Knights of The Dauntless Princess

Chapter 16: Devil Wolf

Amara couldn't forget the memory of Dravis' kiss, making it uncomfortable for her to talk or even look at the young man.

"Beloved princess, are you okay? You seem awfully quiet," Cyrus asked.

Amara looked up at him and shook her head. "H-Huh? I'm fine!"

Cyrus was always like that, always asking if she was okay. Despite his mischievous nature, Amara noticed his excessive concern for her. She felt lucky to have him as her friend and companion; she smiled at Cyrus to show there was nothing to worry about.

On the other hand, Dravis, who was in front of them, didn't even glance back and remained silent. But Cyrus paid no attention to it because that had always been his behavior. Amara's eyes turned to Dravis in front of her. After that kiss, the young man showed no signs of anything unusual. His coldness and aloofness towards the world remained the same. He was still distant and even quite rude sometimes in his interactions.

They were still in the forest of Priya, known as Fremont Forest. The Fremont Forest was a dense forest wrapped around that mountain. Unlike Erin and Niall, which were developed with various products, Priya was full of mountains, lakes, and plantations, and its people lived through hunting, mining, fishing, and farming. To reach the center of the town of Priya, they needed to exit the forest.

Dravis suddenly stopped his horse from walking, causing Cyrus and Amara to stop as well. Dravis felt something unusual around them, as if there were eyes watching them. He raised his gaze and tried to sense their presence.

"Why did we stop? What's happening?" Amara asked.

"There are other people here," Cyrus replied, which seemed he also sensed them.

Amara tightened her grip on her horse's reins and became alert to what might happen next.

Suddenly... several arrows flew toward them. Fortunately, they managed to dodge them all. Afterward, a group of men armed with bows and swords emerged from the bushes and large trees.

"Dravis!" Cyrus called out.

Dravis didn't speak, nor did he draw his sword. There was still no expression on his face.

"Tell us, who are you? What are you doing here?" one of the arriving men asked.

Dravis examined their appearances with just a glance. Some of the men still had their faces covered, but based on their clothing, Dravis knew they were bandits.

Dravis noticed Cyrus attempting to grab his mallet, but Dravis raised his hand, signaling him not to do it. Cyrus wondered why Dravis did not intend to fight, and Amara had the same thoughts. Nonetheless, Cyrus followed Dravis' lead and waited for what would happen next.

"We are just travelers," Dravis replied. "You're probably the bandits in this mountain. We're looking for someone."

The bandit guy's forehead furrowed as he walked closer to Dravis. "And what do we care about who you're looking for!?"

"Lower your weapons; we have no intention of fighting," Dravis said, dismounting from his horse.

Cyrus and Amara exchanged glances; they didn't know what Dravis was doing or thinking at that moment.

"You don't get to give orders! You have no right to command us!" the bandit retorted.

"I want you to take us to your leader," Dravis continued, seemingly unaffected by the man's words. "Take us to Devil Wolf, or you might know him by his true name, Ranz."

Ranz?

"Dravis, don't tell me—"

Dravis nodded to Cyrus, cutting him off before he finished speaking. "Yes, one of the men we are looking for is a leader of the bandits."

The bandit's teeth clenched in anger and concern. "How did you know our leader? How did you learn his true name? Tell me, what is your intention with him!?"

"I was sent here by his grandfather, General Emery, the former general of Emmett. I have a letter from him as proof. Take us to your leader. I want to negotiate with him," Dravis said straightly.

General Emery? Wait, he was the oldest general back then! He was often seen with Father in the palace.

"Show me the letter!"

"It's confidential. If you want to know its contents, take us to Ranz," Dravis replied, unperturbed by their intimidation.

"What should we do, Orson?" another bandit asked.

Orson remained silent momentarily, but his sharp eyes were fixed on Dravis, seemingly contemplating something. Unable to discern any fear or suspicious expression on Dravis' face, he couldn't determine whether Dravis was telling the truth. He wanted to kill them but thought about what if Dravis was telling the truth. They would surely face the wrath of the Devil Wolf.

"Take their weapons and horses! Bind their hands and blindfold them!" Orson, the bandit, ordered. "We'll bring them to our camp!"

The other bandits were surprised but followed his orders. They restrained Dravis, Cyrus, and Amara. They took their weapons and tied their hands.

"Don't tie her too tightly! I won't forgive you if I see any bruises on her!" Cyrus growled as he saw Amara's hands being tied behind her back.

Amara smiled at him to calm him down. "Cyrus, I'm fine."

Dravis remained silent but kept an eye on the man tying Amara's hands as if remembering his face. Although his face didn't reveal any emotions, Dravis also wanted to slit the bandit's throat for what he did to the princess.

Their eyes were blindfolded, and their hands were already tied up. They seemed to have walked uphill for nearly two hours to reach the bandit's den. When they finally got there, some other bandits greeted them with curiosity.

"Why did you bring them here?" a female voice, Nina, asked. She seemed young. "We don't do k1dnappings here! We're thieves! We steal from the rich and corrupt individuals for the oppressed people of Priya!"

"I know that! Stop scolding me! They said they wanted to talk to Devil Wolf! They have a message from his grandfather," the bandit explained in irritation. "Is he inside?"

"And you believe them, you fool! What if they suddenly kill our leader!? You're an i***t!!"

"Shut up! I already thought of that. That is why we took their weapons! I also thought, what if they're telling the truth, I'll be in trouble with the boss!" Orson said.

Nina sighed, seemingly understanding his reasoning. However, she couldn't help but feel annoyed, especially since they were with a woman who wanted to meet her beloved leader. Nina's eyes shifted toward Amara, and even though Amara's eyes were covered, Nina could tell that she was beautiful, which annoyed her.

"Let the two men enter, but keep that woman here!" Nina ordered.

"What!? You can't do that! Try it, and we'll make sure you regret it!" Cyrus threatened.

"What can you do, huh? You're already tied up—" Nina was taken aback when Dravis and Cyrus suddenly broke free from their restraints. The other bandits were also surprised and quickly prepared to attack.

Dravis removed the cover from his eyes but remained calm despite the danger surrounding them. "I said earlier; we had no intention of fighting. All we want is to speak to your leader, but if you keep our princess away from us, we won't hesitate to risk our lives, even if it means killing all of you."

Cyrus released Amara, and her beautiful face caught their attention as she removed her blindfold. Nina's eyes widened, and she was left stunned upon realizing that the woman before them was none other than the princess.

"I apologize for the trouble we brought to your fortress. We didn't intend any harm; all we want is to talk to your leader," Amara spoke humbly.

In the eyes of the bandits, the young lady appeared respectable. Some immediately followed her words, guiding them to the room where they could meet the person they sought.

"Hey! What are you doing? Why are you taking them there!?" Nina shouted, but her companions ignored her. The bandit lady was infuriated.

When they reached the room door, one of the male bandits knocked to inform Devil Wolf that they wanted to enter.

"Devil Wolf, there are people who wish to speak to you. Would you allow them to come in?" he asked.

"Sure."

The man opened the door, and they entered. Inside the room, they saw a young man with a confident presence. His long hair was tied, and he had a scar on his chin as if it was inflicted by a sharp object.

Amara couldn't help but stare at the young man sitting comfortably on his bed, eating an apple.

-Wait, is this young man... the one they call Devil Wolf? Is he... the leader of these bandits?

Dravis and Cyrus also seemed taken aback that the person they were looking for turned out to be just a young man. They had imagined a more terrifying and chilling figure.

"It seems you're the guests my grandfather mentioned. How was your journey?" Ranz, the bandit lord, grinned. "Did my men greet you well?"

From the tone of Ranz's speech, Amara thought he seemed friendly. However, Cyrus and Dravis still appeared uneasy. It seemed they were not easily trusting of such behavior.

"You knew we were coming, so why didn't you warn your men?" Dravis asked coldly. "Is it possible that you wanted to kill us?"

Amara gasped at Dravis' words, realizing their implication.

He's right. Why didn't he inform his men if he knew we were coming?

Ranz's gaze turned cold, and he displayed a chilling smile. "Impressive observation, my friend! Hahaha! The truth is, I don't care about my grandfather's mission or your purpose! I have no intention of allying with you! Priya is the only thing that matters to me—"

"Is it really matter to you?!" Amara suddenly interjected, taking a step forward to plead with Ranz. "Then why would you not listen to us?"

Only then did Ranz notice that Cyrus and Dravis were accompanied by a woman, and she was not just any woman but an incredibly stunning young lady. Ranz was momentarily captivated, his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

She's so beautiful. Who is this woman?

"Priya is a part of Emmett's kingdom! Soon, it won't be long before you lose your rights here because the new leaders are slowly taking over each town! If you fight with us, we can still stop them!" Amara explained. "Just as you value Priya, the kingdom of Emmett is also important to me. That's why I'm pleading with you to agree to an alliance!"

Ranz sighed and grinned. Cyrus and Dravis couldn't help but feel uneasy about his reaction.

"Fine, I will agree," Ranz said, shifting from his seat. He tapped his bed while looking at Amara, smiling. "But on one condition, you'll sleep beside me every night, and we'll get married!"