Bribed

I don't know how long I slept, but when I woke up, I saw the prince sitting next to me.

"What—"

I attempted to rise from the ground, but his hand on me stopped me from doing so. "Where are you going to?" He cocked his head to the side.

The prince has changed out of the clothes he was putting on when I pushed him.

Right now, he's putting on all-black attire.

"Let me go!" I tried to fight his hold on me, but he tugged me so hard, I fell on him.

"Ouch!" I cried out when my forehead collided with his.

"Your head is a nut." He shoved me off him as he rubbed his forehead.

"And you think yours is cotton?" I narrow my eyes at him. "If you had not tried to keep me here, we wouldn't have bumped heads."

"What are you insinuating, then?" he narrowed his eyes at me.

"Mind your business and stop following me about." I stood up and tried to leave, but he stopped me.

"You interest me." He furrowed his brows at me. "I don't know what it is about you who keeps on tugging me towards you."

His words caused me to roll my eyes at him, "your problem needs urgent help. Just let me go. I don't understand all you are talking about."

"I will let you go after my fiancée has been rescued."

"Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Your fiancée was kidnapped, and you are recruiting others to help you rescue her? You are just a disgrace."

The prince Frowned, "no one has ever spoken to me with this type of tone. Don't you think I can have you hanged for the words you just spoke?"

"And you think I mind?"

"What do you mean?"

"Look here, prince. I'm a free citizen. And you don't have a right over me. I am not from your kingdom. you can't control me as you do the people of your Kingdom.

Now, let me go." I narrow my eyes at the hand holding me.

"And I will not do that. You will follow me to the mountains, and that's final."

"You are so full of yourself, are you not?" I scoffed at the egotistical prince. "If you have nothing worthwhile to do, you can seek a new profession. Stop following me. You won't—"

"Let's duel."

"What do you mean?" I narrow my eyes at him.

"If you win, I will let you do anything you wish. But should I win, you will follow me to the mountains of the witches.

And not only that, but I will pay you far more than I will do to these others.

You can also be made the research whatever you were, in your kingdom."

"Why do you want me to follow you so badly? I'm not even strong enough to fight."

"You interest me."

"And?" I arch a brow.

"That's all." He shrugged, "all my life, I've lived in a palace that has people who worship the ground I walk on.

You are the only one who has stood up to me. That's—"

"My prince, please have mercy." I join two hands in a plea, "you are the offspring of the gods, no one dares touch you. The ground you trample on is made of gold.

My dear prince, your humble—"

"It doesn't suit you." He placed a hand under my jaw and made me look up at him. "This doesn't suit you. To others, it does, but to you, it doesn't.

Stop making such faces. It makes me feel somehow."

"Oh." I scoffed, "if you don't wish to—"

"I will give you anything you want if you follow me.

All you have to do is point out what you want, and it will be yours."

"Really?"

I blink in surprise.

"Name whatever you want, and it will be yours. I'm not lying about it. Anything you choose will be yours if you follow me."

"Hmm." I peered at the prince, "are you saying the truth or is this a way to get me to do as you wish?"

"Why should I lie about anything? If you accompany me to the mountains, I will give you whatever you wish."

"Hmm. The offer sounds palatable."

"So, what do you say?"

"What if I wish to rule by your side?" I furrow my brows at him.

"Of — Wait, you want to rule by my side? As my what?"

"My wife, of course. I can—"

"No!"

His cheeks turned pink as he took a step back. "I'm a man, I can't—"

"Calm down, I'm only teasing you. What I want won't be that."

"Oh." He visibly exhaled, "what do you wish, then?"

"I will think of it."

"So, are you going with me?"

"Of course! Lead the way." I smiled at him as my mind started conjuring all the things I can ask from him.

"We will go from here." He called out when I started walking back the way I came.

"What? The other—"

"I sent them home."

"What?" My eyes widened at his words.

"They don't want to go. And I can't take them against their will.

Tell me, how long will I keep their hands tied, and the guards guarding them?"

"It's true, but — why are we going alone? What of your guards? Where are they?"

"You are the only one willing to go there. So, let's go."

"No, I'm not—"

"Don't forget, you get to have whatever you want."

"Whatever I wish? Don't forget that!"

I'm not about to put my life in danger for nothing.

"The man who reported you to the authorities has been arrested. When we return, you can decide what to do with him."

"Yuli?"

I should have felt happy to learn they have captured him, but I felt the opposite.

"Yes."

"Why did you capture him? His mom—"

"He has no mother."

"What?"

"He confessed to that. He has no relative."