stagger.

"How do you do this to me? You can't just let me fall!" Taya shouted, anger bubbling to the surface as she pushed herself away from him. "You're so cruel."

Orig didn't respond, instead offering a silent, arrogant smile before turning away, as though ignoring her was the most satisfying thing he could do.

Taya was left fuming, her anger mixing with frustration, but she couldn't deny that part of her was pleased. 'How ridiculous of him,' she thought, trying to calm herself. She didn't want to lose herself in him, but there were moments like this that tested her resolve.

"Oh, how I suffered from the misunderstandings of my past life, all stemming from Orig's injury on this day. At least now he's accompanying me back to the palace," she thought, arranging her dress and smoothing back her hair. For the first time in a long while, she felt a sense of victory. She had secured his attention, and Meral had been kept at bay.

Orig noticed the shift in her, the way her smile softened as she did her hair. It was a beauty that had little to do with the physical and everything to do with the strength she carried inside her. For a man like him, whose hands were stained with the blood of many, he couldn't help but feel a strange pull. This woman, despite everything, was beginning to mean something to him.

"Now, I want to know where the key is," he said, his voice low and commanding, sending a rush of heat to her cheeks.

Taya stiffened, knowing exactly what he was referring to. Her mind raced as she tried to formulate a response. 'In his mind, this marriage was just a means to satisfy his curiosity,' she thought bitterly. "It's in the great ruler's palace," she said. "But I can't tell you exactly where it's hidden."

Orig's eyes narrowed at her words. "And we're back to the great ruler. Why do you insist that he's behind all the problems I've faced?"

Orig clenched his fists, his nerves taut as he wrestled with the implications of her words. He had always respected the great ruler, admired him as both a mentor in martial arts and an assassin. How could someone who had raised him to be the man he was now also be the source of all his suffering?

"I don't care whether you believe me or not," Taya said, her voice hard as she moved closer to him. She placed a hand on the seat next to him, sitting on his lap. "But if you don't stop Dollyo, I'll make sure your family suffers. Orig Dessmann, I'm not joking when it comes to my respect."

Her words were full of rage, her anger towards Dollyo seeping into every syllable. It was a threat, not just to Orig, but to everything he stood for. Taya had made her stance clear: she was willing to do whatever it took to protect herself, her family, and her own sense of dignity.

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