Knights of The Dauntless Princess

Chapter 14: Inn

The sky had turned dark, but they still hadn't made it out of Erin. Dravis decided to have a rest and spend the night at an inn. Before entering, he made sure that Amara wouldn't be recognized. He gave her a bandana to cover the lower part of her face as her head was covered by the hood of her cloak.

"Good evening, gentlemen," greeted an old woman who seemed to be the owner of the inn. "How many rooms do you need?"

"One room with three beds," Dravis replied.

Amara's mouth fell open in surprise when she heard that Dravis only booked one room. She thought it meant she would be sharing a room with the two men, which made her blush even more. The young lady shook her head to dispel the unpleasant thoughts. She trusted Dravis and Cyrus, and she knew they wouldn't do anything without her consent.

"Are you okay?" Cyrus whispered to her.

Unable to speak, the former princess simply nodded.

Dravis paid the old woman, and she led them to their rented room. Once they were inside and ensured no one else was around, Amara finally removed the covering from her face.

"I'm sorry, I only booked one room," Dravis said to Amara, knowing she wouldn't be comfortable sleeping in a room with men. "Even though I wanted to give you a better room, I can't let you sleep alone. You probably know why."

"H-Huh? Yes, thank you," Amara replied, feeling embarrassed.

"My love, we'll be sharing a room! You can hug me if you get scared—" Cyrus's words trailed off as Dravis became annoyed. Dravis quickly covered Cyrus's mouth to silence him.

"It seems dangerous to have this perverted fool around," Dravis sighed.

****

Before going to bed, Amara decided to clean herself up. They had a tiring journey that day, and she wanted to refresh herself. Although she thought of using the facility's spring, she decided to forbid herself from going there to avoid being seen by the other guests. Instead, the young lady just took a bath in the bathroom attached to their room.

"Dravis," Cyrus called out.

Dravis was busy sharpening his sword at that time. He glanced at Cyrus and waited for him to speak.

"I have something to say," Cyrus said in a serious tone. Dravis seemed impatient, and irritation flickered in his eyes. "I want to... sleep in the middle! I-I want to be next to her— Aw!!!"

Dravis's gaze darkened, and he swiftly slapped the sheath on Cyrus' head. "Do you think I'll let you sleep next to her? I'm telling you, if you dare touch her, you'll feel the blade of my sword against you!"

Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open, and the scent of fragrant shampoo wafted out, catching both men's attention.

"What's happening? Are you two fighting?" Amara asked as she emerged from the bathroom.

It was the first time they had seen the princess freshly bathed. They were momentarily stunned by how attractive she looked in her white robe. Dravis quickly averted his gaze when he realized Amara was looking at them. At the same time, Cyrus couldn't help but show his infatuation openly.

"You smell so good and look so beautiful, my love! I just want to hold you while lying down— Ahh!"

"Shut up!" Dravis interrupted Cyrus's speech, slapping the sheath over his mouth again.

Amara sighed and shook her head.

The night grew more profound, and suddenly, Amara woke up from her sleep, hearing a door opening. Due to the alarming dangers in her life, she had become used to being alert all the time.

Amara opened her eyes and sat up slowly, scanning her surroundings, but no danger seemed to loom around. She looked at the beds next to her, and Cyrus was the only one sleeping soundly. Furrowing her brow, the young woman wondered where Dravis was. She noticed his belongings and sword were still there, so she was sure he was still there. She turned her gaze to the bathroom door, realizing that the noise she had heard earlier was probably from there, and Dravis was likely inside.

While staring at the bathroom door, Amara was startled when it suddenly opened, revealing Dravis, who was only wearing a towel to cover his bottom. He ran his wet hand through his hair but froze when he noticed Amara was awake.

Amara's heart rate quickened as she took the attractive sight before her. In addition to his handsome face, his body was also incredibly appealing. She couldn't help but swallow slightly, feeling a tinge of thirst.

Sh*t! W-What am I doing!?

As if they both snapped out of their trance, they quickly averted their gazes from each other. Amara immediately lowered her head to hide her blushing face.

"Did I wake you up? I'm sorry," Dravis murmured as he picked up his clothes and returned to the bathroom to change.

Amara lay back down and adjusted her sheets. She closed her eyes again, attempting to go back to sleep. Still, she found it difficult with Dravis's alluring image playing in her mind.

When Dravis came out again, he sensed that Amara couldn't fall asleep again easily. He opened the door to the other side of the room, leading to the inn's garden.

"Do you want some tea?" Dravis asked, breaking Amara's thoughts as she opened her eyes.

Realizing she couldn't sleep right away, Amara got up again and accepted his offer. "S-Sure."

When the servant delivered the tea they ordered, they sat outside and admired the beauty of the night. Amara sat next to Dravis, but their cups of tea were placed between them.

"What are you thinking?" Dravis began their conversation.

"Nothing in particular. I just feel like the night is peaceful," the girl replied. "I hope Dion sleeps well tonight. I already miss him."

Silence fell between them, and Amara felt a wave of sadness. She didn't know if she would ever see Dion and Lillian again or if she would still be alive tomorrow. Her life seemed uncertain.

"Why?" Amara asked, and Dravis turned to her, waiting for her question. "Why did you come with me? You knew you would be in danger, so why did you still do it?"

"Didn't I tell you... to give me a reason to fulfill your wish?" Dravis said, lifting his gaze to meet hers. Unlike his usual stare, which is so sharp and fierce, his eyes seemed to show comfort at that time. He gave her a faint smile, leaving Amara puzzled about what he meant.

"W-What reason are you talking about?" Amara asked with confusion.

That widened Dravis's smile. "That's something you need to find out. You'll also find the answer to your question when you figure it out."

"Ha?" Amara was confused by his words. She didn't know how to respond.

Dravis sighed, "Our journey won't be easy. I won't allow myself not to see my family again, so to get back to them, we need to succeed in our mission."

"M-Mission?"

Dravis nodded, his seriousness and desperation evident in his expression. "As former soldiers of Emmett, Cyrus and I hold this kingdom in high regard. We have great respect and admiration for your father, the former king. We owe so much to him. Cyrus and I agreed that we should help you achieve the justice you seek, but we also know it won't be easy."

"Yeah. That's why I'm wondering. I-I know it's difficult. I also know that what I want is impossible, and I'm so stubborn for insisting on it," Amara said with a conflicted tone. "I apologize for dragging you into the chaos of my life."

"It's difficult, yes, but impossible? No, there's a possibility if we plan it carefully!" Dravis exclaimed, offering a glimmer of hope to Amara's lost faith.

"Is it really possible?" Amara asked, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"I received a letter from a former comrade in the army. Niall, who is under their new leader, is living in fear. They are ruthless and being taxed beyond their means. I also learned that changes have occurred not only in Niall and Erin, but also in other parts of the kingdom; those changes seem to be causing hardships for the people. That's why we thought... to form an alliance against the kingdom of Emmett!"

"W-What!? An alliance?" Amara asked again. "With whom? Can we really do it?"

"I'm not sure, but we won't know unless we try. However, we only have one chance, so we need to craft a meticulous plan," Dravis said, tightening his grip on his teacup. "We'll search for my former comrades, and tomorrow, we'll go to Priya to meet one of them! They can be of great help to us."

"Your comrades?" Amara repeated, recalling the story her father once told her. The kingdom of Emmett had five exceptional generals who excelled in combat and strategy more than any other soldiers in Emmett. Dravis was one of them, and he was the youngest general at that time. The light of hope was once again shining on Amara. She never expected to find such excellent companions; if luck was on her side, even Dravis' former comrades would become their allies. "Will we be able to find them?"

"Yes, I have ways to find them, but it won't be easy with so many scattered soldiers," Dravis replied. "We need to be cautious."

Amara nodded and took a deep breath. She knew what lay ahead of them would be challenging, but with Dravis's help, her path seemed to have direction. While there was no certainty about the outcome, she realized that pursuing her goal was crucial.

Dravis stood up and extended his hand in front of Amara. The young woman briefly looked at it, realizing that Dravis was being a gentleman and wanted to support her in her stand. Amara reached out and held his hand as their eyes locked in a steadfast gaze.

"I want to repeat this to you; keep in mind that I won't always be there when you're in danger," Dravis said, still holding Amara's hand even as she was already standing up. Amara was surprised when Dravis pulled her closer and wrapped her in his arms. "So promise me... that you won't give up until I come and save you, princess."

Upon hearing what Dravis called her, a sense of joy bloomed in Amara's heart. She returned the embrace, resting her head on his sturdy chest.

"No matter what happens... I'll wait for you, I promise."